Freedom of Flight Ch. 03

She frowned. "But Bianca will reincarnate."

He frowned as well, "Reincarnate?"

She nodded and continued on, "Were believe that when we die, we get reborn to live again, over and over again until our debt to the fates is paid and then we are born into an immortal body to live out the rest of time with our soul mates. Bianca will come back, eventually."

He shrugged. "Eventually may not be soon enough for him. He was at his happiest sitting under this tree, holding Bianca and rubbing her swollen belly. He loved Bianca more than anything in the world, including his daughter although she rates a close second."

"He can't just take his own life, Bianca could have already been reborn to be with him again! If she loved him as much as you say she did, he won't have to wait too long for her. Ma says a soul will never find peace if it isn't complete; two halves of one whole. And what about Sage? She loves him too!" She may not trust Dominic but she didn't mind him. Her senses were saying he was a good man, and like her father, he was fierce-looking but deep down he was a softy.

"What Dominic does is his own business but I really hope he doesn't kill himself. Even if it is possible, I can't begin to imagine what it would do to Sage." He sighed, knowing that Sage wasn't the only reason he didn't want Dominic to die. Dominic was the closest thing he had to a family and he cherished that bond, that togetherness which had eluded him for so much of his life.

*

Sage raced up to her father, who was strangely in his study and not in the great hall where he normally held 'office' hours. She hopped onto his lap and wrapped her arms around her father's neck. "Da, have you seen Alanna?"

He smiled and returned her hug, and kissed her cheek as he thought about when he had last seen Alanna. He nodded, "I saw her heading to the library. Why?"

"Well, I'm starting to get itchy and I know she will as well."

He sighed, knowing what his daughter meant. The beast that lived within her wanted out, wanted to hunt and run and play. Bianca had the same urges and needs, and trying to meet those needs had almost led them to war with the local herd of Santuars. "Okay, I'll go and talk to Mather about letting you and Alanna go for a run."

"Yes!" She jumped into air with a punch and ran off to find her sister. She found her sister and Tarval beneath a tree talking. "Aren't you hot out here?" She demanded as she joined them. Most tried to do as much as they could in the early morning or early evening when the keep was at its coolest during summer. They would spend the hottest part of the day inside the cool keep either sleeping or one of the many other things they could do.

Alanna rolled her eyes. "Yes, I was just trying to figure out why Tarval is avoiding coming for a swim."

Sage snorted; she knew why and opened her mouth to answer when Tarval leant over Alanna and slapped Sage's arm to shut her up. Alanna flushed at the intimate way his body touched hers. She was suddenly aware of everything about him; his scent which was normally invisible to her tickled her nose, making her inhale deeply to get a better smell of it. It was a mix of scents that she couldn't describe, something slightly spicy like cinnamon or nutmeg mixed with something that smells like rain. She was highly aware of every place their bodies touched, his thigh against hers, his other leg coming to rest between her slightly parted thighs, his left arm pressed against hers and his hair brushing against her cheek.

Her wolf's ears were pointed forward in her mind, curious as to the man who was so close. His scent intrigued her, she urged her human to get a closer smell, to press her nose to his skin, to figure out that alluring scent that was so hard to discern. Just as she went to follow her urge he pulled away, returning to his seat. The moment he moved away her mind cleared, her wolf disappointed that she didn't have the opportunity to really smell him but her human side was concerned about her reaction. She knew what had happened, the tingling sensation that coursed through her body, the super awareness: it was desire.

She quickly jumped to her feet, not understanding her body's reaction to Tarval. She had never felt the stirrings of desire or sexual need before and wondered quickly why now and why him? She had kept clear of that side of her nature, never letting it come forward to develop because she couldn't understand why people would want to do it. Sex had always meant pain and humiliation to her and although she knew pleasure could come with sex, her parents were one of her many examples, she couldn't let go of her experiences as a child to even attempt anything like it, even with a woman.

The focus of her troubled thoughts glanced up at her wondering why she had so suddenly jumped to her feet. She started to tug off her boots and slid her belt and shirt off. She ran into the cold water and dived under, hoping it would take the flush from her face and help her think about those thoughts. He got up and carried Alanna's things down closer to the water. Sage stripped off much the same way Alanna had before splashing into the water after her sister.

Alanna swam for a few minutes, trying to process what had rushed through her. She knew it had been sexual awareness but she couldn't allow those thoughts to linger in her mind. Then a snippet of advice from her mother came up forth. Sometimes we must cave in to our desire, whether it is to hunt or in pursuit of a mate. The body, the beast always knows what is right. She surfaced and took a deep breath then let herself sink again, knowing she had to let things happen: her body, her soul was craving its mate. Accepting that even though the wolf within her recognized him as her mate, it didn't mean she couldn't be weary of him… right??… She sunk deeper, remembering she didn't need to come up for air. But she couldn't be weary of him. Her wolf was interested even if it was a simple curiosity about his scent and if she tried to fight her instincts, fight her wolf, she would snap and end up doing something she would regret, like sleep with a complete stranger.

She decided to forgo her normal weariness she showed around men. She was well armed, always allowed to carry a sword and dagger so she could easily defend herself. But she had a funny feeling that if she told him to back off, he would without hesitation. She started to swim and broke through the surface, her mental battle taking more than five minutes. Tarval was pacing at the water's edge, getting more and more agitated the longer she was under. He breathed in relief that she was alright, forgetting that, like him, she could not die.

She pushed her hair away from her face and smiled at Tarval. "Come on." She invited gesturing for him to come into the water.

He took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed that he had to try to explain why he had to decline her offer. "I can't swim." He said gently. He had been offered a few times to be taught but he could never bring himself to do it. He feared deep water. If he couldn't touch the bottom with his head above the water, he never went in. It was as simple as that.

Alanna blinked in surprise, having never met a person who couldn't swim before. She wanted to laugh but she knew that he had admitted, to what was him, a failure and laughing would be like rubbing his face into that failure. Alanna walked out of the water as Sage swam to the wall and started to climb so she could bomb into the water.

He gulped as he watched her walk from the water, small rivers of water ran down her lightly tanned body, highlighting every curve and muscle in her toned upper body. The normally loose brown cotton breeches clung to her thighs, legs and behind, stirring his blood. He blinked and forced his eyes to her face, hoping she hadn't seen him ogling her body… and what a body that is.

"Take your belt, shoes and shirt off." She told him.

He frowned and did as she asked, making sure he kept his eyes from her. The last thing she needed to know was that he was attracted to her. She felt the flicker of desire again as she watched him slide out of his shirt and his powerfully built upper body came into view. He could put her father to shame with his build, with him being all tightly packed muscles that rippled with power. Her wolf was low to the ground and wriggling in excitement at what she saw, a strong man meant a strong potential mate, who would be able to protect both her and their cubs if it came to that. Her human side, still resisting, thought that she could very well protect their cubs… then halt at what she was thinking… their cubs?, where had that come from? Heat surged through her body as she watched him, her nipples hardened and were demanding attention. She turned, ran and dove under the water again, hoping the iciness of the water would remove the flush from her cheeks.

She resurfaced and gestured him forward again and into the water, able to blame the cold water for her erect nipples. He shook his head; he wasn't going into the dark water, no matter what, even though he was undressed to go in. She rolled her eyes and walked forward, until she was close enough. She grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the water persistently. He dug his heels in; he would not go in without a fight and a team of Santuars would not drag his fear from his mouth in front of her. She smirked knowingly but she was prepared for this. She twisted sending him splashing into the water and before he could recover, she had dragged him out until her feet could no longer touch the bottom. He glared at her as his feet could still touch the ground, with him being so tall and all.

"Swimming is easy, it's an instinct." She goaded, hoping to sting his pride and keep him in the water.

"For you. You're a wolf, wolves swim, it's natural. Birds who fly don't swim." He went to get out.

She swam around him and got between him and the shore, she thought she knew why he couldn't swim: it was because he had never been shown. "Wait… fifteen minutes, just give me fifteen minutes. If I can't get you to tread water in fifteen minutes, I will never hassle you again about swimming." She offered, although normally she would have ran a mile before offering to teach a man how to swim. Her wolf was urging her to relax, to give this one the chance she had allowed no other, to get to know this man because he was special.

Please do it, Tarval. Alanna never lets men near her. Da's been trying but he can't force her to do something she doesn't want. Give it a chance. Sage sent silently into his mind.

He sighed, resigned to his fate. "Fifteen minutes." He told Alanna firmly. You owe me, he thought silently to Sage but also happy that he have a reason to get closer to Alanna.

"Cool! Come on out until you can only just touch the bottom when you tiptoe." She swam out as he walked until he could just touch the bottom. "Hold out your hands like me."

He copied her movements and followed her voice as she talked him through treading water. She slowly took him out deeper and showed him a few strokes. When he floundered, she was there, supporting him until he got his bearings. She made swimming looked so easy.

"See, not so hard. How about we try again tomorrow? Only I think I'll make a swimming aide." She said as they walked from the water an hour later. He shook his wings which shed the water instantly. She took the towel Dominic offered her.

"Okay." Tarval said as he dried himself off. He felt all tingly inside and for the first time in his existence everything felt… right. It was right to be with this woman who was fire and ice at the same time. He saw her hesitation around him and after the little bit that Sage had told him, he knew she wasn't completely free of her painful past, the past that had led her to realising she was immortal. He needed to know more, which means he needed to talk to Sage. She knew and she would tell him because she owed him. He just hoped that there would be happiness in her future, happiness that included him.

****

Tarval glanced around before he knocked on Sage's door. He didn't want Alanna to see him do this. "Enter." She called.

He walked in and shut the door. Sage glanced up from her book, her eyes darted to her bathroom for a moment but then she sighed. She marked her place and gestured to the chair her father normally sat in.

"Okay… you said I owe you… here to collect?" She asked grumpily.

Tarval smiled, "Yep… but it's simple. All you have to do is answer my questions."

Sage pulled a face and sat up higher in her bed. "Okay." She had a feeling his questions were going to have nothing to do with her or what she had been up to since they had last seen each other.

"What did you mean this afternoon about Alanna not getting along with men?"

"Those weren't my words." She was suddenly uncomfortable. Sweating bullets was a more accurate term. She was going to get her arse kicked.

"But that was your meaning." He verified and she nodded.

"Have you asked Da?"

He glared playfully at her, "No, I'm asking you."

Sage thought for several moments, trying to dig her way out of this. "Okay… but can I ask a question first?" He nodded. "Why do you need to know?"

He took a deep breath, "I want to be her friend and I need to know so that I won't hurt her unintentionally."

Sage chewed her lip thoughtfully. She believed him but she sensed there was more to it… a lot more. Now all she needed to do was figure out a way to tell him without actually telling him. "Okay, but if she asks where you got your knowledge from, don't you dare mention my name."

He nodded. He understood… kind of. Alanna was her sister and she was loyal to that bond.

"Okay, but I warn you… what I know isn't pretty and I know nearly nothing."

His face fell, feeling for Alanna and wishing he had been there to protect her. "How bad?"

Sage sighed, "So bad an entire pack was dissolved. And that was before they had even learnt what had happened to her."

Tarval hesitated, he suddenly decided that he didn't want to know... not this way at least. He got to his feet and went to leave before he changed his mind.

Sage surged forward onto her knees, secretly pleased that he was now not asking her questions, "Hey…"

He turned when he got to the door, "I don't want to know."

"Okay, but I'll give you a heads up. Go slowly, you're the first non-family man she's even let get remotely close to her. Watch her body language and back off when she gives you even a mixed message." She watched as he left and wondered what was going on that she didn't know. She shut and latched the door.

"You can come out now, you coward." Sage turned to her bathroom and Alanna walked out.

"I am not a coward." Alanna retorted indignantly.

"Are too. You could have saved me a heap of worry if you had just come out the moment he walked in." Sage argued back. They stared at each other for long moments.

"Am I really that bad?" Alanna asked quietly, shoulders slumped.

Sage went to shrug but nodded instead, "but only around men."

"Would you have told him? Answered his questions?" Alanna asked as she flopped onto the bed.

Sage joined her. "I knew he would stop before I would. He is really nice. He sees things so calmly but more than anything, he would prefer to hear what happened from you... if you open up and let him get close, that is."

"I'm thinking about it." Alanna chewed her bottom lip for a moment.

"So… what was with you this afternoon?" Sage asked raising her eyebrows suggestively. Alanna grabbed a pillow and whacked her sister with it. Sage rolled away and grabbed her own pillow to retaliate and in very short order, the room was filled with childish laughter and a mass of flying feathers.