|
Post by Jaiden Liatris-Durante (D) on Dec 4, 2007 23:08:55 GMT -5
A small stack of paperwork remained on my desk. The late afternoon sunlight only served to shorten my temper and increase the fierce ache behind my eyes. My skull hurt near to splitting. I’d spent all day trapped in here seeing to business, all that remained was a short stack of correspondence. Most of it would find itself in the trash. I did so with petty satisfaction.
The seal on the last envelope caught my attention; House Courcel. Damn. I carefully broke the seal and skimmed the invitation. A royal hunt in memory of her late father. Wonderful. I doubted one in five of the courtiers hanging on at court even knew how to hunt. Sighing I leaned back in my chair, eyes closed. I tried to massage the pain from my head to no avail as I thought on what to do.
It would be rude not to attend, and tedious to be there. Kushiel take it! I rang the bell for a servant. Lorn, my surprisingly competent secretary popped his head into my office.
“Your Grace” he swallowed nervously. It only further served to irritate me. He’d been in my employ a month now and I hadn’t devoured him yet, it wasn’t likely to start.
“Find my husband. Then the stable master. We’ll need two coursers for a hunt by next week. That’s all.” He scurried out as if chased by demons. Fool. Or was I such a beast? I closed my eyes again, resting for only a moment.
|
|
|
Post by Elton Tulare-Durante (D) on Dec 4, 2007 23:28:40 GMT -5
Lorn found me on top of the walk overlooking the training yard. LeClerc was in charge and needed to be, yet I still couldn’t help but wanting to be part of things. I missed my post and found being the Duc Consort dull. Except when in Jaiden’s bed. There, there things were vicious and fierce, all consuming in her need to punish me and my want of her flesh and soul. So I watched from here, observed him with the men and quietly helped him when he needed it.
“Your Grace, the Duchesse wants you. She’s-“ the rabbity fellow bit his lip, looking nervous. I waited calmly. Knowing Jaiden and her short temper with fools, I pitited the poor man. “She’s in a bit of a temper. A headache I think.” He bobbed once then scurried back off. He’d be an excellent aide if he just learned to relax around her and shake off her moods.
Looking down on the yard I sighed before making my way to her study. She was in her customary place behind the giant desk, but for once there was not a stack of paperwork cluttering its surface. And for once she was sleeping, or at the very least resting for a moment instead of tirelessly working. Quietly I approached.
“There’s to be a royal hunt. We should go. Now go away, my head is killing me.” She said curtly, not even bothering to open her eyes. I smiled softly and went to her side anyway. Jaiden was like a lion with a thorn in its paw, all roar and bluster when it came to her hurt. Briskly I pushed her chair back and scooped her into my arms despite her protests. She was stiff with rage in my arms as I went over to the scarcely used fireplace and the comfortable seats in front of it. I sat down on a chaise lounge with her in my lap, arranging her so she sat between my thighs, reclining against my chest.
“Just shut up and sit with me a moment before you attack.” Deftly I unbraided her tightly bound hair and sank my fingers into the thick mass. Strong fingers gently kneaded the muscles at the base of her skull, working out the tension. She melted in my arms, all pliant woman. A soft sound of greedy pleasure left her lips and I couldn’t help smiling. “Still want me to leave?”
“Uhhhn, no. Stop and I’ll kill you.” Her hands softly gripped my thighs as I continued to massage her scalp.
“So, a hunt. Likely to be a standard affair. Will we be hunting or politically maneuvering?” I spoke softly in her ear.
“Both. Though it would be nice to find something interesting. No doubt they’ll be after stag; though I could wish it were boar. We haven’t been on a good boar hunt in too long.” She shifted slightly, to a more comfortable spot and I nearly grunted, her warm body pressing against intimate parts of me that were more than happy to have her there. I ignored it.
“Boar would be interesting. I’ll bring my bow. I suppose you’ll want spear and sword?”
“Hmm, yes. But…” She trailed off, her hands squeezing my legs in warning. My fingers slowed but did not still. “Elton, stop for a moment.” She turned in my arms to look at me, her dark eyes serious and grave as I had never seen them before. My heart clenched in unfounded fear.
“I spoke to a healer. A midwife. I carry a child, about three moons gone by now. She advised me to limit my activities. But we have to attend.” She shrugged her shoulders as if she hadn’t just pole axed me. A child. My, no our child. I couldn’t breath. I crushed her to me, ignoring her protests, silencing her with my mouth on hers. A child. She slowly kissed me back, cupping my face in her hands.
I pulled back, shaking her shoulders gently. “How could you not tell me sooner? How could I not have noticed?” I eeled out from under her, kneeling at her side. My hands went to her shirt tugging it from her pants. I had to look at her belly, had to see the changes I had missed.
“Elton, stop!” She commanded but her laughter let me continue.
There, imperceptible, a small swell, a firm bump where her belly had been concave muscle. “Our baby.” Reverently I kissed that swell, hands framing her hips. I nearly jerked out of my skin feeling her hand tenderly running through my hair. I looked up into her dark eyes, the soft smile on her harsh lips.
“Well, you know now. And I swear to take things easy after the hunt. Till then, no mothering me.”
“I love you Jaid.”
She closed her eyes, a faint grimace of pain on her face. Her callused hand cupped my face. Quietly, almost a whisper, “I love you too, husband.”
|
|
|
Post by Jaiden Liatris-Durante (D) on Dec 10, 2007 1:05:57 GMT -5
It was late, the sun long set and the stars shining faintly in the spring sky. I stood in my black robe in front of the window, looking out at the stars. My hands drifted down to my belly, cradling the life slowly growing there. The clasp on the robe parted easily and I stood there, bare in the moonlight and examined the changes in my body.
A dark line traveled from my navel to the top of my pubic bone. The smooth expanse was no longer a concave hollow lined with muscle. Instead, a slight swell, firm to the touch pushed out my pale skin. My breasts were fuller as well, no longer as slight. I felt... womanly, for the first time ever really. It was a curious feeling, not entirely unpleasant. We had made a child, Elton and I.
Warm hands curved over my own as they rested on my flesh. The familiar scent of Elton settled around me and I leaned back against his chest, letting him cradle us.
"Are you angry I didn't tell you sooner?"
"No." He swept my hair to the side, resting his chin on my shoulder and murmuring in my ear. "Confused more like. I thought you'd be waving it in my face. You'd be free that much sooner." No rancor, no bitterness, just a tired admission of truth. It made my chest tighten with guilt. I slid my hands to cradle his against my belly. A sigh was torn from the very heart of me.
"I didn't want to." I turned my head slightly to look at him from the corner of my eye. "I have decided to amend our agreement. Children die all the time, too many ills and perils of growing up. I require a second child. In case anything should happen to the first. There needs to be an adequate period of time between them, and the second child will have to survive the prescribed three years." I turned away, biting my lip. I was so transparent, so weak, no doubt he'd scorn me and laugh at my attempt to keep him longer. For keep him I would. I loved the blasted, feckless man.
"Well, I suppose I can agree to your amended terms. But I have a condition of my own. I require a boon from you before I will allow the change to our contract." His tone was grave, some underlying emotion riding under it I couldn't identify. I stiffened in his arms.
"And what, pray tell, would you want?" I felt anger simmering in me at his presumption. I had humbled myself enough to tell him, indirectly, that I wanted him to stay with me, that I was content being his wife and wanted more children with him. That I wanted more time from him. Fool, I was a stupid fool.
"I want to make love to you, no complaints, no demands, no contest of wills. Just one night in your bed where I can love you the way you deserve, how I've always longed to touch you. And you have to let me. Only then will I agree to stay with you... to provide you with a second heir." He whispered in my ear, his breath sending shivers down my melting spine.
He asked for much, even as simple as it was. Because it wasn't. Most times out matings were fierce, a contest of wills. It was animal passion, sex. Not love-making. Even the night I went to him, even then it hadn't been soft, it had been desperate, a last feast before dying. What he asked...
I turned in his arms, looking up into his eyes. His jaw was set in a hard line, braced for rejection. Every instinct tensed for battle. It was always a battle between us. Mayhap it was time to cease fire, call truce.
"Agreed."
|
|