Page 56 of Dragon Keeper
“Then I will ask him to pickle anything we have left that can be done in a brine…” Sloan kissed the tip of his nose. “And the fact that you are worried about being a good omega father means you will be. If you were utterly confident, I would worry about your sanity.”
“What? Do you really think so?”
Sloan rocked him gently. “Of course, I really think so. You’re going to be an amazing father, and I’m going to try really hard.” Sloan winked at him. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Is it common here to be alone, like just a couple, when you’re having children? Because I’ve noticed from talking to the Rocky Mountain clutch, and even Cosmo and Cullen and all that—they tend to have large hives, so to speak, when they’re having babies. So I was just curious if you wanted to go and stay closer to your sister this winter?” Sloan nuzzled him, slowly easing him back up the stairs. “I could ask her if she’d like to come. I just wasn’t sure what you thought would be best. I can also ask Brayden and Riley if they’d like to come back for the winter…”
Honestly, Tyr hadn’t thought about it a ton. In his estimation, when a dragon lived in the village close by, they had dragons everywhere to help. Others to be a support and a comfort, much like the hives.
And then there was them doing this very much on their own. What would Harden do if he were pregnant?
“I have to admit, I don’t know. Normally, I think my twin would have been with me. And we would have been a group, perhaps with my sister. Although, I don’t know.”
It made him a bit nervous not to know.
“Well, it’s not a big deal. I don’t care. We don’t have to have a huge group of people or even a small group of people. I was just wondering, because you seemed so worried, that perhaps this was something which traditionally has been done in a group setting. And whether or not it would be, if you would feel better if we went down into town more often, visited Harden. Had my brothers come, or go down to see your sister.” Sloan shrugged. “Or what if we have them here?”
Tyr nodded, the words making sense. “Perhaps, yes. The Friend Feast is coming, and we’ll all get together then. But you’re right. Usually in the fall and winter, I spend many days in town or at Harden’s or being social because I’ve worked all summer. And this winter, I have something more important to think about. Two more important things. My mate and my child.” He grinned at Sloan. “So. Perhaps you have a point. Perhaps we need to have more visitors?”
“We’ll extend the invite.” Sloan just loved on him, and it was the most amazing thing. So wondrous to be in his love’s arms after his little meltdown in their lower rooms.
“Thank you. Did I ever thank you for dancing with me? I don’t think I did.” He could tell that Sloan had not danced much in his life, but his mate had an innate grace about him that allowed him to do all manner of physical things well. And they had danced several times since. In the pool. Out with the dormant hives.
Everywhere.
“That’s pure pleasure, my love.” Sloan turned them, guiding him and his jar of pickles back up into the main part of the house.
In the kitchen, Sloan put them together a little bowl of those wondrous pickles along with some pungent cheese, which also satisfied the urge in his belly, and some sliced radishes, which he loved. They were from Myk’s garden as well. They were hot andspicy, and they had something similar native to Lunastra, but harok was much milder and less likely to make his nose feel like it was burning a little when he bit them.
Then Sloan led him to their front room, which was a nest of blankets and pillows now on their big sofas, and they curled together, Sloan’s lips on the top of his head, his braids draped across Sloan’s chest.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t dance with you at the festival?” Sloan teased.
“I was worried that you wouldn’t. I think I had built it up so much in my mind over all of the years that I was without a mate that I worried that it wouldn’t measure up. But it was perfect.”
“I’m glad, love. I want this whole experience for you to be as perfect as it can. Just like today with the pickles. I know it won’t always be; that’s not how life works. But if I start to screw up again like I did when I went to your sister’s?—”
He stopped Sloan right there. “We both had to learn how to live with someone else. You’re used to your brothers who you command as the eldest, and I’m used to my bees, who ask a lot of me but then give me a great deal too. So I tend to put them first. Next year, we’ll do better.”
“We will. We have the whole winter and the early spring to get to know each other so much better.”
“Will you be flying patrols with Cade this winter?”
Sloan chuckled. “Cade tells me that he doesn’t need me to be as active in the winter. I suppose because dragons don’t travel as much during that time.” Sloan stroked Tyr’s arm, fingers dancing along his tunic. “It’s harder in the winter, maybe. I think perhaps he just wants me to leave him alone.”
He pinched Sloan’s nipple through his shirt, making his love jump.
“Ow!”
“Cade is your friend, Sloan. He would never ask you to go away and leave him alone.” Well, that might be strongly worded. “But he is accustomed to doing his job his way. I think it would be like asking Harden to let you herd his animals. We’re all set in our ways.” He glanced up, finding that curious gleam in Sloan’s eyes that he knew meant questions about their village life.
“So what happens if someone new wants to be the animal herder in a village like ours?”
“They can be! We have more than one. Harden just happens to be my friend.”
Sloan blinked a little bit because that obviously had never occurred to him. “But you’re the only beekeeper.”
