She pulled her body closer to his, her bare skin touching the sturdy leather. She forgot the pain from her cuts, she wasn't feeling the cold sensation due to the water or the night breeze. She only felt the warmth of his embrace. She didn't want this to stop, it was just them in this space away from the world, away from all wars or suffering. When she was done, all she could do was smile at him. In a complete state of euphoria she lunged at him and kissed him again. He was kissing her back and started carrying her towards a more dry and firm ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her eyes could not stop staring at his. He gently put her down and started taking the laces of his own armor off, both of them stopped thinking and decided to simply embrace this instant. Once he was bare chested, he leaned over her and moved her hair back behind her ear. No more words were spoken, as their bodies tangled together in what seemed like an eternity to the both of them.

  Isabella was washing her body with hot water back in her home, she couldn't believe what just happened. " I don't know how long we were there but I wish it lasted longer. How am I going to talk to him now? The return home was so silent.". She decided to go for the casual approach, she got out of her bath and went downstairs. He was there, waiting to wash his own shivering body.

  " Humm Richard, the water is still hot so humm yeah you can go. "

  Richard seemed embarrassed too.

  " I'm going, I won't be long. "

  He walked next to her and used his usual charming smile. Inside, he was shaking " How am I gonna be able to talk to her normally after this? ". He took as much time as he could in the bath, when he dropped inside it, he let out a sigh of relief. Between the fight in the bar and this one, his body needed rest. Either he would heal on the way to Ryzeon or he would need to take a day or two to heal. Thinking about the poor people that were stripped from their children, he decided it was best to simply go and he will rest once his task was done. He got out of his bath, put some pants on and went downstairs. Isabella was eating an apple, only wearing a long white dress just like in his dream. " The creator seems to play with me these days. " he thought to himself. Before he could put on a shirt, Bella stopped him.

  " Wait a second before putting something on, I have something for your bruises. Just sit. "

  She stood up and looked among her regular ointments. Richard couldn't help but stare at her, her dress was flattering all her curves, she had such a modest dress on yet she looked more beautiful than any queen. A simple white dress held up by a few laces at the top. She turned around and noticed his look. He stopped staring and just looked towards the window to his right. Him looking at her made her blush, she wanted him to look at her more. She was feeling uncomfortable when any man was looking at her more than a second but for him it was different. He was giving her this warm and fuzzy feeling that no one else could bring her. She kneeled before him and started applying some of the green and dense mixture on his bruises. The strange paste felt extremely cold. " Why does everything have to be cold? ". He was already missing the warm water of the bath.

  " This is gonna sting a little bit but it will ease the pain and heal you faster. "

  " I remember a month ago you told me ' I'm not a nurse so get out!' . I'm glad you decided to expand your horizons ahah! Ouch! "

  She had just pressed her thumb on one of his bruises while harboring a little malicious smile.

  " You did it on purpose did you? Do you enjoy seeing me in pain Bella? "

  " If I did I would not be doing this. So now shut up and stay still. "

  She kept applying the paste on him, she was trying her hardest to not breath heavily as she was slowly making circles on his tensed muscles. Richard too was having a hard time controlling himself, the way she was kneeled but also slightly leaned forward made it easier for him to see down her dress. Even if he saw her topless earlier, the sight still made his heart pound in his chest. She noticed his small looks but didn't mind. She wanted to kiss him again, she wanted to feel this warm feeling again. Forgetting everything around her, she started massaging his shoulders with both hands. Appreciating the tensed feeling in his trapezius, she stood up and sat on his knees. Slowly her hands moved down to his collarbones and rested and his pecs. Richard was staying still.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  " Bella? "

  She wasn't answering, lost in her contemplation. She wasn't thinking straight anymore. Just like before, she locked her eyes on him, crossed her arms behind his neck and kissed him again. There it was, the warm bubble expanding from her belly and surrounding her completely. He was making her feel so good. Richard too decided to let his body act on instinct, he was giving her back every ounce of passion she was transmitting from her lips to his. His hands were now moving from her thighs to her flanks and then to her back, pulling her even closer to his body. They stayed like this for a couple of minutes. Both their bodies reacting to the other's lust. She backed away slightly and just rested her forehead on his. Her smile wasn't something she was doing on purpose, she just couldn't control what her body was doing. She heard herself say " should we move to the bed? ". She couldn't believe her own audacity. As an answer, Richard grabbed her from under her thighs and carried her over to her bed. They picked up where they left and stayed like this for a while.

  Her head resting on his pecs, his arms around her, she was feeling the best she had ever felt in her whole life. She was making small circles with her fingers on his chest. He moved a bit to be able to look at her in the eyes.

  " You won't hold it against me if I tell you I'm too tired to tell you more stories before bed? "

  She simply nudged herself more against his body.

  " No, I'm exhausted too. You can tell me tomorrow. "

  He had a slight pause.

  " Bella, tomorrow morning, at the first lights I will be gone for Ryzeon. "

  She pushed on her arms to be able to be on eye level with him.

  " You are gonna go in this state? What even is this mission about? "

  There it was, he could not run away from it.

  " I don't want to lie to you, the duchess hired me to get rid of a itch that had been abducting children in Ryzeon. She wants a proof that I killed her. "

  Isabella didn't know what to think of this. On one side people needed to see their children again but also he was going to kill 'one of her kind'.

  " I appreciate your honesty, I just wished you could spare her. Richard, I know it's gonna cost you a lot but can you at least try to kill her only as a last resort? "

  Killing the witch would have been the easier method, it depended on his capacity to get the jump on her. But if he got spotted he would have to fight her on her own turf. Fighting a witch on her own terrain is usually the hardest because most witches lay runes to enhance their spells so an ambush is the easiest and safest option. But if he could make a deal with her and somehow understand her behavior it could save him a lot of time and effort. He let out a slight sigh.

  " Alright, I will try my best to spare her but I'm still gonna need to have to give a proof to the duchess, resolve the situation with the villagers AND make her go away somehow because the duchess informants are going to check if she is still around. So even if I for example decide to cut a finger or something, if she is still in her home they will know that I played them and I do not wish to have the city guards busting down my door and have me executed in the public square. "

  She mounted on him and leaned over to kiss him.

  " Yes that would be a huge loss to a lot of people."

  They started making out again. Standing over him, she was still admiring his chest moving to the rhythm of his slow yet powerful breathing.

  " How long do you think it's going to take? "

  " Hmmm, probably a week. You can survive without me till then? "

  She had a small laugh.

  " I survived twenty seven years without you so I think I will be ok. "

  He tucked a rebel strand of her hair back behind her ear.

  " I don't know how I would live my life without you in it after tonight. "

  She leaned over and kissed him again. She then let herself completely fall on him and rested her head under his.

  " You won't have too, I plan on staying in it. "

  After she had said those words, Isabella fell asleep to the sound of the heart that was now beating for her.

  When the first morning lights started to lit the inside of the house, Richard was already up. Bella was still deep in her sleep. He was all set, ready to go out he made his way towards the door but he stopped and looked back at Isabella. He walked towards her and kissed her on the forehead.

  " I'll see you in a week "

  He then opened the door as departed on his week-long adventure.