Chapter 11

He decided to walk over to Alair. She looked at him, and then without a word she turned around to walk away. He stood there dumbfounded by her new gesture, what did she mean now? He looked confusedly at Dawn who now furiously waved him on. Carl nodded and hurriedly followed finding that Alair easily ignored his tries to catch up with her, continuing her unhurried stroll in the woods as if all alone. Carl now started to find her sweet behind quite hypnotizing, he couldn't help but zooming in on it, feeling a simpleminded obsession take hold of him he followed it through the dark woods.

Quite a bit later she stopped in front of a very large tree trunk. She opened a rounded door in it and went in. Carl hesitantly followed, did she even notice that he had followed her? Then he stepped in, it was quite cozy inside, not so big but with warm colors and a very inviting look to it. She was putting some bread and cheese on the table as he looked, then she turned to him. 'Welcome to my home, may I call you Carl?' Carl looked at her somewhat surprised. 'Yes of course you may, if I might call you Alair?' She smiled at him, her cool demeanor disappearing replaced by a most endearing shyness.

'Good, sit down Carl and enjoy.' And it was good. 'Lovely bread Alair, how did you get the crust that thick?' She told him that her mother had taught her much about baking and cooking, then she started to ask about him. She had a strong face, finely chiseled by her life outdoors into a sweet work of art, and now looking at him very sympathetically. Suddenly he found himself telling her all while she in the mean time had managed to move them over to a little sofa, where they now sat talking. She smelled so good to Carl, a little like the woods and very much like herself. It was a stringent but sweet fragrance of sandalwood and tar? No not tar, something pungent but not strident, wholesome sort of, never mind, he thought, what ever it was it was good.

He was getting tired. 'Alair? Would it be possible to lay down here a little while. I haven't slept that much to night.' Now she got all motherly on him, telling him that there was no way she would allow him to sleep on that little couch. She took him upstairs to another little room, the only furniture residing in there was a oval big bed taking up most of the room. 'We will sleep here, ' she told him 'and, ' here she pointed to her left at a little door. 'the bathroom is in there.' Carl thanked her and then went in to see to his needs.

When he came out she was gone, he undressed and then crept down under her sweet smelling bed covers, waiting for her to appear again. She was very shy but lovely he thought, quite ready to be at his side, but so shy of nearness all the same. It would be interesting to see how she would proceed he thought sleepily. He woke up in the morning feeling a warm and soft little body at his side. When he turned around to watch her, she complained a little in her sleep, as she couldn't spoon him anymore, but quickly acceded as he caressed her.

Hers was a milk white complexion, brown nearing red hair softly cascading down her body and freckles, everywhere there was small freckles, a little like tiny wild strawberry dots spread over her face and chest. To him they reminded him if summer and fresh milk and she smelled like that too as he leaned close to draw in her fragrance. She woke up to him leaning over her with his eyes closed inhaling her. 'Owh.' She said. He opened his eyes only to fall into hers ice blue. 'So you're awake.' he said feeling his face redden. 'I'm sorry, I, you smell so good Alair.'

He tried to explain, hoping her to forgive his intrusion. 'I'm pleased that you like me.' she answered blushing back at him. 'I've missed having someone to hold for a long time now.' He laid down again, drawing her closer to him. 'I'm pleased to hold you.' He said. 'But I don't know a thing about the meaning of first prey Alair? Could you explain it to me?' she studied him anew, had she been wrong in invoking her right? No, she thought, he seemed safe and also very caring for her. And he was obviously, if deeming by down there, delightfully prepared to make an even deeper acquaintance.

'To understand it you should first know that there are not many naturals anywhere in the planes.' She told him. 'And even fewer males, ' she proceeded with explaining that from that uneven distribution the custom had developed. It was a mean of allowing some happiness to what otherwise might be a barren life for those girls, unfortunate enough not to find their own to hold. 'To be a natural is in many ways a lonesome task.' She said. 'Not many want it of their free will, especially when the only satisfaction they could get would have to be from another natural.' Carl looked at her still feeling confounded. 'What do you mean? I can love anyone I like.' He said. 'Why should it be different here?' 'So did you?' she asked him. 'Did you find anyone to love? Did you even try?'

When put like that, with her waiting for his truth, he knew had to look into his heart to search for those hidden answers waiting there. 'You're absolutely right.' He admitted at last, finding it an unexpected turn to be able to see his own truth for once. 'I had truly given up on love back there, I though it was for others, not for me.' Now it was her turn to hold and comfort him. 'So you see why I had to find out Carl?' she asked. Sounding almost as if begging, frightened as if he was going to hurt her. He leaned closer, so close that their breaths became as one, and then, much to her consternation he just kissed her.

'Enough with the chit chat, wench.' He said. 'Now, show me some of that love you was talking about.' And then he gave her a most wicked slap to her rump to accentuate the seriousness of his request. Alair stared at him, shocked to her bones, where was all that sensitivity and love he had evidenced just so recently. Then she saw his mischievous smile and suddenly she understood. 'What Sir!' she screamed. 'Are you planning to ravish yourself on me, a poor defenseless maiden?' 'Of course I am wench, now prepare thy self.' And from there I think we will leave them to their own delights.

Let it suffice to say that when they both woke up after a most refreshing ahh, sleep there was another new dawn peering through the windows. He had a much better understanding of the seriousness of her demand now. For a lady like her to live alone, it wasn't right. It wasn't right for anyone, he thought, suddenly furious on whatever planner that had thought that one up. After some sweet kissing they both went up to dress themselves and get some breakfast. He had told her a lot of his relationships with his girlfriends, but somehow he hadn't been able to address that special relation that he and Linea had developed.