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William was grinning like a fool. He’d seen his wife dance before, but never this. Was there nothing the woman could not do? He was as proud as a new father when he suddenly remembered Jordan’s father was watching, too. A glance in the man’s direction showed him to be moved to smiles and tears.

The dance ended abruptly and the audience went mad, screaming and pounding the tables and calling for more. Quickly, and somewhat humbly, the women bowed and Jordan raced to her husband’s side, motioning for Michael and Deinwald to retrieve the swords.

She threw herself into his arms, all smiles and laughter and panting. He held her tightly, kissing her sweaty cheek and listening to the cries for more.

“You were wonderful,” he exclaimed.

She laughed, trying to catch her breath. “Oh, my, it has been a long time.” she gasped. “I am exhausted.”

“They want more of the same,” Paris demanded. “Listen to them.”

Jordan listened to the applause and yells, thrilled with their approval but shaking her head all the same. “Callie and Jemma can, but I am too tired,” she let out a blustery breath and leaned into her husband. “Having babies makes me tired.”

“I am finished, too.” Jemma said firmly, in Kieran’s arms. “I feel as if I have just run the entire way from Langton to Northwood.”

Thomas pushed his way through the knights and Jordan embraced him happily. “Da, were ye pleased? We did it for ye.”

“Aye,” he pulled back, looking into her smiling face. “Ye were wonderful, as ye always are. Just like old times.”

“Then we shall do it every night until Jemma and I get too big to move,” she declared.

He grinned. “If yer husband allows it, Jordi.” It was all he would say, indeed he wanted to see her dance every night, but he realized William wasn’t keen on the traditional costume she wore in front of all of these people.

The applause died down and the music began again, this time a traditional English ballad. The diners turned back to their food and their conversation.

“Now, madam, you will change from that…skirt,” William took her by the arm. “We will return shortly.”

Thomas watched them go, followed by Kieran and Jemma, and Paris and Caladora. He sighed, realizing how much his life and their lives had changed. But it was a good change, he decided. A very good change. He moved over to join his brother and his nephews.

Caladora and Jemma returned to Jemma’s apartments while William and Jordan retired to theirs. The twins were asleep, vigilantly watched by Sylvie and the maids. William checked on the boys before joining his wife in the bedchamber.

She already had her plaid off, yards of the material laying on the floor and was stripping off the linen tunic she wore. William went and sat on the bed, eyeing the briefs that covered her slender hips.

“What are those things?” he motioned to them.

The tunic came off and she stood clad only in the briefs, running her hand over them. They hugged her hips and cut high in the leg, made from very soft linen.

“I wear these when we dance,” she shrugged. “So people wunna see my bottom.”

Fire raced through William’s loins. He found the peculiar things very enticing. He stood up and Jordan recognized the look of passion on his face. She smiled in anticipation.

His clothes came off and he was all over her, licking and suckling and kissing. The briefs stayed on until he could stand it no longer and ripped them off with his teeth.

Jordan laughed softly at his haste. He grinned in return, turning her over on her stomach and giving gentle attention to the backside of her. Not wanting to put his weight on the new babe, he would make love to her as he had been doing since he found out she was carrying. Lifting her hips up until she was supported by her knees, he gripped her firmly as he drove himself into her waiting body from behind.

Jordan loved it this way, the pressure and sensations were so different that it brought an instantaneous moan of pleasure from her lips. Within the first few hard thrusts she was climaxing, her hair askew all over the pillow as she hung her head, savoring the contractions until they faded away and left her feeling warm and relaxed and limp.

William’s hands left her hips and moved up to her full breasts, grabbing onto them like anchors and pulling her up against his body as he rocked into her. Even though she had achieved her pleasure, the pure animalistic mating ritual brought pants of sheer euphoria from both of them until he released himself into her forcefully, still clutching her to him as if to never let her go.

When they fell forward on the bed, he made sure to turn them both onto their sides and away from the baby. He continued to hold her gently, stroking her arms and running his fingers through her hair as he stared dreamily off into the dim room. Jordan dozed in his arms, purely content. It wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep and her breathing became regular and steady.

He smiled, kissing her hair. God, how he loved her.

*

He was up before dawn, prowling Northwood like the days of old, forgetting it was now Paris who was in charge of the fortress. His friend met him in the inner bailey, the pink sky reflecting on his blond hair. William immediately caught his expression and deduced that something was wrong.

“What is it?” he demanded before any greeting.