Half an Apple (March 3010) {Runa}
Jan 11, 2018 19:37:12 GMT -5
Post by Runa on Jan 11, 2018 19:37:12 GMT -5
Ceolmund pulled Runa against him, and she eagerly settled against him and wrapped her arms about his waist. She sighed, almost forgetting the giant black mare that was fighting the lead toward the stables. He kissed her hair, and she felt the warmth begin to bubble in her stomach.
“Runa…You know me. I always push for more than I need from my recruits. I would have been pleased had you only petted her today.”
She tightened her hold on him, laughing slightly even as his finger hooked beneath his chin and drew her to look upward. His eyes were bright and gentle, like the sunlight that was bathing the day. She pressed herself closer—as close as she could manage, and smiled at him in return. “If that was all it would have taken today, I’m sorry I rode at all,” she hummed playfully. Perhaps that was not entirely true, though. She felt a well of pride in her chest for living through the four laps around the corral, and Runa wondered if she would be able to do five the next time.
“Four was all I would have expected of a second lesson. Five would have merely been extra.”
He took her lips and she lifted to her toes to eagerly let him. A small sound of contentment filtered from her lips. Her mind was already racing ahead, to the moment he had her home in their empty house, and the things he had uttered to her those minutes ago in the saddle became bright and real for her. She trailed her fingers up his chest and down his arms. Even through his tunic, she could feel his muscles. But she was ready for the tunic to be gone.
“I do not think we should have enough time in the morning for all reward you've earned. You'll have everything promised. And I think I'll be taking you, and Paega, up to the inn for supper today to celebrate. Does that sound good? You'll have quite an appetite after all our exercise waiting for us at home.”
“Then it shall need take longer than the morning? I’ll have no complaint,” the woman murmured in reply. Talk of food, though…she was absolutely ready for a meal. She had known, of course, that she should be expecting such increases in appetite what with the approaching end to her first three months of carrying their child, but Runa was nonetheless still surprised when she was so beset by hunger she could hardly stand it. After the reward Ceolmund had spoken of giving her, she mused she’d be quite ravenous. “The White Horse should be having that special with the lamb,” Runa hummed to him. Tilly had been talking about it at work while she was apprenticing, and Runa had hardly been able to stand the sudden desire she had to have the lamb-meat pie. It had sounded so amazing.
“Ugh,” Bear groaned as he heard Ceolmund speaking. Perhaps he had to accept that the man had undoubtedly touched his sister in every possible way—the thought alone almost made the man to gag once more—he certainly did not find it appropriate for the man to make such comments in public. Who knew who could overhear! The state of a marriage bed was not for others to hear. Though, he had heard it passed through the men that the whole street knew of Ceolmund’s and Runa’s affections. Beorhtric cringed, though morphed it into a stern stare to the captain as he neared. It figured the man would grow up to be a lusty, spineless dog. Ceolmund had made eyes at Runa’s body from the moment she had shed her girlishness; it was a shame he never learned to fight for her truly. He only saw the ride, not the woman. That was clear.
Ceolmund seemed to notice his attention, as well, for the man began to speak louder, and glance his way, making each word pronounced and pointedly for him.
“No cooking today, nor washing afterward. That will save us time. At least, no washing until tonight when I draw that bath for you… I'll do that washing though. Captain's orders.”
“Captain’s orders,” grumbled Beorhtric as he turned, leaning against the corral’s fencing. “Terrible orders.” How was anyone supposed to follow such a man to battle? He could not fathom.
Runa, for a moment, glanced to her brother, but not making out the words he mumbled, instead looked back to her captain. “Well, I certainly won’t defy my captain’s orders.” Her eyes glittered, even as he pulled her tighter to his side.
“I do not think she's feeling ill at all. Did well. Needs some work on her knee grip, but it was only beginner's error. We can practice that at home without the saddle.”
“I’m the one that’s feeling ill now,” Bear countered stiffly as he turned away. He could not look upon Ceolmund, not with talk of practicing knee grips without a saddle. The way he was talking earlier, about Runa picking the speed…
Once more the man gagged, though there was nothing left to fly from his stomach, and the bile merely burned the back of his mouth. He could not even look at his sister, for the thought of her practicing her knees on Ceolmund was too much. Any other circumstance, he would have been proud of her try with the horses. And for Tait in particular, for the mare was no easy handle.
“Bear?” Runa asked tentatively, reaching to touch his shoulder with light fingers. He looked as if he should be lying down, perhaps with his head between his knees. He was pale, and she had seen enough men and women collapse in the Healing Hall to know that he was teetering close to such an edge. Her touch, though, merely seemed to upset him, and he shuffled once more to the pail. “You should go rest,” she said quietly.
Bear grunted in response.
“We best give her that half apple. Else she'll think we won't keep an honest promise to her. Only another minute for her reward, and then off to yours.”
Runa turned back to her husband, slipping her hand in his with a giggle. “Then, Captain,” she sang to him in a low tone. A prelude for what was to come. “We best hurry with her—I don’t want to wait.”
“Runa…You know me. I always push for more than I need from my recruits. I would have been pleased had you only petted her today.”
She tightened her hold on him, laughing slightly even as his finger hooked beneath his chin and drew her to look upward. His eyes were bright and gentle, like the sunlight that was bathing the day. She pressed herself closer—as close as she could manage, and smiled at him in return. “If that was all it would have taken today, I’m sorry I rode at all,” she hummed playfully. Perhaps that was not entirely true, though. She felt a well of pride in her chest for living through the four laps around the corral, and Runa wondered if she would be able to do five the next time.
“Four was all I would have expected of a second lesson. Five would have merely been extra.”
He took her lips and she lifted to her toes to eagerly let him. A small sound of contentment filtered from her lips. Her mind was already racing ahead, to the moment he had her home in their empty house, and the things he had uttered to her those minutes ago in the saddle became bright and real for her. She trailed her fingers up his chest and down his arms. Even through his tunic, she could feel his muscles. But she was ready for the tunic to be gone.
“I do not think we should have enough time in the morning for all reward you've earned. You'll have everything promised. And I think I'll be taking you, and Paega, up to the inn for supper today to celebrate. Does that sound good? You'll have quite an appetite after all our exercise waiting for us at home.”
“Then it shall need take longer than the morning? I’ll have no complaint,” the woman murmured in reply. Talk of food, though…she was absolutely ready for a meal. She had known, of course, that she should be expecting such increases in appetite what with the approaching end to her first three months of carrying their child, but Runa was nonetheless still surprised when she was so beset by hunger she could hardly stand it. After the reward Ceolmund had spoken of giving her, she mused she’d be quite ravenous. “The White Horse should be having that special with the lamb,” Runa hummed to him. Tilly had been talking about it at work while she was apprenticing, and Runa had hardly been able to stand the sudden desire she had to have the lamb-meat pie. It had sounded so amazing.
“Ugh,” Bear groaned as he heard Ceolmund speaking. Perhaps he had to accept that the man had undoubtedly touched his sister in every possible way—the thought alone almost made the man to gag once more—he certainly did not find it appropriate for the man to make such comments in public. Who knew who could overhear! The state of a marriage bed was not for others to hear. Though, he had heard it passed through the men that the whole street knew of Ceolmund’s and Runa’s affections. Beorhtric cringed, though morphed it into a stern stare to the captain as he neared. It figured the man would grow up to be a lusty, spineless dog. Ceolmund had made eyes at Runa’s body from the moment she had shed her girlishness; it was a shame he never learned to fight for her truly. He only saw the ride, not the woman. That was clear.
Ceolmund seemed to notice his attention, as well, for the man began to speak louder, and glance his way, making each word pronounced and pointedly for him.
“No cooking today, nor washing afterward. That will save us time. At least, no washing until tonight when I draw that bath for you… I'll do that washing though. Captain's orders.”
“Captain’s orders,” grumbled Beorhtric as he turned, leaning against the corral’s fencing. “Terrible orders.” How was anyone supposed to follow such a man to battle? He could not fathom.
Runa, for a moment, glanced to her brother, but not making out the words he mumbled, instead looked back to her captain. “Well, I certainly won’t defy my captain’s orders.” Her eyes glittered, even as he pulled her tighter to his side.
“I do not think she's feeling ill at all. Did well. Needs some work on her knee grip, but it was only beginner's error. We can practice that at home without the saddle.”
“I’m the one that’s feeling ill now,” Bear countered stiffly as he turned away. He could not look upon Ceolmund, not with talk of practicing knee grips without a saddle. The way he was talking earlier, about Runa picking the speed…
Once more the man gagged, though there was nothing left to fly from his stomach, and the bile merely burned the back of his mouth. He could not even look at his sister, for the thought of her practicing her knees on Ceolmund was too much. Any other circumstance, he would have been proud of her try with the horses. And for Tait in particular, for the mare was no easy handle.
“Bear?” Runa asked tentatively, reaching to touch his shoulder with light fingers. He looked as if he should be lying down, perhaps with his head between his knees. He was pale, and she had seen enough men and women collapse in the Healing Hall to know that he was teetering close to such an edge. Her touch, though, merely seemed to upset him, and he shuffled once more to the pail. “You should go rest,” she said quietly.
Bear grunted in response.
“We best give her that half apple. Else she'll think we won't keep an honest promise to her. Only another minute for her reward, and then off to yours.”
Runa turned back to her husband, slipping her hand in his with a giggle. “Then, Captain,” she sang to him in a low tone. A prelude for what was to come. “We best hurry with her—I don’t want to wait.”