After getting back in the wagon, I took a place next to Anna and let the ride lull me to my dreams, which were filled with unladylike behavior and normal stuff, too.
I woke to a bit of commotion and found myself alone. The wagon was standing still, and the sounds of cheers came from outside. Still groggy, I walked out and saw it was late afternoon.
There was a fight in the middle of the circle between two of our escorts. Behind them, was the most incredible lake.
Lime Lake, as the locals called it, was much bigger than I thought. Its waters looked beautiful and treacherous. From here, it was bathed in the setting orange of the sun. The fight reached its peak, and the others cheered them on.
I saw Alexander and Demelza with my daughter not far, all shouting and encouraging the fighters.
Demelza waved me over. "You're awake. I was just about to wake you!"
I walked over quickly. "Where is Zephyr?" I patted Anna's hair and looked around, but there was no sign of him.
"He went swimming with some others. I bet he wants to see the bottom of the endless Lime Lake." Alexander looked at the giant lake a little distance away and then back at me. "My brother, not afraid of anything..."
Is that so?
"Your brother... is a damn fool sometimes! No wonder you found each other." Since I didn't see them: "Did Eli and Lucian go with him?"
"They did. Want me to show you?" Demelza got up and dusted her dress.
"I want to swim too." Ilianna reached toward me.
I took Anna with me and followed Demelza down a well-traveled path leading to the lake. Soon, I saw some people from afar. I noticed my sister's blonde hair. As we went closer, I saw Metill's sons, Lucian, and Norman. No sign of Zephyr...
We walked close enough to see them, and I was getting scared. Did he actually go to the bottom of some monster lake?
I walked closer to the black water. "Hey!! Wher—"
THUD!
Just then, I heard a sound above us and saw my idiot standing thirty feet up on a tree branch. He was soaking wet.
Ugh, I can't sleep for a few hours. Also, look at him standing there. Imagine him without his warm smile. He would have looked like an executioner from under the depths of the black waters.
I covered my eyes, shielding them from the last light of the sun. "Did you have a nice swim!? And don't you dare appear behind me!!"
He just smiled, amused, and took a step off the branch into empty space. I shouldn't, but my heart still missed a beat seeing him do stunts like that. I suppose him getting better using it is the only way forward...
He appeared a few feet in front of us, but some water from his clothes, coupled with the wind, still reached us, making Ilianna very happy.
"Dad, let me swim in the big lake!"
"Okay, princess, but only in the shallows. It becomes..." He looked at the water and chuckled. "...Quite deep after just a few steps."
He picked up his running daughter as he explained the rules.
The younger brother, Manata Emil, was the first to arrive. "Did you see the bottom, Master?"
He shook his head while looking towards the deep waters. "I don't believe there is one... it was just darkness. After a while, it was hard to tell which way was which. It felt incredible and chilling to the bone." He rubbed his shoulders a little.
His smile did not match his words of a literal nightmare lake. The others looked as horrified, at least as I felt. How nice, going so deep in water that you can't tell which way is the bottom anymore. Idiot...
I stepped closer before he got swallowed by other questions clearly coming. "Zephyr?... A moment."
My voice was calm as the deep waters but just as cold.
He sighed, fully knowing what was coming, and gave Eli her niece to look after.
We walked further into the forest. I was standing with my back to him. I was all too ready to give him a piece of my mind and let him grovel a little... by the time I turned around, he was half-naked.
"What is this?" I pointed at his nakedness.
He raised an eyebrow, looking confused. "It's nothing... it's me drying my clothes, love. Why?"
"...No reason, g-go on."
He looked amused at what his naked top half did to me. He stepped forward and twisted his shirt, with the water splashing on the ground, and waited patiently for my brain to work again, but it didn't.
"Shouldn't you go on? You wanted to talk to me?"
"Right... I was..." I shook my head and closed my eyes, only to open and see him take off his shoes and start on his pants...
"Lylly?? Go on..."
I swear to Ehlite...
"Yes... right, it's a a... S-stop undressing!" I ended up stopping his hand movement. "I can't concentrate, you idiot..."
"I'm sorry if you have difficulty, honey, but I need this done now with the sun setting." He looked behind and continued with his pant. "...So go on."
"You don't think I know what you are doing?" I turned his head around to face me.
He sighed with all-too-obvious, fake frustration. He sat down with his pants still on... good, there's no telling what would have happened.
"Now... tell me, did it scare you, me going underwater?" He pointed behind him. "Perhaps you think it was stupid?" He pointed at his head. "Am I anywhere close?"
Listen to those condescending questions... his theatrical hand gestures. He obviously knew it would make me angry and did it anyway.
Hmm...
"Hmph." I threw my hair around and left.
I walked back to the others without looking back. We'll see if that curbs his bad behavior.
I arrived back at the people we left. Anna was having fun two feet in the lake and splashing Eli and Lucian. They already looked the part... just like me and Zephyr, before we became parents.
"I'm going back... I'm hungry." I touched my sister's shoulder once close enough.
She looked behind me, searching. "What about Zephyr? Where is he?"
"Drying himself... look after my daughter, Lucian... or it's your ass." I patted his back, passing him.
I walked back to the camp. The fighting had ended, and most were enjoying a stew from several large cauldrons on the healthy fires. I went back inside the wagon and counted patiently. It took around five minutes.
He looked and, after confirming it, stepped inside.
"My love... are you very mad still?" He took a seat in front of me.
"..."
"Please don't do this..."
I just stared without a word. He looked annoyed.
"...I'm sorry. I was reckless having fun. But that was all... fun." He took my hand, and even in the ever-darkened space, I saw his eyes shining. "It may sound dangerous from my words. Try and see my perspective?"
I was happy to see him having fun... I supposed things sounding insane to me were child's play to him. Seeing the bottom of an endless lake... he could do it. Or at least close enough.
At this point, my silence was visibly distressing him... I kind of wanted to tease him more.
"Hmm."
"What was that?? What is that!?" He laughed a little and shook his head in confusion.
I couldn't hide my smile anymore.
I invited him as you would any cat. He climbed on top of me, settling in comfortably, pulling my dress up. I stopped his hand. "Zephyr, we can't!! Anyone can just peep in. Not to mention its walls are made of fabric."
To make my point, I tapped the sides.
He kissed my neck and felt his grip on my dress become stronger, then moved it to the side a little and let it go. "I'm not doing anything... Your dress made my knees uncomfortable. How dirty-minded do you think I am?"
He said that but then kept pulling it up. And pulling my panties aside. I lost my reasoning really quickly once I felt him teasing me.
"You asking me that? I can feel your dirty mind creeping inside me... right now. No... We can't... not in he—"
He smothered my words with his tongue, then entered me, filling me up, and all hell broke loose. We got into our rhythm fast and were close to losing myself, like always, but something terrible happened early on in our insanity: someone knocked.
"Hello... sorry, I don't want to be rude... khmm, the entire wagon is moving. It's also... the sounds."
We were saved by Demelza's voice of reason and quick response to the most obvious situation I foresaw already.
"Okay... alright tha—" I panted under him and could barely get the words out. "—Demelza."
I pushed him off me, now only in his shirt, and I adjusted my underwear in the now almost dark wagon.
On his back, he adjusted himself. "Soo... you might've been right about the location thing..."
"Of course I was... it's all your fault, don't listen to anyone," I slapped his chest. "...acting like some underwater fish. We might as well have done it in front of everyone... ughh."
I felt his hands on me and got goosebumps head to toe. He knelt behind me, and I felt him pushing it against me through the very thin dress of mine.
He licked my ear and pulled me even closer, grabbing my breast. "Is that what you're really disappointed about?" And then he pulled away and layed back down, leaving me all hot and bothered.
"...Also next time you go to Malai. Get some more of those panties... some nice black ones."
I was disappointed, even fully knowing he couldn't ravage me, not here. I went back to adjusting my dress.
"Shut up and go out first... make sure no one is looking when I go out. Stop teasing..." I grabbed it, still rock hard. "Pull your pants up before I do something I'll regret."
"Fine..." He pulled it up, with some difficulty.
He stepped out after some time, and I made a couple of mental notes. More nice black underwear. Check. Wagons move during sex. CHECK. Sex in front of others.. CHECK.