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Oh.Lydiawasn’t following again, but behind her,Ezog’sbody had suddenly gone rigid — and when she glanced toward him, he was staring atTryg, unblinking, unmoving.AndTrygwas half-smiling back, slow and soft and uncertain, but a little hopeful, too.
“Wishto keep you both, for the rest of my days,” he said softly. “Wishto grant you all my fealty and care, so long as you both wish for this.Ach?”
BehindLydia,Ezogtwitched again, and he abruptly reached out to claspTryg’shand, squeezing it in his own.Andthen he claspedLydia’s, too, and with firm, gentle pressure, he brought it to his mouth.
“ThenIshall also pledge you my troth,” he murmured, his voice low and reverent. “Toyou,SigtryggrofClanSkai, and you,LydiaofClanBautul.Ishall keep you safe, and fed, and filled, for as along asIam able, and as long as you shall wish.”
Oh.Thewords seemed to ripple all throughLydia, resonating up her spine, andTryglooked just as stunned as she felt, his eyes shimmering onEzog’sface.
“Truly,elskan?” he said, disbelieving, almost shy. “Ach.Youare —ach.”
Hewas rubbing at his face with both hands, andLydiabelatedly realized that his eyes were rapidly blinking, because he was — weeping.Confident, certain, swaggeringTrygwasweeping, shaking his head, wiping at his eyes.
“Ach,” he whispered, his breath oddly gulping. “Ach,elskan.Iwish for always.”
AndLydiawas nodding too, silent but fervent, pressing herself intoEzog’ssafety, his certainty, his great, generous kindness.Andin return he was drawing her closer, too, granting her even more of it, of him, as his hand claspedTryg’sagain, giving it a gentle, familiar shake.
“Ach, then,” he said. “Itis settled,Iken.”
Settled.Justas he’d said toLydiaearlier, and suddenly she was grinning back and forth between them, whileTrygagain wiped at his eyes, andEzog’sown smile split his face.AndLydiaonly belatedly rememberedTryggrandEben, watching from across the table — butEbenwas looking softly indulgent, andTryggrappeared distinctly mollified, too.
“Well, about time,Pa,” he said flatly, as he plucked up a mushroom with his claws. “Leaveit to you to wait ‘till you’re bothancient, honestly.”
Trygspluttered at that, looking deeply offended, whileEzoghuffed a low laugh, and began pouring out more cider. “Now, back to breakfast,” he said firmly. “Andthe rest of the gifts, ach?”
Thisproved an adequate distraction, and soon they were all happily eating again, and exclaiming over the giftsEzoghad brought.Thisincluded a second deadly throwing-knife forTryggr— who hurled it around the cabin with the same delighted gleeTryghad shown — as well as a complex-looking book of human medical treatments forEben, who accepted it with surprising eagerness, and then immediately began reading at the table.Andthen, toLydia’songoing astonishment,Ezogpresented her with a stunning silver necklace, with a flashing blue jewel attached.
“Asapphire,” he murmured at her, “to match your pretty eyes, ach?”
Oh.Oh, gods.BecauseEzoghadn’t even seen her eyes before this, he would have only known whatTryghad told him — and he’d still gone and bought his partner’s mistress a gift?Truly?
“Youare too good,”Lydiachoked, as she threw her arms around him, and buried her face in his neck. “Toogood for all of us,elskan.”
Heshook his head, but drew her close too, enfolding her in his strong warm safety.Holdingher there untilTrygcame over too, circling his arms around them both, his breaths slightly sniffling into their hair.
Butafter that, it was easier to get up again, and to joinTryggrandEbenby the fire, drinking more cider, and snacking on plums and sweetbreads.Andthen, atEzog’ssuggestion, they each told their favouriteYuletidetale.Tryggr’swas one with hisPaandPabbi, in which they’d given him his first dagger, and taught him how to use it — andEben’swas one with his own father, who’d gained him honey for a specialYuletreat.WhileEzog’stale was one from his youth, when he’d danced with his clan around a faraway altar, andTryg’swas the firstYulehe’d spent with his tiny namesake son, rocking him to sleep by a quiet, crackling fire.
Andthen all four orcs looked atLydia, waiting for her own tale — and she gave them a wavering smile, and a jerky shrug. “Thisone,” she said thickly. “Thisone, here, with all of you.”
Atthat,Ezogdrew her close again, his arms curling even tighter around her — and then, in another surprise, he began to sing.Anold, vaguely familiar carol, sounding strangely deep and haunting in his rich, resonant voice.
Butsoon the rest of them had joined in, too,TrygandTryggr’svoices blending almost as one, and finallyLydiasang along too, her voice rising light and clear above them all.Andit was such a lovely, homey, shimmering feeling, and once they finished, they sang another carol, and another.Notall of them were onesLydiaknew, but it was easy enough to pick up the melodies, even if she didn’t know the words.Easyto sink into the warmth and the cider and the song, into the scents of the firs and the fire, into the strong safety ofEzog’ssolid arms around her.
TryggrandEbenfinally went to leave once the sun began lowering in the sky, and after a thorough round of hugs and farewells,Lydiawas again left alone withTrygandEzog.Whopromptly spread her out upon the bed, and then took long, luxurious turns with her, kissing her, biting her, filling her with their seed.
Andin between rounds, they ate and drank, and sang more songs, and told more tales.Trygtold her about the first night he’d spent withEzog, how he’d been so dazzled afterwards he’d walked straight into a stone wall.AndEzogtold her of the time he’d nearly been killed in a particularly harrowing battle, several years before — and howTryghad gone to the mountain’s powerful young new captain, and held a dagger to his throat until he’d sworn never to sendEzogout again.
Andthen, perhaps to lighten the darkness of that tale,EzogtoldLydiahow he’d helped a constantly exasperatedTrygin dealing with his wild littleSkaison, chasing him all about the mountain, whileTryghad punched out his frustrations in theSkaiarena.UntilEzoghad earned his place asTryggr’sPabbi— theSkaiterm for a second father — and thereby embedded himself even deeper intoTryg’slife, and his heart.
“Knewafter thatI’dnever let you go,elskan,”Trygmurmured, as his hand easily stroked up and downEzog’shalf-hard shaft, his mouth nibbling at his neck. “Toosweet.Tooperfect.”
Ezog’seyes were fluttering, his breath exhaling in a contented little sigh, andTrygangled a commanding glance towardLydia, and then down atEzog’snow-hard cock.Andshe willingly slipped down to kiss at it, followingTryg’sheated directions untilEzogbucked and groaned, and poured out into her mouth.
Hetasted different thanTrygdid, but still surprisingly sweet, and afterwardsTrygkissed her long and deep, clearly revelling inEzog’staste on her mouth.Andthen it was back to sharing more tales and drinks and sweets, sprawling in a messy tangle on the bed, andLydiaeven told them, her voice halting, about her husbandTom.Abouthow she’d cared for him so deeply, and grieved him for so long, and then had awoken one day to find herself so utterly, achingly alone.
“Poorlittle pet,”Trygmurmured, tucking her close beneath his arm, as he purposefully tuggedEzogon top of her, and guided her legs apart. “Iken that tiny house of yours was no help, ach?Keptyou all cramped and lonesome thus.”
AsTryghad spoken,Ezoghad again slid himself deep inside her, as if in some sort of comfort — and in truth, itwascomforting to have him sunk there, to feel him filling all her emptiness, warm and eager and alive. “Ach,” he agreed as he began thrusting, his voice hitching with his movements. “Youshall thus now come with us.Toour home.”
