Olivia had water and then passed the leather skin to him. She wiped her mouth. "Thanks." He kept it back in the saddlebag. "I didn't realize that I was so tired," she murmured. 

"These are unusual situations Olivia. I don't blame you," he replied in a reassuring voice. "Moreover, why are you wearing a skirt over breeches rather than just breeches? That could be the reason why you are tired." 

Her lips tugged up at his sorry excuse for her. She laughed and said, "I am getting into the character." 

"You have a lovely voice," he said. "But your laughter is lovelier. You should laugh more often," he said as his chest rumbled again. "But don't you start singing at Shla Asri. I am afraid there are way too many youngsters who are looking for a bride!" 

She blushed like a thousand suns at his compliment. "Thank you." She recalled how that boy in the Whiteclaw pack used to talk about her husky voice. But his compliments had sexual innuendos. 

Olivia became silent as Butterfly made her journey easier. She looked at the slopes ahead and heard a stream trickle down somewhere. They all stopped to refill the water in skins and let the horses rest for a while. When they started again, Olivia noticed that the slopes were dotted with sheep and goats and horses, eating whatever little grass grew here. "There's a hot spring around," said Kaizan, "where we will be stopping." 

Creases formed on her forehead. "A hot spring in these mountains? That's strange." 

"Why would that be strange?" he said. 

As soon as he picked up the scent of fresh water, Butterfly started running. Kaizan shook his head and patted him. "Easy boy."

The hot stream was bubbling from a source hidden in the slope. Its water trickled down forming a small pool which meandered below. Kaizan got down and helped Olivia to dismount. The two soldiers also dismounted and they headed upwards. 

Olivia was tempted to take a bath, but instead she searched for a fallen log beneath a copse of pines and started dishing out food. She was so focused on laying the food out that she jerked her head up when she heard him spewing choicest of curses. And when she looked at him… the sight stole her breath away. 

Kaizan had removed his shirt and was currently sitting by the bank of the stream. He had splashed water over himself. It sluiced down his shoulders and arms forming small rivulets that fell down on those chiseled muscles. His damp hair was stuck to his neck and she realized that they had grown more. 

He was a man with a strong build. His broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist and she could see all the contours and dips of the plane. When he smoothed his hair back, his muscles shifted at the back and she swallowed her saliva. Cupping more water from the stream, he splashed it over his hair and face. More curses followed but then he got up and wiped himself with his shirt. Gods. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life. As he walked towards her, she could see that predatory walk. 

When her eyes met his, she averted her face and pretended to lay more bread on the trays. Through her clothes, she felt pretty hot and something tickled in between her thighs. 

"What do we have here?" he asked. 

Hoping that he didn't notice how she looked at him, she said, "Leftovers of roasted meat and bread." Kaizan sat next to her without his shirt and Olivia could notice every damn curve and angle of his body. The sun dappled leaves played a dance across his lithe body. 

"Do you like what you see?" he asked with a cruel smile, and then pointed at her hand. She had crushed the bread. 

Olivia was mortified at what she had done. She had literally gawked at this Adonis. Flustered as hell, she stuffed her mouth with the crushed bread. 

Kaizan narrowed his eyes and then leaned back on the fallen log. "Can I eat something?" he asked, ensuring that he knew what she was doing. 

She nodded vehemently and gave him meat wrapped in the leaf along with bread. In order to quickly change the topic, she said, "We have orchards on our property. My mother grows them for recreation." 

"Oh!" he replied as he bit into the cold meat. "We too have big orchards in my estate. Maybe you can help my mother there." 

A gleam shone in her eyes. "I would love to!" 

Breeze caught wisps of his hair and they fluttered around his face, on his cheeks. She had this urge to tuck them behind his ear. Mortified at her thoughts, she once again busied herself in plucking a piece of meat and eating it. Soon they repacked it and started their journey. 

"When are we going to reach Shla Asri?" she asked. 

"Not more than an hour." 

For the rest of the journey, she enjoyed the conversation between men and only when Butterfly came to a stop atop a hill, she looked at the sprawling valley below. Nestled in the valley was the Shla Asri village. The slopes were covered with tall pines that acted like its sentinels. On a flat ground she saw most of the houses. White tents that sported colorful flags, fluttering in the cool wind greeted them. As they trod ahead, they were met with curious glances of men and women in colorful garbs. Children who were chasing dogs or sheep, stalled in order to see the visitors in their village with wide eyes. 

It wasn't long before a group of Mord soldiers came riding towards them. As soon as the eldest of them recognized Kaizan, a smile appeared on his lips. 

"Welcome General," he said warmly and then his gaze settled on the woman in front of him. 

Kaizan nodded at him with an equally warm smile.. "How are you, Sarazin? Meet my wife, Olivia of the Whiteclaw Pack." 

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