At Her Temple

Quiet Haven

Leela

I turned my horse and waved to the bowing villagers, galloping back towards the castle. It was barely two miles from the village to the castle, and the landscape in the distance was mountainous. If it hadn't been so cold, I would have taken him closer to the mountains, but the ice at this time made the journey treacherous.

As we entered the castle gates at a trot, he rode close to me.

"So, what's this final place you must show me?"

I nodded towards the cluster of trees at the edge of the castle grounds.

"I’ve heard stories of the forests in Zamee, and it may not be much compared to them. But it's my quiet haven."

"Then I shall like to see it," he replied, sincerely.

We rode towards it, nodding at the groundsmen who bowed as we passed. As I rode into the trees with him on my tail, I slowed Calypso to a standstill and slowly dismounted. Because of the closeness of the trees, there were still patches of grass where snow had not managed to fall, and the green stood in stark contrast to the white.

I heard Eli dismount behind me and he walked his horse to stand by my side.

"I have never seen trees like this," he said, gazing up at the fir leaves that almost concealed the sky. He took off his helmet, a grand ornament with two large ivory horns on either side of his head, and a smaller one protruding from the front. He shook out his jet black curls and placed the helmet on his horse's saddle.

I tied Calypso's reins to a tree knot and beckoned for him to do the same.

He laughed, shaking his head at me.

"Niro will be here when I get back. If he isn't, then that's just my kismet and I shall see him at the stables."

He patted his horse, whispering something in his ear and smiling. I'd heard of Zameenites having a strange kinship with their horses, and I watched him, fascinated. I watched him caress his horse's mane and wondered what his large fingers would feel like all over my body.

"Are you ready?" he said, catching me off guard.

I jumped, looking everywhere but at his face. Had he seen me watching his hands?

"Yes, let's walk."

---

Eli

Upon Princess Leela's request, I had taken off my furs and was wearing just the thick woollen robes with a light leather cloak. She was right. The temperature was warmer within the trees and after just a few minutes of walking, I was already feeling warm and removed my cloak from around me.

She had taken off her furs and her cloak and left them on her horse, and as she walked in front of me, I gazed upon the roundest ass I had ever seen. Her robes did nothing to conceal it as she climbed upwards on the slightly inclined ground.

"Here," she finally declared proudly, as we stepped into a small clearing with little snow and smatterings of sunlight from the sky above.

"In the spring, this clearing is filled with flowers of all colours. Right now it's just the colour of the snow and the firs, but in spring, it's a sight to behold."

She unclipped a flask from her belt and brought it to her lips. I reached for mine and cursed. I'd left it attached to my furs which were currently back with Niro.

Noticing, she coyly handed hers to me.

"It's Varunian ale. I'll assume your Zameenite stomach can take it?"

I couldn't help but laugh. I took her flask, spread my cloak on the soft ground and sat, patting the ground near me for her to join.

"We Zameenites often sit on the earth. I'll assume your Varunian ass can take it?"

Her mouth popped open in shock and I watched her chest rise as she gasped. The things I could do with that mouth.

I shook my head clear of those thoughts as she sat just out of arms reach from me. I sipped from her flask and handed it back to her.

"So, Princess Leela. You have told me great things of your land. Now tell me something of yourself."

She seemed surprise by my request and hesitated.

"You may call me Leela," she said, shyly looking up at me from under her long lashes.

"I'm not sure what you want to know," she started slowly.

"Well firstly Leela, even for royalty, you're a very skilled rider."

She smiled sweetly at my compliment, the small dimple in her right cheek showing itself again.

"My father taught me to ride when I was very young. My sister learned the arts of being a princess, but I wanted to learn to ride and fight."

"Fight?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised, your majes... Eli,” she corrected herself.

"I learned archery from when I was seven and swordsmanship from the time I could pick one up. Does this offend you?" she asked.

"No, it doesn't offend me, but I should like to see your skills on display," I replied.

There was a lot about her I'd like to see on display, but all in good time. Her scent surrounded me and it took all my will not to claim her as mine.

"Have you ever given any thought to being queen?" I asked.

She considered my question for a long moment, biting down on her lip. I wanted so desperately to relieve her of that duty.

"I'm third in line for the throne, so I don't think I ever really considered it. My brother has been training to be king since the day he was born and my sister... well, Keira is a princess through and through."

"And what about you?" I pressed.

"I... well I don't know." For the first time since I met her, she seemed unsure of herself.

"I've never had royal ambitions. I discuss political affairs with my father often, but I have never aspired to have royal influence. I've wanted to travel, see different lands, ride Calypso to the ends of the earth."

I wish she'd ride me to the ends of the earth, but I held my tongue and watched her. She'd be the perfect queen. She caught me looking at her and looked away, blushing lightly. I groaned internally, my hands itching to touch her. I wondered if she felt the bond the way I did. She was a Varunian, after all.

“Where have you wanted to travel?” I asked.

“I… I don’t say this to flatter you, but I have always wanted to see the southern kingdom of Zamee and everything that lies between. I have heard many stories. Though I’m not sure all of them are true,” she said, chuckling quietly to herself.

I held my tongue. She’d be surprised just how true some of them may be.

“There are many legends surrounding your people,” she said, curiously.

“Indeed,” I said, not willing to give away too much, too soon.

She curled her hair absentmindedly around her finger, her green eyes matching the fir trees surrounding us.

“And… what about you?” she asked suddenly.

“What about me?”

She laughed, a wonderful sound that I wished to hear every day from now.

“You’re a mysterious, handsome king from the southern lands, tell me something about yourself?”

“You think me handsome?”

I smirked, though I was pleased to hear it. She blushed furiously, averting her gaze.

“Don’t avoid the question, Eli.”

Goddess, the way she said my name.

“Well… I am the King of Zamee… it is no secret that I have come here to form an alliance with your father. An alliance bound by a union.”

“Would you not rather marry for love?” she asked.

“I would marry for both,” I said, smiling.

“Why do kings in Zamee have so many wives?” she asked, quickly changing the subject.

I considered this carefully.

“There was time when the kings of Zamee could not find their right… partners. And our royal numbers were dwindling. So, to produce more offspring and ensure the royal line, the king of Zamee took on many wives.”

“And the wives are fine with it?”

Well, she really wasn’t holding back with the questions.

“My father’s wives all had a hand in raising me. And I see no difference between my siblings borne of my own mother or of any of my second mothers. As to whether the wives mind… I don’t think so. They know what it means to marry the King of Zamee.”

“It’s an awful lot of women to manage. Where does he sleep?”

I threw my head back and laughed at this.

“If you’re worried about the satisfaction of the king’s wives, I assure you, the kings of Zamee have been perfectly capable of keeping their wives’ beds warm.

Her mouth popped open and I wondered how it would feel wrapped around my…

“You certainly ask a lot of questions, Leela,” I said, forcefully interrupting my own thoughts.”

“You certainly avoid many of them,” she taunted.

She grew bolder as we spoke.

“I hope you have enjoyed your tour of Varun.”

“I have. I had the company of a most excellent guide.”

She smiled warmly.

"It's no secret why I'm here, Leela. I came to fulfil my father’s wish of an alliance with Varun. And what better way to consolidate that alliance than with a marriage."

I saw a blush forming on her cheeks and resisted reaching out to touch her face.

"I could have asked anyone to show me Varun. And yet, I asked for you. Do you know why?" I asked her.

She shook her head and looked down nervously, and it was too much for me to bear. I moved closer to her and put my finger under her chin, tilting her face upwards to face me.

"Oh Leela. I think you do."