The Triplets Pt. 03

Meredith stared at him a bit disoriented. The invitation was unexpected and sudden. Before she could answer, Jaine interrupted.

"Meredith would be honored to attend. I assume it will be held at your family home?"

Es Dane turned his head towards Jaine and inclined his head politely, though his eyes turned even colder. Meredith shivered, relieved that she wasn't the one faced with that ice.

"Then I'll be expecting her tomorrow evening. Good evening ladies."

Es Dane turned and disappeared into the crowd. Meredith shrank under Jaine's glare.

"There is no reason for you to go for Et Gaven's son. He is nothing better than a well blooded sailor. Es Dane comes from a wealthy and powerful family. You will allow him to court you and no longer concern yourself with Et Gaven's son. If it had been any of the other brothers that would have been a different story. I should have known you would be attracted to the vagabond since your mother eloped with that green. A silver blood like hers should never marry down. You are fortunate that you carry more of your mother's blood than your low breed father."

Meredith bowed her head. Despite Es Jaine being a full foot shorter than she was, Meredith still feared her. She couldn't explain it, but the woman could probably intimidate the entire dragon council. Meredith kept her mouth shut, which usually appeased Jaine. Her guardian huffed and turned away, motioning sharply for her to follow. Meredith demurely trailed behind.

Any relationship with Aiden seemed impossible, but she couldn't see herself letting Es Dane touching her as intimately as Aiden had touched her. Something about the man set her on edge.

(Aiden)

Aiden winced as Sherry tugged the bandage tighter. He found it a bit amusing that she was quietly and steadily muttering under her breath as she treated him. Aiden hid his grin beneath a grimace as she was a bit rougher with him than was necessary. She smacked him lightly on his chest once she was finished.

"Idiot."

Aiden grinned then. He'd known Sherry for several years and she was one of the cheekiest humans he knew. Unlike most of the Ardis population, she didn't distinguish between humans and dragons. She treated each depending on the person or rather the injury. Aiden stood and bent to drop a chaste kiss on her forehead in thanks.

Sherry grimaced and batted him away though he could see the dimple in her cheek that appeared when she was suppressing a smile. Aiden slipped on a clean tunic, careful with the bandages. He gave a final wave before leaving the healers. Since he wasn't the most cooperative patient, the healers usually sent him off once they'd patched him up.

The walk home gave him time to stretch out his sore muscles and mull over his thoughts. Since he had lost to Grey, he wouldn't have to stay for the rest of the matches that would take place throughout the week. Though he should probably watch how far Grey would advance. He also needed to apologize to Meredith or avoid her entirely, but the latter option left didn't sit well with him. He didn't even know if she would accept an apology from him.

The first thing he needed to find out was where he could find her. It seemed that they were both avoiding each other. The best choice would be to ask his mother though he dreaded having to explain the reason why he wanted to speak to Meredith. He could ask one of his brothers, but he was almost certain that they wouldn't know any better than he did.

He stopped at a flower shop and looked over the large selection of cut flowers. From past experiences, one of the most important gestures in an apology involved gifts and since Meredith would most likely not appreciate money in the form of apology, flowers were the next best thing. One of the humans that worked in the shop approached him.

"May I help you?" she asked.

Aiden swiveled his head about, examining the rows of flowers. "What flowers do you recommend as an apology gift?"

The woman's brow creased for a moment as she looked about the store herself. After a moment she moved between the flowers towards the back of the store. Aiden followed close behind, the mixed scent of flowers getting heavier the further he went. She stopped next to a stand of purple and blue flowers. She lifted one of the stems from the bunch and handed it to him. The individual blooms clustered near the top of the stem.

"The purple hyacinth represents the sincere wish to apologize or atone for a wrong done," she said.

Aiden stroked a finger over a petal. It had a surprisingly resilient, waxy feel.

"I'll take a bouquet of thirty," Aiden said.

He handed the stem he was holding back to the woman. She bowed her head deeply before beginning to gather the flowers he had asked for. Aiden turned away from her as she worked and pulled a different flower from its home. He twirled the delicate stem between his forefinger and thumb as he waited. Through the cloud of floral scent, he caught the scent of something familiar. Turning his head to look over his shoulder, he saw that the woman was busily arranging the flowers into order. Aiden returned the flower he was holding and tried to track the elusive scent.

He stopped in front of a bundle of white blooms. Bending his head forward, he scented the flowers. With chagrin he realized what had been so familiar about the scent. It was Meredith's scent. Impulsively, Aiden pulled out one of the blooms, surprised that it was attached to a rather sturdy branch rather than a delicate stalk. He grinned and brought the silky flower to his nose, inhaling the sweet scent.

"Sir, I've finished with this bouquet. Did you wish for another?"

Aiden guiltily lowered the flower and looked over the finished bouquet. It was artfully done with the purple hyancinth blooms interspersed with a cloud of smaller, white flowers. It made quite a sizable bunch.

"No, this will be all. Oh," Aiden tucked in the single bloom that smelled of Meredith. "This as well."

He buried the single bloom deep into the bouquet, shielded by the smaller white flowers. The florist made no comment and only asked him what kind of wrap and ribbon he wish for. Once the bouquet had been tied off and wrapped, Aiden paid the woman and left the store with bouquet in hand.

No sooner had he stepped out of the store when someone called out to him. He paused and waited as a man approached him. He had to be a dragon from how tall he was, not to mention the deep red of the man's hair which shouted of red decent. It was only when the man introduced himself as Es Dane, did he realize who he was talking too.

"I'm fortunate to have spotted you, Es Aiden. I've come to extend an invitation to you and your brothers to join my family's social gathering, as an apology for bloodying your shoulder before the Trials. It will be held tomorrow evening."

Aiden looked the man over. The words themselves were polite enough, but the tone behind them pricked at his temper. He was reminded once more how utterly loathsome he found some dragons to be. The red could probably spit at him and it would come off with the same offensivness. Aiden bit back the sharp reply quavering on the tip of his tongue and smiled as congenially as he could.

"I'll have to see if my brothers are free. Thank you for the invitation. I'll be sure to let them know."

Aiden nearly grinned as the red glowered at him. Despite the aggravation gold blood had brought upon him, having the title gave him the distinct privilege and pleasure of doing whatever the hell he wanted. Within reason that is.

Giving Es Dane a curt dismissal, fully acknowledging their different statuses, Aiden turned and walked away.

(Meredith)

She stared at the purple bouquet of flowers. Her maid had brought it up to her room and placed it on her writing table. It nearly took up the entire space. The first thing that had struck her was the strong floral scent as she had entered her room. The scent was stronger since all of her windows had been closed. Meredith stroked a finger over the flowers, the petals smooth against her skin.

A small, white card had been tucked into the bouquet. Meredith pulled the piece of paper out from the blooms. It was signed simply with an "A." She looked back at the bouquet and spotted a single white bloom among the thick cluster of purple and baby's breath. She drew it out carefully and brought it to her nose. The scent of gardenias momentarily drowned out the hyacinths.

Despite herself, Meredith smiled. Even if she was angry with Aiden, she could still appreciate the gift or rather apology gesture. A knock at her door made her jump. Meredith cleared her throat and gave permission for the person to open the door. Ella, her maid came in with an armful of folded towels. She smiled at Meredith as she bustled towards the bathing room.

"I'm so happy that I was the one to answer the door, Meredith. If that sour lemon, Matina had gotten there before I did, you'd never hear the end of it from Esa Jaine. I would be so flattered if a man as handsome as that was bringing me flowers. But I don't think he is very well versed in flower meanings. Something like roses or tulips would have been more romantic. Unless its in fashion to send purple hyacinths. I always thought that purple hyacinths were for apologizing. Come now, Meredith, before the bath gets cold."

Meredith frowned and glanced down at the gardenia in her hand. If Ella was right and she usually was with things like this, she didn't know if she was should be angry at Aiden for thinking that some flowers were an adequate apology or forgive him since he was thoughtful enough to deliver the bouquet himself. She thrust the gardenia back into the bouquet and turned her back to the blooms before going to her bathing room and slipping out of her dress. She handed it to Ella who left to hang it back in her wardrobe.

Meredith sank into the wonderfully warm water, the scent of perfumed oils masking the floral scent pervading the room. Ella returned and set about washing her hair, keeping up a merry conversation all by herself. Meredith let herself enjoy Ella's strong fingers massaging her scalp as she worked in the soap. Ella rinsed out the soap and put on a finishing oil before running a comb through her hair to loosen any knots.

Once she finished, Ella braided and pinned her hair high on her head to keep it from trailing in the water. Meredith thanked her and slid deeper into the bath until the water reached just beneath her nose. Ella busied herself by returning the various soaps and oils to the shelf.

The warm, bath water embraced her body. Her mind ultimately went back to Aiden. She remembered how his hands had been rough as they trailed over her skin, but the friction had only heightened the pleasure. Meredith shivered despite the warmth of the water.

When Ella returned, Meredith raised herself so that her mouth was above the water.

"Ella, what is it like for a man to lay with a woman?"

Ella turned to her and stared for a moment in surprise. She recovered quickly and smiled before drawing up a cushioned stool closer to the tub.

"Well, it is very much like any other animal. But there are more 'positions' for the couple to enjoy. The first time will hurt for a woman. The symbol of a woman's virginity is guarded by her body and the mark of it will be pain and a little blood, though if you have a considerate enough husband, he will try to make it less painful. A man is also quite different than a woman. While a woman can be seen as a vessel or a cup, the man will use his manhood to fill you. That is how the man's seed can get deep enough to implant a babe in the womb."

Meredith had sank back into the water as she had listened to Ella's explanation. While she had seen Aiden naked, she had tried to keep her attention away from his "manhood" as Ella had called it.

"Also, the man's shaft will grow as he gets aroused. Its all quite natural, as natural as a woman's menstrual cycle."

"I think I'm ready to get out, Ella."

Ella chuckled and grabbed for a towel. Meredith buffed herself dry while Ella went to get a dressing robe. While she had asked for an explanation, it was embarrassing to hear even from Ella. She was slightly damp when she pulled her arms through the robe sleeves. Ella fussed over her for a few more moments before Meredith told her to go to bed. She smiled and left her after laying out a night gown for her to change into.

Meredith dressed herself in the thin night gown Ella had laid out before slipping into bed. Strong moon light filtered in from her window. There would be a full moon in a day or two. The bed sheets were cool against her skin, warming slowly from her body heat.

Meredith laid there for a long time staring out the window, watching the moon move slowly along its path. After a while, Meredith rose from the bed and went to open the window. The cool night air drifted in and washed over her. She lifted her face into the breeze, letting the wind caress back the tendrils of hair that had escaped from the braid.

The grass beneath her window had turned to a silvery color from the moonlight. The trees as well had taken on a silvery glow and swayed with the wind as if beckoning her with its branches. Meredith grabbed a shawl and climbed out the window. The grass was cool and dry on her bare feet.

She headed towards the forest, the shivering leaves leading her deeper. The light from the moon was dimmed as it filtered through the leaf canopy. Meredith followed the thin trail that weaved between the thick tree trunks. There was little undergrowth beneath the trees.

Abruptly, she broke through the tree line and found herself facing a small pond framed by small blooming trees. White petals skimmed over the surface of the water. A soft splashing sound made her pause at the tree line, waiting in the shadows.

A dark shape appeared from the water and skimmed through the water, ripples lapping softly at the bank. Meredith pressed tighter against the trunk of the tree as she saw the shadow approach the bank. It was only when the shadow rose from the water that she realized it was a man. He was lit from behind, casting his face in darkness. Half of his body was now out of the water. He had broad shoulders that tapered to a trim waist with large arms that bulged with muscles.

Meredith held her breath in fear of being discovered, but couldn't drag her eyes away from the man. His body looked familiar but she couldn't place a name. Then the man turned slightly, illuminating his face. Meredith covered her mouth to stifle her gasp. It was Aiden.

He slicked back his hair with one hand before sinking back into the water. She watched in stunned silence as he disappeared beneath the surface. She couldn't decide if she should run back home or wait for Aiden to leave first. She certainly didn't want him catching her watching, but she didn't want him to recognize her if he saw her running away.

Meredith began to worry when he didn't resurface after a few long moments. It seemed like it had been too long before he had come back up for air. Meredith was torn between staying hidden and going out to see if he was alright. After a few long moments, Meredith ran to the bank and tried to search the water for bubbles or ripples. The surface of the water remained undisturbed as she stared into it.

She was just about to go in after him when something shoved her from behind. She landed with a loud splash. Meredith sputtered as she pushed herself upright in the cold water. Turning, she saw a very naked Aiden watching her at the bank, his arms crossed over his impressive chest and his eyes narrowed in mischief. Meredith felt a wave of anger rush through her as she stood waist deep in the pool.

They glared at each other until Meredith felt her lips turn up unconsciously before bursting into laughter. Aiden grinned down at her from the bank and held out a hand to help her out. Seeing her opportunity, Meredith grabbed his wrist and yanked him into the water with her. Unfortunately, he was heavy enough to drag her beneath the surface with him.

Meredith sputtered on a laugh as she came back up and splashed Aiden in the face. He retaliated by dunking her under once more. She tried to swim away from him, but he grabbed her around the ankle and dragged her back. The water dragged her nightgown up her body to gather at her chest. Meredith tried to pull the fabric down to cover herself.

Suddenly, she was pulled up against Aiden's chest, her bare legs sliding against his. She inhaled in great gasps and let go of her dress to brace her hands on his upper arms. The wound on his shoulder had scabbed over, but looked much better than when she had first seen it. His rough palms slid over the bare skin on her back, making her shiver. His wet hair was plastered against his head, droplets of water clinging to the strands. He shook his head vigorously, spraying her with water. She screeched and tried to cover her eyes. He tightened his hold on her as she began to slip.

His hair stuck out from his head every which way in damp waves, darker now since it was wet. Before she could reconsider, she used her hands to stroke back his hair, his scalp warm against her palms. Her hands lingered to cup the back of his head. She became acutely aware of their naked lower halves sliding intimately against one another. The cool water did nothing to chill the heat between their bodies. Her night gown drifted about her waist and curled around Aiden in ghostly tendrils.

Meredith was unable to tear her eyes away from Aiden and the heat from his body beckoned her to burrow in closer. She felt his arms tighten around her. Her breasts were thrust against his chest, her dark nipples clearly visible through her wet night gown. A curl of desire unfurled deep in her belly, spreading like a pleasant ache.

"Meredith, why are you out here?"

She stared at his mouth, remembering how wonderful he had felt and tasted. With Jaine's order to pursue Es Dane still ringing in her head, Meredith felt part of her heart whither. If she had to be mated to Es Dane than she at least wanted a memory with Aiden. Instead of answering him she moved her arms to wrap about his neck, careful of his injury, and pulled his head down to kiss him. He met her lips gently, a mere light brushing. Meredith strained for more touching her tongue to his lips. He tasted of warm rain and moonlight.

His hands slipped down her back and over her buttocks, squeezing and drawing her tighter to him. Meredith moaned into his mouth as his fingers curled inwards and brushed against womanhood. Aiden was slowly grinding his hips against her belly, his hard shaft hot against her slick skin.

"I'm giving you one last chance to turn back. I won't stop afterwards," he said, his voice husky and deep.

Meredith slipped a hand between their bodies and touched him partly out of curiosity and partly to make him stop talking. He groaned thickly and let her explore him for a moment before his mouth descended, devouring hers. He thrust his tongue between her lips, hot and demanding. His tongue teased and enticed her to slide against his.

His manhood, slick from the water, throbbed hotly against her palm. Meredith used the tips of her fingers to trace over the velvety skin. She closed her hand around him, her fingers only just meeting and squeezed lightly. There was an awful lot of him and she was a bit worried about how they would be able to fit together. Aiden began thrumming deep in his chest, the vibrations teased her stiff nipples against his hard chest.

Aiden's fingers dipped between her legs and stroked her bare pussy. She wasn't wearing any underclothes to come between them. Meredith bit back a strangled moan as her hips twitched in response. Meredith's thoughts ceased when Aiden inserted a thick finger into her. She gasped and threw her head back, feeling his finger stretch and rub against her sensitive flesh. Her hand convulsively tightened around his shaft making him grit his teeth on a swift breath.