(M) The Winter Thaw (Stormy & Siks)

[StormyNyte]

Arayna chuckled then, nearly finished as she paused for another long drink. Wiping the water from her lips with the back of her hand, she thought for a moment. “I'm not entirely sure, I've never had cause to go so long without using it. Perhaps it does.”

She flashed another grin then, seeming strangely... chipper. “Perhaps if I don't use if for long enough, lightning will start shooting from my eyeballs every time I blink or maybe fire from my fingertips every time I stretch them.”

She held up her hands and gave them an exaggerated stare for emphasis. “My fingers are already feeling itchy, Volare. It's much too risky a theory to test, if you ask me.”

[SikstaSlathalin]

He laughed shaking his head finishing his meal. "Well if you must lass, please do it outside of the house. I don't need this place burning down around me while I sleep. But maybe this will be a good time to learn some warrior's discipline lass." Finishing his water as well he put his plates in the sink and nodded to the Snow Elf woman giving her a gentle smile. "Take your time lass, I'll meet down at the field." He tied a cloth around his forehead and slipped his boots back on before exiting the house.

[StormyNyte]

She laughed then, calling after him as he stepped out of the house. “If I did that I may end up just as stoic as you are, old Mer!” Still chuckling to herself, she finished what was left of her meal and drained her tankard of water before clearing her plate. Stepping out of the house once more, she pulled on her filthy shoes - noting just how much she really needed a decent pair of boots - and headed toward the field after him.

[SikstaSlathalin]

The sun had passed behind the treeline and with a low grunt Volare hammered the last nail into place on his newly fixed fence leaning back rubbing his shoulder slowly. He overworked it today, but at least he accomplished a lot today.

Gathering up the tools he put them away and went over to the water barrel and took a long drink holding his arm a little close to his body to avoid moving it too much.

Arayna looked over the repaired fence with a strange sense of pride at the accomplishment. Granted, Volare had done most of the work, but she had done what she could to help, even managing to hammer home a few nails herself.

She watched him as he gathered the tools and gave him a sympathetic look as she noticed how he was beginning to favor his shoulder again. He had obviously pushed it too far today, a single massage could only remedy so much and only for so long. Moving to close the distance, she offered a gentle smile. "A day well spent, Volare. I think perhaps we've earned our rest, hm?"

The old Mer nodded slowly curling his wounded arm across his chest. "Ay I think so, let's hope we can avoid breaking it for a bit." He let out a low groan rubbing his shoulder some more as he began to walk back up to the house. The she elf followed close behind as the wheels of her mind began to turn again.

Seeing him suffer like this was beginning to set uneasy on her and she would be remiss to allow it to completely lock up on him again. Heat would be the best thing to keep the muscles loose, but she had her suspicions that he would refuse any sort of magic aid.

Hmming softly to herself, she quickened her pace until she was hurrying past him back to the house.

The warrior quirked his eyebrow as she hurried past him. He was a little too tired to keep up with her or question it. Was he really getting so old he was too tired to keep up with a soft woman less than half his age? He chuckled lightly to himself shaking his head as he continued to rub his shoulder. "Hope I have the energy for dinner tonight."

Disappearing around the corner of the house, she kicked off her shoes and stripped off her work-soiled clothes, deposited them in a heap beside the door before hurrying inside to get things ready. The large tub that had been emptied but left in her room was pulled into the main room and the largest pot she could find was filled with water and hung over the hearth to be boiled. She was busying herself with something at the kitchen counter, clad in nothing but a wide cloth strip wrapped around her voluptuous pale breasts and another wrapped precariously low on her shapely hips when he finally stepped through the door.

Volare entered shortly after the woman had stripped down and moved the tub to the fireplace. He had seen her naked and she was definitely one of the well shaped women he's met, but seeing her bustling around clad only in her under clothes brought a slight heat to his face he hadn't noticed the first time, most likely because alcohol was involved then and that makes everything feel warm.

Still holding his shoulder he managed to remove his boots, and began to pull off his dirty jerkin and pants, but a sudden sharp pain ripped through his whole arm causing him to grunt in pain and lean against the wall sighing. "If my men could see me now they'd laugh me out of the barracks." He chuckled shaking his head.

Hearing his grunt, she turned and gave him a soft smile before crossing the floor to him with a subtle sway in her hips and a slight jiggle to her cloth clad breasts. Her voice was soft and sweetly thick when she spoke, placing a hand lightly against his chest. “Hush with that now, let me help you.”

Not waiting for his response, she slowly undid his jerkin, having to lean in close close enough to brush the front of his body with her own due to his height when she carefully pulled it off of him. Letting it fall to the side, a slender finger gingerly traced down the front of his body until it hooked at the front of his pants. “You need to relax that shoulder, Volare, you've overworked it today.”

His face heating up all the more as Arayna pressed up against him undressing him fully. He was glad for his own small clothes keeping everything in place or this might take a very...drastic turn. He smiled stepping out of his trousers. "Thank ye lassie and you're right. *sigh* You're right." He moved slowly doing his best to keep the arm still and sat down in his arm chair resting the throbbing shoulder against the high back.

As he sat, she slowly stooped to retrieve the discarded garments, the motion stretching the cloth covering her shapely rear tight before she stood and removed them from the room. She sashayed back in and back to the kitchen counter to retrieve the hot compress she had been working on as he entered.

Making her way to where he sat, she stood close and carefully draped it over his wounded shoulder before moving to pour him a mug of cider. “There we are, I'll have you a nice hot soak ready in no time.” Setting the mug on the arm of the chair by his good arm, she winked before moving back to the hearth to check the water.

Finding it simmering, she hefted the pot with a soft grunt and poured it in the tub. Setting the pot down by the hearth, she moved to collect a bucket and headed out back to fill it. After all, she didn't want to cook him.

Once again he was growing red at the little display Arayna was putting on for him. It was like he was a young boy again sneaking peeks at the Royal Bathhouse when the Chief's wives and female servants bathed by firelight in the middle of a snowy blizzard. Doing his best to keep his composure he thanked her for the drink and closed his eyes letting the compress work. "You can soak first lass. You worked just as hard as me." He said attempting to give himself more time to control himself.

She tisked him lightly as she stepped back inside. “Nonsense, your shoulder needs the heat more than I do.” Arayna then poured the bucket into the steaming tub before testing the temperature. Still hot, but cooled enough now to stand. With a knowing grin at his reddened state, she cooed. “It's ready for you now.”

He chuckled and nodded in defeat finishing his drink in a single gulp before standing up placing both the cup and the compress down. "You are very kind lass. Might as well go get the ointment while I'm soaking. Only thing I know that eases the pain enough." His body was quickly testing the restraints of his small clothes and he wasn't sure if he wanted Arayna to get any ideas and wanted to undress as quickly as possible before she saw him.

The Snow Elf Mage smirked knowing the effect she was having on the old warrior. She already seen him naked and was very much impressed with him. And despite her own skills at hiding her reactions she was quite eager to see more. But she'd get him soon so with a gracious nod she slowly turned and sauntered across the room making sure her hips and ass sways sensually with each step before she turns the corner.

Once she was gone Volare let out a somewhat husky sigh and worked his small clothes down and tossed them into the pile of the other dirty clothes before he gingerly climbed into the tub making sure his wounded side was facing the roaring fire in the hearth.

After a moment or so, Arayna reemerged carrying a towel and a small lit oil lamp. She let her eyes take him all in before offering him a warm smile. “Need anything before I start my bath, Volare?”

He shook his head ducking a little lower into the tub to soak his shoulder. "No lass, are you gonna bathe in the pond or something? Thought you hated the cold?" He chuckled lightly keeping his eyes on her eyes

Giving a soft laugh, she shrugged lightly. “I'm going to be here for quite some time, I may as well start getting use to it. Enjoy your soak.” With that, she swayed her way to the back door.

Setting the items down on a nearby barrel just inside the door, she slowly removed the cloth wrappings and let them fall to the floor exposing her back side to him fully before collecting the items again and stepping outside.

After a time, she stepped back inside, depositing the now snuffed lamp and used towel back on the barrel. The cold water hadn't done her own sore muscles any favors, but she would manage.

Stepping back into the light of the fire, it was reveal that she was now wearing one of his thinner shirts and only the shirt. It hung long on her, covering most of what needed covered easily enough, but her chill-perked nippled pressed conspicuously at the sheer fabric as she moved closer to the fire's warmth.

Volare watched in agonized desire as Arayna fully undressed before him before slipping outside to bathe. Thoughts flooded his mind, but still he kept calm, and after a few minutes his body had returned to normal and he was massaging his own arm slowly. The pain had gone down to a dull throbbing and he had nearly fallen asleep, but the sounds of bare feet on the wood floor brought him back and his body reacted accordingly to seeing the woman return dressed in a thin shirt and showing signs of her cold bath.

With a sigh he smiled and leaned back in the tub. "Forgot I had that shirt. Looks good on you lass."

She grinned down at him then. “I do believe I'll be keeping it, it's quite comfortable. How is your shoulder feeling?”

He moved from the water and winced slightly. "Haha feel free, just wear it around more." He gave her a wink the strange contentedness he felt around her acting on his willpower making him more relaxed with this intimacy. "As for my shoulder it's a wee bit better, but I fear I will be needing the ointment for a long while still." He slowly leaned forward smiling. "Care to help me apply it again?"

She nodded then, smiling as she moved to kneel next to the tub. “Of course, but we need to get you clean first.” Leaning forward herself, she cupped her hands and quickly poured a bit of water over his head in an almost playful manner, her nose wrinkling with a muted laugh as it trickled down over his face.

He chuckled lifting his good arm up to wipe water from his eyes. "What's so funny lass?" He asked some of the water unintentionally splashing down onto Arayna's shirt. The dampened cloth clung to her body where affected and she shook her head, smiling again. “Nothing.”

She continued cupping water onto his hair then until his mane was sufficiently wet before beginning to work in the soap. “It's just nice to see you so relaxed now, is all. I don't think you've ever asked me for help before without the request being a thinly veiled command.”

The warrior winched slightly and nodded. "Ay and I'm sorry for that lass. So used to being a commander I sometimes forget I'm a simple farmer now, and I shouldn't be so rude to my first guest in a long while." The heat from her contact slowly working down his control. "Especially one who is so willing to give me a nice dancing show of curves and womanly grace."

Arayna chuckled richly at that. She had him snared, all that was left to do now was to draw him in. “Well, a lady does need to show herself off from time to time. Life would be terribly dull if we didn't.” She carefully coaxed him to lean back then to allow her to rinse out his hair.

Drawing him back up, she wetted and soaped the cloth that had been hanging on the tub's edge and slowly began to wash his rippled body. She seemed to pay very close attention to every grove of every single muscle on him until her hand began to follow them below the water's surface.

Volare allowed her to rub him down. His mind going in nearly the same direction as her's. It has been a long time since he'd bedded a woman. And her form was indeed one made for love making. He thought to say something clever, but decided to just let the woman work her skillful hands over his tense body.

The further down her hand slipped, she closer she had to lean in. Her warm breath played across the crook of his neck moments before her hand brushed the tip of him. Her pale lips drew into a grin, farmer or not… it seemed the old soldier still knew how to properly salute.

With little warning, she drew her hand back up and proceeded to move to his back before draping the cloth over his good shoulder. With a mischievous smirk, she stood. “I trust you can handle things from here, Volare. I'll be waiting with the ointment when you're finished.”

Holding back the urge to laugh he took the cloth and quickly snapped it across Arayna's ass before she got out of reach. The game fairly obvious now. "Just be careful you don't mess up the shirt. We don't have any soap for laundry right now." He watched her go the quickness of her movement causing the edge of the shirt to flare up some showing him the pale roundness of her rear. A cruel joke, but one he could take advantage of. Calming himself for a few minutes would make whatever comes next all the more enjoyable. And despite her own best efforts the closeness and intimacy was having an effect on Arayna as well. Taking the time Volare finished cleaning and wrapped a towel around his waist before he locked up the house as he always did.

A short time after he walked into his room his body still glistening from the bath. "Ready?" He asked giving the woman a smile. he had actually given a squeal of a giggle when the cloth had lashed her backside as she made her escape and now she eyed him from head to toe, grinning. His glistening muscular body looked utterly magnificent. “Are you?” With a wink, she motioned to the bed. “Lay down and I’ll get that shoulder seen to.”

Volare chuckled and moved to the bed. But instead of laying down he simply sat putting his shoulder next to her. "Sitting down might be easier to treat the shoulder than my laying down lass."

Arayna couldn't help mentally willing the towel to slip, but to her despair it stayed firmly in place. The vision of him sitting there, muscle bound and glistening was almost too much for her to withstand. She somehow managed to keep her expression neutral, but had to avert her eyes.

With a breathy chuckle, she moved to collect the ointment before taking a knee on the bed behind him.

Closing his eyes Volare groaned lightly the pain coming back causing him to cradle the arm a little again. "All the years I've had this wound it's never caused me this much trouble, and I've worked it much harder than I did today." He smirked and winked. "Maybe all the pent up magic of yours is affecting me."

She couldn't keep the red from creeping into her face as she tried to hide a grin. Licking her lips as she stared at the muscular lines of his neck and shoulders, she dipped her fingers into the jar and began to slowly work it into the wound. “Well, there are a few ways to… remedy that issue.”

He winced as she began working on the wound but kept his smile. "As long as it doesn't involve burning down my house or waking the dead I'm open to any ideas short of just chopping the arm off."

She paused for a moment, moving her hand from him to deposit the ointment back on the bedside table. Shifting a bit behind him, she finally returned her fingers to continue their practiced work on his shoulder. She was quiet at her task for a long moment before finally making her move.

Placing both hands on his shoulders and leaning into him, she placed a slow, lingering kiss against the side of his neck before turning her face up just enough to breathily whisper into his ear. “And does this count as striking a fire?” When he turned, he would find her kneeling completely nude in his bed.

The warrior's jaw quaked a little. His mind once again gone to the woman's perfect naked form and his desires for her. His pain was momentarily forgotten as he moved to face her the towel slipping from his waist body reacting quickly. "Aye." He said quietly moving to pull her close. "But I can forgive this one time." He said before kissing her deeply and laying her on her back across the bed pressing his body close.

As his lips closed on hers, she moaned softly into his mouth, one hand’s fingers tangling themselves within his thick mane of still wet hair. The instant their bodies were prone, her back arched to him instantly in an almost pleading fashion. As their motions drew them closer, he would find her already as warm and slick as a baby seal.

His hands groped her soft chest and his hips moved with practiced ease. They found their mark and instantly pleasure filled his entire body and put heated passion into his lips as they kissed and nibbled along his partner's soft feminine features letting his actions paint a picture of her pleasing curves in his mind while his eyes were closed.

As their bodies joined, she called out his name in a breathless rush of pleasure, her body beginning to move against his in a needful dance beneath him as her hands clutched at his muscular form almost fearful that he would vanish if released for so much as an instant.

His pace strong and steady, the old warrior's rough hands rubbed slowly down the smooth flesh of Arayna memorizing her curves, imperfections, and more so what her body reacted best to. His lips moved down and began nibbling at her neck and shoulders while his hands gripped her rear the strong fingers digging in pulling the pliant body to his thrusts delving deeper with each pass.

His experienced motions were quickly driving her mad with the sheer pleasured ecstasy of it. The world seemed to fall away from her until they were the only two beings in existence burning bright in the darkness. Soon, her shapely legs locked tightly onto his hips as her body began to tremble and quake around him, the sudden release drawing a wordless cry from her lips.

Feeling the end coming Volare wrapped his strong arms around the woman kissing her deeply his hands holding her hot body against his as he joined her in release. His hips ramming forward hard just one more time, before he held them in place riding out the waves of pleasure coursing through their very beings. Not a drop was spilled and their moans were lost in the passion of the final kiss.

As the final throws of their union subsided, they both fell limp against one another, a panting pile of tangled limbs and spent smiles. Arayna's eyes were soft and unfocused as she gave him a slow blink. She placed a gentle kiss on his dampened forehead as he rested himself atop her.

Feeling as tired as the woman besides him Volare laid them both on their sides keeping his body as close to her's as he could. He gave her an equally soft kiss on the lips before he pulled the covers up over them and held the woman to his chest before sleep overtook them both.

[StormyNyte]

The first light of morning streamed in through Volare's bedroom window slowly coaxing her eyes to open. His line of warmth against her back was nearly enough to ease her back to sleep, but as the haze of her slumber slipped away a sudden realization washed over her. Slowly pushing herself up, she turned to look down at him as he continued to doze.

A confusing mix of emotions began to swirl inside her mind. There was respect and perhaps a hint of adoration for him, she had grown quite fond of him over the past few days. But there was also insecurity and fear with perhaps even a hint of anger muddled in. Were her feelings for him truly real, or was it simply the result of having to rely on him so heavily?

If her feelings were indeed true did he hold the same for her, or was his kindness simply to keep her compliant? They had not exercised any measure of caution in the heat of the act and he had filled her cup to the brim. Gods, what if… no, she couldn't let her thoughts linger on that possibility.

Sitting up, she stood and retrieve her shirt before quietly exiting his room. Making her way to her own room, she shut the door and began washing herself at the basin. The act would make little difference at this point if she caught, but going through the motions did offer a bit of a placebo effect.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Volare felt the sudden cold rush over him as Arayna quickly got up and exited. He laid still for a few seconds, wishing she would've stayed just a little bit longer. But as the memories of last night came back to him he understood her haste. In his past he'd usually been pretty keen on using protection, but it's been a long time since he'd be so lost in passion.

He half hoped his seed hadn't set, but the other half of him did hope. He was an old warrior with no heir and in the Snow Elf culture such a thing was nearly a death sentence. A man with no son was a man bound for obscurity picking up the scraps from the kills of the Two Brothers instead of joining them in the after life hunting the Stags of Light. Feeling stiff, but surprisingly not in so much pain he stood up and cleaned himself with a washcloth before he pulled on his small clothes, pants, and a clean jerkin and exited his room walking softly up to Arayna's and knocked on the door. "You ok lass?"

[StormyNyte]

She was nearly finished when she heard him knock. A shaky breath was taken to calm her sudden rush of nerves. Thankfully, her voice remained steady when she answered. “Yes… just freshening up a bit. I'll be out in a moment.” She finished quickly and set herself to getting dressed.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Volare frowned lightly, the way she ran from his room told him otherwise, but he'd let her be. "Ok, I'm gonna make some breakfast then we'll get to work on the farm. Take your time lass." He sighed before heading for the kitchen to see what he could whip up for them to eat.

[StormyNyte]

Wrapping herself once more in makeshift smallclothes, she draped his shirt on the bedpost and slowly slipped into her leather work trousers and a clean tunic. She stalled a bit longer as she sorted out her mess of after-sex hair. Giving it a thorough brushing, she pulled it into a tight braid that accentuated the high angles of her cheeks. Squaring her shoulders, she opened the door and stepped from her room. She would not let herself appear abashed.

They had come together with all the unbridled force of passion of a storm front crashing it's waves against the rocks. It certainly wasn't the first time the she elf had found herself in this position, but any other time she had the safety and silence of the high court medics and potions masters to help correct such… oversights.

Seeing him busy at the kitchen, she moved to lean against the wall, armed crossed as she eyed his back. “I would've thought a man of your… experience… would have better control of himself than to spill his seed so carelessly.”

[SikstaSlathalin]

Volare chuckled at her words. She was right, he should've had more control. But she did her own share of being foolish. Especially considering how much she riled him up beforehand, while he'd never been in the middle of the wild passions of the royal court he knew the ladies of the Chief's court were taught and expected to be skilled in seduction and the bedroom arts so they can make good wives when their father's send them off.

"Normally ay, but you seemed to enjoy it. So we both may be at fault there lass. Besides I'd think a Lady of your training would be keen about who they let bed them." He was preparing some fruit and buttered bread for their meal when a sudden knock sounded against the closed door of his house. Quirking his eyebrow he put the knife and apple he was cutting down and picked up a crudgel he kept in the pantry and stood by the door. "Ay?"

There was a few seconds of silence before and old woman's voice pipped up from the otherside. "Greetings sir, my name is Grissla Livig. My wagon's wheel broke can you help me?" The warrior hmmed softly and leaned the crudgel against the wall before he opened the door studying the hunched over figure of an human woman. She looked like a peddler or Alchemist dressed in well made green clothes topped off with a heavy brown cloak. Odd, but mostly harmless. "Ay, I can help ye marm, lets see what the damage is."

Grissla cackled lightly and turned before she began to hobble back up to the road where a small wagon pulled by a large sheep was listing off to one side. He looked at Arayna. "Can you fetch my tools from the shed please lass?" He asked before following the old woman to her broken wagon.