Navani slipped on her nightgown, her mind full of thoughts as it often was. Several things had happened today. Things that would change the politics of the warcamps upon the Shattered Plains. Sadeas betraying Dalinar during today's plateau run was terrible by itself, but now they had to deal with the aftermath. Navani fully expected alliances to shift in the coming days, though the extent of those shifts remained a mystery to her.

Now comfortably in her sleeping wear, she reached up to let her greying hair down when a knock came from her bedroom door. "Yes?" she said, picking up the glove she had worn over her safehand during the day to put it back on.

"Brightlord Dalinar requests to see you, Brightlady," announced one of the guards that stood outside her door.

A smile teased her lips. She discarded the glove. "Let him in."

The door creaked open, revealing Dalinar standing with his hands clasped behind his back, dressed in uniform even at this hour. Storms, he looked exhausted. He nodded to the guards, who retreated away from the doorway as he passed through. Navani craned her neck to see where they were going, but they had simply moved down the hallway, resuming their stances.

The highprince closed the door gently behind him, locking it before turning to look at her. Navani looked back, the two not saying a word, just staring at each other's faces. The distress upon his face was apparent. What was bothering him? She saw a mixture of sadness and longing behind that naturally bold stare. Her head tilted slightly. She raised an eyebrow. Is he going to say something?

"Dalinar?" she asked. Instead of responding with words, Dalinar closed the distance between them and embraced her. It wasn't a tight embrace. His hands, which had seen so much battle, rested lightly on her back, like a ghost's touch. Navani waited once more for him to speak, which he didn't. Realization spread through her, and she sighed, wrapping her arms around him.

They stayed that way for a moment, holding each other. "Darling…" Navani said, turning her head and resting it against his chest like a pillow.

"I would've died today, Navani," he said softly. "Had those bridgemen not come back for us, Adolin and I would have perished on that battlefield." His embrace tightened, pressing her against him.

"You've been close to death before," she said. "But it's never affected you so. Are you bothered by Sadeas's betrayal?"

"No. Sadeas played me, I see that now. I should have seen it sooner. No, that's not it."

"Then what?"

A pair of strong hands came to rest on her arms as he pulled away, looking at her directly. "It's hard for me to find the right words. Before we…before you and I…" He paused. "The last things I thought about before our rescue came scared me, Navani. I would never see you again. Never look into your face, never hear your voice. The other things I'd leave behind saddened me as well. Adolin and Renarin. The truth behind these mysterious visions would go unanswered. I would not see justice brought to the one who murdered Gavilar."

Navani raised her freehand toward his face, but he captured it between his in the air. His touch was warm, calloused fingers squeezing hers tightly.

"The worry of losing you scared me the most. When you left earlier, I tried to sleep but I couldn't. I needed to hold you." Dalinar blinked and lowered his gaze, stepping back slightly and releasing her freehand. "I'm sorry. I feel rather foolish, after saying it like that. Anyways, you must be tired so I'll let you-"

Navani stepped forward and placed her hands on his face, cutting him off with a kiss. He kissed her back, his hands resting upon her back once more. What he had said touched her deeply. It had spurred her to show affection. Dalinar's words and his body pressed against hers ignited a certain excitement within her. Her hands curled around his neck, grasping the back of his head and pressing her mouth harder against his.

Dalinar brought her closer, her breasts trapped between their chests. A low moan escaped from the older man at their heated contact. Navani swirled her tongue across his lips, begging for entry as he granted it to her. She explored the dark cavern of his mouth, sliding her tongue along his in a slick dance. His tongue followed her retreat out of his mouth, flicking her lips on the way into hers. Navani drew him in deeply and sucked on Dalinar's tongue, eliciting a grunt from the Blackthorn.

One of her hands dropped from his neck, sliding down his chest as she reached between them. She had felt his manhood begin to rise from their passionate kissing, and she brushed against the rising bulge in his blue trousers. Another muffled grunt came from the Blackthorn. He broke their kiss, dropping a hand to stop her from advancing further.

"We shouldn't…" Dalinar said. His breathing was labored and his voice sounded strained.

"We should," she insisted. They had come close once before, but Dalinar grew too anxious and sent her away. "Was this not your intention?" Why else would he send the guards down the hallway, if not to hide the sounds of their lovemaking? She squeezed him through his trousers, trying to encourage him to let go. Storms, she wanted him.

"I want to, Navani. Truly, I do."

"Is it my age? Have I sprouted too many wrinkles, and am no longer pretty to look at?"

"Stormfather, no! You're as beautiful as the first day I laid eyes on you."

"Then it must be shshsh. You haven't been with a woman since her, have you?"

Dalinar remained silent, shaking his head.

"Well, I too have gone years without. After Gavilar's death, I needed time. After that, I couldn't justify being with anyone else." Navani took his hand, still wrapped around hers, and brought it to her cheek. His thumb brushed her skin affectionately. "Anyone else, except for you, Dalinar Kholin. Tonight, you can hold me as long as you wish. But that comes after."

Navani recaptured his lips aggressively. With the speed of a much younger woman, she steered him against a waist-high dresser near the wall, their feet shuffling against the ground. Dalinar, caught off guard by her sudden movement, placed uncertain hands at her waist. The highprince leaned back over the dresser as Navani half-straddled him. Her desire for him reached new heights, her hips grinding against his sleeping manhood. She attacked Dalinar, hands roaming his chest, tongue dancing with his.

"Bed," she breathed. Dalinar grunted in agreement. He lifted her legs and she wrapped them around his waist.

He walked them over to her bed, kneeling upon the soft, white surface. The two became lost in their kiss. Navani reminded herself to breathe every now and then. Storms, he had a talented tongue. They took turns exploring each other's mouths. Eventually, Dalinar broke away, placing kisses on her chin and jaw before trailing down to the soft of her neck. He rubbed his face against her skin between kisses, nipping at her here and there but never too hard. She knew he did not want to leave evidence of the night.

Heated from his actions, her hands roamed through his short black hair frantically. She tugged at the silver at his temples, bringing him up for another kiss. "Undress me," she whispered against his mouth.

Dalinar hastily removed his boots and crawled on the bed, circling behind her. He swept her hair to one side, resuming where he had left off. Navani shuddered as he teased her with a series of hot kisses on the back of her neck and shoulders. His arms snaked around her feminine form, cupping her firm breasts through her nightgown. Navani moaned loudly, causing Dalinar to clamp one hand over her open mouth.

"They can still hear us if we're loud," he whispered against her ear. Warm breath tickled her as he took her lobe between his lips. The hand at her left breast continued to squeeze, forcing another moan from her. She could feel herself growing wet. Navani flicked her tongue against calloused fingers, drawing one of his digits into her mouth, sucking. Dalinar slid his now moist digit free, bringing it down to her still-clothed center. He reached under her nightgown and pushed the fabric aside, rubbing the wet finger against her heated lower lips.

Navani found herself panting lightly, her hands placed on Dalinar's forearms as he teased her opening. When he slid a digit inside of her, she thought she was going to climax right then and there. Forcing her lips to remain closed proved difficult, and she struggled to keep her moans contained. Soon, he added a second digit. Oh, Stormfather! she thought. She could feel him pressed against her from behind, fully erect. Navani grinded back against him almost involuntarily.

Then, as sudden as a single heartbeat, he withdrew his hand. He pulled at her nightgown, bringing it up over her head. Navani felt her hair become tousled, but she was past worrying about things such as that. With deft fingers, Dalinar unclasped her bra, letting her breasts bounce free. She was left wearing nothing save for her panties, dark spots showing signs of her need. Storms, she hadn't dripped like this in years.

The former queen turned to help Dalinar remove his own clothing. Parts of his blue uniform flew to the floor as she stole kisses from him until he was finally bare-chested. Navani hardly considered Dalinar to be a hairy man, but she was pleased to find a reasonable amount of black hair on his chest, salted with streaks of silvery white. Despite being in his fifties, he still remained muscular thanks to his countless battles against the Parshendi. Those, along with his many battles before, had left him with scars. She ran both hands, safe and free, across his hardened skin. Meanwhile, her eyes had drifted to stare down at the now prominent bulge that had formed.

Pushing him back to sit back on his knees, Navani ran her hand over his straining erection before sliding off his fine leather belt. She tossed it aside, then began unbuttoning his trousers. Dalinar pushed her hands aside and raised his legs to remove them, causing Navani to laugh as he struggled. "I'm getting too old for this," he said, yanking hard. Navani helped him remove them, along with his underwear, leaving him fully naked before her.

Her gaze naturally fell to his manhood, and she couldn't help but compare him to his brother. Dalinar was bigger, thicker, and held no curve. His cock stood a proud seven inches, clear liquid forming at the tip of his mushroom-shaped head. Navani could live with that. She smiled at him, earning butterflies in her stomach as he smiled back.

Taking his pulsing shaft in her hand forced a deep groan from the Blackthorn. She slid her hand up and down his cock, causing more clear liquid to form at the tip. She used her thumb to smear the liquid around his cockhead, bringing her other hand to cup his balls as she continued to stroke him. Dalinar was the one moaning this time, letting his head hang back. He stared down at her motions, his lids half-closed. Navani settled down on her elbows and leaned forward, attempting to take him into her mouth. Dalinar stopped her, cupping her chin.

"I'm not sure about that," he said.

Navani raised an eyebrow up at him. "Are you certain? I overheard some of your assistants whispering about this type of thing. It sounds quite pleasurable for you, and I wouldn't mind." She licked her lips, imagining what it would feel like to have his cock in her mouth, the taste of him. She had found herself wondering things like that during her seduction of the Blackthorn.

"Another time," he replied. "I'm growing close, and I have yet to be inside of you."

She gave his cock a hard squeeze, earning a grunt, and moved to her knees, raising herself to meet his eyes. "Then take me," she said, coiling her arms around his neck and crashing her mouth to his. Navani pushed against him and forced Dalinar onto his back, falling with him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as their tongues dueled fiercely. She straddled him, using one of her legs to rub against his shaft. Her body shuddered as one of his hands drifted down to tease her pussy. She started to hump him, trying desperately to stop herself from doing such a barbaric motion, but failing.

Capturing his bottom lip, she sucked and pulled away, planting her hands on his strong chest and sitting upright, staring down at him. Navani found herself falling for him all over again as he looked at up at her. Age had been kind to him, and she found the silver temples and forming lines on his face to her liking. Unable to wait any longer, she reached behind her and curled her fingers around his cock. After a few pumps, she placed his head against her lower lips. She dragged the older man's shaft along her wet center, but Dalinar wasn't having it. He grasped her bottom cheeks and forced her down onto his cock until all seven inches were sheathed inside of her, balls resting against her lower lips. Both of them moaned aloud.

It took her a few moments before she moved, partly to adjust to his thickness and partly to relish the feeling of Dalinar's cock finally being inside of her vagina. She had spent weeks seducing this man, and storms she would enjoy it.

With the energy of a much younger woman, Navani began to ride Dalinar's cock. Her breasts bounced freely, but not for long as the Blackthorn growled and pulled her down so he could take one into his mouth. Cries of pleasure filled the room. Dalinar sucked at one nipple, stroking the large brown bud with a hot tongue while massaging the other with experienced touches. He then switched, giving her other beast equal treatment. All the while, Navani rode him with an ever increasing pace. His thickness filled her in the most exquisite way, and she knew she wouldn't last much longer.

Her smaller hands gripped his wrists and pinned his arms above his head. Dalinar raised an eyebrow. Navani could only smile, too lost in the moment to speak anything comprehensible. She leaned down and ran her tongue along his neck, making a wet trail up to his chin before his lips found hers. She could feel him try to break free from her hands to touch her, but she nipped hard at his bottom lip and growled. Being in control turned her on. He took the hint and relaxed, though she could feel heavy, hot breaths against her face as they kissed. She traced his lips with her tongue before pushing deeply into his mouth, swirling her tongue against his. Navani picked up her pace, Dalinar's balls beginning to slap against her pussy lips.

The familiar sense of overwhelming pleasure started to rise from her center. Storms, this feels amazing! Navani sucked hard on Dalinar's tongue, mirroring her pussy's grip on his cock. Muffled moans escaped her mouth she could not control. She lost her grip on his pinned arms and grasped his face instead, kissing him with everything she had.

Now free, Dalinar angled himself and started to thrust up into her. She felt him brush against her core, and was immediately pushed over the edge. She reached her climax, then exploded into it. Her walls clamped around Dalinar's thick cock, her slick juices running freely. The older man grunted hard against her mouth seconds later, releasing wave after wave of his hot seed into her. Navani swirled her hips, milking Dalinar for every last drop until he finally emptied himself inside her.

Suddenly exhausted, Navani slumped forward onto Dalinar's chest, trying to catch her breath. The Blackthorn held her close, gently stroking her greying hair, his softening cock still inside of her. Turning her head, she rested her chin on his chest and smiled up at him. She had worried earlier that he may be dead, and now she lay atop him, safe in his arms. This may be the most content she had ever felt.

She slid off him and cuddled against his side. His seed still warmed her below. "I wish I could stay, but I fear what will be said when I'm not in my chambers come morning," he said.

Navani sighed. "That's too bad. Another hour and I could be ready for more…"

Dalinar laughed. It was good to hear him laugh. He didn't do that enough these days. "We both know one of us would fall asleep in the middle of it. Besides, I'm spent. You made sure of that."

"Spent is right. I feel as if I could sleep for an eternity." Navani smiled and traced one of his many scars. She frowned as he moved to get off the bed. "You must go?"

Dalinar nodded. "Regretfully so. I wouldn't be able to walk freely around the camp if I was found in your bed come morning."

"If you say so, dear." Navani sat up and watched him gather his discarded uniform until he was fully dressed. He gave her one last hug and a kiss upon her head, bidding her a good night. He is mine, and I am his, she thought, falling back upon the sheets and closing her eyes. It had been quite a day, indeed.