Torgan Wine Ch. 45

I really can't thank Todger65 enough for all of his help with editing. I truly appreciate all of the time and work he's put into helping me get these ready to be read for almost forty chapters. My sincere thanks also to Nthusiastic who beta reads and asks great questions.

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Isonei woke to the sound of a quiet argument in Torgan. The female voices stopped when she stretched and rubbed her eyes.

"I wanted to wake you, your Grace. The servant arrived saying Prince Draeseth would be returning to the rooms shortly." Mes gave a sharp look to Lislora.

"Krouth is a poor influence on your servant, Isonei." Lislora scowled back at the woman so furiously that Isonei blinked and sat up to clap her hands sharply.

"Lislora! Mes was asked to wake me. She has every right to be unhappy that you were preventing her from fulfilling her task." Isonei frowned at both of the women, "Mes, Lady Lislora should not be looked at so sharply. If she interferes with you again, tell me and I will give her sharp looks." Folding her arms she glowered. "And Krouth is not a poor influence on anyone."

Both women looked slightly taken aback. The Munian woman bobbed a curtsy, "Forgive me, your Grace." She whispered something to Lislora in Torgan.

"What did you say?"

"That you do not wake well." Lislora offered a very small curtsy as well. "I would have allowed you to be woken after the water was drawn."

"I need time to wake and gather myself, Lislora. Mes knows how things should be done." She climbed out of bed and a yawn wrenched itself out of her.

Mes' nose wrinkled. "Your breath, your Grace. Should I fetch a dress while you wash your mouth?"

"No, I'll want to stay in a robe. One of my Aran chemises would be good, though. He enjoys those."

"Yes, your Grace."

Lislora flushed and glanced to the door. "What should I wear?"

"You've decided to join us? Are you sure?"

"I..." the Torgan woman took a deep breath, "I spoke to Prince Burgath. He pointed out that I need Draeseth to have a reason to want two Duchesses. I am unsuited to life at the convent, and I do not wish to become one of the royal mistresses."

"It won't be pleasant for anyone if you're uncomfortable. You might wait-"

"You offered, Isonei!" Lislora flushed and her hands curled into fists.

"I need you to be sure, and I need you to be relaxed and willing. If you're doing this because you feel forced it will have the opposite effect than the one we want. Think about it. If you're calm and sure and feel comfortable when he arrives, come join us in the bedroom. I think the bath would be too much for you."

Lislora's hands unclenched and she nodded tentatively. "If I do... what should I wear?"

"Something you feel comfortable in. You can be fully dressed at first if you're more comfortable that way." Isonei gave the woman her most reassuring smile. "The most attractive thing for him would be your happiness and affection for now. I can have an Aran chemise or two made for you if you want something a little more adventurous later." At her gently teasing tone, the Torgan woman smiled faintly.

"I will find something if I choose to join you."

"Your chemise, your Grace." Mes came back with the silky silver garment. "Silver looks prettiest on you."

"Andnaeuth said the same." Isonei smiled wistfully, already feeling regretful that the garment would probably be torn. "Draeseth tends to look at fabric as an annoyance. I tried to show him it can be more fun to undress slowly but he gets so impatient. Patience is something he desperately needs." She turned her eyes back to Lislora. "It will be easier to teach him with two of us."

"The tub is being filled. You said the cool side of warm, your Grace?"

"Yes, Mes." Isonei ran her tongue over her teeth. "I'll clean my teeth and change."

°°°°°°°°°°

Isonei fidgeted impatiently on the sofa. Even wrapped in her robe the main room felt chilly. Mes had stoked the fire, but an Aran chemise was not ideal for lounging in, even in a warm room, in Torga. The door opened and Draeseth sounded sour as he spoke to someone in his language.

Rising curiously, Isonei moved closer to the door.

"Duchess Isonei..." A dark-haired man, roughly Adareth's age and size, with skin a paler shade of grey-green than she was accustomed to seeing entered and bowed.

"My Duchess, this is Lord Morbaugh's youngest son, Anough. He was told he was not needed." Draeseth stood next to him, and behind the terrifying faceplate, she could see his scowl.

"Armor can be difficult and heavy, your Highness. I was told the Duchess is delicate." He lifted his eyes and flushed. "Adareth did not exaggerate her beauty either."

"Adareth is very sweet." Isonei stepped toward Draeseth and lifted her hands to run them lightly over the chest plate of his black armor. "You look so magnificent."

He made a pleased noise in his throat. "The way you look at me makes me eager to be out of my armor."

"Is it so difficult that I can't help you with it?" She beamed as he managed to stoop and kiss her through the faceplate.

"No. It is not so difficult, wife." The feeling of his gauntleted hands moving over her back was somehow exciting. He barked something at Anough and the man seemed to protest again.

Mes stepped forward and said something in a quiet voice before speaking Aran. "If you have difficulty I can help you, your Grace."

"Thank you, Mes." Half turning in Draeseth's arms she gave Anough a bright smile. "Your offer of assistance is appreciated but unnecessary. My plans didn't include him bringing an audience."

Anough flushed and bowed. "Of-of course." He hurried out and closed the door.

"What were your plans, woman? Your champion has fought well today." Draeseth's voice was a low purr as he tugged at her robe.

"The first part is helping you out of your armor while wearing this." Grinning impishly, she stepped away from him and slipped completely out of her robe.

The sound he made was almost a groan and he advanced on her as she laughed and backed toward the washing room. "You should know better than to run from me, woman."

"I'm not running, I'm leading you to the washing room where there's less of a chance we'll be interrupted." Isonei laughed as he turned on his heel, grabbing two of the larger comfortable chairs and stacking them in front of the door.

He barked an order at Mes and she looked at the door in almost horrified amusement, "Your Highness, I don't think I could move them to allow someone in if I wanted to."

"Good. Woman come help your husband out of his armor." Draeseth was grinning behind his faceplate as he advanced on her again.

She came forward to meet him, matching it. "Where should I start?"

"The gauntlets." He offered his hands and she pouted up at him.

"I liked the way those felt-"

His bellowing laughter cut her off and he stooped again trying to kiss her, moving his gauntleted hands over her. "Woman, my Isonei, I will put one of them back on for you when you have me out of my armor."

Kissing his faceplate, she murmured, "You'll put them both back on, my beautiful beast."

Laughing in his throat he purred, "Mul dits tsvangeltuhe vor ourst aitst. If it pleases my Duchess."

Beaming, she unbuckled the straps holding his gauntlets on and helped him slide them off, laying them on the nearby sofa. "And now?"

"My helm." Sinking onto the sofa next to his gauntlets, he spread his legs beckoning her between them. He leaned forward as she tried to lift the heavy helm off of his head.

Isonei let him take it from her and place it beside him as she eyed the blackened chainmail coif and skull cap that had been beneath it. "It's heavier than I thought. And you have another one?"

Draeseth grinned wickedly, "Even if a man could strike my head, I am well protected, woman."

"I see that! I don't have to worry so much and I'm even more impressed that you move so gracefully!" She caressed the mail and leaned in to give him a playful kiss.

"You are accustomed to the stiff linen of Aran armor." He slid his hands beneath the chemise in the back and began pulling it up over her head. "We jest that the Arans grew too warm and stopped with the first layer. Linen belongs beneath the chain, and chain beneath the plate."

"You're undressing me already? Are you trying to rush me?" Isonei teased as she carefully tried to remove the skull cap and its chainmail coif.

The large Torgan helped her. "I want to enjoy you. When you reach the layer of linen you will be pushing me toward the bath. The underlayer, nofoltsuotst, always stinks of sweat."

"Have you tried washing it?" She gave him a look of baffled innocence. "I know that doesn't occur to you sometimes."

He pulled her close, growling in Torgan as he kissed and nipped from her shoulder to her breasts. "Reward me, woman."

"You have to tell me what to do next." Isonei fluttered her lashes and caressed his face before running her hand over his slightly damp hair. "I've never taken anyone's armor off before."

With a groaning growl, he captured her nipple and began to suckle teasingly, slipping his hands under the small clothes and squeezing her ass cheeks. It encouraged her to ease into his lap, straddling his hips as she wrapped her arms around his head.

Murmuring playfully into his ear, she rubbed the back of his neck, "You'll never get your armor off this way."

"Start at the shoulders, woman," he whispered hoarsely releasing her nipple for only a moment.

In her position, it was difficult to pluck at the ties and buckles and she glanced toward the doorway Mes had been in. The maid came immediately and helped her without a word, not even batting an eye when Draeseth changed sides, drawing a soft moan from her and making her pull his head closer again.

Mes began unbuckling the armor that covered one of his arms as well, but when she got the piece nearly free he lifted his head. "Allow my wife to finish."

The Munian woman darted back to the doorway just out of sight.

Isonei spoke breathlessly and covered his face in kisses, "It's difficult to do anything when you're enjoying me that way, my flower wine."

His voice was a low growl of desire, "My armor is the only thing keeping me from bending you over this sofa, wife. Whether I am permitted or not."

"Let me undress you and wash you." She gave him one of his biting kisses on the side of his neck, "I have so much planned for your reward, all you have to do is be patient and enjoy it."

"I want you bent in front of me, woman." Draeseth shifted his grip and massaged her hips.

"Burgath was sent earlier to make it clear; your father doesn't want the health of his first grandson put at risk for our pleasure." Isonei tilted his head up and pressed her face to his. "Be patient and let me reward you the way I have planned, shnoingeestshe." She spoke the word with care, hoping she remembered it correctly.

"Kitten?" He pulled back trying to scowl at her but his eyes were glittering. "I would prefer tsutouloktáxt, flower wine."

"You haven't taught me that one, and it sounds even harder than kitten!" Isonei gave him a mock pout sitting back slightly.

"Undress your husband, woman. I would not have you tire your tongue with my language." His lips curved in a wicked grin as his grey-green skin darkened slightly with his blushing.

Finishing the buckle Mes had left, she widened her eyes, "Have I done something I should apologize for?"

"At length." His flush deepened and he pulled her close again to kiss her lustfully.

Breaking the kiss and laughing as she turned her attention to his other arm, "I do enjoy taking my time with you. And your length is perfection." She grinned impishly as he helped her free his other arm. "It's a shame I have to take you out of your armor to enjoy you."

"When I can bed you again, woman, I will keep you confined to our chamber for a week," Draeseth growled as he pulled her hands to the buckles at the side of his chest plate.

"Only a week? You used to offer me a month!" Isonei laughed and writhed as he tickled her sides roughly.

"I am being reasonable, wife. Mallath will want his mother and I know you will be unhappy if I keep you from him for too long." The Torgan Prince cupped her breasts and smiled smugly. "He will have a wet nurse for most of his feedings. I do not wish to share."

"Wicked and greedy." Isonei made a face at him as the side of his chest plate came open. "You have two Duchesses-"

"I do not believe Lislora wishes to enter into an Arrangement. We will adopt my son and allow her to rejoin the convent if she chooses. If she does not, she will have other options. My brothers have commented on her beauty." His face settled into a disappointed frown.

"You love her, Draeseth. She shouldn't be pressed but you would do yourself a disservice if you didn't try to persuade her. Could you really be happy if she was locked away in a convent or with someone else?" Stroking his face, she let him see her bafflement.

Faintly, he began to smile. "No. I want you both. But I would let her go rather than see her miserable. I know her and an Arrangement is too much to ask. She would be more content giving up our child to you."

"I think you're wrong." Isonei sighed and leaned to press her face to his again. Her excitement was ebbing and thoughts of whether she should be indulging herself by enjoying him or rewarding him for anything at all, even when it was part of a larger plan, began to clamor in her mind.

"I do not want to think of anyone else when you are nearly bare before me, Isonei." He spoke the words softly and caressed her back. "Help me undress."

She unfastened the buckles of his chest plate at the shoulders and let him set it to the side. Beneath it was a long shirt of blackened mail and he stood to lift the lower edge, letting her untie the top of the leg armor from the linen garment underneath. Wrinkling her nose slightly, it definitely had a strong smell but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. The way he laughed in his throat made her look up.

"Your nose..." He tried to imitate her by scrunching his face up and she grinned at him.

"You do have a very strong smell, but it isn't terrible." Isonei turned her attention back to one of the ties she was struggling with and he barked for Mes.

The Munian woman's eyes watered as she knelt to try and help.

"I think your maid would disagree, wife." Draeseth's wry tone made her look up again.

"You don't smell that bad to me, it's just a very strong smell." Leaning forward she took a deeper sniff and sat back on her heels. "It actually makes me hungry. Do we still have pickled apples and-"

The Torgan began to laugh again waving them both away and working on his own ties. "My father warned me, when she was pregnant with me, my mother loved the way he smelled. Before, she hated when he would visit her after his morning exercise, but while she was carrying me she insisted on it."

Freeing his legs, he laid the pieces on the sofa with the rest and stood to remove his chainmail. Mes retreated to the doorway again as he unfastened his padded linen garments that had been beneath it all. "You can leave them for now. I will have Krouth take them to be cleaned when he returns." Naked, Draeseth advanced on her again, rolling his shoulders back. "Your champion wants his reward, woman."

"You are too beautiful to refuse." She grinned impishly and raised her arms, wrapping them around his neck as he stooped to kiss her and hooking her leg over his hip.

He lifted her without breaking the kiss and looked up at her with a smug smile, "I am a fortunate man. No other woman has ever thought so."

Covering his face with kisses, she massaged the back of his neck. "Let me wash you and rub you, my beautiful beast. I want to make sure there isn't a single mark on your magnificent grey-green hide."

The way his eyes glittered as he tried to scowl made her laugh. "Woman, none of them could strike me hard enough to leave a mark with their practice weapons. I am not some weak Aran, wearing cloth armor."

"If you don't let me look how can I be sure?" She fluttered her lashes and he barked a laugh.

"What would you do if you found a mark?" He carried her into the washing room and stood next to the tub without putting her down.

"I would try to kiss it away and if that didn't work I would ask Mes to get some healing salve." Isonei kissed along his jaw.

Draeseth made a pleased sound in his throat. "I look forward to the bouts and being tended afterward. Steel sometimes bruises."

"I would kiss you without bruises." She gave him a slightly annoyed frown and he grinned setting her on her feet.

"I will try not to get many." He brushed her hair back. "Will you join me in the water?"

"I intend to! I need to wash first." As she pressed a kiss to his chest he held her head there a moment with a wicked grin. In response, she wrinkled her nose and tried to tickle his sides, nipping at him as he broke into laughter again.

"I enjoy your playfulness." Draeseth looked as though he were deciding something. "That is not something that can be taught."

"No?" Isonei widened her eyes as she stepped back. "Were you always so playful? Or did you learn to enjoy it because I showed you how much fun it can be?" At his frown, she tilted her chin up with mock defiance and imitated one of his smug smiles, "Even Krouth jests with me. I can teach anyone anything if they're willing to learn, and sometimes even in spite of themselves."

He barked a laugh and muttered something in Torgan before climbing into the water. "You will have all of my sons getting themselves into trouble with their charm."

"I'll be sure to teach them how to get out of it with charm too." She gave him her most innocent smile and he made a loud sound of amusement in his throat as he settled into the water.

"Wash and join me, woman. I want to be washed and rubbed."

Slipping out of her small clothes, she shook her head and washed in the cool water that Mes had left in the basin for her. There was barely any blood at all but she wanted to be sure she didn't dirty the water.

"It seems better." Draeseth noticed and looked relieved as she approached the bath.

"It is, and I spent most of the day sleeping which may have helped." She gave him a warm smile and started to climb into the water shrinking back as she realized how cold it was. "How are you sitting in that?!"

Grinning, he grabbed hold of her and pulled her in as she shrieked and writhed. "It is barely cool, woman. I prefer much colder water after a bout."

With a sour look, Isonei folded her arms. "I'll wash you but if you want to be rubbed you'll let me do it in the bedroom where it's warmer!" She glanced to the door and saw Mes peering around the edge of it nervously. "Please make sure the bedroom is warm, Mes."

The Munian woman gave a nod and disappeared.

"I can warm you." Draeseth pulled her closer to kiss her urgently.

"Mm. You can but not as thoroughly as I would like." Isonei made a face at him, straddling his hips as he laughed, relaxing in the chilly water. "You really enjoy cold water?"

"I do. It was always a point of pride. Soft men require warm water, strong men wash in the cold."

"And you need to show everyone how strong you are, because thrashing them isn't enough?" Taking the cloth she began to wash him with the sweet-smelling soap.

He looked pensive for a moment. "I wished to prove myself. I have always been told I do not belong with my brothers. I am not the most handsome, or the most clever, being the strongest earned me some respect and I embrace it."

"You like difficult things, things that are less appreciated." Leaning forward, she kissed one of the pale scars nearly buried in the black hair of his chest. "Because you want to be appreciated in the same way."