The first light of dawn filtered through the clearing where the small group had camped, the thick leather of the tent muting the suns rays and casting a dim for those within. Unless you popped your head out of the tent, one could completely forget the cold harsh winter happening outside.
Roy was the first to stir. The predatory alertness that defined his life didn't allow for the luxury of a deep slumber, even when wrapped in the scent of the woman beside him. Goddess, she smelled divine.
He felt a small, rhythmic tapping against his snout. Opening his violet eyes, he found himself nose-to-nose with a very awake, very wide-eyed Uri. The infant didn't look frightened by the massive black panther looming over him; instead, a toothless, joyous smile spread across his tiny face.
Uri reached out with chubby fingers, patting Roy's whiskers and grabbing at the velvet fur of his cheek with a gurgle of delight.
Roy felt a strange, tight sensation in his chest, a protective warmth he hadn't anticipated. With practiced care, he rose, shifting his massive weight so as not to disturb the finally sleeping female.
Eris was curled on her side, her hair a wild, silken halo against the dark furs. As Roy moved away, the sudden loss of his body heat made her whimper in her sleep. Instinctively, he reached out with a heavy paw to nudge the fur coverings back over her body, tucking her in with a gentleness that would have shocked even the King.
With a soft ripple of muscle and bone, Roy shifted back into his soft form. He stood tall in the dim light, scooped the giggling Uri into his arms, and moved to pick up the happy cub. He held onto Uri with a gentle firmness against his chest to keep him warm and stepped out into the crisp morning air to oversee the breaking of camp.
Inside the tent, Eris stirred as the reality of the morning began to settle in. She felt groggy, her limbs heavy and leaden from a night spent suspended between exhaustion and the hyper-awareness of Roy's proximity. Her sleep had been a fever dream of shifting shadows and the steady, thrumming purr of the beast.
She reached out blindly, her hand searching for the warmth of the small body that should have been beside her. Her fingers met only the cooling furs. The heat that had radiated from Roy all night was gone, leaving her side empty and the air rapidly cooling around her.
Panic flared in her chest, sharper than any frost. Her eyes snapped open, darting around the now empty tent. Uri was gone. Roy was gone.
"Uri?" she rasped, her voice thick with sleep.
Her heart began to pound against her ribs like a trapped bird. Logic deserted her; all she could think was that Uri was gone and Roy had him. Did he suddenly decided she was no longer necessary and left her here on her own?
Eris scrambled to her feet, her movements frantic and uncoordinated. In her haste, her legs became hopelessly entangled in the heavy layers of warm pelts.
She lunged forward, but the furs acted like a snare, tripping her. With a startled "Oof!", Eris toppled over, landing hard on her hands and knees near the entrance of the tent.
Breathless and disoriented, she pushed herself up, her hair falling over her face in a tangled curtain. When she finally lifted her head to brush the strands away, she froze.
Roy was standing at the entrance, the tent flap pulled back to let in the harsh morning light. Uri was perched on his hip, looking down at her with curious, bright eyes.
Roy, however, wasn't looking at the cub anymore. He was looking directly, staring, right at her.
Eris had fallen in such a way that her ivory travel dress had hiked up, snagging on the rough furs and exposing the long, slender line of her thighs. The pale skin was gorgeous, almost translucent, glowing in the early morning light.
Roy's heart skipped a heavy, traitorous beat. The stoic General vanished for a split second, replaced by a male whose pupils dilated until his purple eyes were almost entirely black.
His gaze was heavy, burning with a raw, unshielded lust as it traced the curve of her legs. The air in the tent suddenly felt twice as hot as it had been a moment ago. His traitorous member below stirring just at the sight of her.
Eris, sensing the sudden change in atmosphere, followed the direction of his intense stare. Her breath hitched. She looked down at her exposed skin, her face turning a shade of crimson that rivalled the rising sun.
"Oh!" she gasped, scrambling to untangle herself. She jerked the fabric down, covering herself with trembling hands as she struggled to regain some of her dignity.
She rose slowly, her legs feeling like jelly, and reached out for her nephew. "Give him to me please," she whispered, her voice still shaky from the blush that refused to fade.
Uri, watching his aunt reaching towards him, reached out to her in return, his little palms spread widely in a welcoming gesture awaiting her hug. He let out a sharp giggle, oblivious to the silent storm raging between the two adults.
Roy stepped forward, the heat of his presence hitting her like a wave. He passed Uri over with agonising slowness, his fingers brushing against Eris's arms.
He watched her tenderly, his expression softening as she pulled the cub into her chest, burying her face in the infant's neck and whispering soft, endearments to him.
For a moment, the tension shifted from lust to something possibly far more dangerous, affection. Roy felt his resolve wavering. Affection was not part of his plans, only the weak fell to affection and it was crippling, the strongest males would readily give up their lives just to see their female smile. He was not weak. He refused to be controlled by a slip of a female who could barely feed or clothed herself.
As he was feeling disgusted with himself, his jaw tightened as he steeled his heart. He was a conqueror; she was a prize of war. Roy better treat her that way.
"Get ready," he stated, his voice returning to its iron-hard, military tone. "The sun is up, and we have a lot of ground to cover before the day ends. Organise yourself, Eris. We continue the journey in ten minutes."
Eris nodded silently, her eyes downcast. She clutched Uri tighter, feeling the weight of her reality. She began to move about the tent with mechanical precision, searching through her small pack for a scrap of cloth to wipe the sleep from her eyes.
The tent flap was suddenly pushed aside again. Bryant entered, his posture stiff and formal. He came to a halt and bowed respectfully to Roy, the picture of a loyal soldier.
"My lord," Bryant announced, his voice crisp. "The men are packed. They are awaiting your command to proceed packing your tent and furs."
As he finished, Bryant turned his head toward Eris. The respect he had shown Roy vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp glare that made Eris flinch.
He didn't hide his disdain, his lip curling slightly before he turned back to Roy with a sharp huff of annoyance. Without another word to her, he spun on his heel and marched out to join the others.
Guess she really did anger the poor young male. It was her own fault for brazenly lying to him. She could only reap what she sowed.
Eris stood in the centre of the half dismantled tent, a damp cloth in her hand. Wiping both her face and Uri's, she started feeling like her world was falling apart again.
Could she truly survive the harsh reality of being some arrogant male's prize? What about her nephew, how could she ever bring him back home? And Timo?
Taking a deep breath, she was step out into cold, looking far into the horizon of dotted trees and snow blanketing the ground. Out into the world where her only protector was now her captor.
She had survived this far, just how bad could it be?