Constance Oneshot

Rain poured through the tendrils of moss hanging off of trees. Shining drops tangled into Constance's hair, making inky black curls stick to her pale skin. She stood panting under a tree, watching the distance as best she could through the thick boles of the forest. Rowan watched her dark eyes scanning the distance, the frown creasing her handsome face. He couldn't hear anything other than the patter of rain and his own harsh breathing. "I think we've lost them." Her voice was husky and he thought that she must be tired. So much had happened to her, and this day had not been any easier.

"We can't stay in this rain all night, m'lady." He stood and took her elbow; she looked unsteady on her feet. "There is a hunter's burrow close by that I know of..." She frowned at him for a long moment but only nodded and followed him as he began weaving his way along the forest path.

So few words passed between them, still he had a sense of her that he couldn't shake. She was strong and courageous and fought more valiantly than most men, but something made him see her as a woman that was passionate and lonely. The men around her never spoke of her as a woman, even when they called her a Lady it was just a title. It seemed impossible when she stood in contrast to her sisters and mother, all so delicate and soft spoken. The train of thought he was on would only lead to trouble he figured and quickly turned his attention to watching the forest for danger.

It wasn't long before both were stumbling over roots and grunting with effort. The forest steadily climbed the lower edge of the Crone's Cradle, though it wasn't a steep climb the extra effort was starting to wear on them. "I thought you said this place was close." He glanced back to see her holding her ribs, her other hand bracing her against a tree. He walked over and braced her arm around his shoulder.

"It is. Stop being childish." He said, forcing her into motion, the look on her face was worth whatever punishment she could come up with later. She barely leaned on his shoulder but seemed to move more quickly now that he had admonished her. It took them until a little after sundown to reach the burrow. It was a small structure, well hidden in the moss and tangle of brush. He let go of her and kicked away a fallen log and lifted the trap door that led into the dark, but dry burrow. "Come here, let me help you down." He reached for her but was only offered a bundle of heavy trappings, including her quiver, bow, and sword.

"Hold these." She grunted and made her way down the rickety ladder. He followed behind her and it closed the door, blotting out the square of light that had lit the interior. He heard her sigh and shuffle around.

"Sit still. I'll light a lamp." He dumped their things on the floor and moved forward. He moved around the dark hole trying to feel his way toward the table where he knew the lamp would be. His hands felt out word and caught on wet fabric. He stopped and moved his hands quickly. "S-sorry." He mumbled, feeling Constance side step quickly. There was a thunk and a soft oath and then something that felt like a lamp was shoved into his hands. "Oh I see you found it."

"So I have." She hissed and he could hear her patting her way around the table. "Hurry up and light the damned thing." When he finally managed to get it lit they both sat for a good while blinking as their sight adjusted. She stood before him her face drawn, hair hanging wildly around her shoulders in places where it had fallen from its bindings. She looked a mess and it made his lips tug up into a small smile. "Is there something you find amusing?" She asked him quietly. He could see her eyes droop tiredly and she collapsed into a chair.

"No." He walked over to the small stove in the corner and started piling it with kindling. "Don't get comfortable. You'll catch your death if you don't get dry." He said walking over and undoing her mantle.

She shooed his hands away and took the wolf hide mantle and cloak off. "Don't fuss." She mumbled and bent pulling her boots off. He didn't reply as his mind had gone blank seeing the way her shirt clung wetly to the line of her shoulders that at the moment looked delicate. He had a brief moment of curiosity at how the cloth would hug to other parts of her body before he caught the errant thought and forcibly locked it into the back of his mind. The process was made easier when he heard the Captain hiss another curse.

"Are you hurt?" He stepped forward and she held up a hand. The other was hugging her ribs again. "Your ribs are hurt. Here let me see..." He reached out but stopped short as she shot him a glare over her shoulder. "I won't think less of you simply because you are wounded." He assured her smiling.

"That really isn't the issue." She muttered as he turned her around and unfolded the arm that was protecting her middle. His hand pressed flat against her side and she sucked in breath.

"Is there pain here?" He asked quietly his eyes intent on his work. She shuddered and he tried to find a sign of trauma. "It feels fine."

"That because it isn't hurt there you idiot," she said. He looked up to see her pointedly looking at the wall. He frowned and looked down, his hand was still pressed to her side and he could feel the erratic thumping of her heart. Her skin was heated and when he looked back up he could see red across her cheeks.

"Do you have a fever?" He asked his hand moving to her cheek. She flinched away and narrowed her gaze at him. "If you hurt yourself it could have weakened your body and caused a fever. Let me look at your ribs." He put his hands at the bottom of her shirt and gave a tug. Her hands came down painfully on his.

"Have you forgotten?" She rasped her face darkening. He could see pain floating behind her dark, amber eyes. "I am the daughter of the Northman. Don't you think you are being a bit forward?" He blinked and his warm smile found his lips again.

"You think I of all people have forgotten m'lady?" He let his eyes slowly travel down her body, taking in just what he wanted to see, the soaked fabric of her shirt clinging to the body that he could only fantasize about. The curve of well formed breasts and the sweep of her well muscled abdomen, the small dip of her navel, all of them tantalizingly hidden from him by the barely there cloth. "I'm so very aware..." He said, his eyes meeting hers. The look sent a wave of chills down her body and he ached to touch her.

"Rowan..." She said, licking her lips. He had never seen her nervous like this. She was so unflappable. So untouchable. He lifted a hand and gently touched her jaw with the back of his fingers.

"You're so beautiful." He cupped her cheek and brushed fingers over her lips, parted with surprise. "I have wanted to tell you that since I met you." He murmured.

"E-enough." She pulled away from him and he let his hand fall to his side. "Rowan, don't be ridiculous..." She was watching him though, with eyes that weren't as cold as her words. He could see hesitation there, but also curiosity.

"You want to know what it's like, don't you?" He gulped, feeling longing crawling up from the depths he had banished it to. "You feel it and want it..." He stepped forward until she retreated into the edge of the table. "What it's like to be wanted?" He reached out again, his hand threading into her hair, pulling the leather thong out of its fragrant depths. He buried his nose against the curls while his fingers sorted through the mass and finally trailed over the fragile skin of her neck. She shuddered against him and he tried to press closer but she put her hands against his chest. He pulled back enough to look at her face that had turned bright red.

"Do you?" She asked quietly, her eyes trying to look somewhere other than his face. He let out a sigh and tilted her chin his brow arched in question. She turned a deeper red and lifted her chin. "Do you want me?" She asked, trying to regain her normal composure. He chuckled which made her shove him away.

"More and more every minute m'lady." He captured her in the circle of his arms and pulled her against him. "You'll become sick if you leave these wet clothes on..." He murmured into her ear. She didn't pull away this time but she was still stiff in his arms. He could feel heat pouring from her skin and the ear he caught between gentle teeth was warm with blood.

"You suggest I take them off. Is that your position as a man of medicine?" Her hands, which were on his chest again, curled into his shirt, keeping him from moving away from her. He thought this was a vast improvement, even if she seemed to be uncomfortable.

"Ah, using my profession against me." He chuckled and nuzzled the hollow under her ear. "Let's say it's my position as a man." He pulled back and looked at her handsome face which was sporting an endearing little smile. He leaned toward her, slowly, giving her time to draw away, and when she stood rooted in her spot he brushed his lips against the corner of her mouth. She gave a little jump and her eyes widened as he did the same to the other side. He smiled charmingly at her before he wrapped his hand behind her neck and pulled her against his body, his mouth capturing hers hungrily. It was cute, the way she hesitated. He could feel her trembling. It was his turn to be shocked when she relaxed into his arms and kissed him back. It shouldn't have surprised him that his captain was a fast learner.

He sucked her lower lip and ran hands over her waist, pulling her hips against his own. The little noise she made had him feeding from her mouth, his hands wandering upwards. She shuddered and pulled his shirt from his pants with a rough tug that made them stagger against the table. "Patience, Constance." He growled against her mouth. "You'll do yourself an injury." She laughed, a husky sound that made his breath catch. He pulled back enough to see her face. She smiled at him and leaned forward placing a delicate kiss on his jaw. He stood still letting her explore which she did with the same determination she used when leading men into battle.

Her fingers trickled over his stomach and he pulled his shirt over his head allowing her to play her hands over his chest. Despite her seeing men training without their shirts so often, she still seemed uncertain what to do with one standing right in front of her. He took her hands and placed them on his chest and shivered as cold fingers traced over his abs and down the dark line of hair that ran down into the waist of his pants. Her mouth ventured over the hollow of his collar bone, whisper soft kisses burning a hot path to his shoulder as her hands ran up his chest. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled as her body pressed closer to his. "Aah." He jerked and she pulled back her eyes questioning. "Your shirt is cold..." He mumbled plucking at the still wet material.

"I suppose there is a simple way to fix that." She grinned and stepped back, pulling her shirt over her head. She let it slip from her fingers to the floor, looking uncertain as his eyes feasted on her bared torso. "I am not delicate like most women..." She frowned.

"You are beautiful. I already told you that." He pulled her to him, winding her arms around his neck, and pressed her to him. Her soft skin was firm under his hands as he massaged his fingers into the curve of her back. She looked up at him with a heated expression and he claimed her mouth again, his tongue darting out to taste her lips. She made a small noise and he did it again. She opened her mouth to speak to him but he did not give her a chance. Instead he let his tongue slip inside her mouth to slide against her own. She gasped and her body jerked against his before her eyes slipped shut and she leaned into the kiss, shyly slipping her tongue against his.

He turned her and slowly bent her toward the table top, hands sliding to her hips to guide her where he wanted her. She was laid out before him, her hair spilled around her face like a spill of ink and the fire light colored her eyes like whiskey. The mounds of her breasts rose and fell with her excited breaths and perfect rose colored nipples were peaked with excitement. He had never laid eyes on such a beautiful sight. He wanted all of her and he had to stop a moment to control himself lest he scare her with his intensity. She was watching him with a bemused smile, her hands unconsciously touching the flat planes of her stomach. "What seems to be the matter?" She asked.

"I surprise even myself. I did not know I could need a woman this much." He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it into a spiked halo. The red flush returned to her face and he grinned, leaning forward. He dipped his head over her, his eyes watching hers as his mouth found her breast. She cried out as his tongue flicked over a nipple. "I want to taste every part of you." He murmured, pulling gently on the sensitive mound with his lips. "I want to touch you like no man has ever touched you before."

"Please don't say those things." She protested her hands covering her face. He laughed softly and pulled her hands away. He moved to her other breast and let his teeth ghost over her other nipple. She moaned beautifully, and her apparent sensitivity made him painfully aware of his own need. He moved his way down her body. Tongue and teeth traced silvery scars, making her body tense when he found a responsive area. His hands found the back of her knees and he pulled her legs up and pressed her down more firmly onto the table. She grunted in discomfort until he wedged his body between her legs and ran gentle hands over her thighs. This made her go quiet as she wearily watched him, not certain what he would do next.

His hands slid over the outside of her thighs and up over her hips, his fingers pressing into her flesh. He curved them down beneath her, gripping the mound of her ass as his tongue darted into her navel. She wiggled and he felt her hips jerk a bit. "You are so responsive." He growled, dipping his tongue underneath the line of her pants. His hands were now rubbing over the inside of her thighs. The look on her face was a mix of uncertainty and want, making him want to go faster and farther. He smiled and watched her as he pressed his palm between her legs, cupping his hand over the hot space and rubbing. She gasped and her hips bucked as she scrambled to catch his hand. He traced a finger over her and she froze her eyes fluttering. "And you are very easy to distract."

"Enough from you..." She muttered, looking lost. He pressed again and then trailed his hand up to the ties on her pants. She looked like she was about to protest but he put a finger to his lips and began untying the lacing. He took a deep breath, feeling anticipation growing as he curled his fingers into her waistband and pulled the pants over the perfect curve of her hips. He looked down on her naked body and took a shuddering breath. She was exquisite. The stark contrast between her tanned arms and face and the paleness of the rest of her body, her exotic coloring, and her perfect proportions made her into a masterpiece. He felt like he had stolen some priceless statue and made it his own.

He ran his hands over her stomach once again and leaned down giving her a deep kiss that grew and grew until their bodies tangled and she was barely on the table. He finally pulled back panting and laid his head on the pillow of her breasts. His fingers traveled down, caressing her until they found silken skin soaked with excitement. She moved like she would pull away but then froze as a single finger slid along her slit, almost imperceptibly. "Nnn. Rowan..." He kissed her chin and down her throat, biting her collar bone all while his finger explored her. He found the quivering bundle of nerves that made her cry out as he stroked it and played with the little nub until she was shaking and making unconscious pleas.

"I can make you feel even more amazing." He promised, sliding down and kissing a line toward her abdomen.

"I don't know if that is possible." She murmured her hands curling in his hair. "Where are you going?" She pulled her torso up so she could see him. He kissed the inside of her thigh and she sighed, her head falling back. He started his kissing trail back up until he reached the apex of her leg. He kissed her gently and licked his lips, tasting her there. She propped herself up on her elbows, her eyes wide. "What... What are you doing?" She choked out and in answer he lapped at her with his tongue. She jolted and made an involuntary moan. "You can't do that..." She managed, her breath coming out in ragged little gasps.

"Why not?" He flicked his tongue over her throbbing clit and then gently suckled on it. She fell back onto the table and groaned loudly, unable to answer him. He hummed happily and explored her with his mouth and fingers until she lay making constant small noises. It wasn't until she was quivering and cursing under her breath that he pulled away and began loosening his own pants.

"Constance..." She looked at him with hazy eyes and he leaned over her, kissing the tip of her nose. "Constance, what do you know about what happens between a man and a woman?" He asked softly. She began to look weary once again and he chuckled, laying small kisses at the corners of her mouth.

"I know enough," she said defensively.

"I am sure you do... I would never do something to hurt you Constance." He said softly, nuzzling against her neck.

"But?" She tilted her chin so that he had to move and he looked her in the eye.

"But this may hurt you..." He said, his hand cupping her between her legs, rubbing her until she melted back against the table.

"I've been shot by arrows..." She said shakily, "and run through with spears."

"I don't think it will hurt that badly, love." He murmured.

"Then I wouldn't worry about it if I were you." She gave him a firm look and pressed against his hand insistently. He smiled and gave her another kiss while he pulled his pants down. It seemed impossible but she turned even brighter red as she saw him, erect and practically twitching from excitement. He pulled her hips toward him and ran himself over her slit, shuddering and groaning at the feel of her slick heat against him. "It's so hot." She said with surprise and he laughed. He pressed the head of his shaft against her opening and prodded gently. Her body stiffened.

"Relax, love..." He prodded again, his hips trembling with the need to press deeply into her. "I will be gentle." She did her best to relax but he could still feel tension in her muscles as he slowly and carefully pressed into her. It was so tight that it forced a groan from his throat. She was let out hissing breaths and had looked away. "I am sorry. If you need me to stop-"

"Don't be ridiculous. Keep going." He heard an edge of command in her voice that pleased him. He nodded and continued, gently easing his way into her depths until finally he was as far as he could get. He paused and ran his hands over her stomach.

"Relax Constance," he soothed. "It will feel better if you relax." He massaged her hips and slowly pulled away, feeling her gripping his shaft with almost unbearable intensity. He whispered soothing nonsense to her as he slipped almost completely out and then started moving slowly back into her. She was relaxing around him but it was still unbelievably tight. Still her body was hot and slick and she soon was bossing him into moving faster. It took her only moments to find a pace with him and the moved together.

"Are you alright?" He asked her as his hips met hers and he saw her eyes squeeze shut. She nodded and opened her eyes, looking at him with shocking heat. He quivered and opened his mouth to speak but she jerked her hips against him and he moaned instead. "I get it..." he mumbled and began thrusting into her, losing himself in a steady rhythm. She began to make excited noises and she continued to press for more and more until he was slamming into her with barely any control. She was saying things that sent shocks of pleasure through him like "More!" and "Harder!" His Captain learned quickly. He pulled back, slipping out of her and pulled her upward and off the table. She stumbled into him and he grunted. "To the bed." He growled moving her to the small trundle bed against the wall. She obeyed him, moving across the room quickly. Her sweat streaked skin shimmered in the fire light. He caught her before she lay down and sat, motioning for her to come to him. She looked at him uncertainly and he pulled her down to straddle his lap.