Her, him, and the horse (3)
Crossing the river becomes one of my least favourite things ever.
It takes us longer than planned. My gown makes resistance to the river, but I can't collect it from the water now.
One of my hands is busy clenching Ignis's, while the other is helping me keep the balance.
The water eventually starts being less and less deep. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen at half but at two-thirds of the way.
A step at a time, we finally reach a point where walking isn't impossible.
«Oh, thank goodness,» I moan while increasing the pace.
After crossing a good part of the river, Ignis let go of the horse. He said the animal would reach the other shore on its own, so we proceeded alone and with patience.
When I step on the ground, I fall on my knees and laugh like a fool. Finally, finally! Earth!
It doesn't matter that it's dirty and cold: it doesn't move.
«Oh, Ignis. Let's not do that ever again, all right?»
«As you wish, wife,» he chuckles while helping me up. «You need to dry your clothes. Should I light a fire?»
«Won't it tell the assassins our position?»
«They're too far away for that. It's a possibility, though. Do you have sorcery for this situation too?»
Sorcery? Oh, he's saying it as if it wasn't an offence. I don't do sorceries because I am not a witch.
Yet, when Ignis says it, I can't feel offended. He's talking about magic as if it was just a regular skill. It's the same tone he used when he called me a witch.
I hate that word, but I don't mind if the one using it is Ignis.
«I don't do sorceries,» I explain, though. It's better to clear things up before Ignis changes his mind about magic. «I throw spells or make enchantments. I am not a witch. Just a mage.»
«Mage? Is that what you people call yourself?»
«Yes, it is.»
«So, when I say witch, you don't like it...» he realises. «I'm sorry. I meant no ill.»
«I know, Ignis. I've never minded what words you used because you're just too direct for your own good.»
«The Church calls them saints and prophets.»
«It's the same thing, just another political faction,» I point out. The Church wants to be the only one with people using magic in their ranks.
The free-spirited mages won't accept the billions of rules the Church wants us to follow, so they prefer not to be involved. Yet, the Church needs magic to exercise power over the Kings and Emperors. Without, they're just an organisation pretending to make the rules.
«So, there aren't two kinds of mages in this world. They just are named differently according to what faction they join.»
To dry my gown, I need to take it off. I can't blow wind while it's still on me. That would be a guaranteed cold.
Even if I manage, by some miracle, to produce warm wind. Also, it's better to be careful when dealing with magic. It's not always wise to use it next to a human body.
«Get your clothes off,» I say while starting to unbutton mine.
Ignis is as wet as I am, so we better quickly get dry.
«I thought you would never ask,» he chuckles. He mirrors my move, and he first gets rid of the shirt.
It wasn't all that wet, to begin with. He should take the trousers off, not the shirt! Oh, is he doing it just to tease me?
Yet, I can observe his chest like this. I already knew it was broad and firm.
What I now discover is how the symmetry is just perfect. Also, the muscles of his abdomen are sculpted. He's like a statue. One can guess the amount of training he needs to maintain such a figure.
Oh, will I be allowed to touch him? Can I feel the steadiness of his muscles with my own fingers?
Not now, unfortunately. It's a wild environment. I should focus on drying and getting dressed again.
I turn from him to stop being so distracted, yet Ignis misunderstands my red face.
«Are you shy, now?» he inquires.
His steps reach me, and I feel his arms surrounding me. He helps me unbutton the gown until it slips on the ground, leaving me wearing only underwear and the chemise.
Even if we just got out of a very cold place, his chest is burning. I lean back and absorb part of that heat.
Ignis pecks my shoulder, waiting for me to relax before weakening his grip and leaving enough space for me to turn. I surround his neck with my arms before kissing him.
It's odd, but this is all I can think of. My body drives me in this direction, and I follow my instinct wholeheartedly.
The chemise soon reaches the dress, and I'm almost naked in front of Ignis. Yet, he doesn't have time to watch because of our burning kiss.
I lean back on the tree when he moves his lips on my neck, and I exhale when he touches my favourite spot. His right hand is behind my head, clenching my hair and preventing me from moving away.
He presses his forehead on mine, smiling with his eyes closed.
«Veronica, you're so assertive sometimes.»
I haven't done anything. It's his prompts that make me react to his teasing!
«And you make me lose my mind so often,» he adds.
I caress his shoulders and chest, pressing my whole hand on him. My palm is tickling when I reach his abdomen, and my lips let a moan escape when the firmness of his muscle appeases my touch.
I could spend my whole life doing this kind of thing. It makes me feel so pleased, even just to look at Ignis.
«It's fortunate that we're married,» I murmur before returning to kiss.