Warm Waters

Life, Relationship change

Fenneck walks in on Natalya bathing in the mountains and tried to convince her to come to Flottenheim for the winter.

Natalya dunked her head gratefully under the water of her bath. Fenneck had managed to lug a tub up here that she could occasionally bring into the cave and fill with snow and a heat stone. Now that he had taken the last family into Flottenheim for a couple months, Natalya had the cave all to herself. She took her time in the water and scrubbed months of grime and sweat off. She rested her head against the tub and let herself drift into her meditations. Suddenly she heard the crunch of snow at the entrance to the cave. She had a split second to choose whether to grab the loaded crossbow on the floor or a towel. She grabbed the crossbow. She sat up and aimed the crossbow at the door as Fenneck walked in. Wrong choice. Fenneck blushed and started laughing as he saw Natalya, naked, aiming a crossbow at him sitting in her tub of water. She lowered the bow and felt her skin turn as red as her hair. "My apologies." He said still laughing. "Don't look at me!" She ducked her chest under the water and tried to hide her breasts behind her knees. "Pervert!" She teased. Fenneck turned around but not before very clearly looking Natalya up and down and smiling softly to himself. She got out and grabbed a dark blue tunic and threw it on over her naked body. Her skin shivered from the cold of stepping out of the bath. Fenneck turned back around still laughing. "The hell are you doing here?" She asked, annoyed at being interrupted. "Aren't you supposed to be in Flottenheim for like three more months or something. He sat his weapons and cloak down and grabbed a big fur cloak off the ground and walked over to her wrapping it around her shivering body. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." He smiled at her. She felt her heart steadily pound faster as he affectionately wrapped her up. "I was sent to beg you once last time, from Baegla, to join us in Flottenheim for the winter." He stayed close to her and Natalya wished he wasn't being so affectionate while she was so vulnerably exposed. "Do you have a good reason this time?" She looked up at him annoyed. He smiled, "Baegla wouldn't tell me anything more. However, it is a special year, the end of a century you know. It would be nice for you to join in the celebrations." Natalya walked away from him and went to find a pair of pants. "You can come right back here to your tower afterwards and I promise to stay out of your hair for the next two to three months." Natalya turned to look at him, "Fen, you know why I haven't gone back." "Baegla and Jasna don't care, they miss you." He walked toward her a little. "It's not because of Baegla and Jasna Fen." She looked him in the eyes, "I don't want to...to mess this up." Fenneck pursed his lips in thought. "Look, it's been nine years Nat, I think enough time has passed. I won't do anything stupid." He walked up to her and took her hands. "You can see all the families we've settled there over the years. They are constantly asking about you, I know they'd love to see you." His eyes pleaded to her. Not full of lust or passion like he used to but as a caring friend. Natalya thought about Flottenheim and what it might be like to set foot in the palace again. She wanted to trust Fenneck and trust that everything would be okay if she went. "Look." He said taking her hands in his own, "I love you, in a way I didn't think possible when we first met. I know this hasn't been what I initially hoped it would be but I really love what this has become." Natalya looked up into Fenneck's eyes, they were soft and loving, softer than she'd ever seen them. "I do too. That's why I don't want to risk messing this up. Every time I've been to Flottenheim...bad things have happened." Fenneck caressed her face and laughed. "Twice isn't as many times as you think it is. I'll at least stay here for the night and if you change your mind you can head back with me in the morning." He kissed her forehead and released her hands. He leaned down to take his boots off, "You can continue your bath if you'd like. I'll try to keep my eyes to myself." He smiled up at her jokingly. "The water was getting cold anyway." She said sassily turning away from him. "That's impossible." He walked over to the tub, "There's a heat stone in there, it can't get cold see." He splashed her with a huge swipe of his hand soaking the cloak and tunic Natalya had just put on. "You pig!" She said throwing the wet cloak off of her shoulders. She tried to push him into the water, laughing. He grabbed her and their momentum sent them both awkwardly into the tub. Natalya felt Fenneck's body shove her under the water and she came up gasping for air. He was laughing hysterically. "You're an ass!" She said, unable to keep herself from laughing. His body was on top of her own trapping her in the water. "Let me up!" She said. Fenneck playfully shoved her head under the water. She squirmed and accidently kneed him in his groin. He yelped in pain and she sat up concerned she'd hurt him, "Are you okay? I'm sorry!" Fenneck looked into her eyes and feigned pain before he burst out laughing again. Natalya became painfully aware of how close they were as Fenneck leaned his face in toward her own. Their noses brushed and she felt him take a deep breath. His breath tasted so sweet on her lips and his wet hair tickled her neck. The moment seemed to last forever as Fenneck slowly nuzzled his nose against her own. Their lips tense with proximity. Time itself seemed to stop. Natalya slowly leaned up and finally felt Fenneck's lips meet her own. She felt her heart explode and glow with this consummation. He moved quickly and took her head in his hands and pulled her face into his own. His lips tasted so sweet and perfect against hers. Her whole body flushed and she felt the bath become steamy, and not from the heat stone. She felt her hands find his chest and she pulled his wet tunic off him as he kissed her. She caressed his strong, scarred chest as his hands crept down to her waist and pulled her into his arms. She felt his hardness as he moved her onto his lap. Their lips dancing upon the others as if they were made to kiss each other. Natalya felt Fenneck's tongue enter her mouth and she felt overwhelmed with desire. She finally pulled away for a moment to catch her breath. She looked into Fenneck's eyes as he also struggled to breath. "I love you." He breathed. "I love you too." She sighed back. She felt herself flush and her heart beat fiercely. Fenneck slowly pulled himself away from her and stumbled out of the bath. His pants were soaked and Natalya could see how badly he wanted her. She sat in the bath, unsure of what to do, worried Fenneck was about to have a panic attack. Worried she was about to have a panic attack. Fenneck finally turned to look at her. They were both shaking. They looked at each other for a long time. Natalya felt her toes starting to prune from the water. Everything looked clear and bright, as if she had just orgasmed. Maybe she had, she wasn't sure. She had never felt anything quite like it felt to kiss Fenneck. He took a deep breath, "I love you." He looked like he wanted to say something else but that was all that could come out. "I love you." He muttered under his breath and Natalya saw tears forming in his eyes. She finally stood up and shakily walked over to Fenneck. She moved into his arms and reached her hand up to his face, "I love you too." She felt tears welling up in her eyes as well. Fenneck slowly leaned down and kissed her lips again. It felt just as intoxicating and Natalya felt his hard groin against her pelvis and thought about what it might be like to make love to him. The taste of his lips and mouth sent waves of pleasure through Natalya's body and soon they were gasping for air again. Fenneck looked lost, as if everything he had ever known was a lie. Natalya felt overwhelmed but addicted. Fenneck sat down by the fire, dumbfounded. Natalya slowly sat down next to him, careful not to touch him. They needed to breath. "Well shit." She finally said under her breath. Fenneck started laughing and soon his laughter turned into hysterical crying. "Fen! It's okay! Fenneck!" She reached out and took his hands in her own. He looked up at her with the most loving, joyous expression, "I know." He said between his outbursts, "I know Nat, I know." He took her face in his hands and kissed her again. And again. And again. And again. Until finally the sun intruded upon their bubble with bright rays of light that cut through the pelts over the entrance. "Come to Flottenheim with me. Please." He asked Natalya between kisses. "Okay." She said, knowing that things would be okay.