Moiraine and Lan deserve a day off with just the two of them, so Lan is planning a trip.

Warning: The beginning of this chapter is still smut, but I promise the rest of the chapter will be smut-free (after passage fifteen).

The uncrowned king of Malkier pulled his fingers out of the heavily breathing woman and licked them clean. She was still on a high from the orgasm he had just brought down on her.

Once his fingers were clean, Lan lowered his face to catch every single drop of Moiraine's arousal with his tongue. He didn't want to waste them now that she had allowed him to take care of her.

A low moan crossed Moiraine's lips when his tongue worked on her again. Lan cursed inwardly for not having the bond anymore. He didn't know what she wanted – if she was satisfied or wanted more – and it was especially frustrating since Moiraine didn't really speak about her wishes and desires. But foremost, he missed not feeling her reaction to his doing. Did she like what he was doing, or did she want him to stop?

Testing, the Warder flicked his tongue over her sensitive clit and received another moan. Could he make her come again? His lips closed around her pearl, and he started to suck gently.

Moiraine wheezed and placed a trembling hand on his head. She seemed not to be able to decide what she wanted. There was a slight push in her hand, yet she brought her hips closer to Lan's mouth.

The uncrowned king of Malkier watched the Cairhien woman, waiting for her to lock eyes with him. When she didn't, he flattened his tongue over her clit, then she lifted her head. "Do you want more?" he asked, then repeated his last action.

Frowning, Moiraine bit her lip, obviously thinking about his words. Finally, she shook her head. She had enough.

Lan nodded, yet couldn't resist licking her one last time – from her entrance to her clit – ensuring he hadn't missed a drop of her. Then he crawled back up. His beautiful Aes Sedai lay limp beneath him, taking deep breaths.

Smiling, the Warder placed a trail of soft kisses from her belly to her mouth. The love in her eyes and the relaxation in her body told him she was satisfied.

"Are you good?"

Moiraine chuckled. "Do you really need to ask?"

"Well…."

"When have I ever NOT been good after you pleasured me?"

Lan's eyes sparkled at her words. It was always nice to hear he took good care of her, and it was also a push for his ego that he couldn't disappoint her – not even when their bedding happened only occasionally.

Moiraine moaned when Lan kissed her, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close. Lan enjoyed seeing her in such a good mood. That all would be forgotten once Alanna returned to take them to Cairhien. Moiraine deserved a break.

"Let's go out for a ride," the Warder whispered against his Aes Sedai's lips.

"What?"

"A ride. Let's take Aldieb and Mandarb and take a day off."

Confused, the woman of the Blue Ajah loosened her grip on him. "I don't understand. You want to go for a ride? Now?"

"Yes. Now."

Her eyes moved between their bodies before they found his again. "What about… you? You pleasured me but didn't-"

Lan's kiss interrupted her. "I got everything I wanted."

"And what's that?" Moiraine asked breathlessly.

Smiling, her Warder pressed a kiss as light as a feather on her lips, then whispered, "You." The Aes Sedai copied his smile, then pulled his head down for another heated kiss.

Way too soon, the uncrowned king of Malkier pulled back. "Come on. Get dressed. We leave before your sister or Eliza will notice."

"Wait." The Cairhien woman tried to hold on to him, but it was useless. Lan was out of the bed before she had a chance to grab him. "Lan. Come back."

"Please tell me you have riding clothes too, not just pretty dresses." Lan walked to her wardrobe and opened it. Sighing, he took in the many dresses. "I guess that's a no."

"At the bottom."

He found the neatly folded package and picked it up. "Do you hate them so much that you had to hide them?" he joked.

A flash of sadness moved over Moiraine's face. "I placed them out of sight because they reminded me of you." Her voice broke at the end.

Immediately, Lan was by her side again, cupping her cheek and kissing her. "I'm here. You will never lose me." He waited until she nodded, then kissed her again before he placed the bundle beside her. "Get dressed. I prepare the rest."

"We can't just leave. We need to inform someone where we're going. Eliza will worry sick."

"I leave a message for them. Come on."

Lan didn't wait for her to find more excuses. Moiraine needed a break, and they needed a moment to themselves. Quickly, he got dressed and put his sword on, then aimed for the door.

"Meet me at the stable."

"Lan!" Moiraine hissed. She was finally sitting, but that was it. "Can we talk about your plan?"

But the uncrowned king of Malkier had already opened the door and stepped outside. "Eliza?" Before him was Anvaere's friend, walking down the hall. And she didn't stop like she hadn't heard him! "Eliza? What are you doing?"

Lan stepped out into the hall, watching how the old woman went to the stairs and moved downstairs. That had been odd!

Moiraine appeared beside him. "Where is she?" she whispered.

"She went downstairs, but she didn't notice me."

"Perhaps you spoke too quietly."

Lan shook his head. "I called out for her twice. She didn't react."

"Do you think she heard what we have been doing?" Moiraine took a step further into the hall, but Lan pulled her back to him.

"Don't be foolish. She didn't hear a thing."

"But why should she suddenly ignore you? She likes you."

"I don't know. Maybe she was-" A movement caught Lan's eye. Eliza entered the hall, but she had a vase in her hands this time. Confused, Lan furrowed his forehead. It was early in the morning! Why was Eliza carrying a vase?

The woman of the Blue Ajah noticed his confusion and turned to the approaching older woman. "Eliza? What are you doing?"

There was no reaction. Eliza continued her path with her eyes locked on the floor, not even once looking at Moiraine and Lan.

"Eliza." Moiraine stepped forward, reaching out a hand to stop the woman.

In the last second, Lan wrapped his arms around his bondholder and pulled her away from the older woman, letting her pass untouched.

"What are you doing?!"

"I think she is sleepwalking."

"Sleepwalking?"

"Yes. No matter what we do, she can't hear or see us."

Together, they watched the woman disappear into her room, then Moiraine shook her head. "Unbelievable."

Chuckling, Lan guided his Aes Sedai back into her room. "If you don't want to ride in your nightgown, I suggest you get dressed now."

But Moiraine's thoughts were obviously still with Eliza and her sleepwalking because she turned back to Lan instead of moving to her bed. "When Eliza is sleepwalking… she could be doing this for half an hour now." Lan nodded. "What if it wasn't Anvaere who constantly passed our room? What if it was Eliza? Light." She covered her mouth with her hand. "I stopped you because I was convinced it was Anvaere."

"Moiraine." Gently, the Warder placed his finger under her chin and pulled her face up to him so he could kiss her. "The important thing is you ultimately gave in to your needs and allowed me to take care of you. Nothing else matters."

"But-"

"Enough talking. Get dressed. I want to be gone when your sister awakes."

Lan heard footsteps on the floor and turned his head around. They both watched how Eliza – this time with empty hands – passed their room again. The uncrowned king of Malkier chuckled. "I would love to see her room when she awakes. What is she bringing next? – A horse?"

Moiraine chuckled, and Lan smiled, then shook his head. "Well, whatever it is, perhaps she will tell us later. I meet you at the stable."

With those words, Lan closed the door behind him. They would need food and water for the day.

A gentle breeze moved through the trees, and the sounds of countless animals echoed through the forest. At first, Moiraine had been hesitating about Lan and her 'escape', but after a few hours riding through the woods, she admitted it felt good to be back outside – just the two of them and their horses. It felt like old times.

They found a lake with a beautiful waterfall coming down from a mountain, and Lan decided to make camp there. Since they had left so early, they hadn't had anything for breakfast, but Lan had grabbed enough food and water to make it until dinner.

Moiraine dismounted Aldieb, then took in the beautiful scene in front of her. Everything seemed so peaceful. A perfect day to forget your problems.

"Aldieb." Lan clicked his tongue, and the mare obeyed.

The Aes Sedai was taken by surprise when Aldieb moved and startled her. She almost stumbled over her own feet before she caught herself. Confused, she watched her Warder thanking the mare, then taking off her saddlebags. Lan had unfolded a blanket so they could sit down and unpacked the food now. Moiraine saw immediately he had robbed Eliza's kitchen.

"Did you leave anything for Eliza and Anvaere?" she chuckled.

Lan raised an eyebrow at her. "I did say you need to eat more." His eyes fell on her ribs covered under her tunic. "You're too thin."

"And you plan to change that within a day?"

"Of course not. But it'll be a start."

Sighing, the woman of the Blue Ajah decided not to argue and checked on the horses.

When Lan offered to light a fire so they could heat some water for tea, Moiraine asked if she could do it. The Warder hesitated only for a heartbeat, then handed her the firestone. Yet, he wanted her to promise him not to burn her hair.

It took the Aes Sedai a few moments to remember what Lan had taught her, but in the end, she lit the fire without his help. She was proud she hadn't forgotten anything.

Soon, the tea was ready, though Lan kept her cup by his side until she had eaten some real food. No matter how much Moiraine begged, her wonderful companion didn't give in. She had to eat some bread and an apple before Lan handed her the cup.

Moiraine enjoyed the quiet breakfast with Lan by her side. It almost felt like the old times when they had been traveling the land, searching for the Dragon Reborn. Except that now, she couldn't use Saidar anymore, and their bond was masked.

Lan noticed the sad expression on Moiraine's face and wanted to know what was bothering her. When the Cairhien woman told him she missed feeling him in her head, the uncrowned king of Malkier pulled her over until she lay comfortably in his arms.

After a while – Moiraine had lost track of time – the Cairhien woman almost fell asleep in Lan's arms. She had closed her eyes, enjoying the warm beams of sunlight on her face, and the sound of the birds singing in the trees was beautiful.

Suddenly, something touched her lips, forcing itself a way into her mouth. Groaning, Moiraine opened her eyes, then saw Lan's hand. He pressed a blueberry between her lips.

The Aes Sedai turned her head away, but her Warder didn't give up that easily. Ultimately, she had to give in but bit into Lan's finger tenderly.

Lan smiled mischievously. "And here I thought I've satisfied your needs earlier."

Moiraine blushed at his words and pushed his hand away. "You're terrible."

The uncrowned king of Malkier laughed at her embarrassment, then leaned down, pulled her face back to him, and kissed her. "Do you want me to take care of your needs again?"

Moiraine's eyes widened at Lan's question. "We are in the middle of a forest!"

"So?"

"Someone could see us!"

"Who? A boar?"

"Lan!" The Aes Sedai was shocked while her Warder just chuckled and kissed her.

"No one will see us, silly one. We are alone. Just you-" He pressed another kiss on her lips. "-and me."

"Someone could-" Light, this man drove her nuts with his kisses! Couldn't he let her finish her sentence? Well, she didn't want him to stop kissing her if she was honest with herself.

"There is no one here except us," Lan whispered tenderly against her lips.

Growling, Moiraine pulled his head down to get more of his kisses. But, the uncrowned king of Malkier brought some distance between their lips. "What do you think about going for a swim?"

"I don't remember bringing spare clothes with us," Moiraine said, closing her eyes and snuggling against him.

But Lan had different plans. He pushed his Aes Sedai into a sitting position, which earned him a frustrated growl. "Who needs spare clothes?"

Confused, the Cairhien woman watched the Malkieri taking off his belt. "What are you doing?" Her eyes widened when he untied his tunic and revealed his muscular chest. "Lan! You can't do that!"

Smiling, he pushed the fabric off his shoulders. "There is no one here."

"But someone could come looking, and I can't set wards to warn us!"

The shoes were next, then Lan stood up to push off his pants and underwear in one strike. Blushing, the woman of the Blue Ajah turned her head aside when her eyes fell on Lan's cock. "Lan, would you please put your clothes back on?"

"First, I go for a swim."

She heard him leaving. Her eyes moved back to him and took in his gorgeous backside. Oh, she was no idiot. She knew her Warder was handsome, and his naked appearance affected her like any other woman. "Lan!"

Helplessly, Moiraine watched how he moved into the water. Further and further until only his head was above water. Nervously, the Aes Sedai bit her lip while watching her Warder swim toward the waterfall. He didn't look back or call for her to join him. He simply kept going.

Anxiously, she took in their surroundings. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Aldieb and Mandarb calmly ate the grass. They would react to intruders, right? They had responded to the Shadowspawn when they attacked Moiraine and Lan. They would do it again should danger be close by.

Sighing, the Cairhien woman rested her eyes on the Malkieri. He was still swimming. Perhaps she could… Moiraine cursed inwardly at herself when she started to take off her boots. Stupid idea! That's an idiotic idea, Moiraine! Why don't you listen to your brain?! No, instead, you decide to join your foolish Warder! The pants followed the boots.

Her fingers trembled when they grabbed the hem of her tunic, hesitating to pull it over her head. Should she really do that? Only her tunic and underwear were left. She could still… Moiraine's eyes flickered to the horses, which looked no different than they had minutes ago. No one is there except for you and Lan.

Before she could change her mind, the Cairhien woman pulled the tunic over her head, then pushed her underwear over her hips. Lan was still not looking. He kept swimming, so she walked to the lake.

Moiraine gasped when she placed a foot in the water. It was colder than she had expected!

"It won't get warmer with you standing there!"

Shocked, the Aes Sedai searched for her Warder. That insufferable man had stopped, looking at her with a longing she even saw from afar and a broad smile on his lips. How had he known about her getting into the water? Deliberately, she crossed her arms before her to cover her breasts.

"You're impossible."

"Come in."

Moiraine growled but obeyed. Slowly, she moved deeper into the lake – finally being relieved when the water covered everything beneath her chin. Carefully, she started to swim toward the Malkieri and realized she became warmer the longer she swam.

Her Warder waited patiently for her to close the distance between them. Once she was within his reach, Lan grabbed his Aes Sedai's hands and pulled her close to him.

"See?" he whispered against her lips. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

"Shut up," Moiraine responded, then captured his lips in a heated kiss.

Vaguely, she noticed Lan placing her legs around his hip while she held on to him. She didn't want to let go of him.

Lan started to swim again when they broke apart, having a tight grip on the woman in his arms while swimming toward the waterfall.

"Lan? What are you doing?"

"I want to see what's behind that waterfall."

Moiraine's eyes widened. "Lan Mandragoran! If you pull me through the waterfall, you'll regret it!"

The uncrowned king of Malkier laughed, then stopped and released her. "Fine. I'll have a look myself."

"Lan-"

"I'll be back." His head moved through the water, then he was gone.

Anxiously, the woman of the Blue Ajah watched the waterfall while starting to count. When she reached the number thirty, Lan had still not reappeared.

"Lan?" Where was he? It was impossible that he had drowned. What lay behind the waterfall? Was there a cave? Had someone captured him? Knocked him out? "Lan? Answer me!"

Silence was the only answer she received. Trembling, Moiraine moved closer to the falling water. Should she follow him?

Suddenly, something wrapped around her right foot and pulled her underwater with a strong pull. Moiraine released a short shriek, then the water closed above her head. Quickly, she swam back up until she could breathe again. Gasping, she brought some distance between herself and the waterfall. What was that?! Light, she couldn't see anything in the water!

Again, something touched her leg, and she tried to kick it, but it didn't have the same effect as on land. The only thing she hit was water!

And then something broke through the surface, and Moiraine recognized Lan, smiling at her like she hadn't almost had a heart attack. This bloody bastard had played with her! "Bastard!" She splashed water at him, so he had to turn away. "I was worried about you!"

"I couldn't resist the temptation."

Moiraine growled, then splashed another round of water at him when he dared to face her. As soon as Lan wiped the water out of his eyes, the Aes Sedai turned around and swam back to their blanket.

"Moiraine." She ignored him. He should know she was pissed at him. "Moiraine."

When the Cairhien woman heard the Malkieri following her, she increased her speed. When she finally could stand again, she stood up and walked the rest of the way, though she couldn't go fast due to the water's resistance. Cursing, she pulled her legs through the wet, not caring about being naked. She wanted to get out of the water.

"Moiraine."

The Aes Sedai winced when her Warder's voice sounded behind her and forced herself to move faster. How had he caught up with her so fast?!

"Please, stop."

Absolutely not! She had almost left the lake and then would get dressed, and… Moiraine felt the touch of Lan's fingers on her arm. "Moiraine, let me… Blood and ashes!"

Lan's curse followed a splash, and his fingers disappeared from her arm. Shocked, the Aes Sedai swirled around. Her Warder was kneeling now, steadying himself with his hands before him. What had happened?

Growling, the uncrowned king of Malkier turned to sitting, the water being just high enough to cover everything below his waist. His hands massaged his right ankle while he grimaced. "This ground is not made to chase after a furious woman."

"Are you hurt?" Moiraine couldn't stop herself from worrying about him and kneeled beside him. Her hands checked his ankle carefully.

"I'll survive," Lan explained, his face turning soft when he looked at her. "Come here."

The Aes Sedai fought off her Warder's hands, but it was useless. She had brought herself back into his reach to check on him, and now, it was easy for him to lift her into the air to place her on his lap, straddling him.

"Let go of me!"

"Moiraine, please. I didn't mean to worry you."

The Cairhien woman hit the Malkieri's chest with her fists, though it was more to have a way to deal with her anger than hurting him. "Well, you did!"

"That wasn't my intention." Lan wrapped his arms around Moiraine's waist and pulled her close while she fought to hold back her tears. "Forgive me."

His voice was so soft, and Moiraine heard the tenderness in his words. Growling, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "You're an idiot, Lan Mandragoran."

Lan smiled at her words – she felt the movement of his lips on her skin – while rubbing soothing circles on her bare back. She didn't need an answer from him. She didn't want to fight with him. All she wanted was to hold him like that. Lan was alive and safe, and that was all she cared about.

The next chapter will be uploaded on Wednesday.

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