TEA, SWEETBREAD, AND KISSES

Gavilean held Tera close to him as their stood in their master suite within the thoroughly warded and guarded mansion on the west side of Rhy?Din. "It's been a rough week, my love with so much going on at the Oracle and at the Inn with that duel. Why don't we forget about all meetings and work tonight, and just go out on the balcony with some hot tea and sweetbread."

A slow smile curved into place as she nodded slightly, so much in love with him that in that moment she could have sworn her heart would break at his thoughtfulness. She was emotionally drained and physically exhausted and his idea was sheer brilliance to her thinking as they had been so busy that hadn't had a chance to even do this in the past couple of nights. "Absolutely perfect Babe. It does look like it is a beautiful night out there tonight to be enjoying."

"It's perfect, my love." He winked and added, "Just like you." He picked up a throw blanket from the bed and carried it out with them. You can sit on the swing and then I'll get the tea and sweetbread and bring out some candles."

Des chuckled quietly as she took the throw and settled herself curled up on the swing. Her gaze shifting to look out over the water where the stars in the heavens were reflected in the rippling surface brought on by the pleasant breeze of the night. The spell that Thulin had placed around their home preventing anything untoward from bothering the peace and tranquility as she rubbed her tummy absently while glancing back toward the open balcony doors and called out to her beloved husband. "Oh Babe! Please bring plenty of that sweetbread I'm kind of hungry!"

"Yes, dear!" Gav called back as he put the tea and a plate of short bread on a tray. He carried the tray out onto the balcony and put it on the table on his side of the swing. He then poured Des' tea, added some sweetbread to a small plate, and put them on the table on her side. "I'll be right back, love. I want to get those candles."

The pregnant woman wasted no time in grabbing up a piece of the treat and beginning to eat while leaning over the arm of the swing to watch the mouthwatering other treat of her husband's backside headed away from her again as he moved back inside. She moaned quietly and bit her lower lip with a tiny sigh as it occurred to her that visions such as that and thoughts such as were racing through her mind were what had caused her rampant appetite for the sweetbread she was now reaching for her second piece of.

"Oh lordy be." She whispered very quietly beneath her breath while picking up the tea with her free hand and snuggling back on the swing to wait for her very own TDMF male to rejoin her on the balcony.

Gavilean came back with an armful of candles that he spread around the balcony and lit. He then took off his boots, poured his tea, and sat on the swing and pulled the blanket over him also. "Can I feel your belly, darlin'? I love feeling your belly." His Elvin senses could pick up the little heartbeat and any movement.

She just melted right then and there. No question at all about it right into a little puddle of feminine adoration as he had been such a joy to her from the very moment that had found out they were having a little one. Every new sensation and symptom no matter how large or how small he had shared right along with her, even the really icky ones he had stood at her side and helped her through and still did every morning faithfully, especially.

Des smiled softly to him as she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder again and reached for another piece of sweetbread. "Can we just stay out here for a while longer Babe? Something happened in the Arena the other night that I have been meaning to talk with ya about but I keep forgetting and I'm still kind of hungry."

Gav smiled and tightened his arm around her, snuggling close. "Of course, my love. It's beautiful out here." He reached across her front. "But I need a piece of sweetbread if I'm going to stay here."

A low chuckle greeted his proclaimation while she burrowed close in his embrace as they resettled themselves cozily beneath the blanket on their balcony. Her head rested so that she could hear the steady beat of his heart which soothed her as she looked for words to explain just what it was she wanted to talk about. "Well I hadn't really thought about this before Babe and so I am not really sure quite where to start talkin' about it even. I don't know if you have even thought of it yet. They was all talkin' and I was talkin' with 'em too about gettin' old and feelin' old and that I don't feel old myself even though I have been working in the Arena for several years now off and on and it occured to me that I am gonna die and you ain't."

He listened and could feel the concern approach even as it was being spoken. He kissed her cheek. "I've been thinking about that since the first time I realized that we were going to be married. Believe me, it has a very high priority with me and I've even discussed this with Thulin Nel."

Des was crumbling the sweetbread rather than actually eating it even though she was truly hungry as she listened to his voice rumbling in his chest while he spoke. She took comfort in knowing that it had been something he was aware of even though she had been foolishly ignorant of it until now. "I don't wanna get old and be a burden to ya while you are still young. I think that would be horrible and it wouldn't be fair to ya. I love ya too much to put ya through having to take care of me when I get old."

"There are worse things than getting old, Des. Living without you in my life would be far worse. I want you to be around to see our children, and children's children, and on for generations. There is something we can try. I haven't mentioned it yet because it is very uncertain.?

She had a lump in her throat and the delicious food was in rough shape so she set what remained back on the plate then turned more fully toward the man that held the one and only key to her heart. Uncertain or not she would risk anything for him to not have to take care of her as she grew old while he stayed young and healthy because she knew without a doubt that is exactly what he would do.

As she aged he would take care of her until she drew her very last breath. Gav would be right there by her side unwaveringly faithful and it was the thought of that that hurt the most, not thoughts of her own death. "Will this something hurt you?"

He shook his head, "No, it won't." He thought a bit, "At least I don't think it will. Actually, I hadn't thought about that part." He stopped talking and just thought for a bit. "We're going to have to go to Westridge in a few weeks."

Des blinked and blinked again. "Ya don't think they would try their glamour stuff on me do ya Babe? Surely they would know how much I love you and that I would never chose to stay with the Fae. I thought all them mortals that went missing did it because they had gotten caught up in the glamour and never wanted to leave again to come back to the real world."

She thought for a moment. "Hmm or was that they drank some of the wine or nectar or something that they have to drink at them there Fae celebrations cause I know I ain't supposed to drink or eat nothin' if we go there if I remember rightly."

"Those are the rumors, but I don't think it's quite so romantic. I get the feeling that it's far more likely that mortals get turned into statues and trees, or just outright killed. We'll try not to let that happen to us."

"Eeeep!" She turned pale and grabbed his shoulders to give him a tiny shake with a fierce look on her delicate features. "Nobody ain't never said nothin' to me about the mortals dyin' that went to the parties that the Fae had. We is lookin' for a way to extend my life not get me killed Babe. What are ya thinkin'!?"

"Well, we have several things going for us. One, I'm half Fae myself. Two, I'm the King of the Land wherein they must hold their ceremony. Three, you are the Queen of that land. Four, the King of the Fae had a thing for my mother. And five, Thulin Nel will put in a good word. That should give us at least a fifty fifty chance to get that wish fulfilled."

"Oh." Her voice was much smaller now as he had several very good points there that she had forgotten in her horror at finding out all the romantic tales she had heard about the mortals and the Fae were possibly horrible lies. "In that case I do believe we should put our minds toward finding that other fifty percent edge that will get them to grant us our wish Babe."

"I think it's worth the try, love. We should go in full regalia as the King and Queen of the High Elves of the Westridges. If all goes well, it will be a two week trip all together. There are no portals where we're going. It will be a trip on horseback." He smiled, "But if all goes well, we can live together for centuries."

"Mmmmm centuries with you. The answer to that would be a definite yes over and over love mine!" A radiant smile curved into place a she glanced to see him smiling too. She would happily risk becoming a statue or tree or being outright killed if it meant even just one more minute, happy and healthy, with her beloved husband, Gavilean.

He turned to face her, his hand caressing her cheek, "Can we go to bed now, my love. I want to make love with you."

She turned her head to press a kiss to his palm while capturing his gaze with her own and holding it to allow him to see the desire she felt for him burning there. "The answer to that is most definitely yes over and over too love mine."

He rose, blew out the candles, took her hand, and led her to their beautiful bed that was positioned upon the great round carpet that Lord Xeno had used for their wedding ceremony.

Des did not sleep a wink. She spent the entire night holding her beloved husband in her arms and watching over him. Occasionally silent tears would fall to soak her pillow as memories taunted her with becoming real all over again. Each time Gav would wake to kiss the tears away and whisper reassurances to her or tell her a story, like he used to do when the nightmares would come every night, until she was calm again.

Pregnancy hormones only served to make her even more of a wreck. It would be a wonder if she were still sane by the time Gav returned in only a week if not sooner. She tried to plan things to do to keep her occupied while he was gone only to fail miserably as not one single thing occurred to her that she could possibly do to pass the time.

Gavilean was well aware of her fear for all it was unspoken. Jean had set forth on an apparently harmless journey early in the morning shortly after they were married. It was the first time they were parted after being married. Her Beloved French Pirate had died tragically with no warning leaving her heartbroken and shattered into a million tiny pieces that she hadn?t been certain could be put back together.

He had seen her through that horrible time in her life and been the only thing that had kept her sane and from drowning in the bottom of a bottle. He knew all of her weaknesses that no one else ever saw. In reality his love and their marriage was the rock that gave her the strength others saw when she was in public. Without that sanity in her often hectic and crazy life she would be lost.

Now he was taking a trip and they would be out of touch for the first time since they had run into each other again in the Inn. She knew he would still feel and know what was happening with her and she still had the protections he had given her in case of danger but he wouldn?t be there when she went home to have a cup of tea or some of the wine they had bought from Matthew on the balcony to share their days with each other.

She had her work and many friends that she could visit with and the nursery to plan and get ready. So many things that she could do and usually did. It just wasn?t the same without him in town to share it all with at the end of the day though. Des was actually frightened and she hated that feeling. Far better to feel angry or unhappy but not this fear that was crawling inside her and wouldn?t let go no matter what else she tried to think of to make it go away.

There seemed to be no help for it as Des knew that sooner or later a time would come when the situation would require them to be apart for a period of time. Rational thought however was playing no part in this. No matter how many times she mentally scolded herself and cussed herself she could not convince herself this time was different.

The woman that had been hurt so often in public by smirks, harsh words, insults, threats, and the like but always smiled, grinned, chuckled, and even laughed her way through it until she got home to loving arms that would hold her and an Elven accent that softly spoke words to heal the bruises left behind was terrified that this husband was not going to be able to keep his promise and come home just like the last.

Des strolled into the Arena wearing one of her flowing gowns with a smile on her face accompanied by her guards in their finest as they were attending the Challenge Match between Karen and the lyin? pyro that had attempted to kill her no matter how often he lied about it. She had been there when he magically sealed the doors and set the Annex on fire with her in it no less. Let him lie because she had been there and knew the truth of the matter for herself.

If it hadn?t been for a protection she had that he didn?t know she carried he would have succeeded in his plan to kill her. That was why she always had a backup plan. She had lived in RhyDin long enough to know to always have an extra out that the general public didn?t know about but that you could verify.

All that had changed though now that she was who she was and had her own personal guards. High Elven warriors highly trained and skilled with both weapons and magic they were the elite of the elite royal guards that had come to RhyDin from Westridge to secure their home and persons when they were in residence here.

Although the independent cowgirl Queen had expected to regret her decision to have them with her at all times when she wasn?t at home or with her husband she found herself instead actually enjoying the new found freedom that came with knowing she didn?t have to constantly be on the alert for threats as that was their job now not hers.

At any rate the five of them were now there so she could watch Karen wipe the floor with Vanion or so she hoped and fervently prayed. She wasn?t really herself this night though. The enthusiastic greetings she usually gave were missing. Her smile wasn?t as bright and she wasn?t cheering as loudly or as often as she normally did when attending the duels.

She didn?t even cuss Vanion one time the entire night. Not even when it came to light after Karen did indeed beat him soundly two duels in a row that he had been dishonorable enough to use a weapon that had poison on the blade. The Baroness was in grave condition when the Templar?s had carried her out after emergency treatment had been given to her right on the spot and Des was concerned about her.

She was feeling lost and alone with no one to talk to as her beloved husband was in Westridge while this horrible thing was taking place right before her very eyes. With Vanion involved she had a whole lot that she wanted to say about it but there would be no herb tea and loving arms on the balcony so there it sat locked inside herself.

There she had stood making sure she was paying close attention so she could get everything right for her Oracle article next month when Xenograg had noticed and come over to her. He had offered as he had before to walk her back to the mansion along with her guards. His words had included getting her back to Gavilean. She had told him about Gav being gone on his trip.

Xenograg seemed to realize immediately what the problem had been with her that night as soon as she fessed up to her husband being gone. The Fourth Overlord of the Duel of Swords had offered to take her with him and Amaltea to visit Queen Teleperien in Eldicor.

Des hadn?t seen Queen Tele in ages nor had she been to Eldicor yet so this was the perfect opportunity to hold off the overwhelming fear. She perked up and very correctly placed her hand on the offered arm then headed off to spend the night visiting with friends in a new place.

It wasn?t until she was comfortably settled with the covers tucked all around her and arms around a pillow instead of the warm body she was used to that tears began to silently fall and she whispered. ?Stay safe love mine. Wherever ya are we love ya and need ya so please be careful and come back to me and the little one soon.?

Gavilean passed through the outer and then inner portcullis on his way to the great palace of Westridge. He cantered his horse up the bluestone drive that circled in front of the palace and back around to the portcullis in an enormous loop that encircled well-manicured lawn and gardens.

He arrived at the massive front steps of white marble and dismounted. Guards saluted and took his horse to be walked until cool and then combed and fed. Gav quickly walked up the many wide steps to the front doorway of the palace and returned the saluted greeting to the guards who opened the door for their king.

He entered a museum-like foyer with colored marble floors and a great staircase. He steps echoed off the walls and ceiling that must have been sixty feet above him. On the second floor he could turn right or left, walked back toward the front of the palace and climb a second staircase that was nearly as massive as the first. He repeated the pattern again to reach the third floor, and once more to reach the fourth. Upon reaching the fourth floor he raced down hallways until he came upon a massive wooden door that was not unlike any of the other hundreds of doors within the palace. It opened to his touch, revealing a narrow stone stairway that circled upwards. After ascending several stories with stone steps, he opened another door and continued upward on wooded steps that ended at a wooden door leading to the highest tower room in the castle.

Gavilean knocked.

He heard coughing from the inside and an ancient voice, ?Hold on, hold on. I?m comin?. Just keep your pants on.?

The door opened and Gavilean was face-to-face with the ancient wizard and Archmage of Westridge, Thulin Nell.

?Come on in, lad. I?ve been waiting for you. Took your time getting here, didn?t you.? It was not really a question. It was just Thulin?s way of speaking. He considered Gavilean to be more his grandson than the King of Westridge.

?I got here as fast as I could,? Gavilean replied breathlessly from the climb up the stairs which was made at nearly a run.

?Well, lad. . . .? the wizard again coughed and choked and hacked for a few moments, as was his custom, ?the Fall Equinox is not going to wait around for you, and the Fae king and queen are not going to delay their celebration just for you and your Queen to mosey on into their forest.?

?My forest, actually,? Gav interrupted. ?And they?ll see us?? he asked excitedly.

The wizard stared at him with white, frizzy hair sticking out in all directions, a large bulbous nose, bushy white eyebrows, and a robe that had little unicorns appliqu?d upon it in a fashion that was not unlike what a child might wear to bed.

?Actually, no.?

?No?!?

?Sorry lad, they were quite emphatic. No mortals are to be brought to their ceremony.?

?But Thulin, I have to bring Des!? Gav was walking around in circles, as he spoke. ?If they don?t give her an elfin life, she?s going to grow old and die centuries before I will.?

Thulin Nell hobbled over to a glass Palantir and placed a hand upon it. ?That?s true, son. She will.?

?But she?s my life! I don?t want to live without her!?

?You might try again in another four years, Gavilean. Perhaps they will be more lenient at that time.?

?No. That?s unacceptable. We can?t wait another four years. I?m going to bring her to their Equnox ceremony.?

?Gavilean! Don?t be a fool, boy! You upset them and neither of you will be coming out from that forest, and there will be little that I can do about.?

?They?ll listen to me, Thulin. I just need to talk to them. They just need to see Des. They?ve got to agree.?

?They don?t have to do anything. Their magic can?t be opposed, especially at the Equinox.?

?But it?s exactly that magic that we?ll need to extend Des? lifespan.

?No, boy. It?s exactly that magic that will make you both lawn ornaments in the thickest part of the forest.?

?They?ll do it for me, Thulin. We?ll be alright. I promise.?

?You promise?? The wizard began coughing and hacking again. ?How can you make such a promise? And what are you going to tell Des??

Gavilean thought for a moment. ?I?m going to tell her that they agreed and that all will be well.?

?You can?t do that! You?ll both be killed!?

?No, Thulin. It?ll work out. You?ll see. I?ve got to get back to Des?

Gavilean ran out of the room and back down the stairs.

The Archmage of Westridge shook his head in frustration and looked at the forest area in the Palantir. There was nothing there now, but come the Equinox it would be filled with every kind of magical creature in existence.

He had to do something.

But what?

Gavilean came through the portal into the hidden area in the lowest level of the Mansion. He stepped out of the darkness and walked toward a door. It was night, and he used his Elvin senses to guide him through the damp lower level until he came to a place where he could light a lantern and carry it with him. He found the wooden steps and walked up a level to the main basement. There he took off his wet riding cape and muddy boots, then walked up to the main floor, opened the door and walked into the foyer. He handed the lantern to a servant.

"M'lord! Ye look dreadful! Ye should be gettin' out of those wet clothes now."

"Where is Des," was his response. "I want to see my wife."

Des was out on the balcony curled up on her beloved husband's side of the swing with the throw snugged up around her so that she could still smell his scent. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated on feeling him through their link just needing to know that he was still alive and with her as she had for the past week. He had felt different for the past few nights and she was getting more worried by the day.

Suddenly the door to their suite was thrown open and her maid came running inside. Des' heart stopped beating as only one thing came to mind. He had to be dead or her maid would never have come barging in her door at this hour of the night. But word traveled fast in a Royal household and the King's return had already been passed to the upstairs servants.

"M'lady yer husband is here!"

Des gasped then shot up from the swing heedless of the fact that all she had on was one of his shirts. She went tearing out of the room yelling at the top of her lungs as tears of joy filled navy blue eyes that all too often for the past week had been filled with tears of sorrow. "BABE!!! You're home!!!"

Gavilean was running up the stairs as Des was coming in from the balcony. He came down the hall and heard her call out, then took her into his arms. "Des!! My love!!!" His hands cupped her face and he kissed her with desperate kisses. Then his hands went behind her head and held her to himself. His hair and clothes were soaked in spite of the protection of the riding cloak.

She meet each kiss fervently returning them as quickly as they were offered. Des was smiling as tears of happiness ran freely down her cheeks. Small hands roamed over his sides and back in exploring caresses that were loving yet at the same time a reassurance to herself that he was real in her arms not a part of her imagination. "Love mine! I have missed ya so much!"

The shirt was cold as it became soaked from his clothing but she didn't care as she burrowed as close as she possibly could to the man that she loved so very much.

A soft moan came from his lips as she ran the cloth over his body. "I love you so much, Des. I hated being away from you. I never want us to be apart for that long again, my love."

She was kneeling beside the tub in order to bathe him and at his words she leaned up to place a loving kiss to his lips then with only a heart beat between her lips and his whispered to him. "Amin mela lle, Gavilean. I won't let us be parted like that again Beloved. I will go with you next time wherever you need to go whenever you need to go. I don't think I could stand being away from you again. My heart was so sad. A part of me was missing without you here."

His hand had slipped behind her head as they kissed. "I know what you mean, my love. Without you with me, I was lost and feeling I wasn't whole anymore. I love you more than life, sweetheart. You and our child are indeed my life." He was starting to relax as she bathed him; starting to feel himself again.

As she lovingly removed all the traces of travel from his body with the hot water and fragrant soap her heart felt lighter than it had in what felt like years. The fear that had haunted her waking and sleeping was laid to rest at long last. Never again would the memories of that fateful sea voyage be able to take hold of her and send her tumbling headlong into sheer terror.

Gavilean?s return healthy and whole as promised had erased their ability to hurt her just as he had pulled her from their icy grasp when they had first attempted to claim her sanity at the time of Jean?s death.

Des had so very much to be thankful to her beloved husband for. So much that she would never be able to tell him in words so instead she showed him by making sure that he ate until he was stuffed full from the tray while she took a quick bath herself.

The next stop was brushing his long dark hair until it was completely dry while he sat wrapped up in his warmed robe on his side of the swing on their balcony with a snifter of his favorite brandy. No words were needed between them now as each was taking pleasure in the luxury of being able to reach out and touch the other as well as exchanging lingering kisses with one another after their separation.

As soon as his hair was dry Gavilean?s wife urged him back to his feet one last time that night and guided his steps to the bed that they shared that had not been slept in since the early morning he had left on his trip. The bed had been remade with clean linens that had been hung out to dry in the bright sunshine where they picked up the scent of the garden flowers that drifted on the breeze off the lake.

But the best of all was when those clean sheets were drawn up over the two bodies that lay at long last holding each other in their arms wrapped in an intimacy that was far deeper than any physical joining could ever be.

She laughed with him and hugged him too. Her tummy getting just a bit in the way as it sometimes did now when she hugged him as tightly as she possibly could like now. A radiant smile was upon delicate features as she tipped her face up. "Ya do know that I would probably break my neck in them there spike heels love mine. But I would look mighty sexy while I was doin' it! So I do believe that for now I will keep wearing these beautiful gowns that ya got for me Babe. I really do love them and I feel very feminine in them which isn't something that I thought I would ever enjoy being but since I figured out how to hide my weapons I am right happy with my gowns."

He couldn't deny that she'd look sexy in those kind of clothes and heels. "You know when you look sexiest to me? It's when I see our baby growing inside of you. The bigger you get, the sexier you look." He smiled and continued, "You asked me if I'd prefer a boy or girl. Do you have a preference?"

Des had been thinking a lot about that question lately and as they came to the gate leading into their home she grinned up to him then waited as they were let in by the guard on duty and had stepped onto their garden pathway before she replied. "I have really been thinking about this Babe. I even talked to Amal about it last night in the Park when she stopped by. I asked her if she had gone to a Seer to find out when she was pregnant and she said she wanted to be surprised so she hadn't. I can't decide which I would rather our little one be. But I do keep coming back to wanting a little boy just like you running around playing Knight Errant in the halls and chasing after his Daddy to play sword fights with him or to go riding with him. Then there is a little girl that would want to play dress up or have tea parties with her Momma but this Momma doesn't do that she would be playing Knight Errant in the halls or having sword fights or going riding...."

He smiled at her explanation, loving her more than life itself. ?Well, I think either way, boy or girl, our child will run through the halls with a sword in hand. I guess the only question is if we want to know before hand or not.?

She smiled softly to Gav and nodded slowly as she leaned slightly against his side as they walked along the pathway. "Mmhhmm. I guess that is the biggest question. Well that and what about names? Did ya have any names yet in mind for our little one?"

"Actually, I don't, darlin'. It's hard for me to start thinking of names without knowing if it's a boy or girl. I think that it might be good to do that around the Yule season.?

"I haven't thought of any names yet either. I haven't gotten that far along in my thinking. I'm still at being happy I'm not sick in the mornings and trying to decide which I want most and not being able to decide and then trying to decide if I want to know before hand or wait." She chuckled warmly and gave him a hug with the arm around his waist.

He chuckled and kissed her lips. "Let's go inside, baby. I'm getting tired."

In perfect agreement they turned toward their mansion and entered then ascended the grand staircase up to their suite there to lovingly devote themselves to relearning each intimate pleasure shared before wrapped in each other?s arms they drifted off to sleep.