259 Reunion

Katherine woke up feeling fresh and well-rested. The plush cushions under her head were like soft clouds, and the blanket bore just the right amount of heat. The air smelled of salt and herbs, an unusual but welcoming combination.

"Hmmm." With a blissful sigh, Katherine stretched. She didn't feel so good since they resided in the hut in the Icelands with King William, his mistress, and son. Did she only dream of that long, arduous journey to a mountain in Dragsa?

"You're awake." Her eyes snapped open when she heard that voice. It was undoubtedly the deep timbre of her husband, Nathaniel. And there he was, sitting next to the bed in a cushioned chair, a gentle gaze in his eyes.

Eyes that rested strangely deep in his pale face. A face that was bare of the slight smile that sometimes tugged on the corners of his mouth when he looked at her. Instead, he seemed solemn, exhausted, plagued by a deeply hidden sadness that he maybe wanted to hide. Yet to her eyes, his feelings were an open book. At least right now, when peace filled the air and sunshine painted the wooden furniture in gold.

Following an instinctive need to console and comfort, Katherine crawled over to rest her head in his lap, her arm embracing his outer thigh. "Morning, darling."

It took but a second before she felt his hand on her head, stroking her hair with a leather-caused coldness. Despite the tender action, he remained silent. Thus, Katherine continued to talk. "I'm glad you found me out there, and sorry if I made you worry. My cousin... he's gone now, so there is one less threat to consider in the future. I don't know what happened to the leader of Loki, though. How was it on your end? How did the battle go and where are we right now? And are we... moving?"

The last question was added thoughtfully, as she noticed a slight swaying of her stomach but no movement nearby. It could also just be her pregnancy causing sickness again, she thought. Nathaniel's answer though, made more sense.

"We're guests on a ship, thanks to your friend Ella. Her brother helped settle the dispute with the army and is now escorting us to the closest city. Some of the soldiers stay back for a bit to pursue the survivors of Loki. It will take a while to dig up all their secret hideouts. They have many of that, here in Dragsa as well as in the Icelands, just like the rats they are... but how are you feeling? There was... so much blood on your clothes."

Hearing the strain in his voice and feeling his muscles tense in expectation of bad news, Katherine abruptly sat up. Suddenly, she knew what made him look so pained, and she thought herself dumb not to realize it sooner. What must her darling think, finding her coated in blood when he always expected to lose his child anyway?

She cupped his face in her hands and searched his eyes, gazing at him with a deep fondness. "We're fine. Our baby is fine. There was some trouble, but it is resolved. How can such a bit of blood loss harm us with my power in the mix? Hm? And there was even such a strange encounter... I can tell you directly: my power will never harm our baby again. It will be safe and sound now, no more worries. As for how - that's a long story, so I won't tell it right now. Not until you lay down with me for a bit and have some rest. You look like you didn't sleep for days."

Scurrying back, she lifted the blanket and smiled at him. "Come here. Trust me, you don't need to worry about our child anymore. It's very, very fine and resting peacefully."

Coaxed as such, Nathaniel took off his shoes and entered the bed. With his wife in his arms and her scent in his nose, his tense muscles relaxed. Still, he could not help but confirm: "Are you sure? Completely sure?"

"Yes, yes. Completely, absolutely, a hundred percent sure. We can even have sex again now. Well, I mean, after you're rested. Then maybe, if you want to..."

Nathaniel couldn't help but laugh, a deep rumble of fondness, coming straight from his overly full heart. "Of course, that's the first thing my wife thinks of. Eager little minx."

He kissed the crown of her head, lingered, and finally closed his eyes with a relaxed sigh. They lay on the side, her back facing him, snuggled closely against his chest. It was a very comfortable position. He was exhausted, yes, but until now he didn't believe he could sleep in peace. How lucky he was to have his family safe and sound.

As if to confirm his hand wandered to Katherine's belly, stroking it gently. There was nothing to feel yet, no indication of the little life, and yet he imagined that belly slowly swelling with his child. His hand slipped under the nightgown to feel the warm skin there and a slight smile lingered on his face. Thanks to the trouble with their magic, this was the first time that he dared to touch her pregnant belly directly. They stilled in that position for a while, content.

Then, Nathaniel's hand began to circle around her navel, relishing in the soft, velvety feeling. His head lowered to touch her neck and kiss it like a breeze. Once, twice, thrice. Then his deep voice whispered in her ear. "I thought about it. I believe I'd sleep much better after we had sex. What do you think?"

His one leg pressed forward, and hers opened to give room. A shuddering exhale followed. Though he couldn't see her face, he knew she was already flushed by the redness on the back of her ears, which he now nibbled on fondly. Her back drew a curve, pushing her behind even tighter against his hips and the hard member in his trousers.

"Y-Yes. Please."

The soft begging was like an aphrodisiac injected right into his veins. For weeks they'd not shared the bed the way a married couple would, only barely satisfying their strongest desires. Now he felt starved, impatient like at their first time. Yet, he'd learned since then. Learned that it felt even better to dance on the cliff than fall over it too fast.

"Take off your clothes, then turn around to let me see."

In bed was the only time Katherine took commands from him, even following them eagerly. Despite knowing that, his hardness swelled even more each time she did so. It was simply erotic to see her expose herself for him to admire. And she knew that she was sexy doing it, her eyes glittering mischievously over her shoulder when she lifted the fabric centimeter per centimeter.

His eyes fixed on her, he took off his own shirt, gloves, socks, and trousers only leaving his underwear as a last barrier. In the golden light that fell through a high, round window, they shared deep kisses, and long, yearning touches. Nathaniel paused when Katherine's magic emerged, but since she showed a dazed expression instead of discomfort, he kissed her again. Their love-making today was passionate but it was also like coming home.