Rated Mature, Malata/Danlan, Oathbringer spoilers
(also on ao3)
“I’m going to seduce Dalinar Kholin.”
“You?” Malata laughed, loud and long, while young Danlan glared at her with her freehand balled in a fist. Malata couldn’t see her other hand, of course, all properly tucked away in a sleeve like a good Vorin. “He's been an unmarried widower for years. You think other women haven’t tried him?”
“I could do it,” Danlan said, sticking her chin out, looking all the more petulant for it.
“Rumour has it he's only ever had eyes for his sister. Are you planning on impersonating a fifty year old fabrial scholar? I don’t find it likely. Your skin is far too smooth.”
Danlan put a hand to her cheek and looked away, clearly both flustered and annoyed.
Storms, she was so much fun to toy with. Malata leaned back in her carriage seat, one leg crossed over the other, kicking the air between them aimlessly. She’d been playing with the girl for weeks. This was her first mission for the Diagram, and she planned to prove herself. However, there was no point in doing anything unless she was having fun, and safely transporting Danlan and some other snooty Alethi to the Shattered Plains had been a complete bore so far.
So, she had to make her own fun.
“Alright now, don’t pout, you’ll ruin your makeup,” Malata drawled. “You’re young, you’re beautiful. I bet you've never had to seduce anyone in your life. But, there’s no skill you can’t learn with time, and we have nothing but time right now. So, how would you seduce me?”
The young woman’s eyes went wide with shock, and her mouth made a perfect little ‘o’.
In return, Malata smirked. “That part would come later.” She flicked her tongue at her.
The ‘o’ disappeared into a full frown. “You are so rude!” Danlan fumed, and looked away, arms crossed.
These Alethi are so prudish. “Rudeness is one of the weapons of seduction, gemheart,” Malata said smoothly, crossing the carriage to get into Danlan’s line of sight. “Very well, then, you seduce me. Attack me with every weapon you have.”
“I’m not even attracted to you.”
“Oh, and you’re guaranteed to be attracted to a fifty year old man you’ve never met?”
Danlan rolled her eyes, acceding the point. “I was going to convince him with rhetoric,” she said. “I have no reason to seduce you.”
“Don’t you need to prove yourself to the Diagram? After all, Adrotagia wouldn’t have confided in me if she wasn’t concerned about your abilities.”
That got her attention. The young woman huffed, but looked at Malata more closely, up and down. She was probably trying to decide if Malata was being serious.
Malata simply raised her eyebrows, maintaining a serious expression. “Attraction, rhetoric…what other weapons do you have?”
“Manipulation,” she said uncertainly. “Politics?”
“You’re sounding less certain as you go,” Malata pointed out. “Storms, you really were relying on your youth to help you, weren’t you?”
Danlan bit the inside of her cheek.
“Oh, don’t do that,” Malata said, brushing her cheek. “Don’t worry, gemheart, I can teach you.”
“But those are all the women’s weapons! It’s Arts and Majesty!” Danlan protested, grabbing Malata’s wrist away from her face. “And don’t treat me like a child!”
Malata grinned. “Very well then,” she said, and changed the register of her tone. Now the fun was really beginning. “Haven’t you read Jasnah Kholin? A woman’s weapon is whichever one she chooses.” She lifted her arm and twisted it in a grappling move, breaking Danlan's hold and taking her by the arm in turn. She gripped Danlan's arm tightly, palm up. “Unexpected strength can be a woman’s weapon.”
As Danlan stared, she brought Danlan’s wrist up to her mouth and brushed her lips across it. “Touch can be a woman’s weapon, too.” She moved Danlan's hand to Malata’s own shoulder, then slid it down her arm a little. “Domination, control, can be women’s weapons.”
Malata let go, and Danlan’s hand lingered on her bicep. “Storms.” Malata’s brief action had had the desired effect, if Danlan’s dazzled expression was any indication.
Malata watched with amusement as the young woman revised her opinion on Malata before her eyes. Danlan’s gaze turned hungry. “What’s another weapon?”
“That’s probably enough for today. I don’t think you could handle a full assault,” Malata said, tongue in cheek. She pretended to start getting up to move back to the other side of the carriage, but Danlan's hand pressed against her chest, forcing her to sit again.
Malata looked up with a raised eyebrow as Danlan’s hand didn’t budge from her breasts.
“Touch can be a weapon, right?” Danlan asked, biting her lip.
Malata leaned back, putting her hands behind her head. “Show me how you use it.”
Danlan’s touch was hesitant. She rubbed her breasts awkwardly. It was woefully inadequate. Danlan didn’t even move from her seat. It was as though she’d used up all her courage with that first movement.
“I can barely feel what you’re doing, Danlan. Storms, you’re really starting this game of breakneck with an empty hand, aren’t you?”
Danlan crossed her arms, flushing with embarrassment. “Well, what should I do then? You’re supposed to teach me!”
“Fine. Here’s a lesson. Havahs are notorious for being in the way. Women get overdressed, and overwarm in them.” Malata reached over, brushing her fingers over the swell of Danlan’s breasts. She didn’t need Danlan to feel the touch, but to imagine it, to see it, and sure enough, she was getting the right reaction. Malata traced her fingers up the pattern of the havah to the buttons at Danlan’s neck, and deftly undid the first few, feeling Danlan shiver under her fingertips.
Malata peeled the collar open, then traced a line upwards to her ear. “The nerves are close to the surface here,” she explained. “If they’re covered, you can’t use them to your advantage.”
“That’s, uh…” Danlan licked her lips. “That’s smart.”
“Mmm, good use of rhetoric, right? I know how persuasive you find that. Now what do we do with the rest of the buttons? I can’t sit here and undo them all. You might become unpersuaded by then,” Malata smiled. She had cuddled up along Danlan’s side, and her lips brushed against the shell of Danlan’s ear. “We couldn’t have that, could we?”
She glanced up at Danlan to find her eyes closed, mouth slightly agape. Malata smiled and looked down at Danlan’s havah, tight across her breasts. Her breaths caused her chest to heave upwards. Could it be this easy? For all her book knowledge of the Diagram, Danlan probably wouldn’t know a real Surgebinder if she got fucked by one.
Smiling to herself, Malata took the chance, breathing in Stormlight. The thrill of being filled with Stormlight suffused her body, like her first sniff of firemoss as a teen. Power coursed through her veins. She felt unstoppable.
But, she had learned, she could stop herself. She had sworn to. Delicately, carefully, she drew a modest line down the centre of the havah, and a light smell of smoke drifted upwards. The havah split and tore, and Danlan gasped.
“Oh, Nalan’s arms, this has never happened to me before!” Danlan swore, looking down.
“You must really want me,” Malata lied confidently. “Allow me, before your breasts riot.” She slipped her hand in through the tear, touching warm, soft skin. Malata palmed the underside of Danlan's breast, slick with sweat, and she thumbed Danlan’s nipple.
Danlan started to whimper. “Oh, Battah’s mind,” she whispered. “Oh Battah’Elin…”
Danlan and Malata actually have a lot in common now that I think of it. Both drawn in to serve for a cause greater than themselves, members of a secret society dedicated to saving something small amid mass destruction, high ranking enough to learn some secrets but not so highly ranked that they were indispensable.
I would love to see a fic where they end up teaming up to make their own Diagram and fuck shit up for the ruling Kholins. I think that'd be fun.
Oh, and Malata's already a Dustbringer so Danlan could get a spren too. Each could represent a different aspect of being Dustbringers. They are both women after Shiva's heart - but they do things differently. Danlan needs Malata to help break the system, and Malata needs Danlan to plan what will replace it.
Somebody please write this because I want to read it 😂
