The Hermit Herbalist

Chapter 17 - Married Life

Clint had not intended to marry.  Not ever!  He had always thought that Natasha would be the occasional 'friend with benefits', but it had not happened.  She had been her own woman, and he was not one to force a lady.  After that, he had resigned himself to a lonely life of being a SHIELD agent, and then an Avenger.  If anybody had told him that he would wound up married and to Loki of all people, he would have first shot them with an arrow, then told them to shut up.  Now, however, he was a happy man.  He would wake up first in the morning and cuddle with his wife.  The cuddling always led to other things before Loki finally would but a stop to it and get them up.  

Clint and her would break their fast, and then Loki would send him out to make his living.  Clint had actually become a big force in the village because he would share his kills with the rest of them.  The pelts were exchanged for many things, and the organs were usually harvested and brought back to Loki or sold to Healer Ogen.  They used them in their remedies.  At that moment, he was carrying a buck he had killed back to Nanook's butcher shop to have it carved before making another trade at Thura's little booth.  He walked through the village, getting waves and greetings from everyone.  All the people there had been friendly to him since he had forced Loki to introduce him, but now that he was married to their little healer, they had accepted him like a son.  To most of them, he was a son.  Clint stepped aside and watched as several young children went running and laughing about.  A smile pulled at his lips.  Loki had said in a month, her heat would be upon her and her body would be ready to breed.  Clint would not go hunting until her heat had broken, and he would lay with her until she conceived.  That was two weeks ago.  Her time was getting closer.  Loki was not giving any indication that anything had changed with herself, but Clint saw that her 'calendar' was now hanging on the wall and the days were ticking off.  

Clint was excited at having a baby with Loki.  He knew that most married couples did not have children for a couple of years, but this was a medieval realm, as Loki was constantly reminding him.  A wife who did not produce a child rather quickly for her husband, was suspected of either not pleasing him in bed, or of being barren.  Either way, the options were not pleasant.  "Greetings, Clinton!  Got your catch of the day!" Nanook cried out, drawing Clint from his reverie. 

"Yeah, right here, Nanook!  Think you can help carve him up for me?" Barton asked as he placed the deer down.

"For you and your wife?  Anything!  How is Ikol these days?  With child yet?" Nanook queried as he began to sharpen his skinning knives.  

Clint shook his head and responded, "Not yet.  But, we're taking our time.  I told her it's what married people do on Midgard.  They get married, get used to each other, then they have a kid."  Nanook raised his eyebrow as he began to skin the buck.

"When I married my wife, I got her with child on the night of our handfasting.  It made us both so proud.  And when they turned out to be twin boys?  Oh!  The Norns had smiled on us that day!" he declared and Clint grinned.

"Where are your boys now?" he asked and Nanook's expression fell. 

"Sadly, they fled with Kael after he attacked Ikol," he answered and Clint felt sorry for him.  

"My apologies.  I didn't know," Clint immediately said, but Nanook waved his hand.

"Their mother is dead now, may the Norns' rest her soul.  At least she didn't live to see them throw in their lot with a criminal," he responded simply.

"Has anybody made any advances on that front?" Clint posed.  He knew that Loki was not safe until Kael was either locked away  in a secure place, or dead.  Preferably dead.  

Nanook shook his head as he said, "No news so far.  We have guards surrounding the perimeter of the village, and scouts in the woods now.  That's why you and Ikol should move within the village circle.  It will be safer for you."  Clint knew that Loki would be set against leaving her house unless absolutely necessary.  

"But, where would we stay?  Surely, there is no open cottage for us to occupy," Clint countered, hoping to get off the subject.  He knew that with Loki's heat coming, them moving into the village would be dangerous.  

"The inn would take you.  The man knows it would be temporary, and you both could trade with him to pay for your room and board.  He likes the both of you," Nanook stated without a care as hung the hide from an iron bar and scraped it clean.  Clint picked at the dirt under his fingernails.  It was a possibility for if Kael decided to cause trouble again; but he was still hoping all trouble would hold off till after Loki's heat.  It would just make his life so much easier (for once).  

"I'll have to speak to Ikol about it.  I won't make a decision like that without her input and consent," Clint insisted and Nanook nodded his head in agreement.  

"A good husband always speaks to his wife.  If he doesn't, he'll be in for a rude surprise," Nanook joked and Clint laughed.  The two men then became quiet and worked on the deer.

Loki was sitting in the garden, sorting through the herbs when Clint came back with their meat, and a bag of deer intestines.  Loki smiled as he dropped everything just outside their garden and hopped over the plants to join her.  "How was hunting?" Loki asked as she stood up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Instead of asking me about hunting, why don't you kiss me?" Clint fired back.  Loki rolled her eyes, stood on her tip toes, and pressed her soft lips to his.  Clint tightened his hold on her and picked her up.  

"Clinton.  We have to put the meat and the innards away, or they'll spoil," Loki reminded as he pressed her against a tree.

"Just a couple of minutes, then we can do all that boring, married stuff," Clint whined as he hiked her skirts up, made her wrap her legs around his waist, and undid his trouser ties.  

"You are incorrigible," Loki retorted before they both gasped.

"But, you don't have fault with my performance," Clint said as he started to slowly thrust.

"May I say that I can't compare, because you're the only man I've known," Loki reminded as she slowly chewed on her lip and gripped his shoulders.

"Touche," Clint whispered as he began to pick up the pace.  Surprisingly, neither husband or wife said another word until they were finished rutting against the tree.

"More repair work on my dresses," Loki said as she carried the bag of intestines into the house.  "You can't keep pushing me against walls and trees and things like that.  I prefer a bed."

"We make do, honey," Clint countered as he hung his quiver and bow on the wall.  Loki rolled her eyes as she examined the stew that was slow cooking over their fire.  Clint leaned against the wall beside his weapons and grinned as he watched Loki move around the cottage.  She was so beautiful as she performed her house wifely tasks.  Finally, she turned her attention back to him and gave him a cup of milk.  "What?  No ale?"

"I let you go into the village for that," Loki scolded.  

"Damn, woman!  I would like some in my house!"

"Our house, I think."  Loki pinched Clint's nose and gave it a tug.  She walked away, swishing her hips, knowing full well it would only turn Clint on more.  He chewed on his lip and desperately tried to think of unsexy things.  That was when he recalled his conversation with Nanook.

"Um... Loki?"

"Yes, dear?"

"We... have to discuss... moving...?"

"What?"