Flower Wine Ch. 03

Isonei began working on the fasteners of his doublet. "I want you, my flower wine."

"You will have me." The smile that curved his lips had turned wicked and he took hold of her hands and rose to his knees, moving between her thighs. "I will do that, you are going to entice me with those nimble blue fingers of yours, my Isonei. Show me how much you want me." He pressed her fingers to her wet, needy sex. "Show me."

Her face flushed as he opened her legs wide and looked expectantly at her hands. That wasn't something she had expected but if he wanted to watch, she could show him ways to touch her. Taking her time, she slid her fingers down moving over the wet lips and dipping them inside herself, teasing and making her fingers slick. She began to alternate, rubbing firmly with her fingers closed and opening them to rub alongside her sensitive nub. Her hips rocked gently against her hand as she lay her head back and breathed letting herself enjoy the scandalous feeling of doing this in the open, with Draeseth watching.

She moved one hand up her belly to caress her breasts and tease her nipples as she moaned in delight working herself steadily back toward release. Wanting more pressure, she tried to close her thighs to squeeze her hand and Draeseth pulled them apart, jerking his pants open urgently.

"Woman." His voice was a hoarse whisper as he pulled her hand away and brought it to his mouth, replacing it with his own firm hand as he sucked on her fingers. The heaviness of his touch was exactly what she needed and she pressed herself against it surrendering to the delicious sensation of pulsing, tingling, release. He was inside her before she had finished, his rough thrusts sinking him deeper and making her back arch from the cloak again as the feeling of him so snugly inside sent waves of painful pleasure washing over her.

"Draeseth! Mmnn, my Draeseth, please that's-" She was half moaning half whimpering the size of him at that angle was just too much, but he was already changing position. Draeseth turned her on her left side and straddled her leg, lifting her right and holding it as he thrust making her clutch at his cloak. "Draeseth! My flower wine!"

"Isonei." His words were a desperate groan, "Give me what I need." He wanted her to release again, that was the feeling he needed, she knew it without having to ask.

Moving her hand back to her most sensitive spot she touched lightly not needing much pressure now. Making circles and light diagonal motions across the nub until she was tightening around him and he was making sounds like he'd made in bed, guttural groans she couldn't understand. She pushed herself over the edge into release and stopped breathing for a moment. The feeling was overwhelming, too much sensation as if she were burning and bursting and then tingling as she went numb. As she caught her breath and let the stars fade from her vision Draeseth collapsed next to her and pulled her against him kissing her shoulder.

"Woman. I could never give you up when you do that to me." His doublet felt smooth and warm against her back.

She smiled sleepily. "You forgot to take off your doublet." Isonei yawned and turned to press her face into it. "I like your chest, Draeseth. Your tattoo fascinates me."

He laughed softly. "Are you falling asleep already, woman?"

"Mmm." He felt warm even though the air was cool.

"You don't want to eat?" Draeseth started playfully pinching her side making her twitch and swat at his arm. "You need some meat on your bones." He laughed and leaned over her to begin nipping at her ear.

Isonei whined and kicked at his legs with her eyes closed, "Why is my flower wine so wicked?"

Something wet wriggled into her ear and she squealed as she tried to get away. Sitting up with an incredulous pout, she looked at the Torgan rolling on the cloak laughing as she tried to wipe the wetness out of her ear with her thumb. "Wicked, horrible man!"

Draeseth grinned up at her. "Put on your clothes, woman, before I have you again and you fall asleep beneath me." She pounced on him poking his sides as he began to laugh again taking her hands and rolling on top of her. "My Isonei."

"If you're finished so is the food." Someone called out with amusement, following it with something in Torgan that made a chorus of laughter ring out. Draeseth blushed and grinned and Isonei covered her face.

"I thought Arans weren't shy." He pulled her hands away still grinning.

"I'd forgotten they were there," she whispered.

His grin widened before he reluctantly turned her loose. "Put your clothes on, my silver Aran jewel."

She put on her white chemise and stepped off of the cloak onto the grass to fetch the dress. Shaking it out she put it back on and came back to Draeseth, "If it can still be closed in the back I need you to do it." He managed to find a few fasteners that weren't destroyed and she could feel that the dress was no longer gaping open along her entire back at least.

"You don't seem to mind getting your toes dirty now." Draeseth eyed her with amusement as she tried to gather her silver hairpins from the cloak in the moonlight.

"It wasn't my toes I was worried about, toes can be washed, the white stockings could get stained or torn!" Isonei gave him a look of bafflement that he hadn't realized something so obvious.

"I'll buy you black ones in Torga." He took the rolled white stockings and stuffed them up the arm of his sleeve. "As many as you require."

She smiled, shaking her head at the look he gave her feet. "I don't suppose there's a point to taking my shoe any further." Leaving it where it lay she stood and began to try to twist and pin her hair.

"I prefer your hair down." He shook off his cloak and wrapped it around her before pulling out the pins again. Isonei took them back indignantly and poked him in the side with her finger making him bark a laugh as he swept her up. "Without a mirror, you'll look like a child has done your hair, my jewel. Leave it down for me."

"You were much sweeter at the palace, my flower wine." She kissed and then nipped his jaw.

Draeseth bounced her in his arms and grinned as she clung to him tightly. "You spent most of your time naked at the palace."

"And what am I under my clothes, my Draeseth?" She gave him an impish grin and watched him blush.

The sun had since set and the only light illuminating the camp was the nearly full moon. Isonei could smell a fire but she saw no plume of smoke and no light. The Torgans were sitting close together around where the holes had been dug, sharing what she thought might be a soup or stew from the same three cups. She'd almost managed to forget about the hares as well.

Joining them, Draeseth sat next to Krouth and kept Isonei on his lap. She tried to find a comfortable way to sit that let her keep her toes somewhat warm, wishing she had asked for the stockings back. The Torgans seemed to be bantering back and forth as they passed Draeseth one of the cups.

He offered it to her first. It didn't smell as bad as she had expected it to, but, knowing what was in it, the thought of eating it made her feel ill despite how hungry she was. "No, thank you, my flower wine."

"You need to eat, Isonei." He pushed the cup toward her and she turned her head.

"I can't. I can't eat that."

Shoban snorted and opened his mouth and she saw Burgath punch him hard in the shoulder before he spoke, "Brother, if you want to keep your Aran you need to learn what to feed her. They don't eat hare or swine. I have no doubt she's hungry but there are stories of Aran prisoners who starved themselves to death instead of choosing to eat food they considered unclean. She's a member of a noble house, she's not in danger of starving to death. Don't try to force her."

Isonei took a deep breath and inclined her head graciously, "Thank you, Prince Burgath." The Torgan smiled faintly and returned the gesture. When she looked up at Draeseth he did not look pleased, his mouth was set into a frown as he looked into the cup and began to drink and chew the contents. She leaned her head against his shoulder and waited as they resumed their Torgan conversations around her.

Burgath and Draeseth began to argue. The sound of it made her nervous. She pressed her hand to Draeseth's chest, "Why are you arguing?"

Draeseth snorted. "We aren't. We're discussing Arans, what you should be fed and how I can best keep you contented."

She looked up at him with a surprised smile, "And it didn't occur to you to discuss it in a language I know? So that I could offer suggestions?"

"He needs to teach you Torgan." Ougath leaned forward. "But I think he's starting with the wrong vocabulary." He grinned.

"What do you mean?" Isonei looked at him curiously.

"You're not going to get much use out of what he was teaching you over the hill." Ougath grinned almost wickedly at her and Draeseth responded with a growl and something spat in Torgan.

"I didn't realize they were words this morning, and he still hasn't told me what they mean." She looked up at Draeseth who was glowering at Ougath.

Burgath cleared his throat and Draeseth's glower shifted to him, "Milk my cock with your perfect cunny, silver jewel."

Isonei began to laugh, covering her mouth and looking up at Draeseth, who was furiously blushing and looking as though he wanted to murder his brother. "This from the man who was so prudish yesterday evening?!"

The raucous laughter took a bit to subside and Burgath was wiping tears from his eyes he had laughed so hard. Draeseth was the only one who looked sour. He said something sharp in Torgan and lifted her, taking her to lie down with him by his saddle, close against the sheltering wall of the hollow. Keeping his voice soft he chided her, "You said you would try not to tease me so much, my jewel."

Taking his cue she whispered back, "I'm sorry, my flower wine, you seemed to be enjoying it earlier." Lifting the edge of the cloak Isonei invited him under it.

He grunted and pulled her on top of himself letting the cloak fall over them like a blanket. "I don't like being laughed at."

"If you laughed as well you'd be laughing with them." She rubbed her face against his doublet, getting comfortable on his chest. "They seemed nicer this evening." Isonei yawned closing her eyes. "I don't like it when they call you names."

His soft laughter shook his chest and jostled her. "I need to teach you Torgan. We pride ourselves on our insults, what you have heard in your tongue is weak in comparison."

She sighed and shook her head as it was leaned against his chest. "I may not be very good at it."

Rubbing her back, he sounded pensive, "If I caution Shoban enough he may be able to teach you some clever ones."

"He's probably heard a lot of them." She sleepily agreed.

"Why do you say that?" Draeseth sounded amused.

"His mother must have had some reason to give him a girl's name." Isonei was bounced from his chest as he began to laugh his large frame shaking with it.

Draeseth relayed something in Torgan between sobs of laughter and was joined by the rest, except for Shoban who looked indignant. When he calmed he pulled her back up and kissed her head. "My Isonei. My perfect jewel." He chuckled again.

"You keep bouncing me. You make a terrible bed, my flower wine." She groused.

Squeezing her, he carefully pulled open the few working fasteners on the back of her dress and rubbed her back through her chemise. "Shoban is a man's name in Torga. The Aran fashion of men's names has been embraced by most in the royal family, and some others have followed suit, but you'll find most in Torga have names like Shoban's. Borgan, Apaugh, Urgrim, Olodaugh. These are strong names, my jewel."

"Mmm." She sighed again. "I should apologize to Shoban for insulting him."

"Why?" Draeseth sounded amused again.

"He looked insulted." She lifted her head and looked at his grinning face.

"Don't you dare apologize, my perfect jewel. He's insulted you repeatedly. He earned it." Draeseth kissed her head again. "Sleep. I will keep you warm and safe."

She fell into sleep quickly and woke with a shriek in pain and confusion, being thrown against the wall of the hollow. The Torgans were barking at one another and what seemed like dozens of Aran guards were swarming the camp. Isonei leaned against the wall watching in horrified fascination as the Torgans, unarmored and barely armed, fought like monsters. The Aran guards seemed outmatched in skill if not in number.

A hand grabbed her by the arm and a familiar voice whispered, "My poor bruised fruit, can you run?"

Blinking in confusion at the man wrapped in pale cloth that matched the grasses around them, she shook her head, "You shouldn't be here. I told him I'm willing to go. I can't run."

"He's a beast, Isonei. And you may consider it a royal command. Run. Now." Andnaeuth pulled her to her feet and the cloak fell to the ground.

"If he's a beast, he's my beast until-" Draeseth's enraged Torgan words cut her off. She didn't understand the words themselves but the tone was clear. He was going to kill Andnaeuth. Isonei put herself between the Aran Prince and the charging Torgan raising her hands. "STOP!"

The fighting came to a sudden halt. Eyes turned to Isonei. "Let the Arans leave. Please."

"We're not leaving without you, Lady Isonei. I promised your father." Andnaeuth began fastening the back of her dress where he could. "Leaving you with a brute who doesn't know how to work simple fasteners is not going to happen tonight, my poor bruised fruit."

Turning her head she looked at him over her shoulder, "It's my choice, and I want you to be safe, go. Before my Draeseth kills you."

Draeseth's voice was terrifying as he growled and spat in his tongue. Isonei stood staring with her eyes wide.

"Your coarse language is unfit for a lady's ear. She doesn't understand you, Beast of Kroscur." Andnaeuth sounded calm and almost mocking.

Grinding his teeth in rage, Draeseth looked like a beast. Her hands trembled as she kept them up placatingly.

"He wants to know who I am to you that you would try to protect me." Andnaeuth put his hands on her arms steadying their trembling.

"He's a friend." She could barely whisper, and Draeseth glared at her as if she were lying to him. "He's the jester king." He turned his glower on Andnaeuth.

"For keeping her from Feyrith, and clearing my path to take her, I will spare your life if you leave now. But you will not take her from me, jester." He spat the word jester as if it were an insult above all others.

"I know why you want her, a merry maid like this one is a pleasure to spend time with." Andnaeuth rubbed her upper arms comfortingly. "We could hear you all laughing from a mile away. But she belongs in Ara."

"I made a choice. I stayed." Isonei turned her head, partly to speak to Andnaeuth, and partly so she wouldn't have to look at Draeseth.

"And the King overruled you. I apologize for the drug in your wine, I tried to keep this from happening. Unfortunately, you didn't fall asleep as quickly as I thought you would, my mischievous minx."

"She is mine. Not yours." Draeseth snarled.

"She'll be permitted to honor the choice if she wishes, to remain exclusive to you in your absence. And you may even be permitted to visit her if relations can be mended, your beastliness." Andnaeuth squeezed her arms. "It doesn't change the fact that the Lady Isonei is not permitted to go to Torga. As a gesture of good faith..." He raised an arm and a cry was raised before the sound of carriages approaching reached them. "Your things and your carriages are being returned to you." More guards appeared on the surrounding hilltops.

In Torgan, a heated discussion began. She tried to go Draeseth to calm him and was held firmly in place by Andnaeuth. "I told you before, Isonei, you can't ease his mind."

"Please?" Isonei couldn't bear the thought of parting with him without at least speaking to him.

Draeseth sank to his knees as Burgath began to speak with Andnaeuth, agreeing to the terms. As soon as Andnaeuth's grip loosened she darted forward and embraced Draeseth pressing his face into her bodice. "I am so sorry, my flower wine." She kissed his hair and his face as he tilted it up looking at her in anguish. "I-I am yours and I will wait."

"I am not a beast you wish to flee from?" He muttered pulling her down with him.

"If you are a beast, you are my beast, my flower wine." She ignored the pain in her lip as she kissed him desperately needing him to know that.

He almost crushed her as he returned it, ardent and unyielding. "You are mine. I will return for you, my Isonei. My perfect jewel. I will return for you."