Thank you all, again! I loved reading your reviews about yesterday's update(s), and I'm glad I could someone so happy with the Techna chapter. :) I love to get your feedback and it always helps to know what you want with the story. Thanks again!
The alarm clock began to go off near her head, the sound like chirping. She cuddled closer to the center of the bed, hoping to get away from the sound. A figure rose over her, reaching beyond to the alarm clock and switching it off. Then, he lies back down next to her and pulls her close to him, wrapping his arms around his beautiful wife.
As Daphne cuddled closer to her husband, she began to drift off again, her dreams taking her. Thoren on the other hand pulls her closer, awakening more as their bedroom door opens, only the sound of air moving.
The quick piddle-paddle of little feet on the ground lets him know who it is – their son Arkin. Thoren can hear the boy, now seven years old, walking first towards his mother's side of the bed, then deciding that if he wants to sneak up on his father he has to come from the back, so he back tracks towards his father's side of the bed.
Thoren jostles Daphne some, kissing on her forehead as their son finishes walking to the edge of the bed. Then, Thoren turns over quickly, grabbing Arkin and pulling the boy onto the bed, saying "I've got you know, you little spy."
The boy began to squeak with delight as his father pulls him into the center of the bed and begins to tickle him. His mother turned her back to them, wanting to sleep at least a little bit longer.
Thoren stops tickling his son and points at his wife. He winks, and the two boys turn, and as Arkin begins to giggle again, they attack Daphne, their long fingers finding her stomach, her knees, her neck. She loses control of her body as her muscles twitch, trying to get away from her husband and son who are tickling her. She moves, bumping into both of them, then the next thing she knows, her butt, then her hips, then her whole body is falling off the bed, and she and her son wind you on the floor.
"So, you want to surprise me, do you?" Daphne asks him. A wicked smile crosses her face and then Arkin is yelling and laughing out of control as his mother tickles him, knowing where all of his soft spots are.
"No, no, no! Mom! Please!" He is gasping for air as he tries to breathe and plead for mercy. "Please!"
"Oh goodness, your highnesses?" The doors burst open and everyone in the room stops moving as the maid Macy comes crashing in, panic on her face from the yells of Daphne and Arkin.
The three, Thoren on the bed, Daphne and Arkin on the floor with the blankets all tossed about, begin to laugh and Daphne waves Macy away while Thorne says, "We are fine, Macy. Just having some early morning fun."
Macy blushes and dicks out of the room, closing the doors behind her.
Daphne looks at Arkin again and says, "Want some more, mister?"
"No, mom. You got me." He looks at his father. "I will surprise you one of these days though, dad. I swear!"
"Arkin," Thoren begins. "What have you told you about swearing?"
"Yes, dad. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Daphne says. "Go get dressed and ask Macy to have the cooks prepare a light breakfast and a picnic lunch. We'll go for a ride this morning and when the horses are tired, we'll stop for lunch. How does that sound?" she asks, looking at the two most important men in her life.
Her son's eyes open wide and he says, "Really? Yes! I'm going!" And he gets up and runs, opening and closing the doors quickly, the only sounds form outside now being Arkin yelling for Macy and then yelling that he is going to get dressed for riding.
She looks at her husband and smiles. He smiles back at her and holds his hand out for her, helping back up onto the bed. He pulls her close and kisses her, surprising her. His hand finds the back of her neck and he pulls her closer, deepening the kiss. When he breaks away, she drags a breath into her lungs.
"I know I was a nymph and lived underwater and all that, but I need air now, Thoren." Despite her tone, she smiles at his.
"I know," he says, but I've wanted to do that since I turned the alarm off, but I was afraid Arkin would gag if I did it when he walked in."
Daphne laughs softly, pushing the sheets from her legs and gets up. "Don't forget, we are going to Eraklyon tonight. Bloom invited us for dinner, and then we are supposed to stay until her coronation, and until the baby is born, of course. Though, not in that order."
She turns her back on him, and he gets out of bed. "Alright," he says, walking around the bed. He comes up behind her and puts his arms around her.
"Thoren, love, what are you doing? We have to get dressed. Arkin will be back expecting us to be ready."
He places his hands on her tummy and hips and says, "We'll be ready. I have to get my clothes, and they are on this side." Still holding her, he walks them toward their closet. "So, Daphne, when are we going to have another child?"
Daphne gasps and turns in his arm. "You, you want another child? But, when we got married, you said you only wanted one child." Despite what she says, she is smiling at him, hope in her eyes. She wants another child, for sure.
"I know what I said then, but I can change my mind. I'm just a man."
"Oh, Thoren!" she calls, and throwing her hands around his neck, she kisses him full on the lips again.
"Ew!" comes from the doorway. Arkin has come back.
"Go away, son." Thoren calls, and wraps his arms around his wife again.
Daphne just giggles against her husband's lips, and then pulls away. "We'll be out in a minute, son. Hold on, and close the door." With Thoren's hands still on her, she laughs and says, "Told you. Time to get dressed." She and Thoren move more toward the closets and finally break apart to get dressed, though Thoren does help Daphne get undressed.