Lydia spent her first few weeks in the North finding her way around her new home and her new family. She was surprised to learn that women were as involved in politics as men, and she was encouraged to learn, to give her opinion. At first she stayed quiet, observing, not wanting to look foolish, but later, in the privacy of their bedroom, she would ask Derek questions, put forward solutions of her own.

'Why didn't you say that earlier?' Derek asked rolling onto his side and propping his head up with a hand. His fingers drifted between her breasts and lower, his thumb pressing into her ribs during the journey.

'I don't want to look foolish, or worse, make you look bad.' Lydia admitted.

'I am bad,' Derek teased. Lydia smiled at him and he lowered his head to kiss her, his dry lips catching hers. 'If you want to keep quiet during those meetings I don't mind, you can tell me later on, but you've got a smart head on those shoulders, and I fully intend to take advantage of it.'

'The way you take advantage of the rest of me?' Lydia teased. Derek leered at her and kissed her again; nipping her lips then moving lower until he was kissing the top of her breast.

'Hmmm, I like the rest of you.' Derek mused quietly. It was raining again, a dull day turning into a dark night. Thunder rumbled overhead and Lydia couldn't suppress a shiver.

'I wonder if some of my new clothes will arrive tomorrow,' Lydia mused. Derek froze lips on her belly and looked up at her from underneath the duvet.

'Seriously, I'm ready to go again and you're thinking about clothes,' Derek scowled.

'I'm thinking about the new silken undergarments Jade promised me,' Lydia said. She knew it worked when Derek's eyes darkened.

Derek grinned, feral and dangerous and Lydia felt her bones shudder as he parted her thighs and ducked out of sight beneath the duvet. She had a feeling that this would be another night they missed dinner.

XXX

Derek was shirtless, and there was a sheen of sweat covering his body. Lydia watched as he moved through the ring sparring with one of the newer soldiers. It was obvious that Derek was holding back, working hard to keep himself in check. One day she hoped to see him in his full glory, fighting his enemies like this. She clenched her hand in the skirt of her dress and wondered what a weapon would feel like in her own hand.

Despite the fact that the young soldier Derek fought was good, his training coming on well, Derek was better, and it ended with the young woman on her back and the tip of the training sword at her throat. Lydia had been surprised at her delicate frame and long hair.

'Dead,' Derek said stepping back and offering her his hand.

'Thank you,' She said with a grin as he pulled her to her feet. 'It's good to train with you.'

'Any time. May I borrow this?' Derek asked nodding at the wooden practice sword.

'Course sir.' She said handing it to him. Derek grinned at her then turned to Lydia, tossing the sword to her. She was surprised when she caught it.

'Your turn.' Derek said.

Lydia looked down at the sword in her hands and then at her husband. Derek raised an eyebrow and nodded his head at her. She made her way to him. 'I have no idea what I'm doing.'

'I'm going to teach you,' Derek said moving to stand behind her. He adjusted her arms how he wanted and fixed her grip around the handle. 'Keep your thumbs in so they don't get staved or broken.'

'Broken?' Lydia asked. Derek made a humming noise and pressed closer to her back.

'Just move your arms like this, find your weight.' Derek said moving her arms from side to side. It was pleasant, swinging the sword, focusing on her body. 'It's an extension of you; you just have to use it right.'

Lydia didn't respond, but she listened attentively. Derek's voice was quiet in her ear, his instructions soothing. He pushed her sweeps further, higher, and still stayed bracketed around her. She didn't notice him stepping away, that she was doing this on her own. She didn't notice that it was her strength lifting it higher, sweeping down and twisting it in front of her.

It was like a dance, a beautiful waltz, a solo, where her partner was the blade in front of her. She moved and twirled and danced until her breath ran out. When she looked up she had a small audience. Laura was there, leaning on a fence bedside Derek, Isaac was grinning her way and several recruits watched her with keen eyes. Kate who had tried to threaten her previously was...staring at Derek. Lydia tore her attention away, Kate was a small issue that Lydia preferred to keep on the edge of her perpetual vision, of little importance but still unknown enough to warrant Lydia's keen eye.

'You're a natural!' Someone called out. Derek nodded his head in agreement.

'Hey Hale does she handle you so well?' Someone else called.

'Wouldn't you like to know?' Lydia called back before she caught herself. Derek threw his head back and laughed. Laura joined him, poking her sharp elbow into Dereks rib.

'Come on,' Derek took the sword from her and handed it to an instructor. He'd put his shirt on at some point, and was grinning like the cat who got the cream. 'I think it's time we went to the armoury.'

'Why?' Lydia asked tugging on his hand. Derek grinned and pulled her to him but she danced away.

'I think you enjoyed that,' Derek accused twirling her under his arm. Lydia would like to dance proper with him soon, and vowed to have some sort of gathering.

'Of course I did,' Lydia breathed. Derek wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him. He was half hard in his pants and she gasped.

'You, my girl, will be the death of me!' Derek muttered catching her lips in a hard kiss. Lydia laced her fingers through his hair and his hands were firm on the back of her neck as he walked them backwards. A quick look around told her they were alone between buildings but anyone could come this way at any time. Her heart stuttered at that thought.

Derek lifted her skirts and kissed her to stop any protests she might have, but Lydia was content to let him do what he wanted, to trust him to take care of her.

Derek's hand slipped between her legs, for he had forbidden her silken shorts that morning. Two thick fingers eased into her body while his thumb rubbed along the edge of her clit. She ground against him. 'Ride my hand,' Derek said against her lips.

Lydia obeyed rising onto her toes and grinding against him. Each movement had her bottom bouncing against the wall behind them, and the cool air caused her flesh to prickle, or perhaps that was Derek as he muttered filthy promises into her ear whilst he kissed her neck and throat, words describing how he was going to tie her down to their bed and fuck her until she was gasping for air, how he was going to ask her to tie him, let her tease him so he was begging for release. She imagined him like that, spread and bound for her as she rode his cock at her leisure. Her orgasm was quick, shuddering through her as Derek kept his fingers buried inside her. Lydia shook, and leaned against the wall for support pushing Derek's hand away when she became too sensitive. She unlaced Derek's leather pants and fell to her knees as she freed his cock.

Lydia rubbed the tip along her cheek, watching Derek's reaction. His eyes practically glowed as her tongue snuck out, dipping into the slit before she sucked the head into her mouth. 'Fuck Lydia,' Derek said running his fingers through her hair and resting his other hand on the wall behind them. Her back was pressed into the cold damp stones, but she didn't care as she swallowed Derek as deep as she could, wrapping her hand around the base of his dick. 'Oh, oh baby fuck yes,' Derek moaned as her nails scratched gently over his balls.

Lydia wondered what she looked like, with flushed cheeks and her mouth bruised, lips shiny and full of cock. He must think her a wanton slut, here on her knees, sucking him as far down her throat as she could in broad daylight. He wasn't complaining though, and neither was she, didn't intend to because she loved how dependent he got, how he needed the support of the wall behind them just to stay on his feet. Lydia was only new to sex, but taking Derek in her mouth had become one of her favourite things to do because she got to see him like this, broken apart, and she hoped that she would be the only woman to ever see him like this for the rest of their lives together.

Lydia hollowed her cheeks at the same time as one finger slipped behind his balls. She had discovered a patch of skin there that was particularly sensitive and Derek went wild every time she touched it. Now was no exception, his hips stuttered and he shot into her mouth. Lydia swallowed what she could then stood up in the gap between Derek's body and the wall. She kept her eyes on his cock, concentrating on tucking him away, and replacing his pants, but Derek was impatient and his finger hooked underneath her chin, raising her lips for a rough kiss.

'I think you're a natural with most types of swordplay.' Derek teased when he let her catch her breath. Lydia tried to look affronted at the truly bad joke but she ended up slapping him in the belly and pushing him away from the wall. Derek took her hand and kissed her knuckles, leading her away from the scene of their naughty tryst.

The armoury was beside a blacksmiths, which made sense really. Lydia followed Derek inside, watching as strong slim arms lifted a searing sword out of a large barrel of water. Raising her eyes she was surprised to find a woman smiling back at her. Derek slung an arm across Lydia's shoulders and nodded at the woman. 'This is Cody, and today we're going to design a sword for you.'

'Oh,' Lydia said looking from Derek to Cody.

'And it won't be cock shaped.' He whispered boldly in her ear. Lydia shot him her filthiest look but Derek smirked at her. Eventually Cody finished with the sword she was working on, setting it aside and stepping towards Lydia.

'I have just the material for this one.' Cody grinned. 'A steel and iron mix, a slim blade I think for she's a dancer, from what I've seen, so she'll be quick and clever as opposed to your brute force.'

'I'm her prince and commanding officer and that's the way she speaks to me,' Derek spluttered good naturedly to Lydia. Lydia shrugged at him.

'It's your own fault.' Lydia said watching as Cody lifted a sword from a high shelf.

'Hah, she knows how to handle you. Now, I'm thinking something like this, with an intricate handle.' Cody said handing the sword to Lydia. She wrapped her hand around it and frowned. It didn't feel right. 'It's designed for a boy.' Cody explained.

'My hands are smaller.' Lydia said.

'I know, don't worry I'll take a mould. Long flexible blade I think, what do you say Derek?' Cody asked turning around.

'I think you know what you're doing, and what you're talking about.' Derek said eying up a massive broadsword as tall as Lydia. 'We need armour too.'

'That I can do. I'll definitely need to measure you, when you get your leathers come here and we'll work on some protective steel. Again, lightweight.' Cody said scribbling something down on a scrap of paper. 'And you told me you wanted adjustments to your armour?'

'Yes.' Derek said.

'Oh, and Lydia, if you ever want to know what a real orgasm is...' Cody said with a curl of her lips.

'I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer, if they get any better I may die.' Lydia warned. Derek's smirk was cocky while Cody rolled her eyes.

'That's what they all say!'

When they got back to their rooms there were several boxes waiting for her. 'My clothes!' Lydia cried.

She bustled through the parcels, finding her travelling leathers, warm dresses, and pants like a man would wear. There were heavy boots too, fur lined with rough soles, warm slippers and riding boots.

The thing that caught Lydia's eye though was a long travelling cloak. It was dark leather on the outside, strong and probably waterproof to an extent. Inside was lined with warm fur. Lydia wrapped it around herself. Derek grinned from where he'd been watching her, slouched lazily in a chair.

'I have no excuse not to take you riding now.' He said as Lydia opened the last parcel. It was full of undergarments, both warm and practical mixed with tight and sultry.

'Indeed you have not,' She said eying the silks in the paper, smirking at Derek as he leered at the lingerie.

'In that case,' Derek leaned forward and lifted a tiny scrap of material, 'let's make sure everything fits.'