As Talon and Flora spent a long, leisurely tour of the land, they discovered they shared many likes and dislikes, and held similar thoughts on various subjects. They asked many questions and learned more about each other as the day passed.

Returning to the stables before nightfall, Talon noticed Garret was there ready to take care of his horse, as a squire should, even though he was still only a page. Talon could feel the hope the lad harbored within him.

At Lady Falcon's orders, another page ran into the Keep to see that a bath was prepared for them before dinner. Wishing to slip past the Great Hall and its rowdy inhabitants, Flora led the way up to their chambers by the servant's stairs.

As they got closer to the master's chambers, Talon felt a great unease build within Flora.

Her thoughts centered again on the bedding ceremony. She was afraid that somehow, someone had discovered the truth -- that she was yet a virgin. Lands and titles were lost over such deceptions and she feared for the worst. She was afraid their marriage would be called null and void, and she would be given over to some other knight. The thought of being given over to one such as Sir Paul of Shelton sent a chill down her spine. Never could she tolerate the man. Even as youngsters growing up on neighboring demesnes, Flora never felt comfortable around him. He looked and reminded her of a greasy weasel that could never be trusted.

"Are you all right, Flora?"

"Aye, 'tis just a chill, my Lord-husband."

Since they still didn't know each other yet, Talon decided to let the matter drop.

A large copper tub awaited them as they entered their chamber. Steam rose from the water, inviting them in for a long soak. As much as she enjoyed bathing, suddenly, Flora was very shy about it.

Sensing this, and his own sudden physical unease, Talon made the decision to meditate. "Why don't you bathe first, Flora. I need to mediate for a while, so take your time." He left the window open, but built up the fire to chase away the chill. He dropped down in front of the window and settled into a meditative trance as Flora quickly slipped into the steamy waters.

As Flora settled down into the steamy water, she watched her husband settle down facing the window. He sat on the rug with his ankles crossed and his back straight as an arrow. His hands rested on his knees and his breathing slowed to sleep-like rhythm. His facial muscles eased and he suddenly looked like a young squire. A small grin graced his full lips and Flora's body tingled with pleasure as she recalled the first "lesson" this man gave her last night. A liquid warmth gelled in her stomach, and lower as she raised a hand to lightly touch her lips. He had promised her more lessons, 'Whenever you feel you need to practice more,' he teased. Suddenly, she shook herself and quickly continued her bath. She did not want to stay too long, leaving the water cold for her husband.

Talon spent this time contemplating the interconnection of the Force with life here in this ordinary world. He knew the Council would relish the idea of studying this planet.

For a moment a sharp pain sliced through his heart as he thought of the world he grew up in. Will I ever see the Temple again? Will I ever return to my homeworld to show off my bride to my clan? he asked himself. He sent his query into the Force to see what the answer would be. A confused answer came back to him. 'Yes,' the Force told him, only not in the way he expected.

Seeking a clarification, he slipped further into his meditation, but the answers he sought were blocked from his view. 'Come to you, the answers will, in their own time,' Master Yoda would say in a situation like this.

The sound of water falling into the tub brought Talon out of his meditation. He waited until he knew Flora was hidden from his view, wrapped within the safety of her dressing gown. He felt his body harden at the memory of her soft form melting in his arms as he taught her some of what he knew about the fine art of kissing. He promised her more "lessons," and, clearly, his body was looking forward to it. There was much more to teach her about the pleasures of the human body, but he knew it was best to go slowly, at her pace. He was looking forward to releasing her passions. He smiled at the thought that *he* would be the one to teach her; that no other man would ever touch her as he would, nor taste her as he would -- no man but he alone. With a start, he realized what this intense emotion was. His soul had immediately recognized his heart-mate. He realized he was already in love with this woman.

As he accepted the truth, a fire swept through his blood. A soft melody began to whisper to him, but he could not yet make it out.

"Talon?" A soft hand on his shoulder brought his focus back into the master's chamber. "I have left you some warm water. I shall lay your clothes by the fire to warm as you bathe."

"Thank you, Flora. I guess it would be best if I hurry. We wouldn't want to keep the King waiting again, would we?" He got up and secured the window against the chill of the night.

"Nay. Seeing as how we eluded him and our other guests all day, 'twould not be a good idea."

Flora laid out his clothing and dressing gown by the fire. Sitting behind him near the fire, she unwrapped her hair and began the long task of drying her waist-length mane. After a while she sat back and enjoyed the view of the muscles playing in her husband's back as he scrubbed away the dust of the day. His bath was over all too quickly, she determined as he reached for a drying cloth. She had laid it a little too far for his reach, yet it seemed to jump to his fingers. She was taken aback by this and completely missed him rising from the tub. When she found her presence of mind again, he was walking to her, securing his dressing gown about him.

With her favorite jeweled comb in his hand, he settled on his knees behind her and began slowly combing out her long hair.

A soft knock at the door caused Flora to jump. "My Lady, shall I assist thee in dressing for dinner?" Janet, her maid, asked from the hall.

"Tell her there'll be no need. All is taken care of," Talon stated. Flora looked at him with a question in her eyes. "I shall take care of you from now on, my Lady-wife. It's my duty, and my pleasure to assist you in all things." He lightly brushed his lips over hers.

"My Lady?" Another soft rap on the door called Flora's attention.

"Nay, Janet. 'Twill not be needed. Go down and enjoy yourself this eventide."

Hesitantly, the young maid replied, "Aye, my Lady."

"My Lord, I can not simply dismiss Janet. She has been my maid for five years now!"

"Perhaps there is someone willing to take her on?"

Flora thought for a moment as a sparkle lit her aqua-teal eyes. "Well, I have seen the King casting a glance or twain her way. Mayhap she could join the King's court. I am sure His Majesty could persuade the Queen to accept her into the court in some capacity. 'Twould be the chance of a lifetime to enter into service of the Royal court. Naturally, I shall give her the best letter of recommendation I can. I am of a mind the King will accept."

"Then consider it done. We will, of course, give her a generous payment for her years of faithful service."

"I shall speak to the King tonight," Flora nodded.

"Good. Now that that's settled and I officially become a Lady's maid let me finish your hair so we can go for dinner."

As Talon enjoyed the feel of white silk flowing through his fingers, Flora tried to concentrate on the letter she wrote for Janet. The touch of his fingers massaging her scalp made it difficult, but she finally was able to attach her symbol to her signature and seal the letter. Digging out a small purse she set it aside to gift Janet on the morrow. Talon came up beside her and doubled the gift with another purse. Flora was shocked at his generosity.

Helping each other dress took longer than usual, mainly because each took their time dressing. A new emotion was building between them.

"If you wouldst braid my hair, I could pin it up and we can go to the feast," Flora suggested.

"No," Talon ran her mane through his fingers. "I prefer your hair down so I can admire its beauty."

"But, my Lord," she protested. "Only maidens wear it loose."

"Then perhaps together we'll start a new fashion trend. Let's start something new," he grinned.

All thoughts to protest farther flew from her mind as he bent forward to kiss her. "Aye, something new..."

They compromised as she pulled back a slender braid from either temple. Quickly, Talon ran a ribbon through both braids to join them together as one plait down her back.

She caught her breath and gave her Lord-husband a last inspection before they went down. She was determined to make sure the newest Lord Falcon looked his best at his first appearance before the King.

Upon entering the Great Hall, they were greeted with cheers and catcalls. The feast in their honor, it seemed, had started without them as the mead and ale was brought out early.

The crowd parted for them as they made their way through the gauntlet to the high table. With one of Talon's arm protectively around Flora, they smiled and greeted the revelers.

As they reached the far end of the hall, all the color suddenly drained from Flora's face and her knees nearly buckled. Her gaze was pinned on a sheet of white silk secured like a banner over the high table. In the center was a red smear. The sheet hung as a silent witness to the bedding ceremony. Only with Talon's quiet words of encouragement and his support did she manage to take her seat. The public humiliation colored her cheeks as white as the silk above her.

Talon sought to keep his emotions under control. Never since he was a young padawan did he have such difficulty keeping his temper in check. Anger leads to the Darkside. Anger leads to the Darkside. Anger lead to the Darkside. This is a primitive world with primitive customs. I will not get angry, he told himself over and over, until he could feel his darker emotions fall away. Turning his attention to his wife he sent a wave of reassurance and comfort to her. Grasping her cold hand, he leaned over to her and whispered, "This will be the last night we must endure this, my Rose. I love you and will always be there for you. Please, just try to endure this for a few hours more, then it will be over. I promise."

"Ah, there he is," Paul shouted from below. "Whispering sweet nothings into her ear!" The room erupted into laughter as the King signaled for the feast to begin.

As the first course was being served, the King stood up and raised his goblet. "A toast! To the new Lord and Lady Falcon!" Turning towards to blood stained banner, he saluted it, "May they fill the Nest with many Hatchlings -- I mean children."

Throughout the dinner, Talon and Flora suffered many lewd remarks. They barely touched their food as course after course was brought out, then taken away uneaten.

Near the end of the feast, Flora was able to catch the King's ear and convince him to accept Janet into his Royal service. After talking with her between courses, the young maid was eagerly looking forward to starting a new life.

With a little encouragement from Talon, the King finally stood to take his leave, announcing his intention to leave at first light. Once more tuning out the raunchy jokes, Talon gathered his wife into his arms and all but ran to their chambers and threw the bar.

Before he could catch his breath, Flora reopened the door to call Janet. Receiving the letter of recommendation, Janet thanked her Lady and promised to make her proud. The two purses presented her brought tears to the young woman's eyes as she lost all propriety and hugged tightly both Falcons. The lady's maid had never before held so much money in her hands that was her own. She was speechless as she left to pack for her journey into a new life.

Dropping the bar into place once more Talon turned to look at his wife. "Are we *finally* alone, now?"

"Aye! Thank the Great Spirit! I honestly do not think I can go through another night like that."

Talon gathered her into his embrace and inhaled the fragrance that was in the soap she used. "You won't have to. Never again, Flora. That was for their amusement. From this moment on, we live for our pleasure, and for us." He captured her soft, berry-red lips with a gentle kiss as his hands stroked her back. Breaking the kiss, he noticed she was still pale as a snowflower. "I noticed you could barely ate a bite tonight. If you're hungry, perhaps we could have some leftovers sent up."

"Nay, that is not needed. As I could not eat then, I do not think I could eat now." She stepped closer to the large bed and placed a hand on the closest post. Turning slightly to look over her shoulder, her eyes became a darker shade of the sea.

Talon noticed the rosy blush once more gracing her cheeks. He felt his body respond to her call as she playfully lowered her head to peer up at him through her lowered lashes.

Hesitantly, she spoke. "My Lord-husband...'twould seem I am a poor student. I feel I have not fully mastered everything you tried to teach me yestereven..."

He played along, allowing her to set the pace. "Hmmm," he stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Perhaps you need a refresher course. Yes, that's what we'll do." He shook his head in a serious manner as he stepped before her. "We must review everything we have gone over until we both feel you have learned it well enough to move on to new material."

"You mean there is more?" she asked breathlessly.

"Oh, yes," he placed several butterfly kisses across her brow. "Much...much more."

He reviewed with her the soft, butterfly kiss as he slowly began to undress her. Falling back unto the mattress his hands skimmed over her every curve, reinforcing their imprint onto his mind.

As her arms wrapped around him he could hear clearly for the first time the melody in his soul that told him what his heart knew from the moment they met.



_____Maybe it's intuition._____

_____Some things you just don't question._____

He glided his fingers slowly across her satin skin. A path of light kisses followed this heated trail.

_____Like in your eyes_____

_____I see my future in an instant. _____

_____And there it goes, _____

_____I think I've found my best friend. _____

Instinctively, he knew just how to touch her and where to kiss her to drive her wild.

_____I know that it might sound more than_____

_____A little crazy, but I believe. _____

In his very soul, he felt he had known her for a lifetime; since before she was born.

_____I knew I loved you before I met you. _____

_____I think I dreamed you into life. _____

_____I knew I loved you before I met you. _____

_____I have been waiting all my life. _____

In his chest, he felt his heart acknowledge it's other half. He felt content, whole.

_____There's just no rhyme or reason, _____

_____Only a sense of completion. _____

_____And in your eyes_____

_____I see the missing pieces_____

_____I'm searching for. _____

_____I think I found my way home. _____

_____I know that it might sound more than_____

_____A little crazy, but I believe. _____

Silently, he thanked the gods for granting him the greatest of their gifts. The gift of that special kind of magic seldom seen, and yet highly wished and always prayed for. It's the rarest gift of all from the gods. It's the gift of more than a life-mate, more than a soul-mate. It's the gift of a heart-mate.

_____I knew I loved you before I met you. _____

_____I think I dreamed you into life. _____

_____I knew I loved you before I met you. _____

_____I have been waiting all my life. _____

He could not believe the gods would find him worthy of this gift.

_____A thousand angels dance around you. _____

_____I am complete now that I found you. _____

_____I knew I loved you before I met you. _____

_____I think I dreamed you into life. _____

A single tear of joy slipped down his cheek; a silent acknowledgment of thanks for the gift of a rare desert rose.

_____I knew I loved you before I met you. _____

_____I have been waiting all my life... _____



That night, Talon unleashed Flora's passion. His heart soared as her cries of rapture joined with his.

That night they gave their hearts and souls into the each other's care. The next morning, the white sheet beneath them would be stained with her virgin blood and burned in the fireplace before anyone was the wiser.

@}--- @}--- @}---

TBC...