Unintended

Chapter Eight

Rhaenyra awoke before the sun rose, warm and content in Harwin's arms. Her back was pressed against his chest, one of his hands latched tightly around her waist as if to prevent any chance of her running off. But she had no intention of doing so, satisfied as she was in her current position. She adjusted herself slightly, tucking herself even further into his chest and pushing her hips back, eliciting a quiet groan from him as his hand tightened on her waist, stilling her movements.

"Is something wrong?" she asked with an air of innocence, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder. It was dark, but she could make out the whites of his eyes as he rolled them, shaking his head gently.

"You know exactly what you're doing", he murmured, pressing his lips behind her ear. She was hoping to break his resolve, his hardness pressing into her back gave her every indication that he wanted her.

"I was only getting comfortable", she said breathily as he dipped down to her neck, dragging his fingers up to pull the collar of her tunic aside. He continued on his path, alternating between barely-there kisses and gentle nips at the sensitive skin.

"You wore this all night", he whispered, his fingers trailing over the stones of the necklace he had given her. She had not wanted to take it off the night before, though now it was digging into her skin a bit uncomfortably. "You should remove it, it's marking your skin. I do not think it is meant to be slept in." Though she was reluctant to take it off, she tilted her chin forward, allowing him to unclasp it and set it on her bedside table.

"There was never a necklace I wanted to be in possession of more than that one, I'm afraid you would have had to pry it off of me last night." Though the necklace was beautiful, knowing he had intended giving it to be a declaration of his love for her made it far more desirable.

"My mother would be glad to hear that you are pleased." He held her tight against his chest, intertwining his legs with hers. "She wanted you to have it."

"Do you wish she were here?" Rhaenyra asked softly, suppressing a shiver as his hand ran up and down her side.

"At this precise moment, no, because I'd be getting quite an earful about being in your bed." Rhaenyra could not help but laugh at that.

"I can imagine my mother's face if she caught us, though I do not think she would be angry, only pleased that we are happy together. But I am afraid she would have given us a long lecture about discretion and propriety." Rhaenyra felt a pang of longing in her heart, the absence of her mother weighing heavily in the times she needed her most.  

"I do not think it would have taken us quite so long to work things out if the two of them were here. They would have meddled and set us right, I'm sure."

"Mothers are often more observant than fathers, it seems. My own father and yours seemed to have no knowledge of my feelings for you."

"I promise I will endeavor to be the most observant father in the realm." The softness in his tone made Rhaenyra stiffen, a thrill coursing through her at the idea that he had already considered such things. "I'm sorry, I should not have brought that up."

"No, it's alright. I do not want you to think you cannot speak with me about these things. We need to be more forthright with one another. I know it will take time for us to be completely at ease but I do not want any more misunderstandings or secrets." It was easier to talk in the darkness of the room, facing away from each other. Harwin cleared his throat, tucking his face against the top of her spine.