(Sorry I forgot to add these :\)
None of these characters are my stroke of genius, they're Tamora Pierce's. I'm just a wanna be writer :)
George quickly mounted his horse and smiled down at his Lioness and felt his heart warm when she returned it.
His Lioness. Nay, his wife
George felt a rush of emotion and pulled her up in front of him. He planted a kiss on her lips and nudged his horse forward. The streets of Pirate's Swoop were empty besides the occasional beggar. George gave the horse its head to lead them back to their home while he took advantage of his first moments as a married man.
Alanna wrapped her arms around him; one hand pulling herself closer to him while the other went through his hair at the back of his neck. She pulled his face down to hers for a hungry kiss. George seemed to forget about being on a horse on a street and pulled her even closer. In response, Alanna deepened the kiss. She slid her hand from his hair to his shoulder to his chest sliding it into his open shirt front to massage his chest.
George groaned, wishing the horse would go faster, as he forced himself to pull away. A whimper of protest escaped Alanna's lips. She slipped her hand out and grabbed his shirt front and pulled him back forcefully.
George chuckled against her lips which brought Alanna out of her heated trance. "Hey now, lass. We can't go carryin'-on like this in the middle of the street."
"Oh," Alanna gasped quietly and a deep red blush blossomed from her chest, up her neck, to her cheeks, and settled around her hairline.
George chuckled again, but it was much deeper and slurred than normal. "Ah, lass you don't know what you're doin' t'me."
Alanna smiled, "But I'm learning, so I can use it against you later."
This time, George blushed. "What do you say we get this pony goin' faster?"
"If you don't, I won't wait for us to get there," she nestled her face into his neck and slid her hand down to his belt buckle.
"Alanna," George gasped in surprise and nudged the horse as fast as he could go without upsetting the couple's odd position in the saddle.
Alanna woke later that night with a start. The ocean was drawing in a cool breeze through the window and across the bed. She looked over and saw George sleeping contently with a crooked smile on his face. Alanna smiled as well and rolled to snuggle into his side. He slipped an arm around her small form in his sleep.
Alanna sighed and buried her face into his chest inhaling his scent. It didn't seem it was only a week ago George came into her tent in The Bloody Hawk. From then they rode north to George's new station as Baron of Pirates Swoop and to be married right away.
Although they had shared a bed on many occasions, Alanna felt a strong difference now that they were married. Alanna giggled but stopped when George started to stir. He sighed out her name as he went back into his dream.
Alanna planted a kiss on his chest and snuggled closer. How much a person could change in a short time seemed impossible. She went from being 'unfeminine' as Jonathan had once called her, to sometimes a giggling lady of the court. Meer months ago she believed she'd never love, marry, or have children. While they didn't have children, it was something they both talked about.
Do I really want to wait a few years for children? Alanna thought.
Alanna fingered the pregnancy charm which still hung around her neck. The night before she hadn't taken it off, and although George had said he didn't mind waiting for her to be ready for children, she knew he had been a little hurt. It was their wedding night, the night where most couples started their family.
Alanna turned her face up to look at George. She couldn't bear hurting him, but wearing the little charm hurt him.
What can one night hurt? It was their wedding night.
You just said wedding nights were the night most couples started a family!
Alanna swore silently under her breath. Before she could change her mind Alanna tore the chain from her neck and threw it across the room.
Alanna turned back to her husband and crawled up to his face. She nudged his face to the side with her own and planted small kisses on his jaw, neck down to his shoulder, and back to his neck. She found his pulse and gave it a little extra attention. While she administered the kisses there she felt the pulse beneath quicken.
She didn't notice George had woken up until his hands grabbed her waist and wrestled her beneath him.
George kissed her soundly on the lips before bracing himself and looking down at her. "I'm goin' t'enjoy wakin' up like this every day." His voice was lower, from sleep and from emotion. He looked out the window, "But don't you think you've wakened me up a wee too early?"
"I didn't wake you up to see the sunshine," Alanna hinted. George gave her a quizzical look. Alanna laughed and pulled him closer to kiss him.
George pulled away slightly. "Again, lass?" he lifted an eyebrow.
Alanna kissed him again as an answer.
one month later...
Alanna paced the floor of her bedroom with George as she held her pregnancy charm in a death grip. George had hesitantly agreed to not tell any of their court friends about their wedding and now Alanna was especially glad she did.
Her monthly cycle never came.
Alanna called herself every foul word in her vocabulary. She was in the middle of this tirade when George came in.
"A bit early in the mornin' t'be callin' me those names, isn't it?" He teased. He crossed the room and kissed her cheek.
"I wasn't calling you those names, I was calling myself them." Alanna felt the fear in her heart and she started to pace again.
"What's wrong, lass?" George asked, all amusement leaving his voice. Alanna looked at him with her purple orbs laced with fear. George needed no encouragement; he took two large steps and scooped his wife in his arms. "Alanna, what is it? You're startin' t'scare me."
Alanna pushed him away gently. "You're going to want to sit down." She guided him into a chair and took one next to him. She drew her knees to her chin and watched George over them. "I... I'm..." Alanna swallowed hard.
"Ah, Alanna, tell me!" George begged.
Alanna didn't know if she could say it. She dropped her knees and lifted the pregnancy charm. She slid it off the chain and took George's hand. She placed the charm in his hand and closed it.
George slowly pulled his hand back and looked from it to Alanna. He swallowed hard. "Y-you mean... You're ready t'have children? I thought you said you wanted a few years first?"
Alanna felt her fear tighten. "You don't want to have children anymore?"
"Of course I do! But not until you're ready. Are you sure?" He reached for Alanna's hand.
"Not completely at the moment, but I have about eight months to get ready." Alanna watched for his reaction.
George's face paled slightly. "Y-Y-You mean y-you're..."
"George, I'm pregnant."
George shouted his excitement and lifted his lioness into his arms. He set her down gently and held her at arm's length. "You're sure?" Alanna nodded. "But you never took your charm off."
Alanna's fear tightened again. "I did. On our wedding night."
"I know you had it on then."
"I took it off, before I woke you up."
"You didn't tell me."
"I thought you'd notice."
George chuckled. "Some spymaster I am." He grew serious again. "You're okay about this?"
Alanna sighed and went into his arms again. Lifting her face to look at him she said, "I was hoping for more time, but I'm sure I'll be ready when the time comes."
George planted a kiss on his lady's lips. "Alanna, you still don't know what you do t'me."
Ah, I've had this in the back of my mind ever since I've read The Song of the Lioness Quartet. And that was some years ago. I hope you liked it. I doubt they kept their relationship a secret, but it does add an interesting plot twist :)
I have couple more scenes I thought would be nice to add in, but I think I'll leave it at this for now.
Drop a thought :)