Highness

As Sabirah started to read through the documents, she started to get annoyed. It was not entertaining to know that while all these plans were being made, she was deliberately kept out of the loop. Was that how one groomed the next generation? By keeping them ignorant?

The more she read, the darker her mood became. There were several connections between the Citadel and the Death Pyramid. Sabirah started to wonder who controlled who. Sabirah dropped her hands and the documents in her lap and looked back up to Marsdan.

“Are you sure you destroyed that… thing?” she asked. “It didn’t try one of those last-minute transferals to another host?”

Her fear was that whatever existed in the depths of the pyramid would just escape and they’d have to hunt it down all over again. Sabirah wasn’t a student of magic, but she did have an elementary understanding of some of the threats that found their way to the Empire. She also had a few minor tools at her disposal. Marsdan was the real wizard.

He had come a long way since their story began. His sculpted features hid the softer, youthful visage she remembered. Like her father, he had been just as busy. Instead of seeking to expand the Empire, Marsdan was constantly seeking out ways to expand his knowledge of magic. When he found the time and the desire, he would join her father’s campaigns. She admired him in some ways.

Marsdan nodded, "Yes, it takes time for the soul of the lich to go into the phylactery and then into a new host. Once he enters a new host, it dies immediately." There was a near sorrow in his voice as he continued, "As the fire ate the library, it consumed him, it, as well."

He looked up at her, and was struck for a moment, how beautiful Sabirah was. If she wasn't the choicest of brides to be before her father's death, she certainly was now. He leaned against the table a moment, still looking at her. "There are three or more immediate issues we have to face."

He ticked off his fingers each point in order, "First is the problem of your father's procession. It will take fifteen or more days for his body to arrive. You cannot be crowned until he is properly buried. That span of time weakens your position a bit each day."

"Second," he continued while refilling her glass, "is the issue of your marriage." He sighed heavily while he rolled his head back and his eyes toward the heavens. "I doubt very much we could play the carrot game with you as we did with your father after your mother's early and sad demise. That leaves we need to find the most advantageous situation for you and the Star Empire."

He sat heavily in the chair, "And last is what to do with the Citadel and the two neighbors who will rankle against the shackles of treaties if, or when, we attack them."

Marsdan kicked the table with such force that the map became jumbled, papers flew about, and he roared, "DAMN HIM!"

Marsdan ran his fingers through his hair, muttered, "That was unbecoming of me. Sorry."

Sabirah jumped from the sudden outburst. Her hand flung up to her chest that was beating hard now. She took a moment to collect herself.

"It's okay - it will all work out," she said, soothingly.

“I’m not worried about the procession for my father. It will arrive in good time. It is right that his body travel back so that the people can pay their respects if they wish. There is no struggle for power here, at least as far as I have seen there isn’t. Those who have remained behind here in the city are very much loyal. Well, besides Lord Hadad. He is locked up for a couple of days for his stupidity. I’ve already spoken to the ambassadors of our three neighbors and assured them we have every intention of maintaining the state of peace, such as it is. So unless there is an insider threat, I think we can manage 15 days.” she stated.

Sabirah considered his second point a moment. Marriage. She knew it was coming.

“Marsdan, I am in no hurry to make a decision on marriage. I understand it’s a man’s world and there is some difficulty with accepting the authority of a woman. I’m not going to discount the options and I will look at each carefully. I’ve been reminded a few times in the last day that this is something that could help relations, such as they are. But really, I knew when it was mentioned I was going to have some difficulty with this. I’m not looking at Ilrania, Llytith or the Citadel. Absolutely not. Especially considering what could change. I may need to look within our borders instead.”

Sabirah stood from her chair and placed her palms flat on the table in front of her. She looked at the map closely. “So what would happen if we turned the other two against the Citadel? After all, if the Citadel was working with the Death Pyramid, that means the Citadel has some plan against us. What if some of the forces within the Death Pyramid found some way to hide out on the lands controlled by the Citadel? No one wanted to deal with the Death Pyramid. If we could convince the leadership of Ilrania and Llytith it would be in their best interests to support an assault on the Citadel if for no other reason than to eliminate the threat, it would help us keep the peace with them.” Sabirah raised her gaze from the map back to Marsdan.

Marsdan looked into her eyes, and for a moment, almost fell into them. No, no, no, he thought, I cannot allow myself that. Not anymore

Uncharacteristically for him, Marsdan found himself suddenly agitated. "We have sometime for Ilrania and Llytith. We can't war on the Citadel until your coronation."

He leaned against the table, his hips barely an inch away from her wrists. "The more pressing issue will be your nuptials. Your father had wanted you to be able to voice an opinion on who you married. That option appears to be more intact, the options less than they were."

He looked at the wall opposite him and nodded slowly. "Perhaps we host a tournament of some sort." He paused then shook his head, "No that is stupid."

Then, "Whom do you love, Sabirah?" He saw her head jerk up and around toward him, "I have a plan, that may just work, but it helps if you have someone that you love."

Sabirah could feel the closeness of his body and it was unsettling for her. She had never considered looking at anyone let alone loving them. There were very few people who touched her life to make any kind of am impact on her. One of the only individuals she trusted was already standing next to her.

She brushed against him as she turned to face him. She seemed defeated in that moment because she didn't have that answer for him. Sabirah considered the question. Who could she love? Not Hadad, not Stain, not even one of the generals in her father's army. Who else could there be?

" I don't have an answer for you, Marsdan. I truly don't. The list of people I trust is limited. Maybe it's just my lot in life never to have love, I don't know," she replied.

Marsdan had always been helpful and he had a way of thinking around the problem. She wished he could do the same here.

Marsdan felt a jolt through his body as Sabirah brushed against him. It was the oddest sensation from the most curious source. Lust and Sabirah didn't mix.

Did they?

Shaking his head clear, he looked at her, maybe for the first time in his life without seeing a princess or a queen. He saw her as a woman. A beautiful, lonely, and most probably, afraid woman.

"By the gods, I am sorry." He touched the opposite corners of the table and the shield dissipated. He held his out to Sabirah, palm up, and helped her up. He grabbed the bottle of wine with his other hand, and said, "Let's go. We should talk elsewhere, someplace less..." He searched for the right word and settled on, "his."

As they walked out of the Emperor's chambers he asked, "How do you feel?"

How did she feel? That was a good question. There were many emotions that had made their way to the surface over the last two days.

She lowered her voice as they made their way out of the Emperor’s chambers.
“I’m saddened because of all of this, but I’m also angry, as you can imagine. What am I supposed to do with all this? It’s frightening, truth be told. It feels like I am out on a limb all by myself and I don’t like how that feels. I can’t afford to be afraid. I have to be decisive, aggressive and bold if the Empire is to flourish. That’s a lot to ask,” she answered and sighed softly.

Sabirah slowed to a stop in the middle of the hall and turned to Marsdan. She had never found the need to say what she was going to say, but considering how things were changing, it was necessary in her mind.

“Promise me you won’t abandon the Empire. Promise me you will stay,” she implored. There was a hint of need in her voice though she paid little attention to it.

It happened before he knew what he was doing. Marsdan's hand was caressing her face, the soft warmth of her face in his palm, the silkiness of her hair against the back of his hand, and his mouth voiced, "You, I cannot leave. Ever."

Then his brain caught up to his mouth and body, and he wondered what the hell he was doing. It wasn't necessarily death to touch her unbidden, but it certainly opened the door to a world of reprisals and repercussions he had made it a life's mission to avoid.

He was shocked and for the moment amazed she wasn't mad at the lingering touch. Better, or worse depending, was the feeling of warmth that was radiating up his arm like concentrated sunlight. As he removed his hand from her face, he caught up a lock of her hair, and let it slide between his finger and thumb as he lowered his hand.

His eyes locked with hers. "I will protect you, aid you, kill for you, and if need be die for you. Though I trust you understand if I avoid that at most costs."

The moment his warm hand had warmed her cheek, she felt something. It was as if a warm energy had moved through her and lingered in the depths of her belly. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been touched before. Her ladies regularly had contact with her. But they were just that. Her ladies. Marsdan was a completely different issue. Sabirah swallowed hard.

The last man to lay hands on her ended up in a cell. He deserved it though. She had been treated like a common whore for which she had no tolerance. The man wasn’t drunk or out of his right mind, leaving few excuses for his actions. He had touched her with intent to harass.

Sabirah bit down on her bottom lip. She could easily get lost in this man’s gaze. Marsdan was quite serious and it eased her nerves to know he would stay, for her. She broke the gaze after a time and glanced down, allowing him the opportunity to step back if that was what he wished. Marsdan was a stickler for formalities and though he had always been playful with her, he had never crossed the line. Until now.

Admittedly, she liked his touch.

Sabirah glanced back up to him with a smile and then around the hall.
“I’m very much for keeping you alive and well.”

“We should probably keep moving. The halls always have eyes and ears and I don’t want to have to answer any questions before we get everything else in motion,” she suggested.

Marsdan's eyes, and his mind's eye for sometime later, focused on Sabirah's lips, and specifically how she nibbled on it. He nodded and turned, offering her his elbow if she chose to take it.

"There are precious few places in the palace that are without eyes and ears, and those places that have no eyes have more than their fair share of eyes and ears watching their entrances, and exits."

They strolled along the corridors of the palace until they reached the back door which opened out onto the gardens. As they stepped outside, "Do you remember when you were younger, and played hide and seek in the maze with the servant's children?"

Sabirah slipped her arm in his as they walked. She wondered what else she didn’t know about the palace. Sabirah had spent a lot of time there, doing who knows what. She couldn’t remember everything, but if it had been questionable, she would have already been confronted about her behavior.

The maze. She had almost forgotten. There were few children she had the opportunity to play with when she was younger. It was an inherit issue with being in her family. Those she could play with were always here. As those children grew, they gained employment elsewhere, or they took over the work their parents did here.

The maze. The nightmare from the other night washed over her and she shivered. She tried to push the feeling out of her mind for the time being.

“What about the maze?” she asked him.

He looked at the maze and back to her, "Well, for a moment, I fancied the idea that we could play a game of hide and seek."

Marsdan stepped into the maze's entrance and looked up at the ten foot tall hedges and then back to Sabirah. He grinned like a school boy a moment and said, "It would be a temporary, safe, escape from the day."

He spread his hands out, "Of course if you don't want to do that, we could always merely walk through it, with another bottle of wine of course."

Sabirah by him once again and took a step forward. She glanced back at him and her eyes lit up. A challenge it would be!

“Ten Seconds! No less!” she said with a grin and disappeared around the corner. She slipped off her slippers and ran. Sabirah ran hard and fast, or at least as fast as she could. She had to slow down through all the twists and turns. She knew the maze as well as she knew every hall of the palace. He would expect her to end up in the very center. Sabirah wasn’t going to take the obvious route. Instead, she found a dead end that was tucked well within the maze.

When she came to a stop Sabirah was breathing hard. She tried to slow her breaths so she wouldn’t give away her position. She silently congratulated herself on her forward thinking. Then it occurred to her He was also a mage and knew the maze. She bit her lip wondering just how long it would take him to find her.

The flood of memories rushed forward.

“One, Two, Three, Four…” she counted. When she got to Ten, Sabirah stopped and called out, “Ready or not, here I come!” She dashed into the maze and started to navigate the twists and turns. The maze towered over her. She heard giggling behind her. Sabirah veered off left into another turn and ran as fast as she could to get to the end. She turned another corner expecting to find someone. No one there. The little girl stomped her foot and doubled back. She tried a new direction, but it took her in the opposite direction she wanted to go. Her hands brushed against the tall hedges and the small leaves rustled under her fingertips. This was going to be harder than she first thought. Sabirah continued to run through the winding corridors of green and before long, someone jumped out from behind her, startling her with a loud “BOO!” The little girl, Sabirah, fell to the ground laughing…

Sabirah smiled to herself. There were some things that she had enjoyed as a child. This was one of them. The hedges didn’t completely tower over her as they had when she was much smaller, but the maze was a place where she could find some respite from the day. Leave it up to Marsdan to figure that out.

Sabirah couldn’t even hear his footsteps. Her ears strained for any evidence of him coming near. Perhaps he was being sneaky! She tried to stay calm. You learned two things in the maze. Never lean against the hedges and make no sound.

Marsdan gave Sabirah significantly more than a count of ten before he followed her. He kicked around the idea of overtly 'cheating' by flying above the maze but decided against it. He did contact a lesser mage to set up dinner for he and Sabirah in the heart of the maze while he walked through it. Her perfume hung in the still air of the maze and he followed it slowly until it dissipated. He wasn't in a hurry, they needed some time to set up the table and food.

He wandered the maze for ten minutes remembering the touch of her hand on his arm then received the message that dinner was ready and on the way. Then he began tracking her down in earnest. It took another few minutes until he could smell the fruity perfume again. He bore down on her location and watching his footfalls trying to keep as silent as possible walked up to her smiling.

"Dinner is ready for us in the center if you are hungry. "

He held his hand out to her then led her unerringly to the center. There a table was laid out, roasted meat, fruits and vegetables were laid out on silver platters. A fresh bottle of wine was uncorked and in a carafe breathing. A servant stood off to the side waiting for them and he waived her off, "We can handle it from here."

He pulled the chair out for her and breathed her name out, "Sabirah, please join me for dinner?"

The surprise dinner at the center of the maze had taken her aback. “This looks very good!” she responded looking between the table and Marsdan. Her smile had reached from ear to ear. She collected the folds of her gown neatly and sat as he pushed the chair in.

“Thank you for this, Marsdan. You never cease to amaze me. Somehow, you always seem to know just what I need in that moment.” She smiled up at him as he sat down.

Here she had been running her little heart out trying to hide in the maze and he strolled right up on her. In addition, he managed to get dinner together. Sabirah felt a warmth fill her and it touched her. She had never seen Marsdan as anything other than a trusted friend, but for a moment, another thought entered her mind and she felt the stirrings of excitement in her tummy.

How many times had they taken in a meal together? Granted, it was always in the presence of her father and a few of his other advisors, but it wasn’t the first time. It was the first time it was just the two of them, and she really liked that notion.

Sabirah reached over and plucked a few pieces of fruit from one of the trays.

“I was really feeling the weight of having no privacy,” she admitted. “I never considered that. In fact, I never considered a lot of things. Now my life is on display and I have to make decisions. I am so glad to see you.”

She was very glad.

Marsdan nodded, "I imagine it is somewhat overwhelming. Not so long ago you had less responsibility than now. "

He sat nibbling on the food for a couple minutes and snatched her. While intellectually he understood Sabirah was an attractive woman, it wasn't anything he spent much time considering, after all who in their right mind would marry that far below their station. His parents had been peasant farmers all their lives until Marsdan became a war mage for the Star Empire, and add his station grew he afforded them better living accommodations. They still were not nobles, but they had money and would never want again.

Part of him wondered if he was merely making a power play. He knew that in particular being the queen's husband was not something he wanted. He had power enough as an arch mage, sitting on the mages Council and on the Star Council as an adviser to the queen, and the youngest member of both. If there was anything that Marsdan was power drunk for it was magical power, nor to unlike the lich, he admitted to himself in a moment of clarity. There difference was only that Marsdan was alive.

But so had the lich once upon a time.

Marsdan gulped that thought down. It was a terrible and bitter thought to swallow. The mere she'll of life was the only thing that separated the lich from Marsdan.

He looked at Sabirah and new with a certainty that he needed her to save him as much as she needed him to save her.

"I have a plan, or the start of one. "

Sabirah was less focused on the food and more focused on him. She picked at her food once in a while, but her mind was filled with so many possibilities. She would just have to slow down and take them one by one.

Sabirah was thankful that the word of father's death was not widespread, and she had the opportunity to take everything in manageable pieces. The notion of her marriage to someone was by far the most difficult for her. And yet here she sat, swept away for dinner.

The question was, was she really free to make her own choice? Would it really matter who she chose? Her mind kept coming around to the same conclusion. Who did she trust implicitly?

Sabirah nibbled on the food in front of her. The circumstances here were very unique. Everyone had been on the frontlines leaving very few behind. That meant everyone who would've been eligible, were all away. They were all away following the orders of the Emperor. The only one that had the means to return immediately was sitting in front of her. And perhaps just perhaps that would make a difference.

Sabirah leaned forward on the table. She could feel an excitement building in her chest. So we had a plan, did he? She wondered if it had anything to do with his earlier question about who she loved. Sabirah had to know.

"what kind of plan do you propose?" she asked. He could see her dark eyes light up with the new excitement. Or was it hope? What was she not saying to him?

Marsdan shook his head and pointed to his ear, hoping she would understand. He moved his chair over next to hers do close that their arms touched when he settled back down. "The plan is simple, we wed you to the best match possible; the hard part is determining who that is. "

On her arm Marsdan slowly spelled out, "not safe here. "

He ate slowly, occasionally feeding Sabirah a bite of food. "I think we should consult the mages Council for their advise, they can be quite insightful. " As he was speaking he spelled out "trust me" on her arm. "Yes, I think that will work. "

When he looked at her his eyes blazed like small suns.

Each time he raised his fingers to feed her, he brushed them over her bottom lip, sending a tremble down her spine. She chewed slowly, listening to him.
Sabirah could understand about the eyes and ears, and here, right now, it was mostly ears. It would do no good for anyone to know of her intentions until she was crowned. Until then, they would be vying for her attention. No one would make a serious move until she made up her mind at least that was the conclusion she would cling to.

Sabirah wet her pink lips with her tongue. When he looked at her, it was disarming. Sabirah glanced down momentarily. She could hear the little voice in the back of her head. “He’s no different today than he was yesterday. He is a man; one you’ve known for many years now.” She tried to dismiss it, to contain the thoughts that were now running amok in her mind. She had to focus and be serious, if she could.

“You’re right of course,” she answered simply, meeting his gaze once again. “I could use some good advice.”

She reached over the table for the wine and poured it, handing Marsdan his goblet before taking up her own. She sipped from the rim of the vessel, allowing the heady and full-bodied taste to spread over her tongue. The wine was some of her favorite, from a wine maker who wasn’t too far away. Marsdan could almost hear an audible purr from her as she enjoyed the first few sips. The other nice thing about this particular wine was it warmed her cheeks, sending a bit of color into them. Sabirah would have to pay the wine maker a visit soon, and thank him for all his efforts.

She continued to enjoy the meal. The palace was blessed with a wonderful staff in the kitchen that prided them on providing a unique dining experience. Every meal had become a competition to best the last. Yet, the whole experience never went overboard, and some of the simplest dishes were the best. Sabirah reminded herself to make sure they received a raise. She picked from the roasted meat and as the juices ran down her index finger, and instead of reaching for a napkin, she quickly slipped it into her mouth and cleaned it with her tongue, pulling her finger slowly from her lips. Sabirah followed up with closing her eyes for just a moment, and running her tongue once again across her lips. This time, he could definitely hear the purr of satisfaction.

When she reopened her eyes a smile spread across her lips. “Absolutely delicious.”

That was the moment Marsdan knew that he in fact was a man after all and not merely a slave to magical power. Yes he had been with women in the past. Enough to know that his particular predilections didn't always align with his partners or even the mainstream. Usually if he had a need he addressed it with whatever woman he could hire. Never before had he wanted a particular woman.

Until that purr, while Sabirah licked her lip.

His physical reaction caught him off guard, as his manhood became engorged with blood, becoming harder than he had ever thought possible. A small half drop of the meat's juice clung to the corner of Sabirah's mouth, just past the spot where her tongue stopped. Throwing caution, and perhaps his life to the wind, Marsdan leaned over and gently kissed the juice from her lip.

He smiled, a crooked boyish grin, "Yes, it is, made more so by the company."

Marsdan cupped her face, the heels of his hands along her jaws, his fingers intertwining with her hair, massaging her scalp. Before she could stop him, before his mind caught up with his body, Marsdan pulled her forward his mouth caressing her, as he flicked his tongue across her lips. A moment of resistance was offered, then slowly, they parted and his tongue thrust into her.

As his tongue met hers, warmth spread down his tongue and into his throat, soon filling his entire core. His penis throbbed painfully against his robes, as his whole body throbbed with the same need.

His first impulse had thrown Sabirah off guard and when he pulled her forward and kissed her, she had done the only thing a woman in her particular state of mind would do. She returned his kiss with equal fervor. Sabirah rested her hands on his forearms as the wave of excitement spread through her. The nervousness in her tummy quickly disappeared and all she could focus on was the strength of his lips and the taste of him. He was unafraid, passionate, and wanting. It wasn’t a superficial desire; rather a much deeper longing and one they shared.

The tension in her own body cried out for more and she released a deep purr in the back of her throat leaning further into the kiss. Sabirah had never once admitted to wanting anyone, but in this moment she wanted Marsdan. She wanted to feel the heat of his body against her and to experience every sensation he could elicit from her. Her nipples were growing pert under her gown, standing prominently against the fabric and a heat was growing between her thighs. Sabirah could detect the scent of her own arousal and she paid little attention to it. She was lost in the natural dialogue he had led her into, and only after she had consciously realized it, Sabirah gently pulled away.

She lingered there, with her forehead pressed against his and her nose brushing up against his. She was panting softly. Sabirah finally found her voice and with need laced in the tone of her voice she whispered softly in his ear, “love me, Marsdan, give me a reason to reject them all…” her voice trailed off and her warm hand cupped his cheek.

“love me, Marsdan, give me a reason to reject them all…”

It was a whisper. Barely louder than their breathing. Yet it echoed, no BOOMED, through his body. "That's the plan." he croaked out around the emotions that balled up in his throat. Whatever it was about her, Sabirah had a strange power over him, that he needed time to process.

Less than a second later they, and their chairs, were in the middle of a domed room. Shelves of books lined the circular room, reaching a height of twelve feet. Each shelve held tome after tome of magical spell books, research books, and assorted paraphernalia.

Clearing his throat, "welcome to my chambers. I do believe you are the first female visitor here. Well at least since I moved in."

He stood, and pulled her up with him. No sooner than she was upright, his lips crashed on hers, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight against his body; his hard cock nestled between their stomachs.

Bit by bit, he fumbled at her dress trying to separate the dress from her flesh, exposing it to the air, the gods, and as importantly, him. Frustration boiled up in him, mirroring the insane need he had for her, finally he grunted, "Fuck it."

With a wave of his hand the bindings holding her dress gave way and the dress loosened until the only thing holding it up was his arms. He lowered his arms and stepped back, the dress fell in a heap around her ankles. "Oh," he moaned out as he drank the vision in.

Marsdan had been practically an enigma to her all this time, keeping his distance and playing by the rules of the emperor. Now however, she could touch the man underneath the mystery. Aside from all the magic he was without a doubt, a man; one with needs and desires.

Sabirah caught a breath in her throat when the dress fell to the floor leaving her bronzed, soft skin exposed to the cool air. She gazed downward at the pile of fabric on the floor, feeling the nervous churn in her stomach rising and the flush entering her cheeks. She had never, not even to the emperor himself, been completely naked before a man. Sabirah had a shapely, hour glass form. Her breasts, he could estimate, were slightly larger than his hands, and sported dark, pink nipples with coin-sized aereolas. Her tummy was flat and tight and her small waist was enhanced by the gentle curve of her hips. At the apex of her legs rested a small thatch of the same rusted ebony he took such pleasure in.

The only things that remained on her body were a pair of gold armbands. Sabirah stepped forward and slipped her hands up his chest. She couldn’t believe the raw intensity of what she was feeling for him. Her arms snaked up around his neck and she pulled him down to her pressing her lips to his. This was her choice. This was what she wanted. Her supple lips lingered, and when she felt his lips part, she sought his tongue with hers. He could feel her tremble against him and her skilled fingers made short work of his wizards’ robes as they too slipped down his body and fell to a pile at his feet with her dress. When her soft hands made contact with his bare chest, warmth spread through her like a wildfire.

There was only one way her choice of a marriage would ever be accepted and she was standing at the precipice of that decision.

Sabirah's body was the work of a master artisan. Everything was perfectly proportioned, and delicately tight. From the shape of her lips to the swell of her breasts, to the hard nipple the size of a small grape, the firm flat plane of her stomach, to the two finger breadth patch of neatly trimmed hair marking her womanhood, and the sweet slope of her thighs. It was all perfectly carved from the mind of the goddess Qetesh.

Her kiss was heaven in his mouth. No magic spell, no item of power, not even the thrill of riding a scythe griffon matched that kiss. Her lips were soft, her tongue supple and eager. If he had any doubt as to his plan, or it's reasons, her kiss burned them away like the breath of a dragon.

As his cock sprang free from his robes as they pooled at his feet she moved back into him, his cock was trapped between their bodies. The war had been good to him physically, giving him strength again, and toning his body up. Naturally a skinny person, the war let him build muscle and definition.

His hand ran up and down her back slowly, tracing patterns with his fingertips and the slightest touch he could muster in the trembling digits. His right hand trailed down until his fingers reached the top of the crack created by her ass cheeks. His left hand worked up her torso until he got to the base of her skull. His right hand pulled her close, tight until he knew his cock was leaving a dent in both of their bodies, and his left hand twined in her hair, pulling gently until her face pointed up at his.

His eyes burned in a raging inferno of desire, as he croaked out softly, "Are you sure?"

Sabirah’s eyes met his and his gaze consumed her, sending a flush of heat through her. His desire was so tangible it took her breath from her. Marsdan could sense her breathing quickening and a tremble moved through her as long as his hand remained entangled in her hair. His body was firm, lean and defined and when he had pulled her firmly to him she could feel the hardness that had been obfuscated by the robes he wore.

He was the same gentleman he had always been and when he gave her the opportunity to walk away, it confirmed her instincts. Anyone else wouldn’t have paused. Anyone else would have noticed the deep sense of vulnerability and would have attempted to use it to their advantage. Sabirah wasn’t used to this; she was normally calm and could easily dismiss her desires. She would now concede to her needs and his...and when her nails raked lightly down his chest she answered softly, “I’m sure.”