A Moment Of Togetherness

Writers: Avery, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 17th June 2017

Characters: Corran, Nohria
Description: Corran and Nohria get some time to themselves.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 12, day 15 of Turn 8

It wasn't a particularly nice day for a hike, but a pair of cloaks
made it tolerable, as did the promise of the lunch packed in a basket.
Nohria wasn't quite sure why Corran had suggested the walk, but she
was enjoying the time with him nonetheless. Malin was enjoying himself
nearly as much, chasing Warden through the air, twittering and
chirping in delight.

"He's an energetic one, isn't he?" Corran asked. He remembered Warden
being full of vim and vigor, but the brown had settled slightly as he
aged. He wondered if Malin would eventually reflect his owner's moods,
like Warden did his own.

"I don't mind too much," Nohria said. "I sure minded when he was
newer-hatched, but not now. I think it's cute. Besides, look at this."
Her eyelids flickered, and Malin abruptly dropped from the sky to land
on her shoulder, chittering away. "See? He learned 'come here'
already," she said excitedly. "With all that energy to burn, he's
eager to learn."

"He definitely picked that up far faster than Warden did, he always
wanted to see new things and not come back. Has he caused any trouble
at work yet?"

"Er, some," Nohria had to admit. "I've found bottles in interesting
places thanks to him." She tickled under Malin's chin, and the brown
squeaked at her. "I'm trying to teach him that's not good manners."

"I hear that takes awhile and it's never quite done," he joked.

"Much like human children," the herbalist kidded. "At least Malin was
much easier to housetrain. Is our destination much farther, by
chance?"

"It should be just around the bend," Corran said, gesturing up the
trail to where it turned. "There's a cot that hasn't been inhabited in
three Turns which has a stream in back. Some of the guards have been
using it as a resting point when doing long foot patrols."

That sure gave Nohria ideas. She had to hide a playfully wicked smile.
"Are there any long patrols expected today?" she asked, hoping the
answer would be in the negative.

"None, so I thought it would be a good space for a picnic," he said.

Nohria mentally cheered, hoping they would arrive soon, and Malin
warbled in response to her happiness before launching off her shoulder
to chase Warden again.

One more twist of the path and there they were in front of the cot.
Corran took out the keys and unlocked it. Inside was a living room
with cookstove in the back dominated the main space, and there were
two doors leading to smaller rooms that were closed.

"Want to eat in here, or outside?" he asked.

"Inside," Nohria said firmly, immediately heading to the stove to see
if it could be stoked. Their lunch didn't need heating, but it would
make the small area cozy, especially if she could convince the guard
to take advantage of the privacy.

He settled the basket of food on the table and began setting out the
components. "I'll get water," he said, stepping outside to draw some
up from the well. Then he brought the now-filled pitchers back inside.

Nohria had successfully started a fire by then, and opened one of the
smaller rooms to find a small bed. After telling Malin to play with
Warden just a little longer -as in, as long as Warden would put up
with it-, she decided to make a move. "Are you hungry yet?" she asked
Corran, untying the leather strap that kept her bun in place to let
the waves and ripples of her mane spill over her shoulders in a way
she knew was alluring.

It definitely caught the guard's attention. "I'm a little hungry from
the walk. But I could be convinced to wait," he teased, stepping
closer to Nohria and running a hand through her hair before letting it
rest on the small of her back.

"We could certainly take some time to work up an appetite."

"Oh, I'll make you work, all right," Nohria promised, not bothering to
hide her grin this time, and proceeded to show him how, relishing
every touch.

Corran pulled her in for a kiss, and soon, more pleasant activities.
He was pleased that the time they'd carved out to spend together was
working out like this. Oh, he'd hoped it would be this way, but Nohria
was her own woman and she might not have been interested. Finding her
willing against him was always a pleasure.

"Hey," Nohria said later as they basked in the afterglow, "want to
have lunch in bed? We don't even have to get dressed. There's no one
to see us but the fire-lizards, and they won't care."

"Fine by me," Corran said, rolling over and standing up. "I can be
right back with it."

And he headed out into the cot's main area to get the food and bring
it back. It was a handsome little place and he felt a pang go through
his heart. What if this cot was his? Not his family's, but his own.
One where he was married to Nohria and could wake up to her every
morning because they lived together.

He hesitated at the threshold of the room with the bed, basket in
hand, and just admired her as she lay there.

The herbalist noticed his stare after a few moments. "What are you
thinking?" she asked curiously.

He was honest and a little sappy. "That you're beautiful and I like
looking at you."

With a pang, Nohria said, "You're not so bad yourself, Guard Corran,"
and stretched luxuriously before sitting up. "Come here and let me
keep you warm while we eat."

"That sounds good to me," he said, coming over to set the basket on
the table next to the bed and sliding back in with her.

Last updated on the June 22nd 2017

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A Moment Of Togetherness