I melt into his tenderness.
No longer needing words, I ease closer. He pulls at the ties binding the riding leathers around me, and I do the same for him. Lifting the linen shirt from his body, my hands linger on his chest; the defined contours of his muscles send heat flooding through me. By the time we are tugging at the buttons cinching each other’s pants, the passion is blazing.
In what feels like an instant, our clothes are scattered across the floor. He doesn’t lead me to the bed. Not yet. Sitting back on that same bench, boots and clothing kicked out of the way, he guides me closer with a curl of his fingers.
Straddling his lap, it doesn’t take long before our breaths grow heavy and sweat beads down my back.
We savor what it truly means to be man and wife—the simple, intoxicating pleasure of all a honeymoon is meant to hold.
Shaking free the braid that managed to withstand the half-day ride to the manor, I feel my hair tumble loose and wild around me as I leandown to kiss him. His hands grip me greedily, only heightening the raw power of our coming together.
By the time I slip into a day dress and pull the fabric over my shoulder, I feel exhilarated. Vale, buttoning a fresh shirt, looks at me with a grin.
“Now that is a way to work up an appetite.”
I bite my lip again—something that is fast becoming a habit since we arrived.
It feels like we could both end up skipping down the hall as we make our way to the dining room.
“Finally!” Ace laments as Soria flicks his arm off the chair, admonishing him for his complaint. “I couldn’t get Cook to give me more than a piece of bread before you arrived.”
We take our seats—Vale at the head of the table and me at his side. As plates are brought in and drinks poured, I am reminded that our roles remain, even here. There is no true escape from the crown.
“This looks amazing,” I say, taking in the fresh fruits, warm bread, and herbed spreads displayed with such lovely artistry before me. Then something in me stiffens, just slightly.
“What is it, dear?” Vale asks, always attuned to even the smallest shift in me.
I look at my companions, my gaze lingering on Soria—a knife hovering over a piece of bread, her hand gone still as she tunes in to me.
“I’m sorry. It’s silly of me, really.” I search for words, feeling suddenly out of place. “I’m just still not used to this. Having people wait on me. Care for me.” I look down at my plate, feeling a bit foolish among those who have known no different for far longer than I’ve walked this earth.
Vale places his hand over mine. Without dismissing my feelings, he offers, “You’ve had so much change.” He tilts my chin up so I’m looking at him as he says, “You’ve handled it with more grace than I think anyone could.”
Pressing his lips together, he offers what comfort he can. “We’re keeping it light here. As little staff as possible,” he assures me. “Guards, yes—though they’ll largely remain outside or in their quarters. When they’re doing their job well, you won’t even notice them. As for theothers, they’re here whether the manor is occupied or not. This is their home, in some ways more than it is mine. Yes, they’ll tend to us—but quietly. It’s something they are kind and gracious enough to do while building their own lives in the peace of this valley.”
The love and respect in his eyes as he speaks soothes me. I know he cares for each and every person in his kingdom, regardless of their station.
Soria speaks up then, an unexpected but welcome addition. “If it helps, I fully plan to relax and enjoy myself while I am here.” She finally takes a bite of the buttered bread, smiling.
My shoulders move in time with my laugh. She frees something in me with that single line.
“Something tells me she won’t need help getting undressed,” Ace adds, and I nearly spit out the wine I’ve only just begun to sip.
The rest of the afternoon and into the evening unfolds with ease. From a delicious meal to a short stroll around the grounds, we eventually settle into a quiet evening in the parlor. Soria and Ace offer exaggerated yawns, claiming exhaustion, and soon we all retreat to our rooms for the night before the sun has even fully set.
Ace offers his arm to Soria as an escort. “Off we go—far,faraway from the newlyweds,” he calls back with a wink, and I feel myself blush. While it’s no secret how Vale and I will be spending our nights, the colorful jab from our dear friend leaves me flushed nonetheless. Embarrassment aside, I’m grateful for the not-so-subtle assurance that we will be far out of earshot. It’s a fact I don’t take lightly when Vale finally has me to himself.
After a rolling tide I could not possibly begin to number, we lie together. My back is pressed against Vale’s chest, his arms wrapped around me as I fiddle with the ring on his hand, regarding it alongside my own as our fingers intertwine.
His hair is disheveled, strands clinging to his sweat-damp brow. My own golden tendrils stick to my skin as he presses a kiss to my temple.
“I have a question…” I pause, tentative and nervous about my own naivety. “Do all immortals have such… stamina?” I can’t finish the sentence without a timid laugh.
“They don’t call us the Blessed for nothing,” he says with a degree of charm I would almost swear he stole from Ace—if not for the low tremor in his voice that always undoes me. Humor aside, he answers more plainly. “Yes, I’ve heard from some that our… stamina, as you put it, tends to rival that of mortals. But you, little flame, certainly know how to put me through my paces.” He nuzzles his face into my hair, the scruff of his beard rough against the smooth waves.
Silence lingers for a moment. I feel Vale’s relaxed body beside me—the peace of him. I feel the unease within me just as clearly.
I sit up, pulling the sheet lightly against my chest, already feeling too exposed to remain fully bare in this moment.
