The Exchange Ch. 07

"Oh poor Niti!!" Lataa pointed her almost angry eyes towards her brother. "You won't be able to kiss her until she rinses her mouth three times!"

Before Nitishila had the chance to respond, Inka purposely gave her input, crossing her legs almost bombastically. "While vinegar gives an unpleasant smell in the short term, in the long term vinegar improves one's breath."

Sighing, Lataa pulled a cloth from a pocket and held it to her mouth. "I suppose the smell will fade soon, won't it?"

It did. And Inka's breath improved too. Lataa was even willing to play some outdoor games with her while Nitishila watched. First, they played pitch-pot, a game involving throwing long sticks into a canister. Then they played a racquet sport with a shuttlecock. Poor Lataa had to take a break now and then to catch her breath. She often had breathing problems. Finally, Nitishila joined them in a knucklebones game.

The sky was darkening, and it was starting to rain, which would make the outdoors feel much colder. It wasn't anything Inka couldn't admire. It was still wonderfully warm when compared to what she was used to. The trio stayed indoors and listened to gentle music while they chatted. Inka even remarked on how beautifully the musicians were able to keep in tune with the random noise of the drops hitting the roof.

When night came, Lataa begged Nitishila to let her stay the night, since she was so weary and weak from all the excitement.

Nitishila petted her hair and took one of her hands. "That's fine. Sleep well tonight, but know that my wife and I are not to be disturbed."

Inka couldn't help but notice that after Jorun escorted her outside Nitishila's bedroom door, the redheaded woman was often turning her head back as if she was looking for something. As Inka walked into the room, she said to Jorun, "Whatever has you as tense as a bow should be addressed immediately." Her bare feet halted on a rug. She didn't even turn around to face the attendant. "I can't fare well without your support, and you can't support me unless your mind is cool."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Jorun said quite happily. Inka heard her hair shift as she bowed at the door. Then she heard the door being closed.

Disrobing, bathing herself in the dim lighting, Inka didn't allow her mind the right to be too concerned over that girl. There wasn't enough room for those thoughts. Her husband would come soon, and Inka had to focus on him.

She placed her folded pile of clothes on a spot on the floor where it wouldn't trip anyone. Then she crawled past the gold looking canopy to rest on Nitishila's huge square bed. She rested on her side and pulled her curly hair away from her face. Her eyes scanned the dark area as she waited.

The door was opened and closed again. Then she saw Nitishila's figure through the thin curtain. He sauntered to her, reached out, and lifted some of that curtain to gaze down at her. "Good evening, Darling."

Inka's hand and arm rose, and she took his warm wrist. "Won't you please lie beside me? It's frighteningly cold."

The man chuckled as he settled on the bed, holding her close from behind, his belly on her back. "A silly, silly little thing. That's what you are. You've known the most hateful winters ever since you were a baby." He kissed a spot near the back of her ear, making her tremble as if she truly was cold, and she wasn't.

"But this winter is too cold when I don't have you to warm my skin," Inka said as she purposely rocked her hips, rubbing his crotch with her backside. "I'm far too accustomed to you now."

"Is that so?" Nitishila cupped one of her breasts with his hands. The rough, hot feeling made Inka sigh.

"It must be so. When you're gone, I feel as though a little breeze could knock me through a wall."

Playfully manipulating her nipple, Nitishila asked, "Are you certain? You could feel weak because you're already carrying my child."

That was a fanciful thought, but Inka didn't agree with it. She wasn't truly weak. She'd only wanted to charm him with words. "Nothing could bring me more joy than having your child."

"I want reports of your health every day," he said as he squeezed the breast again. "Every craving, every moment of fatigue, any time you feel nauseous, even when you menstruate. I'm not sensitive to that. I know what a woman's body must do."

Almost giggling, Inka smiled to herself. "You'd also want to know if I gain or lose weight. Am I correct?"

"You certainly are." His other hand swept down her belly. His second and third finger traced circles and ovals around her belly button. "I want a healthy, happy little mother with her bare feet elevated."

"I am worried," she admitted, "that I might not be able to do as we both wish." Painfully, her toes bent. "It's been so long, and we've both been so attentive to each other."

After a kiss in Inka's hair, Nitishila simply told her, "I'll consult the finest doctors, simply to soothe your worries away. We'll have a child. Fret not."

Fret not ...

Inka sighed again.

***