A Stolen Moment

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 20th June 2006

Characters: Gleniel, Kiomo
Description: Gleniel and Kiomo find time to steal away alone...
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 12, day 15 of Turn 3

"I don't think anyone saw me come this way," Gleniel whispered once she'd slipped around the stable's corner.

"I'm glad you could make it! I thought the restday would never come,"
Kiomo smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him for a lingering kiss.

Even though she was standing perfectly straight, it still felt like her knees had turned to jelly. **Shells,** she thought, kissing him back.

He smiled as he finally pulled away. "Well, it seems you've been looking forward to today to." Kiomo touched his nose to hers softly before reluctantly releasing her. "I have lunch and a nice big soft blanket, and I was told there's a pretty little meadow down that way a ways complete with a little stream for us to dip our toes in."

"You really are a romantic, I think," she smiled, her heart giving a little bump of excitement.

"Proudly, I admit that I am," he chuckled as he took her hand and gave it a quick kiss. "Now come along. Let's not waste our time out here behind this rather aromatic stable."

They enjoyed the long walk through the woods until they reached the little clearing dotted with wildflowers. They breathed in the warm spring hair, listened to the music of avians and running water, and settled themselves down on the furry blanket cushioned on soft grass to enjoy their meal. When they had their fill, Kiomo pulled out a bottle of wine he had saved as a surprise and they drank glass after glass, talking about their childhood, their dreams, their thoughts...

Kiomo stretched out on his side beside her, absently twirling a flower between his fingers and continuing the story of his journies. "So I caught a ride with a trader caravan to wherever it's final destination might be. I didn't care where it was. I just wanted to get away from that place. That's how I ended up at the Weyr."

"Did you ever think of Standing?" she asked quietly, eyes on that blossom that passed between his fingers.

"No. Not since I was a very young child. I was never found on Search, and I was too old when I arrived at the Weyr." He shrugged and reached up to tuck the flower behind her ear. "It just wasn't for me. I was born to be a Holder, after all."

She looked up at him, her green eyes brightened by the amount of wine she'd drunk. "But you liked the Weyr?"

"Yes," he smiled nostalgically. "I did like it. The people were so nice, and they welcomed me and treated me like one of them. They didn't care who my father was, or where I came from. Or even why I was there. They just... accepted me." Kiomo reached back to pluck another flower and leaned over to tuck it behind her other ear. "But there was nothing I could really do at the Weyr that was _useful_ to anyone. I was not one of them. I loved the Weyr, but I missed my Hold life."

"If given a taste of Weyrlife... If I'd ever Impressed a green dragon... Shards, I don't think I could ever go back. To be free of certain aspects of Hold life... To experience the very stories I've heard throughout my childhood; the feeling--the _knowing_--that you're never alone because you have a dragon, a being that shares every emotion you're feeling as you experience the insane rush of Threadfall, the passion of a flight..." At that she stopped, blushing, suddenly very aware of how much the alcohol had loosened her tongue.

Kiomo grinned down at her as a finger trailed along her cheek. "Go on.
I'm interested."

Shaking her head, she looked down, the color in her cheeks deepening. "A young woman should not speak of such things."

"I _did_ live at the Weyr for a time, remember? Women talked to me about all sorts of things that are probably considered unproper," he smiled encouragingly. "It's just you and me, Gleniel, and I don't mind. I want to know what you're thinking."

She peeked up at him through her lashes, realizing that she _wanted_ to talk about this with him. It made her feel... She blinked slowly. How _did_ it make her feel? She didn't know... But it wasn't a bad feeling. No sir. "They say when dragons rise to... to mate, their riders can't help but rise with them. That they can't help what their bodies demand...and that it could be a different man and dragon catching her every time..."

Kiomo nodded. "It's true. I've seen it. And the people who stand around to watch, they feel it too, you know. They feel powerful feelings and when its over. Well, they just have to express them. But they have a bit more control over themselves then the mated riders do." He studied her face a moment. "Does that interest you? The thought of just doing what comes naturally? Not worrying about what people will say but just...doing what feels right in the moment?"

"Sometimes," she whispered, feeling her blood burn through her veins, and she shivered.

"Do you feel that way now?" he asked, his finger trailing over her lips, as they gazed at each other with wine-brightened eyes.

"Would you think me so wanton if I said yes?"

"No, I wouldn't think that at all." His smile was soft, but his eyes were beginning to smolder. "And what would be natural now, do you think?"

"I'm......I'm not sure..." Shyly she shifted.

Kiomo grinned as he leaned down to brush his lips along hers softly. "Are you still not sure?" he whispered, his hand reaching down to slide across her stomach to her hip as he gently pulled her just a fraction closer.

A soft sound escaped her, the warmth flaring into heat at his slight touch. The reaction surprised her, but Gleniel didn't stop to consider it--or her actions following. Moving, she brushed her lips back against his own, fingers light on his hand.

Kiomo kissed her just as lightly, teasingly. His fingers increased their pressure, pulling her slightly closer as his leaned gently into her. She could feel the hint of his weight and warmth the length of her body.

His lips tasted like wine. Sweet. Addicting. Shyly her fingers slid in between his, very aware now of how close they were getting...of the pressure on her hip--a constant, teasing touch. She shifted, knowing that she wanted more.

The arm he was propped up on curled around her head and his fingers buried themselves into her hair. His leg shifted, sliding along hers as his thumb caressed hers. The kisses grew a bit bolder, a bit deeper. Kiomo could feel her breaths comes faster, her chest pressing into him and then retreating as her lungs filled and emptied. Leaning into her even more, he could feel his own rhythm falling into sync with hers.

It was that muscular thigh brushing against hers that sent off a warning bell in her mind, and as he pressed himself further against her, she could kind of feel.... With her cheeks flaming anew, she tore her mouth from his, burying her face in the curve of his neck, completely mortified by her own reaction. It wasn't as if she was sharding ignorant! But...
Shards... They'd only been _kissing_. Well...maybe it was more than _just_ kissing... She couldn't think straight--his closeness, or the wine, or both, was making her thoughts blurry--making her body demand things she shouldn't be allowing it.

Kiomo let go of her hand and reached up to gently caress her cheek. "Please don't regret this, Gleniel," he whispered. "And don't be afraid of it either. It's natural, and no matter what the Hold says, there's nothing wrong with doing what comes naturally. I think nothing less of you, and I hope you don't think any less of me. Do you, Gleniel? Do you think I'm wrong for wanting to kiss you?"

"Not to kiss," she breathed, leaving the rest of her thought unspoken.
Maybe he would understand....

"But you think I'm wrong for wanting to touch you?" he asked softly. Kiomo sighed and pulled back to look at her. His fingers gently tilted her face until their eyes met. "I have never met anyone like you, Gleniel. You are sweet, funny, thoughtful, beautiful but not vain, and you don't care who my father was or where I have been. You accept me for who and what I am. I would give you all of me if you asked." He looked away, his brow furrowing slightly and a frown touched his lips. "Am I really wrong for wanting to make love to you, Gleniel?"

She felt her heart give a sharp thump as the blood drained from her cheeks--but then rushed back just as quickly. **Make...love? To me?** Shards, she had wondered, but to hear him _confirm_ it... Faranth, it was all too dream-like! And perhaps that was the scariest part of this whole thing. Gleniel looked down, embarrassed, charmed, tongue-tied. "No," she heard herself saying. **But...**

He looked back up into her face, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but it was also a bit guarded. "I will do nothing you don't want me to. I don't want to scare you, or hurt you." The back of a finger trailed along her cheek as he said in a choked whisper, "Just let me be near you." He leaned down and kissed her softly, almost fearfully. "Think about it?"

"I..." She gazed up into those dark eyes of his, half-shadowed by the locks of his hair that had fallen forward, brushing against her brow. "I'll think about it," she whispered, blushing, her hands caressing him longingly.

A relieved sighed passed through his lips, and his eyes smiled once again.
He reached for her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. Cautiously he leaned down just enough to let their lips touch, but no more. Kiomo shifted so there was a bit of space between them as he kissed her softly, relinquishing all control in the situation to her. She could lead at her own pace and he would follow it, she could keep his hand where she was comfortable with it being, and at any time she could move away or ask him to stop. He wanted to show her with his reserve that it was enough just to be together.

Last updated on the June 20th 2006

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A Stolen Moment