The morning was overcast and cool but by late afternoon the sun peeped through, rapidly warming the castle and surroundings. Arianda stirred from her bed. She'd been busy most of the night and slept in to make up for it. Somehow it seemed one could never catch up on sleep. As she stood at the window, contemplating how to begin her day, the answer came to her from the soft emerald haze of the Glade. A sliver of sunlight refracted up from the pool there and prompted the Lady to smile, then turn immediately and gather up a robe. The white lace flowed out behind her as she haphazardly put on the robe while scurrying through the castle to the terrace. Her slippered feet tread lightly on the stair then across the short expanse of lawn til at last she was weaving through the trees surrounding the reflective pool.

She paused a moment at the water's edge and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. Fresh moist air filled her. She sighed with a smile then jerked around to scan for what was making the noise coming through the trees behind her.

As he approached, his head was down, watching his steps. His burden was light, at the moment. When he neared the clearing around the pool, Bear looked up and stopped immediately. He bowed despite his load of yoke and buckets. "Beg pardon, M'Lady. Farune asked me to fetch water for the new plantings." He lowered his head and started to back away. "I shall come another time or fetch elsewhere."

"You would make a terrible milkmaid, Bear." There was a grin in her voice and on her face, when he looked up. He actually chuckled. "Yes, I suppose I would, but suitable enough for a water boy, at least to Farune's eyes?"

"Yes, well, Farune has old eyes and a weak back and is always happy to let someone else do while he directs." She was still smiling as she stepped out of his path and waved her hand from him toward the pool. "You may fetch. I can wait."

Bear bowed again and proceeded on. He set the buckets and yoke down then took up one bucket and stepped just into the pool. Arianda enjoyed the view of him bent over, dipping into the water. He was wearing only his leather thong and so her view of him from the back was virtually unobstructed. Though he had to be wary of thorns and rough brush in his garden work, he rather enjoyed being outside in the sun and wearing so little. His scant attire was on Arianda's command. After all, the purpose of having him toil out here part of the day was to keep him in that smooth warm tan she liked so well.

Both buckets were filled but before taking the yoke upon his shoulders again, he turned to Arianda. Her pale skin beneath the white lace made her look angelic in the filtered sunlight. "M'Lady, anything I need do for you before I return to Farune?"

"I think the gardener can wait while you assist me here. I had a notion to slip into that pool, but seems I'm overdressed." She held her hands out at her sides and waited for his response to her hint.

He went to her and looked down across her loosely tied robe. He could see the soft rose color of her nipples beneath the floral lace pattern. He knelt then and saw the hint of her copper fur behind the lace before reaching under the hem of her robe. Bear slid his hand up the back of her leg and lifted slightly behind her knee so his other hand might remove her slipper. Similarly, he removed the other and set them aside.

His hands smoothed up her legs and over her thighs, pushing aside the fabric as he went. He bravely allowed his thumbs to brush across her lighter copper curls before spreading his fingers up further, over her hips, across her stomach. Soft sounds escaped her lips, giving him encouragement. His hands further parted her lace robe and explored her skin. He let his eyes follow, then his mouth. His fingers slipped beneath the sash at her waist, easily setting it loose. When the robe opened to reveal her navel, he pressed his face to her and let his tongue play in the hollow there. He rose as his hands progressed up across her ribs, til he stood again, so close to her, gently cupping beneath her breasts.

At last he let his eyes finished the journey, while his thumbs brushed over her pebble hard nipples. When he caught her gaze again, she was grinning back to him. He dipped his head to press his face and searching mouth into her neck. His hands reluctantly left her breasts to crest her shoulders and push the lace robe completely from her at last. Bear's hands gently gripped her shoulders. He pulled Arianda against him and more firmly against his face buried in her neck. His mouth was hungry against her skin. He lightly bit her, careful not to mark her. She gasped lightly across his ear then molded her body to his. His scent was intoxicating, a musky warmth from his toil in the gardens. His skin was soaked with the sun's heat, beaded with sweat.

Bear let his grip slide down her arms as he devoured her neck and felt her writhe against him. When his hands reached hers, he wrapped his fingers over them then slowly withdrew himself from her. He held her hands, prepared to guide her to the water. "If I may, M'Lady?"

He stepped back into the water and she followed. When he was up to his knees, Arianda stopped him. "You'll ruin your leather. Besides, if it gets wet and dries on you..." She laughed lightly. "You may be in a serious bind."

He grinned his half grin then let her hands go so he could unstrap his leather thong. He hurriedly stripped it off and tossed it over to where her robe lay. Now that the front view of him was also unobstructed, Arianda was again pleased with her acquisition of this one. She knew him to be better endowed than his present state showed however. "I see the water is a bit chilled." She knew this too from standing ankle-deep in it herself, but had to tease him.

He looked down at himself and yes, despite the arousal he felt within, not much of it was evidenced in the flesh dangling between his thighs. He grinned up though and let her catch him admiring her breasts and prominent nipples. "So it is. Quite chilled, from the look of things, M'Lady."

She extended her hand out to him again so he could slip his beneath it and step her further into the water. As he backed up and both of them progressed more deeply, Arianda was eyeing their position in the pool. "Fair warning, Bear, there is a---" Before she could finish it, she had to draw her hand from his abruptly. He disappeared under the water with a splash then rose to stand again, now chest deep in it and sputtering as he wiped his hands over his face and pushed back soaked strands of his hair.

Arianda was laughing. "I was trying to say, there is a step off about... there." She covered her mouth in a continued giggle as he blinked away water and recovered from the surprise.

"I think I found it." He chuckled then drew a cry of surprise from Arianda as he lunged forward and grabbed her, pulling her into the water with him. He worked to keep her head above water, which was difficult as she flailed fighting him. When she settled again, he was gently cradling her and turning them slowly in the water, letting it swirl with them.

At last her startled heart calmed down, she closed her eyes, enjoying the light support of his arms beneath her and the soft caresses of the water upon her body. "Ah, now this is how one should bathe..." she whispered idly.

Quietly he replied to her as he leisurely walked them around this deeper part of the pool. "I only have wish to please you, M'Lady." He kept moving so the water would always be whirling around her. His motion was gentle, rocking, very soothing. He looked down upon her creamy smooth skin. The soft smile playing upon her lips was so inviting but he had taken liberties already.

It was too long and also too short a time to be cradled thus and caressed by Bear and the water. Arianda decided it was time to leave the pool. Without opening her eyes, she grinned. "I think before I turn into a ghost of a prune, you'd best extract me from this heaven, Bear."

"Yes, M'Lady." He acknowledged and turned toward the bank.

"And watch your step please." She giggled within his arms then felt him brace beneath her shoulders and knees as he stepped up onto the higher level. He lifted them both from the water. Rivulets trickled from their bodies to return to the pool, making a lovely sound. Arianda sighed and lay comfortably against his chest as he carried her to the bank. Bear knelt with her and lay her gently onto the cool cushion of thick moss. Arianda's eyes opened to see him leaning over her. Quietly she suggested, "While you're down here..."

The corner of his mouth slowly drew into his half grin. "Yes, M'Lady?"

"You said something of plantings?" She watched him furrow his brow in confusion.

He looked around to the buckets and yoke then back to her. "Would you have me return to my other duties now, M'Lady?" How disappointing. He was certain she had meant another task.

"Not just yet." She slipped her hand down his arm and drew his larger darker hand up to look at it. "Tell me of planting." She was tired of leading always. Arianda hoped to give him leave to show a little creativity without needing her direction or constant permission. She let the weight of his hand lower to her breast then held his gaze and slowly grinned. She saw by the flash in his eyes that he had gleaned her message.

Bear sat with his hip against hers. He leaned across her and braced on one locked arm so his free hand could caress her breast. He let his fingers lightly play over her as he spoke.

"Hmmmm... Plantings. Well today, M'Lady, Farune has had us work in the roses. You know..." He was warming to this assignment. "Rose bushes have rather thick roots. There is much preparation of the soil before it may receive them... properly."

Arianda giggled lightly. "Do tell." She let her gaze drift to his legs. He had one drawn under and the other knee drawn up. She ran her hand along his thigh then curled her fingers and brushed at his soft knots and manhood, making it twitch. "Thick roots, you say?"

"Yes, M'Lady." Bear moved with much grace so as not to disturb her fingers' light touch at him. He slipped his upper body under her leg closest to him and draped it over his side. He propped up his head on one hand, leaving the other free to let his fingers brush through her soft curls. The sight of her pale rose folds so close, began to stiffen him, even more than her light caresses.

His voice grew huskier as he continued. "One must gently coax the ground before asking it to accept planting." His fingertips slowly separated her lips. He noted that her hand upon his member, stopped a moment. This made him grin, for he had stolen her concentration. He let his fingers trace her softness. He let his thumb gently brush across her nub and make soft circles there. Bear took a deep breath with Arianda's sharply gasped response. So much different to have her enjoying his attentions rather than accepting them as mere servicing. He found his face leaning ever closer to her to catch the precious scent of her arousal.

Arianda tried to concentrate on the feel of him within her fingers but he was distracting her so. She felt his warm breath now upon her as he leaned further in and let his tongue coax her along with his fingers. She gulped as his mouth covered her and his tongue firmly tasted at her. When his mouth withdrew to kiss the inside of her thigh, she relaxed her body, not having realized how taut she had become beneath his exploration.

Bear whispered against her thigh, "One must find or make within the soil... a hollow space.. to accept the thick root." He bit the inside of her thigh as he let two fingers dip inside her. He felt her muscles grip around him as her back arched off the soft mossy carpet. Her hand flexed around his member, taking his concentration for a moment too and making both of them realize he was no longer under the ill affects of chilled water.

His fingers thrilled and tortured Arianda until her voice crept from her in a shallow breath. "And then?" Bear's member slipped from her hand as he snaked his body beneath her leg and positioned himself between her thighs. She looked up through hazed vision to see him crawled over her. His gray eyes sparkled. He had that grin on his lips. He shifted his hips to let his firmness tease at her. She forced herself to keep her eyes open and watch his face. Her hands slipped around his upper arms, fingers flexing against his muscles. In his pause, she took a deep breath and swallowed against it.

Bear's feral gaze surfaced, but it was not threatening, no more a threat than taking her body at least. His hips lowered steadily. He knew he had prepared the hollow of her well and she was more than ready to receive him. "And then... the hollow is filled." His steady gaze flickered as he slipped in. He progressed without pause until he tapped the depth of her. After enjoying the tight lock of their bodies, he began his slow stroking, drawing from her and pressing within her again.

With such delicious torture building up to his entry, it didn't take long for their hips to make his thrusts more urgent, ever more forceful and quickening. Bear felt and heard Arianda take a shuddered breath beneath him. Their eyes locked again and her lips parted in a silent cry that stiffened her body. Her fingers gripped his arms as hard as she gripped at him within her. It forced his own moan and the burst of all the energy they'd built. He slipped his arms beneath her and pulled her hard against him while she continued to rack and shudder. She panted against his shoulder with each wave, her stomach sucking in as the depth of her sucked the last remnants of his release.

As the waves slowed, Bear rolled onto his side, onto the cool moss, and drew her with him. She lay draped half over him, rising and falling with his heavy breathing as hers worked to settle too. She grinned against his chest and hoarsely laughed. "I suppose that last... has to do with the fetching?" Even from her haze of pleasure, she was sure that made no sense at all.

A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest beneath her cheek. "I think I forgot what we were discussing, M'Lady."

As they both began to drift into sleep, Arianda muttered. "Farune can fetch his own water."

Bear took a deep breath and grinned. "Or perhaps it will rain."

(Click on candle to return to the Great Hall)

Shadow Glade
Gamekeeper, Horatio

Afternoon Delight

Bear5: About Planting