She scrunched up her face, pushing lightly at his chest as she giggled, very obviously not upset with him kissing her face. “I can give you an adventure, if that is what you want. Though, you say fall for you like it has already happened, darling.”
He chuckled lightly, pausing in his kisses to look over her face. "Maybe it has. What would you do then?" he asked gently, smiling happily. "Youre so charming who wouldn't fall for you, Amira?" He asked giving her one more kiss to her nose. "I'm glad you passed through my camp."
"Mmmm, plenty of people. Especially people of my kingdom, who don't even view me as attractive enough to pay mind to, let alone as great of disposition." She said, pressing a kiss to his jawline as payback. "I am glad I did as well. Very glad those officers didn't catch me before I got here."
"I wouldn't like to think of what would have happened had they caught you." He replied silently, bringing her closer. He did admit the kiss she gave him felt wonderful, but her solemn words gave him a quiet sense of sadness he couldn't quite place. "I'm very glad they didn't."
"I would have been arrested, hallaski. And later, I would have escaped, and moved on to a different town and area." She didn't mention that she was already enough of a wanted criminal that she would be treated about as well as beggar was in rough neighborhoods of big cities. "But I wasn't, and I found you."
"Which we are both thankful for." He added gently, pressing a soft, quick kiss to her lips. "At least, I'm thankful for it. I hope you are, too, Amira." He murmured, playing with a few strands of her hair as he spoke. He adored her hair and the way it fell around her face.
"I am very much thankful." She said softly, tilting her head up to press a return kiss to the corner of his mouth, and then his lips. "More thankful than you'd think." She loved it when he played with her hair. It had never stayed in place, or done what she or her mother or the plenty of maids and ladies in waiting had wanted it to, but he never commented on that.
He rumbled happily at her kisses, feeling his heart swell in a joy he couldn't quite understand. Every emotion she gave him was strange and unknown. She was, in her own way, a little adventure he quite liked. "Good." He purred. "Your hair is beautiful, by the way, Amira." He commented, kissing her nose again and again.
She scrunched up her face happily, giggling softly. "You sound almost like Malakai when you do that. And I very much doubt that it's beautiful." She said, the doubt lining her voice palpable even as she smiled. "More a mess than anything."
"When I do what?" He asked curiously, tilting his head. He laughed gently and continued to play through her locks of hair. "It's very beautiful. I envy your hair. Messy is nothing to hate. It looks wonderful on you." He told her gently, tilting his head. "My hair is not as pretty."
"Your hair is absolutely stunning. I cannot grow mine as long as yours, or I am afraid it would develop a mind of it's own. And I meant when you do that rumbling sound. It sounds like a purr, sometimes a growl." She explained, eyes drifting shut as he played with her hair.
He let out one of his gruff laughs and tilted his head a little more in curiosity. “My hair grows quickly. It’s easier to trim it while it’s long than while it’s short.” He explained. “I keep it long because that is simply the easiest. And as for my rumbling sound, my kind have been in the forests for years. We might have picked up a few animalistic traits.” He chuckled
“I think it’s a very magnificent look on you, hallaski.” She said, his laugh bringing an even brighter smile to her face. “And that makes sense. I like it. Then, when you hold me close, I can feel it here.” She placed a hand on his chest, dead center, fingers splayed out and hand absolutely tiny compared to everything about him.
“Why thank you, my lady.” He flashed a crooked grin which faded as she spoke. Her small hand against his chest was warm, and he found himself rather captivated by it. “Can you really?” He asked gently, giving her a soft rumble for her to feel.
She nodded happily, eyes lighting up as he rumbled again. Her hand shifted to find the spot she could feel it the most, an adorable and tiny frown of concentration pulling her brows together. “Malakai purrs when I have a nightmare, because the rumbling is calming. Means happy. So I think happy when I hear it.”
"I really like that big cat of yours." He murmured gently, keeping the soft rumbling going. He liked seeing that light in her eyes. And her hand against him gave him slight butterflies he loved. "I'm glad you think its a happy sound. Many of my first men were put off by my rumbling and growls." He joked.
“I like him too. He is my best friend.” She snuggled closer, placing her other hand on his chest as well to feel the rumbling. “I can’t imagine why. It’s such a comforting sound, the purring. The growls are fun depending on what they’re directed at.”
"I don't growl often, Amira." He stated, then paused. "Well, actually, I might." He chuckled lightly and shook his head, wrapping his arms protectively around her. "They didn't like how close to the forrest I was. I'm connected with nature, with the earth. It's just the way my powers manifest. Most of my Fae ancestors had similar magics and behaviors. Well, those who stayed with the Valdorians."
“You’ve growled a handful of times since I’ve met you. Not many, but still. I liked the ones you did when I was teasing you.” He had also growled somewhat when she’d mentioned what had happened to her. “I think your connection to the forest is incredible. Nature thrives around you, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch.”
He huffed lightly and pouted as he turned her words over in his head. "I'm not used to being teased." He replied simply, his tone not angry nor negative, but rather thoughtful. "I much prefer the thriving of nature then the destroying of men and beasts alike." He replied, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "I'd go live in the forest on my own if I could live without any contact. But I find the loneliness is deafening. Not at all pleasant."
“You don’t get to run away and be alone now.” Amira decided, snuggling into his hold. “I’m here. Which means you are not alone, and should you feel as though you are, I will be right there to remedy that.” She smiled up at him, still so softly happy with the rumbling and just him.
“You won’t run away with me?” He asked playfully, nuzzling into her hair with a deep breath. She smelled wonderful. That gunpowder went well with the rest of her. “Thank you, I too will remedy your loneliness and make you feel wanted and welcomed. Like you belong..”
"I would gladly run away with you. I am saying you do not have to run away on your own, though. Take me with you, if you must run." She said, pressing a kiss to his chest. "You keep insisting I do belong here, despite my reasoning that I have never belonged anywhere."
His soft rumble stopped then, replaced by a deep breath. “I wouldn’t run away. Not yet at least.” He chuckled lightly and pressed a kiss to her head in return. “You belong where you decide you belong. And I accept you here as a part of us.”
You belong where you decide to belong. She repeated the words in her home tongue, softly and carefully, as though they were precious treasures not to be handled with anything but the utmost care. "I want to. I want to belong here, with your people and with you."