by Aaron Hicks
Uktesh asked, “Did you hear what I said? I said I’m sorry! It’s been four days! Shout at me, hit me, just do what you need to do to get over this so we can move on!”
His mind again flashed back with clarity to when he could have done this exact thing during their initial fight and she would have forgiven him. Why didn’t I do this then! He felt more frustrated that he couldn’t fix this than angry at himself for his actions.
“I know you Uktesh.” Her voice was still flat and her eyes were cold. “I know when you’re telling me the truth and when you’re lying, like now.”
Don’t admit anything! It’s a trap.
Uktesh ignored the dragon’s advice for a second time.
“You’re damned right I’m lying!” He bellowed and grabbed her shoulders. “If it’d been up to you, you would have come! Against dozens of animated corpses, leviathans, and necrolans! You. Would. Have. Died! Or worse you would have gotten someone else killed while protecting you and then had to carry that burden! I do agree that in the future, when there’s time, we can discuss your role, but we knew that they were attacking at that moment and that every second counted. The only reason they weren’t already attacking people by the time we got there was that they were busy killing each other. I didn’t stop to get Larut or Tylor, and I didn’t let any dragon trainees that wanted to come join. I picked only those I thought had the highest chance of surviving. Honestly, I still thought we’d lose about half our people. We were just very lucky they turned on themselves and very fortunate the grand masters were able to take out the necrolans so fast.”
He saw some spark of anger, which he thought was at least better than nothing.
“Deny it! Tell me I’m wrong! Tell me that you would have been perfectly safe and I’ll never argue with you again! Say it!” Uktesh saw her begin to struggle with her calm, “Say it!” he roared in her face.
Finally the dam broke and she shouted right back at him, “It’s my life to lose! What’s wrong with everyone! Fine! You’re right! You’re! Right!”
Oh, hell. Uktesh couldn’t understand why the dragon was worried. In a marriage, never win a battle, surrender them all! That’s how you win the war!
Uktesh stroked her cheek and asked, “Then what’s the problem?”
Laurilli said softly, “You just assumed I would be a burden. I’ve trained every day for a year! I think I’ve earned the benefit of the doubt. You didn’t even think about it, or if you were thinking about it you kept it to yourself!”
Uktesh stared into her beautiful blue eyes and said, “That’s the part of my apology that was real. I’m sorry! I won’t do that again.” Suddenly her lips were on his and, although confused, he met her passion with his own.
She said, “You need to walk us to our house. Now.”
Uktesh started to ask, “What-”
Laurilli interrupted, “Shh, we both need this.” Her lips met his again, and he smiled.
He grabbed his trunk and her and Walked to their house. She pushed him onto the bed and started pulling at his clothes.
I’m forgiven! He rolled her over so that he was above her, and pulled off his shirt. Her shirt was off by the time he struggled out of his shorts. He tugged her pants down and slid off the bed as he slowly revealed inch by inch her beautiful legs. She unhooked her bra and scooted out of her panties as he shed his own underwear. He rejoined her and kissed her neck, worked his way to her ear, and traced her jaw before his lips met hers again. They made love quickly; both of them filled with the need to be with each other. Once they were finished Uktesh lay back on the bed and felt whole and complete with her in his arms.
She got off the bed and started rotating her hips as her hands and arms spiraled in dance that was similar to the Raqs Baladi. He thought to himself, it’s the Mujra! I guess that our reunion is a special enough occasion. As he watched her dance, enthralled by the spectacle before him, he couldn’t help but regret the last half week he’d been apart from her and vowed to never again be the cause of their separation. When she finished, breathing hard, Uktesh rose from the bed and said, “Now that I’ve seen you dance that dance, we’re mystically bound together for all time. Right?”
Laurilli leaned into him and said, “Right.” She leaned into him harder and pushed him onto the bed for a second time. She climbed on top of him and said, “I’m still not completely over what you did. You know that right?”
Uktesh hadn’t, but said, “I get that.” He saw by her smirk that she knew he hadn’t. She leaned forward and kissed him, which quickly lead to their second time.
Afterward, when Uktesh was breathing hard next to Laurilli he asked, “Is it just me or are we getting much better at that.”
She draped herself over his left side and said, “I think we are, though I don’t think we were ever bad at it.”
Uktesh nodded and said, “No, but that time was just amazing.”
Laurilli rested her head on his shoulder and yawned out, “Mystical bonds.” He laughed and she jerked back, “Oh no! I told my parents I’d be right back!”
Uktesh said, “I don’t think they’ll mind.”
Laurilli said, “They’re waiting for me at the dining area to help move in Basam!”
Uktesh laughed and said, “They didn’t wait this long. It’s been an hour! Either Basam is moved in by now or he’s never going to be.” Uktesh conceded, “Though if you want to make sure, we should shower, then get dressed, and then meet them.”
Laurilli nodded and said, “But no funny business!”
After a half-hour shower, with funny business, they were washed, still undressed, having given up on helping Basam move in, and Uktesh had unpacked his trunk. Uktesh took his cue from Laurilli and was laying on the bed staring at him. He fell face first onto the bed with her and she started to massage his back. He asked, “So Leilani’s moving in with Repus?”
Laurilli said, “Yeah. Repus asked her to marry him yesterday, and she said yes. They decided to get married in Manori. She’s bringing Pippy with her. Her father said he’d come for the wedding, but that he planned on living here until he died. He’ll be coming with us when we move, and he’ll spend the last night and last morning packing his jewelry to sell while he’s away.”
I missed this.
You and me both. Your avoidance of beauty was starting to get on my nerves!
You could always move to her body, if she said it was okay.
Nah, I’d have to ask her to keep looking in the mirror, and be stuck looking at your ugly mug.
Am I ugly?
How would I know? Your face is symmetric and you’re muscular. I guess I would say, “maybe,” and, “ask Laurilli.” She biased but maybe she’ll be honest.
Uktesh thought that was a good idea, and asked Laurilli, “Hey, am I attractive?”
Laurilli said, “You know, I don’t think I like it when you talk to him.”
Hey!
She can’t hear you.
She said, “Like now! I can tell when you’re doing it, and I feel like I’m missing out.”
Uktesh said, “He didn’t like, ‘my avoidance of beauty,’ so I said if he liked you so much he should jump into your body, if you agreed. He said he didn’t want to do that because he’d have to make you look in mirrors too often, and that he’d have to look at my, ‘ugly mug,’ and I wondered if I’m attractive so I asked you.”
She smiled, rolled off him, kissed him, and said, “Yes, you’re very good looking.”
Uktesh asked, “Really? What about me?”
Laurilli blushed, turned on her side to stare at him, and said, “Uktesh! I can’t answer that?”
Uktesh said, “Why not? I can answer it about you. I like your hair and the way it shines golden in the sun. I like your blue eyes. Your voice is like music to my ears. Your dimples when you smile. I like your neck and how this bone,” he traced her collar bone, “makes you look. I love you breasts-”
Laurilli blushed and exclaimed, “Uktesh!”
He smiled
, “What? I think you’re aware that I like them, each one equally.” She put her hand over her face and shook her head and he continued, “I like,” he paused and thought. “Honestly, I could just keep going on every part of you, I like it all; your hands, fingers, toes, feet, legs, butt, belly button, you’re…” this time he blushed, “lady parts--everything!”
She was blushing but clearly happy with his opinion and said, “Fine. I like everything about you too.”
Uktesh said, “What? I give you examples and all I get is, ‘yup you’re good too.’ I refuse, I want details.”
She said, “I think I liked your back first. You had your shirt off and you were chopping wood, and I just thought, ‘yum,’ and I’d never thought that about anyone before.” She was blushing fiercely now, “I like the way your voice makes me feel safe, like I hear it and I think, ‘there’s nothing bigger or badder than my man,’ and though I know it’s not true, I also know I feel that way. I like your jaw, it’s straight and strong.” Uktesh touched his jaw as she continued, “I like your eyes; brown with green mixed in and flecks of darker brown. I like that you have curly hair and when you wake up it sticks up in every direction. I like your butt and man parts too,” she said in a rush, her neck and ears fully involved in her blush.
Uktesh laughed, “Oh good, I thought you were still of the, ‘that’s it?’ opinion.” He said, bringing up the time she’d waited in a bush for him to relieve his bladder, so that she could, “get even,” with him having seen her breasts.
Laurilli huffed, “Will you never let me live that down.”
Uktesh patted and caressed he hip, “Someday. It’ll probably be when we’re old and gray.”
She yawned, “Today was an emotionally draining day.”
He yawned too and said, “Yeah, and then physically strenuous for the last hour and a half at least.”
She rolled so that her back was against his chest and curled her body against his. She pulled his arm around her and said, “I’m going to take a nap. Wake me when it’s” she yawned again, “time for dinner.”
Uktesh said, “Well, we took a late lunch so dinner starts in an hour and a half.”
She yawned again, interlaced her fingers with his, and said, “Okay wake me in an hour and a half.”
Soon her breathing was slow and even. Against his will he drifted off to sleep too. When he woke up Laurilli was asleep half on his chest and half on her side and his left hand was numb from being under her while he slept. He saw that the sun was dipping toward the horizon and whispered, “Laurilli, I don’t know what time it is, but if we’re going to eat we need to get dressed and go now.”
She moaned, “Five more minutes.”
He said, “No, I know what that means. It means in five minutes you’ll want five more. He rolled her off him, got out of bed, walked into the bathroom, and relieved his bladder. When he returned he found Laurilli still asleep on the bed, he couldn’t resist so he slapped her bare bottom and said, “Get up, time to get moving.”
She groaned into the pillow and said, “Ow.”
He got dressed as actively as he could, by jumping on the bed to put his underwear on, then getting off and jumping back on to get his shorts on. Still Laurilli lay on the bed. He put his shirt on by rolling over her and that elicited some breathless gasps of shock. He said, “I can do this all day,” and threw a swimsuit on top of her.
She growled, “Fine! I’m up! He sat on the bed and watched her get dressed with a grin. She said, “You know, this isn’t a spectator sport.”
He grinned and said, “But you do it so well, I just can’t look away.”
She was quickly dressed and found a pareo that matched her suit, and soon they were walking to the dining area. Both wore their minotaur jackets, as they had been since one of the necrolans had gotten away.
While they were walking to the dining area three separate people stopped to shake Uktesh’s hand and thank him for killing the necrolans. He’d stopped trying to tell people that it had been him and thirty other people. He just thanked them for their kind words and told them it had been his pleasure. If they offered he always refused money, though he had accepted food, as it felt more like a thank you than a payment.
They walked in together to find the whole group was already there and eating. With the addition of twelve new people that made a very large group. They all stopped eating when they saw Uktesh with Laurilli, which made Uktesh feel like everyone knew what had delayed them. He glanced at Laurilli, who was blushing furiously, and assumed she thought the same thing. Esolc asked, “You two finally kiss and make up?”
Everyone around the tables laughed except Basam’s daughters, and just like that the tension was gone. Uktesh nodded his thanks to Esolc, who winked back. Uktesh got his food, and filled his plate heavily with meat. As he sat his jacket stretched and creaked. “I’m going to either need to get a bigger jacket or pass this one onto Laurilli.”
Tylor said, “Well we still have the hide from the minotaur Thulmann killed. We could use some of that to let out your jacket, now that you’re growing out of it. Unless Thulmann disagrees, that is is.”
Uktesh asked, “You still have it? I have to assume that the hide is extremely valuable.”
Tylor said, “Well, Thulmann killed it so it was his to choose what he wanted to use it for. Unfortunately by the time we were able to get word to him of yours and Laurilli’s wedding we pretty much left as soon as he arrived in Manori, and we still barely made it in time.”
Uktesh said, “How big was it?”
Tylor said, “About the same as the one you killed, but if Thulmann wants a jacket there’d only be enough left over to let out yours and Laurilli’s jackets because he’s bigger than you are.”
Uktesh shrugged and said, “If you’re willing, Thulmann, I’d be willing to pay you for it, either in gold or deed, since you’re also rich you don’t need money.”
Thulmann said, “I’ll need to think of an appropriate deed, I’m thinking about something like cleaning out a refuse pit.”
Everyone had a good laugh at the look of horror that crossed Uktesh’s face, and then went back to the conversation they’d been having before Uktesh and Laurilli showed up. Uktesh listened into as many as he could.”
Marylla said, “… couldn’t because Marylla’s mother was unfaithful so people assumed Marylla would be too.”
Heathyr replied to Marylla, “That’s sad. Did you have any boys that caught your eye?”
Larut replied to Esolc, “… don’t know if it’s better, but I’ll take my axe over a sword any day which includes …”
Sara said to Pamfilo, “… date picked out for your wedding yet?”
Pamfilo replied, “No we were thinking about having it the day before we leave, but we’re not sure if …”
Robyn said to Basam, “Father?”
Basam replied, “Yes son?”
Robyn asked, “Are all these people your friends?”
Basam said, “Yes, old and new, and they’re your friends too, why?”
Robyn said, “Robyn thinks they talk funny.”
Basam nodded and said, “You’ll get used to it, Basam did.”
Trysha, Fayth, and Kayla were discussing Uktesh; a conversation he chose to ignore. Lana was feeding Sy and when Uktesh noticed he tried not to stare, but an elbow to his ribs from Laurilli spoke of his failure to do so. He ate in silence with a grin on his face. He listened in to pockets of conversation until they slowly broke off and formed one giant conversation about Esolc and Pamfilo’s wedding. It had been decided that they would get married on the day before everyone left, so that they could leave with a giant party. The discussion now was whether Repus and Leilani should get married on the same day. Repus said, “But it’s Pamfilo’s big day and I don’t want to ruin it for her.”
Pamfilo said, “Here we usually marry in groups. Uktesh and Laurilli’s wedding was more of a strange occurrence.”
Leilani added, “You’re not having second thoughts, are
you?”
Repus raised his hands in surrender, “No, we can get married then if you want to.”
Trysha added, “Trysha wants to marry Uktesh on that day too then.”
To which Fayth said, “Fayth would like to as well.
Kayla quickly piped in, “Kayla too!”
Everyone looked at Basam, who said, “What? Is this not a thing you do here? Basam’s brother has four wives. Basam’s father had two. The mayor of Red Lake has six.”
Uktesh quickly said, “Uktesh is, I mean I’m happy with Laurilli remaining my only wife.” He didn’t add for now, because even though he thought it would be funny he knew Laurilli wouldn’t.
He learns! It’s a miracle!
Shut up you.
The dragons laughter echoed in his head as Laurilli added, “Plus I would never accept it. I assume that there’s a head wife and she has to agree.”
Basam nodded and said, “You’re wise for one so young. Basam’s brother complains about his wives more than any other problem in his life. Though, Basam had plenty of problems with just the one wife.”
Laurilli said, “And if you ever consider it, Uktesh, I’m going to tell you I need a second husband.” She grinned fiercely when he grimaced and Uktesh knew he’d lost any footing for that agreement, not that it was something he wanted.
Uktesh said, “Ladies, I think it’s settled. You need to find a different guy to marry. Tylor’s single and has experience with multiple women, though he can’t remember it.”
Tylor said, “Hey that’s,” he paused, “it’s not,” he looked at the tables, “something for children’s ears!”
Trysha and Fayth both dismissed him when they said at the same time, “Too old.”
Tylor said, “Hey! I’m only thirty-two!” He saw the shocked looks on those older than twenty and he stuttered, “N- not, that I was considering it! I just don’t like being too old at thirty-two!”
Basam laughed and said, “Basam wouldn’t mind you as a son-in-law! Basam thinks you’re a strong warrior!”
