Serenades of the Desert Rose
Chapter Six:: Lesson One
Author Notes: I'm sorry, guys, I really wanted to start the week a chapter thing, but my computer has been down for about a week and a half. *hits computer, smoke starts to pour out of it* OO I had better be nice to this thing... grrr.. Anyway, here's chapter six. You'll have chapter seven if/when Reka gets around to poking me into doing it. Lol
~~*~~
"We should begin." his voice cut into her thoughts. Her hands laid delicately on her lap, and her fingers held her brooch a bit tighter than they should have. Her eyes seemed a bit glazed, but she started to look up at him.
"Very well." she managed lightly. She pushed herself up, and stood. Glancing up a him, she stretched her arms. "Where do we begin?" she asked lightly.
He handed her a large, yet soft bundle. "You aren't skilled enough to train in that dress, yet." he told her. She glared, but sent a glance down at the sherbert sundress she was wearing. He was right, but she'd never admit it. She glanced around, choosing a large rock to change behind. She slipped out of the sherbert dress, and into the white pants and long sleeved tunic. Also inside was a cloth to wrap her head in.
She opted only to cover her hair, tucking it up into the cloth, and wrapped it around gently. When she emerged, Malachite looked up. His expression was the same it had been since they'd arrived.
He turned back to the bundle at his feet and removed a long, curved blade from the it. A similar, but larger, one hung at his waist. "Here." he spoke, tossing it to her. She caught it by it's handle easily. He raised a slight eyebrow, but drew his own. "Defend against my attack." is what he stated before he spun into an overhead swipe.
Surprising him, Mina spiraled out of range of the attack and came down hard on his blade with her own. He barely kept a grip on it. She had another swing, aimed for his head, half swung before he recovered enough to deflect the blow.
She was giving him more of a challenge than he'd expected. That was easily remedied, however. Dipping low, he swung his blade in a clean uppercut. As expected, she swung to deflect, but he switched direction halfway. He swung sideways, standing and turning to add to the swing.
An inch from her arm, he stopped. She stared at him, a bit shocked. "Lesson one... never get cocky." he stated, dropping his arms and resheathing his blade.
She looked a bit flustered, but covered it pretty well. He turned to walk away, but suddenly felt a blade at his throat. "Never walk away from an opponent." she whispered hoarsely in his ear. He held his head back a bit. She dropped the sword and it stuck blade down in the sand as she turned and stormed away.
Malachite was too stunned to do anything but watch her storm off.
It was nearing midday, when even the bravest desert people stayed in the shade. It was just too hot to be out then. Walking towards a small cave he'd discovered years ago, he sighed. The cave itself was the main reason that he'd chosen this place. It was small, yes, but it was cool and a small natural spring trickled into a shallow puddle in the back.
All in all, it was a haven, especially in the middle of the desert as they were. As he reach the entrance, he slid towards the ground and found his bag near the entrance. He checked the bag for his rations, dried spiced meat and a few pieces of fresh fruit to name a couple things, and nodded. He tossed the bag into the back of the cave and entered after it.
Groaning, he cupped his hands in the puddle, enlarged in size since he'd last seen it. He took a drink of the cool, rich water, and felt a bit better. He splashed his face for good measure, too.
Mina was a problem, he could already tell. It would not be easy to train her, and neither of them were going to enjoy the next few weeks.
Malachite had a headache from the mere thought of it all.
~~*~~
The next day they tried again. Mina was a bit more wary, and when Malachite tried to surprise her she was ready for it. By the end of the lesson, though, she was on her arse in the sand. But at least she was laughing.
Her laughter was a melody.
The next week progressed well, with Mina learning a lot, and Malachite being tested every step of the way. By the seventh day, Malachite was the one on his arse, with Mina triumphantly laughing at him. He glared mischievously and swept the legs out from beneath her.
It was almost nightfall and the desert was cooling. By the setting sun the stray hair that had escaped Mina's head wrap appeared golden. He smiled as she glanced at him from her new position, much like his.
"I like it." she breathed between bouts of giggles. Malachite cocked his head to the side.
"Like what?" he asked. She smiled and crawled over to him, lying a single delicate finger on his lips.
"That smile." she explained. Malachite looked up into her deep blue eyes, caught in wonder. With a stray hand he took her head wrap and pulled it off. Waves of gold tumbled down her shoulders and back. He fingered a stray few pieces in wonderment.
She was on her knees, but she followed his hands with her own, catching his in her deft fingers. Cupping his hand in both of hers, she held it to her heart. He leaned up on one elbow to claim her mouth.
The kiss deepened and he sought every corner of her mouth, tasting her, breathing her in. Consuming her. The kiss unbroken, he pulled her down on the warm sand with him, rolling her to her back and cradling her in both arms.
With a slight movement with his hand, he had her shirt half off. She moved her arms to allow him, pulling up for air.
Moments later he was in her and they made love in the growing night of the desert.
Chapter Six:: Lesson One
Author Notes: I'm sorry, guys, I really wanted to start the week a chapter thing, but my computer has been down for about a week and a half. *hits computer, smoke starts to pour out of it* OO I had better be nice to this thing... grrr.. Anyway, here's chapter six. You'll have chapter seven if/when Reka gets around to poking me into doing it. Lol
~~*~~
"We should begin." his voice cut into her thoughts. Her hands laid delicately on her lap, and her fingers held her brooch a bit tighter than they should have. Her eyes seemed a bit glazed, but she started to look up at him.
"Very well." she managed lightly. She pushed herself up, and stood. Glancing up a him, she stretched her arms. "Where do we begin?" she asked lightly.
He handed her a large, yet soft bundle. "You aren't skilled enough to train in that dress, yet." he told her. She glared, but sent a glance down at the sherbert sundress she was wearing. He was right, but she'd never admit it. She glanced around, choosing a large rock to change behind. She slipped out of the sherbert dress, and into the white pants and long sleeved tunic. Also inside was a cloth to wrap her head in.
She opted only to cover her hair, tucking it up into the cloth, and wrapped it around gently. When she emerged, Malachite looked up. His expression was the same it had been since they'd arrived.
He turned back to the bundle at his feet and removed a long, curved blade from the it. A similar, but larger, one hung at his waist. "Here." he spoke, tossing it to her. She caught it by it's handle easily. He raised a slight eyebrow, but drew his own. "Defend against my attack." is what he stated before he spun into an overhead swipe.
Surprising him, Mina spiraled out of range of the attack and came down hard on his blade with her own. He barely kept a grip on it. She had another swing, aimed for his head, half swung before he recovered enough to deflect the blow.
She was giving him more of a challenge than he'd expected. That was easily remedied, however. Dipping low, he swung his blade in a clean uppercut. As expected, she swung to deflect, but he switched direction halfway. He swung sideways, standing and turning to add to the swing.
An inch from her arm, he stopped. She stared at him, a bit shocked. "Lesson one... never get cocky." he stated, dropping his arms and resheathing his blade.
She looked a bit flustered, but covered it pretty well. He turned to walk away, but suddenly felt a blade at his throat. "Never walk away from an opponent." she whispered hoarsely in his ear. He held his head back a bit. She dropped the sword and it stuck blade down in the sand as she turned and stormed away.
Malachite was too stunned to do anything but watch her storm off.
It was nearing midday, when even the bravest desert people stayed in the shade. It was just too hot to be out then. Walking towards a small cave he'd discovered years ago, he sighed. The cave itself was the main reason that he'd chosen this place. It was small, yes, but it was cool and a small natural spring trickled into a shallow puddle in the back.
All in all, it was a haven, especially in the middle of the desert as they were. As he reach the entrance, he slid towards the ground and found his bag near the entrance. He checked the bag for his rations, dried spiced meat and a few pieces of fresh fruit to name a couple things, and nodded. He tossed the bag into the back of the cave and entered after it.
Groaning, he cupped his hands in the puddle, enlarged in size since he'd last seen it. He took a drink of the cool, rich water, and felt a bit better. He splashed his face for good measure, too.
Mina was a problem, he could already tell. It would not be easy to train her, and neither of them were going to enjoy the next few weeks.
Malachite had a headache from the mere thought of it all.
~~*~~
The next day they tried again. Mina was a bit more wary, and when Malachite tried to surprise her she was ready for it. By the end of the lesson, though, she was on her arse in the sand. But at least she was laughing.
Her laughter was a melody.
The next week progressed well, with Mina learning a lot, and Malachite being tested every step of the way. By the seventh day, Malachite was the one on his arse, with Mina triumphantly laughing at him. He glared mischievously and swept the legs out from beneath her.
It was almost nightfall and the desert was cooling. By the setting sun the stray hair that had escaped Mina's head wrap appeared golden. He smiled as she glanced at him from her new position, much like his.
"I like it." she breathed between bouts of giggles. Malachite cocked his head to the side.
"Like what?" he asked. She smiled and crawled over to him, lying a single delicate finger on his lips.
"That smile." she explained. Malachite looked up into her deep blue eyes, caught in wonder. With a stray hand he took her head wrap and pulled it off. Waves of gold tumbled down her shoulders and back. He fingered a stray few pieces in wonderment.
She was on her knees, but she followed his hands with her own, catching his in her deft fingers. Cupping his hand in both of hers, she held it to her heart. He leaned up on one elbow to claim her mouth.
The kiss deepened and he sought every corner of her mouth, tasting her, breathing her in. Consuming her. The kiss unbroken, he pulled her down on the warm sand with him, rolling her to her back and cradling her in both arms.
With a slight movement with his hand, he had her shirt half off. She moved her arms to allow him, pulling up for air.
Moments later he was in her and they made love in the growing night of the desert.