Torgan Wine Ch. 10

"No. No other man in Torga has a wife like my Isonei." Draeseth gave her a longing look and then schooled his face as best he could.

"What does she do that makes you look at her that way? She says she doesn't know." Arissa delicately entwined her fingers with Daga Liadith's.

"That... I am not willing to discuss that." Draeseth shifted uncomfortably in his chair with a frown.

"So it is only the things she does in bed?" Daga Liadith frowned thoughtfully.

"No!" Draeseth barked and fixed him with a scowl. "I am not comfortable speaking of my heart with you. I will speak to her privately if she does not know."

"This is as privately as you'll be speaking to her until I decide otherwise." The Daga leaned back in his seat. "Isn't it something a woman should know?" He looked to Isonei expectantly.

"If he's not comfortable I can wait until he is, or until we're allowed to be alone together."

"Is that why? She tries to make you comfortable?" Arissa was smiling mischievously.

"That is part of it." Draeseth lifted his eyes from his plate and looked at Isonei earnestly. "She sees me as I want to be. No other woman has ever..." He shook his head and seemed embarrassed.

"I think you've been very unlucky with Torgan women, my Draeseth. I find it difficult to believe I'm the only woman who sees you as I do." Isonei smiled at him warmly.

"No, wife, I have been very lucky with you. You ask for very little and you look at me as a man and not as the means to an end."

She knew what he meant; Andnaeuth had spoken of it as well. "I want to make you feel the way you make me feel. My mothers always said that's how it should be done, not only in bed but outside of it."

"Isonei, if I could make you feel the way you make me feel, you would never consider another man. You would be mine alone." His dark eyes moved over her face with desire so unmistakable she felt her cheeks flushing and her belly fluttering.

Isonei glanced to the Daga and clapped her hands three times sharply. While she had been so wrapped up in her short conversation with Draeseth, Arissa had decided to continue her practice. The Daga was still leaned back in his seat as Arissa kissed him. The sharp clapping didn't get an immediate reaction so she picked up her cup and tossed the contents directly into their kissing faces.

"Isonei!" Arissa wiped her face and glared.

"You're both supposed to be behaving. If clapping gets no response I won't hesitate to empty my cup in your faces." Isonei returned her glare with the best imitation of Draeseth's stern look she could manage.

"My father will be proud." The Daga's dry tone and vividly green eyes showed his amusement. "I had hoped I could lounge with Lady Arissa after our meal, but I think that would end with any refreshments being poured over our heads."

"It might."

Draeseth laughed and then cleared his throat, "Forgive me for doubting you, Lady Isonei. You are very capable of maintaining propriety."

"With anyone but you, Prince Draeseth." Isonei tried not to smile at him and quickly directed her attention back to the Daga and Arissa. "You promised to be better behaved."

"I didn't kiss her, she kissed me. I know you say desire is a choice but that kiss..." The Daga turned a brilliant smile on Arissa who beamed and blushed. "How could I not return it!"

"Daga Liadith, if I cannot touch my wife even when she wraps her arms around me, or kiss her when she looks at me as if I am worthy of her, you should be required to exercise restraint as well." Draeseth spoke in a measured tone with no lingering trace of amusement.

"I have not been as ill behaved with Lady Arissa as you have been with Lady Isonei," the Daga looked at Draeseth with annoyance, "but your point is taken."

As they finished their meal Isonei kept glancing back to Draeseth, what he'd said, 'as if I am worthy of her', gnawed at her. Daga Liadith rose and walked with Arissa into the gardens to lounge and Isonei followed close behind holding Draeseth's arm.

Quietly, she asked him, "What did you mean when you said, 'as if I am worthy of her'?"

"That I am not worthy of a wife who strives to make me feel as you do." He smiled faintly at her.

"My magnificent Draeseth, you are. You're the only one who's ever made me want to try to be exclusive, the-"

"I make you miserable." Draeseth clamped his arm against his side pressing her arm tightly against him.

"Sometimes, yes." Isonei frowned and leaned against him as she walked. "But no one has ever made me as happy as you have either. I don't like the thought of you feeling unworthy."

He made an amused sound in his throat, "You want my happiness. It pleases me to have a wife so attentive and loving, who dotes on me and adores me when I don't deserve it. It will please me more when I can learn to show you the same tenderness despite my moods."

"Your mood has greatly improved since we've been separated, my flower wine." Isonei looked up at him curiously. "Was I the cause of your sour mood?"

"No." His dark eyes searched her face, "You are never the cause of my sour moods and it isn't the separation that has given me relief. Krouth advised me to spend my free time in prayer and reflection."

"If prayer makes you feel better, my Draeseth, why don't you do it more often when we're together?"

"I have never seen you pray and I did not wish to frighten you away with my devotion." His lips twisted ruefully.

Isonei laughed softly and shook her head. "I think that's another difference in our religions. I was always taught, the Gods are busy, when you pray it should be something worth troubling the Gods over. For everything else you should lean on those around you. That's why they made us so many brothers and sisters of flesh and blood to rely on."

Draeseth smiled faintly, "Our God doesn't mind being troubled. Prayer clears the mind and lets him put us on our right paths."

"Who would object to that?" She smiled warmly up at him as Daga Liadith and Arissa settled onto benches across from one another.

"I think I commanded that he wasn't to touch you, Isonei."

"I'm touching him, my Daga." Isonei stepped away from Draeseth with a mischievous smile and went to sit with Arissa.

"Perhaps the two of you can discuss religion later; I had a more pressing topic I wanted to discuss." The Daga was almost smirking. "Did you... teach her that? How to kiss that way?" His green eyes were sparkling as he looked back to Arissa. "It was more thrilling than I remembered."

"I gave her a brief demonstration, but she seemed to be trying to practice everything I showed her, I might have to stop there or risk her trying to practice more exciting things with you at the breakfast table." Isonei fluttered her lashes at Arissa as the woman gave her an indignant look.

"That doesn't sound very proper, Keran." Arissa huffed, flushing slightly.

"No, it certainly doesn't. I told my Daga that you were playful and mischievous but as a daughter of Gildith you would keep him from making any grave mistakes. You're not acting like your father's daughter. Was I wrong?" She widened her eyes and gave her an innocently searching look with her cool smile.

Arissa blinked and inclined her head slowly, "No. I will be better behaved daughter of Liadith."

"When you strive to make my father proud you exceed my expectations, and if Daga Gildith were here I imagine you would be exceeding his as well." Daga Liadith studied her with a smile. "Are you going to take me to task as well?"

"That isn't my place, my Daga. When you visit your father, if he has issue with your behavior, I am certain you will hear it." She gave him a stern look and he sucked his lips against his teeth.

"I am certain I will, favored daughter of Liadith."

"You were much more fun when we were children, Isonei." Arissa sighed and reached out to take hold of her hand with a faint smile.

"I like her better now. She's seems much less vacuous." Daga Liadith was trying to provoke her; she recognized it instantly.

"I'm fond enough of my Draeseth, you don't have to act so asinine to cast him in a better light my Daga, though I'm sure he'll thank you for it." Isonei fluttered her lashes at him with her best imitation of Andnaeuth's knife sharp smile.

Arissa began to laugh, adjusting herself to rest her head on Isonei's arm. "She's almost wicked now. When she isn't insisting we be better behaved she's still fun."

Remaining silent with an amused smile, Isonei listened to the two of them telling stories about her as if she weren't there. Draeseth seemed to be enjoying listening to them when she glanced over. The topic eventually turned from her to their own childhoods, their parents, the loneliness Daga Liadith had felt as an only child, the longing for more attention that Arissa had felt as one of twelve daughters. She listened with amusement as they discussed the number of children they each wanted, four was decided on.

Another glance to Draeseth told her he was contemplating the question as well. Raising two fingers she gave him a smile and saw him shake his head. He opened both hands and she tried not to laugh and disrupt the conversation that the Daga and Arissa were still having. It would be something they could discuss more seriously when they worked on their arrangement.