I lifted a hand and placed it on his chest. He looked down at it but his eyes came back to mine when I spoke.
“Out there, King Lahn is a fierce warrior but in here, my Lahn… kah Lahn is sweet.”
His eyes changed, intensity shifting in when he murmured, “Fierce warrior, sweet.”
I grinned at him. “You’ve sort of got it.”
“Fierce warrior, sweet,” he muttered again.
“Yes,” I replied and his hand came up to mine at his chest, his long fingers curling around, swallowing mine when they did and then they held tight, keeping our hands at his chest.
“Anla na neesoo, anka ta linay et na lapay sahka. Suh Tunak me tunoo et kah Circe me sahka,”* he declared and I laughed softly.
Then I said just as softly, “I don’t understand you, baby.”
He shook his head, his lips tipped up then he bent close. “Neesoo, kah Lahnahsahna.”
“Neesoo?” I asked and he didn’t move back but his hand stroking my hair moved to my face where he gently touched each eyelid with a fingertip, my eyes blinking with each touch, then his fingertips glided down my cheekbone.
“Neesoo,” he repeated softly.
“Rest?” I guessed.
“Quiet,” he answered then he got closer and ordered firmly, “loot neesoo.”
“Okay, big guy, I’ll neesoo,” I muttered.
That got me a soft chuckle, something I’d never heard from him and something else about him that was appealing.
His fingertips trailed down my hairline from middle part all the way to my right ear. Then his eyes looked into mine before he tipped up his chin, his hands left me, he straightened from the bed and strode out of the tent.
“Neesoo,” I whispered to the tent ceiling.
Then I closed my eyes and neesooed.
* * * * *
It was late morning and I was sitting on my bed laughing with my girls. Gaal and Packa were lounging on my bed with me and even Teetru, who looked uncomfortable but was loosening up, had seated herself at the edge. Jacanda and Beetus were running around the cham picking up things or pointing at them and telling me what they were called in Korwahk. I would repeat what they said then I’d tell them what it was called in English and they’d repeat what I said. Then they’d all giggle like English was an insane language that made no sense and was silly beyond belief (like Korwahk wasn’t).
I was feeling okay. I’d had a cool bath, the girls had brought more aloe vera stalks and we’d smoothed the moisture on my burns. I had a wicked, strange sunburn, crisscrosses on my feet, bands on my arms where the gold didn’t cover me, pink at my belly, latticework on my chest and Lord knew what my face looked like since I was wearing my feathers all day. I probably looked like a dork but the cool bath and aloe vera worked a treat. I couldn’t say I felt great but I didn’t feel shit.
I was wearing much what the healer was wearing last night but mine wasn’t gauze. Mine was a thin, soft silk the color of a green apple and it went down to my ankles and had slits up to my hips. I also had on a pair of pale yellow silk undies. Ghost was oblivious to our game and was taking a baby tiger nap with her head in my lap.
And I was taking a rest from all the shit bouncing around in my head – about this world, about my world and about Lahn. Lord knew, I needed a break and I was giving myself one.
“Poyah!” We heard and all of our eyes swung to the cham flaps to see Diandra enter.
Teetru shot off the bed like she was doing something wrong and the rest of the girls also tensed but I called, “Poyah, Diandra!” and she didn’t even look at the girls as she walked to the foot of the bed.
“How is my queen today?” she asked.
“Much better,” I told her with a smile. “Sorry to call you so early –”
I stopped talking when she waved her hand in front of her face. “Don’t mention it, Dahksahna Circe. It is an honor. Seerim is delighted I’m being of service to our new queen, he feels very important.” Her eyes lit and she went on, “Which brings me to why I’m here. I have news!”
I grinned at her and patted the bed. She didn’t hesitate but moved to lounge on it as she said something to the girls that set them scurrying.
I watched them go, my brows knitting but my eyes went back to Diandra when she started speaking.
“You will never guess,” she declared.
“Guess what?” I asked.
“Guess what the Dax asked my Seerim this morning,” she answered and I didn’t reply, just looked at her, waiting. She pulled herself closer to me and leaned into a hand in the bed. “He asked Seerim if he knew our language.”
Oh my.
I wasn’t sure this was good.
“He did?” I whispered and she nodded.
“Oh yes, my dear, he did. Seerim does know pieces but not much.” She grinned big. “And he didn’t know what the Dax asked him so he came to our cham and asked me. It was of great import and the Dax expected swift answers.”
“Wha…” I swallowed, “what did he ask?”
A huge smile lit her face. “He wanted to know what the words, ‘baby’, ‘honey’, ‘big guy’, ‘fierce warrior’ and ‘sweet’ meant.”
Oh.
My.
“What did you tell him?” I breathed and she leaned back, tipping her head to the side.
“Well, I told him what they mean, of course.”
Oh God.
I wasn’t sure Lahn would take to being called “baby” when he knew what it meant. Or “honey” for that matter. And I wasn’t certain he’d like “sweet” either.
Damn.
“Um… Diandra –” I started.
She shook her head. “Do not worry, my queen. I explained that in your land, these are endearments, like kah fauna. Which, I assume, they are?”
I nodded.
Her head tipped further to the side. “Big guy is an endearment?”
“Uh… essentially,” I muttered.
“Unusual,” she muttered back.
“Did, uh… Seerim explain this to Lahn?” I asked and she got that wicked, knowing look in her eyes.
“He did, indeed, my dear. He went right back to him and explained. Then he came back to me.”
Seemed like Diandra had a busy morning.
When she said no more, I prompted, “And?”
Her eyes lit again. “Seerim tells me he has never seen the Dax laugh that hard or that long. Our king found all this very amusing.”
Well!
I was so sure.
To hide my hurt, I looked to Ghost, slid my fingers through her fur and whispered, “Well, it’s the way we talk where I’m from and it’s not nice to make fun of the way people talk.”
“Dahksahna Circe, linas please,” Diandra requested softly and I looked at her. “He has decided he likes the meaning of honey best but he prefers how you speak when you call him baby. He is, of course, a ‘big guy’ and simply finds it amusing you would point this out. There were several warriors with him when Seerim explained all this and Seerim reports to me that they all found your words amusing but not in a bad way. It isn’t making fun. It’s good that your husband finds you amusing. Laughter is important to any relationship but it’s especially important in
