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"Red roses entler, e can never conceal or destroy -the bond between man and woman, maiden and lord that the Divine ordained from the creation of this world"

Apprehensively, Mericlou shifted her sitting position on the bed, but as her legs moved, Aldrec stopped theaze to the hand that now rested gently on her thigh The symbols on the he, lavender-purple She gasped at his suddenit sound alaze to his eyes

"Purple is a very personal color," He whispered, bringing the now purple rose toward her and running it slowly across her lips "Tell me, love … do you knohat it in to feel odd, as if it were asped It was loosening, flowing, and shifting on her body in the strangest way, as if it were radually transformed from a dress to a thin, transparent sheet that draped over her now practically exposed and naked body

"Do you know, Tulyr?" Aldrec persisted "Do you know, my little flower?"

"I … have no idea," she whispered back

"Then letdeftly out of his robe as he leaned forward He gently wrapped his ar as hard as it had the night they first kissed

"You're shaking," he said, shortly pausing "Are you afraid?"

"N …no," Mericlou said, bringing her hands to his chest "Just … nervous" She looked away in eain placed the rose to her lips, quieting her

"Neither have I," he said with a loving gaze "But you well know that I would never harm you, Tulyr"

"I … love you," Mericlou sta the apprehension to flow froht her lips together and closer to Aldrec's as he reciprocated, pulling theued into actions that until now, Mericlou had only dreamed about

"Aldrec?" Mericlou whispered to her husband