Chapter 5 #2
“In your world, perhaps,” Toved said, his voice a low rumble.
“But here, with us, you would never know fear. You could have your own shop and use your knowledge and wisdom to help our people with medicines. Such knowledge is treasured here, and never mocked or persecuted as it too often is in your own world.”
“I don’t know your plants,” I protested, before I realized I’d objected not to staying but to the practicalities of their offer.
“You can learn,” Vosten countered, his fingertips brushing my chin. “Your wisdom is not so limited that it only applies to the plants you already understand.”
“We cherish you, Aveline,” Toved added. “We see your insight, courage, and all your beauty, inside and out. And in our kingdom, all people have the same rights—to property, prosperity, and to choose their spouse or spouses, as many as they wish to have.”
I could practice my craft in freedom? Women had the same rights as men? Marriages weren’t limited to one man and one woman? It was all too much to think about at once…and too good to be true, surely.
“We understand what we say is difficult for you to believe,” Vosten said. “We will show you all our ways and the beauty of our realm, and we leave all the choices about your future to you.”
“Thank you.” I swallowed hard. “And if I say I want to go back?”
Toved’s arm tightened just a little around my middle.
Vosten bowed his head. “Then we will take you back to your village,” he said softly. “And leave you in peace.”
I didn’t know if I could believe what they said about how things were in this realm, but all my instincts told me they weren’t lying to me.
“If I did stay,” I asked, “what would I be to you? Your guest? Your subject?”
“You would be whatever you chose to be,” Toved said.
Vosten cradled my hand in his and kissed my palm.
“In truth, we would like to heal together, the three of us,” he said.
“If you feel in your heart that you might want the same, we would be most honored if you would call us your sulhai. We would treasure you and devote all our years to your comfort and happiness.”
My breath caught. They both wanted to share their lives with me? Truly, if I did stay, I would have found it impossible to choose between them.
“What does sulhai mean?” I asked.
“We do not know a word for this in your own language,” Toved said. “It is our word for someone who is beloved, and whose soul is at peace when they are in your presence.”
“Oh, that is a beautiful word.” I thought about it. “You are right—I don’t know any translation for that, except maybe soul mate, but I never—” I bit my lip. “I never believed in those,” I finished, my voice soft. “Not really.”
“I like this phrase soul mate.” Vosten raised my hand to press my palm to his cheek. “To be a mate is to complete and be completed by another. It is not the same as sulhai, but it is good.”
The idea of being treasured—of being cared for so deeply that my very presence completed another—clashed with my experiences of the world. A man’s cruelty and desire to possess me as if I were a thing had driven me to Geedhollow in the first place.
But Vosten and Toved were not like Sir Henry Forbright, and if they were to be believed, this place was not like Halston. Maybe, just maybe, I could let myself hope for the first time in an achingly long while.
“We desire you, Aveline.” Toved tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear. “I think you know that.”
I did know. They’d never hidden it from me—not from the moment I’d opened my eyes. They were beautiful, strong, honorable, and kind. Honest and caring. And the Goddess knew they kindled fire in my heart—and elsewhere.
“Aveline.” Vosten cupped my face. “May we kiss you?”
Of course he would ask permission. “Yes.” My voice was breathless.
Eyes dark with desire, he moved his hand to cup the back of my head, leaned close, and kissed me.
Everything good about him was in his kiss: hardness and softness, strength and tenderness, desire and care. I had kissed before, and been kissed, but never, ever like this. Never as if I were the dream of a king.
Vosten caught my lower lip between his own, tugged gently, and let me go.
And then Toved moved me to his lap and kissed me.
This kiss was sweeter but no less hungry, and he was the first to urge me to part my lips so he could taste me better.
His hand gripped my shoulder, then slipped down my arm to hold my hand.
Vosten took my other hand and leaned in to trail kisses along my shoulder—especially my healing wounds.
Oh, Goddess. It was all almost too much, and yet I wanted more.
I kissed Vosten again, and then Toved, my skin tingling wherever they caressed me. They carefully did not touch me anywhere intimate, but suddenly even my arms and shoulders and legs felt as delicate as my sex…which dripped freely with my desire.
Beneath their loincloths, they were both very aroused as well. I found myself wanting to touch their manhoods, and taste them, but I was very aware we were in an open-air garden and not the privacy of our bedroom.
“We desire you, but we will not rush you,” Vosten rumbled. He caressed my cheek. “You must know in your heart what is right and true.”
What was right and true? This felt more right than anything I’d known in a long time, but I hadn’t made my choice. And if I hadn’t, I couldn’t make love to them and then leave. That would be wrong.
I kissed Vosten gently, and then Toved. And then I rested my head on Toved’s shoulder. “I want to know more about this realm,” I said. Goddess, they smelled so good. “I want to know where I belong. That’s how I’ll know what is right and true.”
“We understand.” Vosten kissed my forehead. “Our Aveline, we will wait.”