The Tourney at Ashford

It had been a long day, and Kaliya was beginning to wonder if she should have one of the servants put Ulrich off for another day. On the other hand, she was stressed, and she doubted sleep would come easily, some masculine company might be just the thing. She put the kettle over the fire to prepare herself tea while she waited.

It was a long day. A good sparring match in the morning, a good sparring match with alcohol in the evening.

Things to do, people to see in between. It was time enough as any to take part of some alone time. It was exhausting.

He looked upon the servants upon her large tent, an impressive size, no doubt. About as large as his. But enough of that.

"Ser Ulrich to see Lady Redding." He smiles at them politely while looking around the Dunn encampment. Perhaps the chaos of earlier had not yet reached the encampment. Or that it was too late in the evening for a reaction. Either way, come the morning, the consequences of some drunk Southerner would come in full swing here.

Hopefully none would feel it wise to choose to assault him in a ill and misplaced attempt at revenge.

Kaliya came to the door flap to welcome him. She had changed out of the sunshine-yellow dress and was now wearing a bedrobe of ivory-cream silk. The robe was full length, the hem of a white nightgown could be seen peeking from underneath. She indicated for him to enter. The pavilion is dominated by a bed and dressing area, the curtains drawn back, but there is a small table with two chairs, and a generous pile of cushions on the floor opposite.

"Serr Ulrrich, please make yourrself comforrtable."

He stares are her for a long moment before smiling and entering her tent. It was a fairly impressive display for sure. A cozy atmosphere for one such as her, as would be expected from his previous interactions with her. It wasn't a complain from him; just something to note.

"You look stunning, Lady Kaliya. I hope you didn't feel the need to dress for the occasion." A wry smile crossed his lips as he looked around, moving to the table to sit. Another drink would do him good for this; it had been a long day. A oversight of the tea appeared. "I assume you've had just as long of a day as I did. Quite a scuffle in the commons earlier. Some people had a hard time learning that the war is over."

An internal sigh came from that thought; last thing he needed was to stir up the war wounds again.

"I aim to please," she purred, and the silk of the bedrobe rustled against the silk chiffon beneath with delicate sounds as she moved. Her left wrist is bruised, and she still keeps the hand close to her body.

When he mentioned the scuffle she smiled softly, "thank you, for interrvening." Moving towards the fire, "would you like tea? orr perrhaps you would prreferr wine?"

"Think nothing of it." His eyes look down at her favored wrist with a look of concern. "I didn't pay as much for it as you did, it seemed. Nor the amount of payment the one who did that to you received when I was done with him." He looked over at her with a nod and glanced over at the tea.

"Tea will do. You'll forgive me if I feel that I've had enough to drink for the evening."

There is certainly something romantic in being defended in such a way, it really was too bad that she didn't believe in romance. Of course, there were other ways to reward his heroics. Opening her tea chest, Kaliya poured over the packets and jars of herbs and powders. She preferred to blend her teas to her needs at that moment in time. For Ulrich, something light and refreshing, and mint to cleanse the fur left on his tongue from drinking.

"Please, do not be concerrned. I may be a little tenderr for a day or two, but no lasting harrm done." When the tea had steeped, she brought the cups over to the table and seated herself opposite him.

He looks at her and stares at her hand once more before nodding. "Well, I can't say they didn't deserve it, not just for you. And this is just a guess, but I'm sure the maiden had little to do with the previous war, so not the best choice to unleash any resentment. All and all, just glad my fists could do some good for once, small grasp of a victory as it is. Some people have a hard time letting go of the past. "

Now that was something he could relate to.

"Now me, well, I try to be more forward thinking. Thinking of a much broader picture. Not just with you tonite, of course. Just..important to see what is to come and try to plan accordingly."

"It was not the firrst, and it definitely will not be the last, brrawl starrted overr a spilled mug of ale. It was unforrtunate that it was a Dorrish woman, but I do believe therre would have been a fight rregarrdless." Kaliya leant forward and reached for Ulrich's nearer hand, examining the bruised knuckles thoughtfully.

"As for leaving things in the past: again, you have my gratitude, but let us forget that for now."

"That sentiment I'm all for." He down at her hand and looks back at face, before looking at her straightly. A little bit of gratitude for sticking out his neck was all he was after, really. So it wasn't a total loss for him. "Now, what else can we talk about?"

He let his hand move and moved to let his hand clutch hers before looking on. "There may yet be a topic we both can enjoy, I think." One came immediately to mind. She was a curious one, for sure. Already not a fan of romance, which usually helped with these things. Assertive herself which he could almost tell immediately by the way to approach her.

Would it matter beyond tonite? Maybe not. Still, a good mental note in case something other than the carnal came up.

Allowing her fingers to entwine with his, "if I rrecall correctly, we werre discussing the need forr the rright empty worrds forr cerrtain situations. Perrhaps we could starrt with some tongue exerrcises?"

"Ahh yes." He moved his position forward, moving closer to her own body. "So, let's start." He moved in closer to her, moving the distance between the two even closer before drinking the provided tea and smiling.

"So try saying something and I'll see if I can match it. Say, for instance, I were talking to a beautiful woman who I was trying to express my full desire to take right there on the spot...what sort of words would I use in that instance?" His face moved in closer to match hers, looking at her widely. "I'll keep a close eye on your lips to make sure I get it right."

"Tell herr that you burrn as hot as the summerr sun, and that only herr touch can cool you," Kaliya answered with a cat-like smile.

He keeps his face ever close to her own, nods and whispers ever slightly.

"I burn as hot as the sun, and it is only your touch that can cool me."

I'll have to remember that one.

His face moved in closer still and he placed his other hand on her face, stroking it as gently as his war-torn hands would allow. His feelings began to get a bit more...eager; maybe it really had been awhile. His body was feeling hotter than usual.

"Think that's enough practice for words."

Sensing the change in him, she rose carefully from her seat. Her lips remained a hair's breadth from his as she moved around the table, leaning against it as she came to stand before him. "Verry good, but shall we see if we can loosen that tongue of yourrs a little morre?"

His body stood up, noticing all of him was standing up too. Whatever this was, he was really starting to get into this. Just everything felt so..warm.

"I think we've talked enough." He pressed his arm around her and pushed her in close."Now let's attempt the riding."

Kaliya laughed and threw her arms around around his shoulders, "enough talking," she purred in agreement and pressed her full lips against his, letting them part, her tongue slipping forward to taste him.

The kiss he returned to her was more aggressive. His inhibitions and need to lead on was slowly diminishing as his own libido rose more into prominence over his control. All he could think of was the warmth he felt as he let loose his hindered controls.

Those tongue rolls really do something

As she wrapped her arms around her, he lifted her body upwards thru his strength and, with little strain, began to move her towards the bed.

She answered his aggression with passion, murmuring encouragement against his mouth. The pavilion was well-appointed, but it was not large, the distance was covered in a matter of steps. She pulled him down with her, never breaking the contact of their kiss.

It was not long to unfasten his clothes from his body. He didn't break contact with her, did not want to. A stronger dive into the rush he was feeling.

As he quickly took off his shirt, unfastening the costs of his fighting and battle. Stab wounds, bruises, and burn marks to cauterize the open wounds he once suffered.

Combat was his life, and he had lived it a long time.

Kaliya purred eagerly, her hands were roaming his body, exploring the the violence that was his roughened and tortured and twisted flesh, stroking and smoothing with light touches that never shied or withdrew. Conflict terrified her, but the aftereffects did not, and she caressed him fearlessly. Working her way downwards, finding the fastenings of his breeches and loosening them.

His arms reached down to her clothing and grasped the mounds underneath them before loosening his grip on her, loosening the robe on his own to see the white nightgown underneath it before leaning down and aggressively started to nibble on her neck as the remainder of his own clothes began to drop.

Throwing her head back, Kaliya exposed her long neck to him, arching her back and slipping free of the robe with a sort of dexterity that suggested significant practice. The nightgown beneath left entirely nothing to the imagination, the silk chiffon as ephemeral as mist. And she helped him out of his breeches, the chiffon soft as down feathers against his battle-roughened body.

It couldn't have gotten off him fast enough, his blood flowing all over him. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been this turned on. Like the lion on his crest, his instincts had been turned to a high level and was ready to pounce quickly on a unsuspecting prey

He could not stop what was to come. He wrapped his arms around her again and dragged her to the top portion of the bed and started to continue to bite gently on her neck before moving to her mouth.

"Off." His voice is gruff and stern, trying to control himself from having to potentially rip one of her clothes, even if it looked as if it could slip off easily if he were to try himself.

He just wanted to watch her do it.

His gruff tone sent delighted shivers down her spine. Taking the delicate fabric, she began to draw the nightgown upwards: uncovering her ankles, her knees, reaching her hips. Moving inexorably slowly, her belly, her ribs, finally her breasts were bare. Kaliya lifted the garment over her head and discarded it, all of her on offer.