A Moment in Time

heavens, but it was not so bright that she could not see the myriad stars scattered so generously by the celestial hand across the dark night skies. It was all so beautiful and so magical that she sighed with the pure pleasure of just viewing it. An arm slipped about her waist, and Wynne leaned back against the man who held her in his tender embrace.

'You are not surprised that I am here,' Madoc said, and it was a statement more than a question.

'Nay,' she answered him quietly, 'for I knew that you were as eager for the caressing as I was, my lord.'

He laughed low. 'Do you always say exactly what you think, Wynne?'

'Aye, the truth is best, I have been taught.'

'Are you not curious as to how I came into your chamber, my dearling?' He bent to kiss her shoulder.

'There are three doors within this chamber, my lord,' she told him. 'One leads into your reading chamber. One to the necessary. The other, I assume, leads to your sleeping chamber. This is the room of the prince's wife. Logic dictates there would be a way from your chamber to mine.'

'You are quite observant,' he noted, his fingers skillfully unlacing her sleeping robe, even as he planted little kisses along the column of her neck.

'What are you doing?' Her voice sounded high in her own ears, and her heart was beginning to flutter quite rapidly.

'Does not logic tell you that to caress you properly I must undo your robe?' he teased her.

'Can you not caress me through the cloth?' she asked him, catching at his hands.

'I could,' he agreed, 'but it would not be half as pleasurable for either of us, dearling.' He gently pushed her hands away and concluded his task.

Wynne's sleeping robe fell open from belly to throat. Madoc gently slipped the gown over her shoulders and it slid quickly to the floor, leaving her quite naked. 'Ohh,' she cried, surprised, for she had not expected him to bare her. It was the first of several shocks, for as he drew her back against him, she realized that he too was without a garment. 'Ohhhh!' she said a second time. And 'Ohhhhhhh!' a third time, as his hands slipped beneath her small breasts to cup them gently within the palms of his hands.

'Don't be afraid, sweeting,' he murmured, kissing her ear as he spoke and then nibbling on it gently.

'I'm not,' she replied somewhat breathlessly, 'I just did not expect this. Not so soon.' She drew a deep breath and, releasing it, sighed luxuriously. 'I like your hands, my lord.'

He fondled her flesh with a light touch, his thumbs softly teasing at her nipples, which contracted themselves into taut little buds. She murmured her approval, unconsciously pressing herself back against him. Madoc drew a sudden sharp breath, for he found his betrothed wife far more delicious than he knew he should at this point in their relationship. Bending, he kissed the point where her neck and her shoulder met, savoring the sweet, clean fragrance of her.

Wynne's eyes had closed, seemingly of their own volition, at the onset of his caress. She relaxed, thoroughly enjoying his touch and the delightful feelings engendered by his skillful hands. Her arms lay limp by her sides; her head lay back against his shoulder. It was lovely, and she almost purred, catlike.

Madoc released one of her breasts, and his hands swirled downward, brushing in circles over the flesh of her torso and belly. Wynne gasped softly and stiffened beneath his touch now. 'Nay, dearling,' he crooned low, 'I'll not hurt you.'

His fingers were sending rather sharp darts of excitement through her veins. 'When,' Wynne said, her voice slightly shaky, 'when, my lord, do I learn to caress y-you?'

In answer he turned her about so that they were facing one another, and his mouth swooped down to find hers in a deep, burning kiss. 'Now!' he almost groaned against her lips.

With trembling fingers she ran her hands over his muscular shoulders as he continued to kiss her, softly now, nibbling on her lower lip until, confused, she half whispered, 'Stop, I beg you, my lord!'

He instantly ceased and stood silent.

Half shyly, half boldly, Wynne slid her hands over his smooth skin. Her touch was like a wave flirting with a beach. It came and then it fled back, unsure, never venturing farther than his waist. Madoc cupped her buttocks in his hands, and Wynne then followed his lead, her small hands fondling him with now daring abandon. 'Does it pleasure you, my lord?'

'Perhaps too much so, dearling,' came the answer, and he released his hold on her bottom, sliding his arms about her waist to draw her even closer to him.

She could feel his male organ pressing against her leg. She had not dared to gaze upon it yet, but it seemed quite hard and very big. Her palms flattened themselves against his smooth chest and she moved them with growing assurance in small circles over his skin. 'I should like another kiss, Madoc,' she told him, and he most eagerly complied, sending new flashes of heat racing through her body. 'Ahhhhh, my lord,' she said, 'kissing and caressing together gives one even greater pleasure! Is it the same for you?'

The blood was thundering in his ears. What in the name of all common sense had ever made him think he could do this without wanting to make total love to her? Was he receiving pleasure as she was? Dear God, aye! But it was all he could do to refrain from taking her here and now. He forced himself to answer her. 'How could I not receive pleasure from so soft a hand and such sweet lips, Wynne?' Releasing her, he bent and, slipping her sleeping gown back over her delightful little body, laced it with shaking fingers.

When he had stepped back she had seen his state and, reaching down, she took him in her hand.

Madoc groaned as if in dire pain.

Another woman might have drawn away, but she did not. Instead she caressed him gently, saying as she did so, 'How strong and mighty is this lance of yours, Madoc of Powys. Why do you cry out? Does my touch hurt you?'

'I ache to possess you, dearling,' he told her. 'There is no fault in you.'

'I am not ready yet to give myself totally to you,' she replied.

To which he answered, 'I know. I thought I might teach you of pleasure tonight, but I find I cannot touch you, Wynne, without wanting you.'

'I desire you also, Madoc,' was the surprising answer, 'but again I say I am not quite ready to allow you possession of my body and my soul.' She withdrew her curious hand.

'No one can ever possess another's soul, dearling,' he said.

'Yet there is a meeting of souls when two lovers truly love one another, isn't there, my lord?'

He nodded slowly, again surprised by her intuitiveness.

'We have been lovers in another time and another place,' Wynne said. 'Have we not?'

'Aye.'

'Tell me, for you know, I am certain of it!' Wynne said.

'I cannot, dearling. You must remember. It is part of our fate that you do. I can tell you nothing that you do not learn for yourself.' He put his arms about her and drew her close.

There was a scent to him, Wynne realized, as she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. Unable to help herself, she kissed the skin beneath her lips. 'Since my earliest memory, I have had a dream, Madoc,' she began. 'I have never understood this dream, but now I think it may have something to do with us.'

'Tell me,' he begged.

She rubbed her face against him. 'There is little to tell. It is always the same and there is no sense to it.'

'Tell me!' His plea was urgent now.

'I am in mist. There is much sadness. I can feel it all about me. It permeates the very air. I hear a voice calling, and above me a raven soars, crying the word, Remember. Then I awaken weeping. It is always the same.'

'What does the voice say to you, Wynne?' he asked her gently.

'It calls out a name,' she answered him, 'but I cannot make out the name, Madoc, try as I will.'

He held her tightly and said, 'It is a start.'

'Do you understand my dream?' she asked, drawing away and looking up at him.

'Aye, I do.' His face was sad.

'But you cannot tell me,' Wynne said.

He shook his head. 'You must learn for yourself, dearling.'