Tansy of the Wilds

Chapter Thirty-Four

Tansy woke up the next morning, the sun shining through the curtains and when she realized Xer'tal wasn't in bed, she pushed back one of the shutters and smiled softly as she saw him cooking at the stove. His chest was bare and he had a plain pair of linen pants on. She gave a blissful sigh as she looked at him. Her body ached in new ways but she relished in it, in the remnants of his possession. He had barely let her sleep and her cheeks flushed in remembrance at it. She had loved how he had possessed her and she couldn't have been happier or more satisfied.

"Morning, my husband." She rasped it out, her voice still thick with sleep as she rubbed her eyes. The blankets fell to her lap, leaving her chest as bare as his.

"Morning, amauk'awa, my Tansy." His voice was that gravel coated rumble but this time with undisguised fondness. He turned around and smirked as his eyes raked over her form. "Well aren't you quite the morning vision,wife. You wear my passions well." He turned back to the stove and Tansy gave a rather pleased giggle at the compliment before reaching out and snagging his discarded tunic from the floor and pulling it on.

She kicked off the rest of the blankets and hurried towards him. His tunic was so large on her it reached to her knees and the neckhole was so large it kept slipping off her shoulder. She reached Xer'tal and grasped his arm. When he turned, she went up on her toes and kissed his cheek and then the corner of his mouth. She couldn't get over the fact she could reach out and grasp him, kiss him. Her husband. The thought made her giddy as she cupped his large face in her hands.

"I see you are making breakfast, my love." She glanced at the stove before, beaming up at him with pure, unadulterated joy. He was there, making her breakfast, after keeping her up for most of the night with mind blowing sex. She was nearly delirious with joy.

"I put ya through yer paces last night, is only right that I make up for it." He murmured it before one of his large hands grasped her hip and pulled her close. "I like the look of you in my clothes, wearing my marks." He growled the words into her ear and Tansy flushed, giving another giggle as her eyes twinkled up at him. He reached around a bit further and patted her ass. "Come, let's fill our bellies first. We've a big day ahead," he grunted slightly, steering her to their table. He even pulled out a chair for her that Tansy sank into with a happy sigh.

Tansy beamed at him as he gathered the simple breakfast of fried potatoes, pork rashers, and eggs and then made her a plate. Once he sat down she reached over and grasped his hand as they ate. She rambled about everything and nothing, her hand in his, her thumb brushing the back of it, tracing the scars he had on it.

She told him all about what she first thought when she saw him for the first time: wonderfully strong with kind eyes. And she told him about how Flixom was convinced that they were mated and wouldn't hear any corrections on the matter. She told him about the languages she knew and how learning them seemed to come so easy for her. And she told him the small moments that made her fall in love with him deeper each day and, with her cheeks flushing, she told him how jealous she got whatever she had seen Rose flirting with him.

"It wasn't right, I had no claim over you and you are your own person but..." Tansy trailed off with a sigh, squeezing his hand with hers gently. "But I wished you were mine so I could tell her to leave it, to leave you be." She gave him a shy smile, her cheeks red, "Rose has always wanted what I've wanted, you see. Always took it away if she could. Sometimes I think she doesn't like me that much."

Xer'tal grumbled a low sound. "The only Wilde I ever had my eyes on was ye. As long as ya want me, Tansy, ain't no one can lay a claim on me, not even yer sister Rose. Sure she's pretty but she's pretty like a damned snake. Not to be trusted." His voice was low as his grip on her hand tightened reassuringly. His gaze was steady on her, steady enough that it made her flush. That garnet gaze held so much about last night and about what he felt for her even though he didn't say anything.