Beauty Is Pain

"So these are our rooms," I said, "here's the key."

Raya turned the key and pushed the door open.

Amidst all the creaking, there was also some snapping, and we had a horrible moment were we both thought something broke. However, the door opened without a hitch, albeit with some necessary force.

Immediately a cold gust of wind rushed through the door like it was the gate of hell.

The room was as small as I remembered. There was only a simple bed made of hay and a rustic wardrobe. Above the bed was a window, the tongue of the lock provocatively stuck open, signifying that it couldn't be closed.

"So, which one do you want," I asked Raya, "this one or the previous one?"

She stood, frozen, with her hand still on the knob.

"Or would you like to share," I embraced her waist and with an alluring smile told her, "we can keep each other warm in the night."

Her hand trembled and she screamed, "I want neither! I want to go home, this place is worse than a pigs den."

I cupped my ears, "don't be like that, it's part of the adventure," I reached for the stolen, red bag, "will you shut up if I give you this? Next time, we will get a better place. Take it as a compensation."

She looked at the bag and squinted her eyes, "fine. Only this time." She snatched the bag from my hands.

"In return, how about we spend the night toget-"

She closed the door in my face, and the hallway turned silent. "Hello," I asked but there was no answer. Fine then. She would come around eventually. Maybe.

I went to my room which was not better than hers, and closed the door. I tried pushing the windows shut, but there was still a chilling breeze that sneaked through the gaps.

With no other choice, I took of my clothes in the cold.

As I laid on the bed, the hay rustled like leaves in a forest. And the feeling was no different than from sleeping in the forest either. I wrapped the thin blanket around me twice— if I could, I would do it a third, the wind never seemed to stop.

The night slowly arrived. It wasn't quite there yet, but it would also take me some time to fall asleep in these temperatures.

There was a cozy silence around, as if I was sealed in my own little box, and the size of the room was quite nostalgic. I wriggled around to find what would be comfortable and let my eyes close by themselves.

"How long do you plan on sulking," I murmured with my head buried in the hard pillow.

Agnes didn't reply.

Ever since I told her my plans to go against the rulers of the Era of Dawn, 'the cloud' (determiner included), she stayed silent.

I opened one eye and glanced at her from the side. She was floating in the air with tugged knees—curling into a ball—and was pouting. She filled her cheeks with air while her eyebrows formed a sharp arrow pointing downwards.

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴅᴏ ᴛʜɪs," she complained.

"Do what?"

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ ʀᴇɢᴀʀᴅs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs. ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ, ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀғғᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴs ɪs ᴍᴇ," she turned her head way from me.

"I"m sorry. But you have to understand, it is in my nature. I was created this way," I shrugged my shoulders, "if people don't suffer, I do."

I watched her hovering back as she stayed unresponsive.

"Come on let's go to sleep," I opened a tiny slit through my cocoon, "it is getting awfully cold alone, and your cousin didn't feel like joining."

Slowly, she returned her head; there was still a silent anger in her big, glassy eyes and she hissed at me one last time before saying, "ɪ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ, ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴀ sᴛᴏʀʏ."

"That seems hardly like the right time?"

"ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴛɪᴍᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀ sᴛᴏʀʏ," she rebutted.

I let out a sigh, "I will tell you two in the morning," I patted the bed and small dust particles flung into the air, "how does that sound.

There was a moody silence, but in the end she agreed.

She reluctantly came to me, and with a slight glow around her, her clothes vanished. Without giving me a chance to delight in the sight, she tucked into my arms, pressing her breasts firmly against mine, and hid herself deep underneath the blanket—the blanket that was wrapped twice, turned into once.

She whispered into my bosom, "ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴄᴏʟᴅ."

"Wait," I came to a sudden realization, "couldn't you create another blanket with your magic?"

"ɴᴏ, ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴀɪɴɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴡʜɪʟsᴛ ᴀsʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ, ᴀ ʙʟᴀɴᴋᴇᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ."

"Then disappear into my mind."

"ʜᴇʟʟ ɴᴏ, ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴇᴇɴ ʜᴏᴡ sᴄᴀʀʏ ɪᴛ ɪs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ," she hugged me tightly, and I wrapped my hands around her smooth back.

"Fair enough," I tangled my legs with hers, "and I would hate to not sleep with your company."

I pressed my lips on her forehead and she gently closed her eyes.

"ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɴɪɢʜᴛ. sʟᴜᴛ." She said quietly.

I replied snappily: "G'night, bastard."

Lights out.

-

The next morning, someone knocked on my door. I had awoken by then, with the sun harshly beaming into my face, and also entertained the willful Agnes. "Who is there," I asked, "and if you turn it into a joke, I will beat you up."

There was a slight pause. "It is me, Raya."

"Oh, I see. Wait a second," I shoved the jutting metal aside, and opened the door for her, "okay, it is open."

Raya swiftly strolled into my room and willfully sat down on the bed, "I cannot be here any longer, we have to set out now," she demanded.

As I looked at her face, I saw dark rings underneath her eyes. And her hair was all scruffed up. She kept cracking her neck.

"I assume you did not sleep well?"

"It was absolutely horrible," she humphed, "I can't be here any longer."

"Now, don't be so mad, you will get used to it."

"Don't be mad? Have you seen the state of that bed? I would not be surpised there was a small ant colony underneath the hay. I cannot possibly fathom how you could have slept in such a run down shack," she droned on, "wait, what are you doing anyways."

"Can't you see, I am stretching," I told her while swinging my elbows and turning my torso side by side, "I would do yoga, but my body is too inflexible."

"Yoga?"

"Yes, it improves your blood circulation and posture, Supposedly, it also lessens your stress," I switched to bending down and and trying to touch my toes, "I never really tried it but it helps, I heard."

"I don't really understand it." She watched me confusedly, "whats the point?"

"To make myself more beautiful," I answered, "since I will receive my Archduke title, I have to look the part. Exercise will make my skin look fresh and my body toned. Eating more food will give me the necessary curves," I pointed at my hips, "some natural remedies to brighten my teeth and add volume to my silky hair will also go long way. Plus, some sleep should make me look healthier too."

Raya listened, "and that would really help?"

"Naturally, after I am done," I smiled, "I will look like a goddess." Although I already felt like I had the beauty of an angel, "so, as you can see, I am quite busy. Unless you have something important, let us meet for breakfast later."

Rayas eyes glimmered like two faint stars, "I have decided," she announced proudly, "I will allow you to teach me your tricks."

"Uh, did you not listen?"

"I did," she smiled faintly, "and because I did, I am giving a chance to tell me."

Was that how she asked for favors? I wonder how she had any friends.

I stretched my back and it comfortably cracked. She watched me attentively as I continued my excerices. I worked from the bottom and moved upwards. Legs, hamstrings, belly, back, arms—and because I had felt like it—fingers too.

The whole time, her stare made me feel like the human anatomy doll in biology classes.

When I was done, my body was a preheated oven. There was a warm glow surrounding me and small droplets fo sweat ran down my forehead.

"I will show you now," I told her.

"Finally," she groaned and rose from her seat, by pushing with both hands on her knees.

"First of all," I smiled brightly, "strip."

Raya stopped in motion, she stared at me, the edges of her mouth twitching, "what?"

"Strip," I repeated myself.

"What have you gone mad," she shouted at me, "do you think at am so dumb to take of my clothes?"

Raya said so, but while she did, she gradually began undressing. She had been wearing a thin, blue garb with tiny golden laces.

With trembling hands, she grabbed the ends and with utmost care swiftly, but also steadily began undressing, while finding it hard to act naturally. Her fingers anchored to the fabric and she raised her garb from below with revolting finesse. As she reached the top, and after revealing her long, bounteous legs, she gradually slowed down. She bit her lips and stared at me with anger. Her hands continued moving upwards, and after covering her bittersweet face, she revealed her free ample breasts.

So, there she stood, with only her panties, and they too vanished, like leaves in the winter, as she took them off and tossed them aside.

Her faithful body was laid bare in front of me and looked even more beautiful underneath the needless clothing.

She had a lovely curve around her hips and her breast formed two mountains, perking towards the sun; her butt looked soft to the touch, like strolling through a grassland under a gentle breeze, and simply sinking into the warm earth. There was a straight line running down her belly, as if a river, it acted as a support to nourish her beauty. Raya was like mother nature herself: complete, refined and yet so raw-

She grinded her teeth and hid her body with her hands, "you . . . what is the point of this," she demanded an answer, and her face darkened to a frightening degree.

"Stay still," I moved closer and observered her from below. "Squat down," I told her, and she followed as commanded.

She crouched down, her breasts acting as a cushion on her bent knees, and with her heels digging into her thighs.

"You will pay for this," she said to me grimly.

"I really won't," I stood up and walked behind Raya. Her bare back and exposed butt faced me, "put your hands behind your back and open your legs," I hugged her from behind and placed her arms around me, "like so." I leeched of her warmth and felt her clayey back against me.

She slowly spread her legs, she was shaking, as if going against an invisible force, but the resistance soon loosened and her knees spread like the wings of a butterfly, and her shell broke revealing her innermost parts.

"Good girl," I petted her head, "you really have one of the most wonderful bodies."

My hands gently slid down from smooth neckbone, sinking into her warm and soft chest. She blushed and let out an embarrassing cry.

My hand continued wandering along her naked body, she wanted stop me, but her arms were interlocked behind her back and all she could do was weakly utter, "no, don't..."

I reached her hard belly and caressed it, moving it in circles. She closed her eyes as if anticipating something. And just when she least expected it, I pinched her.

"Ow," she exclaimed in shock and fell forward.

I rapidly stood up and announced, "you should drink more water."

"What?"

"More water. It will reduce the water content from your stomach. As you crouched down, I could feel the skin from your belly, which wasn't as perfect as the rest of your body. I already guessed it, but I needed to make sure." I put the dark-blue garb on her, "I mean, you really don't need to, it is such a minuscule thing amidst your immaculate figure, but since you already asked."

"Then what about," she paused and her face turned red, "what about undressing me?"

I answered innocently, "you asked me to help you did you not?"

Raya stared at me. She did smile, but it was somehow crooked—like she couldn't decide whether to be happy from the compliments, or slap me due to her shame.

She slipped into her panties in confusion and swayed through the door with her mind only a haze.

"See you at breakfast," I called out.

"Ah, yes, yes," she replied dazedly, "I think I'll come later." And she hid herself in her room.

I cocked my head through my room, into the halls, and when I saw her gone, I laughed, "it really is such fun to tease her." I licked my fingers.

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍᴇᴀɴ." She then added, "ᴀɴᴅ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ sᴄᴜᴍ."

"She will get over it. And what is life without a little fun," I joked, "don't worry, I won't do anything she truly doesn't like. I think."

"ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴡᴏʀʀɪᴇᴅ."

"Good," I nodded, "then let's go eat then. I'm dying for the soup."

"ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ, ʜᴏᴡ ɪs ɪᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴀʙᴜɴᴅᴀɴᴛ ɢʀᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴛɪᴘs ᴀs ᴀ ᴍᴀɴ?"

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to." I concluded the conversation and walked out.

As I reached the diner, I was greeted by a surprising scene.

Even though it was full, there was an eerie silence. The people stood at the entrance, staring out the windows, or cupping their ears against the wall. They hushed quietly while looking concerned at each other.

The food on the table was half eaten and had already turned cold, with bread turning stale, and meat soggy in the soup.

"What is going on," I asked in confusion.

"Oh, you do not know?" The voluptuous owner answered me from afar. She had a tired expression and was resting her head on the table, "someone is holding a 'Jugdement Table'."