Her smile faded when she approached him. She tilted her head and concern filled her expression. “Thanred?” she asked, touching his arm. “What’s wrong? What is it?” She set the basket filled with berries carefully down by her feet.
He let out a heavy sigh. It was no use trying to push the inevitable away, as much as it pained him. “This cannot be, Royla,” he said softly.
Confusion creased her features. She shook her head. “What? What cannot be?”
“This,” he answered, grasping her shoulder. “Us.”
Her face betrayed her sadness.
Thanred’s heart began to ache. He wanted nothing more than to pull her close in an embrace, tell her he was wrong and that everything would be alright. But the reality of theirsituation wouldn’t allow it. “I’m sorry,” he said, lowering his eyes, unable to look into hers. “I’m sorry but you were right.”
“Right?” she said, her voice suddenly shaky. “Right about what?”
“You were right to ask if we would be alone forever. Do you remember? The question has weighed heavily on me since you said it. And the truth of it is...” His voice cracked as he fought to say what needed to be said. “I cannot keep you out here. You deserve more than this. More than living in the wilderness with... with a creature like me. You can still go back. Back to your palisade.”
The tightness came to his throat again. So much it pained him. The thought of watching her go for the last time, of living a life without her made him think of climbing Mother Mountain and throwing himself off, as the others had done. At least he had known joy with Royla. Maybe only for a short time, but he would go in peace, thankful for his time with her.
But when he looked up at her again, her reaction was nothing like he’d expected. There was no sadness in her expression, no tears rolling down her cheeks.
Where he’d expected to see her mouth twisted by sadness, the corners of her lips were instead curled upward slightly, as if she were about to smile.
She took his hand from her shoulder and lowered it. Down past her pretty breasts until it came to rest on her soft belly.
A jolt of energy shot through him. His eyes widened in disbelief.
“I’m afraid I can’t leave you now, Master,” she whispered, staring up at him, a beautiful smile lighting up her face. “I’ve passed my time. Your...” She paused and bit her lip, her cheeks flushing at the admission she was about to make. “Your seed has quickened inside me.” Her eyes fluttered down toward the ground. “I am with child,” she said. “Your child.”
Though he’d suspected as soon as he saw her smile that that was what she was going to say, it shook him to his core nonetheless. He’d known the possibility existed, considered it while pondering her question about whether they would be forever alone. But this?
This changed everything.
“You are sure?” he said, his voice so quiet he barely heard it himself.
Royla bit her lower lip and nodded again.
Thanred felt as if he were outside himself, disconnected from his body. He barely felt the earth against his legs as he sank to his knees, hands pressed against her belly. He stared at it, caressing it gently. He began to shake his head.
“Thanred?” she asked.
He looked up to see her staring down at him, puzzled. “Are you... not happy about this?”
The question nearly tore his heart out of his chest. “No. I mean, yes! I mean... I am... overjoyed,” he said, his voice filled with emotion.
She slowly sank to her knees in front of him, her hand coming up to touch his cheek, head tilted to one side, still smiling softly. She giggled. “That is not the expression I am used to seeing when someone is happy,” she said. “Even you.”
His mind was racing. Thoughts of his unborn children wandering the wilds, searching for happiness and companionship made his head spin.
Royla leaned closer and kissed him.
Thanred pulled away. He had betrayed her trust. He had been selfish, only thinking of his own needs and now? Now there was no way to take this back, no way to undo what he’d done. Now his offspring would be condemned to...
He shook his head. There was too much to consider. His cock had hardened at her news and he felt the urge to take her again, to claim her and make sure she understood she was his.
Grasping her roughly by the neck, he spread her legswith his thighs and pressed his engorged member against her flower.
Royla’s eyes widened with excitement. She reached down between them, grasped his hardness, and guided the head of it to her center lips. They were wet and hot and sticky.
Thanred sucked in a breath as he swayed forward, his cockhead slipping into her opening.
