Lord Of Dragons (Book 2) (15 page)

"I think I'd like a glass of wine," Tael said, and grinned at Sebine. "You've been tempting me the whole conversation by taking sips of that delicious looking vintage."

She smiled guiltily and led him over to where she'd seen others go to retrieve their wine, and she glanced over her shoulder at Tael. "Just don't flirt with any more winemaker's daughters, ok? Leave your flirting for me tonight."

"I promise to be religious and heed the words of the priest." Tael chuckled at the confused expression no doubt forming on her face. "It's what priest Yaran said to me earlier tonight. He said I must be more devout in my attention to the physical needs of my wife."

"He said that?" Sebine felt a hot flush creep over her cheeks, and took a deep gulp of the wine. "I really like how that sounds, actually." She handed him her glass and Tael refilled the red nectar from a wooden barrel standing like a sacred altar on display for the gathered crowd talking noisily around them. He poured himself a glass and took a long drink.

"This tastes amazing, far better than the winemaker in Trikar, I must say. Don't look at me like that, I'm not thinking about his daughter. Truly, stop it. Just the wine, and only the wine..."

At her wicked laughter, Sebine invited the curious eyes of many other young people around them, including a girl with wide eyes and a happy face who looked around Sebine's age. She raised her glass in a cheer.

"Do share in your jest, pretty one. I can see you are newly joined in our celebration. From where do you hail?" The girl was flanked by another tall, lanky girl with blazing blue eyes, and a boy their age with a sad face that seemed still haunted by the song.
 

"We are from Cranth, a city far to the east along the Ferelian Sea." At Sebine's mention of the city the boy's eyes lit up with fear. "My husband and I were sharing a joke about a winemaker's beautiful daughter, and wondering what was better, the man's wine or his daughter."

"Please do enlighten us, though my bet is on the daughter?" The girl's face flowered into a devilish smile as she took another drink from her wine glass.

Sebine nodded and frowned at Tael in a mock display of disapproval. "Indeed the daughter, for his wine is nothing compared to the vintage here in Rez'el. There was a time once when my husband had a thing for the winemaker's most prized possession. That is of course until he set eyes on me."

"I can believe that was most certainly true," the girl said, and winked at Sebine. "You are a superbly pretty creature, and I don't doubt it for a moment that he would run after you despite a horde of dragons blocking his way."

"Yes, he did fight for me and won my heart." Sebine reached out and squeezed his hand affectionately. "Though I did have to save him. Imagine that, the girl saving the hero." She wet her lips and winked at Tael. "Now look at me, off on an adventure, drinking the finest wine in the world."

"And sharing with new friends," the girl raised a glass in a cheer, and took another drink. "I am called Emeraldia, and this is my friend Jani, and the boy with the glum face is Reese. I wonder why he seems perplexed at seeing your face?"

"I am Gulia, and this is my husband Geldrin. We have come as pilgrims visiting your fair city and learning of your beliefs, though we plan on journeying to Shaar'el to witness the worship of the seven relics."

"And will you join in with the worshippers?" Reese said, his quiet, lilting voice was slurred with drink. "Or have you merely come to spy on us?"

Emeraldia clucked her tongue in disapproval. "Nothing so morbid as that, I'm sure. Isn't that right, Sebine?"

"Oh, I rather like the allure of being a spy." Sebine grinned and lifted her long hair up in a twist and gave the girl a mysterious look. "I'd need a whole new set of clothes to match my life of intrigue and danger."

The others spurted mirthful chuckles, but the boy remained sober and dark as he addressed her once again. "So not a spy, but you hardly have the eyes of a true believer, whether of our religion or of the Calathian Church, am I correct?"

Sebine laughed with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I've spent far too much time in boring ceremonies in cathedrals filled with bishops and lines of bored-faced priests. One can hardly be expected to be devout in those environments..."

"Unless you were poor and viewed the church as a pinnacle of light and a monument of the gods." The way Reese spoke the words caused Sebine to believe that he once considered himself a devout member of the Calathian Church. "Only the wealthy and the nobility seemed indifferent to the faith." The young man's implication was clear, especially as he stared at her with an expression of trying to remember her face.

"The thing that was clear to my eyes," Sebine said, and hardened her face as she studied his wary eyes. "Was that the Calathian Church possessed an excessive amount of wealth and did not share it with the poor and the homeless who seemed to grow in constant numbers every year. True, the wealthy and the nobility were not blameless, however those of the church spurned their chance to set a shining example of virtuous living. And what I see around me here in the temple of the earth demonstrates a beautiful example of how industry and holy belief can cooperate in harmony for the greater benefit of society."

Other young people around them had gathered to hear Princess Sebine's words, and they clapped their hands and nodded in assent. Sebine felt a bit embarrassed by all the attention, but warmed at the look of approval and pride in Tael's eyes.

"Well spoken, Sebine," Emeraldia said, and gave the Princess an admiring look. "You fit well with many of the others of your kingdom who have fled here from the madness of King Braxion and the Calathian Church. Here are also many from Erelim and Shaar'el, who have suffered much on their journey here to find peace and prosperity in Rez'el. But enough talk of ours ways and our history. The wine is making me woozy and exhilarated. Will you please hold me so I can feel the assurance of life and love?"

Sebine stretched out her arms and purred softly at Emeraldia's tender embrace, her silky fingers tracing along the skin of her exposed back. The young woman whispered nonsensical words in Sebine's ear, like the cooing sounds of a baby, or perhaps the expressions of fondness by a lover. Emeraldia was drunk and the Princess smiled to herself at the silliness and innocence of the girl's embrace.

As they separated and studied each other's eyes, the girl kissed Sebine on the lips, enough for her to taste the wine and feel the exhalations from the girl's nostrils landing softly on her skin. The sound of drums and the lyre wafted into the air and caused the girl to raise her hands and wiggle her hips seductively. She squealed in delight and drifted over towards the musicians, following the crowd as they pressed together and moved as if a flock of seabirds towards a school of fish.

Tael gave Sebine a teasing look as he took her hand and led her over towards the music. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Emeraldia really seems to like you."

Sebine wagged a finger at Tael in a gesture of disapproval. "Don't get any ideas into that perverted head of yours. What about the priest's admonition to pay devout attention to my physical needs?" She leaned in and kissed him for a long time, but the memory of the girl's lips was still strong in her mind.

More wine flowed as many men and girls carried many beautiful painted earthen jugs and poured the silky liquid into empty glasses. A pleasant euphoria from the wine and food filled Sebine with merriment and love. She danced with Tael and remembered the first time they had met at the festival. When they had danced around the bonfire she had been wary and uncertain, yet filled with the excitement and newness of their unexpected encounter. Now her heart felt open and oozed heat and affection towards him, especially since he had made his apology on the ship. She wrapped her arms around him and found a wild frenzy of lust surge along her chest and stomach at the feeling of him pressed against her.

They danced and twirled and drank and laughed, and the musicians played and the people often song along in a strong chorus that filled the fragrant forest. Sebine had never remembered a time in her life when she was this happy. Her heart was free and almost overflowing with love for Tael and love for the people around her and this place. If this was what it meant to be a fanatic, then Sebine wanted to count herself as one. She felt safe here, in Tael's arms and around these people, a warm kind of familiarity and trust that had always eluded her in the past. In her life in Trikar, in the palace, around the constant latent threat of violence...

Here the music ebbed and flowed as the movement of seasons across the fabric of time. Still surrounded by familiar faces, Sebine embraced Tael and lavished kisses on his neck and hands and lips. Emeraldia, Jani, and Reese smiled at their affection.

"Where is my kiss?" Emeraldia complained, and winked at Sebine. She leaned in and offered both cheeks to Sebine, and much to her surprise, the girl wrapped her long arm around Sebine's neck and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

Sebine laughed and separated from the girl, grinning slyly in a mock look of horror.

"I'm feeling hot and flustered," Emeraldia said, and waved air at her face. "Why don't we go swimming and cool off?" Her suggestion caught the approving nods of Jani and Reese, and Sebine found herself agreeing as the night was very warm and humid. Tael shrugged and grinned like a mischievous little boy who's just discovered his favorite treat.

They stole a jug of wine and filtered their way through the throng of people laughing, dancing, chatting, and singing songs together in small groups. At the edge of the clearing where the festivities were held, Sebine followed Emeraldia as they pressed into a forest of camphor trees and shrubs growing in a wild disarray. Reese and Tael had each procured a torch, and the light sent long, eerie shadows dancing across the tree trunks and lush undergrowth. They followed a meandering trail through the fragrant forest, until Sebine could hear the sound of a bubbling spring.

Set against a sheer cliff face were several pools of water illuminated by the moon's soft light. Emeraldia and Jani shrieked in excitement and ran to dip their hands in the pool, and they playfully giggled and splashed each other. The water felt cool to Sebine's touch, refreshingly so, and she drank from the bubbling pool and enjoyed the coolness as it slid down her throat.

"What is this place?" Sebine said, and looked over as Emeraldia untied the cords that held up her robe. The Princess stared in fascination as her clothes slid off and fell to the ground, revealing the long, lean lines of her alluring figure. The girl paid no attention to the stares of the others, and slipped into the pool with a squeal of pleasure.

"Heavens this feels amazing!" Emeraldia said, and cast a drunken stare at Sebine. "What are you just standing there for? Come in and join me." Jani was the first to respond, and she quickly cast off her robe and revealed a flash of tiny pink nipples and small breasts as she jumped into the pool. The girls giggled and played together, and Tael and Reese fixed the torches in between several rocks, and cast uncertain glances at the girls.

"Go ahead and undress." Sebine wrinkled up her nose and gave Tael an expectant look. "Girls shouldn't be the only one to give the show."

"What about you?" Tael said, and started to untie his white robe.

"Don't worry about me, I'll go inside once you both go." Sebine allowed a curious smile to flourish on her face as she watched Tael's robe slide away from his muscular body. The scars still lined his chest and arms, but they were thinner now, as if he had tangled with a wildcat. He moved his body with slow and deliberate motions, allowing Sebine to stare in amazement at the beauty of his physique. She scanned down and smiled at what she saw.

At the last splash of Tael jumping into the pool, Sebine wriggled her hips and earned herself giggles from the girls and expectant smiles from the boys.

"Didn't I tell you the rules of this little game?" Emeraldia said, and chewed on her lip as wonderment danced in her eyes. "The last one to enter the pool needs to give us a little show...and it has to be convincing."

Sebine poured herself another glass of wine, and in one gulp drank the whole glass. She needed bravery to do this. Everyone stared at her in fascination as she began to move her body in a smooth, sensual movement like a cobra undulating and writhing to the tune of the snake charmer. But her eyes locked on Tael's and her lips parted in a moan as she remembered their kiss. This dance was completely for him.

Chapter Seventeen

TAEL STARED IN silent fascination as the torchlight illuminated the long lean lines of Princess Sebine's writhing, seductive figure. His heart hammered in his chest as she teased him and hiked her robe higher and revealed her toned legs and sensual thighs. She stopped and cast him a flirtatious look, and he felt himself growing stiff after he had caught the briefest glimpse of the small space between her legs.

Emeraldia and Jani kneeled on either side of him, as they were all pressed up against the edge of the mineral pool watching Sebine's dance. He glanced over at Reese, and caught the mesmerized look on the boy's face. Tael didn't mind, Sebine was beautiful and he had grown used to the stares of men captivated by her natural sensuality. After he drank the remaining contents of his glass, he leaned forward to retrieve the wine jug, and noticed that Jani had spotted his erection as he'd briefly left the pool.