The North (Closed)

[heartofcourage]

Riley heard the muffled groan that she brought forth and felt bold. She gripped him at the base of his cock, holding him steady as her lips and tongue worshiped him. Her other hand rested against his flank, feeling each flex and jerk of his tensed muscles. Gods, she felt powerful in that moment, completely in control of his whims and desires.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not gonna last if you keep that up," he gasped quietly, but he didn't try to stop her. They both knew from experience that he could manage several rounds if they so desired.

The energy between them grew as they connected physically and mentally. Andre's desire for her was electric. If Riley ever doubted that he had eyes only for her, he quelled that doubt each time they connected. When he gripped her fur again, he gritted his teeth to bite back another long moan as he came suddenly. His hips jerked forward to meet her, and the only sound she heard was a soft whimpering growl from her mate.

Almost the instant his muscles began to relax, Andre suddenly pulled away and tucked himself back into his trousers, hearing a distant door open. He pushed in front of Riley, blocking her and giving her a chance to right herself in case the new arrival came their way.

Thankfully, they had plenty of time as whoever entered seemed preoccupied with something in the central area where the sofas and desks lay. Andre grinned down at Riley with a nearly-silent chuckle, his heart racing at the thrill of being with her and nearly being caught.

"Think we can sneak out?" He whispered against her ear, his voice turning husky and dark. "I'm not done with you yet, Fox."

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley sighed as he came, his hand tightening roughly in her fur as she suckled and soothed him to completion. When he moved suddenly, she gasped, in a daze as she watched him quickly tuck himself back into his trousers. She moved quickly herself, pulling her trousers back up her hips and righting her belt. As she stood, her breath caught in her throat when he growled against her ear. Without a word, she slipped her hand in his and nipped at his throat to tell him to lead the way.

 

[KieranSoares]

Andre leaned toward the corner of the alcove they were hidden in, daring to peek one eye out to see where the new arrival was. Riley saw a little smile pull at the corner of his lips. "It's Cahal," he whispered to her. "and he has a friend."

When she listened, Riley could hear the recovering King of Wick conversing quietly, even warmly, with a woman. At a glance, Riley would recognize the woman's dark uniform and a medal on her chest marking her as one of Kell's people. She wasn't a spy meant to hide, but an elite guard woman often in charge of the royal family or their guests' safety. She had a light smile on her face and her cub-blue eyes seemed to sparkle as Cahal held her hand.

Andre slowly slipped away in the opposite direction, hoping the highly-trained protector wouldn't hear them, or at least wouldn't call them out if she saw who they were. Luckily, it seemed Cahal had her full attention. Andre was able to find a door to a private study room, and a window leading out to the garden. As soon as the window was shut behind them, Andre turned to Riley and stole another kiss. "We can loop around and steal away to the apartments. Or if you can't wait... There's a few hidden corners out here." He glanced over the garden and back to his wife with a wry grin. "How dangerous are you feeling?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley glanced in the direction of Cahal and his companion, her attention soon back on Andre as he pulled her out of the library behind him. Escaping through a side room and a window, she barely caught her breath before Andre was stealing it away again with a heated kiss.

“I…” She murmured as he laid out her two options, her head spinning. “I would follow you anywhere, Koah.”

 

[KieranSoares]

His smirk warmed at her words, and he took both her hands to lead her deeper into the huge garden. It was finally warm enough to spend all day outside, and the greenery was thick and lush. After such a tough winter and being stuck inside anytime they weren't working, Andre wanted to enjoy the open air. It wasn't long before they slipped behind a looming, broad oak at the back corner of the garden. It was surrounded by dense shade bushes and a shed stood near, offering complete cover from most angles.

Pulling Riley in and letting his shoulders rest against the back of the tree, Andre nuzzled into her neck while his hands drifted down her lower back. Giving her behind a playful squeeze, he chuckled deeply and kissed her again and again. Even if the conflicts weren't over, things were getting better and Andre was glad to share a little relief and newfound energy with his mate. "I love you," he murmured against her ear. Despite his rush to get his hands on her only minutes ago, he found himself slowing down to enjoy her now that they were well and truly alone. "I don't know what you were thinking, giving a guy like me the time of day. But damn am I glad you did."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You gave me everything I asked.” Riley said, her heart hammering against her ribs as Andre’s hands gripped and caressed her bottom. “I might have married a lord I didn’t love, someone who would have changed everything about me.”

Riley shuddered to think about the marriages that others in her position were forced to make. Her Gran and Grandpa had been one such marriage, cool to start with as they tried to find common ground. It would have crushed her soul and spirit to go through something like that.

“You make me feel drunk. Out of my senses.” She murmured as they kissed again, a soft whimper leaving her lips as she straddled his leg and started to ride his thigh.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling loose the thick strands from the string that bound them. “Eldere…” She whispered as she pulled her lips free from his to gasp for air.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd be an idiot to want anything but the real you," he rumbled against her throat. Feeling her grind against his thigh and tug at his hair, he melted against her. A bloom of warmth reached her mind, trickling down through her body like warm honey and encouraging her on toward her adoring mate. A hand slipped down the front of Riley's trousers, and Andre bit down firmly on her shoulder. The Wolf she had been coaxing out so carefully was right there under the surface, ready to meet his Fox with warmth, ferocity, or whatever else she required of him.

When his fingers began to stroke into her seam and pulse lightly around her clit, Andre's other hand gripped the back of her trousers, playfully trapping her against his thigh as she rode. "Guide me, Ri," he encouraged softly. "Show me what you need. Anything."

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley shuddered as his fingers slipped down her trousers and his teeth bit roughly against her shoulder. “Gods…” She hissed, gasping as his fingers split her and caressed her throbbing nub.

“Andre…” She cried softly, her fingers moving to dig into the soft linen of his shirt, her hips trapped against his thigh as his hand paused and trapped her expertly. “You’re not playing fair.”

She whimpered as she pressed herself tightly against him, her hard nipples obscenely pressing against his chest through her own shirt. She suddenly felt as if she couldn’t get close enough to him as that warm sensation traveled through her bones. She was burning from the inside out, melting into his palm as his fingers worked and teased.

 

[KieranSoares]

Slowly but surely, Andre lowered them down to the ground til he was sitting between the tree roots with his back to the trunk. With Riley now straddling his lap and his fingers still working torturous circles over her tender flesh, his free hand unbuttoned her shirt, cupping and massaging over one breast til he captured a nipple between his lips. He was straining against his own trousers now. He didn't have to say a word for Riley to know just how arousing her desire was. Their mental connection wasn't always sexual, but when it was, it was intense.

"I need you, Ri," he finally groaned, pulling at her trousers and his own. He guided her hand to his solid cock, his hips jerking slightly at the lightest touch. "Please."

 

[heartofcourage]

She blew out a sharp breath, her fingers closing around his length as he encouraged her. A shiver raced down her spine as she felt his fingers pulling at her trousers. She only let go for a moment to pull her trousers completely off before she straddled his hips and lowered herself down his cock.

“Gods…” Riley moaned, stretching around him until he was deeply seated inside of her.

She stayed still for a moment, her eyes locked on his as they savored the sensations. “Don’t you dare pull away.” She muttered as her arms draped around his neck and she started to ride him for all she was worth.

 

[KieranSoares]

Andre nearly lost himself the instant Riley's eyes locked with his, but he managed to cling on for her sake. He didn't want it to be over, not when they were so lost in each other and had a moment when no one else needed them. Feeling his wife's arms around his neck, Andre's own wrapped around her waist and he let himself simply drown in her kiss.

"I love you... Fuck, Riley. I love you," he panted against her. His fingers sank into her fur at her lower back, his grip tightening as he struggled to hold out for her.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Riley finally came it was with a quiet groan that rippled through the both of them. There was a sense of peace that settled over her as she felt Andre join her. She couldn’t help the small laugh that left her lips as she rested her forehead against her husband’s. Slowly she relaxed against him, her head finding the spot she so loved against his shoulder. She could stay like that forever: just the both of them alone in the world.

The evening settled peacefully over the city, the stars bright against the blackness that stretched over the bay. After the Judges had left for their camps, Fiona had climbed to the top of Arthur’s Seat, sitting alone in the quiet of the night as she took in the sights of the bay beyond the great castle. It was almost as if she could see across the distances to parts on the other side of the world. If she closed her eyes, she could see the dragons of the Steppes, sleek and mystical compared to their Northern counterparts. Dragons of the deserts made of golden scale and red fire. Small fledglings in continents yet undiscovered, brilliant greens and blues the color of the ocean.

A shuffling in the grass behind her made her stiffen, her hand immediately drawing her sword as she turned to face who had come to her. In the darkness, she saw a familiar shape and she relaxed slightly, her sword still in her hand.

“You’re liable to be run through one day.” Fiona murmured as Markos drew up next to her, the sword slowly sinking back into its scabbard.

 

[KieranSoares]

Markos approached with an easy gait, more a wander than any purposeful walk. He gave Fiona a light grin, still a bit odd and otherworldly, but much more present since the battle against the Hunger. He paused alongside Fiona, running a hand back over his shaved and tattooed head.

"I think every member of your family has said something like that to me," he mused with an easy grin. "Especially your sister. But she's looking for an excuse more than most."

Looking across the horizon stretched out in front of them, his dark eyes eventually found Fiona's. "I come up here often. It's quiet, easier to think without all that city noise. Not to mention the view. What brings you?"

 

[heartofcourage]

“The dragons have brought me.” She said as she resumed her seat, her legs dangling over the edge of the cliff face. “Dragons I’ve never met. Dragons I never will meet. When it’s quiet, I can see them clearly. Sometimes I even feel like I could hold my arms out and let the wind take me into flight.”

She twisted a blade of grass between her fingers, quietly contemplating in Markos’s company. “If the Judges do fight amongst themselves, there will be less of us soon. I wish I could warn them of what we see.”

Pausing for a moment, she lifted her gaze to his. “I know you see it too. A world growing smaller.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Markos sighed, half-nodding. "The more of the world humans control, the fewer places there are for anyone else to hide. And we know havens can only do so much. Not just for our dragons, but for Callers too. The world will always march onward and change, in ways both good and bad... We can only change with it, I'm afraid. But I have hope. For all that has gone wrong... Many good things have come about in our time. Many of those good changes were your doing, after all." He offered a light smile, gazing off to the horizon again. "Assigning guardian dragons to powerful families who will support our causes. Training new generations of Riders and Callers... You haven't lost them yet, Fiona. The future is not set in stone."

 

[heartofcourage]

She closed her eyes at his words, trying to find comfort but failing. In that moment she could see all of the events that had brought her to that moment.

Raising Invah from the loch as water engulfed the prison wagon she was trapped in. The vicious tail strike from Schaller that had nearly ended her life but secured her greatest asset. Throwing hot ash into Barbarossa’s eyes in the middle of the burning woods. Fighting with council after council in Trondheim for her rights as a foreign queen. Being what everyone feared from legends and stories. Raising her kits to follow in her footsteps.

She slipped her arm through Markos’s, holding it in an achingly familiar way. He understood more than anyone else. More than her family, other callers, the dragons. He had lived a life like her.

“Until the last one stands, my friend.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Until then, sister," Markos murmured with a melancholy smile, patting her hand when she linked their arms. He couldn't help but wonder if their ancestors- once like brothers and sisters- had done the same long ago. Perhaps Margaret and Aegeus had bonded over the shared weight on their shoulders. Regardless, he was glad to support Fiona if she would allow it.

After a long stretch of comfortable silence with the breeze brushing by, Markos glanced upward to see the night watch starting to go out. Soon the day shift would come in and everyone would settle for the night.

"You know," Markos murmured, as much to himself as Fiona, "it's almost time to push north again. With everyone mostly recovered... I imagine you won't risk taking Tati further til it's safe. Would you like me to stay with her?" He turned his gaze to Fiona's. "That is... if you and Samuel are going to keep fighting. I'm sure there's plenty of people who'd rather you both sat out a while."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I hope that she never sees war.” Fiona murmured as he asked about Tati. “She’s pure. She always has been. She has a kind heart that isn’t made for this cruel business.”

“But Sam and I have to push north.” Her eyes turned to Markos, squeezing his arm. “We are still the king and queen of Inverness, at least until Soma is ready to take the mantel. We have a duty to rid this country of the terrible people that have settled within it.”

“You and Ezra can stay with her. It would give him a purpose and it would allow two seasoned dragons to be here in the city in case of surprise. I’m not leaving anything to chance.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"As much as I want to be there to see you two retake your home, I think I'm a better teacher and craftsman than a warrior. But at least I can bring your kit to you when it's safe, and you don't have to be apart too long. And if you need me, you know better than most how far I can reach if I have to."

As more of the night watch emerged and some of the day watch began to return, Markos spotted his own partner drifting in the distance lazily, simply gliding, rising, and gliding again in a meditative cycle. Diana was clearly waiting on him, but patiently occupying herself.

"I'm interested to see what your grandfather's partner does after all of this," Markos wondered aloud. "She intends to fight beside your family for Inverness, and she already seems so taken with Tati... I know your youngest isn't Blackstone by blood, but she's certainly worthy of the name, even so young. I worry... but I'm also fascinated by the two of them together. It's like seeing myself and Diana when we first began flying together."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Well, Odessa has some choices to make. Will she choose herself over the rest of the order? There are far worse fates than choosing yourself and your rider over others.” She said, watching as Diana dipped and rose, riding on the night wind off the bay. “I basically had to ransom Schaller. Holding an elder dragon’s infant daughter and having her imprint on you is…perhaps a bit underhanded.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"But necessary. And a net positive for everyone. Rikke had no future otherwise, from what I understand." Markos shrugged slightly. "Sometimes the best course of action feels wrong in the moment. I think that may be the case for Odessa in these coming months and years. But then again... Your Tati could end up being part of whatever the Judges remake themselves as. Something good. I'm no seer, and Tati and I are still getting to know one another. But I see a spark in that kit. She loves the dragons like you do. Riley and Soma do too, but not like Tati."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Tatianna is a true Voya. Her parents were kind souls from what I know. She has the soul of a warrior and she has shown that every step of the way. I’m honored she carries my mother’s name.”

“Tomorrow I need you to know that the history with Wick is complicated. The land might not even be suitable for a dragon to survive. They have scrapped and struggled for a very long time.” Fiona let out a long sigh, knowing that someone might be disappointed by the end of the day. “I will try my best to uphold my bargain, but we cannot let guilt out a dragon in danger.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Wick is the sort of place that needs a self-sufficient, strong, and patient guardian. Someone willing to work hard to help the community and help people get back on their feet. And a seasoned warrior. We can't put a greenhorn there unless they have a bonded veteran rider."

Markos then glanced over. "Have you considered Ezra and Sadah?"

 

[heartofcourage]

“With Ezra’s current limitations it might not be possible.” Fiona said, considering the prospect of letting one of her most trusted commanders serve out a retirement in an environment like Wick. “He would be up to the challenge, I have no doubt.

Fiona glanced over towards Schaller’s nest as she heard him stirring. His great figure stretched as he lumbered out.

“Go be with Diana. She’s waiting patiently.” Fiona said with a small smile as she let go of Markos’s arm.