Maliha
Chapter 14: Honour

“Are you okay?” the deep baritone of his sultry voice had Maliha’s eyelids clenching shut in reverence even as she jumped at his unexpected approach.

She peered over her shoulder, catching the way his copper skin seemed to glow like flickering fire as the dying sun cast shadows over his body. He was all brawn and muscle, like no other male she had ever known.

Her head nodded in response to his words before she turned away to stare out at the landscape from her window. As tired as she was, her body was full of uncontrollable energy from both the child birth and from the name giving celebration.

Maliha had barely slept a wink in the hours since Namali and Kanu were born and it showed beneath eyes.

“You do not have to lie to me Maliha,” his lips traced across the shell of her ear as he wrapped his arms around her.

She hadn’t heard his approach but feel him she did. Her head thudded back against his chest as he tucked her head beneath his chin.

“I will be fine,” she croaked, hands shaking as she pushed one of the short strands of hair away from her face.

He hummed his agreement, but he didn’t let go of her, thick arms banding tighter across her chest as her body nuzzled into his

“It has been a long few days and I haven’t had time to process anything-”

“Like Nahi’s child birth?”

Her teeth sunk into her lip as she pondered on whether to bare her feelings to him.

“Yes. I was scared,” she whispered, words with emotion that cracked through her body and seeped out through her eyes.

“I was scared and it’s hard for me to just forget that fear. Things could have been so different,” she whispered again, knowing how Ujarak would feel about her emotions.

Disgust.

“Yes, things could have been different,” he murmured in agreement, shocking Maliha so much that she span to face him.

She had to see his face, to trace a lie along his skin.

“But they aren’t. You were brave Maliha”

“But I was scared,” she emphasised, “I still am. The healer said the cut was deep and if the wound becomes infected she could-”

“Shh.” He hushed her, pulling her head into his large chest, the dry clay was abrasive against her skin, but the feel of his warm body overrode any discomfort.

“It’s okay Maliha,” he soothed her like a parent would a child, rubbing along her back and making light hushing noises.

“I was scared too,” words so whisper soft she almost missed them.

“You were scared?” She couldn’t hide the utter shock that laced her words. She had believed emotions like fear where things he did not feel or at least did not admit to feeling.

“Of course. My sister was struggling. If you had not acted quickly she would have- and the babe- I would have been mad with grief,” he murmured haltingly, face solemn with the thought of what could have been.

“But she is fine now.”

Eyes big as she stared in wonder at the multi-faceted man before her. To the tribe he presented one persona, one that did not feel fear, pain or even grief but she saw the truth. He was human and losing his sister would have killed a part of him.

Maliha thanked the gods, putting emphasis on their goddess, for not only saving Nahi and seeing her smooth recovery but for seeing both babes healthy.

“I can’t believe I did that,” sighed Maliha, burying her face into his skin.

“I am not so surprised. I underestimated you at first, but you are a strong female Maliha, especially when you are determined to achieve something.”

Her cheeks heated at his heavy praise, her heart floating so easily.

“Thank you,” she murmured, peering at him through wispy lashes before staring back at his chest.

His thumb ghosted over her lip, stroking the pink flesh as his free hand glided down her neck and gripped it in a firm hold.

“It is you I have to thank,” thick thumb stroking along her ear as her head tilted back.

The world spun, her breath halted and then she felt the purest piece of bliss ever as his face neared, and his lips pressed to hers.

The touch so brief and light she almost missed it. For two faltering heartbeats she couldn’t move, eyes wide with shock and heart thudding. Then she was moving, hand sinking into his thick strands of hair as she pulled his face closer.

They came together in a burning passion, lips moving and hands groping as they devoured each other. Maliha’s lids clenched shut as her head tilted back to give Ujarak better access and he took it. Tongue plundering as large hands splayed across the small span of her back. The warmth from his palm seeping into her bones and setting her alight.

She twisted against him, pointing onto the tips of her toes so she could get closer to him. Her nails embedded into his scalp as she met his fire with her own. Emblazoning her name into his being.

Their kiss was hungry and demanding, lips moving in perfect synchronisation as his hands slid down her back, beyond her small waist and cupping her behind. Gripping her body off the ground so she was level with his desire.

“Oh gods.” Maliha gasped, her swollen lips parting as she clenched Ujarak’s hair tighter in her hands.

Breath panting from her rosy lips before she brought them to his. He sipped at her lips, tasting her slowly with languorous licks until even that was not enough.

She fisted his hair in her hands, yanking him closer as her legs came up around his hips so he was cradled between her thighs. Their worries and stresses ebbing from their bodies as their lips twined in a lover’s dance.

She hungered for him. Sultry moans gasping from her lips.

He growled deep in his throat, amber pools of molten meeting her before he was moving, pushing her body up against a chest of draws as he tore at her thin dress.

“Yes,” she keened as his warm wet mouth moved along the slope of her neck.

Suckling her earlobe before he moved to the tendons of her neck, nipping lightly as his nose nuzzled along her skin. Lashes flickering as the feel of a lover’s touch took Maliha elsewhere.

She was floating. His long hair clenched in her fingers as his head moved along her neck until he nuzzled along the swell of her breast. Tongue peeking out as he licked the light sheen of perspiration from her skin.

Pupils dilating as the Tate of her had him reacting like no other before. She was divine.

“Maliha,” he murmured against her chest, nuzzling his face into her skin, as he suckled at her. Fire flecked eyes peered up at her with a hunger of a thousand people.

Lips parting on a moan, Maliha leaned back into the chest of draws, skirt shifting upwards as he stepped further into the cradle of her thighs. His hand gripped her cheek, thumb stroking over her face and memorising every line, spot freckle and dimple that made up the contours of Maliha.

Green swirling orbs pulling him in, the calm sheen of nature’s green wrapping around him. Soothing his essence but at the same time sparking a movement deep within his chest that had his body following. Swaying to the drumming beat that she played inside him.

Lips pressed to her soft ones, Ujarak devoured her. Her body melting into him as she tugged him closer. Body bending to fit into the curve of his strong form.

He made her feel empowered

Strong, as he moaned beneath the delicate touch of her fingers. Fierce, as he bent to her demands, giving to her just as he took.

She felt emboldened in his embrace

“Uja,” she sighed, licking at the thick cord of muscle that made up his neck.

“Yes,” he hissed.

“Maliha,” her name like a prayer on his harsh tongue.

“I need,” she husked, pulling at his head as her legs clenched tightly along his waist, her hips gyrating against him until his thickness lay where she felt this need.

As if her words were a whip to his skin, Ujarak jerked away from her. Hands fisted as he staggered back a few more steps, leaving Maliha reeling from the abrupt separation.

His rejection was like a knife to the heart. Her natural reaction was to go to him, to cradle his head along her shoulder and place his hands along her heart but she didn’t.

Instead she mumbled “Sorry,” feeling shame and embarrassment at her behaviour. She had practically thrown herself at him and yet he still did not want her.

Adjusting one of the lose straps on her dress, she slid to the floor until she was standing. Hands tucked across her still panting chest. It’s heart beats thudding against her arms in a tempo she had never reached before.

Was this what true lust felt like?

Tucking a short strand of hair around her ear she waited for Ujarak to move, to say something. To do anything but he merely stood there. Eyes wide and hair thoroughly ravaged.

“I’m sorry,” Maliha repeated again, this time truly meaning it.

Stepping away from the chest of draws she restarted away from him, making her way to the doors.

“Wait,” he called but she kept moving, her embarrassment reaching new heights. Her feet patted on the floor as she tried to flee from her room.

“Maliha, I’m not sorry and I won’t let you regret this”

She halted harshly, drooped shoulders rising as she braced herself for the attack that never came. His large feet thudded across the floor as he stepped up behind her, his warm chest radiating into her back.

“Look at me.”

“No,” she refuted, horrified at the way her lower lip wobbled, and water gathered in her eyes.

“Maliha,” he sighed, gripping her by her shoulders and forcing her to face him but she buried her head into his chest before he could see her teary eyes.

“I was not rejecting you, Maliha,” he huffed, rubbing at her back as she sniffled into his chest.

“No?” Her head shot up to glare at him. “Then why did you stop?” She sniffled, green watery eyes spitting flames even as her tears clung to her cheeks.

A cocky grin slid across his face as he gripped her chin in his large hands and stroked one of those stray tears.

“Because I have more respect for you than to take you like this,”

Her brows knotted in confusion, not understanding how his respect had anything to do with sex.

“I don’t understand. The Der Surjaz do not judge people for being sexual.”

His grin was wide as if he derived some sort of pleasure from Maliha’s arguments, his ego clearly growing at the way she fought to be with him.

“We don’t judge people for being sexual Maliha because we do not deny our baser urges, nor do we deny ourselves such pleasures in life,” the rough skin of his thumb rubbing against her lower lip softly.

“But you made your choice when you cut your hair,” his free hand moving up to curl the blunt strands. “Though I could take your word as it is, I would not be able to greet you intimately among my tribe or have a romantic relationship with you.”

His heated stare told her that touching her intimately among his tribe was something he ardently wanted to do.

“Why not?”

“It is a matter of honour. If a woman chooses to remain unattached then we must respect that until she chooses otherwise. If we do not, we lose our honour.”

She gnawed at her upper lip, taking in all the ramifications of his words as best as she could when standing against his distracting muscular body.

“How,” she hesitated, hand rotating subconsciously around the flat brown disk that was his nipple.

“How do I choose otherwise?”

“The most visible sign is when a Nakar, or free woman, allows her hair to grow out. It will take time,”

“But I don’t-”

“If you wish to let it be known sooner then go to Saralec. She makes an oil for situations such as these, it will help your hair grow faster,” he interrupted.

What he didn’t mention was that Saralec was also a loud-mouthed female who would spread Maliha’s request to the rest of the village, making them all know that Maliha was interested in taking a lover.

“And then you can touch me?” She asked.

Her words a needy whisper as she looked up at him through her dark lashes. She was breathless at the way his body reacted to her stroking hands. Tongue flicking out in an attempt to stop her dry mouth from watering

“Then I can touch you, but I won’t lay with you until it reaches here,” he murmured, thick palm stroking against her shoulder blade and clasping around her neck in a firm but soft grip.

Her lips parting breathlessly at the way he handled her. The strength he carried radiated though his palms, but he gentled his nature for her.

“Okay,” she agreed. “I will do it, I will go to Saralec and ask for the oil.”

“Good” wide mouth spreading to reveal pearly white teeth.

He was pleased, and he showed her just as much by pulling her body into his by the back of her neck. His nose grazing up the slope of her shoulder until he reached her ear.

Pulling the delicate piece of flesh with his full lips, he suckled it. Nipping at her lobe before his lips moved along her chin and up to her lips where he pressed them to hers. Catching the sharp gasp, she made with his tongue.

When she had been kissed thoroughly and there was no doubt in his mind that Maliha would do as she said, he retreated away from her.

Leaving her with one parting sentence.

“If Saralec asks who sent you, tell her it was me.”