Page 47 of Faeling
After the previous night, Ravenna didn’t know if it would ever be safe to touch him again.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t enjoyed their passion. She did.
And it wasn’t that she didn’t have a little experience already. She did.
It was…well, everything. She’d thought herself able to handle her ownazai. She’d watched him for years, knew enough to suspect he’d be a passionate lover. Knowing something and experiencing it were two very different things, however, and having all of that lust and attention focused on her—and inanger—was too much.
It’s not supposed to be like that.
Her handful of experiences and years of exploring her own body hadn’t prepared her for the onslaught. Of course, she wasn’t about to admit that to him. Oh no. Not like this, kept as his prisoner, under threat of an orcess wife.
Ravenna retreated behind her own defiance, a safe place that fit like a well-worn pair of boots. Others may balk at finding solace in mischief and mayhem, but Ravenna found it soothing to look about his quarters and think of ways to make his life difficult. She decided her best course of action was to burn hisbed.
She knew of his love for comfort, how on longer trips, his large tent included a plush camp bed. For as rough and rugged as the king could be, he did enjoy his luxuries, too. His bed was a soft target, one she wasn’t above threatening, especially since she’d no plans of joining him in it any time soon.
Of course, she’d burn it once he was back. For now, it was all hers.
In the meantime, with little else to do than stew and wait for Brynhíl to check on her, Ravenna soaked in his private bath.
Hot springs could be found all over the mountain, as she understood it, and the restorative mineral water produced in them was renowned across the territories. More than a few intrepid orcs ran thriving businesses bottling the mineral water up for sale, as well as adding it to creams, potions, and tonics.
Although the steam carried a fragrant tang to it, Ravenna still thoroughly enjoyed pulling off her linen robe and sinking up to her chin. The warm water did wonders for the crick in her neck, developed over a night on the sofa.
Alone in the baths, she felt safe enough to unfurl her wings. Even though they folded up into discreet little bundles between her shoulder blades, it’d taken quite a bit of maneuvering to keep them out of sight when Brynhíl helped her bathe the other day. Although Bryn was a kind orcess, and Ravenna as a half-fae was likely expected to have wings like a fae woman, wings were a vulnerability, an easy target for enemies.
That was why they were often only forazaito see and touch. And…Ravenna’s were small. Too small.
Another vulnerability she’d no intention of sharing with her ownazaiany time soon. Not after last night.
Sinking further into the water, Ravenna tried to leave thoughts of that outside the bath.
She’d just gotten relaxed when Oberon decided it was time to chat.
Are you safe, Crow? How are you?
I’m well enough. Still confined to his quarters, even though he’s left for some sort of derring do.
The king is away?
That seems to be the plan,she thought grumpily.
Ah, this works in our favor.
What does?she asked suspiciously.
It isn’t perfect, but mother has been forming an idea of how to break you out of there.
I see…
Do you know an orc that’d make a good hostage?
Ravenna sighed as she dipped below the surface, bubbles cascading around her face.
She would be wrinklier than a walnut by the time she finally made it out of the bath and convinced the herd not to take a hostage to negotiate her surrender to them.
It wasn’t until late afternoon that visitors came, and it wasn’t Brynhíl. Instead, after a swift knock on the door, making Ravenna jump up from her half-doze on the sofa, Eydis and another orcess entered the suite.
“Good day,” Eydis greeted her. “I hope we’re not disturbing you.”
