Later, with their bellies full for the first time in a week, the small fire warming their skin, and exhaustion slowly taking them over, Donovan and Brandela settled into a contented silence, lost in their own private thoughts.
Donovan watched Brandela in the firelight and, despite his earlier annoyance, he was moved by her beauty and found himself smiling. It was more than just beauty. She had a delicate, childlike quality about her that brought something out in him—a protective-ness and deep affection like nothing he’d ever felt before. Now, as he watched, her eyes were growing heavy and her head nodded as she started to drift into sleep. It made him want to gather her up and hug her. She was so lovely!
Donovan stood and retrieved the blanket, and gently draped it over Brandela’s shoulders. She was instantly wide awake again and on her feet at the feel of his touch. The months she had spent as a prisoner had developed that habit in her and it never failed to touch his heart. He wondered if she’d ever be able to fully relax in sleep again.
“It’s all right, Princess,” he soothed. “Take the blanket and curl up over here and get some sleep.”
The sleepy confusion and wariness left Brandela’s eyes at the sound of his voice, replaced by a small, affectionate smile. She shrugged the blanket from her shoulders and held it out to him. “I will not allow my bonded mate to be cold and uncomfortable throughout the night.”
“Don’t be silly,” he said, pushing the blanket back into her arms. “I have the fire. I’ll be fine.”
A look of stubborn determination crossed Brandela’s face. “My Lord will not be cold tonight!” she insisted.
Donovan considered Brandela for a long moment, knowing that she was not likely to give in easily. He’d seen that look before. Finally, he thought of something that might change her mind. “Fine, we’ll share it then,” he said.
For the briefest moment, he saw the familiar hesitation and nervousness flash across Brandela’s face, but this time it didn’t last. To his surprise, she readily agreed. He was too tired to argue and the idea of being warm, coupled up against Brandela’s body, instead of fighting the elements as he had for the past ten days was more than inviting.
Donovan took the blanket from her and wrapped it around her shoulders again, then guided her to a grassy hollow not far from the fire. He lowered himself to the ground and pulled her down beside him, arranging the blanket over both of them and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. Brandela snuggled into his chest, into the safety of his arms and his solidness and warmth. She could not remember a time when she had ever felt happier.
With her head on his chest, Brandela could hear Donovan’s heartbeat. I could listen to the music of his heart all night, she thought contentedly. She listened as his breathing began to deepen, as his heartbeats matched her own, slow, steady, strong; and she felt his muscles begin to relax as sleep began to pull him under. For her, sleep was faraway, and she squirmed to find a more comfortable position.
Her squirming brought Donovan back to wakefulness and made him uncomfortable in a way that she would not understand. He willed her to stop her jostling, but said nothing. Brandela finally got situated with her body curled close against his. She lowered her head back to his chest, hoping the calm, steady beat of his heart would lull her off to sleep. She was surprised to hear Donovan’s heart beating rapidly and a feeling came from him that she was unfamiliar with. What mood was this that she was feeling from him?
She wiggled in closer and soon found her own heart racing to meet his. She lifted her head in surprise and asked, “What causes your heart to beat so fast, husband?”
Donovan opened his eyes and looked deeply into hers. The feeling she had begun to sense from him earlier came over her in a rush and she knew they were feeling it for each other. This was a desire to be one, to come together in a way that would bind them physically, strengthening the heart-bond that the bonding spell had created.
Brandela knew it was her duty as a wife to provide physical comfort to her bonded mate, and she had been taught all about “mating,” but she was a little scared because she had never before attempted anything along these lines and the feelings that he was provoking in her were so intense. This was not simply “duty.” She wanted him as much as he wanted her. She decided to follow her instincts and lowered her head to surprise Donovan with a gentle kiss full on the lips.
Donovan pulled away, surprised and uncertain. “What are you doing?”
Brandela smiled invitingly. “It’s all right. We are bonded now. I know you desire me, and I desire you. This is permissible.” She leaned to kiss him again, but he turned away.
“No, Brandela, I can’t do this. You are the daughter of Lord Aden. This is going to cause…”
Brandela cut him off before he could finish. “I am also your bonded mate and I desire you now,” she shot back impatiently. Brandela did not understand these strange and powerful new feelings and emotions, but she knew, instinctively, that only he could give her what she wanted.
“Please,” she whispered. She stroked the side of his face and kissed him again. This time he did not resist. The kiss stirred strange sensations in her, and left her lightheaded and wanting more. They kissed, gently, for a long time, experimenting, exploring, both caught up in the seduction of this new experience.
Then Donovan did something that Brandela could not have imagined or anticipated in a thousand years. He licked her bottom lip and when she opened her mouth slightly, he slid his tongue into her mouth, teasing her tongue with his. The feeling that this provoked in her took her completely by surprise. Shivers coursed through her body and her desire to unite with him became nearly uncontrollable. Her kisses became urgent and she pleaded with him in incoherent tones that he somehow seemed to understand perfectly.
Donovan rolled over, still kissing her, pinning her slender body beneath his with her legs apart. Donovan stopped and looked at her for a long moment, until she questioned, “Why have you stopped?”
“I’m giving you a chance to back out of this. I won’t be able to control myself if we go any further.”
Brandela stroked his hair affectionately and replied, “I have never wanted anything more in my entire life.”
Donovan’s last remaining threads of resistance broke and he began to make love to his princess.
Afterward, spent and contented, they slept entwined in each other’s arms. As she drifted off to sleep, Brandela wished that this time she had with Donovan would last forever.
The next morning, Brandela awoke to find Donovan up and smothering the campfire. He was still nude from the waist up and her eyes traced the hard curves of his muscles as he performed his task, completely unaware that he was being observed. She remembered how good it felt to have his bare skin next to hers last night and felt heat rush to her face at the memory.
She sighed and began to rise, but suddenly realizing that she had no clothing on, she grabbed the blanket and covered herself.
Donovan saw the sudden flurry of movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to look behind him. Brandela stood, red-faced and clearly embarrassed, looking about for her clothing while trying to hold the blanket over her naked body. He smiled, somehow charmed by her modesty, even after what they had done last night. He didn’t understand it. They were the only two people around for leagues, after all, but he found it rather endearing.
Donovan knew he should probably be a gentleman and turn back around to let her find her clothing without being scrutinized. But, her obtuse behavior the day before, when she purposely kept from him what she knew about them being bonded, deserved a little payback. So, with a playful cock of his eyebrow, he turned to fully face her and settled himself on the ground as if he was getting ready to watch an entertaining play.
Brandela noticed him watching her and glanced around nervously, clutching the blanket tighter to her breasts. When he continued to stare, she blushed deeper and finally said, “Donovan, do you mind giving me a little privacy while I find my clothing?”
Donovan grinned wickedly and replied, “Yes, I do mind.”
Brandela stared back at him, surprised and confused by his unexpected answer to a reasonable request. “Donovan, please, I need to get dressed. I request some privacy!”
Donovan chuckled, clearly amused by her discomfort. In a teasing tone, he asked, “Did you not pledge your body to me yesterday? Did you not say ‘command me as you will’?”
Brandela’s eyes widened as she realized what he was playing at, and her nervousness began to turn to annoyance.
“I command you to drop that blanket and get dressed,” he said, his eyes glittering with delight. He had every intention of giving in to her desire for privacy; he just wanted to play a little first. He expected her to protest and refuse, but to his utter surprise, Brandela straightened her back, lifted her chin with royal dignity, and dropped the blanket to the ground.
Donovan’s grin faded as his eyes travelled over the delicate curves and soft, feminine features of her body. How on Ryyah is this possible, he thought? How can this beautiful creature possibly be mine? The sight of her aroused him again, leaving him breathless and speechless.
Brandela, at first overwhelmed by her own feelings of embarrassment and humiliation, did not “feel” his reaction to the sight of her right away, but as his passion grew stronger, she felt it within her heart and met his eyes. Her shyness turned to surprise and then to a strange, eager excitement as she realized that he had every intention of making love to her again. She remembered her mother once telling her about Elven marriage and how Elven males typically expected to engage intimately with their bonded mates once or sometimes twice a year. Apparently, it was different with human males! She couldn’t really say that she minded.
Now, standing naked before her husband, feeling his passion coursing through her own veins, she smiled invitingly. He needed no further encouragement and did not keep her waiting a moment longer.
Two hours later, they were back on the trail, making their way towards the walled free town of Grendel. Donovan knew of the town from maps that Alayna used to share with him. From what he remembered of the maps, he estimated that they should arrive sometime tomorrow if they were able to keep up their current pace.
Donovan was looking forward to reaching the town. Their supplies were running desperately low, and having a few days to blend in with other people, to eat proper food and really rest, would be a real treat. He hoped to sell his Elven dagger or short sword to get some of the local currency and then he could renew their supplies and perhaps even have enough left over to find Brandela more comfortable clothing to finish their journey in.
He glanced back at her, striding out in her oversized Ranger uniform. She had never complained, and he knew it would please him as much as it would her to be able to give her a more feminine outfit. Not that I need anything more to distract me, he thought ruefully. Thinking about the past few hours, he shook his head, smiling. How on Ryyah had he let himself become so distracted from their primary goal, which was to get them home in one piece? How was it possible that this Elven maiden was now his wife? Akenji was never going to believe this! And neither would Lord Aden. Donovan frowned at the thought of Lord Aden. This was definitely going to be a problem when they got back home.
Brandela followed quietly behind, lost in her own thoughts. She could still feel Donovan’s fingertips grazing her skin, and was amazed by the gentleness of his touch. He was such a hard, strong, rough young man, but she had seen the truth of his nature from the very beginning. She knew that hard exterior was covering up a gentle heart and the power of the love she felt for him nearly overwhelmed her. She suspected that the bonding spell did not create love, but only enhanced the tender feelings that were already there in one’s heart, for she had felt a strong attraction to him right from the first time she had met him, weeks before the spell had been activated.
They had challenges to face, she knew. Even if they survived, and even if her father somehow found a way to accept Donovan, there were other concerns. She knew, from her rudimentary studies of other races, that humans did not live all that long when compared to the Elves. What would she do without him when his time on Ryyah was done and she still had hundreds of years ahead of her? Bonding could only happen once in an Elf’s lifetime.
In truth, she couldn’t imagine being married to anyone else or allowing any other man to touch her in the way that Donovan did. These feelings and longings she had were for Donovan only and no one else. She did not regret what had happened because, however short a time they may have together, she could not imagine a life in which she did know him the way she did now. He was her lord, her husband, and she would stand with him no matter the consequences or what troubles would come in the future. She would make her father understand that, regardless of his feelings about the situation, she would always remain loyal and faithful to Donovan, no matter the cost.