Fur Princess

 There were two ideas behind this one - the first was the idea of a woman who loved fur and the feeling of it. The second was the idea of a man changed by war. 

This is what came out.

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There was something about the feeling of fur that was comforting. She ran her fingers through it, watching the coarser outer coat separate from the shorter, slick undercoat. Each hair was dazzlingly defined in the sunlight. It was just a sliver, peeking through the heavy curtains at them. Beside her, Kamon breathed heavily, deep in an exhausted sleep, as he had been since he returned from the night’s meetings. Today, at least, he would be allowed to sleep in. Nicole smiled to herself. She had ensured it would be so. A princess has leverage.

Her attention returned to the fur. It was a thick pelt, probably something from the north, silvery grey and black, with flecks of white here and there. She couldn’t have said for sure what animal it came from, but it was slippery and soft and held warmth from the sun like nothing she’d ever seen. Kamon had given it to her as a give a couple weeks ago (heavens only knew what the occasion had been). Now as she passed her hand over it again, running her fingers through the softer portions (lighter grey, near the edges) she wondered what it would feel like to take off all her clothes and wrap herself in it.

As though the thought were some kind of cue, Kamon’s breathing suddenly changed. It became shallower, and he shifted a little so his weight pinned Nicole against the fur. Her heart beat fast, half in excitement, half in fear. He had changed since his time at the border. He didn’t always know where he was or what he was doing. Sometimes he didn’t recognize her. It didn’t happen often, and not for long, and he’d never actually hurt her, but… she could never quite forget how much bigger than her he was. How strong his hands were. How easily he might seriously hurt her, if he thought she was a threat.

One large hand, broad and calloused, closed around her wrist. She had a nightmare vision of that hand twisting, snapping her bones like toothpicks. But no such thing happened. He just held her for a moment, then tugged her arm gently, rolling onto his side again so she could rest against his chest properly.