How Much is That Doggie in the Window? [M]

[Zero]

"We won't have to spend much." Brown-gold eyes looked down at the coins and couldn't help but feel that familiar guilt wash over him that he had to use Tessa's money for something. It agitated his wolf too. He was supposed to provide for his mate and show her that he was capable to taking care of her and their pups. So far he felt that he wasn't doing a very good job of that.

Tobias stopped walking when he felt his mate lean into his side, pulling her against him gently as he looked down at her with a worried expression. "Yes, this is really happening. I mean...if you want it to. Tessa, I love you more than anything, so if you just say the word we will turn around and go back this moment. Your parents would forgive you. I know they would."

They wouldn't forgive him. He was the dirty monster that had sullied their daughter. Going back would mean suffering for him, and probably a struggle to stay together, but he would do anything for her.

[DragonSong]

"What-? Oh, no, Toby. No." She smiled at him, eyes glinting softly. "I want this, love. More than I've ever wanted anything."

Tessa leaned up to kiss his cheek, just a quick peck but it still sent a little jolt through her. She was still nervous, but she knew- just knew- that he was worth whatever happened next. Threading her fingers through his, she let her smile widen and squeezed his hand gently.

"Now, husband." Another little thrill. "Let's get those supplies."

[Zero]

How many times would she have to reassure him? Tobias sighed softly as she kissed his cheek and closed his eyes. He wanted this with her. To have his beautiful wife and mate, to take her away and show her the kind of life he had always wanted, simple and full of love.

The werewolf couldn't stop worrying that he was doing the wrong thing by taking her away from the type of life she'd always known.

He returned the gentle squeeze and let his eyes slowly slide open to look down at his beloved treasure and gave a slight smile. With a low chuckle he reached his free hand up to gently brush his fingertips lovingly across her cheek, wishing they weren't in a hurry or in public so that he could just hold and kiss her for a while. "I love hearing you call me that."

Reluctantly he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and continued to the market. Tobias was extremelly critical as he looked over the things at the various vendors. He only picked up the things he had mentioned, and picked the plainest and cheapest he could find that were also in good working condition. It would only set them back a few coins to get the few basic things he thought would be most useful to have right away.

[DragonSong]

Tessa's smile grew. "Good, because I love saying it," she said softly, cheeks flushing quite despite herself. Gods she wished they could just take some time and really appreciate the fact that they'd just been married.

But she knew they couldn't, not yet anyway. She watched the werewolf's careful examination of goods, wanting to learn as much as she could but not wanting to be a bother by pestering him with questions.

When Tobias seemed satisfied with his selections and they'd paid, she found herself biting her lip and glancing over her shoulder. She was starting to get worried that her father had followed through on his threat to call the city guard. While legally they couldn't really do anything- she had left willingly, and Tobias was her husband now- she had the distinct feeling that wouldn't stop an arrest.

Or worse.

"I, um...I've never left the city, really," she admitted quietly, pressing into his side again, trying to hurry him along without really saying it. "Which way are we going?"

[Zero]

Their marriage might not have been traditionally romantic, and it wasn't really possible to relax and have a honeymoon, but Tobias thought it was perfect anyway. How couldn't he? Beyond reason, he'd just married a woman far above anything he ever dared dream for himself since becoming a werewolf.

"Never? Well won't this be a little adventure, then." He flashed her a reassuring smile as he wrapped one arm about her waist, guiding her down a main street towards the gate that would led them towards their new home. Even if that home was going to need a lot of work and tender, loving care to get it back up and running like a proper household.

Mostly he wanted to keep her mind off of their troubles. If they moved quickly enough hopefully they'd be well outside the city limits before any guards were looking for them. "You're going to love where I grew up. I just know it. The country is so quiet compared to the city, and there's nothing more soothing than listening to the river as you fall asleep at night. The old homestead is actually bigger than yours here, but it's land, mostly. For gardening and livestock. I'm afraid the house is pretty small, and last I saw it needed a lot of work, but just you wait and see, after I've gotten the needed repairs out of the way it'll be nice and cozy."

A grin split his face as he pictured it. "There's room enough for the two of us, and a little one or two, but I can build some additions for us if we think more room is necessary..." He didn't stop walking as he spoke.

[DragonSong]

Tessa smiled as he talked, just watching his face. While there was a lingering nervousness in the back of her mind, she found his excitement was positively contagious. She squeezed his hand gently as they walked.

"I'm sure it'll be wonderful, Toby," she murmured, smiling up at him. Her heart gave a little skip at the mention of "a little one or two". The thought was a little nerve-wracking, but she couldn't deny the soft warmth that seemed to spread through her chest as she considered it.

"I'll help too, however I can." She flushed, then added hesitantly, "I know it's your home, but...I'd like to help make it ours, if I can."

[Zero]

A confused flash crossed his face as he looked down at her with concern. "Of course you will, sweetheart. I'll teach you how to do all kinds of things, and..." Tobias paused, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek and look down at her very seriously. "Tessa, my sweet, gentle wife...It's already ours. Just because it was my home years ago doesn't mean that it's all mine. Everything I have is yours now."

He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, then another to her forehead before sighing softly. "I wish there was more time for just enjoying each other. I promise there will be later. Let's go, the sooner we get away from here, the sooner we can breathe easy."

Or easier, anyway. They still had to worry about plenty of things, more than most young couples, but everything would be fine as long as they were together. He gripped her hand gently and guided her out of Ketra.

[DragonSong]

She had to work hard not to smile as his lips brushed hers so she could kiss him back. Her cheeks were still rather flushed, but it wasn't really from nervousness or embarrassment. Tess gripped his hand a little tighter and tugged him in for another kiss before they started walking again.

"Lead the way," she murmured as he lead them out of the city. "I think I'd follow you just about anywhere."

The comment was meant to be a little playful, but it rang almost scarily true. She tightened her grip on his hand and sort of pressed against his side as they left Ketra behind.

Tessa glanced back over her shoulder a few times, biting her lip. She was desperately trying to ignore how very little she really knew about the world outside her city.

"Talk to me," she said suddenly, glancing up at Tobias. "I...I need to keep my mind off things. Please?"

[Zero]

His mate was worried about her lack of knowledge of things outside of Ketra, but Tobias had his worries firmly buried in Ketra as they left. How far outside the city would they have to be before the risk of having city guardsmen running them down vanished? He really didn't know how far Tessa's father's reach might extend. The man seemed rich enough to someone like Tobias, but he wasn't a lord or anything as far as he knew. Probably had some friends that were.

The werewolf glanced down at the beautiful woman pressed against his side as they walked, trying to give another reassuring smile. More than anything he wanted to soothe and comfort her.

"Alright, what to talk about..." Tobias hummed thoughtfully for a moment, before sighing softly, "I guess I have a confession to make, and I'm sure you've figured it out, but I can't read. Or write. Never learned, it wasn't exactly critical knowledge for a fisherman's son, you know? I needed to know how to repair nets, unhook snagged lines, fix the boat, the fence, the house, hunt for rabbits, care for livestock..."

He shrugged his shoulders, looking away from her a bit sheepishly. "I hope you're not too disappointed to be married to an uneducated man like me."

[DragonSong]

Tessa listened as he spoke, eyes sort of softening as she did. she had figured out he was illiterate, but her heart lurched guiltily at the way he spoke about it.

"Oh, Toby." She squeezed his hand gently and offered a small smile. "I could never be disappointed to have married you, sweetheart." She leaned up to kiss his cheek, eyes glinting at him with something approaching sheer adoration.

"And..." She bit her lip, then continued slowly, "If- if you wanted to, I could teach you. I mean, you don't have to learn, of course, it's really not all that important. It's just, well-" She shrugged and gave him a sheepish sort of smile. "I wouldn't hate the idea of getting to teach you something instead of the other way around. At least I wouldn't feel entirely useless out here."

[Zero]

Before becoming a werewolf and leaving his small home town, not knowing how to read had never bothered Tobias. People back home didn't even think of things like that. Most of the town had never learned to read because they were simple folk and knew only the things considered necessary for being productive contributors to their family and community.

Most of the boys, just like Tobias, had learned a trade, or several, to support them and their families in a primarily self-reliant way. It had just been the way of life back then.

When he'd woken up with Mable, well, he realized just how small and unlearned he truly was. She'd had lots of books, but had never offered to teach him to read. Then again, she'd been pretty focused on giving him a far more practical education on what he had become and how to cope with it.

"You're not useless at all, Tessa. Without you nothing else matters or means anything." His brown eyes were sincere and full of love and devotion as he looked down at her. "Ever since I regained my senses and learned what I'd become...well I kind of stopped living. I just existed. There wasn't such a thing as a home, just me wandering lost and alone. I didn't know what to do anymore...until I met you."

[DragonSong]

Her heart seemed to jump up into her throat at that and she stopped walking for a moment, just staring at him.

"Toby..." She leaned up to kiss him, cradling his face in her hands and closing her eyes as she allowed herself to melt into the touch for a few moments. "If you keep saying things like that we're never going to get anywhere," she said quietly when she pulled away, eyes shimmering softly.

As she started walking again, Tessa's eyes flicked to her feet and she murmured, "I love you, and it breaks my heart to think of you living like that." She squeezed his hand and added even more quietly, "But I promise I will do everything I can to make sure you never feel like that again."

[Zero]

A flicker of playful teasing entered Tobias's voice as he grinned broadly down at his mate. "Are you saying you want me to stop saying things like that? 'Cause I think you like it."

As much as he'd love not to have to really go anywhere, because truly all he wanted was to drag her away far enough so that they could hide in a secluded spot and he could hold and kiss her until they were both breathless, he knew that guards could become a problem at any minute. He kept them moving towards freedom and home.

"Sweetheart, as long as you're by my side, the world's going to be right as rain." He hadn't felt so good in so long. Too bad it was tainted by her family's poor reception to their love.

[DragonSong]

Tessa beamed at him, pressing a little closer into his side and squeezing his hand gently. "I like it," she murmured, eyes glittering. She too wanted nothing more in the world than just a few moments of peace so they could really enjoy each other and the fact that they'd just been married. "I definitely like it. But we do have to keep moving."

She huffed out a small breath and murmured, "You think too much of me. I just hope I can live up to expectations." It was a slightly nerve-wracking thought, but sort of thrilling just the same.

[Zero]

"For now." They did have to keep moving, but once they got home they could settle and relax a little. Of course then he would have a lot of work to do. He wasn't sure how bad of shape the old place was in at this point. It was kind of exciting to think about having a project to work on.

Tobias was going to be able to basically build their home. They could change whatever they wanted while he renovated - Tessa could truly have him make it her own home. Well, not like her parent's house, they couldn't possibly need something so big, but still. Not only that, but he was going to have the chance to teach his new wife all sorts of things about a more down-to-earth life.

"I don't think, I know. You don't have to live up to anything, darlin', you're already there." He chuckled and tilted his head down to press a soft kiss to the top of her head.

[DragonSong]

Tessa smiled and blushed a bit as she tilted her head back to beam up at him. "I love you," she said happily, leaning into his side and letting her head rest against his shoulder for a moment.

She couldn't deny that she was nervous about what lay ahead of them, but she was also excited- excited to learn more about her mate and the home he'd grown up in, to make that home their own, then...well, who knew what would come next.

All her life had been planned out for her. She was thrilled to have this chance to take the reins.

Her eyes flicked over to Tobias again and she smiled to herself; the best part was she wasn't doing this alone.

"Do you think we should have purchased horses?" she mused aloud after a moment. "I'm no expert, but they may be useful..." She shrugged. She really didn't know much about  it either way.

[Zero]

"Love you too." Tobias murmured with a happy sigh, nuzzling gently at her hair and enjoying the scent of his mate filling his nose. He loved having her head resting on his shoulder like that. Tessa fit him so well. It made him like to think that their meeting and love wasn't just a happy accident. Maybe this was what was supposed to happen.

"Horses are expensive and take a lot of care." He frowned softly and gave a bit of a self-depreciating smile. "Plus a lot of them don't take too kindly to me anymore."

Well, no use dwelling on that. The werewolf perked up and grinned at his mate. They were outside of the city now, on the open road to home. Forests would soon surround them. "Besides, there's not a horse alive that can outrun a werewolf."

[DragonSong]

She "hmm"ed quietly, taking his expertise on the matter. Her hand squeezed his gently when he seemed to drop towar self-deprecation, but he quickly moved away from it and she smiled.

Then she giggled, giving him a wry look with an arched eyebrow. "True, but where does that leave me? Am I meant to ride you?" she laughed.

It took a moment, but then the possible suggestive nature of what she'd said dawned on her and her cheeks went very red. "Oh! I- I didn't mean- ah, that is- oh, hell." She groaned and buried her face in her hands in embarrassment.

[Zero]

As soon as the words left her lips, Tobias developed a wolfish smirk. It was so very tempting to make a quip about their activities the previous night - as that was kind of exactly what she'd done. Her stammering and face covering caused him to laugh softly and think better of poking fun at his poor, sweet wife.

"Yeah, actually. Once we get into the woods we'll leave the road and I can change. It'll be a lot faster if you ride me. Could take a lot longer to get where we're going if we just walk." Besides, he thought it would be kind of fun to have his mate ride him in a different sense than already experienced.

The werewolf couldn't stop grinning, though.

[DragonSong]

Tessa slowly managed to lift her eyes to his face and saw his- well, wolfish expression. She mocked frowned at him and batted playfully at his shoulder.

"You're making fun of me," she pouted. "I can see it in your face." Her expression relaxed its playfulness slightly and she added, "I suppose that does make the most sense. We'll cover more ground, and it may be harder for...for people to track us off the main roads."

She was momentarily bemused that being tracked was something she now has to worry about.

Only for a little while. "Maybe- maybe I'll send Mother and Father a letter," she said softly. "Once we're settled. I won't tell them where we are, but...maybe they'll have calmed down a bit."