Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:25:54 -0700
From: Kris Olsen <dragonwriter@comcast.net>
Subject: A Fairy Tale...Sorta ch 10

Chapter 10 - Spring Again

	January passed as January usually did: cold and wet with snow or
rain until it felt like everything was wet all the time. Water pooled on my
windowsill and ran down inside my room; Bitte diligently mopped it up each
evening. I spent most of January and February huddled near the archive
fireplace writing sporadically when my hands would warm up enough to grasp
the quill. Each morning, Bitte would build the fire for the old archivist
and I'd line up the inkwells on the hearth to thaw their contents.

	Kinder took off again for the warmer Southern Continent shortly
after Epiphany. I tried as hard as I could to convince Nayne to go with him
but to no avail. I, finally, decided that that she was afraid to go and
leave everything familiar behind, and maybe she feared leaving her son, I
couldn't be certain. However, I determined to keep trying to convince her
to go with him.

	February lazed by with little change, except for the beginnings of
the spring thaw late in the month. I was pleased to see the first daffodils
pushing up through the snow. Bitte grew another inch and his voice cracked
for the first time one morning as he was helping me dress. His cheeks
turned bright red and he mumbled an apology. I clapped him on the back and
ruffled his hair, making him blush even more. A couple days later after I'd
arranged my thoughts; I took him to a quiet corner in the archive and had a
long talk with him about growing up, girls and sex. The actual mechanics of
sex weren't unknown to him, no one growing up in a small house or caravan
could remain innocent for long. Servant's sex lives, in general were,
ignored by their betters, but Bitte was more of a squire than a servant and
I wanted him to know exactly what the ramifications of his actions would
entail.

	Letters from Tamas continued to arrive every two to three
weeks. While short, they did tell me how much he missed me, about his work
and the forge in Wallingfirth. I wrote back telling him about the castle,
my work, Bitte's growth and the flowers along the castle walls. I suppose
my feelings of missing him bled through anyway, but I was determined not to
cling like a girl.

	March roared in with a violent blizzard that killed two elderly men
in their huts and another man caught out in it. After the blizzard passed,
many more died from cold, exposure and starvation. Rescue groups rode out
daily to the far-flung farms, digging people out and delivering
food. Several times, I watched from the castle gates, as Lehi and his
fellows left, returning with small children and elderly family
members. Being unable to help in the rescue efforts, I devoted myself to
helping in the kitchen and tending the children. Bitte quickly became the
children's favorite with a dozen or so of them following him everywhere
begging for stories or games.

	Grandfather sent Teru and Noah to help, as there wasn't much work
at the forge at the moment. Both of them rode out with rescue groups,
returning in the evening looking grim as the death count from freezing
rose. Some days there were no deaths, other days there were several and we
started worrying about another outbreak of plague or pneumonia with so many
weakened and sick people crowded into the castle.

	Mother let Melly off her duties to help nurse the sick. I worried
about her getting sick but she sailed through easily with nary a sniffle or
cough. Unlike Bitte and I, who both caught colds and were careful to stay
away from people for several days. Melly sighed and grumbled about having
two more people to tend to, but hot soup, warm blankets and soft caresses
accompanied her grumbles, so we knew she wasn't really angry. By the time
the worst of the illness passed, the sun had come out again and started to
melt off the snow. People began to return to their homes or in the case of
many of the children to homes of relatives. Part of me was glad to have the
noise and confusion gone, but part of me was sad to see the return of the
isolation I'd felt all winter.

	On the last morning that Teru and Noah came to help, the sun came
out brightly, heating the stones of the castle and warming frozen noses and
ears. The last of the refugees had returned home and we were lazing on the
kitchen stairs listening to water drip from the eaves and discussing the
latest political news from the capital. Things were looking grim for the
king as his cousin, currently living on the Continent, was making a play
for power.

	"Nicco! Nicco, where-, oh there you are," Melly's voice drifted
down from the kitchen doorway behind us.

	I twisted around to look up at her. Standing in the doorway,
wearing a kirtle made of the honey colored material I'd brought back from
Fordingham, over a shining white chemise; her hair twisted on the top of
her head and skewered by several hair sticks; I thought once again what a
pretty woman she was. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Noah look up as
Teru scrambled to his feet. I turned to look at Teru, who was grinning
ear-to-ear.

	"Good morrow, Mistress," he said, carefully enunciating each word.

	"Good morrow," Melly said with an amused glance at me.

	Noah smothered a laugh in his sleeve and grinned at Bitte, who was
trying not to laugh as well. Puzzled I looked up at Melly, then at Teru. My
mouth dropped open in shock at the blush covering Teru's face. He fumbled
with his hands as if he'd only just discovered he had them and wasn't quite
certain what to do with them. I stood up slowly and climbed a couple steps
until I stood about halfway between them.

	"Melly," I said. "This is Teru, and Noah, they are apprentices to
the smithy in town. Teru, Noah, this is my milk sister, Melly."

	Noah nodded and politely greeted her. Teru smiled and climbed the
stairs to stand one below Melly; he took her hand and raised it to his
lips. Melly made a squeaking kind of noise and blushed. She caught my eyes
over his shoulder and I shrugged with a grin. Teru let go of her hand and
bowed.

	"At yer service, Mistress," he said solemnly.

	"Thank you Sir Smith," Melly said smothering a giggle. "Do pardon
me but I have to take Nicco away as his Lady Mother is requesting his
attendance on her."

	Teru looked saddened but he bowed again with a flourish. I ducked
through the door and headed for the back stairs with a hasty goodbye. On
the stairs, I paused and leaned against the wall laughing. Melly caught up
to me, Bitte at her heels, and stopped in front of me, her hands on her
hips.

	"What was that all about?" She demanded perplexed.

	"Just what you saw, one of the village's most notorious ladies men
just kissed your hand," I said smothering a new round of giggles.

	"Is he serious?"

	"I suppose so," I said shrugging. "Tamas says he's always very
serious every time he starts a new relationship. You should see him in the
forge, he will be a master of his craft, for all that he's something of a
fool away from it."

	"Hmmm," Melly's eyes were thoughtful.

	I winked at Bitte and bolted up the stairs, Melly's shouts echoed
up behind me. By the time I reached Mother's rooms, I had composed myself
to a degree that I was no longer bursting out in snickers. Nodding to
Bitte, I rapped on her door and entered the chamber.

	The only other excitement in March was when Tamas' house developed
a leak shortly after the blizzard hit and Noah reported that the repairs
went well. Sayji and his brother Will did an excellent job, considering the
conditions they had to work in. Remembering what Tamas said about Kinna's
father, I said a small prayer of thanks that no one was injured. I also
wondered what, if a leaking roof, buried under two feet of snow, wouldn't
do it, would make Nayne call her husband for help.

	Early March also brought my twentieth birthday, which must have
come as a shocked to nearly everyone in the castle. I'm sure that most of
them had expected me to die long before then. For myself, I was rather
surprised to have lived through another winter and more than that, I was
waiting for my lover to return and invite me into his household
permanently. Father sent me a fat purse as a gift and Mother a new suit of
clothes. The best gift, however, was a haphazardly scrawled two-page letter
from Tamas, even though it arrived quite late due to the snow and
difficulty of traveling snow packed roads. As usual, his spelling was hit
or miss and his grammar horrid but the emotion came through nevertheless.

	"...miss you and mourn that I have to be away on your birthday. I
promise never to be so thoughtless again. Next year, we'll spend the whole
day in bed..." I flushed and nearly dropped the letter.

	"...my control of the fire is almost perfect. I won't burn you ever
again, I promised that and I mean it, ne'er again. And Da has pledged to
return in the spring to help me learn to change. By summer, I will be a
full-fledged Master smith and a fully grown dragon; I will be a man worthy
of you."

	"Oh Tamas," I murmured to the letter. "You are already the best man
I could ever want."

	The rest of March drifted by like leaves in a stream as the days
lengthened and the sun rose higher in the sky each morning. The snow melted
with some minor flooding reported, mostly by those living near the
rivers. The heavy snow was a concern to farmers with fields of winter wheat
and rye sown in November, but the snow melted slow enough that the fields
fared well. Farmers sowed oats and peas or beans as soon as the snow melted
off and the ground thawed enough to plow; it wasn't long before tiny shoots
started to show. The roads, naturally, became a sea of mud and travel
undertaken with the utmost caution. Warmer weather and snow free ground
also meant the return of our sparring practice behind the garrison
smithy. At first, the ground was quite muddy and we fell a lot, much to the
laundress' annoyance, as relayed to us by Melly.

	Palm Sunday and Easter celebrations were a welcomed break before
the spring labor began. I saw Nayne and the men at the castle church Easter
Morning, but I was unable to extract myself from Mother long enough to
speak to them. I learned later, from Bitte, that Teru had caught Melly and
pulled her off for a talk. He couldn't or maybe wouldn't tell me what they
talked about but Melly showed up later sporting new ribbons in her hair and
a wide smile.

	Tamas and Kinna arrived home a little over a week later. I had
woken that morning thinking `I need to go to the forge' without knowing
why. After washing and eating, I sent Bitte down to the stable to inquire
about a horse since walking there was nearly out of the question with how
muddy the road was, while I packed a few things in my rucksack.

	Noah saw them arrive first, along with Master Colin, and let out a
cry of "Tamas!" Teru and I were heads together studying a stress fracture
on a coulter and our heads snapped up so abruptly at Noah's cry that we
cracked into each other. My eyes crossed and my knees wobbled as I sagged
against the workbench. Tamas was beside me in a moment, his arms around my
waist and lips locked on mine. My arms wrapped around his neck squeezing
him tightly.

	"Nicco," he breathed against my lips.

	"Hm, Ah 'spect twould be for nowt ta tell 'im ta go ta 'is room," I
heard Teru say.

	"Pfft," Noah said. "Yer joost jealous."

	"Bah," Teru responded.

	Tamas tipped his head sideways, breaking off the kiss. He fixed the
journeyman with a look that made Teru`s grin falter. Tamas quirked an
eyebrow and one corner of his mouth curled up into a smile.

	"Oh, I plan ta go ta my room and woe ta an'one what bothers us," he
said, his voice rumbling like thunder.

	Teru grinned and clapped him on the back. Tamas let go of me and
swung Teru and then Noah into a hearty bear hug. Kinna pulled on my doublet
and I scooped the small boy up into my arms. He coiled around me, hugging
me fiercely and I hugged him just as fiercely. Everyone seemed to be
talking and laughing at once, Nayne, perhaps alerted by mother's intuition,
came running, her skirts held up in both hands, to hug her giant son. I
couldn't see Bitte and was just wondering where he'd disappeared to when he
appeared in the doorway accompanied by a thin, work worn woman, with
graying hair pulled back into a braid. I knew she couldn't be any older
than Nayne, but hard work and poverty had taken its toll.

	"Mum!" Bitte launched himself at her with a squeal.

	The small woman enfolded him in a hug, age falling away from her
face like a mask as she clutched her small son to her breast. She sobbed
and thanked heaven for returning him. I nodded to Bitte; I'd thank him
later. He smiled a soft sad smile that roused an ache in my heart. He
missed his Gran and his family. Casting my eye around the forge I thought
to myself, how much my own "family" had expanded in the last year. All
these people, I now had to love and even more so, to worry about, it was
more than a crippled, useless man could or should expect in his
life. However, before my thoughts could go any further a strong, warm arm
scooped me into an embrace again. Tamas reached out and clasped Bitte's
shoulder. Bitte sniffled and threw himself into Tamas' arms. The big red
head let go of me and dropped to a knee cradling the boy against his
shoulder. He stroked Bitte's shiny black hair.

	"Hai, hai, I know," he whispered softly. "Yeh've worked very hard
and soon as theh move this way, I'll take yeh ta yer Gran. Yeh joost have
ta be patient til then."

	Bitte sniffled and nodded. Tamas stood up and announced that the
Smith Guild Hall dinner would be that Saturday, the twentieth. Several
people, many of them neighbors lured into the smithy by the noise, asked if
he'd make Master but he just shrugged with a grin. Master Colin also
refused to say, but the general opinion was that he'd not be home, and
certainly not accompanied by Master Colin, if he weren't. There was a new
round of backslapping and congratulations at this point and I began to
despair of spending any time alone with him.

	It took quite awhile for the crowds to disperse, as everyone was
curious about what their red headed smith had been up to in
Wallingfirth. Consequently, as some people left more came in to visit with
him suspending work for the rest of the day. Tamas' warm arm around my
waist felt oddly right, as if it too was saying "I'm Home".

	By the time everyone had gone home, it was quite late and dinner
reheated a number of times. Conversation was lively and there was a great
deal of laughter at the table. Wine and ale flowed making everyone just a
wee bit drunk and all the merrier. I stumbled in exhaustion on the stairs
and Tamas practically had to carry me up them. He made a joke about
bringing the bride home and I popped him half-heartedly on the shoulder.

	"I missed yeh so much, my stomach hurt most o` tha time," he
murmured into my hair, clasping me tightly as the door shut behind him.

	My hands on his arms and shoulders told me that he'd not missed
many if any meals, but I kept quiet and took it as a compliment. Tamas
tipped my head up and kissed me, a hard fierce kiss that tasted of hot
metal and sweet wine. My body melted against his and I wondered if my knees
would completely cease to work.  Smoothly and without breaking the kiss, he
unbuttoned my doublet and backed me up to the bed.

	The morning sun peered in through the partially opened shutters and
ran across my face waking me. At first, I wasn't sure where I was but then
I remembered Tamas had arrived home the day before and I was in his bed. I
rubbed my eyes and tried to sit up, but my arm was pinned under a head of
thick curly red hair. An arm, nearly as thick as my leg, lay draped over my
waist, pinning my lower body down. I sighed and grinned. The possessiveness
of that arm made me feel safe in a way I'd never known before and I
realized too, that I had missed that weighed down awakening. I slithered
sideways and upwards in the bed, freeing my arm so I could sit up.

	Lightly I brushed his hair away from his face, Tamas' face had
matured in the last six months, the jaw seemed stronger and the brow, even
in sleep, more determined. This was not the face of a boy anymore; this was
the face of a fully-grown man. This was my lover and this was a man who
could and would support his loved ones. I brushed his lips with the tip of
my index finger, so soft and so erotic. I blushed remembering those lips on
my body and the fires they stirred up under my skin. Slowly Tamas' right
eye opened and turned up towards me. He smiled and closed his eye again.

	"Tis home then," he said to his pillow. "Yeh'd no be here owt
wise."

	He rolled over on his back, his arm flopping up to cover his
eyes. Still smiling, his other hand found my thigh under the blankets and
caressed it softly. A small bite mark colored his right collarbone and my
hand went unconsciously to my throat, I was certain I had a few bite marks
myself.  Tamas lifted his arm slightly and peered out from under it at
me. I dropped my hand in agitation and his grin widened. His hand slid out
from under the blankets and cupped my chin. He pulled my head down into a
kiss.

	Somehow, we made it to breakfast before Nayne had cleared the
remains away from the table. She quirked an eyebrow at her son who smiled
angelically, I flushed and looked at the floor. Without a word, she scooped
up two bowls of porridge and set them on the table. I sat down and a fresh
loaf of bread appeared in front of me, startled I looked up. Nayne smiled
and winked at me. I grinned back at her.

	"I expected you two to be late down this morning," she said
grinning.

	I flushed again and concentrated on eating my breakfast. Inquiring
about Bitte, she informed me that Kinna had dragged him off for
quarterstaff practice. Listening, I could hear the crack of wood around the
side of the house. I finished eating, placed my bowl in the washbasin with
the rest of the morning's dishes, and went outside following the
sound. Kinna and Bitte were practicing in the narrow space between the
house and the stable. I watched amused, and pleased that things seemed to
be getting back to normal.

	The next three days were a flurry of activity as Tamas' household
prepared for the spring Smith Guild banquet. Material for new clothes piled
up in the main room of the house and Nayne, along with a neighbor, sewed
furiously to make new outfits for Tamas, Grandfather and Kinna. Tamas would
have to have something to wear that would befit his new status as Master
smith and Grandfather as his former Master. Kinna just needed new clothes,
as active boys are hard on clothing. The night of the banquet, Nayne
proudly presented Tamas with a saffron colored doublet and a new pair of
red and white hose. The yellow doublet made Tamas glow in the
candlelight. Nayne had lovingly brushed his thick hair, braided it anew and
coiled it on his head like a luminous snake waiting for an opportunity to
strike. I studied curiously the journeyman's badge pinned to his breast,
which I'd not seen before. A small round disc of iron embossed with an
anvil under a crossed hammer and tongs. Teru also wore a similar badge;
Noah's badge had bellows on it, denoting his status as an
apprentice. Grandfather and Master Colin wore necklaces made of oval shaped
flat discs of highly polished brass designating their rank of Master. I
shivered in anticipation of Tamas returning with such a chain around his
neck.

	Tamas was delighted with the doublet and concerned that Nayne'd had
to make too many sacrifices to afford the yellow cloth. Nayne assured him
that it hadn't been as expensive as she'd thought it would be and shooed
him out the door. She confided to me that a cloth merchant's wagon had
broken a rear axle in town, dropping the heavy load. Fortunately, none of
the cloth had sustained damage, however the wagon required extensive
repairs, and so several craft masters had gained new cloth for their wives
in return. Teru had taken just enough to make new hose and a small bolt
perhaps for someone special out of the cloth paid to Grandfather as
Master. The rest of the cloth fell to Nayne to distribute among the growing
males in her household.

	Waiting for the banquet to finish and the smiths to return was the
longest night of my life, it felt even longer than the preceding six
months. I very nearly wore a path in the courtyard cobbles walking from the
kitchen to the smithy door and back again to the kitchen. As I stood up for
the umpteenth time, I saw Bitte, head close to Gisela, snicker and I sat
back down rapidly. Nayne cleared her throat and sent the two of them off on
an errand to fetch more wood for the fire. I smiled weakly at her and she
leaned forward in her chair and clasped my forearm, her fingers digging in
a little more than necessary and I realized she was as nervous as I was.

	"Halloo!" A shout sounded from outside.

	"Kinder?" Nayne said standing up as footsteps sounded across the
kitchen floor and the small man stepped inside the main room. Neither of us
had known Kinder was back.

	"Kinder!" Nayne leaped up and ran to him, throwing her arms around
his neck.

	For several moments, I gathered up her spilled knitting and
politely stared into the fire as Kinder greeted his wife in a manner very
similar to Tamas' greeting to me a few days earlier. I could hear softly
murmured words and the soft slither of cloth on cloth.

	"I wasn't expecting you," Nayne said softly.

	"Och, lassie, I nae haff much stomach for all that drinkin' and
eatin', so I ate my full and slipped out while they were lookin' at that
yellow peacock," Kinder answered with a grin.

	"Kinder!" Nayne tried hard to look stern but couldn't manage it and
leaned against her husband laughing. "You mean you'd rather drink my ale
than theirs."

	"You were at the banquet?" I exclaimed in surprise.

	"Och, aye laddy, I wass, I am a smith in my own right after all,"
he said with a smirk and a gesture to the silver chain around his neck and
I flushed. I had forgotten that Kinder was a silversmith.

	"Did Tamas make Master?" I asked crossing the room and grabbing
Kinder's arm. He looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

	"Wass there any doubt really?" He answered.

	Nayne gave a squeak of pleasure and hugged her husband. My hand
dropped from his arm and I could feel my mouth stretching into the biggest
grin. Kinder looked up at me and then down at Nayne. He shook his head and
muttered something in a language I couldn't understand.

	"Och, but the old ones did argue agin letting a laddy as young as
him be made Master. But yer Da and Master Colin, as well as I, countered
that he'd been runnin' the forge here for years already. Och, there was
much ado about his age but none could find fault with the quality o' his
work or his reputation, so they finally gafe in." Kinder's voice was full
of pride.

	"I'm thinkin' he'll be along here any minute now, yer Da, lassie,
is tired and about all done in for this even'. He spoke fiercely in his
grandson's favor." Kinder hugged Nayne again.

	I spun around and headed out the door to the kitchen, passing the
two youngsters returning from Nayne's errand to the woodshed. Bitte called
to me but my feet had their own ideas and I flew out the door and across
the courtyard. I was just pulling open the outer smithy door as the small
group appeared in the square. Tamas' arm looped under Grandfather's
shoulders lightly supporting him. Teru walked on the old man's other side
holding a lantern; Noah and Master Colin followed close behind. Kinna let
go of Noah's hand and broke into a run, crossing the square in an eye blink
before launching himself into my arms. I caught him with a laugh, very
grateful for all the quarterstaff practice.

	"'E did it! `E did it, Nicco, Tam made Master!" He said, so excited
his small body shook.

	"I know," I said setting him on his feet. "Kinder told me."

	"Darn that Kinder! `E wasn't sposed ta tell yeh. Tam wanted ta do
it `imself! Ah'll kick `im, Ah will!" Kinna shouted running towards the
house, completely ignoring the fact that he had done the same thing as
Kinder.

	I started to follow him, then stopped and turned again towards the
group of men crossing the square. Deciding that Kinder could take care of
himself, I broke into a run and threw myself at Tamas. He caught me around
the waist with his free arm and pulled me half off my feet. His other arm
abandoned Grandfather and swung around my hips, lifting me off the
ground. Oddly, I felt no fear this time and laughed in excitement. Behind
me, I heard Teru murmur something and Grandfather shush him. They walked
around us toward the smithy.  Light flooded out of the smithy door as each
lantern inside flared to life.

	"I did it, Nicco! I said I would, an I did!" He shouted excitedly
swinging me higher up in his arms. I gripped the shoulders of his doublet,
my thumbs encountering a cold piece of metal, but before I could examine it
closer, Tamas swung me around in a circle. "I made Master, I did! Showed
them ole men, oh I did!"

	I laughed and leaned down to kiss him. Heat like fire rushed down
my back and limbs and I moaned in pleasure into his mouth. The chill night
air disappeared and all my senses targeted in on the big red head wrapped
around me like a blanket. Tamas' kiss was hot like metal and fire, and
sweet like ale. The scent of dragon musk was strong and his heartbeat
thundered in my ears. Tamas gently set me on the ground. Even in the dim
glow from his fire, I could see his eyes shining with excitement.

	Across the square, someone called out, drawn by the sound of
voices. Tamas called back and another door opened and then another. People
flooded out into the square eager to hear the news. Tamas grinned at me and
grabbing my hand sprinted for the smithy. We ducked through the door
laughing and got as far as the courtyard before the mob caught
up. Neighbors surrounded Tamas pelting him with questions. The piece of
metal I had encountered on his shoulder earlier was a disc in his Master's
necklace. He slipped it over his head and held it up triumphant.  From all
sides congratulations assaulted my ears. The crowd moved in so urgently
that I ended up rather roughly pushed aside, but I didn't really mind,
these were friends and neighbors who had known Tamas from birth and it
seemed only right that they should be the first to offer words of praise
and congratulations. I circled the crowd to the kitchen door. Nayne was
standing in the doorway, her eyes shining with tears and a look of
satisfaction and pride on her face. I leaned against the wall by the door
and crossed my arms contemplating the scene in front of me.

	As with the night Tamas arrived home, it was quite late before
everybody went home and we were able to go to bed. The first to leave were
mothers herding young children in front of them and, of course, the old
aunties and uncles, who left with promises of visits from Tamas to help
soothe their aching joints. Nayne and the two elderly smiths retired early
as well. Nayne sent Gisela along to Kinna's mother to help with the babes
and sleep there as all the free space in the small house had sleepers
already. The villagers who were age mates of Tamas appeared ready to
celebrate well into the night. Ale, wine and cheap beer appeared along with
bread, cheese and raucous singing. Weary, I took refuge in the main room
near the fire; the next thing I knew I was being lifted into the
air. Crying out, I struggled for a secure hold. A large warm hand caught my
wrists and I paused shaking my head to wake up. Tamas' face loomed near
mine, his eyes smudged with weariness, but he smiled anyway.

	"Shhh, tis aw ri', tis ony me," he said softly.

	Tamas set me on my feet. I stumbled but his hand under my elbow
held me upright. Over his shoulder, I saw Teru enter the room, Kinder slung
over his shoulder like a sack. I heard a burp, then a giggle and snickered
myself. Teru glanced over his shoulder with a grin and then looked to
Tamas, still grinning.

	"Wha should Ah do wi' `im?"

	"I'd dump him in tha street," Tamas said with a scowl. "But Mum
would flail me alive; take him up an dump him in her room let her listen ta
his singin."

	Teru laughed and started up the stairs. I could hear him
admonishing Kinder to hold still and not to wake the whole house. After a
moment of silence, we heard a thump from upstairs and Teru returned still
grinning. Swaying slightly he walked to the pile of bedding and dragged the
last mat out flat before throwing several blankets on it. The three boys
took up most of the room with Noah lying on his back
spread-eagle. Carefully I stepped over his arm as Tamas pulled me towards
the stairs.

	Tamas' room was cold but it wasn't long before the air around him
warmed up. A quick snap of his fingers and the candle on the floor by the
clothes chest flared to life. Fire flickered under his skin and crackled
down his shoulders in tiny rivulets of flame. I shivered knowing he'd
promised never to burn me again but it was a hard promise to believe when
face to face with the fire. Tamas lifted the Guild necklace over his head
and carrying it in one hand walked to the small clothes chest. Pulling it
out from under the eaves and lifting the lid just enough to reach in, he
stowed the chain inside. He straightened up and started unbuttoning his
doublet as he walked back to me. He slipped it off and hung it on a hook by
the door behind me. Planting his palm against the wall, he leaned forward
and kissed me and without any prompting from me, my fingers grasped the
loose sleeves of his shirt. His free hand pressed against my lower back
pushing me against his belly. I felt his belt buckle dig into my pubic bone
through the skirts of my doublet.

	This was a kiss full of promise and passion. This wasn't the kiss
of a green boy but of a grown man, a man ready to claim his place in the
world, and in his lover's soul. I ran my hands up his arms enjoying the
feeling of cotton-encased muscle. He sighed and increased the pressure on
my mouth and back, as if trying to absorb my body into his, Tamas'
heartbeat thundered in my head. I clung to the back of his shirt,
whimpering in pleasure around the kiss.

	A thump and then a laugh from the other side of the wall made us
both jump and separate. We glanced at the wall and then at each other
embarrassed. The laugh repeated and Tamas snarled something under his
breath. I looked at him and had to look away before I burst out laughing at
his obvious embarrassment over hearing his parents doing exactly what he
planned to do with me. I gestured to him, pointed to the bed and then to
the window. He nodded and pulling off his chaperon, he tossed it onto the
clothes chest. Together we pushed and pulled the wrought iron bed frame
across the floor to a spot closer to the door and window and as far as
possible from his mother's bed on the other side of the wall. Tamas
straightened up and held out his hand; I smiled and took it, letting him
lead me around the head of the bed. He flopped down on the bed and
immediately cracked his head on the low sloping ceiling. His yelp of pain
broke the awkwardness of the moment as he rubbed the sore spot
furiously. Trying very hard to hide a lopsided grin, I reached out and
pulled the sticks out of his braid, watching it slither down his side like
a snake made of fire. Murmuring soft words of comfort, I leaned forward and
kissed the top of his head.

	"Good thing you had some padding there," I said with a smile. Tamas
smiled ruefully and stood up still rubbing his head. He pulled the bed out
further into the room and sat down again.

	"Nicco," Tamas' hands slid up my thighs to my waist and then around
my waist pulling me close.  I swung my hand up instinctively to prevent
knocking my head against the ceiling, dropping the hair sticks on the
floor. Tamas' arms tightened around my waist and I braced myself against
the nearby rafter.

	"I've wanted at be a Master smith since I was a wee lad, tis all I
thought about `fore I met you. Then I foun' another reason to become
Master: I had to become a man worthy of you. Yer no just the lad from up
the lane, yer from the castle, a right and proper gen'leman." He paused for
a moment then went on softly, "I had to gain the rank to be worthy of you
and to be deserving of your love."

	"Tamas," I said, stroking his hair softly. "You are all the man I
could ever want and a lot more, perhaps, than I deserve. Shh..." I pressed
my thumb to his lips as he started to speak. "You are strong, in body and
mind, determined and responsible. I am overwhelmed at what you've achieved
in in your life so far, it's a far cry from the accusations I hear at home
of lazy peasants. I stand in awe of you as you work in the forge, keep your
household fed, clothed, and raise Kinna and Noah to be loving, hard working
men. I can't believe you ever had any doubts of your worthiness, I could
never want or need anything more than what I already have in you."

	"Nicco," Tamas pulled his head back and looked up at me. His
normally deep voice dropped a couple octaves becoming husky almost to the
point of hoarseness. "I said once that one day I would use all my talents
ta show yeh what yeh mean ta me. Today is tha day."

	Tamas stood up and with a whispered `Wait here' disappeared out the
back entry. I heard his feet on the stairs and the pantry door open. I
frowned puzzled, surely he wasn't thinking of food at a time like this!
After a few minutes, I heard the pantry door shut and then a herd of horses
on the stairs. The herd resolved itself into the tall red head holding a
small bottle in his hand. He bolted the door again and crossed the floor to
me in a couple of strides. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulled me
close before sitting down again on the bed. He placed the small bottle on
the floor near his foot.

	Tamas' arm returned to my waist and one of his large hands slipped
up under the skirts of my doublet caressing my lower back, while the other
hand made short work of my buttons and in a moment, my doublet lay
forgotten on the floor. Tamas' hands slid up my body caressing me softly. I
shivered and leaned down for a kiss. Fire raced through my body from my
lips to my toes and I grasped his shirt in a death grip. Suddenly I wanted
to touch him, to feel the ridges of his muscles and the softness of his
chest hair. Roughly, I tugged at his shirt until it pulled out of his
hose. I jerked it up over his head and dropped it on the floor beside my
doublet. Tamas grinned in delight at my burst of aggressiveness and before
I could blink, my shirt was lying on the floor on top of his.  His hand
pressed on the back of my head, pushing my head down into a kiss. Once
again, fire roared through my body settling in my groin. I groaned in
pleasure as my cock hardened. Tamas' free hand stroked my side and hip
before coming to rest on my belt buckle. I groaned in pleasure as his
middle finger rubbed my cock through the hose. He broke off the kiss and
ran the tip of his tongue across his lips.

	"Nicco," he said hoarsely. "Touch me, Nicco. I doon care aboot yer
hands, I joost want ta feel yeh on my body."

	My cock hardened so fast it was painful and I sucked in my breath
in surprise.  Leaning forward, I kissed him again. My fingers, willing to
mind for once, semi-straightened out as I stroked Tamas' arms and then his
chest. Hair fine as silk curled around my fingers teasing them. Tamas
moaned softly as I stroked his pecs, my fingertips brushing his nipples
lightly.

	"Ahh, Nicco, I've wanted yeh like this fer so long," he said, his
arms tightening around my hips.

	My response was lost as he lifted me off my feet; I squeaked in
surprise. My hands scrabbled to grasp something but there was only smooth,
hard muscle under my fingers. Tamas returned me to my feet with a whispered
apology. Grasping my belt, he deftly unbuckled it and peeled my hose and
boots off. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered.

	"Mmm," he murmured studying my body as heat poured off him warming
my chilled skin.

	"Tamas," I said softly, feeling embarrassed under his scrutiny.

	Tamas' fingers lightly stroked my back, buttocks and thighs; he
brushed my hips before gently cupping my stones in his large palm. I moaned
and leaned against his shoulder.  He stretched forward and teased the tip
of my cock with his tongue before picking the small bottle up off the
floor. His tongue teased my cock once again before pulling the shaft into
his mouth. I cried out and tangled my fingers in his hair as his tongue
wrapped around my cock and sent waves of pleasure to my toes. Never
breaking the in and out rhythm of his mouth on my cock, Tamas fumbled with
the bottle behind me. I felt something warm turning cold slop down between
my buttocks and I moaned in surprise at the sensual feel of it. Tamas'
fingers rubbed the oil down between my buttocks toward the hole. I
squirmed, half in embarrassment and half in pleasure. Tamas poured more oil
onto his fingers before setting the bottle back on the floor. Gently he
spread my legs and lightly stroked my scrotum back to the hole. I cried out
and he grinned around my cock. Pulling back on my cock, he pressed his
fingers against my hole. Slowly he teased my cock and my hole until his
finger slid in. I cried out, my back arching; pressing my cock deep into
his throat. He choked and pulled his head back before working in a second
finger. His fingers pushed deeper into me. Suddenly my head seemed to
explode in fire and passion that swirled around me and shook my body. I
clung to his hair as his tongue stroked my cock and his fingers caressed my
insides to orgasm.

	I gave out a long keening cry and my cock slid out of Tamas' mouth
as my knees gave out under me and I collasped into his lap. He licked a
drop of cum off his lip and his free hand stroked my back as he whispered
softly to me. I leaned against him for a moment before dropping to my knees
between his legs. As I unbuckled his belt, he grinned and leaned back on
the bed while I freed his hard cock and dropped my head over it. Up and
down the shaft, my mouth slid teasing and caressing his hard shaft. Tamas
moaned and flexed his hips pushing his cock deeper down my throat.

	I was certain he was ready to orgasm when he pushed my head
away. Puzzled I rocked back on my heels wondering what I had done
wrong. Tamas leaned forward and kissed me while picking up the bottle from
the floor. Breaking off the kiss, he slowly poured the oil onto his
cock. Carefully he rubbed it all over the engorged shaft. He moaned softly
and I felt myself get hard again.

	"Stand up," he gasped. I stood up and he gestured me to
him. "C'mere, straddle my legs."

	His accent was so broad I almost couldn't understand him, but I
straddled his legs, puzzled. He grunted as the tip of his cock rubbed
against my stones. Grasping my hips, he maneuvered my butt over his cock. I
felt the slippery shaft stroke my scrotum and hole.

	"Easy, Nicco," he said softly. "Relax, relax, relax..."

	I let out my breath and resting my hands on his shoulders bent my
knees. I felt his cock push at my hole as he pulled my head down into a
kiss. My nipples hardened and I groaned at the kiss, leaning forward into
it. A sudden thrust upwards of his hips and I felt my hole stretch
painfully. I gasped as he pushed in and then pulled out, thrusting deeply
until I sat astride his legs.

	"Nicco," he moaned. "Nicco, is so sof' an' warm inside yeh. I
wanted sa bad to be in theh. But I hadda wait til I could control tha
fire. I wohn burn yeh ever gin."

	I groaned in response unable to form words. Tamas pulled my head
down into a kiss again and leaned back in the bed. Rolling sideways, he
stopped on top of me. I wasn't certain what to do next so I wrapped my legs
around his waist and pushed my butt up against his groin. Tamas moaned into
my mouth and started to move. Long even strokes alternated with short jerky
strokes as he pushed his cock deep into my body. I cried out and clung to
his shoulders. A deep thrust bent my back and rubbed my cock against his
belly.

	Neither Tamas nor I could hold out for long, with so much stimuli
working on our bodies and it wasn't long before Tamas' body thrust deep and
hard into me; his head fell back in ecstasy. My body twisted and pressed
against his, my fingers grappling at his shoulders. Tamas collapsed on top
of me completely spent from the orgasm. I grunted and he hurriedly rolled
off, gathering me into his arms. Softly he kissed my eyes, nose and lips.

	"Nicco, my love, my beloved mate," he murmured into my hair. "Now
yeh really are mine, mine forever."

	"Silly boy, I always was yours, from the first moment I laid eyes
on you, I've been yours," I said softly, tracing the shape of his lips with
my finger. He kissed me again.

	We made love two more times before exhaustion stopped us. Tamas
washed me as well as himself; one of the advantages of having a firedrake
in your bed was his ability to heat the wash water. I slipped into sleep
feeling safe, warm and loved. I woke just enough to sigh in contentment as
he crawled in with me and gathered me in his arms. The heat from his body
soothed my sore spots and I drifted off again.

	I awoke to the sun streaming in through the window. Sitting up, I
looked around the room. Tamas was gone, most likely already in the
forge. No doubt, he was on fire to work in his forge as Master now. I
smiled and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Bitte had been in the room, I had
fresh clothes lying on the chest and a covered pail of wash water. Stiffly,
I eased myself out of bed and washed up. Bitte entered the room just as I
started buttoning my doublet. He tied my shirt and smoothed my doublet. I
thanked him solemnly, I really had no idea how I would have managed the
last six months without his companionship.

	Nayne had left my breakfast in the corner of the fireplace, where
it would stay warm and not burn. Bitte told me she and Kinder had left
early. He didn't know where they went, but I suspected they just wanted
some time alone together, something I understood completely. I finished
breakfast and walked to the smithy. Inside Tamas, Teru and the two boys
were hard at work. Grandfather watched them content to play retired
Patriarch, now that his beloved forge was safely in Tamas` hands. I leaned
on the door watching, my heart pounding in time with Tamas` heart. This was
where I belonged, this was the life I had chosen for myself and here was
the place my heart wanted to reside. I, along with Tamas, was home.