It was too early when it felt like someone was trying to steal her pillow. Isonei whined and tried to cling onto it before realizing it was Draeseth's side.
The Torgan started to kiss her hair. "You have a moment longer to sleep. But if you want me to bathe I need to run the water."
"Do you know how?" She rubbed her eyes and looked up at his annoyed expression.
"Are you trying to tease me again, woman?"
"No, it was a genuine question, but if your blood is already flowing to other places you might need some help thinking about which valves need turning." She could see he was trying not to look amused and it sent her into a fit of giggles as he pulled away.
"Teasing me, my jewel, when I have limited time to answer you properly will get you punished." He stood looking down at her with what was probably supposed to be a stern expression. But he was enjoying himself as much as she was.
"If you offer me another night with the Beast of Kroscur as punishment I will never stop teasing you, my flower wine."
Draeseth laughed in his throat as he pulled her to where he stood and rolled her onto her belly. "I should put you over my knee but where you are will work as well." Pressing one hand into her back to hold her down he brought the other down on her cheeks, striking each twice as she gasped and struggled at the sting of his hand.
"Draeseth!" Her face was flushed as she looked up at him unsure if she was horrified or aroused.
"Are you going to tease me again, woman?" His eyes were glittering and the wicked curve of his lip almost begged her to.
"Yes, but I might wait until we're in the bath."
"Woman. You acted so horrified at the thought of having my hand applied to your perfect blue ass." He pinched her, making her squeal as she tried to get away. The Torgan held her in place effortlessly with one hand.
"It sounded awful! That you would want to hit me and expect me to think it was amusing baffled me." Isonei kicked trying to get out from under his hand and away from the pinching and poking fingers he was tormenting her with.
"Do you enjoy being at the mercy of the Beast of Kroscur?" He teased as he pinched her again.
"When you're not pinching and poking me so spitefully, yes!" She tried to twist and kick him.
With a growling grunt, he flipped her over and climbed on top of her pinning her to the bed with his weight. "Good." Draeseth's demanding kiss made her remember her sore lip immediately but she couldn't bear to pull away from it. He sighed as he pressed his face against hers. "Go run the water, woman."
"I would, but I seem to have a very beautiful beast weighing me down." Isonei placed gentle kisses on his lips, "I wouldn't dare ask him to move."
"Why is that?" He began to kiss along her jawline.
"Because he might." She murmured as he kissed just below her ear. "And I think I would prefer he stayed."
"Woman." His breath was hot on her skin as he started to kiss her neck with a gentleness she wasn't accustomed to from him.
A timid knocking came from the closed bedroom door and she felt him tense before he pushed away from her and cracked the door only enough to look through, blocking her view as she sat up curiously. "What?"
"The-the Lady, we thought she might-might want a bath."
"You may draw one and depart." Draeseth shut the door and held it closed for a moment. The way his jaw was clenched almost made her think he was afraid.
"What's wrong, my flower wine?" Rising from the bed, she came to him to stroke his back.
"Look in the mirror, my jewel." His voice was quiet and he remained in front of the door as she moved to the mirror with a growing sense of trepidation.
The sight in the mirror made her feel dizzy. Her neck and throat were mottled with bruises. "It looks like you were trying to kill me last night. Gods, the bruises." The bites on one side of her neck were much darker than the other but all of it together looked horrifying.
"I was too rough with you."
"No!" She hurriedly tried to reassure him and he smiled faintly. "I enjoyed it, my magnificent beast, but I bruise easily."
"I don't know which I like better, when you call me your flower wine or your magnificent beast." His eyes moved over her hungrily. "But if they see what I've done to your beautiful blue skin, my jewel, they'll never let you leave with me."
Nodding, she darted into his arms and buried her face in his chest. "None of my dresses will even come close to covering this, my Draeseth."
"I should have brought you a dress from Torga. But I came with as little as I could. We were told not even to bring our own servants."
"Do you think you hide me under your cloak and take me out that way?" Her fingers traced his tattoo.
"I will try if no other solution presents itself." Draeseth paused, thinking for a moment. "Do you have a cloak?"
"Yes, but it's for cold weather, I was told it's cold in Torga all year."
He snorted, "No, it just doesn't get as wretchedly hot as it does in Ara. Show me your cloak."
Reluctantly, she stepped away from him and looked in the chests until she found the cloak. Warm golden-brown sueded leather lined with white fur. Lifting it out and pulling it over her shoulders, she frowned at her reflection. It was far too warm to wear it without looking strange, but with the fur, the worst of the bruises were covered when it was clasped.
"The cloak will do. You favor pale colors, and white, my jewel?" Draeseth sounded amused.
"I do, but I don't think the cloak will work. It's too warm."
"It will do. If you argue with me you'll wear nothing beneath it."
She could feel her face flushing. "How could I have mistaken you for prudish, my magnificent beast? You are depraved."
"I've spent too long without your skin under my hands. If I could keep you with nothing between your skin and mine I would do it."
Opening the cloak and facing him with a smile, she asked with as much sweetness as she could put into her voice, "Even as much as I tease you?"
The growling groan as he stepped away from the door made her grin. "Because you tease me, woman."
"The bath should be drawn by now, if you're a very good beast I'll help you wash and let you have your wicked way with me." Isonei grinned impishly as he started growling in Torgan at her. "Was that a yes, my magnificent beast?"
The timid knocking on the door made him turn and brace it with his hand as if the maid would try to force her way inside.
"They're much more afraid of you than you are of them." She murmured as she came up behind him and kissed his back.
"Stay, woman." He half turned to run the back of his knuckles along her cheek before he opened the door and stepped into the other room, closing it behind himself.
Isonei took off the warm cloak and laid it over a chest. A bath would be divine. It shouldn't take long for the maids to leave and then she could get clean, and probably dirty again before breakfast. The thought of Draeseth in the bath made her wish he would hurry.
Perching on the edge of the bed she watched the door with anticipation. After a few dragging moments she frowned. It shouldn't be taking this long. The door was too thick to listen at without opening, she was standing next to it debating cracking it ajar when Draeseth opened it.
"I was starting to wonder if something was wrong." He ran his hands over her as she embraced him in the doorway. "Or if you'd decided to bathe without me."
The stinging slap to her backside made her jump. "I've turned down an invitation to breakfast. We should bathe quickly, I want you back in the room before our meal arrives."
"You don't trust them to leave it just inside the door?" Isonei frowned. "I wanted a nice long bath with you."
His hand cupped and squeezed the cheek he'd slapped. "As did I. But I won't risk a maid seeing you and running back claiming I've tried to hurt you. I want to get you home to Torga safely. You'll enjoy the Torga Kroscur, it is the most beautiful part of Torga."
"I'm almost certain the most beautiful part of Torga is holding me close right now, but I want to see your home."
"You've been praising my beauty since I took off my mask, woman. Do Aran men need to be told constantly how pretty they are?" Scooping her up, Draeseth carried her to the bath.
"No, I don't think I've ever felt the need to comment on any man's beauty but yours, my flower wine. You wore the ugliest mask I'd ever seen and when you took it off the most breathtaking face was beneath it. The color of your skin, the black of your hair and eyes, my Draeseth." She kissed his shoulder as he waded into the pool. "I still can't understand how anyone could have ever wanted to strike this face." Isonei traced his curved scar and ran her finger over his scarred lips as he lowered her legs into the water.
"Wash me." His voice was soft and almost hoarse with desire. "I want those delicate hands on every inch of my skin."
"I'll start with your hair if you come down into the water." She laughed as he dunked his head under and then came up to kiss her. "Do you have a soap you favor?"
"No. Choose one for me." Draeseth followed her to the side as she chose.
"I like this one. Do you mind smelling like vaina pods? I know you usually smell like leather and spices but I don't know what soap that is."
"Leather and spices?" He was grinning at her. "That isn't soap, that's to keep clothes fresh smelling while stored. I don't wear Aran doublets in Torga."
"And the leather?" Isonei soaped his hair with the sweet smelling liquid, massaging it into his scalp as he wrapped his arms around her and tried to rest his head on her shoulder. "You can't stand like that, my flower wine. I need some room to wash you properly."
He let her step back but kept his hands on her hips. "Leather is what I wear between my tunics. I don't change into Aran clothes until I have to. I won't be wearing them on the way back to Torga."
