After their breakfast, Henri received some business calls. He was outside the balcony when Solene decided to try the swimming pool. Dressed in a red two-piece swimsuit she deemed conservative enough, she walked past Henri and climbed down the balcony stairs.
Of course, this caught Henri’s attention, but since he was still in the middle of a meeting, he instead tightly clutched the balustrade and gave Solene a desirous gaze.
The pool’s water features were already turned on when Solene stepped inside. Bubbles from the small waves were everywhere. The temperature was comfortably cool, so she immediately swam underwater. By the time she resurfaced, she was already on the other side of the pool.
Checking him out, Solene found that Henri was still on his phone, but his eyes were definitely trained on her.
She gave him a grin and decided to submerge again, taking considerable time before hitting the surface. After a deep breath, once again, she swam underwater, did some backstrokes and a number of spins she learned from her high school swimming class, and came back up for air two minutes later.
Henri was still on his phone and it seemed they were discussing an important matter because he had his back towards her and he was barking out something about a shipwreck and dead passengers.
Choosing to give him some privacy, she decided to dive again, this time wanting to check her ability to stay underwater for a longer period of time. Positioned into a fetal pose, she closed her eyes and allowed her body to float just inches away from the bottom.
Here, she couldn’t pick up Henri’s voice. The only sound that she appreciated was the dull tone of splashing water. It went on like that until a certain sound of sharp hissing caught her attention.
Speedily, her eyes fluttered open. At first glance, she noted nothing amiss until she noticed something shimmering at the bottom of the pool just a few feet away from her.
Wanting to check it out, she swam towards it.
It looked like diamonds at first glance, but upon closer inspection, Solene noticed they were snowflake-shaped crystals moving in a whirlpool-like fashion. The sun’s rays made it look like they were actually shimmering.
Curiosity won over her, so she moved closer to the whirlpool. Her hands almost touched some of the snowflakes when a transparent face suddenly appeared before her.
Utterly taken aback, she paused, flailed her arms and legs wildly, and maneuvered her body backward away and up from whatever it was that she saw.
Once she reached the surface, she quickly took a long breath, half-submerged her head and checked the bottom of the pool again. There was nothing there anymore, unfortunately. No whirlpool or crystals or ghostly faces.
“Solene, are you alright?” Henri asked, already standing at the edge of the pool with still his black robe and pants on, but finally, no cellphone in hand.
She gave him a quick nod and smiled. “Yes, I am,” she answered, but thought if this passed as a white lie. After all, she was a little shaken up with what she just saw… if that was even real to begin with.
“I think I’m done soaking in the chlorine of this pool,” she stated and swam back to the platform.
Henri helped her as she climbed up. Their eyes met briefly. Solene gave him another smile and strode to the lounger where her towel was located.
Henri on the other hand wanted dearly to ogle at his wife’s curves, but he decided to reroute his gaze to the water and give it a frown. He sensed the very brief presence of a Water Elemental earlier. He couldn’t determine just yet if it was hostile or not, but he certainly didn’t like how it was showing itself to Solene.
“The sun is high up. Should we try horse-riding again?” she asked whilst rubbing her head with the towel.
“Only if we use one horse, Solene,” he stated, tossing her a grin that masked his sullen face. “I have a spot I wanted to show you.”
“Sounds good. I’ll go get changed,” she answered before leaving him to stare longingly at her behind.
Thirty minutes later, they were nearing their destination. This was located at the north side of the estate where towering trees roofed their heads. Solene sat in front of Henri while he maneuvered the reins. She first thought it was a compromising and dangerous position but later on, realized she felt more comfortable riding with him like this than having her own horse.
Aside from his powerful arms holding her steady, she reveled on the synchronous beating of his heart. She could feel it against her back. It was steady and strong, and no doubt beating for her.
Grim reapers or Soul Collectors were thought to be illusory entities. No solid body or soul, or even a beating heart. The Rantzen Family abolished that belief from her, and Henri surely changed her way of thinking.
That alive muscle assured her he was no hollow man. He was a grim reaper—and a master even—but he was a human, like her.
“We’re here,” Henri’s voice cut her attention just as the stallion stopped.
She examined the area carefully and found a river system a few meters away from her and a couple of willow trees lining up the bank. This area only had little sunlight. What light it had stemmed from the small holes the roof of leaves created. The river system and its surrounding vegetation were lively and thriving though and Solene, being the nature lover that she was felt giddy to explore it.
“This place is amazing, Henri,” she exclaimed, turning to him with a big smile.
“It is,” he answered with a pleased expression on his face. “But wait until you meet them.”
“Them?” she parroted.
Easily, Henri climbed down the stallion first, tugged at the reins, and returned his gaze to her.
“The inhabitants of this place,” he answered. “Come.”
With his help, Solene unmounted the horse, but there was definitely some confusion etched across her face. What was he talking about ‘inhabitants of this place’ and such? He made it so that it seemed these were magical creatures of the forest.
Henri secured the reins first in a nearby branch before they moved on towards the riverbank. They stood near a willow tree with branches bent towards the water and its leaves almost touching the bank.
“Solene, you’ll find that not all spirits aim to kill you,” he began as he faced the peaceful stream ahead. “There are also those who wish you well; whom you could summon in times of need. When you train, Lady Ursula will explain more, but conjurers like you will be soon sometimes uses the aid of these spirits to help with forming an incantation.”
Due to the little sunlight, a thick fog managed to cover most of the mirror-like surface, but it provided a mysterious quality to the area as transparent white beings appeared.
Solene narrowed her eyes to see what he was pointing about up ahead and wondered what it was.
“I was told I had the gift of sight like my father, but I can’t see them, Henri,” she informed lowering her head and feeling a little dejected.
Henri simply held her hand and squeezed it tight.
“As I said before, your father locked your abilities away to allow you to live normally, but sometimes, you don’t need this gift of sight in order to see, Solene.”
With his left hand, he tipped her chin up and guided her to look straight into the river.
“The spirits will show themselves to you,” he continued.
Solene’s eyes immediately widened. She had seen Hollywood movies containing magical creatures and mystical spirits but they paled in comparison to the real thing.
“Wow, they are beautiful, Henri,” she voiced out in awe.
Two spirits, hair all long and flowy, neared them and Solene quickly held a finger up in order to make contact.
“Sometimes mischievous, sometimes helpful, but yes, they are beautiful,” Henri agreed, but then, he tugged her hand and lifted it up close to his lips, “But not as beautiful as you, Solene.”
He kissed her knuckles and this, in turn, painted a rosy blush on her cheeks.
“You are spoiling me, Henri,” she muttered softly.
“Yes, I am,” he agreed, “you know that about me already.”
“Touché,” Solene nodded and grinned.
“Leave us,” Henri ordered just as he turned his attention to the river spirits floating near them.
Speedily, the two flew away and the fog evaporated, consequently showing a clearer view of the crystal clear body of water.
“Why order them away?” Solene asked, arching a brow at him.
Henri snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close.
“Because you, my wife, will soon be moaning under the covers of this willow tree and I don’t want them hearing it,” he answered in a lowered voice.
“Huh?” Solene’s eyelids fluttered towards the said tree behind her. Once her attention returned to him, she was quickly met with his eager mouth.
Lips on lips, there was a sudden explosion of need inside her. She could feel it spread all over her body. With this, she was instantly turned on.
“Hmm…” she moaned as Henri’s hands caressed her ass.
Without warning, he scooped her up from the ground and brought her inside the shade of the willow tree. This part of the river gave them privacy. The leaves were thick enough to cover them and the jutting roots provided Solene a perfect place to sit down and lean back.
“Solene, you chose the perfect riding outfit,” he whispered without shame as his hands unbuttoned her coat. Underneath it was a white tube top and stretchable, black leggings, definitely a perfect ensemble for a quickie.
“I was… merely thinking of… the… future,” she confessed whilst closing her eyes, enjoying the kisses he planted feverishly all over her neck.
“Oh?” His mouth quirked upward. “So you really were fantasizing I take you under a tree?”
He pulled down her top and squeezed both of her breasts with passion.
“I didn’t want us racing towards the… manor just like yester… ahhhh!” she cried out as he covered one pinkish nipple with his mouth.
He sucked it, licked it in circles, and nipped it all the while Solene panted.
It was making her insides hurt, hurt with the need to be ravished more. Against her mound, she could feel his erection poking and asking for entrance. She wanted it stat and it seemed, her husband felt the same.
“You’re so intuitive, Solene, and quite bold,” he stated after withdrawing and rerouting her attention on her leggings.
He brought it halfway down with one pull and was pleasantly surprised to see her underwear already wet for him.
“Accept every inch of me.” He unzipped his pants, freed his erection, and wasted no time driving it inside her core.
“Oh…” Solene whimpered as she tossed her head back. “Hen… ri!”
Henri on the other hand grunted. His nostrils flared, his jaw tensed. The feel of his cock inside her felt so good, it encouraged him to rock harder and faster.
“Hen… ri… oh god, Hen… ri!” Solene cried out as she clung desperately to him.
“Darling, not too loud…” he whisper-grunted, “or you’ll—make—these fuck—ing spirits—blush.”
“That’s impo… ssi… ble… ahhh!” Her eyes rolled back as he drove deeper into her. “Hen… ri, you… feel so good… inside.”
Her body heated up and judging by the temperature of his skin, he was the same. They were close to their peak and there was certainly nothing that could stop them from achieving it.
“Fu… ck,” he groaned out. His fingers dug deep into her skin as he pummeled her again and again, “what a good way… to boost up my ego, Solene…”
“I’m… close,” she voiced out, staring back at him with unbridled lust.
“I am… too,” he grunted, his eyes a shade of dark desire.
“Henri!” Solene gasped as she felt her insides clench. “Hen—ri!”
“Fuck!” He pistoned into her with great ferocity—his ass tightening, his abdomen tensing, his muscles sweating—and consequently, his seed blew unhindered inside her.
Eyes closed, Solene accepted them all. The intensity of her orgasm was so strong she thought she felt the earth move beneath her. She clutched his shoulders for support, panted and huffed, and then, after a few beats, she felt a gentle kiss on her forehead.
“Do you like to swim?” Henri asked, staring down at his wife with so much devotion in his eyes. “The waters here are pleasantly warm.”
Solene looked up, saw his handsomeness against the background of leaves bathed in sunlight, and sighed.
Damn, this man was going to be the death of her heart.
“If you join me, yes, I would love to swim,” she answered, grinning.
“Good,” Henri cupped her face and captured her lips once again.