Chapter 136: 136
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"I will return the flame to you on the day of our wedding- that is our scheduled one- I think it is rather symbolic, a bit like a wedding gift, is that okay by you?" Soren asks tentatively, tilting my head upwards slightly to look at me straight, an eyebrow raised, willing me to answer.
I know right then and there that if I protested, asked for it a different day, perhaps even right now, he would have fetched it for me without a second thought. I could have asked him to do anything for me, could have willed him to kill half his court, and he would have done it, if only to see me smile.
I could even have asked him to run butt naked around the palace, and he would have grinned, saying:
"So long as it makes you happy," and proceed to watch me giggle as he fulfils my request with the best of his rather spectacular abilities. Because here's the thing about Soren. He may be a tyrant, a monster at times even, a stubborn, icy king who wouldn't hesitate to wipe out half of his court if they so much as looked at me wrong. But underneath that wintry exterior, his touch his soft, and his heart is gentle, compelled by that same give and take that has tugged at his lonely soul for centuries.
The legends about him are absolutely true, he is nothing short of a monster. But whoever said that monsters had to be evil?
So instead of protesting, making a fuss in the riotous noisy way that I often do, I settle down into his arms, and plant a kiss upon his cheek.
"Of course, Soren. That is totally fine. You can give it to me whenever you want, its up to you."
At my response, Soren beams, obviously thankful for my co-operation, but there is something else that sparkles there too, something much more tender: Love. That much is evident from the eager twinkling in his eyes as he surveys me, enamoured, as though he can hardly bare to take his eyes of me, hardly dare to blink as though he is afraid to pass up even an ounce of beauty.
"Thank you, my darling. I know you would certainly rather have it sooner than later, but I promise you will not be waiting long. After all, our official wedding is only three days from now," he smiles contently, sliding the back of his hand over my cheek. Blissfully, I let my head fall to rest against his hand, my eyes fluttering shut.
"That's okay, Soren. I don't mind. So long as I still have you by the end of it, then I could not ask for more," I murmur.
"Even though I have made you into a monster?" he jokes laughingly. I open my eyes to give him a long look.
"Especially because you made me a monster."
After all, today I am content merely to be alive, and to have this charming vampire as my husband. I pause for a minute, soaking up the warmth of Soren's hand. The thought seems almost unreal.
My husband.
I'm married.
"You are indeed," he whispers, pulling my chin close to his face, my mouth so close to his that we share the breath between us. My face heats with the suddenness of his actions, finding myself very tempted to place my lips upon his and kiss him until the sun comes up. The thought certainly seems appealing, but for the sake of conversation I hold back.
"Does it make you happy, that we are married now?" I ask, perhaps a little stupidly. Soren's voice comes out in a low rumbling chuckle.
"You say such silly things, little dove. Of course it does. I have waited my whole life to find my mate, to have married you... it feels like a dream."
As soon as he says this, I lean over to pinch his arm. Soren yelps lightly, drawing away, hurt. He flashes me a puzzles look, urging me to explain, and I shrug.
"Just showing you that you aren't dreaming, I am here. I am real," I say, flashing him a toothy grin, to which the Scarlet Prince frowns, rubbing his arm lightly.
"You funny little creature."
I smirk widely.
"Thank you."
After that, we drift into a gentle, lulling silence, floating high above the sky in our canopy of darkness and clouds, content to drift in the skies forever and never come down. A slight wind blows up against the blackness of the night, scattering fallen leaves among the stars and whipping my hair in a frenzy of frantic strands past my face. The night still retains its pleasant warmth, but even through the numerous layers of petticoats and silk and lace I do not feel overly warm, rather, sitting in the cool embrace of a vampire high up amongst the clouds, letting the wind whisper past the feathers on my back feels rather comforting. Oh how I have missed the sweet kiss of the breeze on my wings! The feeling of rain sliding down my feathers, even the icy chill of morning frost as I ready myself for a morning sparring session. It feels so good to finally be free.
"You will always be free around me, darling," Soren murmurs, stroking his long fingers lovingly down the slide of my face, trailing tiny shivers across my skin. I lean dotingly into his touch.
"Easier said than done."
Insistently, Soren shakes his head.
"No, around me, you have no reason to hide yourself. You are beautiful, and so, so amazing. Darling, if I had a heart, it would surely stop for you."
I wrinkle my nose at his blatant and quite successful attempts to tease me, but smile anyway.
"You little tease," I joke, prodding him in the chest, but rather than recoiling, Soren only brings his face closer to mine, our lips so close that together we share one breath. He lowers his eyes suggestively.
"Actually, I think you will find I am a rather big tease. But you already knew that, didn't you, little dove?" he purrs suggestively. A half groan, half growl escapes my lips as he says this, finding myself quite unprepared for the sudden shift in nature between our conversation.
"Well how about you show me again, I think I have forgotten."
At this, Soren smirks.
"Gladly. Though as much as I would love to ravish your entire body right now, I have some place I wish to take you first. After all, we have just been married, and what's a marriage without a wedding present?"
I throw him a puzzled look.
Wedding present? I bite my lip. That alone would seem to imply that he has had this planned for a rather long time, which in itself is a rather curious notion to begin with. Of course, this is all rather speculative in nature, but my interest is piqued enough for me to give a little nod, projecting my assent to him. Soren smiles blithely.
He brings up a hand to brush aside a loose strand of my hair that is caught in the faint whispers of the wind, swirling about my face like the lace ribbons of a twirling dancer. Then after a brief moments hesitation, he motions for me to take his hand, beckoning with his fingers. But the throbbing emptiness around my neck causes me to bring my hand up in a sudden shock, searching for the thing that had become so essential to my survival that the thought of losing it is almost like losing a life. Where is my pendant?
A brief chill of panic shoots through me, followed by a familiar bubbling sensation in my stomach. If I have lost it...
"Here, Serena darling, no need to stress," he says, noticing my panic with a gentle acknowledgement as he brings my red pendant out from his pocket, pressing it into my open palm before he closes my fingers over it with a reassuring smile. "It's okay, I know you must be nervous without it. But I promise you, where I am going to take you, you will not need it." My hand tightens around the pendant, feeling the cold chill of it pulse menacingly between my fingers, a second heartbeat, a lifeline, my sole reliance over the many weeks I have been at this palace. I give him a grateful but still half-hearted nod, reluctant to go anywhere without it on- especially if it's back into the palace of largely vile, blood drinking creature of the night whose favourite game is to stalk the midnight depths of the forest long after the witching hour has struck to prey on the creatures whose tentative footsteps strive to avoid those very same creatures that lurk in the darkness. Soren brings a hand up to rub the side of my arm in soothing circles.
"Hey," he says, reading the agony that strives in my heart with a slight wince, his fingers continuing to draw steady circles against my arm. "If anyone does happen to see you, I will personally make sure they leave with their heart detached from their body. And-" he growls, his voice lowering to a rough, husky murmur, a vivid darkness suddenly engulfing his form in a cocoon of black shadows as he leans menacingly in towards me and whispers:
"And I would particularly enjoy the look of realisation that comes over them as they realise who exactly my darling mate is, just as she burns up their disgusting little hearts."
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"I will return the flame to you on the day of our wedding- that is our scheduled one- I think it is rather symbolic, a bit like a wedding gift, is that okay by you?" Soren asks tentatively, tilting my head upwards slightly to look at me straight, an eyebrow raised, willing me to answer.
I know right then and there that if I protested, asked for it a different day, perhaps even right now, he would have fetched it for me without a second thought. I could have asked him to do anything for me, could have willed him to kill half his court, and he would have done it, if only to see me smile.
I could even have asked him to run butt naked around the palace, and he would have grinned, saying:
"So long as it makes you happy," and proceed to watch me giggle as he fulfils my request with the best of his rather spectacular abilities. Because here's the thing about Soren. He may be a tyrant, a monster at times even, a stubborn, icy king who wouldn't hesitate to wipe out half of his court if they so much as looked at me wrong. But underneath that wintry exterior, his touch his soft, and his heart is gentle, compelled by that same give and take that has tugged at his lonely soul for centuries.
The legends about him are absolutely true, he is nothing short of a monster. But whoever said that monsters had to be evil?
So instead of protesting, making a fuss in the riotous noisy way that I often do, I settle down into his arms, and plant a kiss upon his cheek.
"Of course, Soren. That is totally fine. You can give it to me whenever you want, its up to you."
At my response, Soren beams, obviously thankful for my co-operation, but there is something else that sparkles there too, something much more tender: Love. That much is evident from the eager twinkling in his eyes as he surveys me, enamoured, as though he can hardly bare to take his eyes of me, hardly dare to blink as though he is afraid to pass up even an ounce of beauty.
"Thank you, my darling. I know you would certainly rather have it sooner than later, but I promise you will not be waiting long. After all, our official wedding is only three days from now," he smiles contently, sliding the back of his hand over my cheek. Blissfully, I let my head fall to rest against his hand, my eyes fluttering shut.
"That's okay, Soren. I don't mind. So long as I still have you by the end of it, then I could not ask for more," I murmur.
"Even though I have made you into a monster?" he jokes laughingly. I open my eyes to give him a long look.
"Especially because you made me a monster."
After all, today I am content merely to be alive, and to have this charming vampire as my husband. I pause for a minute, soaking up the warmth of Soren's hand. The thought seems almost unreal.
My husband.
I'm married.
"You are indeed," he whispers, pulling my chin close to his face, my mouth so close to his that we share the breath between us. My face heats with the suddenness of his actions, finding myself very tempted to place my lips upon his and kiss him until the sun comes up. The thought certainly seems appealing, but for the sake of conversation I hold back.
"Does it make you happy, that we are married now?" I ask, perhaps a little stupidly. Soren's voice comes out in a low rumbling chuckle.
"You say such silly things, little dove. Of course it does. I have waited my whole life to find my mate, to have married you... it feels like a dream."
As soon as he says this, I lean over to pinch his arm. Soren yelps lightly, drawing away, hurt. He flashes me a puzzles look, urging me to explain, and I shrug.
"Just showing you that you aren't dreaming, I am here. I am real," I say, flashing him a toothy grin, to which the Scarlet Prince frowns, rubbing his arm lightly.
"You funny little creature."
I smirk widely.
"Thank you."
After that, we drift into a gentle, lulling silence, floating high above the sky in our canopy of darkness and clouds, content to drift in the skies forever and never come down. A slight wind blows up against the blackness of the night, scattering fallen leaves among the stars and whipping my hair in a frenzy of frantic strands past my face. The night still retains its pleasant warmth, but even through the numerous layers of petticoats and silk and lace I do not feel overly warm, rather, sitting in the cool embrace of a vampire high up amongst the clouds, letting the wind whisper past the feathers on my back feels rather comforting. Oh how I have missed the sweet kiss of the breeze on my wings! The feeling of rain sliding down my feathers, even the icy chill of morning frost as I ready myself for a morning sparring session. It feels so good to finally be free.
"You will always be free around me, darling," Soren murmurs, stroking his long fingers lovingly down the slide of my face, trailing tiny shivers across my skin. I lean dotingly into his touch.
"Easier said than done."
Insistently, Soren shakes his head.
"No, around me, you have no reason to hide yourself. You are beautiful, and so, so amazing. Darling, if I had a heart, it would surely stop for you."
I wrinkle my nose at his blatant and quite successful attempts to tease me, but smile anyway.
"You little tease," I joke, prodding him in the chest, but rather than recoiling, Soren only brings his face closer to mine, our lips so close that together we share one breath. He lowers his eyes suggestively.
"Actually, I think you will find I am a rather big tease. But you already knew that, didn't you, little dove?" he purrs suggestively. A half groan, half growl escapes my lips as he says this, finding myself quite unprepared for the sudden shift in nature between our conversation.
"Well how about you show me again, I think I have forgotten."
At this, Soren smirks.
"Gladly. Though as much as I would love to ravish your entire body right now, I have some place I wish to take you first. After all, we have just been married, and what's a marriage without a wedding present?"
I throw him a puzzled look.
Wedding present? I bite my lip. That alone would seem to imply that he has had this planned for a rather long time, which in itself is a rather curious notion to begin with. Of course, this is all rather speculative in nature, but my interest is piqued enough for me to give a little nod, projecting my assent to him. Soren smiles blithely.
He brings up a hand to brush aside a loose strand of my hair that is caught in the faint whispers of the wind, swirling about my face like the lace ribbons of a twirling dancer. Then after a brief moments hesitation, he motions for me to take his hand, beckoning with his fingers. But the throbbing emptiness around my neck causes me to bring my hand up in a sudden shock, searching for the thing that had become so essential to my survival that the thought of losing it is almost like losing a life. Where is my pendant?
A brief chill of panic shoots through me, followed by a familiar bubbling sensation in my stomach. If I have lost it...
"Here, Serena darling, no need to stress," he says, noticing my panic with a gentle acknowledgement as he brings my red pendant out from his pocket, pressing it into my open palm before he closes my fingers over it with a reassuring smile. "It's okay, I know you must be nervous without it. But I promise you, where I am going to take you, you will not need it." My hand tightens around the pendant, feeling the cold chill of it pulse menacingly between my fingers, a second heartbeat, a lifeline, my sole reliance over the many weeks I have been at this palace. I give him a grateful but still half-hearted nod, reluctant to go anywhere without it on- especially if it's back into the palace of largely vile, blood drinking creature of the night whose favourite game is to stalk the midnight depths of the forest long after the witching hour has struck to prey on the creatures whose tentative footsteps strive to avoid those very same creatures that lurk in the darkness. Soren brings a hand up to rub the side of my arm in soothing circles.
"Hey," he says, reading the agony that strives in my heart with a slight wince, his fingers continuing to draw steady circles against my arm. "If anyone does happen to see you, I will personally make sure they leave with their heart detached from their body. And-" he growls, his voice lowering to a rough, husky murmur, a vivid darkness suddenly engulfing his form in a cocoon of black shadows as he leans menacingly in towards me and whispers:
"And I would particularly enjoy the look of realisation that comes over them as they realise who exactly my darling mate is, just as she burns up their disgusting little hearts."
"I will return the flame to you on the day of our wedding- that is our scheduled one- I think it is rather symbolic, a bit like a wedding gift, is that okay by you?" Soren asks tentatively, tilting my head upwards slightly to look at me straight, an eyebrow raised, willing me to answer.I know right then and there that if I protested, asked for it a different day, perhaps even right now, he would have fetched it for me without a second thought. I could have asked him to do anything for me, could have willed him to kill half his court, and he would have done it, if only to see me smile.I could even have asked him to run butt naked around the palace, and he would have grinned, saying:"So long as it makes you happy," and proceed to watch me giggle as he fulfils my request with the best of his rather spectacular abilities. Because here's the thing about Soren. He may be a tyrant, a monster at times even, a stubborn, icy king who wouldn't hesitate to wipe out half of his court if they so much as looked at me wrong. But underneath that wintry exterior, his touch his soft, and his heart is gentle, compelled by that same give and take that has tugged at his lonely soul for centuries.The legends about him are absolutely true, he is nothing short of a monster. But whoever said that monsters had to be evil?So instead of protesting, making a fuss in the riotous noisy way that I often do, I settle down into his arms, and plant a kiss upon his cheek."Of course, Soren. That is totally fine. You can give it to me whenever you want, its up to you."At my response, Soren beams, obviously thankful for my co-operation, but there is something else that sparkles there too, something much more tender: Love. That much is evident from the eager twinkling in his eyes as he surveys me, enamoured, as though he can hardly bare to take his eyes of me, hardly dare to blink as though he is afraid to pass up even an ounce of beauty. "Thank you, my darling. I know you would certainly rather have it sooner than later, but I promise you will not be waiting long. After all, our official wedding is only three days from now," he smiles contently, sliding the back of his hand over my cheek. Blissfully, I let my head fall to rest against his hand, my eyes fluttering shut."That's okay, Soren. I don't mind. So long as I still have you by the end of it, then I could not ask for more," I murmur."Even though I have made you into a monster?" he jokes laughingly. I open my eyes to give him a long look."Especially because you made me a monster."After all, today I am content merely to be alive, and to have this charming vampire as my husband. I pause for a minute, soaking up the warmth of Soren's hand. The thought seems almost unreal.My husband.I'm married. "You are indeed," he whispers, pulling my chin close to his face, my mouth so close to his that we share the breath between us. My face heats with the suddenness of his actions, finding myself very tempted to place my lips upon his and kiss him until the sun comes up. The thought certainly seems appealing, but for the sake of conversation I hold back."Does it make you happy, that we are married now?" I ask, perhaps a little stupidly. Soren's voice comes out in a low rumbling chuckle."You say such silly things, little dove. Of course it does. I have waited my whole life to find my mate, to have married you... it feels like a dream."As soon as he says this, I lean over to pinch his arm. Soren yelps lightly, drawing away, hurt. He flashes me a puzzles look, urging me to explain, and I shrug."Just showing you that you aren't dreaming, I am here. I am real," I say, flashing him a toothy grin, to which the Scarlet Prince frowns, rubbing his arm lightly."You funny little creature."I smirk widely."Thank you."After that, we drift into a gentle, lulling silence, floating high above the sky in our canopy of darkness and clouds, content to drift in the skies forever and never come down. A slight wind blows up against the blackness of the night, scattering fallen leaves among the stars and whipping my hair in a frenzy of frantic strands past my face. The night still retains its pleasant warmth, but even through the numerous layers of petticoats and silk and lace I do not feel overly warm, rather, sitting in the cool embrace of a vampire high up amongst the clouds, letting the wind whisper past the feathers on my back feels rather comforting. Oh how I have missed the sweet kiss of the breeze on my wings! The feeling of rain sliding down my feathers, even the icy chill of morning frost as I ready myself for a morning sparring session. It feels so good to finally be free."You will always be free around me, darling," Soren murmurs, stroking his long fingers lovingly down the slide of my face, trailing tiny shivers across my skin. I lean dotingly into his touch."Easier said than done."Insistently, Soren shakes his head."No, around me, you have no reason to hide yourself. You are beautiful, and so, so amazing. Darling, if I had a heart, it would surely stop for you."I wrinkle my nose at his blatant and quite successful attempts to tease me, but smile anyway."You little tease," I joke, prodding him in the chest, but rather than recoiling, Soren only brings his face closer to mine, our lips so close that together we share one breath. He lowers his eyes suggestively."Actually, I think you will find I am a rather big tease. But you already knew that, didn't you, little dove?" he purrs suggestively. A half groan, half growl escapes my lips as he says this, finding myself quite unprepared for the sudden shift in nature between our conversation. "Well how about you show me again, I think I have forgotten."At this, Soren smirks."Gladly. Though as much as I would love to ravish your entire body right now, I have some place I wish to take you first. After all, we have just been married, and what's a marriage without a wedding present?"I throw him a puzzled look.Wedding present? I bite my lip. That alone would seem to imply that he has had this planned for a rather long time, which in itself is a rather curious notion to begin with. Of course, this is all rather speculative in nature, but my interest is piqued enough for me to give a little nod, projecting my assent to him. Soren smiles blithely.He brings up a hand to brush aside a loose strand of my hair that is caught in the faint whispers of the wind, swirling about my face like the lace ribbons of a twirling dancer. Then after a brief moments hesitation, he motions for me to take his hand, beckoning with his fingers. But the throbbing emptiness around my neck causes me to bring my hand up in a sudden shock, searching for the thing that had become so essential to my survival that the thought of losing it is almost like losing a life. Where is my pendant?A brief chill of panic shoots through me, followed by a familiar bubbling sensation in my stomach. If I have lost it..."Here, Serena darling, no need to stress," he says, noticing my panic with a gentle acknowledgement as he brings my red pendant out from his pocket, pressing it into my open palm before he closes my fingers over it with a reassuring smile. "It's okay, I know you must be nervous without it. But I promise you, where I am going to take you, you will not need it." My hand tightens around the pendant, feeling the cold chill of it pulse menacingly between my fingers, a second heartbeat, a lifeline, my sole reliance over the many weeks I have been at this palace. I give him a grateful but still half-hearted nod, reluctant to go anywhere without it on- especially if it's back into the palace of largely vile, blood drinking creature of the night whose favourite game is to stalk the midnight depths of the forest long after the witching hour has struck to prey on the creatures whose tentative footsteps strive to avoid those very same creatures that lurk in the darkness. Soren brings a hand up to rub the side of my arm in soothing circles."Hey," he says, reading the agony that strives in my heart with a slight wince, his fingers continuing to draw steady circles against my arm. "If anyone does happen to see you, I will personally make sure they leave with their heart detached from their body. And-" he growls, his voice lowering to a rough, husky murmur, a vivid darkness suddenly engulfing his form in a cocoon of black shadows as he leans menacingly in towards me and whispers:"And I would particularly enjoy the look of realisation that comes over them as they realise who exactly my darling mate is, just as she burns up their disgusting little hearts."
