mon petit trésor Chapter 4: Intimacy In The Desert, a fable fanfic

This situation could eaisly go from bad to worse, and even easier from worse to dead if she didn't play her cards right. She had certainly been right about Reaver finding trouble but it never occured to her that she could be dragged into that trouble right along with him.

"I prefer to blend in, though that will be next to impossible with you tagging along." Katrina stated

"Oh? I am a -what did you call it- a tag along? And here I thought you were supposed to be showing me all that there is to show in this wasteland." Reaver admonished teasingly.

"This is not a wasteland and I will do as I promise. I'm just worried you won't recieve the full experience because you're an outsider is all." She coolly replied to cover up her little slip, "Now if we may? There is much to explore and only a set amount of time to do so."

"Lead the way ma cherie." He offered her his arm once again, with a smile, and she graciously took it. They both knew this day was going to be fun and exciting

She led him through the courtyard and toward the front gate, letting him set a fast pace with his rather long strides. She had to lengthen her own to keep up.

"So is it safe to assume that you know nothing of Samarkand?" Katrina asked as she waved to the guard and he opened the door to let them out.

"All I know is it has hot nights, exotic substances, and uninhibited people."

"It's nothing like that."

"Trust me I'll find the exciting bits and it's quite amusing, your father said the same thing to me, word for word." Reaver chuckled to himself. For only being adopted she was definately her father's daughter.

"And you should have heeded his words. You are only going to have your hopes dashed upon the rocks if that is what you are expecting." Katrina looked down at the path with a smile.

"Is that so?" Reaver said with a look of mild dissappointment.

"Yes. The people of Samarkand are scholars and scientists. They are rigid and formal at their most audacious. In fact the only reason that our little port city even has a tavern is for the sailors. The most prominenet features of Samarkand are the Great Library to the north of here. An even larger port town called Fairwinds to the east of us, the capital Zahadar is also north of us, and further west, closer to the moutains, is The Cave Of A Thousand Guardians. It's basically a large city next to a spiritual cave, populated by civilians and just as many monks who have started getting a foothold in our agricultural industry."

"None of those sound especially diverting." The dissappointment on his face was mixed with a look of disgust. "What do you people do for fun?"

"We are a simple people who enjoy using our minds for entertainment instead of the more carnal pleasures that you're used to Reaver." She chuckled. She hadn't expected putting a damper on Reaver's expectations to be this fun.

"I can now see why you like to run off to the the docks. There is most likely more excitement there than in this whole country. Let me guess, we are coming up on the little ville now?" Reaver looked over the horizon and saw the city standing there with a background of turquoise ocean and sapphire skies.

"Welcome to the Reef of The Cerulean Lantern." She waved her arm to highlight the aforementioned city. "Or Cerulean Reef for short."

"How quaint." Reaver said with a slight sneer. Katrina couldn't help but get the feeling that he was not impressed. She swallowed a laugh that wanted to escape from her and the two of them walked to the city, the conversation ceasing for the moment.

"Do you have anything particular in mind or are you willing to come along for the ride?" Katrina asked when they finally passed through the gate of the city.

"I suppose I am at your mercy ma douce, please be gentle with me." Reaver said sliding closer to her so that every inch of person that could touch, was. Katrina couldn't help the snort that automatically came and earned a curious glance.

"I'm sorry, that was rude." Her hand flew to her face and covered it to hide her blush. She cleared her throat before she continued, " Well there is the market place. There is always something going on there. I also heard there is a troupe wandering around, perhaps we shall view some of their spectacles? Then toward the end of the day we shall go to the docks and visit the tavern. Does that sound like a good plan?"

"That sounds merveilleux, ma cherie. Lead the way." Reaver said looking down at her with a smile. Katrina could easily see why women and even men fell pray to his charms.

Katrina led him through the alleyways and streets toward the market place, dodging people, animals, and carts along the way. The closer they got to their destination the more congested the streets became and the louder the noise grew until they were finally in the middle of the market place. They were surrounded by wooden stalls with silk coverings filled with anything a person could ever want or need and people barking their wares out to the passers-by on the streets. The yells and talking of the people mixed with the sounds of animals mewling, insturments playing, musicians singing, and hundreds of feet walking through their daily lives to create a cacophony of sounds that if one listened to often enough, could become a symphony of familiarity. Katrina couldn't help but have a smile lulled onto her face.

The smell of incense, herbs, flowers and food assaulted her nose at once and almost over powered her. These smells were as familiar to her as the smell of a mother is to a small child and she couldn't help but love them.

"Un beau sourire sur une belle étoile. Je vais prendre cette étoile peu de lumière, je vous le promets." Reaver whispered to himself and she barely heard it. She looked up at him and found him staring down at her with a smile on his face.

"What does that mean?" Katrina asked him

"A beautiful smile on a beautiful star." Reaver replied non chalantly, shrugging his shoulders. Katrina smiled at him for the compliement but got the feeling that was not all that he said. She would have to start learning his language if she wanted to know everything that he was saying.

She led him through the stalls looking at everything from pottery, to incense, to weapons, which she noticed he seemed to appreciate, and more. The entire time they had no less that fifty pairs of eyes on them, watching their every move. Most of them were women fawning over Reaver.

"Do you get this everywhere you go?" Katrina asked him as they stood in front of a stall selling different herbs. She waited for an answer from him as she picked out spices that Savina had said she needed to try a new recipe.

"No. Usually the women cling on me and throw themselves at me, begging me to take them then and there." Reaver finally answered as Katrina was paying the vendor, earning amazed stares from the both of them. " You were quite right, these people are rigid and formal."

Katrina couldn't help but laugh at his look of dissappointment but it was cut short as a body slammed into her and knocked her into the stand she was just visiting. Luckily she caught herself on the edge before she could do any damage rebounded into the street just in time to see a little boy take Reavers money and bolt down the street.

"You little cur!" Reaver growled as he whipped out his dragonstompper .48 and aimed at the child.

"Wait!" Katrina shouted throwing her hand in front of the gun to keep him from shooting.

"Vous êtes fou-"

"Hang on!" She interupeted him before he could finish and bolted down the street after the little urchin.

She bounded after her target, leaping over carts, sliding under obstacles, and even bouncing off the walls, eventually over taking him with ease. Grabbing him by the scruff of his collar she lifted him off the ground and he started kicking and swinging.

"Nǐ chǒu biǎo zi! Fàng wǒ xiàlái!" The little thief screamed at her while he flailed.

"Lüèduó zhě shì zhèngquè de! Nǐ zhǐshì yīgè xiǎo diànliú. Jiāo chū tōule nǐ de qián zhīqián, wǒ qiē duàn nǐ de shǒu!" She growled at him in his native dialect making the child look up at wonder and stop his thrashing.

"Nǐ zěnme zhīdào rúhé shuō wǒ de yǔyán, wǒ de bùluò zhī wài méiyǒu rén zhīdào ba!" He said.

"Wǒ de péngyǒu, nǐ de cūnzhuāng, nǐ de fǎlǜ juédìng, yīnwèi nǐ tōule shì wǒ de, wǒ xiànzài yǒngyǒu nǐ de shǒu. De jié yáng, wǒ juédìng bǎ tāmen ràng nǐ bǎochí tāmen shì rúhé kuàisù duō de qián, nǐ de shǒu Tōu zǒuliǎo. " Katrina said raising her chin up. The child handed her the money that was stolen and she stuck her hand behind her and handed it to Reaver who had finally caught up to the spectacle. He nodded his head in thanks as he took it. "Rúguǒ wǒ fāxiàn nǐ tōule zài zài zhège shìchǎng shàng, wǒ dāyìng nǐ, wǒ huì yāoqiú nǐ de shǒu, wǒ zìjǐ hé tāmen gěi dà shǔ wèi!"

The child went sprawling on the ground when she released him. He got up and gave her a bow of respect and an apology before he went running off into the crowd. Katrina turned around to find Reaver standing there, holding his money, with a smile that she could not place.

"I am afraid it is my turn to ask for a translation mon guerrier." Reaver came to her side and the crowd that had formed started to dispurse. Katrina took hold of his arm and started leading him around as if nothing had happened.

"I basically told him that if i caught him stealing ever again that I would chop of his hands and feed them to the rats." She said non chalantly as they headed to another stall.

"Speaking of hands, if i were any less than the Hero of skill that I am you would have lost that pretty little hand of yours." He said stopping and turning her around to face him. A blush crept up Katrina's face because she knew he was right. She hadn't thought at all. Only acted.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't think..." She said looking sheepishly to the ground.

"Then be glad that it was here and now that you learned that lesson and not in a more dangerous situation that could have cost you your life." He scolded as he brought her face up to look at his, none to gently. "Now I must say that, that little incident has made me weary of this market place. Where is this troupe you were speaking of earlier mon chéri courageux?"

"Just follow the people." Katrina stated as she pointed down the road. Sure enough groups of people seemed to be drawn toward some unknown source.

With a smirk Reaver led her to the throng of people. The closer the got they easier they could hear the music. It had a lively beat that was easy to dance to but they couldn't see a thing due to how thick the crowd was. Reaver began weaving his way through the crowd pulling Katrina behind him until they were up at the front.

What they saw was amazing. People doing flips and balancing on balls. People swallowing fire and swords. People bending in ways people shouldn't bend. People juggling all sorts of items. There were even animals doing tricks.

"J'ai pu trouver quelques utilisations pour la façon dont elle se penche..." Reaver said in a rather seductive voice while watching one of the performers bend herself in half.

"How come I'm getting the feeling you switch languages when you say something you don't want me to hear?" Katrina asked looking at him with a defiant smirk.

"Why ma chère petite astuce, I would gladly teach you the language if that is your wish." Reaver said while brushing a stray hair behind Katrina's ear, causing her to give a small shiver at the touch.

"I'll take you up on that offer Reaver. For all I know, you could be calling me the foulest names and I'd be none the wiser." Katrina looked into his gorgeous blue eyes and for a split second she was tempted to kiss him. She quickly looked away and started watching the performers once again.

"We will start tomorrow then." Reaver leaned down and whispered into her ear, making sure to let his breath tickle her skin. This time she visibly shivered and got a chuckle from Reaver.

There attention returned to the performers as they started to clear the area that they were taking up and the band began playing a song that was similar to a waltz. Members of the troupe started to lead members of the audiance out onto the dance floor and began twirling them this way and that.

A particularly large gentleman came up to Katrina and asked for her hand. She willing let him lead her onto the dance floor and twirl her around. She followed his lead when he began showing her the dance steps and soon got the hang of it. She kept stride with him easily, moving to and fro with the music.

She looked to the crowd and found Reaver instantly. Their eyes locked and it felt as if they were magnetically drawn toward each other. As the large gentleman lead her around the dance floor she kept her eyes on Reavers the entire time. She noticed when one of the female performers went up to Reaver and asked him to dance but he waved her away, never breaking eye contact with Katrina.

When she and her partner got close enough Reaver swooped in. Scooping her up in his arms, he twirled away from the large gentleman and onto the dance floor, pulling her closer to his body that she ever thought possible.

They danced.

The whole time they only had eyes for each other. The world around them was nothing but a blur and Katrina could feel her heart beating in her chest. The could only faintly hear the music and registered it was getting faster and faster.

When The music neared it's end Reaver brought her into a low dip and held her there looking intently into her eyes. Slowly the world around them came back into focus and she could hear the audience clapping for the band. Reaver brought her back up and pulled her close to his body. She could feel the heat of him through their clothes and could hear the raggedness of his breathing.

"I believe the least I could do after such a inouï dance is offer you a drink at the tavern." Reaver said in a hushed tone as he led her off the dance floor not letting her seperate and inch of flesh from his.

"I believe that I will take you up on that offer Mr. Reaver." She whispered back up to him.

The pair made there way to the docks, Katrina on Reaver's arm because the crowd wouldn't allow them to walk down the street so intimately, much to Reaver's annoyance. When they finally made it down to the docks the bustling activity was even greater than the market place had been.

"Ahoy eirigh, conas a raibh sibh?" Called a familiar voice from the crowd.

"Ah Captaen Radley, tá sé mar aois ó Chonaic mé cheana thú." Katrina waved at the captain when she finally spotted him. She headed toward Radley, dragging Reaver behind her. "An raibh do long a fháil díreach isteach port?"

"Aye raibh sé. Caithfidh mé a rá go bhfuil tú tar éis fás ar a laghad ar shiúl na gcos ó chonaic mé go deireanach tú, agus tá sé deas a fheiceann tú i gcuideachta-" Captain Radley looked up at Reaver and stopped mid sentence, his face turning to stone. "I thought you kept better company Katrina."

"She keeps perfect company. You have no need to worry about her." Reaver's face was just as stone cold as the good Captain's and Katrina could have easily sliced the tension in the air with her dagger.

"Do you to know each other?" Katrina asked trying to quell some of the uneasiness between the two men. They just continued to stare each other down as Reaver pulled her closer, earning him a sharper glare from Radley. "Um, I'm guessing that you do?"

"Nay Lass." Radley was the first to speak, "Yer friend just 'as a familar face 'n I couldn' rememeber where I'd seen et. Well 'nways I'll be seeing ye around Lass, I brought some special items 'n I be fixin' ta let ye get first pickings. Stop by when ye aren't busy wit ye company."

Katrina and Reaver watched as the captain hurried off into the crowd and dissappeard amongst the people. Katrina couldn't help but turn to Reaver and found him still staring out to where they had lost the captain.

"Do you want to explain that?" She asked clearing her throat.

"There is nothing to explain mon cherie." Reaver was finally looking down at her face.

"I'm going to have to call hog-wash on that one." Katrina looked at him skeptically and earned a genuine smile from him.

"Mmhmm. Well do you want to explain exactly how many languages you know? It seems that everytime I turn around you're spouting gibberish in a different tongue." Reaver said leading the way further into the people milling about.

"I know many, just like I know much." Katrina replied.

"I must say ma colombe insaisissable, that was a very elusive and enigmatic answer." He cocked his eyebrow quizically as his eyes seemed to probe her for answeres, "But everyone is entittled to their secrets. Cé go Caithfidh mé a rá gur mhaith liom a thaispeáint go léir de do chuid..."

"Wait a minute! You understood us when we were talking? Now who's the one hiding knowledge? How many languages do you speak?" Katrina pushed into him with her shoulder.

"I know many, just like I know much." He laughed as he led her into the tavern.

"That's not fair, using my own words against me." She gave a little pout that made Reaver just want to nibble on her bottom lip.

Katrina was led to a table and sat down as Reaver went up to the bar to get them a couple of drinks. He came back with two mugs filled to the brim with frothy amber liquid and set one down in front of her.

"What is it?" She asked looking at it quizzically. She took a sniff but wrinkled her nose at the repugnant smell.

"You mean to say that you have never had Ale before?" Reaver asked astonished.

"No, I have not had ale before." Katrina snapped back a little defensively only earning a chuckle from her compainion.

"Then It will be a new experience." He said pushing the mug closer to her.

She took a big swig of the liquid and made a face of disgust. "That is horrible!"

"Keep drinking mon chere you soon won't give a damned about the taste." Reaver guzzled his drink and when he put the mug back down half of the ale was gone. Katrina following his lead did the same thing and found he had been right. The taste didn't really bother her anymore.

She drank six mugs of ale, or as Reaver had called them pints, and had a curious feeling over come her. She knew she wasn't in control of her senses and she felt all to warm. she wanted nothing more than to go home and jump into the water. Maybe if she took her clothes off she'd feel better.

"All right mon chere it looks as if you've reached your limit." Reaver stated as he took her drink from her and redid some of the buttons she had just undone.

"Am NoT!...i caN dRiNkAs MucH 'sss yu 'Ne dAy 'f thE wEEk." She slurred as she reached for her drink only to miss and have Reaver grab her hand, hauling her up out of the seat.

"I am sure you can, I bet you could drink even after I have passed out cold on the floor." Reaver lead her through the tables, toward the door of the tavern.

Katrina gasped, "DuN do Da'at, 'll MeSs 'p yEr PreTTy 'air"

It took all of Reaver's strength not to laugh out loud when he heard her say that and then it took all of his strength not to reach for his Dragonstomper when he saw Captain Black Death Radley walk into the bar with his crew.

"CAPP'N!" Katrina practically yelled to Reaver's horror. Just what he needed, scrap on his hands when he had to deal with getting a drunken Katrina home. He had no intention of taking her innocence tonight. It would be too easy. He wanted her to give it to him willingly and sober. He wanted her to remember everysecond of it.

"WHAT 'N BLAZIN' TARNATION DID YE DO TA 'ER REAVA'. YE GOT THE WEE ANGEL DRUNK!?" The Captain bellowed, causing his crew to grow uneasy.

"I am just bringing her back to her home. There is nothing-"

Captain Radley pulled out his pistol on Reaver and the rest of the crew at seeing this followed their captain's lead. "Yu ain't takin' 'er nowhere reava'."

Reaver ground his teeth together and Katrina could tell it was taking all his self control not to just shoot them all.

"CAPP'N rAdELY! hOW dArE YU PRE'eSUME wHAT Be RIGHT FUR mEH! mR. REavER 'S kNDLY TAkIN' mEH HOmE bEFORE YU! sO rUDelY START'D pOIntING yUR GUns A' uS. nOW If yU'D kINDLY rEMOVE yURSElF fRUM oUR paTh i"D lIK tA be hEADin' 'OME!"

"Are Ye sure lass-" The captain started to ask

"NOW!" She screeched before he could finish. Her body to add emphasis crackled her will to life over her skin causing the captains crew to grow uneasy.

"Ye 'eard 'er boys git outta 'er way." The captain said stepping out of the way, his crew soon followed suite.

Katrina held her head up high and half stomped, half stumbled out of the bar with Reaver following only an arms reach away. Her legs carried her all the way to the edge of town before she collapsed in the sand and retched.

Reaver was by her side in an instant, holding her braid and loose hairs back so she didn't get vomit on them. When she was done Reaver reached into on of his pockets and pulled out a satchel of leaves and offered her some.

"They're mint leaves mon chere . They help the nausia and bad breath. Just chew on them but don't swallow. " He said when she gave him a quizzical look.

"I thought you were the type that would like a girl to swallow." Katrina slurred as she took a couple of leaves and started chewing on them. If she hadn't felt like absolute shit she would have laughed at the look of utter surprise on his face.

Katrina tried to stand but her legs wouldn't hold her so Reaver just scooped her in his arms and started carrying her. She tried to protest but he made it quite clear that she would not be having her way, so she just wrapped her arms around his neck, and legs around his waist and hung on.

Being this close to him like this was almost as intoxicating as the ale. With her face in the crook of his neck she could smell him. His exotic cologne mixed with his sweat and made a completely different scent. Before she realized what she was doing she had her lips against his neck and was planting light kisses all over it.

"Agne. Behave yourself. You don't realize what you are getting yourself into." Reaver half growled half groaned when she placed a kiss right on top of a vein.

"I don't care. This feels..."

Before she could finish her thought she realized she was being placed onto the cool desert sand while Reaver's face hovered in front of hers. She lifted her head and gently placed her lips upon his and gave him a gentle kiss.

He responded by deepening it. By making it more fiery, more passonate and it swept Katrina up like a tidal wave. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with every ounce of emotion that she had in her. Battling tongues and lips with this devilish man.

They finally had to break apart to breathe and hearing his ragged breaths made Katrina want dive in and kiss him all over again but before she could his mouth was on her neck. Sucking. Nibbling. Kissing. He was driving her wild. She writhed her body against his and a groan escaped him.

" Ma petite renarde, you have no idea how much restraint it is taking to keep from ravaging you." Reaver growled huskily into her ear.

"Don't restrain yourself then." Katrina said looking at him through half lidded eyes.

"Oh but I must ma douce tentation, I must. For you see I have a better idea in mind." Reaver cooed.

"Wah-" Katrina couldn't finish because she found Reavers hand had snaked its way down in between her legs and was massaging her flesh through her shorts, earning a moan from her as she arched her body.

His hand felt amazing and to add more insanity into the mixture his mouth went back to work on her neck, tantalizing her nerve endings. His hand started rubbing in circles over one spot and she swore that if he didn't stop she would go insane but she couldn't. It felt too amazing. Then his tongue found a nerve that made her jump and he kept working on that.

The hand and the tongue kept working together and she could feel something building up within her, with every passing moment it grew bigger and bigger and bigger until finally...

"REAVER!" She screamed out when could not take it any longer. This caused him to grind down his hand and bite her neck simultaneously and finally the pressure within her blew. She wrapped her legs around him and bucked her body up against his causing him to give a breathy moan, while she threw her head back and screamed. Her body quivered and she could feel a throbbing between her legs.

After a few moments her body finally calmed itself and she sunk to the ground, her limbs feeling as heavy as boulders.

"I must say agne you are going to have to change your clothes soon, you soaked right through those little shorts of yours..."Reaver's breath was husky in her ear.

"Mmhmm." She didn't care about her shorts right now. She couldn't care if the sky started crumbling to the ground. She felt content...and tired.

As the darkness of sleep wavered in and out she could feel Reaver pick her up again and start to carry her home. She finally let sleep take over her because in his arms she felt safe.