The Assasin's Princess

Keeping Secrets

        He was watching over her as she slept, maybe if he were to sleep next to her? Could he restrain himself when they were that close to each other? She fell asleep listening for a sound from him but all she heard was the fire and the falls.

        Dorban stood leaning against the mouth of the cave watching her sleep. He was going to have her as his life-mate, he had a sense of completion when he looked at her. She would never again feel the sting of betrayal.

        The fire was burning well and she was in a deep sleep so he gathered his sword and bow and left her to find food. When he returned over an hour later she hadn’t moved, he sighed in relief to see she was still at peace. He couldn’t resist stealing glances at her as he cut up and skinned the small deer he had claimed for her.

        He laughed when her quaint eyebrows furrowed just before she woke to the smell of the cooking meat. “I thought you would be hungry.”

        “I am starving!” She yawned as she stretched, pushing her arms free of the blanket again. The stray hair was in her face again so she pulled the tie from the end of the braid. The more hair she feed from the braid only entranced him more. She now had a full head of thick, dark, curling hair that fell all around her face and down her back.

        Mora realized he was staring at her, he took a deep swallow and licked his lips, he never noticed the flame licking his hand. “Dorban, your hand.”

        “Oh.” He quickly pulled it back, Sorry. I didn’t realize you had so much hair. It’s beautiful.”

        “I have thought of cutting it all off, maybe I wont attract so much attention.” She waded it up to a height she thought she might like and his hand stopped her.

        “Please don’t cut it, leave it for me?”

        “Why?”

        “You are perfect just the way you are. It’s ultimately your decision but I would like to see it stay long.” She released it and it fell down around his hand. His fingers twined in the curls and brought her face closer to his own.

        “Dorban would you do something for me?”

        “I would do anything for you Mora.”

        “I want to know what it was like for you to kiss me.” Her beautiful green eyes were sharp and waiting. Her breathing had picked up a little and her chest pushed at the loosely wrapped blanket.

        His large hand cupped the back of her head and tilted it so gently to allow his lips to lower to hers. There was something strangely erotic about their eyes locking on each other when they touched. Mora was pulling him in deeper, and he knew he had gained her trust when her long lashes fluttered closed.

Mora’s heart was racing but not from fear, it seemed as if this man wanted her just as she was. For a man of his size he was so incredibly gentle. His lips left hers and pressed to her forehead as he tilted her head to rest against his chest. His nose burrowed into her unbound hair and he took in a deep lung full of her scent.

        She was leery when his arms curled around her back but quickly realized it may just be safer within his arms than out. The question still remained, would he go beyond a simple embrace, would he wait for an invitation? He took one last deep smell and relished in the simple contact.

        “That will have to do for now.” He murmured as he released her and sat back.

        “What will do?”

        “Your smell, your hair is thick with it.”

        “Why is it so special?” This was truly a first for her.

        “It is intoxicating.” He put the meat on the spit to cook and said, “ the warmer your skin grows the thicker the smell. It’s like, soft vanilla and Ivory.”

        When he glanced back up at her she saw the restraint he was holding at bay in his eyes, he wanted her badly. It almost seemed as if he got lost every time he would look into her eyes. “You are the first person to ever admire me the way you do.”

        “It seems that someone admired you at some point, they wanted to establish their dominance.” He pointed to her jaw.

        “He established dominance to my back and the back of my head too.” She felt the knot at the base of her skull, he reached over to feel of it too.

        “How did that happen?”

        “This big i***t had me over his shoulder and then he slammed me to the ground as hard as he could.”

        “Who was he?”

        “His boss’ name is Saven I think. Saven is responsible for the bruise on my face.”

        “Gore does most of my brother’s dirty work for him. The will never touch you again I swear it.”

        “How can you be so sure?”

        “I will make sure personally.” He handed her some of the cooked meat, “it isn’t much.”

        She bit off a small bite and quickly glanced up at him, “this is wonderful.”

        “You are hungry, anything tastes wonderful.” He laughed, it made his eyes twinkle slightly.

        “No, it’s really tender. I have never had wild game that turned out so tender. How did you do that?”

        “My father taught me how to cook. He told me I had to be able to kill, clean, and cook whatever I hunted.”

        “Do you prefer it out in the wild?”

        “It’s all to escape for a while, it used to be the one thing that would relax me.”

        “What relaxes you now?”

        “Taking care of something I found wandering in the woods. She has these endless green eyes and the smallest hands I have ever seen.”

        Mora sighed and looked down at her hands in her lap. “Dorban, what would your people say when they find out about my condition? Wouldn’t it cause problems for you and your mother?”

        “Not if they don’t know about it.”

        “But they will know.”

        “Not if you and I don’t tell them.”

        “You would keep a secret like that to save me?” He nodded. She looked away from his piercing eyes as she paused, “how long would you keep it a secret?”

        “Unless you revealed this secret it would never leave my lips.”

        “I appreciate the kindness. You won’t regret taking me in.”

        “I could never regret anything about you.” He hated the forlorn look on her face, “I will keep you from harm from Avlar, and your father if need be.”

        “Dorban, why did you take to me so quickly?”

        “I’ve been waiting for a woman like you to come along. Someone as quiet and beautiful on the inside as the outside. Someone to give my attention to that would give attention back to me in return.”

        “Why couldn’t I have found you before Avlar?” She sighed whist fully as she gazed at him.

        “The important thing is that you have me now.” He cleared his throat; “you know, traveling at night is fairly safe in this part of the forest. We should leave soon.”

        “Are my clothes dry?”

        He picked them up and laid them in her lap. “I would really like to see you in something nicer than this.”

        “When you are on the run and don’t want to be noticed you wear what you can and don’t think about looking nice.” She held a hand out to him and he pulled her to her feet. I used to enjoy looking good and making the men’s heads turn.”

        He nodded and he held her with nothing between them but a blanket. “I can see that. Of course you looked good without a thing on, clothes are just an extra.” His words ignited a flame in her cheeks, and it was spreading. He turned and started trying to pack up camp.

        She managed to yank on her shirt, nearly strangling herself with her hair before she managed to pull it free. She was wiggling into her pants and started toppling towards the fire. He caught her and held her upright until she was finished.

        Slowly he pulled his arms right around her and his mouth hovered over hers. He licked his lips and swallowed hard as he stared down into her eyes. He wanted to take her so badly. His lips ached to devour hers, so soft and full just waiting to be claimed.

        “Dorban, would you keep me with you forever?”

        “I would follow you to the end of the last galaxy, Mora.”

        She closed the distance between their lips and her eyes drifted closed. He pulled her tighter into his chest and deepened the kiss. He watched her as she licked her lips and tried to catch her breath. Were her lips tingling with fire like his were?

        “We should probably go. The sooner I get you to a comfortable bed the better it will be for your leg.” He didn’t want to let her go, but she truly needed to get some better rest. He finished gathering his things and threw her bag over his shoulder, he reached out a hand and she took it. She was taken back at the beauty of the waterfall and the recess it had made in the forest. There were brightly colored birds perched on low hanging trees and magnificent flowers everywhere.

        “It’s so beautiful here.”

        “This would be a perfect place to have a wedding,” he commented.

        She stopped walking and looked up at him in surprise, “could we? Really?”

        “Of course we will.”

        He was ever vigilant at her side a they climbed out of the recess. She stumbled once and he was quick to snatch her to his chest to keep her from falling She clung to him desperately. She didn’t want to fall this time, she had something to look forward to now.