I woke up to an incredible pleasure as I still lay on top of him.. he was still connected to me.
I smiled and kissed his lips, waking him.
" Morning husband.." I kissed his eyes and nose ..all his face until he responded.
" Are we.." he moved his hips, making me moan, then smiled. " ..we are. That's my second favourite way of waking up. "
I felt lifted up only for him to pull out, leaving me empty and disappointed.
" ..Unfortunately, I'm still hurt. " he touched his back.. which we injured last night.
I say we because it was my idea to try some of the moves the Monroe company showed.
It looked so easy when they did it.. turns out we weren't that flexible, and he had to lay almost still while he slept.
" I'll get granny.." I said.
Felt guilty.. he had a lot of work from now on, and since I hurt my back before, I understood how painful and inconvenient back pain was.
" Stay a little.." he nodded towards our window. Looking outside, it was still early morning. " Let her sleep a little more .. let us as well. " he smiled and pulled me back on his chest.
I didn't argue.. just let his touches lull me back to my dreams.
——
" It's disgusting and cold.." he complained.
( SMACK )
" Stop being a baby. " I said, applying the paste granny made.
He was right .. It smelled awful.
" Let me help too. " Anna pushed closer and messaged his back.
I leaned back, smiling, seeing how she hated the smell, but still worked hard, making her dad feel better.
" Thank you, princess..." he said, murmuring into the bed.
" I can help too.. her hands are ridiculously small. " Ciren took some paste and helped as well.
" Hmm.. " Zephyr enjoyed being pampered.
I walked over to the kitchen and washed my hands.
" Sex injury? " Mother asked while making breakfast.
" ..Something like that. " I answered.
Technically, we weren't having sex at the moment when it happened.
" I'll join Demelza and Eli. Girls .. Look after your father and big brother. " I picked up my bow and quiver.
" Don't worry, Mom.. I'll handle this. " said Anna, cleverly working in a pun looking superior doing it.
" Good one, princess.. " Zephyr said, smiling.
I knelt down so we could be face to face.
" How bad? " I asked.
He didn't answer .. just asked for a kiss.
" I'm better now. " he smiled after giving him a big one. " Go and don't fall behind.. I'll let the others take care of everyone and everything today.. while I'm going to laze around. "
I gave him one more kiss. " I'll be back in an hour or so.."
I checked, but Anna was busy avoiding the smell, so I leaned closer.
" What about the braclet to humhum.." I whispered, looking right behind him.
" We give it to her tonight.. hopefully, I can walk by then. " he whispered back.
I nodded and went outside.
The girls improved quite a bit. The Revel brothers barely had to attend the practices anymore and could concentrate on other things, like their own growth.
( SWISH, TWACK )
" Nice one, Demelza! " Eli said, celebrating her near perfect shot.
Dem let down her bow and smiled proudly.
" I can't believe how much stronger, I feel... I have much more energy, a better sex life, and it's hard to think how I lived without this. " she opened and closed her hand, letting it rest.
" I felt the same way when, feeling the effects of the continued training. " I said as Eli stepped up to the line herself while I warmed up.
" We missed Zephyr last night.. What happened? " asked Demelza.
I retold what he said last night and showcased my bracelet.
" It's incredible.." Demelza took my hand and lifted way up towards the sun. " What words it say? "
Had to tip toe to accommodate their views.
" Didn't ask.. I was way too grateful. " I smiled thinking about last night.
" Had a feeling that's how he injured himself.." said Eli, nodding with her eyes closed.
" Well .. sure. " I said.
Didn't need to tell all the details, besides, I can't.. he would be mad when inevitably, someone tells him.
Our training was cut short by a family meeting called by Nifa and Miri to decide the flag symbol for once and all.
Zephyr was sitting comfortably while eating some soup and listened to the shapes and symbols suggested.
" Can't we just use the twin moons? " asked mother, pointing up through the roof.
" We can't, Seline.. the church already claimed that, I bet they would frown upon it. " Miranda shook her head.
" What about something farm related? " Setil asked from the side.
" We're not farmers anymore, honey. We're soldiers, warriors even.. a weapon, maybe? " Stuart asked, mainly looking at Zephyr.
The man just shrugged like he did with everything asked.
I was looking at the papers filled with shapes and drawings, some very detailed, others .. were a little underdeveloped, so to speak .. and all in a combination of black and white.
I saw squares, triangles, animals, weapons, and even strange designs of jewellery.
Zephyr enjoyed seeing the whole family unable to come to an accord.
" What about a leg? " Alexander looked up from his own paper.
"""" A Leg? """"
He stood up.
" Not just a leg. A kick like... " he found some and space performed a side kick by raising his knee while also rotating his body by 90 degrees freezing in position for a second.
We looked at Zephyr, and he gave us a goofy smile as he slurped some soup.
" Nifa, can you draw it? " Alexander ran with it and quickly knelt before the artist.
" Obviously.." she snorted and took a blank piece of paper and rested her hand above.
Her ability done its job, and she showed us a black and white man performing a side kick just as Alexander demonstrated earlier.
" Huh? What do you guys think? " Nifa asked.
Well, it sort of made no sense as a flag symbol.
Alexander looked around, hoping for allies, but met with an unenthusiastic reaction and even four thumbs down courtesy of Ciren and Anna sitting on Zephyr's bed.
" It's obviously.. not the drawing, my love.. " Cintia stepped up quickly once Nifa's expression darkened. " Right? .. Guys? "
She gave a quick look to the room.
" Oh yes.. obviously.." I laughed awkwardly.
" Absolutely.. it's the pose. " said Lucian.
" It looks ridiculous.. the p-pose. " Eli pointed.
" Well, I didn't see anyone offer better, huh!? " Alexander took Nifa's drawing and held it close to his chest. " I'm eagerly waiting. "
We stayed silent since.. coming up with something like that wasn't easy. A lot of responsibility considering that flag might fly for generations.
" Ciren.. you decide. "
We all looked toward Zephyr's bed, who just asked the 10 year old to handle it.
She was thinking for a second.
" How about the immortal Phoenix? "
I never heard such a word.. I wasn't even sure if it was a person or animal or something else entirely.
She jumped off the bed and ran upstairs and inside her room.
When she returned, she held a small book.
" It's a mythical creature tamed by the ancients.." she explained while flipping through the drawings with little explanations underneath them. " ..each time he or she died, they turned into pure flame and reborn from the ashes.. umm here! "
She stopped and held up a drawing of a majestic red bird surrounded by flames.
" Khmm.."
Anna cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention, and leaned back a little so her father could whisper in her ears.
She nodded along what heard and leaned back forward.
" Dad says it's done! ...and you all failed even at the smallest of tasks..Tchtch.. he is disappointed. " she looked extremely serious throughout it all.
Zephyr leaned back slowly, shaking his head, further shaming us all.