"The procession was delayed, sister," Allenya said calmly. "I am sure he is as anxious as we are."
"Anxious to see you, sister, perhaps." Luia turned her scornful glare on Meliu. "Askhos's cock, you look like a garden slut; or worse, a poet."
Meliu pouted and was about to say something when Eriun, the head maid, slipped in behind Luia.
"The master has reached the palace, mistresses," she announced quietly.
With a wordless hiss, Luia darted from the room, scattering her attendants.
"Let me have a last look at you," said Allenya, beckoning for Meliu to stand. She smoothed a few stray locks of her sister's golden curls, adjusted the hang of her low-cut dress to display her fine cleavage and smoothed out a crease in her broad white belt. "Nothing to worry about, sister, you look lovely. How am I doing?"
Meliu laughed. Allenya was the tallest of the three sisters, with wide hips and long legs. Her hair was a deep brown, falling in oiled curls about her shoulders, with no sign yet of greying. Her face was narrow, her chin and cheekbones prominent, with only the slightest wrinkles to testify her middle age. He eyes were a startling sapphire blue. Allenya wore a plain white dress, gathered tight about the waist with a broad belt of blue fabric embroidered with silver threads, bronze and gold chains about her wrists and neck.
"You could wear a sack and shave your head and Ullsaard would still give you that look."
"What look?"
"Don't come all coy. You know, that longing look he gets whenever he says goodbye to you, the one he only gives you. I try, Askhos knows I try, but that look is only for you."
"He loves us each in a different way."
Meliu looked doubtful.
"Even Luia?"
Allenya let out a short laugh.
"Well, perhaps not Luia. Still, she hasn't ruined it for the pair of us yet, so let's not let her start now."
There was a whisper of warning from the next room and the two women linked arms and walked through to the main chamber of the apartment. Meliu could feel Allenya trembling as a foot scraped on the far side of the doors. It seemed like an eternity before the door swung open, revealing Ullsaard, skin dusted with dirt, streaked with sweat.
As ever, his eyes went first to Allenya, and he crossed from the door in a few long strides to embrace her. He kissed her on each cheek, delicately stroking her back. As they parted, Ullsaard turned to Meliu, his eyes roving up and down her petite form, lingering on the curve of her half-exposed breasts. He clasped a hand to her neck and planted a long kiss on her lips, his body swallowing her up with its hard bulk. She returned the kiss, feeling his other hand roughly caressing her buttocks.
"Where's the other one?" Ullsaard asked, pulling away from Meliu, dragging a gasp from her parted lips.
"The 'other one' is here," announced Luia, standing at the door to the dining hall, one hand languidly raised to the frame, the other held behind her arched back. Her dress hung beautifully from her curved body, her hair tied simply but neatly into a braided coil atop her head, a golden pendant hanging from her alabaster neck, its point angled towards the cleft between her breasts. Meliu wanted to spit. She had spent all morning getting ready, and Luia had upstaged her in a few moments.
Ullsaard nodded, his eyes straying past Luia to the table beyond, upon which foods of all kind had been heaped.
"We have a watch and a half before I must attend the Blood," Ullsaard declared. "Let me get cleaned up and then we'll eat."
"As you wish, husband," said Luia.
"It is wonderful to see you again," said Allenya, laying a hand briefly on her husband's arm. "Be swift, we want to hear all about your adventures."
"You have been away such a long time," whispered Meliu, trying to make her voice husky. She let the back of her hand stroke the front of Ullsaard's leather kilt. "Why don't I show you a proper welcome?"
Ullsaard grinned and snatched her around the waist. As he led her towards the door of the main bedchamber, Meliu directed a sly wink towards Luia. Her sister turned away sharply, hips swinging, and disappeared into the dining hall.
Pulling her through the beaded curtain of the bedroom, Ullsaard rounded on Meliu, clasping her close, his lips and tongue seeking hers, his chest crushing against her breasts. He grunted and pushed her towards the bed, where Meliu allowed herself to fall on her back, her slit dress parting to show her legs.
"On your knees." Ullsaard's words were little more than grunts between clenched teeth.
Meliu did as she was told, rolling over to expose herself to her husband. There was a slap of leather hitting the wooden floor and a moment later Ullsaard's muscled arm encircled her waist. His other hand engulfed her breast roughly. His breaths came in short pants, as did hers. Ullsaard's murmuring was joined by a groan from Meliu as he pushed himself inside, forcing himself as deep as possible. She winced at the momentary pain and clenched her teeth as he grabbed her hair, pulling back her head.
Three stretching thrusts later Meliu felt his seed flooding into her. Ullsaard let loose a fierce growl, fist twisting her hair painfully. She felt him shuddering for a few more heartbeats, pressed up against her, his grip like iron on her head and breast.
With another grunt, he pushed her off, leaving a wetness leaking onto her thighs.
Ullsaard leaned against the bedpost, breathing heavily, eyes closed. Meliu slithered to her back, parting her dress to reveal her breasts fully. She stroked her nipples, eyes fixed on her husband.
"Why don't we take a bit of time to enjoy this next one?" she purred.
Ullsaard's eyes snapped open and fixed her with a steely glare.
"You have a complaint?" he rasped.
"No! I only thought that perhaps you might allow me to lavish greater attention and pleasures upon you."
"Maybe after I've seen the king." Ullsaard crossed the room to the bowl of hot water that had been left on a stand beside the bed. He splashed his face and pulled off his tunic, revealing a muscled chest and back criss-crossed with scars.
Meliu rolled off the bed to her feet and stood behind him, dipping her hands into the water. She rubbed her hands over the taut muscles of his back, massaging the liquid into his tanned skin. Ducking beneath his arm, she took a bottle of scented oil from the table and poured a little into her palms. Rubbing them together, she warmed the oil a little and reached up to apply it to his broad shoulders. He nodded and knelt down, allowing her to better knead his knotted muscles. She moved closer, so that her arms encircled him, caressing his pectorals, and ran her fingers down the ridged muscles of his stomach towards the thick mat of curled hair at their bottom.
"I said perhaps later." He gently grabbed her wrists and pulled them away. "Send Donaal in with more soap and my ceremonial armour."
"Of course, husband," said Meliu, holding her tears behind a smile. "Whatever you want."
III
Garbed in a thin skirt of white linen and a black tunic, Ullsaard joined his wives in the feast room; he would put on his gilded breastplate and don his helm when it was time to leave.
"What have my sons been up to?" he asked as a servant poured wine and water for him.
"Ullnaar has been accepted into the colleges of Meemis," Meliu announced with a proud smile. "Luckily he has your mind and not mine."
"And your looks and not mine," said Ullsaard with a grin. "I had forgotten he came of age in the spring. It doesn't seem possible that it has been sixteen years since you brought him into this world."
"Urikh has bought himself a stake in the copper mines at Saartia," said Luia.
"What has Ullnaar decided to study?" said Ullsaard, ignoring Luia's interruption.
"Law," replied Meliu.