Wildfire

Thirty

"B-But I am not hungry, Emrys..." My sweet Moon Beam once again turns his face away from the spoon I am holding to his lips, the porridge that he had originally asked for this morning being brought in place for him in place of the selection of heavy dishes everyone else is enjoying for dinner. 

My father had tried to insist that we come down and join the rest of them for dinner, but Indra and Bohdi had passed along my message to the new set of soldiers standing guard in front of the doors of our outer chambers, and he had been sent away with a curt refusal, an assurance sent to him from my own mouth that if he dared to enter I would carry him high enough into the air in my talons until my wings start to turn to ice before dropping him in order to watch his body shatter when it hits the ground. 

I had been told he had not said a single word in response, only turning a violent shade of purple before storming off, and believe you me there is no sweeter satisfaction than knowing that I've managed to irritate him without even leaving our bed. 

And yet even after having both taste testers dip their spoons into this simple bowl of porridge as well as two maids who had eagerly volunteered to try and put his mind more at ease with consuming the dish that would be more than forgiving to his sour stomach... But I've hardly been able to manage to give it more than just a nibble... He's had maybe two bites at most, but he needs to try to get in just a little more so his body does not have the added stress of trying to heal on an empty stomach. 

...

Rayne

...

"Three more bites... Please, my Love... And then I swear I shall send it away and you'll not hear another word about it tonight." I know that Emrys only wants what's best for me as he tries to coax my face out of his shoulder... But all I actually want to do is go back to sleep wrapped up in his embrace. 

Today had taken such an odd and awful turn and now all I want is the comfort of my future husband's hands rubbing my back and playing with my hair... I want to feel his heat as he soothes my aching ribs and I want to sleep the rest of the night away uninterrupted and in his arms...

And yet I somehow find it in me to concede to his tender demands and let him slip the spoonful of porridge into my mouth only to immediately want to spit it out... Struggling with myself to swallow before I let my head rest on his shoulder once more, a soft  "Thank you, Darling..." being pressed into my hair as Emrys spoons up another bite for me.

The next two bites are just as hard for me to swallow and are delivered with sweet kisses being pressed to my forehead before he calls for one of the guards to please come to get the bowl, my eyes not seeing who it is until they kindly inquire on my condition, the voice that I am mostly sure belongs to Kavya giving away the one who steps in to help us, Emrys being kind enough to let them know that even though I am alright, I am still exhausted. 

Once they leave it is easy for me to let myself melt into Emrys as he eases us into a more comfortable position lying down, his arms keeping me close as his lips find mine only for a moment as we both settle down, my legs tangling themselves with his while I find myself pressing a kiss into his chest as it starts to raise a few degrees, a quiet rumble greeting me when he recognizes the feel of what I'm doing. 

...

Emrys

...

I will never tire of the feel of Rayne draped over my body or the feel of his hair under my palm... The feel of his lips pressing into my chest... I know he's exhausted but I wish we could stay up talking all night... Tasting each other and laughing... And instead, we wait for kanaye to return with a batch of untainted sedative so that Rayne might be able to sleep through the night without being uncomfortable... No words being spoken because all I want to do is apologize to him... To tell him how very sorry I am that he has been allowed to be hurt not once but twice here in his new home... 

Today had been on such a promising track until the incident with the poison... I could have sworn that today would have ended sharing sweet kisses and quiet laughter between the two of us... And instead, we are exhausted and only have it in us to share silence... Until my delicate soon-to-be wife lets one of his delicate palms finds my cheeks and guides me until I finally look down at him, his face closer than I expect it... His golden eyes flutter closed as he leans forward and presses his lips against mine with a tenderness that erases all of the sour notes that have been building up in my system over how the day has progressed and replaces it with the warm glow of hope as he shares every ounce of the hope I hadn't known he had had with me. 

When he pulls away it is with a small smile as he settles back down while I stare at him in wonder of how breathtaking the kiss he had just gifted me was... A simple request leaving his devastating lips while his hand floats back down to settle over my heart as he seems to love to do so much... An enchantment in and of its own, the feel so endearing as he seeks out my heartbeat with such fondness, "Emrys... Would it be alright if I asked you to sing me a lullaby?"