The kisses, the caresses, the moans. Elektra gulped at the memory. "What if…?"
By the time she wanted to finish the sentence in her mind, Elyn's hands had already caught her face and invited her to get closer to her. They both closed their eyes and kissed again. This time there was no anger or frustration nor didn't start out as a stolen kiss but rather something they both seemed to want. They started out smooth, as if it were the first time for the two girls, but as they dared to go further, the passion settled in the room, pulling the strings of a new meeting much more reserved. The taste of Elektra after taking the infusion of Aphrodite was addictive, Elyn was unable to stop looking for love in that mouth, was unable to stop the impulse of her hands caressing under the sportswear of the redhead who had yielded to her insinuation. They soon settled on the mattress, one on top of the other and increasing the passion of the kisses that were delivered, venturing to repeat the meeting of the coliseum.
Australis was who took the initiative to undress her apprentice, thereby exchanging the roles of the first time and in fact, she also took a few seconds to observe her... "By the grace of Athena..." That girl had every right to proclaim herself a goddess of Olympus, how had she not realized before how spectacular that body was under hers? Elyn licked her own lips, wishing to put her tongue along the redhead's skin. Elektra gave her a mischievous smile, pleased to see her superior wishing to go one step further; she invited her to fulfill her wish by wrapping the legs around Elyn's waist so that their bodies were as close together as possible. Australis wasted no more time and savored the redhead's chest, even climbing up to her neck while her hands played with the delicate nipples of her apprentice until she pulled out a stifled moan. Hearing her, she bit her.
Elektra looked for her after feel a little pain there where Elyn was bit her, the redhead had learned certain weaknesses from her master and that allowed her to change positions starting a new set in which it was her turn to enjoy. The sex with Elyn was different from what she had experienced before, not only because she was lovely and sweet but because the way of moving, pampering and exciting her were totally new to Elektra. There was authentic care in her gestures, devotion in her bites, Australis treated her as if she were a divinity and that drove her crazy. Being under Elyn's heat -or above, it didn't matter- made the redhead forget everything else, that she forget the doubts that grew in her conscience every day or the fear of being judged beyond the mask of the Saint of Athena.
***
Finally, after a couple of days, Elektra appeared again in training with the other teammates, claiming that she had gone through a cold that had left her quite weak in strength and defenses. She presented a medical report to her master with the same formality as always, waited to receive the approval to join the exercises again and changed her clothes to get down to work:
"Elektra, remove the mask."
The redhead heard Elyn's order behind her just before entering the coliseum. Her feet stopped dead in her tracks and her heart pounded. After having done the little training with Aphrodite, she thought that Elyn wouldn't ask her to take it off again. She swallowed as Iris, Ram, and Derek walked past her, ignoring the anxiety that was beginning to build inside her. However, the girl stepped forward and ignored Elyn's order, determined to stand up to something that bothered her greatly. Her superior said nothing when she saw her walking towards the front, so Elektra thought that she would decide to ignore the use of the mask:
"Guys, start the warm-up."
Elyn didn't observe how the apprentices carried out that series of exercises: first, because they already knew them by heart and second, because she did'nt feel like seeing how Elektra was boycotted by the peers for having disobeyed her order. That was going to be the way to make her understand that the rules weren't only imposed by her as superior but that the others had also learned to make her see that she had to stick to what the rules stipulated, no matter where the order came from:
"Damn it, leave me alone, stupids!" Elektra exclamed.
That scream made Elyn look up: Elektra was lying on the floor while the others continued their training. Australis watched for a little while more, discovering that what Iris, Ram and Derek were doing was making it difficult to warm up the redhead by tripping, pushing and misusing the cosmos. Everything was quite creeping for the future Bronze Saints but the redhead was also not following the law. At the end of the preparation, Elyn explained the following exercise but when Elektra got into position, her voice left her standing on the site again:
"Elektra, the mask."
Once again, she ignored her superior's command again. The girl was willing not to succumb to taking off what kept her in a stable mood. She needed it so as not to lose control:
"Ok, Elektra. Go home."
"What!? Why!?" exclaimed again the redhead.
"Either you remove your mask or you go home. I said it the first day, I don't want that trash in my training."
The two of them looked at each other. Elyn couldn't see the expression of her apprentice but Elektra could see the absolute coldness of Australis freezing her. It there was the spoiled girl from the Sanctuary who could to ignore how important a mask could be for people with personal problems like her; the indifferent and arrogant Silver Saint who rubbed shoulders with the high offices of the Order of Athena just for being the sister of a Gold Saint. No, Elektra wasn't going to be trampled by this Elyn; she could allow herself to be dominated by the the girl who venerated her, the one who moaned in her arms but not by the haughty warrior who wanted to lower her in front of the others.
So without a word, the redhead turned and left the coliseum.
***
Elyn was updating Aphrodite on the Elektra's attitude when she was called via the cosmos by the Grand Pope.
Upon entering the room where Saga used to receive her, the girl discovered that Saori and Shion were also there; the meeting didn't give her a very good feeling, but she was used to not being carried away by appearances and all her nervousness was hidden behind her expressionless expression:
"I never imagined that someone like you would give me trouble in something as simple as training four future Bronze Saints." Saga said seriously.
"Excuse me?"
"Since when have you had this training policy, Australis?"
"I repeat ... Excuse me?"
The Pope sighed when he realized that the Silver Saint was completely unaware of the evil she was doing, so he knew immediately that a storm was coming:
""Since when do you force your apprentices to remove the masks in your training?"
The correction of Saga's question increased the surprise in Elyn, who couldn't help blinking, astonished at the reason for the meeting that revolved around her:
"What you are doing is reason for dismissal, Silver Saint." Shion clarified "Anyone cannot force a woman to take off her mask in public. Neither you nor Athena herself."
"I don't force them to remove them!"
"Have you not expelled one of your apprentices today for not obeying that 'rule' that you have imposed since day one?"
"Has Elektra… been here?" Elyn couldn't believe what she had just heard. "B-But it's only in training, I don't force them to take them off from there. I'm not that bad!"
"Be that as it may, Australis, you are forcing a woman to remove the mask in public." Saori said solemnly "And that is prohibited."
"But the law about the 'the obligation to wear the masks' has no effect, you repealed it yourself, there is no problem with showing your face."
"That is a decision of each woman in the service of Athena." Shion intervened "You don't know the story behind each one. It's true that they were given the option to be free and stop using it, but if someone decides to take it with them, you cannot force them to do otherwise. Much less, expel her from training to get bronze cloth."
"But I have a reason for it and I showed it the first day! I don't do it for my own pleasure! What would happen to them if someone destroys their mask in a real fight? They would be amazed, their companions would turn their backs to 'not see their faces', their enemies would take advantage and all of them..."
"Elyn, please, don't make a drama." Saga stopped, forgetting the protocol of speaking to him according to his title of Silver Saint.
"I'm not making drama, Pope! I saw how the boys took a step back leaving Elektra alone; I saw them turn around, distance themselves... What kind of behavior is that with a partner just for showing an face? Outside they would all have died in a real fight..." The girl tried to calm herself taking advantage of the silence that her speech had generated "However, since they have become accustomed to seeing each other's faces, their relation has improved, Iris has even gained self-confidence and walks the Sanctuary without her! It's a positive change and it would be for Elektra if not..."
"Enough!" said Shion "The rules are the law. Anyone cannot force anyone to act as you want, whether or not it's for their good. Either remove that rule from your training or you will be removed from office right now."
Saga closed her eyes inertia. A threat.
The trigger to put Elyn on the ropes and make her walk down the wrong path. He knew it, everyone in that room knew what Shion by error had triggered by giving Pisces Australis a choice between her principles and someone else's. Saga sighed accepting the reality that was coming:
"I will not remove anything." The Saint stated firmly.
"Then there is nothing more to talk about. You are formally removed from office"
Elyn bowed her head and left the room slamming the door. Her face hadn't allowed her true feelings to be exposed but Saga, who had known her since she was a tender infant, did know very well that the girl was furious but he was the Pope and he had to impose authority no matter who was in front. Still, he removed his helmet and asked permission to go after her. Saori nodded, Shion too; they both knew that only Saga -and not the Grand Pope- could appease the beast that had come out the door.