Hidden Magic Ch. 23

"Tomass, come here," I husked as soon as the door closed. Servants had lit the gas lamps and set them low, and the effect was quite romantic, I had to admit. The curtains were parted slightly, letting in silvery moonlight. The bed was turned down, the soft spread fluffy blanket atop was white but the sheets were shiny and dark blue. Tomass would look angelic on them.

I stood by the door and watched as he walked to me. Dressed in the fine traditional clothes of society at dinner he wore a short jacket with sweeping tails, his trousers were molded to his legs, and his hair was queued back with a black ribbon. The shirt beneath was soft and lacy, but it didn't detract from his strength while highlighting masculine beauty.

He walked to me and stopped close, forcing me to look up.

Reaching up I brushed my hand across his cheek and he turned to kiss my palm, eyes wary. I smiled and slid my fingers into his hair and pulled that ribbon until his cool black hair flowed down over his shoulders.

"You are so beautiful," I told him, cupping his cheek.

"Isn't that what I am supposed to say?"

"Say the truth, always the truth between us. Tomass, you are the most wonderful man I have ever met."

He stilled and gripped my upper arms. "Minn, I love you."

"And I love you." I stood on my toes and brought his lips to mine. There was tension in his body but when our lips touched he fairly melted, flowing over me in an embrace. I tasted the wine of dinner in his kiss, but under it was the taste of his sweet, innocent passionate need.

He was holding back, only his tight embrace showed his need, otherwise he waited for me, and regretfully I pulled back.

"What is it you want of me?"

"I want to make love to you, man and woman, wife and husband, just once. After that...well, later. For now, be free, do what comes naturally."

His smile was bright and then he moved only to pick me up. One hand went behind my knees and the other around my waist. Before my wits could gather he held me aloft, pressed to him, and walked to the bed. I wound my arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss, delighting in the slow invasion of his tongue, mimicking what my body so desired somewhat lower.

He bent to lower me to the bed and kept me sitting up, kneeling behind me.

This was my gift to him, to let him fly free, do what he desired, but I had to admit it delighted me to feel safe with this. I wasn't quite ready to give up all control, but that night I knew there was nothing to lose, only pride if I fought this.

He kissed my neck and brushed my hair over my shoulder. I felt his hands at the row of buttons on the back of the dress, which had been hell for me to secure while dressing. He undid one from the cloth loop and kissed the skin bared. Repeating the action again he started a slow burn only touching me with his lips and the barest hint of tongue.

I folded my hands on my skirt and kept my hands to myself for the moment, knowing he was quite involved. Tomass seemed to moan more than I did, purring until all the buttons were undone and the simple bodice gaped.

His mouth fixed on my neck, joined by the soft nip of teeth, and his hands slid to my front to cup my breasts, unbound.

"I knew you did not bind them, that that tight dress held them so high, so exposed all night. It drove me mad, looking at you, so beautiful. It made me crazy seeing the other men looking at you," he whispered into my ear, gently taking the lobe between his teeth.

I shivered and was rewarded with the press of his body as his fingers gently strummed my hardening nipples.

"What men? I saw no others, not when you looked so damn good in those trousers."

My reward to that was a purr in my ear and press of his hard cock against my lower back.

I wanted to touch him but with him at my back all I could do was reach up and pull his lips forward to meet mine. Delicately he pinched my nipples and I winced slightly, soothed by the pleasure and his kiss.

Tomass peeled the bodice from me and then moved quickly, bending beneath my arm to capture the peak of my breast with his mouth.

I could not play passive as the pleasure made something low turn over inside me. I turned further and struggled with his jacket, breaking contact to help him pull it off. After a long moment he was tangled and we laughed. Magic washed over us and we were naked.

"I can't completely forget what I am."

"I don't want you to. I just want this once to feel the passion between us without a single thought to the balance of magic."

"Oh. Oh!"

I found myself pressed flat on the soft bed and he laid along side me, pulling me into a kiss, eyes twinkling. After such promising intimate contact this seemed a step back but- oh! Suddenly a feeling blossomed inside me, warmth between my legs, at the tips of my breasts, all over, inside, outside...my mind raced and somehow I peaked.

The release was sweet and I clawed at his shoulders, crying out, but he didn't break the kiss until the tremors passed. I felt bathed in the pleasure, replete, the need a distant echo for the moment. Still Tomass held the kiss, breathing with me, forcing the hot air from his lungs into mine and taking it back until I was dizzy, and then he pulled back.

"I was taught much in my youth I have never actually had the chance to practice. Indeed, spending magic can be as much fun as raising it."

Laughing I pulled him down to the bed and flipped quickly. Before he could stop me I pressed my hand to his chest. "My turn," I said simply and moved down to his cock.

He was softer now, apparently that magical kiss had taken concentration, but no matter, I loved this. I adored his taste, salty and sweet, and the feeling of him hardening in my mouth was too arousing for words.

He buried his hands in my hair but otherwise made no moves to stop me, and why should he? He was hard now, I tasted his heartbeat with every pass of my tongue along his shaft, and the sounds he made pushed my desire higher and higher.

This was not what I intended, but now I could not be denied. I needed to make him climax with my hands and tongue, I wanted to feel that pleasure fill my ears and mouth. I wanted his sweet strong body bowing with it.

I moved fast now, cupping his heavy sack and stroking the shaft of his cock with my hand and mouth. I wished I had my own magic then and could make him feel this as well as my hands everywhere, more mouths. I wanted to run my teeth across his nipples and lick every trace of musculature. I wanted to kiss him and grip him with my cunt, to share the pleasure with him, and put all that need, all that desire, and sucked him hard.

Remembering how hard he had gripped himself I curled my hand tighter around his shaft and he rewarded me with a telling twitch. His cries came faster now and I moved with every muscle I had, coaxing it from him. My hard work was rewarded when he tightened and gasped, and then he was roaring, spilling his release into my mouth.

Moaning, I took it all greedily. These precious releases with no magical connotation were so sweet, so wonderful. I kept moving through it, sucking, but loosened my grip and lowered the pressure. When he was done I swallowed and sat back, grinning at him.

Indeed he was the very picture of beauty on the now tangled sheets, is hair loose and wild, his muscles flexing deliciously with his gasping breath.

"Minn-"

"Shhh. Rest now, for a moment."

"And then?" He brought his hands up to cover his face, smoothing over his visage into his hair.

I nipped at is elbow and rolled to lay next to him. "And then you're going to show me more of what you have learned from Anderank's book."

***

I had to admit that I would miss this. Once I hung up my sword when peace reined, there would be no battles where I needed that extra oomph, and so this extra attention would not be necessary.

Then came the fifth, the sixth, the seventh climax, and I began to wonder how much more I could take.

He must have read advanced chapters that Anderank had never breached. With his fingers and mouth he made me dizzy, my heart set to pounding, and long ago I'd given up objecting to anything. Truthfully I didn't have the heart to dominate him that night, not when he was riding so high on the confidence of writing that bill with me.

My acceptance was rewarded with dark pleasures I'd never dreamed of.

He sank a thick finger inside me while I still pulsed from the last climax.

"Minn, take a deep breath, and relax. Trust me."

I could only moan as he swirled that finger inside me, pressing to the spot that instantly brought more wetness in my folds, and then he pulled out. I cried out, wanting to be filled. I needed him inside me, and then I got my wish with a dark gleam in his eyes.

"Breathe slowly, use your belly, that's it, Minn. Now, push out as I push in."

I had been the one sliding my finger in on men before, everyone knew it brought them pleasure, but women? I had never dreamt this, thought this, but with the press of one finger I found my cunt dripping again and my heated body racing with chilled expectation.

I did as he asked and he slid in, aided by the thick fluids on his finger from my pussy. The feeing was dark and cool, thrilling my deeply and only heightening the swollen heat of the rest of my body. He filled me with that one finger and his dark head bent to my aching breast. Teasing me with his tongue he raised my left leg over his, curled alongside me.

Above his hand I felt his cock probe my dripping cunt and I begged, crying out. To be so filled by him...I wanted his finger in my arse, his cock deep inside me, his tongue in my mouth. I wanted to be possessed by him, to feel every inch inside and out meld with him.

More than that I wanted his pleasure as well, to feel it together. I wanted all that perfect masculine strength to surrender to me even as I to him. I wanted to feel him shake weakly in my arms and spill into me, hear his cries mingle with mine.

The bulbous head of his cock found my swollen nubbin and on those thoughts I came again. It shook me, the bed rattled, and still he did not impale himself leaving me empty and hungry for more. Before it passed I lost my control.

"Tomass, remove your finger and lay back."

He raised his head, dazed with lust and confused. I pulled his hand from me and force him back, rolling atop him as his eyes closed.

"Tomass, look at me."

He whimpered with need, shivering already, struggling for control.

"Open them, I want to watch you as I take you inside me."

As soon as he did I slammed down, all artifice and grace gone, replaced by burning need for him. No other man would ever fill me so perfectly or satisfy me so deeply. Feeling bestial I pinned him by the wrists and began to fuck him hard, delighting in the long slide of his cock inside and out in me.

I cried out, slamming my hips to his, wishing him deeper and deeper, feeling him so thick and hot. The climax was there, what I had been waiting for, the feeling of us together. His body was hot, tight, straining against me. I bent to capture his lips and rubbed as I thrust and then we both found the peak together.

All I was aware of was his hard thickness inside me, the rush of our juices, the salty taste of his sweaty lips and the cool slide of our unbound hair together. The world narrowed to him and only him and my body shook, unable to move. He broke free of my grasp to clutch my hips and ground us together, riding it out to the last tremor, shouting with it, head thrown back.

At long last we collapsed, and I was too exhausted to move. He would be me bed and blanket for the night, and in thanks I kissed his temple and snuggled my face into his neck, our bodies still joined, heartbeats in tune.

"I love you," I whispered, and if he replied I did not hear it, just felt his arms close around me as I passed contently into sleep.

***

In the morning something had changed in him. Tomass was like a child in his excitement. I talked him into breaking our fast in the tub, and opened the windows as much as I dared to the city. The palace had large grounds and many trees, it was saved from some of the polluted air, but the factories still dimmed the sky.

As we ate the simple fare of thinly sliced meat and cheese on bread and hard boiled eggs we talked about the bill. He wanted everything, and I could not blame him, but it was my job to temper that exuberance.

"Tomass, this will be the first such bill in our history. Since ancient times women have kept men as second-class citizens and the war with the north only made it worse. We need not take baby steps but what we write now must be a foundation to build on later."

"But with the stroke of a pen we could end it all!"

"The high council will meet first. We will debate, add, and subtract lines and promises. The general council must vote. We have to make it palatable."

"Palatable?" He raised a dark brow.

He had a drop of mulled breakfast wine on his lip and I leaned forward to lick it off, pulling back to smile at the haze of lust that settled over him. "When someone resists you sometimes command, but cajoling works much better."

Blinking he pulled back and took another slice of bread. "What do you mean?"

"We must make small advancements first. As an example, we should move that men control their own dowry, and their consent to a marriage must be given, not just their mother's or guardian's."

"Oh?" He drawled, thinking of how I had forgone asking him for our own marriage.

I splashed water at him. "I've never met a amore pampered, loved, or cosseted husband. Do not presume to complain.

"Now, this is a good first step. If we suggest men should be able to hold property equal to women the council will balk. But if we allow them to control their dowries we simply need wait one year for inevitable court cases to come to light. Once that happens, by next year we have precedent that men can own property. Another year of cases of inheritance and we'll have the precedent that men can own property, and the council will be forced to concede this. In just two years men will have all legal property rights which means soon after full equality will come."

"Do you know this for fact?"

It was my turn to raise a brow. "I am a council member, and if this business with Serinne goes as expected I will be a high council member. This is not my first bill."

He shook his head and smiled. "It's easy to forget you're a general and a stateswoman, not when you beg me to fill you, and come so easily with the slightest touch in the dark of ni-"

I shoved an egg into his mouth. "Do you want to organize our goals for the first meeting with Chenn and the queen, or do you want to made to limp the rest of the week?"

He finished the egg and grinned. "Why not both?"

***

Four days passed with a strange kind of bliss. We wore borrowed clothes, slept in a strange bed, ate the queen's food. At night there was passion between me and Tomass, and it made me glad he had come to enjoy whenever I exerted my dominance over him, so long as he knew I preferred it that way only in bed and not in our other dealings. In the morning we'd talk and laugh and flirt, our days were spent with the queen and her advisor, and the queen's conquest the northern Duke more often than not.

Warrin and Tomass were fast friends, sparring together with swords or playing games after dinner while the queen and I talked about the search efforts. After four days all of Serinne's followers had been rounded up and imprisoned, to be given freedom upon her death and their pledge of loyalty. I was not so sure of that, but the queen did have the final say.

Filtin was heading up the search for Serinne and reported after dinner when the men were gaming. She often stayed to watch me practice my own swordsmanship with the queen's trainer, a woman who amazingly taught me a few new things.

After a time I no longer cared about Serinne. Warrin told us of a tradition of his people between newlyweds. In the north they did not go home or to family after marriage, they instead took a trip to an unknown place of leisure and spurned any interruptions to fasten their bond. It was not true of me people, we just went home. Oh, it was ride for visitors to come for almost a week, but not unheard of.

Tomass and I decided this, as strange as it was, would be our such period, what Warrin called a "honeymoon." It was a productive one to be sure, but after four days we had a solid bill drafted. It was padded with outrageous suggestions just so the High Council could trim them and exert their opinion without changing the underlying principle. Warrin and Tomass supported it, but it did take some convincing from their women, a chore we did not mind.

It was the morning of the fifth day when reality came crashing in. Celebrating the finished bill, the morning flirting had turned into leisurely lovemaking. I had just taken Tomass into me in the tub, riding him slowly, when the door crashed open to a flustered and embarrassed servant.

"My lady1 I am so sorry, but it's urgent, the queen demands you presence immediately."

I shielded my blushing husband and turned to her with a glare. "We'll be along shortly. Leave and close the door."

I waited until she'd gone and turned back. In his embarrassment, Tomass had soften, and my own ardor cooled. With a sigh I dismounted and climbed from the tub, reaching for a towel and eyeing our uneaten breakfast.

"We'd best go see to this." When he climbed out I sighed. The sight of his beautiful body naked and wet would always be stimulating.

"What could it be?"

"It's Serinne. It has to be. Yes, we were working on the bill but in reality the queen wanted us here to build magic and wait in safety. The time has come to end the adventure."

Crossing to me he placed a hand gently under my chin and raised my face to his. "I do hope our adventure never ends, but I understand now what you have to d and why."

Without waiting for a reply he kissed me, and I felt magic pass. It was more than the elders had given, burning, too strong...I cried out but his arms locked around me and held me still as it poured into me.

At long last he pulled back, panting as much as I.

"What was that?"

"The magic we have built. It will give you strength and speed, and protect you. We don't know where she has been or what she has been doing. I will take no chances with you. Minn, I love you. If it comes down to it damn the queendom, damn the bill. I only want you."

For that I kissed him quickly. "Got enough to address us quickly?"

He smiled wickedly and waved his hand, instantly we were dressed, even my sword was on the belt at my waist.

Satisfied, I took his arm and he used magic again, placing us in the throne room where the queen sat. To my shock the High Council was gathered, and the floor had been cleared. Kneeling on the black and white tiled marble was Serinne, prostrate.

"Earless, Earl. Tomass, please come and stand by the Duke. Earless, the Duchess has asked for my forgiveness. I have told her the matter of honor and a near war is nearly unforgivable." The queen stood and stepped down, trailing her long fingers over Serinne's back and beautifully frowning.

"I have called for you and now that you are both here- Serine, rise, damn it!" Her snappish tone was uncharacteristic, showing her nerves, but the queen schooled her features quickly. "There will be a duel. Should you win, Serinne, forgiveness will be yours, but you will relinquish your seats on the High and General Council and your title will be stripped. Your lands will remain yours but you will never leave them.

"Should you win Earless, you will take Serinne's lands and title, as well as her seat on the High Council. The duel will be to the death. Do you agree?"