245. You caught my eye.
After their discussions that night, it was concluded that they could not remain in the forest forever. They would all return to the palace along with Botch, Mileka and Rug come the next morning.
Much to Rug’s dismay.
However, Botch and Mileka were far too thrilled to spend some time within the royal palace of Trago to pass up such an opportunity. So they practically threatened the older man to accept the invitation.
Long after everyone in the cottage had fallen asleep, with Rakavi and Bashan laying on the floor in the sitting room along with the three elves, while Neriah and her husband rested in the room... Barak and Neriah remained awake doing nothing in particular.
They just laid in bed, facing each other as though they both feared to fall asleep.
"Neriah, you must sleep." Gently he stroked the side of her face as he spoke. "We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow and if you continue to look at me like that, I would want to do something... barbaric to you." He says and Neriah knowing fully well what those words meant blushed.
She missed her barbarian, and all the barbaric things they did together.
"If I tell you that I desperately want my barbarian tonight and I want him to do barbaric things to me... would you believe me?" She dared to say and Barak bit his bottom lip, holding on to a smile that played over his face.
"My dear Spitfire, since when did you begin to desire that this barbaric husband of yours do savage things to you?" He questioned and she buried her face into his chest.
And he remembered a time he had asked her something similar and her reaction was still the same. She had begged him then not to ask her such embarrassing questions.
"Since the moment I first laid eyes on you." She confessed and her confession shocked him. "Why do you seem so surprised? I remember I told you before that I wanted you that very night. I was just too proud to admit it."
Barak remembered.
He remembered it was on the day he first said the words ’I love you’ to her. She had confessed to wanting him. He remembered it clearly.
But he was just surprised as she suddenly confessed it again. He hadn’t been expecting an answer.
"What I did not tell you was, back then... you really caught my eye. I was stunned to turn around and find a man so tall, huge, dark and yet breathtakingly beautiful. Of course I was angered by the fact that you were so fine because I expected all Tragonians to look ugly and—" She paused and fixed her gaze on him. "I am not saying this to offend you." He simply nods.
"I could really not imagine a good looking Trangonian. That’s why when I first saw you, I was speechless. I still cannot believe I ended up marrying someone as beautiful as you. Our baby is going to steal lots of hearts if he looks like you." She smiled, and concluded her confession.
Barak remained silent and just stared at her, totally lost in her words.
This elven witch was going to be the death of him. Well, considering he’d actually almost died because of her and yet she was the one who still gave him strength to live... He did not know anymore.
Who would have known, that all those many times when they were newly married that she considered him physically appealing to the eye? All those times she seared at him and cried out words of hate to him, she secretly admired his good looks.
Such a cunning and dubious woman, this Spitfire of his was.
With slightly flushed cheeks, Barak leaned in and placed a kiss upon her forehead, then another on her nose, before he took her lips in a short and soft kiss.
"Let us hold back for now." He whispered over her lips.
"Why?" She asks.
"Because it has been so long."
"Is that not more reason for us to not hold back?" She asks.
"No my love. It has been so long, so if I am to hold you for the first time in so long, I would not want you to hold back your voice. I would want you to scream as loud and wild as possible. I would not want you to think about the people outside our door, and just focus on us."
"Ah. I-I see." Neriah pressed her lips together to hide her pleased and shy smile.
"So Neriah sleep. So will I." He says and she nods, and he pulls her close to his body.
That night they both went to sleep with a head full of all the barbaric things they planned to do together.
When that time comes, it would surely be a long, long night.
***
Dawn came and everyone was set to move.
There were four horses and seven people, so Bashan and Rakavi rode on one together. "Oh my darling, how long has it been since we rode together like this?" The man had crooned into her neck causing the woman to giggle delightfully. "Oh, Bashan." was the only thing she said in response.
Barak was never going to allow his pregnant wife ride on her own in the first place; he was scared she would grow weary if she had nothing to lean on as they rode. But with him sitting behind her, she could easily rest her back upon his chest.
"Are you certain you are fine? Is the weather too hot? Should we—"
"Barak, I am fine." She had reassured him for the umpteenth time.
"Alright then. Just inform me if you face any discomfort at all on the way." He ordered and she nodded. So this was how Barak cared for his pregnant wife. She could see it now. Oh how much they had missed being apart from each other.
Botch and Mileka took one horse and old Rug was comfortably set on the last horse.
With everyone set... It was time to say goodbye to the forest of the damned.