Torgan Wine Ch. 33

"He carries it with him. Always."

"Be joyful, daughter of Liadith. You are coming home. You are loved." Liadith kissed her forehead and pulled her into a crushing embrace. "Try. Do whatever you need to do. Do not lose hope."

Isonei woke with her face pressed firmly into Draeseth's side. Her mind felt clear, as if the dream had been something more. Even in a dream a command from her Daga held weight, she would be joyful and she would try to find a way to come home. She was not alone. With a deep breath she curled more comfortably against the warm Torgan next to her.

"Ulzen ungst, vor ourst yent." Draeseth murmured changing his position to face her and press kisses to her head.

"Gentle morning to you too." Isonei yawned and tried to bury her face in the crook of his neck.

"Your dreams last night were unpleasant? You wept and clung to me for a time before you seemed to grow more contented."

"I feel better this morning. I need to put things in order Draeseth." She sighed as he rubbed her back soothingly. "When I die I would have my ashes sent to both my father in Ara and my Daga in Leria. I need to make plans for who will care for the child-"

Draeseth began to curse in Torgan, pushing away from her and rising from the bed. "You will not die from bearing my child. We will have many."

"Draeseth, if I live I will be glad to care for our child, if I don't I need to know that things are in place, that-"

He stormed from the bedroom and she rubbed her eyes slowly climbing from the bed. Isonei muttered to herself facing away from the door, "Whether I live or die I have to thank you, Draeseth, for the lesson you've taught me. Aulla is more dangerous than Teth, and not to be trusted."

The annoyed sound from the doorway made her turn to look. Draeseth stood looking both annoyed and amused, his face set in a scowl but his dark eyes were glittering. "I have shown you one of your Goddesses of love is more dangerous than your God of war?"

"The Goddess of desire, Draeseth, not love. I always thought her soft and playful. You've shown me she can be harsh and demanding." Deceptive, the word sprang to mind and she refrained from voicing it.

"A good match for a God of war." His face softened into a grim smile and he came back to the bed. "I want you to stop speaking of death, wife. I would have you be joyful that our child is going to be born."

"I'll be joyful when I know she'll be taken care of."

Draeseth pulled her back onto the bed. "If you plan for your death, you cannot compel me to adopt Hodrim."

At that she narrowed her eyes, "You still have to amend the Arrangement. You promised. I want him for my own, if I die and Lislora can't look after him I'll have her impose on Halloc Aurim or perhaps Krouth. Krouth would be a wonderful father."

The Torgan began to cover her face in kisses, "I will allow Krouth to take him. A Halloc would have no time for the child. What of our child?"

Isonei carefully pulled away to look at him with an earnest frown, "I would have you marry Lislora to give her a mother."

"I will do that. Why do you keep saying she and her? We could be having a son." He smiled and pulled her closer again.

"It feels right to me, saying she. Little Kothesei." She burrowed into the crook of his neck and Draeseth made a pleased sound in his throat.

"The birth of daughters is said to be easier." Draeseth bent his head and kissed her hungrily. "She will be as beautiful as her mother."

"And tall like her father?" Isonei couldn't help but tease.

He laughed in his throat, "A tall pale beauty, Tengk Voyeh furh Kroscur."

"The silver maiden of Kroscur?"

"Men will come from far and wide to beg for her hand." Draeseth pushed her gently onto her back and began to kiss her neck, settling himself on top of her.

"If she's anything like me she'll choose the one man you can't stand and let him take her far away." Isonei made a face at him and he snorted.

"She will be Torgan, woman. She will look to me to be told if her choice is a good one. If he does not have my blessing she will refuse him." He gave her a smug smile and resumed kissing her neck.

"Who is she going to inherit this obedience from?" Isonei poked his sides and he began to laugh, tickling her until she shrieked.

"You can be obedient when I give you no other choice, woman." Draeseth grinned at her before capturing her lips and kissing her deeply. When he broke the kiss he pressed his face to hers. "Do not prod your husband." He stayed that way quietly for a few moments before speaking again, "You have the whole of the day to rest, my jewel. My father will be arriving for dinner. He has been impatient to meet you."

"I'll look forward to it, my Draeseth."

The Torgan began kissing along her jaw to her ear. "I do not look forward to it, wife. I have been forced to bring you this far. To have you ill and with child I wish to take you home instead of further from it. Father will demand you come to Court."

"Something else I've learned here, husband. If you have no choice, try to find a way to be happy with your situation." She bit her tongue to keep from adding, while you try to find a way to change it. "Or are you in a mood you need to be kissed out of?"

A groan of pleasure as if she'd wrapped her lips around his cock escaped him. "Woman, it would take more than kisses. You should be permitted to rest but I need... I would celebrate our joyful news by staying with you in bed until my father arrives."

She wrapped her legs around him as he captured her lips, pulling her nightdress up. "Then stay. I don't want to be left alone all day, and someone should sweeten your mood for your father's visit."

"You no longer wish to make me wait?" Draeseth's question was breathless as he pushed the nightdress up further and began to kiss the curve of her bared breasts.

"You'll keep your word?" Burying her fingers in his black hair, she couldn't understand his purred response but the way he moved his hands lower cupping her cheeks and rubbing her thighs as he kissed and nipped her skin seemed like a reassurance.

The sound of Krouth clearing his throat in the doorway made her want to laugh. Draeseth, however, lifted his head with murder in his eyes. Isonei took hold of his face and pressed kisses to his scowling mouth as she asked cheerfully, "Is there something you need Master Krouth?"

"A messenger has arrived ahead of his Excellency, Kamrus Gillaugrim. It seems when word arrived of your delay he also chose to visit the Keep of Strecur. He left immediately on receiving the news yesterday and is expected before lunch, your Grace. His Highness may wish to... prepare."

"I will make certain he rises before lunch. Thank you for letting us know, Krouth." In a loud whisper she addressed Draeseth, still pressing kisses to his hard lips, "You may wish to thank him as well. Despite what you think he doesn't disturb us out of spite."

Draeseth's lips curved slightly as if he were trying not to smile. "Thank you for the forewarning, Krouth. I will rise and join you for prayers shortly."

"I will make preparations, your Highness."

"You're always so nice after you pray; I understand why your second father would want to have you pray before you see him." Isonei teased him gently.

The large Torgan kissed her urgently, and she invited his tongue as deeply as he wished to delve with gentle suction that made him moan in his throat. "Woman, how can I rise to pray when all I can think of is filling you?"

"Perhaps if we're quick?" She shifted her hips in his grip slightly.

"I have no desire to rush. I know that you are mine, and I know I will have you for as long as Ganas wills it, but I feel that every interruption robs me of something. I am robbed of my time with you at every turn."

His words struck a chord within her. Until the next festival she was meant to be his alone. She intended to go home and he would be robbed of the life he intended to have by her death or by her leaving. Isonei kissed him desperately, running her hands over his grey-green skin and wishing things hadn't gone so wrong.

He whispered something breathlessly in Torgan and trailed his glorious biting kisses down the side of her neck, moving his hand to her sex to tease her to readiness. Her soft moans and whimpers encouraged him to apply his teeth more firmly and she pressed herself eagerly against his skilled fingers. "Please! Yes! I need you, Draeseth."

The Torgan groaned something as he began urgently trying to fit himself inside, the only words she caught were 'vor ourst Aitst', my Duchess.

Deliberately tightening around him as he began to make short, quick thrusts, Isonei murmured, "Vor ourst ungengs zát, let me feel you, I-"

Cutting her off with a fervent kiss, Draeseth changed position to loom over her, pulling her legs to one shoulder as he bent forward to wrap his hand around her throat. "Woman, you will feel me another day, you will let me enjoy you before you give your beautiful beast what he needs."

The tightness of him inside her in that position coupled with the feeling of his hand around her throat felt too wickedly good to argue with, she managed to pant out, "Koustinde zoitstest. I will, mmmnn, I will, husband!"

His lips curved in a wicked grin and he purred a reply in Torgan before releasing her throat. He took hold of her legs spreading them as he thrust and looking down, as if admiring the sight of his large Torgan cock sinking into her. If he wanted something to watch... she slipped her fingers to her most sensitive spot to tease and kept her free hand roaming her belly and her breasts, caressing and ever so gently teasing her nipples.

Draeseth tightened his grip on her thighs as he watched, deepening his thrusts and placing his biting kisses hungrily on her calves and shins anywhere he could. "Mine. You are mine, say it."

"Yours, mmmn please!" Isonei tightened around him working herself toward release.

"Not yet, woman." He pulled back grinning wickedly down at her as she whined in disappointment. "You made me wait and I want to enjoy you."

"There is no man more magnificent or more wicked in all of Torga." She came up onto her knees and tried to wrap herself around him making him laugh.

"You want me wicked in your bed, woman, and gentle everywhere else."

"Mm, is that such a difficult thing to ask?" Her kisses to the base of his throat as she tried to sink his cock back inside her made him groan his response in his own language. She rolled her hips and squeezed him repeatedly enjoying the low growling sounds he made.

Panting, he stilled her hips and pushed her onto the bed, turning her onto her belly and pulling her hips up to meet his. He landed a stinging slap to her right ass cheek as he sank himself back in with a purred string of Torgan words.

Isonei braced herself on her forearms; half whimpering half moaning as he made smooth powerful thrusts, the depth of him was delicious and almost unbearable at the same time. "You-nnmm husband! Magnificent! Mmmnn please!"

"Grafungengs zoitstest, say it, woman. Tell your husband he is magnificent." Draeseth growled moving his hand to press firmly in just the right place.

"You are! Nnnmm! Grafungengs zoitstest! My magnificent husband, please, yes!" She bore down on his cock feeling the unbearable pressure building, her skin heating and thighs trembling.

Keeping his hand pressed firmly, he released her hip and landed a sharp blow to her ass cheek again. Her release felt like a cord snapping, the painful pleasure overwhelming her. Isonei wailed in pleasure as her skin tingled, feeling as if it were heating, cooling, and going numb, her inner walls contracting around him as if trying to milk his cock as he released inside her.

Draeseth massaged her hips as he held her in place. "You love the sounds I make but I have never heard a more beautiful sound than your wail of pleasure, wife. You are perfection."

"And you are magnificent." She allowed herself to fall limply onto the bed as he released her. Turning to face him she reached out her hand and smiled as he settled on top of her kissing her face. "We should wash so that you can pray. Can I drowse on the sofa and listen? I want to be near you but you've made me very sleepy."

"Oist, my perfect jewel, I want you near me but I would have you next to me. Pray with me. I require it. Thank Ganas for our child."

"You insisted on building up my release so that I would be too blissful to even try to protest praying to Ganas instead of my Gods." She tried not to laugh as he grinned and pressed his face to hers.

"I do not fight fair, woman. Had I bedded you thoroughly you would have given me the Arrangement I wanted before we left Burgath's Keep. We could have been wedded by now."

"An Arrangement and a child aren't enough?" Isonei tried to frown at him but he began to laugh in his throat covering her face with kisses again.

"I will have you as my wife, properly, woman. You will be by my side always; I will be all you require. Our children will bring you the joy you seek, and we will have-"

Krouth cleared his throat in the doorway again and Draeseth stiffened.

"We should rise and wash while you're in a sweet mood."

He made an amused sound in his throat. "Stay by my side and my mood will remain sweet."

"I'm not by your side, I'm beneath you, husband." She kissed his smirking lips.

"When I get you back home I will keep you beneath me for a month."

"A basin and your soaps have been laid in the study, your Grace." Krouth spoke frostily and Isonei made a contrite face up at Draeseth that made him laugh again.

"Come, we will wash and pray together."

°°°°°°°°°°

A hurried wash and rushed breakfast later and Isonei was dressed in a pale grey gown that had been made with clever hidden fasteners that would allow her to wear it open or closed at the throat, kneeling next to Draeseth and Krouth as the slim servant intoned the prayers amid a plume of smoke from burning herbs. Head bowed and eyes closed it was impossible not to drowse, occasionally wavering on her knees.

When the seemingly endless prayers finally finished, she offered Draeseth a rueful smile as he helped her to her feet. "I-"

"Was that intended as a display of piety?" A voice from behind her asked in a gelid tone.

"A display for whom?" Isonei turned a tired frown on the older man seated on her sofa flanked by two standing priests.

Halloc Aurim had worn similar robes to the three when he had stood over her and struck her with the sticks, but these were more elaborate, gold threads gleamed among the cream of the satiny fabric. The seated man's robe was partly covered by a draped collar of purple and scarlet.

"I asked my wife to pray with me knowing she was tired. The fault is mine, Kamrus Gillaugrim." Draeseth bowed low.

"She wishes to become a postulant and she does not believe she must stay awake through the prayers? The fault is not yours."

"I did not fall asleep during prayers at the convent, but it's true I was not this tired. Had I been asked to perform more duties it could have been a concern." She kept her tone carefully neutral as she studied the man's displeased expression. "You interrupted me before I could apologize to my husband and excuse myself to the bedroom to sleep until lunch."

"He is not your husband. How you have managed to charm a Halloc and his priests into speaking for you when your wickedness should have been denounced-" The Kamrus' lips twisted with disgust as he looked her over. "You are a whore and a seductress nothing more."

Draeseth's hands curled into fists and he began to snarl a response in Torgan. Isonei took hold of his arm and stroked it soothingly. "He is your kin and a priest of your religion, I would have you remain respectful, my Draeseth. The look in his eyes is much like the look in yours when you've made a decision. His mind has already been made and no words or deeds anyone might offer can change it."

"Is this display intended-" The Kamrus started speaking again snidely and she cut him off with a raise of her hand.

"When I choose to do something as a display, your Excellency," Isonei spoke the title sharply enough to make the man's eyebrows rise, "it will be unmistakable. I would not have him say something he would regret, not for your benefit, but for his." Turning her attention back to Draeseth she offered him a wan smile, "Perhaps you could speak to your cousin elsewhere? I am too tired to be good company and you did promise me the day to rest."

"Of course, my Duchess." He brought her hand to his lips kissing the backs of her fingers. "Thank you for staying by my side as I asked you to. I have made too many demands of you this morning."

"I enjoyed it. I just wish I could have stayed awake for the prayers. They sound so soothing-"

He stooped to kiss her cutting off her words and she caressed his cheek. "Go rest, I will join you for lunch, my perfect jewel."

"Such impropriety!" The Kamrus rose with a scowl.

Isonei bit her tongue to keep from snapping at him about coming uninvited into their chambers but the look she gave him made him straighten as if she'd offered a threat.

"We will leave my wife to her rest." Draeseth's tone was firm and his face looked carved from stone. He gestured brusquely toward the door and followed the trio out.

Making her way to the bedroom, Isonei drew a deep breath and rubbed her temples as she walked.

"I expected your Grace to be more respectful." Krouth spoke coolly as he entered to draw the curtains closed.

"I am too tired, and no amount of respect would have changed his opinion. I was as respectful as I could bring myself to be." She unfastened her overdress and carefully set it aside. "Had I met him first instead of Halloc Aurim I can't imagine I would have as warm an opinion of your faith as I do."

"You were well enough to dally with his Highness." His displeasure made her head throb and she sighed taking off her under layers to the chemise.

"He needed to be reassured and I needed to give him that. I needed to rest afterward but... I sometimes find it difficult to say no to him even though I should."

Climbing into the still rumpled bed she buried her face in the pillow. She couldn't understand her sudden desire to weep. Breathing carefully and trying to ignore the lump in her throat she fell into sleep.

Lothlaerith's sitting room was exactly as she'd left it. Onsh-Lothlaerith's kanon still stood by his seat and she walked to it touching the wood of it lightly. It made her heart ache. Isonei turned toward the door not certain where she intended to go and saw Zenaethe in his father's mantle sitting as his father had sat looking at her with a broken expression on his handsome grey face.

"Liadith told me." He extended his hand to her and she came to him, letting him pull her onto the wide sofa and hold her close. "Perhaps if I had played more songs for you, perhaps you would have chosen me that night."

She sighed, burying her face in his blue green mantle. "No. I would have loved to hear you play and your voice is a joy, but until the next Festival I am meant to be exclusive to him. Giving a piece of my heart or of myself to anyone else is not permitted."

"Can you truly prevent it?" He stroked her hair and it took all she had not to break into tears. "You were meant to be with me. My match. I knew it when I saw the painting. To see you with them made me furious and you could not speak..." His voice broke.

Isonei drew a juddering breath and considered his words. His song had stirred something inside her and perhaps some of her need to go to Draeseth and spare him pain had been guilt. "When I heard you sing, clever nightingale, you moved me in a way I had never been moved. I don't-"