Shields that had previously been completely down slid into place around their precious children and lips that had been hungrily kissing her vershan slid back to his neck and very gently, Mira bit down, feeling his heartbeat, and matched her own to his, then let her soul slide against his, mingling and carressing at the same time. The feel of his soul against hers ignited a hunger in her, it had been so long since she'd had the courage to touch him this way, and even now the sensual experience was shadowed by her own fear.

"How did I spend all my years without you, dragon-tamer?"

"I've no idea. Gods know I don't know how I managed to survive without you" her husband replied, his breathing a little ragged as his soul wound around hers with a touch that caressed that part of her as much as his hands caressed her skin. Bending his head, his lips blazed a trail across her torso and down. "Don't be afraid, I would never hurt you."

"It's not you..." Mira's body jolted against his in response to his touch and his mouth against her, slim fingers twined through his hair. It was several long, agonizing seconds before she could finish her sentence, her Speech little more that a ragged, gasping whisper, "that frightens me..."

It wasn't Bran she didn't trust, but herself. It frightened her to think she might not want to let go this time, that bonding like this on a temporary level would be more painful to endure breaking than simply never experiencing it again. Another second later, Mira's fingers tightened, her spirit writhed with the intense pleasure of feeling him carress both her body and soul and the shadow of fear and uncertainty of initiating what was happening burned out of her, leaving her hungry for everthing he could offer her and wanting to give him the same joy and pleasure she was feeling now.

A low sound rumbled in Bran's chest as he felt her respond to his touch, sensed the fear she felt burning away beneath the fire they created together. This was how it was supposed to be... sheer exhilaration. "Aminmela ile" he growled, as he slid back up her body to reclaim her mouth with his lips.

The sensations of two souls intertwining combined with the feel of his body against hers had Mira reeling, gasping and groaning in pleasure. Slim fingers slid to his trousers and began unbuttoning them, then slipped within as tendrils of her soul, silver and black, wound around Bran's soul, and through it, tenderly teasing, stroking and mingling at the same time, her caution gone. One hand slid to the back of his head and pulled him closer, Mira's lips seeking his.

"Bran..." Mira's voice was a thoaty, harsh whisper against his mouth, one of the few words that had been spoken aloud, "Doste' Iman..."

Mira didn't even realize she'd slipped into her father's language, the language of dragons...but Doste' Iman...I love you, did not even come close to her raging emotions, but it would have to do.

The light breeze that had tickled Mira's face with her hair had picked up slightly, and with it came the first drops of rain on their side of the lake...

Silvery rain drops splashed down on to them, cool on their heated skin. Bran arched into her fingers with a low sound of pleasure, all remaining thought driven from his mind as the raging need swamped his brain. With fingers that seemed clumsy he stripped away his remaining clothing, a growl escaping him as their bodies joined.

Body and soul joined together as one at the same time drove a new sensation through Mira, one that she had never dreamed possible. Trembling hands pulled at his shoulders, then his lower back and grasped still lower, her nails raking across his rain slick skin. It was almost impossible to think enough to deliberately give Bran pleasure now.

With one final touch, Mira slid tendrils of her soul along Bran's where his spirit burned the brightest and hoped the result would be like a warm breath across smouldering coals. It was the last intentional thing she could manage before she completely lost herself in him as wave after wave of intense pleasure began builing in her, her body rising to meet his and though her gasps and moans were muffled against his lips, they resonated clearly through their bond matching the low thunder that seemed to pulse through the sky.

The fair-haired elf was completely lost in the sensations of being with this woman. A gasp escaped him and he shuddered with pure pleasure as the tendrils of her soul brushed across his. The last of his self-control snapped and he drove himself into her, giving himself over to the emotions within.

The feeling of Bran's loss of self-control was reflected in her and she gasped out a very dragon-like growl as he sought to bury himself in her. Another groaning growl started deep within as she managed to find leverage in the wet sand and rolled the two of them over, cool rain soaking her hair and running down her body, then dripping on Bran in its own sensual way. Her now-glowing jade eyes fastened on Bran's face, her palms and fingers gripped his shoulders tightly and Mira found herself giving into the mindless, primal need that was gathering within her, her soul becoming electric and gathering in on its self and wrapping around Bran's like a coiled spring, ready to be released.

Bran's fingers tightened almost painfully on her hips as he pulled her down onto himself, driving upward one last time as release crashed through him. His breath shuddered in his lungs, his heart racing. Mindless and gasping, the fair-haired elf gave himself over to the desire that raced through his blood.

Bran's release was the catalyst that started the unraveling of her body and soul, and within seconds, she felt hard contractions rocking her body and the same time, her soul seemed to explode in showers of silver and black through and around Bran's. Her body jolted and rocked back, her spine forming a rigid arc, her face turned to the rain and lightening filled sky. Her groaning shout was hoarse, drowned by the concussion of thunder that pulsed through the sky and as the thunder in her body gradually rolled past, Mira felt herselft fall limp against Bran, her soul reforming and spiraling around his with savage love.

His arms wrapped tightly around, crushing her to his chest. Stunned by the force of the emotion, the fair-haired elf could barely think, let alone speak. The greens and golds of his soul wove around Mira's, holding her as close there as he held her body.

Rain pattered down gently on to their naked skin as they lay on the sand. The rumble of thunder rolled around the sky again before fading into the distance.

As the brief downpour began to taper off and follow the path of the thunder, the ground around them began to slowly warm with the reappearance of Whispin's twin suns. Shimmering ribbons of steam rose from the sand and wrapped around Bran and Mira almost in blessing, then drifted toward the sky.

As for Mira, trying to think was like trying to wade through warm pudding, and for a time, rather than try to speak through the mire of her mind, she simply lay there, her soul wrapped in Bran's, exhausted and energized at the same time.

Eventually, she was able to form one single thought, and let her soul carress Bran's, "Aminmela Ile...Doste' I'man..."

"Aminmela ile ana" Bran murmured softly, stroking a hand lazily across her back. His fingers slid gently through her long, dark hair, trailing the silky strands over his skin. "You are the light of my life" the fair-haired elf whispered, tilting his head to brush a soft kiss across her forehead. "Vanima melda."

Mira nodded, her rain and sweat soaked hair crawling down her back and spreading across Bran's shoulder, then onto the steaming sand with her motions.

"And how can I be a light for you, when I did not know light until you?" Mira tucked her head under Bran's chin, her fingers seeking his, then entwining with them. Mira had never felt so complete, so wonderously sated until him, and today had filled another piece of the puzzle that was Mira Blackthorn, now called Badb Catha.

But as their time there slipped by, Mira began to wonder...did she let her soul remain tangled with his, or withdraw? In her uncertainty, she overlooked that Bran would be able to sense her confusion. She wanted to ask to stay, if the offer remained, but was both afraid he'd say yes...or no."

"What is it, melda?" Bran asked softly, his jade green eyes concerned as he tilted her chin up so that he could look into her gaze. The fair-haired elf could feel her uncertainty, the confusion that permeated her soul. "Tell me... please..."

What words could she use to explain? Mira closed her eyes, her throat threatening to close off any answer she could form vocally, and instead used the open bond between them.

"I..." Mira wanted to duck her head, to not have him see her face and the emotions that surely were creeping across it, but his light touch held her immobile. "I don't want to leave here. I don't want to live my life with these moments being so few and far between."

Jade eyes rolled open, full of emotions that no words could describe. Longing? Desire? Trust and Fear? They barely sufficed. If there was one word, Mira couldn't think of it.

"Then don't" Bran said softly, his eyes meeting hers openly. "You know that I would have you as close as I can get you, as close as you are comfortable being. You are the other part of my soul... my soul mate." His fingers trailed across her cheek, cradling her face. "Stay with me."

Mira could meet his gaze no longer, and squeezed her eyes shut against the unshed tears the threatened to slide out. A shuddering breath later, Mira pressed her cheek into Bran's hand, drawing courage from the warmth she felt there.

"Then I'm yours, as long as you would have me...as long as I still draw breath."

The lowered shields against Bran she had maintained for so long out of fear for him, were cast aside, never to be raised against him again. Almost hesitantly, Mira let tendrils of herself entangle deeper with Bran, a light gasp filling her body as she felt part of herself slide deeper than she'd ever delved into the essence that made Bran who he was.

"Eternity wouldn't be long enough to have you by my side" Bran whispered, holding her close. The sensation of having her so much a part of him was stunning, more than he had ever dreamed of. His soul drifted around hers as a shimmering mist, a shifting sea of greens and golds, drawing her in deeper and winding through the tendrils of her own being.

Mira's body was motionless, her soul transfixed as Bran's pulled her deeper into him, and one last thought slipped into her mind, a thought that pointed out she was losing all hope of ever escaping this place, and a thought that Mira listened to long enough to make her final decision.

"If eternity is what we have allowed us, then you're right, we wouldn't have long enough. My life is yours, my soul is yours..." Mira's silvers and black and the threads of her own elven green became laced with Bran's greens and golds, until it became impossible to tell where one left off and the other began.

"I have never felt more complete...gods, I love you..." Her whisper trailed off into another light gasp as her upper right arm flared with a burning, prickling sensation that quite suddenly ended in a gentle caress...a chain of verdant green leaves appeared, encircling her upper arm and within the chain was interwoven burnished steel dragons and black ravens in flight....

"Aminmela ile" Bran murmured, "I am yours forever." He shivered slightly as a burning sensation ran over his skin. A design began to form around his right arm, darkening as the soul bond strengthened. A wreath of blackthorn encircled his bicep, tarnished silver dragons intertwined within this...

Mira was awestruck. She'd felt that way so many times after Bran came into her life, but his soul was a wonder, an intricate thing of strength and beauty.

"You are amazing, so wonderful..."

Gently, Mira brought her head down to kiss him as she explored the sensations offered by their bond. It ran so much deeper than what she'd ever experienced before and was a place she never wanted to leave.

"You are wonderful" Bran murmured, threading his fingers into her head as he kissed her lingeringly. He lifted his head slightly and let his free hand trail over the leaf design that marked her arm. The tattoo warmed beneath his touch and started to glow. His jade green gaze widened slightly in surprise as his own mark heated in response. Then he gave a soft laugh. "Looks like you're stuck with me now, melda."

Mira's breathing increased lightly as the mark seemed to caress her under his touch and her own fingers drifted lightly across the ring of black thorns and dark silver dragons on his arm, her eyes reflecting her constant wonder. More than just Mira's bondmark was warming as he traced the mark, and in response her lips trailed down his neck, to his chest. "As if I'd have it any other way, vershan. I'll take being stuck with you willingly..."