& so her lion returned from battle, sullied from head to foot in the throes of war. With every return, she received him more ferocious than before, starved for her affections; such an insatiable appetite was inspired by the gnawing of steel to flesh and bone, and the long, endless days and nights spent away from one another --- that the very instant he arrived, the armor fell apart like paper skin, lace and steel and the red of her silken skirts dripping to the floor with furious, desperate haste, hands and mouths long starved for each other dragging across necks and throats and thighs, slick, tender; breathless--the both of them; teeth against teeth in a motion of passion which left lips colliding in slick, fierce kisses and heated sighs in their wake, and her, yielding to his every touch and caress, heat and warmth and affection overflowing; intimately intertwined with the mind and the heart and the passions of him, giving herself up entirely to the sweetness of his kisses and embraces and what more he might desire of her--and though Nicholas came to her with a hunger, it was she who took control of the helm of the beast. With her mouth pouring against his neck, she let her teeth rake across the muscled flesh of his throat and down, until she was coveting the hard line of his collarbone; such a furious advance of lips and teeth and tongue that she awoke a bruise, a possessive mark, there for them to remember come morning. And when the morn came, she lay softly on his naked chest and watched him sleep with such a feeling of fierce, wild adoration in her bosom, it made her heart swell, made her dizzy and breathless with her love for him-- dipping delicately over him after a time and stealing long, tender kisses-- smoothing his hair back from his brow and pressing there, too, dotting, warm kisses, urging him to keep his bed for a while more, for she would be loath to stir him awake at such early an hour. She laid herself down along their bed, pressing her body warmly against his, looking in dizzied tenderness at his golden hair shining in the sunlight, his chest that rose and fell with his quiet breathing, and thought with satisfaction, This sweet man of mine! He is home-- he is home, my own sweet heart! he's at long last come back to me--safe; unharmed; alive. How precious was he to her-- thought she, how tender and vulnerable he grew with her! Oh, how had she missed him! Dreadfully, endlessly so! What torture had it been, not being able to hold and kiss him every day! To see him, and know him safe and alive, away from harm’s way! Oh, how glad, was she, to have him back home once more, where she could care for and love him as wife should love her husband! She sighed then, sweet and tender, drew their silken sheets tighter around him, affectionately tucking him in with a chaste kiss, and down to the kitchens she went, bidding the maids bring her honey cakes and sweet meats for their master, bustling about excitedly with an air of barely contained joy, all light, airy laughter and rosy cheeks, blushing furiously at the sly jests her ladies made and tossing a slice of bread at them, cheeks blooming with an even greater heat, now; she went herself and made his platter, filling it with such delicacies as he best liked, fresh-cooked fish from the lake, scented with sweet herbs she herself grew in their kitchen and dripping butter; there was hot, fresh barley bread, too, pears and figs and a bowl of freshly picked berries from her little garden, baked apples in cream and wine and marmalade, all manner of delicate and subtle pastries--such food as her lord and husband had seldom tasted of late, away at war and battle, and then, once she had gathered her little tray, back up to their chambers she went, a soft, delicate little thing, joyful and excited, a shining blue-black mass of curls cascading sheer to her thighs as she twirled about in her light blue silks and set the tray aside, moving to his bedside soon after and dipping delicately toward him, pressing a warm, fierce kiss to his mouth. Lush, red lips dragged heatedly across his lips and up to his cheek, placing several, sweet little kisses along his face, to his ear, whispering, in a coy little drawl, “--good morning, my sun and stars,” sweet breath tickling his face as she crawled into their bed with him. She slid her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek into his shoulder, seeking, once more, his warmth and affections. It was so safe here in his arms, she thought, so wonderfully, wonderfully safe. She felt his lips brush over her hair, her ear, across her cheek. The soft skin of his neck was warm against her cheek and she could feel the hard muscles of his back under her hands. She sighed and pulled him tighter to her, whispering, now, “your little wife has brought you food and drink! Shall you break your fast with her?” pretty face bright and rosy as she tenderly held him close to her.
