FIC: "Rumors of My Death," Helen/Ranna, Adult
Title: Rumors of My Death
Author: geonncannon
Fandom: Sanctuary
Pairing: Helen Magnus/Ranna Seneschal
Word Count: 2,064
Category: Drama, Romance
Spoilers: Hollow Men, Pax Romana, Metamorphosis, Carentan, Into the Black
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me!
Rating: Adult
Author's Notes: For mandala! Happy birthday!
Summary: An old friend is brought to the Sanctuary in an attempt to retrieve her old memories.
All she really knew was that something was wrong. The sky was the wrong color, the air smelled wrong, and she was wearing the wrong clothes. She took a bath in the wrong tub, and stared at her reflection in the foggy glass over the sink. Her features were obscured by the steam, but she recognized herself. One couldn't look at oneself for three hundred and fifty years without imprinting on the image of their own face. She wiped away the condensation and tried to fill in the blanks. She knew her face. She knew her age. Why didn't she remember anything else?
She had to be told her name was Ranna. It sounded correct, so she accepted it. The rest of it was like being told the plot of a novel she read long ago. Pieces of it sounded familiar, but the majority was new and confusing. She and - the mistress of this place, gods what was her name again? - sat for hours discussing information that should have been common knowledge.
She was Ranna Seneschal, the leader of Praxis under the authority of the Senate. She could vaguely remember meeting Helen. Helen! She saw the corners of her mouth rise at that small victory. She met Helen, and the balance of power had shifted ever so slightly. The trust between herself, the Senate and the tribes had been shattered by Fallon's betrayal. It was a time of great upheaval. She remembered the warning of activity in one of the outer tunnels, leaving Gregory in charge while she and her new lieutenant investigated.
While she was away, Adam Worth activated his infernal device and destroyed Praxis. After that she remembered nothing. Not how she survived. Not if she had seen anyone. The first thing she could truly, clearly recall was the young woman blocking the doorway of the cave that Ranna had made her home. She insisted they had met before, but at that time Ranna wasn't even sure she was really alive. The girl took her back to a small makeshift base that had hot and cold running water and reminded her what it was like to be a human being again.
Two weeks later, a group of soldiers in civilian dress arrived with a group of Abnormals. They were taken in and the girl, Kate Freelander, explained the situation. One of the soldiers, Declan, agreed to take her to meet Magnus. Ranna remembered being elated at the news but unsure of why. The trip was endless, and she slept as much as possible. When finally they arrived, she was greeted at the door of the Sanctuary by an elegant brunette woman who smiled in a way that inspired confidence.
"Hello, Ranna. It's wonderful to see you again."
She cupped her hands under the running water of the sink and splashed it over her face. She ran her fingers through her wet hair and finally wrapped the towel around her midsection. She stepped out into the candlelit guest bedroom.
Helen was sitting on the edge of the bed, hands folded in her lap. She lifted her head as light from the bathroom washed over her, and she smiled reassuringly.
"We don't have to do this."
Ranna left the door open. "But we have done this before. You don't have to confirm, I know from seeing you here... like this... I know it. But maddeningly enough I cannot remember." She traced a long curl from Helen's temple down to her shoulder, and then she teased the thin strap of Helen's sheer nightgown. "Perhaps it would allow me to remember things more clearly."
Helen stood, proving to be an inch taller than Ranna even in bare feet. She lightly touched the knuckle of one finger to Ranna's chin, lifting her head until their eyes met. "You killed me when we met. And then you brought me back to life." Helen smiled and leaned in, brushing her bottom lip over Ranna's. "We fought together. Saved your world."
"And then it was lost again. And your father--"
"No." Helen shook her head. "I'm sick of counting my losses. They are too innumerable and my heart can only break so many times. I prefer to count my victories. You are alive and you are here now. And that is very much a good thing."
They kissed again, and this time Ranna refused to let Helen break the kiss. Her lips opened under Helen's, her hand sliding up to the back of Helen's head to keep her from pulling away. The fog in her mind began to clear and she remembered their first private kiss in the entrance of her chambers. The guards had been dispatched to revive the rest of Helen's team, and Helen had been weakened by the disease ravaging her cells. She had clung to Ranna until the pain passed, and then Ranna stole a quick kiss to console her. Helen's head turned at the last second and their lips meet in a fleeting glance.
Afterward, when they were gearing up to find and heal Kanaan, Helen had gently and pointedly kissed Ranna for luck.
Ranna pulled away from the kiss and waited until Helen's eyes opened before she spoke. "We've only done this once?"
Helen cleared her throat. "Once in person. Yes." She traced the curve of Ranna's shoulder with the pad of her thumb. "Do you remember the details?"
Ranna touched Helen's face, rubbing her thumb in wide circles over the curve of Helen's cheek. "Tell me."
"It was not long before Carentan. My father's birthday. You offered to come to the surface with him so we could touch base on a potential alliance between Praxis and the surface without the blasted Senate mucking things up. I was nervous. We'd... well, we had shared intimacy before through coded messages." She smiled as she remembered typing detailed messages of what she was doing to herself into the computer and biting her lips as she waited for a reply. She moved her thumb in a straight line across Ranna's collarbone. "Do you remember? Making me tell you about how I like to touch myself..."
"Yes. I remember I would read the messages again later in the privacy of my chambers."
Helen shuddered, wet her lips, and nodded. "We had only one night together before you had to return to Praxis. You followed me to my room and whispered in my ear that you desperately wanted to feel my naked body against yours. I took you inside and you undressed me. I..." She looked down at Ranna's towel and the angel on her shoulder chirped up.
"Perhaps we should wait."
"I think we've waited long enough. I've lost enough of my experiences, and I believe it's time to regain as many as possible." She stepped back and tugged at her towel. It fell away, and Helen's eyes dropped. She dropped her hand to the curve of Ranna's breast, and Ranna sagged forward until it filled Helen's palm. They kissed again, and Ranna put her hand on Helen's hip. As Helen stepped backward, Ranna stepped forward and they fell to the bed in a controlled tumble.
Helen spread her legs, the hem of her gown riding up her thighs as Ranna settled between them. Her tongue dipped playfully in and out of Helen's mouth, and her wet hair dragged across the bodice of Helen's gown. The wet fabric brushed against Helen's nipples and made them harder. Ranna kissed the curve of Helen's chin, the hollow of her throat, and the flat of her chest before she ran her tongue over the nipple and sucked it through the thin material.
Ranna sat up and dragged the thin material of Helen's nightgown up, baring her thighs and then her sex, then her stomach. Helen shifted her weight as the gown was removed, raising her arms as Ranna finally released her from it. She tossed it aside, and bowed her head, kissing between Helen's breasts. Helen ran her fingers through Ranna's hair, leaving wide fans of it across her breasts as Ranna kissed her way down Helen's stomach.
She kissed the spot just above Helen's pubic hair, then her thighs, and then moved back up. She lined her body up with Helen's and touched her lips with two fingers. Helen kissed, sucked and licked them until their tips were shining and wet before repeating the move with her own hand. Their arms crossed between their bodies, and Ranna closed her eyes as Helen touched her.
Helen's free hand gripped the bedsheets as she lifted her hips to meet Ranna's hand, and Ranna thrust forward in an attempt to drive Helen's hand deeper. Helen extended her thumb and twisted her hand until it was as if Ranna's entire weight was balanced on Helen's fingers. Ranna angled her hips so that each forward thrust pushed her clit against Helen's thumb. She rested her other hand on Helen's chest. She was using her left hand on Helen's sex so that her right could feel the drumming of Helen's heart against her ribs.
Ranna's orgasm surprised her, and she lowered her head until her chin was resting on the top of Helen's head. Helen took the opportunity to kiss and lick Ranna's throat until she could pull her hand free. She moved higher on the bed as she ran her tongue daintily across her fingers, savoring the taste as she settled against the berth of pillows at the headboard. Ranna waited until Helen was settled and then crawled up the bed, settling on her stomach between Helen's parted legs.
Again she kissed Helen's stomach and thighs, prolonging the pleasure until she couldn't delay any longer. She wet her lips with a cursory pass of her tongue, used her thumb to part the folds of Helen's sex, and lightly touched her with the flat of her tongue. Helen sucked in a sharp breath, stretching out her neck and dropping one hand to the back of Ranna's head as her toes curled in the sheets.
Ranna closed her eyes and used her tongue to explore, pushing inside and withdrawing when Helen's breath became too ragged. She cupped Helen's buttocks with one hand, massaging gently in a rhythm that matched the movements of her lips and tongue. The grunts and moans of pleasure coming from Helen's slightly parted lips were like music to her, and she opened her eyes to watch her partner.
She slipped two fingers into Helen alongside her tongue, moving them in concert with each other. Helen rose up, one hand on the back of Ranna's head as her body curled protectively over her. Ranna thrust her tongue deeply into Helen, spreading Helen wide by moving her fingers apart. She withdrew her tongue and closed her lips around Helen's clit, and Helen came with a wordless cry, digging her heels into the mattress as she trembled.
Ranna kissed the spot below Helen's navel and then nuzzled her pubic hair. Helen sagged against the headboard and idly played with Ranna's hair as she struggled to catch her breath. Ranna moved up, licking between Helen's breasts before she took a pale pink nipple into her mouth. The other nipple she teased with her fingertips, smiling when Helen made a guttural moan of approval. Helen finally got tired of waiting and drew Ranna to her, parting her lips just before Ranna kissed her. Helen brought her legs up and hooked her ankles in the small of Ranna's back, pulling her close as their tongues dueled. Ranna knew Helen could taste herself, and the thought made her weak.
When the kiss ended, they remained close enough that their noses touched. Helen stroked Ranna's hair out of her face and met her eyes.
"Anything about that seem familiar?" Helen whispered.
Ranna turned her head and kissed the inside of Helen's wrist. "Many parts of it. But I won't know for certain until I can arrange my thoughts."
Helen guided Ranna's head to her chest, her cheek in Ranna's hair.
"My dear, you may take all the time you wish."
Ranna put her arms around Helen and held her in the dark of the bedroom. She had no idea when or if her memory would ever fully return. But even if it did, she planned to make a great deal of new memories to fill the missing places.
Author: geonncannon
Fandom: Sanctuary
Pairing: Helen Magnus/Ranna Seneschal
Word Count: 2,064
Category: Drama, Romance
Spoilers: Hollow Men, Pax Romana, Metamorphosis, Carentan, Into the Black
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me!
Rating: Adult
Author's Notes: For mandala! Happy birthday!
Summary: An old friend is brought to the Sanctuary in an attempt to retrieve her old memories.
All she really knew was that something was wrong. The sky was the wrong color, the air smelled wrong, and she was wearing the wrong clothes. She took a bath in the wrong tub, and stared at her reflection in the foggy glass over the sink. Her features were obscured by the steam, but she recognized herself. One couldn't look at oneself for three hundred and fifty years without imprinting on the image of their own face. She wiped away the condensation and tried to fill in the blanks. She knew her face. She knew her age. Why didn't she remember anything else?
She had to be told her name was Ranna. It sounded correct, so she accepted it. The rest of it was like being told the plot of a novel she read long ago. Pieces of it sounded familiar, but the majority was new and confusing. She and - the mistress of this place, gods what was her name again? - sat for hours discussing information that should have been common knowledge.
She was Ranna Seneschal, the leader of Praxis under the authority of the Senate. She could vaguely remember meeting Helen. Helen! She saw the corners of her mouth rise at that small victory. She met Helen, and the balance of power had shifted ever so slightly. The trust between herself, the Senate and the tribes had been shattered by Fallon's betrayal. It was a time of great upheaval. She remembered the warning of activity in one of the outer tunnels, leaving Gregory in charge while she and her new lieutenant investigated.
While she was away, Adam Worth activated his infernal device and destroyed Praxis. After that she remembered nothing. Not how she survived. Not if she had seen anyone. The first thing she could truly, clearly recall was the young woman blocking the doorway of the cave that Ranna had made her home. She insisted they had met before, but at that time Ranna wasn't even sure she was really alive. The girl took her back to a small makeshift base that had hot and cold running water and reminded her what it was like to be a human being again.
Two weeks later, a group of soldiers in civilian dress arrived with a group of Abnormals. They were taken in and the girl, Kate Freelander, explained the situation. One of the soldiers, Declan, agreed to take her to meet Magnus. Ranna remembered being elated at the news but unsure of why. The trip was endless, and she slept as much as possible. When finally they arrived, she was greeted at the door of the Sanctuary by an elegant brunette woman who smiled in a way that inspired confidence.
"Hello, Ranna. It's wonderful to see you again."
She cupped her hands under the running water of the sink and splashed it over her face. She ran her fingers through her wet hair and finally wrapped the towel around her midsection. She stepped out into the candlelit guest bedroom.
Helen was sitting on the edge of the bed, hands folded in her lap. She lifted her head as light from the bathroom washed over her, and she smiled reassuringly.
"We don't have to do this."
Ranna left the door open. "But we have done this before. You don't have to confirm, I know from seeing you here... like this... I know it. But maddeningly enough I cannot remember." She traced a long curl from Helen's temple down to her shoulder, and then she teased the thin strap of Helen's sheer nightgown. "Perhaps it would allow me to remember things more clearly."
Helen stood, proving to be an inch taller than Ranna even in bare feet. She lightly touched the knuckle of one finger to Ranna's chin, lifting her head until their eyes met. "You killed me when we met. And then you brought me back to life." Helen smiled and leaned in, brushing her bottom lip over Ranna's. "We fought together. Saved your world."
"And then it was lost again. And your father--"
"No." Helen shook her head. "I'm sick of counting my losses. They are too innumerable and my heart can only break so many times. I prefer to count my victories. You are alive and you are here now. And that is very much a good thing."
They kissed again, and this time Ranna refused to let Helen break the kiss. Her lips opened under Helen's, her hand sliding up to the back of Helen's head to keep her from pulling away. The fog in her mind began to clear and she remembered their first private kiss in the entrance of her chambers. The guards had been dispatched to revive the rest of Helen's team, and Helen had been weakened by the disease ravaging her cells. She had clung to Ranna until the pain passed, and then Ranna stole a quick kiss to console her. Helen's head turned at the last second and their lips meet in a fleeting glance.
Afterward, when they were gearing up to find and heal Kanaan, Helen had gently and pointedly kissed Ranna for luck.
Ranna pulled away from the kiss and waited until Helen's eyes opened before she spoke. "We've only done this once?"
Helen cleared her throat. "Once in person. Yes." She traced the curve of Ranna's shoulder with the pad of her thumb. "Do you remember the details?"
Ranna touched Helen's face, rubbing her thumb in wide circles over the curve of Helen's cheek. "Tell me."
"It was not long before Carentan. My father's birthday. You offered to come to the surface with him so we could touch base on a potential alliance between Praxis and the surface without the blasted Senate mucking things up. I was nervous. We'd... well, we had shared intimacy before through coded messages." She smiled as she remembered typing detailed messages of what she was doing to herself into the computer and biting her lips as she waited for a reply. She moved her thumb in a straight line across Ranna's collarbone. "Do you remember? Making me tell you about how I like to touch myself..."
"Yes. I remember I would read the messages again later in the privacy of my chambers."
Helen shuddered, wet her lips, and nodded. "We had only one night together before you had to return to Praxis. You followed me to my room and whispered in my ear that you desperately wanted to feel my naked body against yours. I took you inside and you undressed me. I..." She looked down at Ranna's towel and the angel on her shoulder chirped up.
"Perhaps we should wait."
"I think we've waited long enough. I've lost enough of my experiences, and I believe it's time to regain as many as possible." She stepped back and tugged at her towel. It fell away, and Helen's eyes dropped. She dropped her hand to the curve of Ranna's breast, and Ranna sagged forward until it filled Helen's palm. They kissed again, and Ranna put her hand on Helen's hip. As Helen stepped backward, Ranna stepped forward and they fell to the bed in a controlled tumble.
Helen spread her legs, the hem of her gown riding up her thighs as Ranna settled between them. Her tongue dipped playfully in and out of Helen's mouth, and her wet hair dragged across the bodice of Helen's gown. The wet fabric brushed against Helen's nipples and made them harder. Ranna kissed the curve of Helen's chin, the hollow of her throat, and the flat of her chest before she ran her tongue over the nipple and sucked it through the thin material.
Ranna sat up and dragged the thin material of Helen's nightgown up, baring her thighs and then her sex, then her stomach. Helen shifted her weight as the gown was removed, raising her arms as Ranna finally released her from it. She tossed it aside, and bowed her head, kissing between Helen's breasts. Helen ran her fingers through Ranna's hair, leaving wide fans of it across her breasts as Ranna kissed her way down Helen's stomach.
She kissed the spot just above Helen's pubic hair, then her thighs, and then moved back up. She lined her body up with Helen's and touched her lips with two fingers. Helen kissed, sucked and licked them until their tips were shining and wet before repeating the move with her own hand. Their arms crossed between their bodies, and Ranna closed her eyes as Helen touched her.
Helen's free hand gripped the bedsheets as she lifted her hips to meet Ranna's hand, and Ranna thrust forward in an attempt to drive Helen's hand deeper. Helen extended her thumb and twisted her hand until it was as if Ranna's entire weight was balanced on Helen's fingers. Ranna angled her hips so that each forward thrust pushed her clit against Helen's thumb. She rested her other hand on Helen's chest. She was using her left hand on Helen's sex so that her right could feel the drumming of Helen's heart against her ribs.
Ranna's orgasm surprised her, and she lowered her head until her chin was resting on the top of Helen's head. Helen took the opportunity to kiss and lick Ranna's throat until she could pull her hand free. She moved higher on the bed as she ran her tongue daintily across her fingers, savoring the taste as she settled against the berth of pillows at the headboard. Ranna waited until Helen was settled and then crawled up the bed, settling on her stomach between Helen's parted legs.
Again she kissed Helen's stomach and thighs, prolonging the pleasure until she couldn't delay any longer. She wet her lips with a cursory pass of her tongue, used her thumb to part the folds of Helen's sex, and lightly touched her with the flat of her tongue. Helen sucked in a sharp breath, stretching out her neck and dropping one hand to the back of Ranna's head as her toes curled in the sheets.
Ranna closed her eyes and used her tongue to explore, pushing inside and withdrawing when Helen's breath became too ragged. She cupped Helen's buttocks with one hand, massaging gently in a rhythm that matched the movements of her lips and tongue. The grunts and moans of pleasure coming from Helen's slightly parted lips were like music to her, and she opened her eyes to watch her partner.
She slipped two fingers into Helen alongside her tongue, moving them in concert with each other. Helen rose up, one hand on the back of Ranna's head as her body curled protectively over her. Ranna thrust her tongue deeply into Helen, spreading Helen wide by moving her fingers apart. She withdrew her tongue and closed her lips around Helen's clit, and Helen came with a wordless cry, digging her heels into the mattress as she trembled.
Ranna kissed the spot below Helen's navel and then nuzzled her pubic hair. Helen sagged against the headboard and idly played with Ranna's hair as she struggled to catch her breath. Ranna moved up, licking between Helen's breasts before she took a pale pink nipple into her mouth. The other nipple she teased with her fingertips, smiling when Helen made a guttural moan of approval. Helen finally got tired of waiting and drew Ranna to her, parting her lips just before Ranna kissed her. Helen brought her legs up and hooked her ankles in the small of Ranna's back, pulling her close as their tongues dueled. Ranna knew Helen could taste herself, and the thought made her weak.
When the kiss ended, they remained close enough that their noses touched. Helen stroked Ranna's hair out of her face and met her eyes.
"Anything about that seem familiar?" Helen whispered.
Ranna turned her head and kissed the inside of Helen's wrist. "Many parts of it. But I won't know for certain until I can arrange my thoughts."
Helen guided Ranna's head to her chest, her cheek in Ranna's hair.
"My dear, you may take all the time you wish."
Ranna put her arms around Helen and held her in the dark of the bedroom. She had no idea when or if her memory would ever fully return. But even if it did, she planned to make a great deal of new memories to fill the missing places.