Sunbeam Lair seorsum

desire was not something the imperator allowed himself to indulge. he was a man. but he was also a leader of many and set an example of a controlled soldier at every moment. he was not ignorant of meadow's want, or perhaps what he supposed she wanted from him.

and it was a temptation. but he would not permit himself to look at her in such a way, as an object of desire. she was a companion. that was her offering. that was what he would let the two of them be. and yet even as he told himself these things he was watching her silken movements, how the muscles beneath her argent pelt smoothed as she reached for the bird.

he glanced at her profile and nodded over their meal. "my happiest memory." there were not so many before his marriage and the birth of his children. or rather they were now moments tainted by the bitterness between he and crowfeather.

germanicus put the shadow firmly from his mind. "the hours after the birth of my children were the most sweet. i held all four of them in my arms while ruenna slept. i listened to them breathe and knew i had never known such love before."

he felt himself crumble, a resolute pillar scoured by a searing wind. there was a flurry of blinking and then he busied himself with plucking the pheasant and carefully setting aside the feathers.