Free Aura by M.A. Abraham Page A

bad, especially if she joined him.  She was rather attractive, if somewhat plainly presented.  It was a thought that made him watch her even closer in his continued speculation before deciding that she probably was not his type.  There was something about her that told him that she would be the kind to be very uncooperative.

Aura noted his frown and sighed in misunderstanding.  Did that mean that they did not bathe here?  She was not going to let that stop her from getting clean.  The water in the pond outside of the cave was beginning to get very cold with the coming of winter, but it still would serve for more baths for a while. Believing in a definite order to things Aura decided to straighten up the cave first, then she brought in some wood, this time with the man's help.  He was feeling stiff, sore and weak, but he was dammed if he was going to let a mere slip of a maid see to him like some mewling babe.  When she was finished with the wood she bundled up the moss that had served as their mattress and, much to his surprise, she burned it.  As the fire reduced the mass to cinders she spread some fresh moss, picked up a bar of soap and a large towel.  She then turned to the man to give a few last minute instructions as he fed the fire.

"I am going to the pond, you are to rest.  You look as if you could use it.  I will return to make you some dinner."  Then she left.

To say that he was bewildered would have been putting it lightly, as once more he felt that she had no respect for him.  He could not see how.  She gave no exceptions for his status.  Had she lived alone so long that she did not recognize him for what he was?  Then again, perhaps she did not even care.  It was a matter that he was determined to bring up with her later.  In the meantime; he admitted, she had been right about how he felt, he was very tired.  Then again, maybe not as tired as he thought, he considered while his eyes followed the hypnotic sway of her hips as she walked away from him.

Perhaps she had been right before, he smiled to himself.  Perhaps a bath was just what he needed.  It would make him feel much more refreshed, and he had to admit he did feel dirtier than usual.  His smile widened as he picked up another bar of soap, as she had done, and a towel, before following her to the outside pool.

By the time he reached the edge of the water Aura had already finished washing.  She had soaped down her hair to clean it, and when she heard his approach, she dove into the depths of the pond, to swim under the surface to the deeper most center part of the basin. Her head broke the water as she floated for a few moments, and she watched as he pulled off his shirt, and tossed her a smile.  She slipped back under the water, like a seal headed for safer waters.

The man gritted his teeth against the cold of the water as he entered the water.  How could she seem so nonchalant about the temperature, it was freezing!  He looked about for her as he reached chest deep in the pool, following the direction she had taken earlier, and frowned as he saw her wrapped in her towel.  She had her clothing in her arms and was heading for the entrance of the cave.

Oh well, he sighed.  He was wet anyway, so he might as well take advantage of the opportunity.  He had to admit that he had felt very disappointed to see her leave.  He chided himself as he accepted her decision.  What had he expected anyway?  She was obviously still a maiden, though she was old enough to have had a few children by now.  He wondered why she had remained alone.  He pushed the thought aside as he tended to his own needs.  It was past time he quit daydreaming about someone who obviously wanted nothing to do with him in an intimate way.

By the time the man returned to the cave Aura was dressed and was sitting by the fire, combing her hair out as it dried.  She glanced at him as she wondered how much he had seen, and blushed.  He stood near the