Siroos smiled down at his bewildered mate and answered.
"She surely did. I was so lost when you were snatched away from me. She came in a dream and asked me to hold on because we would be blessed with a child in future. I can’t wait for that day."
The water splashed as Siroos lifted his hand and cupped her face, she rested it on his palm and watched him in awe, slowly blinking at him with her long lashes that kissed her eyelids every time she blinked.
"Me too, Siro. There is nothing more I want than to have a child with you. He or she will have your strength and passion."
He smiled which softened and highlighted his features.
"And your soft heart and resilience," Siroos answered back, watching her all mesmerised.
"One day. Siro, one day. For now, we should wash up and head out. You haven’t even eaten and I am keeping you."
"Well, the only thing I wanted to eat was the softness between your legs and I am not sleeping without the taste," he enunciated as Cassandra slipped from his hold and stood up. The water drenched from her body and tickled into the bathtub.
"I will feed you in ample." She winked and climbed out, followed by Siroos who’s shoulders had sagged because he wished to spend more alone time with his mate.
Cleaning themselves up, they got dressed and left their chamber to head down to eat and further discuss their strategy.
***
"You should go to her chamber and call her for an evening meal," Ranon advised Faris.
"What if she is resting? We waited quite a while for Siroos and Razail before they arrived, she must be tired."
"More reason to call on her. Small steps you should take so both of you can move forward. And yes, take some gift for her, she is your mate, start these small gestures." Ranon patted his friend’s shoulder and Faris sucked in a deep breath.
He was notorious for gifting every woman he slept with but now when it came down to his mate, he was blank on these matters.
"Bless-o! Let me start with flowers." Faris made his way towards the oasis. Cassandra and Lotus had grown so many new plants and had completely transformed the whole area around the oasis.
Faris wasn’t sure which colour Aiko preferred but her eyes were this intense blue so he grabbed some tube shaped sapphire hued flowers. Making a bunch out of them, he wrapped one of the leaf stalks around them to keep them together.
Taking long strides, Faris reached the chamber and found the door was not fully closed.
Faris knocked on the door but got no response. He waited for a few moments and knocked again with his bent knuckles.
Silence prevailed and he assumed there was no one inside. Slowly pushing open the door, he lifted the thin curtain that Aiko had hung there, he walked inside.
Faris wished to place the flowers on her table and leave.
Her scent saturated the very air of the room and Faris couldn’t help but take in deep gulps. Everything was neatly arranged in the room as Faris approached the small table and placed the blue flowers on it.
Then he felt her behind him and quickly turned, she had emerged from the wash area, holding only a woollen cloth in her hand.
Aiko had gone to wash herself up when everyone had left for the evening meal. She wasn’t expecting to see anyone here, especially not her mate.
Faris’s mouth opened and kept opening until it hit the floor. His eyes rolled into his sockets and the man almost had a nose bleed, seeing her luscious body dripping with drops of water. Her water-ladden hair partially covered her breasts.
A rain of emotions drizzled over her, drenching her completely from vulnerability to surprise and then finally embarrassment.
The woollen cloth she rapidly shifted to her private area as she screamed in embarrassment and squeezed her eyes shut.
Faris leapt back at her scream and yelped in turn. Toppling over a chair in the process.
Both of them screamed at the same time.
"I a–m sor–ry, I didn’t mea–n to," he began, extending both his hands and frantically waving them in front. Squeezing his eyes tight shut but that image of his naked mate was singed into his brain now.
’Pretty, our mate is so pretty. Go lick her, you fools,’ the wise fox spirit suggested to Faris.
Aiko’s body hued red from the roots of her hair to her toes.
Without thinking she transformed into her fox and squealed trying to hide from this situation she had been caught in.
Faris’s fox surfaced in return and prompted him to transform as well. Standing tall on his all fours he howled, calling her to him.
The female fox tried to run away again but male fox’s painful yowl had her pausing and turning her head.
She chose to lower herself on the floor this time, instead of escaping. Her intelligent eyes carefully watched him as she let out a slow whimper and placed her face on her extended paws.
Male fox let his tongue hang as he cautiously moved forward, sniffing her.
"Emm!" She let out slow sounds until the orange-red fox was towering over her. Intensity in their eyes relayed the unsaid words.
Lowering his head, he gave her face a long wet lick, asserting his claim.
The female fox closed her eyes under his affection and let out soft yelps of happiness. Her ears pricked as she lay perfectly still, only wagging her bushy tail, left and right.
Seeing her so docile and cooperative, the male fox settled right alongside her, placing his paw on its back and pulling her to him. He placed his head on hers and silently sat, embracing her.
Fur to fur.
Heart to heart.
And she reached out with her tongue too and licked the side of his jaw, showing her approval of his behaviour and closed her eyes. Letting him shower his adoration on her.