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CHAPTER 16
Kerfan came awake almost at once. “Lauren?” He looked around trying to gather his wits.
“She still sleeps nephew.” Mother Kareen's voice was soft.
Kerfan looked confused for a moment, and then his eyes filled with terror. “No, she's not strong enough to make it back alone.” He grabbed Lauren's silent form, crushing her to him. *Lauren, precious? * His heart and soul cried out for his new Soul-Match. *Beloved, heat me. * But all he got back was silence.
He looked up to Mother Kareen and then to his daughter. “Help me, please, I can't reach her and she isn't strong enough to last where she is alone for long.”
Mother Kareen and Trianna looked at each other briefly, both, silently, agreeing on the only course that they could take before moving.
Trianna went to gather Lauren up, pressing her against Kerfan's body. Mother Kareen stepping in to press her body against Kerfan's. The two Healers grasped hands, locking the two Soul-Matched between them, and then.
*Lauren, Beloved * Kerfan's heart and soul were finally given strength to give his cry voice into the silent realm that he had just so briefly before been trapped in with his lady consort and soul.
*Kerfan? * Lauren's timid thoughts touched his.
*Yes, baby, it's me. *
*Where am I? *
*I'm sorry, I didn't know what we did was dangerous. All I wanted to do was help you. *
*Do what? * There were the first beginnings of fear in her minds' voice.
Kerfan reached forward, heart and soul responding to his new Soul-Match's fear. *Lauren, reach for me, I'll hold tight to you, and we will return to the waking world. * There wasn't time to explain why he had done what he had. He could feel how weak she was and how close she was to never returning to him.
Bright amber eyes looked up confused. “Kerfan?”
Kerfan with a sob crushed her to him. “It's okay baby. I didn't know when my heart and soul reached out to heal yours, that I should have never tried anything quite this dangerous outside the Temple.”
Lauren still looked at him, confused. “When you did what?”
*You soul was bleeding so from the horror you had been forced to live through. I was so afraid that all it would tale was one more crisis, and I would lose you. Beloved, I have been force to walk away grieving once. I know that I would never survive losing another lady. *
She looked up at him, even more confused. First that he had already guessed her silent vow to continue living as long as the good things last hoping, no praying, that her life wouldn't get ugly again until after she had gotten to see her baby grow up and become a woman. Because she knew that if it ever got ugly again, she wouldn't have to strength to survive. But even more shocking was that she had ‘heard' him, in her ‘mind' . “How?”
The room let out a collective sigh of relief. “Kerfan” Kaj growled. “If you were still a slave, I'd have you strung up for scaring me to death.”
Mother Kareen just chuckled. “Go easy on my nephew Chieftess. If truth be known, I should take the blame. I just honestly had no idea that the poor mother of that child I help save earlier was going to be wooed quiet so quickly.” She looked down at Lauren who still lay curled up against Kerfan. “Well, as you are now Soul-Matched to my nephew, I suppose I should call you niece.”
Lauren looked up at her. “Soul what?”
Kaj cleared her throat. “Well, I think we all should clear out and let Kerfan have a word with his lady. Welcome to my family Lauren, we'll talk more in the morning.”
Trianna squeezed Lauren's shoulder just one last time. “Don't feel afraid dear. My father will help you to understand what happened.” She let her fingers brush her cheek. “Believe me, it was a wondrous thing.” She looked up smiling at her father. “Papa, I'm happy for the both of you.” She pulled back from Lauren. “Pleasant dreams.”
And again, like earlier, once the problem was dealt with, Mother Kareen, Kaj and her three consorts as well as Trianna and her three left the Men's Quarter's. Xavier along with Warrel shooed the men from Kerfan's room. “Come along boy, your master has things still to take care of.” Xavier grabbed Shern by the arm.
Kerfan shook his head, smiling. “No, Xavier, Shern needs to be with us now.”
Shern sighed in relief. He had been so afraid when he had seen both his Dom and now his new Domna, laying so quiet and still that he would lose one or both. He moved quickly to drop by the bed. “I was so afraid I was going to lose both of you.” Tears rolled down his face. “I didn't know what I was going to do.” He looked to Lauren. “You are still too afraid of my kind to accept me as your consort, so if you died, I wouldn't be safe, and the boys. I was so afraid that I was going to have to tell them how they lost a Novum and a Navia at the same time.” He fell against Kerfan sobbing.
Lauren was moved by Shern's fears. She didn't understand why, but his pain was suddenly her pain. “Shern,” she licked her lips. “It might be a little time before I can feel comfortable sleeping with you, but, that doesn't mean I will always be afraid of you.”
Kerfan held his peace, quietly watching as his Lover and his lady made peace.
“But Domna, if you die, then I am cast out alone and unloved. My Dom, if I understand what has happened correctly, will die with you. And me, I'm not even your consort so I am going to be nothing.”
Lauren shook her head. “No, not at all, no I won't be able to sleep with you for a while, but that doesn't matter. If I understand how life is here, I can still marry you.”
That statement got Kerfan's attention. “You are accepting Shern's submission to become your consort?
Lauren licked her lips again. “Well, yeah, but I thought that was what you are tying for isn't it? You wanted someone who wanted a second chance to live again who could and would blindly accept your ideals of parenthood. You wanted someone who could one day be willing to get past her past far enough that she, could with time, learn to love that is so very much, physically like her greatest fear. Isn't that what you were hoping for?” She didn't understand what part of her understanding of what she thought they're reasoning, was bothering him.
Kerfan was up and off the bed, kneeling in front of Lauren as she phrased her question. He hadn't counting on his love for Shern having quiet this, fast, effect. “Beloved” her buried his head in her lap. “If you can be moved this, quickly, by the simple fact I love him. I had, no, idea when I felt our soul's ‘become one' . That ‘we' could be, this, blessed.” He had been kneeling against her. But as his words finished his body crumpled against hers.
Lauren was caught between joy and shocked. He knew her heart and mind so well, and. He ‘Knew' , her heart and mind so well. She tried to work it out in her head. But no matter how she looked at it. There was, no, way to look at it but to accept the simple truth.
‘He can read her soul' . She didn't know if she should be shocked at the fact that her knowing she was no longer free, didn't, scare her.
*No, I can't force myself on you. * He grimaced the soul taste that action could have, and that thought of the pain it would cause him.
Lauren' mind, jumped slightly, she had ‘heard' him in Her head.
Kerfan struggled not to laugh at her as she sat there dumbfounded at the reality of communication, mind to mind. He was not completely successful; as a soft chucked slipped past his lips. It's okay, Beloved, now you know. Really know at least one in you, new, home that you know can never lie to you. *
Lauren looked at him, concentrating to figure how to ‘think' back.
*It doesn't take any effort at all to speak mind to mind with me baby. Just think to me, that's all. *
Lauren looked at him, skeptically. *You mean like this? *
*Yes, Beloved, like that. * He had never thought that he would ever be in the position of having to explain how a Soul-Matching worked before. But then again, he never thought he would ever have a Soul-Match either.
“Oh,” was the only sound Lauren made as the reality of her new would, sank in.
Kerfan tightened his arms around her, holding her tightly. “You didn't answer my question Lauren. Are you accepting Shern's submission as your consort?”
She nodded her head. “Even if it might take me a little time to get to the point that I'm comfortable with him sleeping with me, yes.”
Kerfan sat up, pulling Lauren to an upright sitting position with him with her legs hanging off the side of the bed. “Shern, your Lady has accepted your submission. Kiss her feet and press your forehead to the floor beneath them.”
Shern threw himself to the floor at her feet, sobbing. “Thank you Domna, thank you.' He kissed first her left and then her right foot. Then again several times, to make sure that he hadn't missed anything, before laying face down at her feet.
Shern Lay there silently for several minutes, before Kerfan leaned over to, softly, whisper in Lauren's ear. “You have to help him up and kiss him.”
Oddly enough, her past didn't faze her as she reached down and helped Shern up so she could kiss him. It wasn't the deepest of kisses. But it was soft and friendly.
She pulled back confused at her actions. True she had slept with three men, first her husband. Then there was Caytin, before she had been with Kerfan, but Kerfan had connected to him now. In ways she didn't understand. But now, true Shern wasn't one of those that had hurt her and so many others she had known. But he still looked so much like the animals that had.
*It's not like that Beloved. Your soul and mine are one now. So anything I feel you will too, at least to a certain degree. Just like I feel anything you do. * Kerfan pulled her close, rocking her gently. “It's nothing to be afraid of baby. I love Shern, so is it any wonder that you are responding to that love.”
Lauren looked up into his soft cool green eyes, and lost herself.
She had never imaged feeling like this, this safe, this wanted. “I love you.” She brought his lips to hers,
The wonders kept happening in her world as she surrendered to the untouched beauty of that kiss. Because the longer her lips were his. The more she sank into the kiss.
The kiss finally broke. Lauren's arms wrapped around his chest, as his face brushed kissed down the right column of her throat. “Make love to me.”
Shern thought it prudent to slip from the bed. He could wait. His Domna had accepted him as her consort. His fears were rested. So yes, he understood if she needed a little time. He was honestly surprised at her accepting him at all. Oh yeah, he could wait.
“Wait Shern.” Lauren held out a hand. “Yes, I admit it still going to take me a bit. But, I don't think you should loose your bed.”
Kerfan looked up, a mixture of surprise and pleasure crossed his thoughts. Surprise that Lauren could move on almost quickly, and pleased that it was having that great of an affect. His feelings were having an effect on her, and in reverse. He would do anything to help her in her new life, and she was showing him how great his efforts were paying off.
Shern looked at her in surprise. “Domna?”
“I can't not yet, but I'm not going you to sleep in the other room.” She blushed. “I can't, but aren't you his Lover?”
Shern wasn't sure if he understood her offer. “Dom?” he looked to Kerfan.
Kerfan looked deeply into Lauren's clear amber eyes. ‘You are her consort Bright Eyes. And she might not be able to share her body with you, but she's not going to make you leave. I talked about how it was going to be for a while. She knows. I love you. She also knows that until she is comfortable, physically, sharing her love with you. That you and I are still going to share our love.” He smiled. “Am I understanding you, Beloved? While I make love to you, you are fine with him making love to me?”
Lauren didn't fully understand what kind of delightful step towards her past beginning to no longer matter, as she smiled at Shern and shook her head. She held out a hand to him. “It's okay now. I'm not that afraid of you anymore.”
Shern took the hand that Lauren offered. “Thank you,” He was in tears and he kissed her palm, pressing against the side of him face. “I love my Dom, he has been so kind to me.” He pulled back from her palm to kiss it again. “And now,” there were tears rolling down his face. “I swear, I will love you, as much as I love him.” He cried clutching her hand. “Thank you Domna. You have no idea what this means to me. I was happy just being my Dom's slave, but now. I have a chance, one day, to give you my baby. That was something that I never imagined happening. I grew up, knowing I was to die, but Drav took us from that hell and brought us here. My Dom took me as his Lover. We were able to save two of the children that those that looked like us had hurt so much. And the most wonderful thing, one that was more than I had ever had the right to hope for. You became my Domna. More than just that, you and my Dom have taken me and put me in a place that I never even dreamed of being. I have a place here now. More than just as my Dom's Lover, but as his consort too. All because you accepted me.” He lost the words for a moment, and he kissed her hand over and over again. “Thank you.” He lay there, holding her hand, crying. But this time, there was no pain, nor was there fear. This time his tears were from happiness and joy.
Lauren's hand reached farther to cup Shern's head so she could pull it close to kiss him softly on the cheek. “I'm sorry honey, I mean I know in my heart that you are nothing like those that hurt me, but it's gonna take a little time for my heart to convince my mind.” To think, a few hours earlier she had been so afraid of this boy. She was almost ashamed of herself for what she had believed. Kerfan had been right. This child was too young to have ever even thought of doing anyone, harm.
Kerfan tightened his hold on her. *Don't baby. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Of course you are going to take a little time coming to peace with Shern. He understands that, and he is more shocked that after all your have been thru that you are willing to let your fear go, at all. Trust me Beloved. The very fact that you are willing to, with time, forget your fear of those of his own race is more than enough for him. * He pressed his cheek against hers. “Let's put down our worries for the night, baby. You have no idea how much I want to, ‘Make', Love to you.”
Lauren pulled on Shern's hand. “Please,” she lifted her neck to Kerfan's lips as he snuggled his face into it. “Come on Shern, Kerfan wants you too.”
Shern pulled himself close to them. “Please Dom,” his face pressed into Kerfan's side.
*Thank you, Beloved. * His head pulled away from her to, briefly look at Shern. Tears sparkled in his eyes as he pulled the boy up to him. “Join me in this ‘mate . While I please our lady, share your pleaser with me. No need for control, this is our wedding night. We'll go to the Temple tomorrow to make it official. But for now, just enjoy.”
Shern reached for Lauren's hand, sobbing as he kissed it, over and over again. “Thank you, oh thank you. My life is yours Domna. At you will I would gladly bear my chest. You have only to say it, and I will freely die for you.”
CHAPTER 17
Lauren looked at Kerfan, confused. “I don't understand.”
“You're not the only one Beloved.” Kerfan gathered Shern, pulling him away from where he had been, so freely offering to die. “Bright Eyes?” His Dark forest green eyes searching, Shern's silver. “No one is ever going to kill you. I gave you my promise the day I took you as my Lover, that no one would ever hurt you again. Now, just because I'm your consort instead of your Lover, doesn't change that promise. I love you baby.” He crushed the crying boy to his chest. “Now no more of this foolishness. While I worship our lady, you worship me likewise. I may not be your Lover anymore. But I am still your Dom.” He lifted Shern's chin up, smiling down into his eyes as he leaned down to kiss him. “Now before we, both worship his Lady or Lord. I'm going to ask your lady if she would welcome your touch as you are pleasing me.” He looked up at Laura smiling.
She reached for Shern's hands, pulling him up kissing him. “Just don't try to go too far.”
Kerfan tightened his arms around Shern as he was making his way back down Lauren. “I will find you're worshiping of your, Domna, just as pleasurable as your hands on me.”
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