Sometimes their relationship was like watching a feather on the winds. Up, down, swirling around, landing for a moment, then taking off on a different tangent. But all in all, it grew stronger, more intimate.
She had been sitting at the stream, the baby in the basket beside her, with her legs pulled up, arms around them, hugging them and just enjoying the quiet and the night. And then suddenly, he was behind her, the strong arms encircling her as he kissed the back of her neck, her ear, then her cheek. How could a woman not smile at that. For a time they simply sat, talking of their day. His had been busy with he herds, hers' had been spent around the wagons, rearranging things, doing that nesting thing again.
He allowed that he had finally had time to take a look at the kaiila herd, and had not realized until then how many she had. Now, what did he expect from a woman that bred and raised kaiila? She told him that they needed to find one to breed with his mare Tone. His concern was having one to ride while the mare was with foal, and she told him that he should pick a few mounts out to train to his liking. Just the simple things that mates spoke of.
She told him that she planned to ride out with Rook to see if the hives were in the same place, and was immediately inundated with questions. How far was it? Where was it? How long would they be gone? When would they return. She tried to ally his concerns as best she could. This was a new thing for her, never had Tayco or Loch questioned her daily meanderings. She knew that having a mate was new to Ba'atar, and that hopefully he would be able to relax about her daily duties and chores and where they would take her.
Their conversation turned to Ogadai, his next younger brother, who was about to take a mate. She teased him that it was going to be a sad thing if Ogadai and his new woman were the ones that might give Aamon and Birrmah their first blood grandson. Clearly, that thought had never entered her mates mind, which made her laugh softly. He said that was not going to happen, and that they would make sure that it didn't. He then asked her, how she would know if she was with child. For some reason, this surprised her. This was a man that had eight younger brothers, so evidently he had seen his other pregnant many times. He shrugged, and said they knew she was pregnant when she began to get thick. She assured him, that as soon as she knew, he would know.
Now, for some reason, this thought of not presenting his parents with their first grandchild became a bit of a burr under his proverbial saddle, and he announced that they would have to try harder. Try harder? If they tried any more than they already did, they just might die from exhaustion.
But try they did. All through that night, and through most of the next day. It was actually a magical time. They made love, napped, roused back to wakefulness, made love, talked, exploring each others bodies, and minds. There was just something about how he seemed to be fascinated by her body, especially her neck, that seemed to be his favorite place to nuzzle, a place to whisper words into her flesh, as if it would soak it up and carry them to her brain, and to be honest, it seemed to do such.
Laying there, snuggled tightly against his body, savoring the gentle tracings of the calloused fingertips along her flesh, most often elicited sighs of happiness and contentment from her. The heat of his breath, the timbre of his voice in her ear, was how she learned more about him, and the love deepened.
When he had claimed her, in many ways it had shocked her. Not that it angered or upset her, it was just surprising. He was a man, he took what he wanted, and she respected that. Did she love him at first? Yes, but not to the depths that she did now. Each day she took a new pleasure in their life together, found a new facet to the man, and fell more and more in love.
This man loved and treasured her, made promises to always provide for and protect her, to defend her and love her. They talked of the boys, and of the children in their future. And that was what they talked quite a bit about. They talked about raising their children in the ways of their people. Of having strong sons to strengthen their people, and maybe a lovely daughter or two thrown in for good measure.
Yes, they spent that day, planning for their future, and working on it. Skies! It was amazing.
She had been sitting at the stream, the baby in the basket beside her, with her legs pulled up, arms around them, hugging them and just enjoying the quiet and the night. And then suddenly, he was behind her, the strong arms encircling her as he kissed the back of her neck, her ear, then her cheek. How could a woman not smile at that. For a time they simply sat, talking of their day. His had been busy with he herds, hers' had been spent around the wagons, rearranging things, doing that nesting thing again.
He allowed that he had finally had time to take a look at the kaiila herd, and had not realized until then how many she had. Now, what did he expect from a woman that bred and raised kaiila? She told him that they needed to find one to breed with his mare Tone. His concern was having one to ride while the mare was with foal, and she told him that he should pick a few mounts out to train to his liking. Just the simple things that mates spoke of.
She told him that she planned to ride out with Rook to see if the hives were in the same place, and was immediately inundated with questions. How far was it? Where was it? How long would they be gone? When would they return. She tried to ally his concerns as best she could. This was a new thing for her, never had Tayco or Loch questioned her daily meanderings. She knew that having a mate was new to Ba'atar, and that hopefully he would be able to relax about her daily duties and chores and where they would take her.
Their conversation turned to Ogadai, his next younger brother, who was about to take a mate. She teased him that it was going to be a sad thing if Ogadai and his new woman were the ones that might give Aamon and Birrmah their first blood grandson. Clearly, that thought had never entered her mates mind, which made her laugh softly. He said that was not going to happen, and that they would make sure that it didn't. He then asked her, how she would know if she was with child. For some reason, this surprised her. This was a man that had eight younger brothers, so evidently he had seen his other pregnant many times. He shrugged, and said they knew she was pregnant when she began to get thick. She assured him, that as soon as she knew, he would know.
Now, for some reason, this thought of not presenting his parents with their first grandchild became a bit of a burr under his proverbial saddle, and he announced that they would have to try harder. Try harder? If they tried any more than they already did, they just might die from exhaustion.
But try they did. All through that night, and through most of the next day. It was actually a magical time. They made love, napped, roused back to wakefulness, made love, talked, exploring each others bodies, and minds. There was just something about how he seemed to be fascinated by her body, especially her neck, that seemed to be his favorite place to nuzzle, a place to whisper words into her flesh, as if it would soak it up and carry them to her brain, and to be honest, it seemed to do such.
Laying there, snuggled tightly against his body, savoring the gentle tracings of the calloused fingertips along her flesh, most often elicited sighs of happiness and contentment from her. The heat of his breath, the timbre of his voice in her ear, was how she learned more about him, and the love deepened.
When he had claimed her, in many ways it had shocked her. Not that it angered or upset her, it was just surprising. He was a man, he took what he wanted, and she respected that. Did she love him at first? Yes, but not to the depths that she did now. Each day she took a new pleasure in their life together, found a new facet to the man, and fell more and more in love.
This man loved and treasured her, made promises to always provide for and protect her, to defend her and love her. They talked of the boys, and of the children in their future. And that was what they talked quite a bit about. They talked about raising their children in the ways of their people. Of having strong sons to strengthen their people, and maybe a lovely daughter or two thrown in for good measure.
Yes, they spent that day, planning for their future, and working on it. Skies! It was amazing.
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