Lion Head Mesa Anemone

even the gentlest of his kisses always managed to awaken something in her! and had it not been for the newly opened eyes of their cubs to distract them both in this moment, …well, gentle reader, surely you know! 
she delighted at her husbands proclamation—yes, their perfect ones! truly so perfectly crafted, their little sweetlings with sparkling eyes. Toula could not help but kiss each of their faces softly, a smile that felt permanent upon her lips.
and indeed, she could see the way already they looked upon one another! and considered something, as she looked upon two perfect pairs. they truly do! look at the way they look upon one another, and her heart felt full to think that they had inherited both she and her husbands capacity for the feeling, and that they wielded it so openly toward one another. 
perhaps we should betroth them to one another, she considered, gaze turning to her husband, or would it be better, do you think, to see what other princes and princesses might be worthy of them? 
early, so early! though not really, not in their world—though beyond, and perhaps more than, that they both had lost parents, and it had been good fortune to bring the two of them together—Toula believed the luck would last all of their lifetimes, but would it not be a good idea to at least begin to dream of it? the marrying of siblings was also not so strange in their culture—in fact, it was quite common, and had her brother not gone that might have been the way of things for her. it had never been an unpleasant thought then, as she had loved him—though it was true she had never loved any in the ways that she loved Rashepses. 
ah, but perhaps they could wait! she was amenable. Toula moves to kiss him, now, and says with a smile, we need not think this over now, if you do not wish—I get ahead of myself, I think. perhaps we should wait for their first word! Toula laughs, having the self awareness at least to understand her own excitement!