Page 20 of Sins of the Stone

“Alright, how do we get you to ‘bathe’?” he said, submitting to her proposal. Her smile spread from ear to ear, knowing she wouldn’t have to tolerate her stench anymore, and neither would he, despite his affirmation that she did not.

“Well,” she said, “you don’t have a tub, so we’ll have to go somewhere with water where I can be submerged.” He hummed as if checking off places in his head that would be a good fit. “And it has to be private.”

“Private? Why?”

“Because I don’t want anyone to see.”

“Hm,” he said, not commenting on her additional restriction. Relief washed over her. She wasn’t ready to explain shame and embarrassment to him just yet. “There is a stream nearby I can take you to if that is what you would like.” She gave another smile, thankful she could finally feel clean again.

“Yes, that would be great,” she beamed. Within the hour, they were ready to go, and this time, she climbed on his back, nestled between his wings. She gathered a towel, some soap, and a washcloth Ramuz had stashed away. Then, they headed off, Ursulette keeping pleasantly warm against his stony skin.

* * *

The pair arrived at the stream, and Ursulette was happy to see it was isolated. There were no structures, houses, or caves that prying eyes could peer at her private shame. Ramuz set her down near the water’s edge, and she shooed him away, insisting he do anything besides observe.

“But I need to be here in case anything happens,” he argued. She frowned. He was right, but she wasn’t excited for him to see her at her most vulnerable, even if a little piece of her may have enjoyed it.

“I need to do this by myself,” she said. “You can’t watch.” His expression fell as if he was pouting, and her hand hid her giggle. Though she couldn’t tell if the brightness in her chest was anxiety or joy.

“Alright,” he submitted. “You will call if you are in danger, right?” She nodded, holding the supplies in her hands.

“I will, don’t worry,” she said. “Now, go do something else.” He bobbed his head, then turned around to wander off, looking like a lost dog.

Once she was sure he was gone, she crouched beside the stream, setting her bundle down. With one last glimpse behind her, she began to undress, starting with her panties, then another glance. A feeling of discomfort took root in her stomach. Stripping in the woods where a creature potentially lurked behind every nook and cranny felt wrong. And without Ramuz’s protection, she would be vulnerable, besides being self-conscious.

Just do it already, you baby,she thought, pushing herself to grab the hem of her dress.

With a grunt, she tightened her grip, and finally, after pinching her eyesshut as if the darkness would take her anywhere but here, she peeled the garment off, tossing it to the edge.

With haste, she grabbed the bar of soap and plopped herself into the stream. It only came up to just above her waist, leaving a slight disappointment as it left her top half exposed.

She cupped the water with a sigh, goosebumps breaking out over her flesh. It was cooler than she thought it would be, and her teeth began to chatter. She wrapped her arms around herself, took an encouraging breath, and then decided to start.

Taking the bar, she lathered it between her palms. With a newfound delight, she passed it between her hands, along her shoulders, and beneath her breasts and armpits, working her way down, feeling the suds cleansing her soiled skin.

As she continued to scrub, a noise caught her attention, making her heart leap to her throat. The wind picked up, making her shiver again. She glanced around, looking for any creatures—or humans—there to bring her harm. There were none, making her even more nervous.

Her heart began to drum in her chest. She had never felt as vulnerable as she did right now. Besides the frigidness, another round of gooseflesh broke out, and she cupped more water, rinsing the soap suds quickly, anticipating having to flee. Another noise, this time much closer, now from behind, made her stomach lurch.

“Ramuz?” she said weakly, turning her head. Once more, nothing stuck out. She glanced over where her dry cloth was, tossing the bar to the shore, getting ready to sprint for the towel.

As she hoisted herself up, a familiar hand grabbed her, sinking her lower half back down into the water with a splash. She let out a cry and her eyes met with Ramuz’s. Before she inquired what was happening, she covered her breasts with her arms, hoping he didn’t get too much of a peek.

“What?” she hissed, her tone calm yet concerned. A stone was digging into the back of her thigh, but she was more concerned about exposing herself to him than the minor discomfort. She pushed her legs together, hoping she wouldn’t be too exposed, her face flaring with red. He gave a soft smirk,setting a small, folded cloth into her lap atop her pressed legs. Kneeling next to her, he spoke.

“You dropped this,” he said, his hand almost staying connected to the fabric for far too long. She could barely choke out a response between her trembling lips, a menagerie of emotions swirling in her head. Mostly fear and embarrassment, but there was something more there as her face remained tinged with scarlet from them all.

“T-thank you,” she stammered, his eyes seeming to flow along her curves. She cleared her throat, not wanting to acknowledge his prying gaze or the fire starting in her stomach. “I’ll finish up now.” She gave a wry smile with a face still burning. He gave her another charming grin.

“I still cannot observe?” he questioned. Her arms remained guarded along her body, and the square cloth remained stationary since being placed.

“No,” she asserted, trying to remain rational and not think about how she was bare in front of him and what it could lead to.

“Why not?” There was a hint of innocence in his tone. Or maybe that was just how she interpreted it. She was always naïve, though. He didn’t have much experience with humans, and it could’ve been genuine curiosity. She questioned her intrigue now, wondering if her filthy brain had previously misconstrued his words.

“Because,” she said, her tone now stern. “I am self-conscious.” Ramuz pursed his lips together as if trying to decipher her sentence. His gaze was now away from her, glancing up as if this would help him understand.

“What does it mean to beself-conscious?” he asked. She sucked her lip in between her teeth. She was unsure how to drive him away and hoped to get the conversation over with as soon as possible. Allowing her deviant thoughts to take control would be the death of her.

---