Walls don't need to talk when there's a journal

While she talked, Rihan tenderly stroked a hand through her hair, periodically bringing fingertips to trace ever so gently along the side of her face or her neck. Even now, as they talked more seriously than they had at any other time, Rihan proved still to be an incredibly amourous man. Of course, his attention was on her words and on any gesture that showed her discomfort or displeasure. If any appeared, it would quickly be remedied.

It was good to hear they had not read through much of the book; not that he meant to hide anything, but in a way, he did. Primarily from Courisse. The woman was incessantly chatty and if there were things there that could be offensive to someone else, written within the book to vent his own emotional turmoil, he'd rather her not have possession of those thoughts, and allow himself to deal with them privately in his own way. There was always the possibility that she could open her mouth at an inopportune moment concerning those words and cause him unnecessary trouble.

"You didn't find anything else in that book, did you?" Referring to the key of course, but he didn't specify on the thought further. She must have become so troubled by the reading she never got a chance to try the key out on the adjoining bedroom suite.

Confirming his words regarding her importance, Rihan managed another smile; this one more free of the worry that had been so apparent on his features moments earlier. He'd begun gazing into the tongues of flame, speaking softly just between the two of them in a way that might perhaps make one wonder if he was talking to himself of wistful thoughts. "To be gentle, one must first be strong. Weakness is often confused for being gentle, simply because one lacks the strength to be anything but. So, weakness is not capable of showing true gentleness in that respect, whereas, if a person is very strong, there is a definite temperance that must be called upon in order to have that kind of tenderness.

"So, power comes before gentleness. And without power, who would need me? How could I be of help to anyone without it in this position? Without it, would even you be able to trust in me so completely?

If I were a man without power, would you still come to me? Could you still give yourself to me as wholly as you do now? Would your heart let you find such desperate attraction to a man without it?" Rihan whispered then, his eyes returning to appreciate her form where she lay across his lap, that free hand moving to unbutton the robe she wore, sliding it and the chemise off her shoulder to expose it. "Don't lie. The heart is not as logical as we would like it to be. Every woman wants to know that her man is powerful enough to protect her."

Rihan was kissing the top of her head then, fingers stroking over the bare skin he'd left there, tracing across from her collar bone to her shoulder. "Power is an elusive thing though, of which most people in this world have little understanding. One does not create power, nor can one borrow it; power must be given -transferred willingly from one heart to another. Only by the transfer of power many times over does it begin to accumulate and grow.

"So, if you must know, this is why I must have great strength and why you mean so much to me." Grinning down at her, Rihan tapped an index finger on the tip of her nose teasingly, going on to explain, "The strength of a leader is only proportionate to that of his people. Conversely, the strength of the leader determines the strength of the people. If I am weak, then the strength of my subordinates is no greater than that of a sorry group of misfits. In other words, the stronger I become, the more invincible my people will be, then power reverts back to me.

"To be strong like that, I must become a warrior at heart and forge unbreakable bonds with great allies so that great power is transferred back into my hands. My life will no longer simply be concerned with protecting others as it has been, nor being protected, rather..My life will be about trusting, and in return, being trusted by others. Without someone who believes in me and trusts me, all of that power falls away."

Rihan lifted her chin to gaze into her eyes, his own on the verge of filling with tears; the subject was obviously a deeply emotional one for him, which he felt passionately about, "You might believe that as small and delicate as you are, you would be the least significant of all, in these eyes. Never doubt yourself, Eolyn. Not ever. Your faith and love for me I rank above all others because more than anyone else I know, your heart is your greatest strength. Because you believe in me and trust in me, you are my greatest source of strength. I can never be without you. The foundation of this very land would crumble."

Though no tears fell, the tremor and the heat of his passion could be felt on his voice, and after that, Rihan held Eolyn against his chest tightly with both arms, burying his face into her hair, kissing the top of her head.

In a soft voice she admitted, “There was a key.” Reassuring him that they had done nothing with the key she said, “I would never open the rooms without you. I want you to share in that moment with me.” Yes, she had determined the key belonged to the rooms adjoining his which would one day be hers to use. She was quiet then, listening carefully to what he said.

Could she truly say she would love him if he were anything but what he was, not only who he was? Were they even separate at this point? Would he love her if she was anything but what she was or who she was? Eolyn was certain part of their attraction for one another to begin with even when she did not know he was her betrothed she could sense a likeness of spirit. Their souls, if one could call them that, were similar. Her heart understood his and vice versa. If that had to do with power then it did. If she were a drudge she would have nothing in common with him, and would not love him even with his power. She had to disagree with him a little there. Not all women were so concerned with being protected.
She felt a small tremble go through her body as he began to trace her exposed collar bone.

Combined with the tenderness in his voice, she could feel herself wanting more than a talk just now. No wonder they didn’t talk much, she thought with a smile. Her eyes now meeting his she could see the depth of his feeling in his eyes. Eolyn wondered if he knew just how much she loved him. Were her feelings so easy to read where his were not?

He was the most fascinating person she had ever met. Even now, the depth of his emotions were a surprise although not an unwelcome one. She let him hold onto her as tightly as he needed to. She was there, he could feel she was. “Oh, Rihan.” She said in a whisper, “I will never leave you.” She reassured him, kissing his neck which was closer than his lips. “Can you see how I love you? Every day I love you more. Thoughts of you consume me when we are apart and even now when I’m with you I cannot think of anything but you.” Her mouth had moved up his neck to his chin, with the end of every sentence planting a new kiss.

Now she only had one other worry and it was something she dared not speak of; her lack of conceiving. Some women took longer, than others. She would be patient a while longer and then she would see the healers. He could not become Lord Holder if she was barren and he remained married to her. He would have to cast her aside and marry someone who could provide him heirs. The thought of being without him had her arms moving around him, as if they could hold him to her forever.

Her body moved so that she was now facing him, her legs wrapping around his waist. Eolyn’s mouth was on his then. Words were no longer necessary, she could feel his desire rising with hers and could no longer keep herself from acting on it.

Was that enough to quell her worries for now? Rihan lowered his head to meet her lips, and while she straddled him, both hands worked the robe from her arms, tossing it to the floor. Hands sliding beneath the fine chemise she wore, he could feel the slight chill on her skin after being exposed as he drew the garment up over her head, leaving her body bare.

Wrapping arms supportively around her, since her legs already encircled his waist, Rihan stood from the chair, lifting her as he went. Considering how light she was, it was only awkward because of the sitting position. "Hang on tight." He smiled, reaching with one arm to grab a thick blanket that'd been folded nearby for getting cozy by the fire. As best he could with one hand then, Rihan let it unfold and let it fall in an uneven spread over the floor between the chairs, in front of the warm hearth so that they could lay down upon it. Even with the rug beneath them, the floor might be a little hard, but at least the blanket would help. It was large and warm and ...in eachother's arms, they would likely forget all about hard floors.

So Rihan brought her to lay on the floor, kneeling beside her where his own clothing became a pile. He had laid next to her then, wrapping her in his arms, drawing her against him, so that they could continue from where they'd left off.