Private Tales Read between the lines

[Talus]

His arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace, fingers gently rolling over the small of her back as he pulled her into him with a wide and beaming smile.

"Like it?" Talus could already sense it through the bond, could feel just how much she appreciated and loved him in that moment. It was like a blanket of utter warmth and adoration that had been tossed over his whole body.

He couldn't keep himself from grinning.

Talus had never given a gift before, at least not something like this. The metal alone had cost him all the money he'd brought with him, but seeing her expression now Talus realized that he would have paid thrice that for just a hint of how she currently looked.

 

[Zana]

"No, I adore it," like was too small a word for what she felt for the necklace as was love. She loved it because it was beautiful, it was a work of perfect art. The smaller chain for example looked exactly like the tiny scales she had seen around the dragons eyes, but it was Talus' that she was reminded with when she saw the stone. She adored the necklace because he had given it to her. It could have been a scrap of leather and she would have felt the same.

Of course she was much more appreciative of it because it was beautiful; Zana wasn't completely devoid of apparently feminine inclined thoughts.

"Put it on for me?" she passed the box back to him and then turned tightly in his arms and swept the hair off of her neck and back.

 

[Talus]

"Of course." Talus himself was practically beaming.

He was careful with the necklace, removing it from the velvet box as though it were a delicate piece of china. Of course, the irony was that the piece of jewelry was likely the most durable thing in this entire house. Nothing short of Dragon Fire would destroy the thing.

His own sword would have shattered against it if he'd tried to break it.

"Here." Talus said as he kissed her neck softly, before looping his arms around her body and placing the cold metal against her neck. He held it there for a second, and then with deft fingers fastened the clasp into place.

 

[Zana]

His kiss burned but his gift then soothed her agitated skin. For a moment she simply stood there in his arms, her eyes closed as she breathed him in and committed this moment to her memory. Her hands came to rest on top of his arms and she leaned her head back to rest it against his shoulder. She had never thought she would love like this. Love enough to kill, to die for it. To reinvent the world so it might bloom more.

"I love you," she whispered into the silence of the foyer and it seemed as though her words echoed around them. Her fingers came up to trace the metal which was quickly warming against her skin. Zana didn't leave his arms but rather dragged him with her to the nearest mirror so she could see how it looked around her neck. It fit snugly against her skin but not enough to choke her or make her feel comfortable. It practically gleamed against her dark skin and for a moment she was the Dragon Tamer the dwarves did.

"Voruk has out done himself," Zana turned to look at him with a smile. "You have too," her hand slid across his cheek to cup his jaw.

 

[Talus]

"I love you too." Talus said softly with a smile, his lips brushing over hers.

Elation soared through him. He had been worried about her reaction, concerned that it had been too forward, assuming. Yet here they were. He could feel the complete and utter joy through the bond, could feel just how happy she was.

Pride swelled in him, and for once he felt that he had done everything right. His lips pressed against hers, and he took a deep satisfied breath. "I'm glad you like it."

Talus said as he reached up and brushed his thumb over her cheek.

The necklace had been a success. The joy she felt at the gift struck him to his core, and a part of him couldn't wait to show her the other thing he'd had Vorak make.

Though he knew that would have to wait.

At least for a little while.

 

[Zana]

"Adore it," she corrected gently. Like she adored everything about him. Every time she thought she could never feel more at peace or love he came up with another moment for her to prove her wrong. There was nothing she was looking forward to more than spending her whole life with him discovering more. Once she was home she would start this ball rolling, she wanted it over with so they could get on with their happiness.

As his thumb brushed across her cheek, the third time their lips met during the exchange Zana had no intentions of letting him go. With a deep satisfied sigh she ran her hands up his abdomen and then his chest, fisting slightly in the shirt to hurl him down and closer to her.

"When do we have to leave?" she whispered breathlessly against his lips.

 

[Talus]

"Soon." He whispered to her quietly.

Talus could feel himself breath a little heavier as she dragged him down against her lips, his fingers slowly sailing down her body to clasp onto her hips. Lips brushed over hers as he lingered there, his mind racing with half a dozen different thoughts.

"But..." He whispered. "We have a little bit of time."

Just a little bit. "Enough."

His lips pressed against hers, arms suddenly tightening as he pulled her against himself.

 

[Zana]

"That is good enough," he would always be enough, whatever time she could get with him would always be enough.

She turned their positions sharply and slammed him up against the wall as she claimed his lips once more with hers. A groan followed her into the kiss as she rocked on to her tip toes to make it easier for her lips to play with his. There was a soft graze of her teeth across his lower lip as her hands tugged at his shirt. Zana had been dealing with emotions so sweet they had made her cry for too long. Desire for him she understood. It felt natural.

Like she had been waiting for him her whole life.

 

[Talus]

The moment Talus felt himself thrown against the wall that spark was ignited in him.

It felt like a rush of fire, a surge that went rushing up his spine and exploded in his very core. His hands tightened on Zana, his fingers digging into her skin and slipping beneath the hem of her shirt.

His own was pulled over his head, dragged and thrown across the room as Zana practically clawed his chest in her rabid desire.

There were no words from him, not this time.

All that he cared about was her. All that he cared about was touching, feeling, kissing her. His lips pressed against hers, passionately claiming her for himself as he breathed her in. He broke away for just a second, tearing her shirt away from her body and letting it fall to the floor.

 

[Talus]

Talus gently peppered her cheek and neck with small kisses, pressing his lips just above the cool metal of the necklace.

"I should give you gifts more often." Talus quipped back, smiling at her as he rested, his chest rising and falling as his arms slowly slipped beneath her in a tight embrace. He felt drained, totally and utterly.

His nose gently nuzzled against hers.

"I'm not sure I'll make it home, My love." Talus said softly. "I think i'd rather just stay here and sleep."

Slowly Talus closed his eyes, quietly enjoying the moment.

 

[Zana]

A slow satisfied smile curled her lips upwards as he came to rest his head against her chest, their bodied entwined on the devastated sofa. Her hand came up and ran through his hair in slow strokes whilst the other wrapped around his back to hold him close. For a moment she lay in the moment and listened to his ragged breaths, focused on the feel of his heart hammering against his chest in tango with her own. Slowly her eyes fell shut as she leaned forward and kissed the top of his head.

"They we shall stay," she had denied him what he had wanted earlier, Zana wouldn't deny him this. Her fingers continued their gentle movements as she continued. "I'm going to move us to the bed," her voice was a soft whisper followed by another brush of her hips against his hair. The purple energy flickered and lifted them gently but she didn't move her position nor let him go. It felt like being on a rowing boat on a calm lake with just a slight rock to their bodies as they moved from the sofa back upstairs to the more comfortable and larger bed. When her back hit the soft feather mattress the energy dissipated and she loosened her grip a little about him should he have wanted to move.

 

[Talus]

Talus would never like the feeling of being lifted into the air, there was something entirely unsettling about being suddenly moved without any control of it. He trusted Zana implicitly, knew she would never hurt him or drop him...but the subconscious mind was a funny thing.

His fingers tightened until they fell into the feathered bed, his lips pressing softly against her neck as he half rolled off of her and instead pulled her to lay on her side.

"A little while longer here" He told her softly, knowing what she had meant by staying. They could not break their oaths, they could not deny the duty on their shoulders, but what did it matter if they returned to the cabin in the morning or at night?

His arm slipped over her hip and gently pulled her to him. "Just a little while longer."

He said as he began to drift off.

 

[Zana]

Zana rolled onto her side as he gently pulled her that way and then casually kicked off her boots so she could get comfortable. She was tired but there were thoughts drifting through her mind that demanded her attention. Like how cute he looked right now nestled into the pillows. She kept up the gentle stroking of her fingers through his hair and then down his back in slow sweeps as he drifted off to sleep. When she was sure he was asleep she pressed a kiss to his forehead and then shifted herself so she could rest her chin on top of his head and hold him close.

"I wish I could put into words how much I love you," her voice was barely a whisper so as not to disturb him in his sleep. Her fingers swept down his back and then up again. "I promise, one day, there will be no need to leave here unless it is on some adventure of our choosing. You're going to have your own little wood working shop... best tables in the whole of Karak," she smiled at the idea. "I'll set up my clinic, we'll be happy. I promise," she sighed and kissed his head again.

 

[Talus]

The words did not reach his conscious mind, already fallen fast asleep. Yet as she spoke love and adoration poured through the bond. It was that which drifted into him as he slept, quieting his mind and bringing forth the calmness of dreams.

An hour, two passed on while Talus slept, but eventually the weariness was pulled from his bones and he found himself waking.

Arms tightened around Zana, lips gently brushing against her skin as he drew her a little closer. It would be mid-day now, and he that even if they left now they would not make it back to the Cabin before nightfall.

"My love." Talus said softly as he kissed Zana's neck, the necklace there still giving off it's soft glow. "I think it's time to wake."

Time to go.

The thought brought a spike of sadness through him, but he knew it had to be done.

 

[Zana]

She must have fallen asleep at some point and rolled away to bury herself back beneath the blankets for the next thing she was conscious of was his arms about her waist as he pulled her close to his body. There was no greater feeling for Zana in the whole world and she wriggled gladly back into the warmth of his body. His soft kiss on her neck and words of stirring however, only elicited a small noise that was a mix of pleasure and protest.

"Fivemoreminutes," Zana rolled over to face him, gently pushing him back down into the bed and sprawling herself across him with a soft contend sigh. Her mind was still hazy and thick with sleep which drifted down the bond like a thick mist rolling in across the fields.

 

[Talus]

His lips pressed against her cheek. "No more minutes."

She would feel a smile pressed against her skin, his nose softly nuzzling as he began to cruelly draw the blankets back and away from her.

"Enough minutes." He placed soft kisses one after another. "We've tarried on a bit too long already."

Talus' fingers gently roamed down her side in a tickling touch, tracing over her skin.

 

[Zana]

An answering smile spread across her own face and she reached up to gently cup his cheek as he kissed her own. She gave a reluctant sigh.

"I know," for a moment she let herself linger there with him in their bed and fantasise about the day there would be all the minutes she wanted. But first she had to get it done. With a groan she rolled herself out of bed and began seeking out a new set of travelling clothes. She was dressed with the quick efficiency of a soldier and was soon tugging on her boots again.

"We will go quicker if you ride Zandor with me," she looked up at him as she pulled her other boot on, perched on the end of their bed.

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled as he quickly followed suit, dressing himself in the common clothes of a soldier and tying on his sword.

An eyebrow perked for a second, looking at her with a smile. "You think so, huh?"

A cockiness suddenly filtered into his form. Talus seemed to stand a bit straighter, his chin raised, and a smirk touched his lips. He took a single step forward in front of her, biting his lower lip as he ran a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head up to look at him.

"Want to bet?" A smirk touched the edge of his lips.

 

[Zana]

She had just finished the buckle on her boot when she saw his feet in front of her, felt the touch of single finger trail down her jaw and under her chin. Goosebumps appeared on her skin as her eyes raised to meet his and then a thrill ran down her spine. The way he looked at her so full of confidence... She had to restrain herself from pinning him to the bed again as she stood.

"What are we betting? I've been pretty darn lucky these last few days," her hands ran up and then down his chest, biting down on her lower lip even as she smiled up at him.

 

[Talus]

"A day." He said with a smile. "Winner gets to decide every activity for a whole day."

Talus already had a few things in mind.

There was no point in betting gold or the like between them, anything he owned was already hers anyway, at least in his mind. This idea was far more...fun, plus it would be another day they could spend together sometime soon.

Even losing wouldn't be so bad.

 

[Zana]

"Deal," Zana's eyes shone as she leaned up and sealed it with a kiss before slipping past him and heading back downstairs once more with her bag. She was quick to unsaddle Zandor of his precious new tack and store it safely inside before replacing it with the things she had arrived in. It made her beautiful horse look so drab after the finery and even he seemed to feel it. She was giving him a sugar cube as an apology when she noticed Bolgrid striding towards her with a massive grin across his face. In his arms he carried something wrapped in a cloth.

"I thought I had nearly missed ye lass!" he hollered. Memories drifted back to her faintly of lots of ale and a dwarf who slept with a teddy bear. He had also been the one who had encouraged her to dance her way down the banqueting table. She gave a friendly wave in response.

"We're just getting ready to head off, it is a long way back. How can I help?"

"You've helped enough lass, I never thought I'd get to forge with this metal every again. But, as promised, here she is," the portly man stopped in front of her a little out of breath but he was grinning so hard combined with his rosy cheeks he looked the perfect picture of proud.

The sword was a beauty. Made from the same metal as her new necklace it felt incredibly light in her hands as she picked it up and tested the weight, a lot lighter than she was used to but it would be easy enough to adjust. Her lips twitched somewhat as she noticed the dragon head and wings pommel, giving the appearance the rest of the scabbard was its body. When she drew it it sung and she flipped it this way and that expertly in her hand. It felt like she was fighting with a slice of air.

"This is... beautiful," Zana admired the way it glittered and shone no matter which way she turned it. "Thank you Bolgrid, I don't know how to-"

He waved her off as she patted her pockets down as if searching for something to give him in return.

"Knowing the Dragon Charmer is out there using my work is good enough, lass. Even if I see you already wear Voruk's work about your neck," he clicked his tongue but he was still grinning. Zana stared at the blade a moment longer then knelt down and swept the man into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Even still... thank you," the dwarf went a perfect shade of beetroot as he stepped back spluttering a goodbye and rubbing at the back of his neck.

 

[Talus]

Talus let out a whistle. "Isn't someone fancy."

He smirked at her.

A part of him wondered how the hell she was going to explain all of this to the people in House Luana, but he quickly realized that no one back home would likely even recognize the unique metals. His own sword was pure black, and that hardly caught anyone's glances.

"Come on my Dragon Charmer." Talus said quietly as he came up behind her and gently placed a hand on the small of her back.

The blade truly was beautiful, a work of art in it of itself. Talus said as much to the dwarf who sputtered off another beaming thank you before offering them both a short bow and bidding them safe travels. Talus watched him go for a moment, smiling.

"It truly is a second home." He said softly. Perhaps more so than the first."Ready?"

Talus asked her, knowing their race wouldn't begin until the city gates.

 

[Zana]

"It's going to make the rest of my armour look so dull now," she smiled as Talus joined her, the feel of his hand on her lower back was always a touch she loved. Zana turned one last time towards the manor and then sighed, giving it a longing, lasting look before she pulled herself onto Zandors back. Grey was already trotting towards the entrance, sensing that his little pack were getting

"Yes, ready," or at least as ready as she could be. With one final look at everything she nodded to herself then nudged Zandor into a walk back towards the entrance of the city. There was less of a fanfare this time but people still waved and called out to them as they passed, wishing them a safe trip. When they finally made their way back into the open Zana took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air.

"So... a race to the portal stone?" Grey had already loped off but the wolf had kept up with them well enough, she knew he would meet them there. Zandor pawed the ground and tossed his head. Now he had scented fresh air he was eager to get going. He began prancing on the spot.

 

[Talus]

He nodded his head. "First one there wins."

It seemed fair enough.

"No running through though." Talus offered her a quick wink, before turning towards the gates just ahead. They had been opened for just the two of them, and as soon as they left they would once again he folded closed.

A part of him couldn't help the pang of regret in his chest, but the little game they were playing made it easier. He glanced at her with a smile.

It broke into a smirk a second later. "I'll give you a bit of a headstart to make it fair too."

 

[Zana]

Zandor seemed to understand what was being discussed as his prancing got quicker, his head tossing back and forth as he chomped at the bit. Zana kept a tight hold on the reins and leaned her weight back in the saddle to stop him from running off just yet.

"So cocky," she shook her head even though it set a fire in her soul. "Let me just remind me you your cockiness last time got your arse burnt," the Dreadlord laughed then leaned down to hurl him close for a deep and sultry kiss. Her teeth sunk into his lower lip as she pulled back and made eye contact with him for the space of a heart beat. Then she released him and without another word she gave the horse his head.

Zandor hardly needed convincing, her heels barely grazed his side before he flung himself forward into a flat out gallop.