Heirot

"Don't worry...I think I've gotten it out of my system now," he laughed quietly. He dropped from the saddle and led the horse toward the rocks just behind Tenele, giving the animals a chance to walk off their muscles.

Tenele followed suit, trudging through the pillow-soft sand after him. Tenele loosened the reigns and caught one end in a crevice in the rock so it had no invitation to run off. She giggled as she took in the dress. "I got soaked." She lifted the ends to look at her feet, all covered in sand. "That was a lot of fun. I don't know how easy it will be to sneak off and have night rides when I'm Queen. Maybe it won't be as hard as I imagine it to be."

Knight smiled. "It's true that it may draw more attention. But I doubt anyone would dare stop you, your highness," he teased. He walked over to her side. "Can I help you with that?" he asked, touching the waist of her dress gently.

"Hmmm?" Tenele swallowed, her gaze going to his hand at her waist. She turned her eyes up to him, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Yes, please," she replied, holding out her arms and letting him take the lead in the situation. This was his night. She wanted him to spend it any way he pleased.

Knight walked around behind her and unlaced the dress with gentle reverence before sliding it down over her hips. He traced his fingers over her bare back and then bent to retrieve the dress from the rock. He climbed a few steps higher on the stones and laid the fabric so the wet skirt could dry in the breeze, then returned to her side. He unlaced the outer tunic he was wearing, opening it in the front, and then slid it over her arms like a coat. It was warm from his skin in contrast to the cool night.

"Warm enough?" he asked her, touching her shoulders thoughtfully as he stood before her.

Tenele smiled, pulling the tunic around her. Part of her wanted to push it off her shoulders so she could stay bare before him. Instead, she decided to not pressure him into anything he wasn't in the mood for. "Such a gentleman," she replied, nodding. "Thank you." The future Queen turned and sat just on the edge of the rock, lifting her eyes up to the stars.

"If you could do anything else on a night of freedom, what would it be? Next time I'll prepare something if you desire it."

"Freedom is existing in this world at your side. I want nothing else. You needn't put any special effort into our time together." He paused, frowning. "That makes me sound dull, doesn't it?"

"No," Tenele smiled. "It doesn't make you seem dull at all. I just wanted to be able to make arrangements if there was something in particular you wanted. Tonight it was riding, next time it might be swimming, or maybe camping, or... well, I don't know." Tenele touched his cheek with one hand and held back her wind-tossed silver hair with the other. "If it is just enough to be next to me, I am happy. I can give you that much at least."

"It's a lot of pressure, being my whole existence, isn't it?" Knight touched her face lightly with both hands. "I'm sorry. I can tell that you take it very seriously. I'm grateful for that, but I'd also prefer to reassure you. You are already gracious enough to make room in your busy heart. You owe me nothing more."

Tenele glanced away. "I owe you plenty," Tenele whispered. "You have saved me. You gave me a child. You helped me rescue my husband from the frozen north of Ighten. I only wish I could give you true freedom." Tenele took in a deep breath, shaking her head. It wasn't good to talk about such sad things when he had a limited amount of time for fun.

"Oh! The letter," she smiled. "Did we leave it in the room? Though, I'm sure you know exactly what it says, since the man who wrote it is a part of you." Tenele paused, thinking about how that was both good and bad. She wondered if he also shared those terrible visions that Lalana had plagued Vlad with.

Atul reached into his pocket and drew out the envelope. There was affection in his eyes as he lay back across the stones and held it up to study it. "Yes, I know what it says," he said warmly. "You are not the only one who's made room in your life for me, anymore. It seems my counterpart wishes to know me as well. A rather difficult request." He smiled at the envelope. "I'd like to respond to him, later."

Tenele smiled, laying back on the rock and turning to curl her front against his side.. "Does this mean I can't know what transpires between the two of you?" She traced circles on his chest. "It makes me overly curious, but I respect the privacy if you wish it." She placed a soft kiss on his shoulder.

Knight smiled and unsealed the envelope, handing her its contents while they lay in the moonlight. There was barely enough light to read Vlad's dark, messy script on the page.

Knight,

You know my every thought and whim, yet I know you not. Fair or unfair?

-V

P.S.
Kindly teach our wife another dance.

Tenele sat up over the letter and squinted at the text. She read the last line three times.

Our wife. Tenele had thought of herself as Knight's lover. Until recently in her mind Vlad had been her only husband, but now that she thought about it... She was Knight's wife too. Even more so now that she intended to marry Atul. Her eyes watered at that sweet thought.

Tenele folded the letter and leaned over the man stretched out on the stone. She pressed it into his palm as she kissed him, letting him feel all her joy and love at knowing him in such a simple act.

"Teach me another dance, husband," she whispered to him, nuzzling his neck.

Knight smiled and held her close. "Horizontal or vertical," he teased.