#beach safety tips

[techdriveplay]

What to Take on a Trip to Bali

Planning a trip to Bali? This tropical paradise, famous for its breathtaking beaches, vibrant culture, and lush landscapes, is a top destination for Aussies and travellers worldwide. However, to ensure a smooth and enjoyable holiday, it’s important to pack thoughtfully. Knowing what to take on a trip to Bali can make all the difference in your travel experience. One essential item to include is…

[parentingvip]

[championgaragedoorrepair]

The Importance of UL 325 in Garage Door Safety

UL 325, which stands for Underwriters Laboratories Standard 325, is a safety standard created to make sure that garage doors, gates, and barrier operators are safe to use. It sets specific requirements for the design, manufacturing, and installation of electric garage doors to prevent accidents, injuries, and the risk of entrapment. Learn more about UL 325 safety standards.

Testing your garage door safety on a regular basis and ensuring that it complies with UL 325 standards helps make sure that the equipment is safe for everyone to use. Learn how to test and inspect your garage door safety.

[localprosmaui]

Discover Maui's exhilarating surfing havens! Ho’okipa Beach, Lahaina Reefs, Honolua Bay, Pe’ahi, and Olowalu Beach offer unmatched thrills for surf enthusiasts. Each beach boasts unique characteristics and challenges, promising an adrenaline-filled experience. Explore these stunning shores for an unforgettable surfing adventure amidst Maui's picturesque landscapes.

[susanhannifordcrowley]

Lovely Things I've Found By Susan Hanniford Crowley

[draconic-desire]

A Dance With the Dragon I — The Tides Beckon

Yandere Neuvillette x Reader

[Part I — You are here] [Part II] [Part III] [Part IV]

The last thing you expected was to have caught the eye of Fontaine’s Chief Justice. You have no choice but to be swept into the dragon’s dance.

Warnings: Yandere tendencies, possessive behavior, forced imprisonment, unrequited relationship

It all started with your realization that Fontaine has some rather intriguing laws.

For as long as you could recall, you had aspired to become a marine biologist. Though you hailed from Mondstadt, you forged your curiosity in the tide pools and lakes around the edges of the region. You scoured over any novel you could find on marine ecology and animal behavior, spending endless hours lost in the Knights of Favonius library. On your thirteenth birthday, your parents bought you a Kamera, which launched your career in wildlife photography and research. You even went on to publish a book cataloguing pictures of your nation’s aquatic life. It came to no one’s surprise, then, when you were gifted with a hydro vision.

Although you loved your life in Mondstadt, the vast waters that surrounded the Land of Hydro beckoned you like the pull of a tide. So, on your twenty-fifth birthday, you parted with your family and homeland, traversing across Teyvat and experiencing its many wonders. You relished in the culture and cuisine in Liyue and marveled at the natural architecture of Sumeru’s forests. Yet nothing would ever be as breathtaking as your first glimpse at Fontaine, at the granite peaks rising above the crystalline waters teeming with life of all forms.

You had secured employment with a group researching the sudden uptick in seal strandings across the nation, taking you across Fontaine’s many beaches. Your main base was located near Romaritime Harbor, which prompted you to spend your lunch breaks exploring the Court of Fontaine.

You made quick friends with the Melusines, some of whom were still a bit nervous being around humans; however, you found their stories of the ocean fascinating and often invited them to join you for lunches or strolls through the city.

One in particular, Carole, had become your close friend after you encountered her being pelted with rocks by a mob of Fontainians. You didn’t hesitate to use your vision to immobilize the rocks and create a barrier around Carole, quickly ushering her to safety. You couldn’t comprehend the prejudices directed towards her and the other Melusines, but after that incident, you made sure to keep an eye out for all of your little friends.

One day, on one of your walks, you ran into said Melusine. She seemed despondent that only a handful of citizens were interested in her hand painted posters, so you decided to treat her to lunch and pastries to cheer her up. That’s when you first caught wind of the Hydro Dragon.

“Well, if you’re worried about the seals, you might call upon the Hydro Sovereign himself!” Carole chirped.

You tipped your head curiously, lowering the cup in your hands onto the cafe table. “Don’t you mean herself? Although I’ve never met the Hydro Archon, I’ve heard others refer to her as ‘Lady’ Furina.”

Carole shook her hands back and forth in front of her. “Oh, no, I mean the Hydro Dragon! He is responsible for keeping watch over Fontaine, which includes all of its resources and residents. I’ve heard that with every sea creature that passes, the heavens open and the dragon sheds his tears in mourning.” She took a bite of her croissant. “I have a feeling he’d be willing to help.”

You tapped your chin in thought. “You don’t say. Well, we are in a bit of a drought, which could be contributing to the beachings… Perhaps I’ll ask this Hydro Sovereign for his favor.”

On the days you were dispatched to Fontaine’s eastern beaches, you opted to sit by the Fountain of Lucine to wish for the Hydro Dragon’s help. It had become a tradition for you to do so ever since your conversation with Carole, for you swore that every time you prayed to his name, rain would grace the shores the next day.

During those research trips, your coworkers would invite you to attend trials at the Opera Epiclese, though you politely declined each time. You had no particular interest in the Opera and were much more inclined to spending your time outside and uninvolved with the court’s theatrics. Besides, you considered yourself to be a model citizen, so the proceedings of the court were beyond your worries.

Or so you thought.

~*~

The incident that led to your arrest was the violation of the order “no domestic pets shall be named after Furina”. Apparently the otter that paddled around the Harbor each morning was undignified of the title of “Focalotter”. You had thought the name quite clever and humorous—that is, until a horde of Gardes surrounded you during your shift one afternoon.

You were detained and led into the Opera immediately, which was where you currently found yourself. You frowned at the relatively large crowd—which, much to your dismay, included most of your coworkers—dispersed throughout the hall. Had they all come just to spectate your trial? Standing alone on the isolated balcony, you felt like an insect under a magnifying glass, an insignificant pest to be probed at for entertainment.

“And how do you plead?”

The deep, commanding voice above you wrenched you from your thoughts. Turning your eyes up, your (e/c) orbs were met with a penetrating gaze.

Pinning you with his lavender and silver eyes from atop his chair at the center of the court was none other than the Chief Justice of Fontaine, the Iudex himself, the face of the law in the Court. Monsieur Neuvillette.

This wasn’t your first interaction with the man.

Shortly your move to Fontaine, you had stumbled across his path. At first, it was just sightings from afar; he would be leaving the Opera, or purchasing a drink (Wait, is he paying for water?) from your favorite cafe. Your favorite flowers also began to appear at your doorstep, each time with a brief, cryptic note, usually something along the lines of To my little pearl —Sincerely, your guardian dragon. You didn’t think anything of it; if anything, it confirmed that your prayers to the Hydro Sovereign had been heard.

Then, however, Neuvillette began to periodically show up around your research stations, claiming to be investigating a court case. Even though the Iudex’s public appearances were supposedly rare, none of your coworkers, yourself included, thought to question his authority, answering his inquiries regarding the base’s activities to the best of your abilities.

You noticed that he tended to speak to you the most, even asking personal inquiries like your favorite drinks, foods, books, and hobbies, and about your marine photography especially. It must be part of the investigation, you rationalized. He was nothing but gentlemanly and always kept conversations curt and to the point, offering you a gentle smile as he departed.

If only you knew the true extent of his desires.

~*~

Naturally, he first caught wind of you from the Melusines. As his closest advisor, Carole regularly joined him for afternoon tea, and though he was not one for idle talk, the manner in which his friend spoke of you sparked his intrigue.

“And when those meanies were throwing rocks at me, (Y/n) was the only one who intervened! If it weren’t for her, I don’t know what would have happened…” Carole rubbed her head, as if remembering the sharp pain.

Neuvillette placed a hand over his heart. “I am eternally grateful for her presence. I cannot stand the thought of any harm befalling you.” The hydro dragon looked out the window of his study to the ocean, deep in thought. “Perhaps you could introduce me. It appears I have much to thank her for.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Carole raised a finger. “She mentioned lots of seal beachings recently, so I suggested that requesting rain from a certain dragon could assist her work!”

Neuvillette nodded, a slight smile pulling at his lips. “Ah, so that is why I’ve been hearing Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon echoing throughout my mind the past few weeks. You have quite the imagination, my friend.”

Carole shrugged playfully. “Hasn’t it been raining more often lately? Seems like her prayers worked!”

That they had, as Neuvillette could attest to.

The first time he heard your soft voice calling to him, he had sent rain the following morning—not for you, but for the seals. His position barred him from forming close relationships with humans, so the notion of attending to your inquiry face-to-face was eliminated immediately.

But when you returned again and again to implore for rain, he couldn’t deny his interest. The day after Carole informed him that his little supplicant and Carole’s hero were one in the same, he knew he had to meet you. He had actually left the Opera to see you for himself; whether he would actually converse with you was still uncertain, but your voice tickled an itch that he needed to scratched.

Neuvillette was an experienced and composed man, but setting his sights on you for the first time stole his breath. This, he thought, must be what it feels like to drown.

Your smile shone brighter than a Beryl conch, and your scent floated around him, sweeter than any marcotte. The light shimmering from the hydro vision on your hip reflected back in your eyes, giving them the appearance of twin pools of blue. You were sitting on a bench by the Fountain, a Kamera in hand as you gestured excitedly towards the screen. To your right was a Melusine he knew well, Kiara, who was clearly enraptured with the technology.

Though he knew of your kindness towards the Melusines—jumping in to save Carole alone was grounds for a medal of peace—seeing it before him sent the waters around his heart roiling. The Iudex was moved by the fact that, despite being a foreigner to Fontaine’s customs, you treated them with the utmost respect, going out of your way to befriend and include them in your daily life. Many citizens of Fontaine still harbored prejudice against the Melusines, but you… You even used she/her pronouns when referring to them, implementing the very law that he set forth.

“I use this for my research on seal behavior and conservation,” you explained to Kiara. “Having pictures of each individual helps us identify them in the future. We even give them silly names sometimes. See this one here? We call him Mr. Sealie, and this otter I like to call…”

When the pink Melusine started giggling over the nickname of your otter, a plan formed in his mind.

Whether attributable to his sense of justice or his draconic instincts, he knew one thing for certain. Like a shining pearl, you must be cherished and protected—and who better to serve than the Hydro Sovereign?

~*~

Those eyes will be my downfall.

Purple and silver locked with (e/c). Despite being newly appointed to the court, Neuvillette was the embodiment of both poise and intimidation. The very air around him seemed to shimmer with power and unyielding authority. His breathtaking eyes swirled with emotions—was that desire or disinterest?—you could not even begin to decipher in your current position.

Archons, help me.

You cleared your throat, hoping you didn’t appear too nervous in front of the judge. “Although I admit to using a version of the Hydro Archon’s name when referring to that otter, I was unaware of such a law against doing so. I’m not originally from Fontaine, so some of its, uh…lesser discussed laws are new to me.”

Neuvillette gazed around the courtroom as the crowd devoured the trial before them. It was baffling how naive humans could be sometimes; of course there was no rule against applying a silly nickname to a pet.

That is, until this morning when he had signed it into law.

Seeing you frightened and alone in the defendant’s box, however, was torture. It took all of his willpower to not to engulf you in his strong arms like waves around sand. But he had to maintain the facade of immovable judicator for a bit longer in order to mold you to his tide. Retaining his mask of composure, Neuvillette continued, “You do realize that previous defendants have been jailed for far less, correct?”

Frustration and fear flared within you. “But I—”

“Desecration of Lady Furina’s name is of the highest offense. Your behavior will not be excused, neither by myself nor the Oratrice.” Neuvillette raised the paper with your verdict, barely glancing over the words before he spoke. “The verdict stands: you, (Y/n) (L/n), are guilty.”

You clenched your fists heatedly. There was no arguing with the Iudex. Clearly, the polite and considerate version of Neuvillette that you had encountered earlier was an anomaly, for the figure looming above you was the complete opposite. Cold, calculating. Distant. A whirlpool cresting a bottomless sea.

Had this been his plan all along? Had you been the subject of his investigation? But why?

“However, because you are not from Fontaine, I will offer you a choice.”

You blinked up at the Justice, a knot of unease forming in your stomach. A choice? What choice did you truly have here? You pursed your lips warily but nodded for him to continue.

Neuvillete raised a gloved finger. “The first: you will serve a life sentence in the Fortress of Meropide.”

A wave of despair seared your insides like a brand. That was your fate? To be trapped beneath the region where you had always longed to live, never to feel the salty wind on your face or hear the calls of seals and gulls again? Surely, the second option was less cruel?

“Or, alternatively: you will dedicate your life to the court. You will abide by its laws without question and with unwavering commitment. You will relinquish your freedom; you will not be permitted to leave Fontaine and will be bound to this place for eternity.”

A choked sob escaped your lips. No matter what you chose, your life’s work and passion would be extinguished. You would be forced to either become an actress in the court’s performance or resign your soul to a watery grave.

Both option chained you to the Region of Hydro forever.

But one option at least granted you a semblance of freedom—a notion that you soon learned was as transitory as a bubble in water.

The crack of a cane against wood resounded through the Opera, quickly silencing the crowd’s mutterings over your sentence. “What is your decision?”

You could have heard a pin drop as the audience waited in rapt anticipation for your answer.

“I…I choose the latter,” you declared, tilting your chin up. You maintained direct eye contact with the Iudex all the while, holding onto your last bit of pride.

You could have sworn you saw Neuvillette release a breath of relief. “Very well. I hereby adjourn the court. Gardes, please escort the defendant to my office for further instruction.”

Two Gardes led you out of the Opera and onto an Aquabus to the city. They informed you that you would now be living in the Palais Mermonia and your duties would begin immediately. When you asked about retrieving your belongings and notifying your family, the Gardes exchanged glances.

“That won’t be necessary,” one said cryptically. “Monsieur Neuvillette will page your relatives and have your possessions seized.”

You frowned, wishing to object, but the Palais doors loomed before you like the entrance to a monster’s lair. You gulped but swallowed your fears, straightening your back pridefully as you were ushered inside and into the Chief Justice’s office. The bolting of the lock from the outside set alarm bells off immediately.

Neuvillette stood from his seat as you walked in. He coughed awkwardly, red dusting across his pale complexion. “Ah, Lady (Y/n). I do apologize for such a fast-paced series of events. You must be exhausted.” He motioned towards the sofa adjacent to his workspace. “Please, sit.”

You blinked at him in surprise. What happened to the unwavering judge from the court? Why was he suddenly treating you kindly? And why in the Archons’ names was he blushing of all things? Unsure how else to react, you obeyed and settled into your seat, with Neuvillette taking his own on the sofa across from you.

Neuvillette poured you a glass of what appeared to be plain water into an exquisitely ornamented cup. You took it wordlessly, noticing his eyes flare with a silver glow when your fingers brushed his own. Gripping his own cup, he raised the chalice towards you. “To a long and dedicated future together.”

You sketched a brow curiously but raised your glass in tandem to…whatever that was supposed to mean. “To not being in prison, I guess.”

“Indeed.” A breathy chuckle followed. “Now, I’m sure you’re wondering as to what this whole business regarding your sentence is.” Neuvillette took a long sip from his chalice. He frowned slightly when you simply placed yours on the coffee table separating the two of you. “Although you may have thought you’d be completing droll office work, your duties will be a tad unorthodox.”

At this, your brows furrowed. Wasn’t that what all those employees you had passed in the Palais foyer had been doing—pushing papers? You had cringed at the dark bags under many of their eyes, at how many were asleep at their desks, imagining how similar you’ll look once your sentence was completed. But based on Neuvillette’s words, it sounded like you would be doing something very different.

Oh, Archons. I’m fucked.

You braced yourself to speak, but Neuvillette beat you to it.

“You are to be my wife.”

You blinked once, twice, waiting for the punchline of the joke.

Neuvillette merely stared at you with his hands folded across his lap, waiting for your response.

After a pregnant pause, you couldn’t help the stunned scoff that escaped your lips. “You can’t be serious.”

“Quite, I’m afraid.”

You shook your head. “With all due respect, Monsieur—”

“Please, call me Neuvillette.”

Ignoring him, you continued, “I did not agree to be your wife.”

The Chief Justice leaned back against the posh blue cushions of the sofa. “Although that may be the case, you are in no position to refuse. In fact, your sentence mandates that you follow my orders.”

You stood abruptly, sending your goblet toppling over and spilling its contents across the table. “Marriage was not a part of that sentence.” Which was ridiculous to begin with, you added to yourself. I mean, a life sentence for a pet name? It’s almost like he wanted me arrested.

Neuvillette sighed and flicked his wrist, causing the chalice to right itself and the water to refill. “Marriage is the highest form of dedication, no? Is that not what you pledged to?”

“I dedicated my life to the court,” you clarified.

“My dear, I am the court.”

You emitted a low hiss, turning to the door. “I’m leaving.”

Before you could take more than a step, Neuvillette moved towards you faster than a crack of lightning across the sea. His large frame straddled yours, pinning you against the sofa. He grabbed your dominant wrist, a foreign bubbling under your skin erecting the hairs on your arms. Your mind reached out for your hydro powers to defend yourself, only to be crushed with the realization that your vision had been confiscated at the court.

Despite your struggles, you could only watch in terror as a glowing silver-blue mark in the shape of a dragon burned across the length of your arm. The leviathan’s scaly body twisted in ringlets up your forearm and bicep, ending in a slender head with twin horns that crested your shoulder.

As soon as Neuvillette loosed his grip, you shoved him away, panting heavily. The mark had already disappeared, but you could still feel the ghost of it under your skin.“What have you done?” you whispered breathlessly.

In total contrast to your own contorted expression, Neuvillette appeared completely calm. He smoothed out his robes and adjusted his jabot. “I have lived for centuries, and I have many centuries more. I’ve merely gifted some of them to you.”

Your body began to shake, from fear, sadness, or rage you did not know. “I don’t want them.”

“You do remember that you promised to serve the court for eternity, don’t you? How do you expect to persist by my side otherwise?”

Eyes locked on the exit, you tried for a different tactic. “Take me to the Fortress of Meropide.”

Neuvillette’s expression darkened, his patience clearly thinning. “I will not.”

Your eyes shifted back to his. Although Neuvillette intimidated you beyond belief, you’d be damned if you didn’t go down without fighting for your life’s hard work. “I want to change my sentence.”

He glanced down at your arm. “It’s a bit too late for that, my dear.” Taking your hand in his, he pulled you to his chest. His form towered over you, capable of resting his chin on the top of your head. “Please, understand. I mean to keep you from harm, even if it means being your jailor.”

“You’re insane,” you hissed, futility attempting to pull away. “Let go of me!”

Neuvillette’s grip was relentless. You stilled when you felt claws ghost up your back in a silent warning. “That is one thing I will never do.”

The fight in you slowly ebbed away—for now. Your resistance was clearly moot, like a gnat trying to down a dragon. You’d have to play the long game to learn how to get under his skin—and how to rid your own of this new mark. “I will find a way out of this,” was all you could promise, refusing to meet his eyes.

A deep sigh sounded above you. Neuvillette took a step back, looking at you with such longing you thought you’d combust on the spot. With one last stroke of your cheek, he strode towards the office’s exit and unlocked the door with a flick of his wrist. Looking over his shoulder, he fixed you with a forlorn gaze. “By the time you realize your place here, there will be nothing for you to escape to. Only I will remain.” He once more turned his back to you and stepped out of the room.

You suddenly paled, realizing the implication of his words. If his declaration was true and you were to live as long as him, then your family, your career, the world as you know it would be completely gone. Your only company, your only solace, the only one who would remember your name, would be him. “Wait, no, you can’t—!”

He closed the doors.

~*~

Neuvillette was many things, but a liar was not one of them.

True to his word, you remained locked almost exclusively in the Palais Mermonia. On the rare occasions he let you outside, the Iudex served as your only company, diligently making sure you were hidden. Your vision was permanently taken, supposedly to prevent danger to yourself. It didn’t go unnoticed when he would wear it on his hip at important or potentially volatile trials. When you finally asked—or growled at him, really—why he kept it on his person, he had merely frowned and replied, “I originally thought the idea of a fake vision preposterous, I admit. I have no need for one. Yet having it feels as if you are constantly by my side.”

The draconic tattoo he had branded onto your arm not only extended your lifespan but also gave you a minuscule drop of his abilities—though only when you were in his presence (and most definitely not against him—you had tried). That allowed the two of you to transport to and breath in the depths of Fontaine whenever you begged to go out. In his mind, it was perfect—not only was the sea his realm, but no one and nothing could touch you. You were his alone to hold, to see, to have.

Those trips were torture for you. Free, but trapped; floating, but tied down to the man who was supposed to be the symbol of justice.

You, on the other hand, had tried a variety of (fruitless) tactics to convince the judge to free you. Any attempt at conversation or advance in his part was met with either vitriol or indifference on your part. You had once tried to charm him into letting his guard down, hoping you could sneak away while he was preoccupied at the court. This plan epically backfired on you when he mistook your subtle touches as permission to devour you with kisses and love bites, covering you in bruises from his sharp teeth for the next week. You wouldn’t so much as let him tap your shoulder for the next month after—the spark of silver in his eyes while he kissed you foretold of a deep, overwhelming desire that far surpassed simple kisses. You feared what might occur if the composed Chief Justice were given the opportunity to release his more primal urges.

And so, each day was passed much in the same:

1) Wake up on the floor or couch of his suite in the Palais—like hell you’d be sharing a bed with him. Oh, how he had tried in the beginning to usher you into bed, into his arms. It was childish, yes, but at least your refusal have you some semblance of autonomy.

2) Ponder on how you would greet Neuvillette that day.

3) Choose between fury or pretending he didn’t exist, typically the latter.

4) Look for a way to escape after he left for the Opera. Fail.

5) Spend most of the day scouring court cases in his office for clues to overturn your cause. Fail again.

6) Look out the window pitifully at the water beyond the Court of Fontaine (were the levels rising?). You often thought of your family back in Mondstadt; what were they told of your imprisonment, if anything? How long had you been stuck with the Chief Justice? The days blurred like ink in water.

7) Immediately exit the office towards his attached suite the moment he returned—any other room was preferable to his suffocating presence.

Today, though, he had chosen to interrupt your musings out the window before you could make your exit.

“You know, I find the beauty of the bright sunlight is best appreciated from the indoors through a window.”

Turning your head from the glass pane, your attention was brought to the figure standing in the doorway. He was wearing nothing but a simple pair of dark blue slacks and a white tunic, his robes hooked over his arm. At the start of your captivity you had mused how strange it was to see him without his normal ornamentation; now his comparatively plain appearance was a daily sight for you.

You crossed your arms and leaned against the window, relishing the heat from the coastal sun against your back. It was nothing like the dark pits he practically dragged you to now that you could breathe underwater. “Personally, I prefer to enjoy it with the company of a cool breeze by the shoreline.”

The Chief Justice loosed a deep sigh as he approached you. He extended his palm, caressing your cheek gently. “If you desire it so, I will rearrange some meetings and escort you—”

Below the waves, where he clung to you like a Lumitoile to a rock? “No need. Present company would ruin the experience. I prefer to be above water.”

Neuvillette had the audacity to wince at your retort. “So you instead choose to wallow in your self-inflicted solitude?”

You wanted to laugh at the hurt edge to his voice. Self-inflicted your ass—every moment of your life now centered on him, depended on his permission. Solitude was a disguise for any reprieve you could get from his constant attempts to court you.

The ironic part was that, if he had approached you normally, you could have seen yourself falling for him. He brought and cooked your favorite foods and beverages, showered you with gifts and books on photography, and tried his utmost to make you comfortable.

But you knew it was as nothing but glitter in a gilded cage. Neuvillette had drowned your whole world. So no, you wouldn’t act like any of this is normal.

Resisting the urge to bite his bare hand, you glared at your captor. “You could simply, oh, I don’t know, let me go.”

Neuvillette’s jaw tightened. His patience might run deeper than the Trench of Elton, but it was not everlasting. “We’ve discussed this.”

At that, you shrugged his hand off. “Can I at least speak with my family? My friends?”

A pained look flickered across Neuvillette’s face. “That isn’t possible.”

Your lip curled in response to his expression. “Don’t act like you actually care.”

Pursing his lips, he settled onto the window seat next to you. Though you were twitching with the urge to escape, he placed a large hand on your thigh, a gentle warning. “(Y/n), there’s something we must discuss.”

You narrowed your eyes, though your heart rate spiked. By now, he recognized your silence as a sign to continue.

“Do you wish to walk around the Court of Fontaine with me?”

Blinking, your throat dried. You swore you heard him wrong. “I’m sorry?”

Neuvillette squeezed your leg in what he thought was a comforting manner. His eyes—fuck, you had to admit they were wickedly beautiful, silver and sharp as a sword—never left your own. “You have been justified in your anger with me. I have restricted you for far too long. I would like to extend an olive branch, if you will—an agreement that we will both retain civility. I will grant you freedoms, but you must adhere to your sentence. Any deviation will not be tolerated.”

Your head was spinning, so you didn’t even consider the implications of his words. He was letting you out. “Can we go now?”

Neuvillette smiled softly. “Of course.” Standing, he offered you a hand. You tentatively took it, more awestruck than anything as he unlocked the doors to the outside. You’d finally get to see your family, your colleagues, the sun—!

Fontaine was unrecognizable.

The last time you seen the square of the Statue of the Seven, the roads were cobblestone. Now, strange machines roamed the paved streets, clearly serving as sentinels. None of the shops or restaurants were familiar—your favorite coffee shop, where you had so many chats with Carole, was now boasting signs for upscale fashion. A Melusine hopped by, wearing a Garde’s uniform, something that you remembered as being rare due to the increased chances of them being targeted. Your heart rate spiked in worry when the Melusine approached a group of children and their parents, only for a stunned expression to hit you when the creature was hugged by a little girl, her parents cooing in delight.

“Where…what?” you stammered. Fontaine had seemingly changed overnight—at least in your experience of time. Dread pooled in your stomach.

You attempted to pull your arm away from him, but his grip on you was steadfast. That same pained look from before marred his handsome features. “I did not lie when I said you have nothing to return to.” The Chief Justice sounded melancholic—he wished it hadn’t come to this, but he had to eliminate any prompts for you to leave.

“No, no.” Your heart dropped. “What… What year is it?”

The silence that followed was all you needed to know.

“How many years has it been, Neuvillette?” you repeated, your voice cracking with a desperate tone.

For once, Neuvillette avoided eye contact with you. He simply gestured towards a bulletin board, where the latest issue of The Steambird (at least one thing was consistent) was posted. You tore it from its pin, choking back a sob as you read the date.

Hands shaking, the issue fell to the ground. It landed in a puddle, its edges slowing soaking and blurring the ink. A steady rain had started to fall, quickly turning into a torrential downpour.

It had been over four hundred years since Neuvillette had taken you.

If it weren’t for Neuvillete’s hand on your hip, you would have crumpled to your knees. “H-how?”

Neuvillete looked to the skies solemnly. “Time passes differently for us long-lived species.” You cringed at his use of us, and how he actually sounded remorseful. “But this is our opportunity for a fresh start.”

Silent tears streamed down your face. For what could you do? Everyone and everything you knew was gone. Lost to the sea of time forever. You had nothing.

He wrapped his arms around your waist from behind, placing a delicate kiss on the top of your head. “Cry not, my little pearl. No matter how many centuries pass, you will always have me.”

~*~

Neuvillette was many things.

And now, just as he dreamed since the moment he set his eyes on you, he was your everything.

And yet, you refused to drown.

As the years flowed like water through a stream, you began to learn the beat of Neuvillette’s dance. His emotions, his moods, his thoughts, all reflected themselves within the waltz of his life, and soon maneuvering around the steps became second nature to you. The balance of power laid within the count, and you were determined to be the one leading,

The dragon wanted to dance? So be it.

You’d give him the most challenging dance of his life.

[dilemmaontwolegs]

The Best Kept Secret on the Grid || Part Three

MV, CL, CS, LH, LN, PG x fem!reader Warnings: primal play, smut, oral, cumplay, mxm, foursomes WC: 3.1k

F1 Masterlist || Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four

You asked, I answered - love Ollie xxx

Gentle waves lapped against the yacht as it was moored in the bay of the private island Max had hired for the week. Your morning had been spent enjoying the ocean spray and the sun with Max navigating the pristine waters of the Mediterranean before you had convinced him to leave the captain's chair and join you on the top deck. 

It was lucky there was nothing around for miles or the boat might have run aground when he saw you were sunbathing nude because he didn’t make it back to the steering wheel for quite some time. 

“I have a surprise,” Max said as he helped you step off the boat and onto the pier that led to the waterfront villa. 

Your already bright smile grew as a quad bike came down the beach and you grew impatient as Max failed to explain anything further. “Well, don’t leave me hanging,” you urged him. “What’s the surprise?”

“You’ll find out,” he teased before grabbing your hips and lifting you onto the back of the quad driven by one of the staff that maintained the villa. “Everything you need is in the backpack.”

He tipped your head back and crushed his lips to yours, nipping your bottom one as he pulled away smirking. “I’ll see you soon.”

You would have opened the backpack to try and figure out what was happening but the ATV revved and your hands were preoccupied with grabbing the handles as you were sequestered away. The ride was nowhere near as smooth as the yacht had been on the sea and you bounced around as the man Max had entrusted your safety to left the beach and drove inland, deep into the forest you had yet to explore.

“Nous voilà. Bonne chance,” he said as he stopped in a clearing with a small lake. Your French may have been limited but even you knew ‘goodluck’ when you heard it and you frowned as you hopped out of the offroad vehicle, grabbing the backpack before he left again.

“What the hell, Max,” you muttered as you were left alone and the sound of the bike was replaced with birdsong. 

There were staff all over the island, topping up supplies in the villa and maintaining the land, but they were very adept at keeping to the shadows to give you the privacy that was expected with your stay. You only hoped they were somewhere nearby as you took a seat at the edge of the water and opened the backpack to see an envelope with your name on it.

We know how much you love the chase and you know we love the competition, so while you and Max were off island we snuck on.  For each hour you escape us, another joins the hunt. Goodluck, Charles, Lewis, Carlos, Checo, Lando, Fernando, Pierre & George.

Your heart jumped at the thrill they offered and you opened the bag open further to see some warm clothes to go over the swimsuit you still wore along with shoes, food and water, as well as a map and compass. You unfolded the map first and saw there were places marked that offered more supplies before checking your watch. It was a little after noon and with sunset tending to be just before 9pm you could see yourself enjoying the night with all of them, if you could evade them for nine hours. 

It didn’t escape your notice that the names were in the same order of the driver standings and you knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task hiding from them on the island. It wasn’t that large but the forest offered the best chance with its cover so you pulled on the clothes and packed the bag up again before setting off into the bush, keeping your heading north with the compass.

The first hour passed quickly with you looking over your shoulder every ten seconds but the second hour grew a little tiresome as the initial burst of adrenaline retreated and the solitude of the dense trees left you going stir crazy. 

By late afternoon you knew Max, Charles, Lewis and Carlos were definitely about with Checo likely already having joined them too. It was Carlos’ laugh that alerted you to their proximity and you daren’t breathe as you dropped to the ground and rolled under a thicket of bush. Your ears pounded as your heart rate spiked and blood pumped furiously around your body. Excitement of the chase warred with the need to get caught and it took all your self control to keep still as they passed your hidden position. 

“Sucks to be you, mate,” Carlos teased, “you’ll be fighting your own brother for her next season.”

The thought of sharing the Leclerc brothers stoked the fire igniting in your body and your thighs pressed together tightly.

“Do you see any Alfa Romeo drivers here?” Charles shot back. 

“He makes a very good point,” Max said with a laugh. “But if you were champion you wouldn’t have to fight anyone.”

“Yeah,” Charles scoffed and you could picture him shaking his head.

“It’s not impossible to do, fucking difficult, don’t get me wrong, but not impossible,” Lewis noted as their voices faded off with the snaps of sticks under their boots. 

The last thing you heard was Checo suggesting splitting into smaller groups to cover more area and the others agreeing, you didn’t hear who teamed up with who.

Another two hours had passed by the time you reached the northern beach of the island, long shadows chasing the retreating tide as the temperature started dropping. It was quite the relief to find that a glamping tent had been set up and inside was a warm meal as well as more clothing and there was even a solar shower after all the walking you had done.  There was no way you were going to pass up the chance to have a hot shower and quickly stripped off your clothes before stepping under the refreshing water. 

If you weren’t so tired from the unexpected exercise the afternoon brought you might have questioned how the meal was hot or why the tent wasn’t on the map. 

“Well, well, look who wandered in,” Pierre chuckled as he stepped into the tent with a towel hung low on his hips, George at his side with wet hair and a grin on his lips. “This is a surprise.”

You froze as you realised this wasn’t a supply tent for you but where the guys were waiting for their time to join the hunt. “Fuck,” you cursed and stepped out from under the spray of water to grab a towel. 

“No need to cover up, love,” George tutted as crossed the distance in two long strides and blocked the shelf full of them. “I quite like you as you are.”

You looked at his watch and bit your lip at the heat of his stare. “You’re not playing yet.”

His thumb caught a drop of water clinging to your bottom lip and your nipples peaked as the air cooled around you. “I never play when it comes to you.”

Pierre watched with an amused look as he sat back on the bed that had been made with the same neatness as the beds in the villa. “It’s kind of a shame you’re here really, I was looking forward to hunting you down.”

Your chest rose and fell with quick breaths as you enjoyed the same thought. “You could let me go, there’s still five minutes.”

His head tilted as he pondered the decision but your attention was torn when George’s knuckles traced your jawline before trailing down your neck and over your collarbone, a soft sigh parting your lips at the touch. 

“Tempting,” George muttered, “but we can hardly let you walk out of here when you look at us like that.” 

A shiver rolled down your spine as your tired muscles were refreshed with an injection of adrenaline and a smile played at your lips. Unable to help yourself, you grabbed George’s hips and rose on your tiptoes to brush your lips across his cheek. “I’ll see you in an hour.”

Your fingers curled into his towel and pulled it from his hips as you ran out of the tent, Pierre’s deep laugh promising retribution as it followed you out. “Four minutes, chérie!”

Your feet were flying as you sprinted off the beach and back into the treeline knowing Pierre would be hot on your heels the moment the hour clicked over. You checked your watch to see how much time was left and cursed as you remembered taking it off to shower. 

You didn’t have a single clue what direction you were heading, all you wore was George’s towel and the low sun barely saturated the canopy of leaves overhead. Realistically, you weren’t sure you could outrun the guys for another hour to get your share of them all but you kept trying.

Your lungs burned and your bare feet hurt but you kept your head down and kept moving before bursting through the tree line into a clearing, crashing into the back of someone. You both fell to the ground with a surprised shout and he managed to wrap his arms around you before the impact came but the towel managed to come free. Rolling on top of him, you straddled his waist and pinned his shoulders down.

“Got you.”

Charles' stunned expression only lasted a second before he grinned. “The hunter becomes the hunted.”

“Where are your clothes?” Max asked as he picked up the towel and you saw Carlos in the clearing too, the trio making up one of the teams they split into.

You dragged your eyes up the length of his body and licked your lips. “Why, want me to cover up?”

“No fucking way, hermosa,” Carlos replied quickly as he took the towel from Max and balled it up before throwing it back into the bush. “This is perfect.”

“You look cold,” Charles commented as he pushed himself up on his elbows to flick his tongue over your nipples and a needy whine poured from you. “I think between the three of us we can warm you up.”

Your mind went blank at the promise of being between them and your hips rocked over his in search of friction. “Please…”

Carlos was already shucking his jacket and ripping his belt out of the loops with a sharp snap so he could kick off his jeans while Max was content to lean against a tree, arms crossed as he watched the scene unfold before him.

Your head fell back with a cry when Charles bit the swell of your breast and your knees tightened around him in response to the bolt of lightning you felt in your core. “Fuck, I missed those sounds,” he groaned as he pulled away before tugging you up his body and positioning your cunt over his lips. “Not as much as I missed how you taste.”

The heat of his breath blowing across your core was nothing compared to his tongue as he tasted you for the first time in weeks and your jaw fell slack with a moan. 

“That’s it, baby, open wide,” Carlos praised, his fist pumping slowly up and down his cock as stepped closer. 

There was something wild and freeing with being lost in the middle of a remote island, the scents of the earth and natural light colliding with the dominant energy rolling off the men. And knowing there were even more of them out there searching for you made you feral with need. 

Your lips sealed around Carlos and your nails dug into his ass as you pulled him closer, burying him down your throat until you gagged. His hand found its way to the back of your head and he held you there as your eyes watered and you almost had to tap out.

“Dios mío,” he moaned as he watched you gasp for air before taking him once again, tears staining your cheeks. 

Your legs began to tremble around Charles and he moaned as your arousal ran down his chin. The tension that had been building all day finally peaked and stars danced around your vision as Charles’ tongue and Carlos’ cock found the perfect rhythm.

Carlos grinned as your eyelashes fanned across your cheeks, droplets glistening along them while your throat tightened around him. “That’s a good girl,” he praised and wrapped his large hand around your throat to feel your struggles with his size. 

Your orgasm shattered every inch of you and your cries were smothered as Carlos’ hand tightened, his hips thrusting forward as he joined you. His taste filled your mouth and you hummed as it ran down your chin before you climbed back down Charles' body and saw the mess on his face.

“Open your mouth, Charles,” Max said with a smirk as he pushed off the tree and knelt beside him. Charles obeyed in an instant but Max wasn’t satisfied as he caught his chin and opened his mouth wider. “Go on, baby, he’s dying for a taste too.”

You leaned forward and parted your lips, letting the thick stream of cum flow into Charles’ mouth before he pulled you down and shared the taste on your tongue with a deep groan.

“How was your warm up?” Max asked as he lifted you off Charles. Your feet touched the ground and though they were a little weak from the orgasm they seemed stable enough.

“Warm up?”

Max checked his phone and chuckled before he slapped your ass. “Run, rabbit, run.”

Carlos’ laugh echoed Max’s from where he was pulling his boxers back up his thick thighs. “Here come the wolves.”

Two British accents caught your attention from somewhere in the trees and everyone turned to the sound but while they were distracted you bolted in the opposite direction, your legs bumbling like a newborn fawn. You barely made it fifty yards before a pair of strong arms caught you and you let out a surprised scream as the ground disappeared from under your feet. 

Your already smarting ass took a fresh smack from Lewis’ large hand and you moaned as the heat spread across your skin. Peering up from where you had been tossed over his shoulder, you smiled as Lando caught up with his own lopsided grin. 

“Hey gorgeous,” he greeted before Lewis turned around to say something to him but Lando was a little distracted. “Oh, hello gorgeous.” 

His lips felt refreshingly cool against the handprints burning backside and you fell limp against Lewis’ back with a sigh at how good it felt. The upside down world starting to spin when Lewis held your legs apart so Lando could fuck you with his fingers and you quickly got lightheaded from it all. 

“Tu vas bien?”

You worked hard to push yourself up to see Pierre had found you with his trademark smirk painted on his face and you gave him the thumbs up as your lips parted with another breathless moan. “Just exploring the island.”

“So I see,” he chuckled as he circled around you. “Heads or tails?”

“Heads,” Lewis called before Pierre tossed a coin in the air and slapped it down on his hand, Lewis’ deep laugh vibrating through you at the result. For a second you were almost airborne before he caught you and lowered your feet back to the ground to see the damp mark on his shirt. His smile was one of pure indulgence as he held your eyes and lifted the material to his lips and tasted you with a hum of satisfaction. “On your knees, babygirl.”

Your fingers worked his belt open and pulled his cargo pants down as you sank to your knees, your hand wrapping around his thick cock before you wet your lips. A pair of hands gripped your hips and you moaned around your mouthful as Lando pulled you back to meet his thrust.

“Fuck, you’re so wet, gorgeous,” Lando groaned happily.

Needing to breathe, you pulled back with a gasp and peeked over your shoulder to see Pierre pressed against Lando’s back and your core clenched as both of their eyes fluttered shut in pleasure.

“Oh my fuck,” you moaned as a delightful shiver spread across your body and Pierre placed his hands over Lando’s, holding your hips too as he set the pace.

“You like that, babygirl?” Lewis asked with a knowing smile as he ran a thumb over your swollen lips. “You want to watch them too?”

You nodded eagerly and tongue lashed across the pad of his thumb before you sucked it into your mouth and his chest rose quickly with the deep breath he took. He pulled you away from Lando, the emptiness only lasting a moment as he spun you around to face them and stretched your cunt as he snapped his hips forward.

Your hands braced on Lando’s chest and he stole the startled cry by crushing his lips against yours. You broke away breathless and your head fell back to rest in the crook of Lewis’ neck.

“Open your eyes,” Pierre ordered and they snapped open at the command to meet his over Lando’s shoulder.

Your eyes trailed down Lando’s body to where Pierre was stroking his hard length smoothly thanks to your arousal slick on his palms. You could hardly breathe as Lewis matched their pace, his tattooed hand reaching around you to find your clit.

“Uh-uh, eyes, chérie.”

Heat spread up your spine and tremors followed as the pleasure built to breaking point. It was the deep moan that Lando made as he came that tipped you over the edge and your fingers gathered the cum that warmed your skin so you could taste him too.

“Oh, babygirl,” Lewis moaned in your ear before spanking his palm across your ass. “You’re so tight, I can’t even, ugh,” his words were lost to his bliss as he rolled his hips slowly, milking every last drop that had begun to leak down your thighs.

“Putain,” Pierre swore as saw the delicious mess that had been made and slammed his dick into Lando one last time before spilling his own.

For a moment the clearing was silent except for the heavy breathing from all the exertion but then a slow clap started and Max, Charles and Carlos stepped out from the trees.

“Please don’t make me run again,” you panted from where you were sitting on Lewis’ lap, a sheen of sweat coating your skin. “I can’t feel my legs.”

“You’re welcome,” Lewis chuckled low in your ear.

“Luckily, the villa is just through those trees,” Max said as he pointed behind you and sure enough there were lights when you looked properly. “You, my little rabbit, have earned a bit of recovery time. After all, we have all night.”

Click here for part four.

Tagging: @slytherheign @alwaysclassyeagle @godess-of-mist @leahstf @mydutchproblem

[strawberry-lemonade-kisses]

Tags - Dragon! Kyojuro, Fem Reader, PIV, Porn with Plot, Blood, marking, slut shaming? details of body transformation, lewd comments, cursing

WC - 19,380

Divider by /Cafekitsune

An illness, that’s what they had said, killed a large part of the dragons. But the eyes in the room knew differently, the fire in the gazes of the dragons told a different story. Anger, Despair, Unnerve. Every emotion was directed at you, and it felt suffocating, but you were prepared for that. As one of the surviving members of the royal bloodline it was your marriage and sacrifice that would ensure the dragons wouldn’t go back on the treaty that had been signed. They would help the kingdom of Ravenhill with expanding into the mountains, help with flattening the land and defending the people who moved out of the inner city for the next 100 years. In exchange the kingdom of Ravenhill guaranteed the safety and protection of the beaches and cliffs that the dragons resided in, digging deep burrows and overtaking caves, Even forming homes under the water. Though the treaty was signed by the former king and queen, your aunt and uncle, it was up to you and your siblings to make sure it would be followed through.

“Do you Princess Y/N of kingdom Ravenhill take King Kyojuro to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?” Breaking from your thoughts you looked up at the man whose hands held your own, the unblinking multicolored eyes that watched you every move. Atop his head sat two long black horns, the tips looked like they had been dipped in blood, like his blond hair that faded into red. gold chains wove between the horns decorated with jewels and stamped gold to look like leaves. This was what you assumed their crowns looked like. He was different, not particularly unlike yourself, but the wings he had tried to tuck into his back and the sharp point of his teeth that stick out even when he isn’t smiling was a reminder that this wasn’t love. This was you doing your duty, ensuring the happiness and success of the dragons.

“I do” You smiled, practiced, and poised, the picture of elegance in your wedding attire. Though the corset was too tight, your ribs begging for relief and your breasts threatening to bust the top it was a beautiful garment, off the shoulder chiffon sleeves that fell almost to your knees, the tulle skirt that trailed to the first seats of guests and the red sash that was tied in a neat bow along your hips.

“And do you King Kyojuro of the Ashra kingdom take Princess Y/N to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?”

“I do” The small smile given to you by your soon-to-be husband made you nervous, but you swallowed that down, there was no chance of you running or people would be killed. Going back on a treaty as big as this that had already cost the dragon kingdom so much would no doubt be the end of Ravenhill. You continued to assess the man in front of you, He was ginormous, much like the rest of the dragons, all tall and bulky, Even the women had curves and muscle that was unfamiliar in your kingdom. You had no doubt it was part of the dragon in them, the muscles not familiar to the human body condensed into their much smaller forms. Though you had guessed he stood at 6 foot he was one of the shorter of the 9 that ran the dragon kingdom. Their land was extensive, and the different abilities made them that much stronger. King Kyojuro was the Flame Dragon. Though rumor had it that he was so much more than that, Lava was rumored to be a secret of his, but you hadn’t seen or spoken to anyone who could confirm that.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss your bride” the warmth of Kyojuro’s hands left your own, coming to cup your cheeks, though it felt like if he squeezed his hands would crush your skull. The kiss was quick, just a gentle press of his lips upon your own but the care he put into his was understood. He was careful about his teeth, trying not to smile into the kiss or show any teeth. His hands were shaking as he stepped back, taking hold of one of your hands as he bowed to all the guests, the applause of everyone followed the two of you as you left the castles chapel, being led straight to the honeymoon suite by your sister and his own sister. Her pink and green hair had been braided and wrapped into a makeshift crown atop her head, Between the white horns that sat in her hair were flowers, adding to the whimsy of her overall look. She was one of the nine kings and queens of their kingdom, although she stood not much taller than yourself the muscles in her back were enough to keep you hesitant. Your sister didn’t seem to get that message, chatting away as they led you to the honeymoon suite.

“You will love Tengen he is a wonderful man, and though he is loud it is only his nature. Plus, he has such a good eye for treasure, if you are lucky, he will take you on a ride to the northern isles where the audial dragons go to practice, and he had such a large collection of- “

“-Mitsuri, that is enough. Please. I understand that you are excited, but you need to remember that there is a duty first.” The female dragon deflated, her head dropping to look at her feet as she continued walking.

“I understand we are all here for marriages of convenience, to continue the Ashra kingdom’s lines and help the dragons repopulate after the” Your sister paused, trying to find the right wording “Unfortunate demise of many of your people. But surely there can be happiness in these marriages. We are the heads of our kingdoms and our lines now. We can have babies but that shouldn’t stop us from being happy.” The walk was silent besides the clack of heels and rustling of clothes. Your marriage was the beginning of the alliance with the dragons. You would marry Kyojuro, your sister would marry the Audial dragon Tengen, and Your eldest brother would marry the Poison dragon Shinobu. This was to help strengthen the bonds between the kingdoms but also begin to replace the dragons lost due to the rockslides in the mountains. It was a freak accident one no one could have predicted, but people had paid for it. Not only did it kill the former king and queen of Raven hill, but it killed 86 dragons, Including a few of the cherished dragon elders.

“I am sorry Mitsuri, I do not mean to snap” Mitsuri turned back to you and your new husband shining a bright smile at Kyojuro.

“I understand, there is a lot of pressure. Neither of us have large kingdoms and now is the time we need to join together, but we have time. I don’t think we can rush this, especially when stress destroys the mating ritual, and your stress will get you nowhere. Cool the hot head before I bring Mui to your honeymoon home.” Kyojuro released what you assumed was a chuckle, but it was just a deep rumbling in his chest. There was a lot to learn about your new husband. Thankfully the honeymoon is scheduled to last two weeks, enough time to get to know each other.

The honeymoon home was a small bungalow in the back gardens of the castle, overlooking a pond. Though it was supposed to be the home of a married royal for the first year of their marriage to provide them privacy, it would be your home for only two weeks before you would move into the Ashra kingdom with your husband.

“I know it’s been a long day already, but would you like to join me in the study? I would like to get to know you some more. I feel our previous meetings have been very quick and I’m afraid I don’t know much about the dragons and um, the thing your sister had mentioned earlier.” Kyojuro was shedding the outer part of his robes, the black fabric sliding off his shoulders, revealing lighter clothing, a thin gray silk shirt that left nothing to imagination. The fabric was very see through, revealing each scale and muscle around his torso.

“Apologies, I run hot, and all of this becomes too much.” He placed a light cape over his shoulders, covering his shoulders and landing above the grooves of his wings, still tucked into him. Although the bungalow was bigger, he seemed to take up most of the bedroom, you worried he wouldn’t fit in the bed. “I would enjoy some talking, I am done with all of this business today, seems never-ending.” He huffed, a small puff of smoke escaping his nose as he turned to the bed, folding the robes he had shed.

The two of you sat in different seats, you on the Chaise and your husband in a recliner. There was a thick silence as you tried to think of where to start. You knew virtually nothing about your husband besides his first and last name and which dragon he was.

“Your weddings are quite different than what I am used to, in our kingdom it is an exchanging of our scales. The scales on our chests are the hardest and rarest. Back when dragons were hunted, they would take the scales from our chest and add them to armor or even crush it and mix it into the walls of your buildings. I don’t know if it did anything for the buildings, but the armor is very sought after. The exchange though is a trust, it takes many years to regrow one of those scales so to give it to someone is a vow and a vulnerability to that person. Your weddings are just words that are very breakable.”

“I do not have scales to give you, I feel the closest thing would be my skin and I need that, maybe blood? The life force?” Kyojuro laughed at your notion.

“That is precious, no I will not ask for your blood, or your skin. I simply ask for a good life, and of course some children“ The main reason you were here felt like a slap in the face. You had forgotten about the weight of babies hanging over your head.

“Of course. Babies are first, which is why I really wanted to talk. Your sister mentioned a mating ritual. Um, what is that? Is it like the birds where you must create a nest of pebbles and shiny objects to impress me? I don’t have to like” You stopped, trying to figure out how to put this eloquently. “Do I have to lay eggs?” Kyojuro sat silently, the shock on his face evident as he stared with widened orange faded eyes.

“Goodness no! Eggs?! Do I look like I hatched from an egg?”

“Not necessarily, but you must understand where I come from. You turn into a dragon at will. I do not think my body can handle birthing a dragon, I may die.” The serious look on your face had Kyojuro holding back chuckles.

“I do not plan on killing you with my children. Our children will come out human, maybe a bit on the bigger side but human. The first change usually happens around 8 years of age. With the biggest growth spurt but it can happen at any age after a year. The powers don’t develop until puberty thank goodness, we have time to fireproof things.”

“And lava?”

“Lava? Is that still going around?” Kyojuro sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knee. “I do not produce lava like you have been told. It was an act of playing between the stone dragon and me. We wanted to see what would happen if we were to mix the two. A very similar thing happened with the audial dragon and the void dragon. Also, please understand we are not siblings, all nine of us. We are the strongest in our respective powers, we work well together, and we can lead together. Siblings by nature, not blood.” That cleared quite a lot up. Your home wouldn’t be melted by baby dragons and maybe you won’t burn alive before birth. “To answer your other question since you seem curious, the mating ritual happens in dragon form” Your eyes bulged at the thought, dragon form, the big one, the size of his head was more than likely bigger than your entire body. You would die, your husband would kill you. “It is not like that. I can see your thoughts spinning from here. It is a bonding even deeper than our marriages. We simply mark our partner, choose them and show others that they are yours. At the same time the mating ritual once it is sealed is when we are at our most fertile. I’m sure it can be done in this form it’s just a use of our powers mainly, some just have better control in dragon form, like the stone dragon.” He sat back “Any other questions? Or may I ask some?”

“No please, I’m so sorry. Ask away, I didn’t mean to interrogate you for all your secrets.” He let out a jovial laugh, throwing his head back in the chair.

“You are quite a joy to speak to, not very royal as the former King and queen of Ravenhill.” Your aunt and uncle, the only parents you truly knew. Grief was a funny thing, with everything going on you didn’t have time to process the fact that they were truly lost, never to return. You wouldn’t see your uncle fling peas with his spoon at your brother, you wouldn’t listen to the story of their first meeting, an arraigned marriage between a viscounts daughter and the crown prince. You wouldn’t hear ‘I love you’ come from the painted lips of your aunt and a brief grunt that said the same from your uncle. Sitting here, finally getting to think. It hurt.

“I’m sorry, for the loss. I know some of our people have put the blame on the Raven’s, but it was an accident no one could have seen coming and you have lost cherished ones as well.” His eyes were sincere as he looked down at you in the chaise, surely your face gave away your thoughts, or could he read you so easily already?

“I’m sorry for your people’s loss as well, if we didn’t want to expand, we could have saved everyone. Maybe the kingdom is selfish” Kyojuro shook his head, reaching across the divide to grab your hand.

“Our kingdoms both want better for our people, it’s why we made the treaty. Between the nine of us and the three of you, I think we can do it.” You nodded.

Evening came as you talked, joked a bit and tried to untangle the chains among Kyojuro’s horns. You tried until your lady in waiting arrived with a cart of your dinner, expressing after you eat that she had to take your wedding dress back to the castle for your sister. Dinner was a quieter affair, The two of you simply enjoying the spread of delicious fruits, meats, soups, and even desserts. It was a lavish spread, one that was too much even for your dragon husband. As he sat and digested you excused yourself to the hot springs not far from the bungalow, wanting a nice soak to get all of the perfumes and powders off of you. A cove tucked away from prying eyes and a sense of solitude.

The water was a haven, an escape from all the recent stress and an opportunity to think about where you were at. Married at such a young age, now officially a Queen, and within a few years you would be a mother. Things were changing at such a rapid pace you didn’t know how to really feel about it all. Ruling was never in your cards, your aunt and uncle were still young, closer to your age than your deceased parents. You and your siblings were never to rule, only to run projects and deal with the lords and ladies of the court. As the adopted children of the king and queen your brother alexander as the oldest was to take over, but the transfer of power was split to make up for the deaths and instability in the Ashra kingdom, you could all deal with things differently. You were the youngest, only a year younger than your sister Diane. Your wedding was already set in stone before the accident, an official partnership between the two kingdoms. Rengoku Kyojuro, the Flame dragon, your new husband. He wasn’t what you had expected. He was kind, he cared deeply for the people around him, even strangers such as yourself. Now you felt like new friends, knowing each other a little more and even having the experience of trying to figure out the chains that wove around his horns. The failed endeavor brought much laughter and gave you a sense of normalcy. This wasn’t a marriage built on love, but it didn’t have to be miserable.

“Do you mind if I join?” Your thoughts dissipated as a voice joined you. Looking up from the water you were greeted with Kyojuro, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t look away. The scales and skin that covered his body were a depiction of art. It was all protection, but it was something unseen to yourself. His body was carved, each muscle accented with scales, like decoration for his hard work. The reflection of the red scales shone on the water as he stepped into the springs. You finally looked away, clearing your throat to distract yourself from wandering too far. “I was told I would find you here. I’m sorry to interrupt” He was already steps away from you, gazing down at the bits of skin he could see in the water. “Sort of” the relaxed tone gave you chills as you tried to avoid his eyes, looking at the basket of shampoos, soaps, and various other bath remedies.

“I believe I saw some Oils that relax the body. Excuse me” any excuse to get away from your husband who was carved by the gods and given to you on a silver platter was a good excuse. You were terrified, He was very attractive but what if he crushed you? A glorious death no doubt, but still embarrassing. A hand on your elbow stopped you from getting far. He was crowded behind you, bare chest against your back as you stared ahead, shocked at his speed. He was warm against your back, soft hands caressing the skin of your stomach, not wandering far but keeping you against him. Keeping you aware of him.

“When they announced a marriage would need to be made between our kingdoms, I was hesitant but out of the nine of us I was voted as the best candidate. Something deep down told me it would be good, The marriage, the bride. They didn’t, however, tell me how stunning my bride would be, how easygoing and funny she would be” He was next to your ear as he spoke lowly, lips teasing the shell of your ear. “They failed to inform me of how soft she would be” His words ended with a kiss under your ear. “How” another kiss “Appetizing, she would be” His hand on your stomach was hard to ignore paired with his words, the vibrato of his voice sent shivers down your spine, delight igniting along your entire body.

“Kyojuro I- “

“Husband. I’m your husband now.” You turned your head, looking at him over your shoulder. Hungry, that’s how he stared at you, like he was a man starved for weeks and you were a buffet. HIs eyes held a darkness that lit a fire in you, ready to drop everything for him.

“My husband” You stopped, watching his eyes flutter shut and a purr like noise rumble in his chest. “I enjoyed getting to know you tonight, I would like to get to know you more, but I’d prefer it somewhere, softer perhaps?” You spun in his arms, fully facing him. Your chest against his chest as your fingers raised to rest on his chest. His muscles flexed under your touch. You were a conductor leading a symphony on his body.

“I know a place, meet me outside the springs, please.” The grin on his face excited you, but it made your stomach flutter, nerves igniting as he quickly made his way out of the water, forgoing a towel or any type of cover to hide his nudity.

The robe you had brought was a perfect cover against the cool night air as you made your way out of the cove. Greeting you outside the entrance was something you never would have expected to come upon. The large head of a red dragon staring you down like its next meal. You yelped in surprise causing it to flinch before looking back at you. The orange ombre of its eyes told you all you needed to know. Your new husband in his full glory. He dropped his head, letting it rest on the ground in invitation. You hesitated, seeing the fang stick out from his lips and feeling the hot breath with each exhale he takes. He rumbled, displeased with your hesitancy. You raised a careful hand, placing it among the rad scales that decorated his maw. He was warm to the touch, like a space heater, almost too hot.

“What are you doing?” He grumbled again, a long leg moving towards you, the claw landing near your foot as he glanced down then back at you, an invitation. “Are we going somewhere?” another noise of annoyance with all your questions. You nodded, he wanted you to climb up, you were going somewhere softer, warmer, just like he said. Climbing onto a huge dragon was a struggle, but Kyojuro was patient, moving his shoulders to hoist you further until you were sat between his shoulder blades, gripping onto one of the black trimmed spikes protruding from his back. You held on for dear life as he moved, slowly at first as he picked himself up from the ground and walked further into a clearing. There was a pause in his movement before he crouched then leapt, taking to the skies in seconds. The wind left you breathless, your eyes burning with the speed and force of it. Kyojuro was quick to level off, gliding through the skies as you tried to keep your eyes shut, face down on his back.

“Kyojuro!” You screamed in terror as he started to dive after a few minutes of easy gliding, nothing exciting until now. The wind was unforgiving, and you could feel your fingers slipping against the force of it. Your thighs squeezed against the dragon, trying to use your whole body to hold on and not plummet to your death. After what seemed like forever he eased up. You could feel the jolt of his body as he hit the ground, scales shuddering against your body, and he flopped. Once he stopped moving you looked up, making sure you were on the ground and not weightless, falling to your death. You felt like kissing the ground while you slid off his back, careful with your steps so you didn’t hurt him. Your legs felt like jelly against the ground causing you to stumble before ultimately falling onto your knees. You huffed accepting your fate as you sat back onto your knees, eyes shutting as you took in the smell of nature.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Kyojuro broke your concentration with his voice. “Found this field on a flight with the others, been visiting as preparations have been made. Somehow, I knew you would look beautiful in this field, among these flowers.” You took the time to look at your surroundings, take in the setting sun and the miles of flora. It was a storybook field, The blossoms in full bloom leading to a rainbow of color. It was a breathtaking sight. “Under the moonlight the flowers seem to glow, would you like to see that?” He sounded so close, but you dared not turn around, you knew what was going to happen. It terrified you as much as it excited you.

“Kyojuro. I would really like to see that” Your voice was soft. There was a hum, close enough to you that your hair stood on end. Hands gripped at your waist before you felt him press himself against you, like a raging inferno against your back, even through the robe he felt hot.

“Then I’ll have to keep you here for a while, won’t I?” Moving from your waist to your chin his hand turned you to face him. His face was flushed, hair windswept like he was the one flying and not the dragon version of him. You weren’t sure what his transformation looked like but that thought passed as quickly as it came. His breath still smelled like the chocolate mousse you dined on for dessert, rich, dark, and seductive as he leaned in. Your eyes fluttered shut as he grew closer, anticipation causing you to lean up, wanting to feel him. His lips were cautious against your, soft and slow as he got used to the feeling of your lips against his. He dared not press into you until you asked or made the move yourself. You turned fully into your husband, arms wrapping around his neck as you rose to your knees, pulling him against your body. That movement broke any restraint he had on himself. He pulled you impossibly closer, hands holding onto you by the string of your robe, teasing with the opening of the robe. He kissed like a man Who had never felt the touch of love before, like he had never wanted something more in his life. It was rough, wet, and the occasional graze of his teeth against your lip was a reminder of just who you were dealing with. His kisses moved from your lips, to your chin and along your jaw. His hands were moving you just so he could get to you, exactly how he wanted you. One hand holding your jaw and the other untying your robe.

“Kyojuro” You were breathless as he moved down your neck, He groaned into your neck before pulling away. He was breathing heavily, pupils blown as he looked down at you. His palm held your cheek carefully. You were slow as you sat back, removing the tie of your robe, and pushing it off your shoulders. Kyojuro’s eyes did not leave you as each inch of skin was revealed to his eyes.

“My queen” His wings shifted behind him, rustling like a shiver ran through them. Once you were fully bare you looked up, meeting the eyes of your husband.

“My king” His eyes shut, a groan rippling from his throat like the words themselves gave him pleasure. You took the chance to admire the work of art in front of you, his bronzed skin decorated with flaming red scales, some that looked like they were dipped in ink, the tips darker than the void dragons flames. He was strong, his body shaped like a warrior, scars were scarce, but they still existed like the one on his chest. It looked like a bomb had hit him, like a piece of his chest had been taken out and healed over. Your hands didn’t stop as they wandered the plane of his pecs, grazing over the scales that lined his sides and decorated his abdomen. You leaned forward, lips parting as you kissed the healed skin over his chest, looking up to meet the eyes of your husband as he cupped your cheek again. There were no words, but all feelings were understood as you rose to meet his kiss again, lips parting for him. He moved forward, body crowding yours as you moved back to lean on your elbows, laid out under him on the silk of your robe. His lips did not leave yours, his hands wandering your body. He left goosebumps in his wake, body igniting with heat. You were sure you were soaking the robe underneath you as his hands wandered your body. His own excitement was more noticeable as he pressed against you, hardened cock pulling a gasp from you as he ground against your soaked folds. He pulled away, huffing for breath as he looked down at you. Cautious hands moved the hair out of your face as you huffed a breath, he was so sexy and intimidating but hadn’t failed to be kind and gentlemanly. Just in a day you had seen many sides to this man, and you were already excited for many more. His head dove to your neck, littering kisses along your collar bone before he trailed lower, slowly he kissed down your body. His lips stopped between your breasts, lavishing each mound in kisses, making sure every inch was touched by his lips. As your breath grew heavier his lips moved faster. He looked up at your flushed face as he gave a tentative lick to your left nipple, his longer tongue making an exaggerated flick against the hardened bud.

“Ah, Kyo” You gasped, he grinned at the noise mimicking the motion before he wrapped his lips around you, sucking and licking at the bud. Moans and gasped spilled out of you as she showed your other breast the same attention, humming in pleasure as you enjoyed it. With a resound pop he pulled away from your chest, spit covering his chin. You smiled back as he shuffled down your body, teeth nipping at the skin of your hips as he got closer, wide shoulders Pushing your thighs further apart so he could fit between them. His lips did not stop moving, trailing down your thighs and moving in closer to where you wanted him most. He paused, letting you whine in anticipation before he dove in. His tongue laved at your pussy like he was drinking from the fountain of youth, slurping, and groaning like it was the finest thing he had tasted. His tongue flicked at your clit, teasing and toying before he flattened his tongue and licked from bottom to top. The stimulation had you singing praises, thighs trembling as he strummed your pleasure like an instrument. Your hands gripped at your own skin, dancing between the meat of your thighs and your hips, unsure where to go but needing some grounding. Kyojuro did not stop his ministrations as he removed one of his hands from your thighs, raising it to your stomach as invitation for you to hold onto. You did not hesitate, gripping onto his hand like a lifeline as he continued to feast on you, stringing you higher until you were nearly breathless. He pulled away, heaving for breath. He looked up, moving your hand that held his to the black horns that stuck out of his hair.

“Hold on to me” He breathed, giving you moments to grab onto him before he went back to work. With both of his hands free he pulled apart your folds, admiring the mixture of his saliva and your pleasure. His other hand teased your hole, circling it, coating his fingertips in slick before he inserted one finger, watching your face as you gasped. He lavished you in praise, whispering comfort into you as he pumped his finger into you, it was not long before he added another, watching your back arch off the robe. He didn’t stop, continuing his pace as he added his tongue, licking and sucking your clit. You couldn’t control your moans if you wanted to gripping onto Kyojuro’s horns like you would float away without it. Your orgasm was rolling to a peak faster than you could comprehend, so much stimulation in such a short amount of time. You squeaked, trying to announce your orgasm to him but that didn’t stop him. His tongue did not stop nor did his fingers, if anything they moved faster, desperate to have you cum on him. You came with a sharp cry, almost a scream as you clenched around the man’s fingers. He slowed his ministrations before pulling out his fingers, not stopping his tongue until he had convince himself you were cleaned up. You shook with the overstimulation, Thighs vibrating against his shoulders. Kyojuro sat back on his heels, Chin soaked in your essence and the biggest grin on his face, all sharp teeth and pride. His hands rubbed soothing circles in your hip, trying to provide comfort while you came back to earth, the after-orgasm fog lifting from your brain.

“You are the most magnificent woman I have ever met in my life.” You gave him an exhausted smile, accepting his hand as he helped you sit up. You couldn’t ignore his hardened cock as you sat so close, it bobbed with each breath he took, red tip almost angry with how turned on he was. It glistened with pre-cum, shiny and tantalizing. You moved without a word, fingers wrapping around the base of his cock. He hissed a breath, Wings fanning out behind him. You paused, admiring the sight before you, the setting sun shining on him like a gift of the heavens, coating him in gold lighting. His wings were the same color as his scales, Glistening in the light. He was like a god, offering himself to you and you didn’t hesitate to take him. Your hand wrapped snuggly around his girth. He wasn’t as long as you had imagined but his girth made up for it, thick and heavy against your palm. You dragged your hand up his cock, Thumbing the tip. You spread the pre along his head, dipping your head to lick up the extra. Kyojuro shuddered above you as you gave kitten licks to the head. Your hand continued to stroke him as you teased the head of his cock.

“Please” He whined grabbing the hand that stroked his cock. “I will not last like this. Please, let me” you removed your hand, sitting back up as he tried to compose himself, taking deep breaths and folding his wings against his back. You reclined on the Robe, spread like a dessert buffet ready for a man with a sweet tooth.

“My queen”

“My king” you smiled as he climbed over you, hovering above you with a wicked grin plastered on his face, still shining from earlier mess.

“Is this okay?” You nodded, looping your arms around his shoulders to pull him closer, giving him a quick kiss.

“Yes, Please Kyojuro” He gave you a quick kiss, looking down so he could adjust. You widened your thighs, giving him room as he aligned his cock with you. He looked at you once again, waiting for you to nod before he pushed in. Slowly he entered, giving shallow thrusts aas you gasped. You knew he was thick, but his cock felt huge inside of you, every vein, every bump could be felt as he went deeper with each thrust. The noise from both your bodies sounded filthy. You were thankful to be alone because the clap of your skin as he thrust himself to the hilt was sinful. You moaned as he pulled out, quickly gaining a steady rhythm as he worked. He was sweating above you, soft grunt leaving his lips and he occasionally bent down to kiss you.

“So good” he praised, grabbing the flesh of your hips so he could rock into you a bit harder. Your moans increased with his added pressure, his praise and his touch. Once again it felt like somehow, he had known you better than you knew yourself, he played your body like a fiddle and there was nothing you could do but take it. Your orgasm rose with the pass of his thumb over your clit, lips attaching themselves to your collar as he mumbled more praise into your skin.

“So pretty, so tight. Not gonna last” he was mindless as he spoke, lost in the heat of you and the feel of what was too soon to be love but felt quite similar.

“Kyojuro” you begged, gripping onto his back, nails grazing the skin of his wings. The appendages fanned out as you scratched at his back, begging for more but crying out too much. It wasn’t long before Kyojuro let out a deep rumbled, hips thrusting shallowly as he panted above you. Your orgasm washed over with his slow thrusts, thumb drawing circles in your clit to ignite that fire in you. You came with a low moan, taking Kyojuro’s mouth against your own so you could taste him while you experience such ecstasy. As you came down from your high Kyojuro slowly pulled out, grimacing at the mess he made before flopping next to you. He gave you a sleepy smile as you turned to face him, trying to ignore the cum you could feel dripping out of you.

“I Fear we may have already gotten you pregnant” he tried to joke, pushing the sweaty hair out of his forehead as he tried to catch his breath.

“I don’t know. We may have to try a few more times.” His eyes widened, already winded at the thought of going again.

“You sweet minx, you shall be the death of me” He laughed, pulling you into his arms, placing a kiss on your sweaty forehead.

You woke up with a start, sitting up in alarm as you looked around you. Miles upon miles of flowers spread around you, reminding you that yesterday and last night was not a dream. The soreness you felt in your hips and the bruises around your body were another reminder. Your husband was fast asleep next to you, scaled arm still wrapped around your middle as he snored, deep rumbles of sleep trapped in his chest. It Had to be early morning, the sun was barely over the horizon, still rubbing the sleep from its eyes but waking the world up anyways. You embraced it, the natural warmth, the beautiful surroundings, it was a perfect morning. You took the scenery and the quiet of your morning to admire who you woke up next to, the man you got to call your husband from now until the end of time. You felt lucky, Kyojuro was nothing short of the perfect man. He was kind, funny, adventurous, he knew his duties and wasn’t afraid to speak for what he wanted, he didn’t seem to shy away from the hard stuff and he had treated you like a piece of fine jewelry, with all the care in the world. Even after one full day together you decided this could be a happy marriage, you might even be able to fall in love. Not to mention he was the picture of beauty, a child of the sun. His golden hair that landed near his lower back, the tips dipped in red, similar to the curved horns on his head, the black dipped in red. It wasn’t as shiny as the scales that covered most of him, but it was beautiful all the same. The focal point was his wings though, large and menacing you’re sure he could scare someone even in human form, but last night he looked like an angel, sent for you. Your fingers were soft and careful as they traced the scales on his chest, protecting his heart and vital organs. He was incredible, does he need to wear armor? Were the women like this? You were curious but not enough to ask, surely there were books on it. The castle may have some history books on the Ashra kingdom and its people, maybe you could learn some on your own instead of asking Kyojuro all the questions. He seemed more than happy to answer your curiosity but that would get annoying at some point, wouldn’t it? Plus, maybe there was an alternative for his mating ritual, you couldn’t possibly be the first human to bed a dragon, not when they shone like this. All of them were beautiful so that it seemed impossible for you to be the first.

“What’re you doing?” you jumped at the grumble from your husband. Kyojuro looked like a kitten who was woken up from a very deep slumber, his eyes barely open as he scratched his scalp, trying to smooth some of his hair down.

“Enjoying the morning, It’s even prettier in the morning light.” His eyes were wider, more aware as he looked at you up and down, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Yes, it is prettier. I think I like the view in the morning a little bit more.” Kyojuro’s eyes held mischief as you matched his smile. He was leaning on his elbows, one leg propped up, the robe laid like a blanket over both of your laps. He truly was a piece of art.

“Lay with me” It was a small ask that you couldn’t deny. At some point in the night he had moved one of his wings under you, acting as a protector, or a pillow if your head wasn’t already resting on his chest.

“Does this hurt? Me laying on your wings?” The skin of his wings wasn’t what you expected, a peach fuzz protected most of it, the same red as his scales. His body was a huge mystery, and you were excited to learn all you could.

“Not at all. It’s like you laying on my arm, it essentially is an arm. I can move and flex it like any other limb.” He accented his answer by flexing his wing. You could feel every muscle move under you.

“Your body is so interesting to me.” He made a noise of response.

“You act as if the human body isn’t interesting. You are very resilient. I don’t know how you survive without the ability of flight. Horses are nice and all that but rather inconvenient, they do not keep stamina like a dragon” You huffed, your body aching was a reminder of that stamina.

“I’ve been thinking since we are going t-“A screech unlike any you had heard before interrupted you, making you jump up. Kyojuro seemed unperturbed by the noise as he looked up. His wing acted as a shield, hiding you from sight as you heard the harsh flapping of wings cutting through the air. The ground shook as multiple pairs of feet landed on the ground. You were staring at Kyojuro who looked over his wing, eyes narrowed.

“I should have known they would send you two” His voice was deep, almost threatening as he spoke.

“Don’t play dumb Kyojuro, is that the Raven princess?” You peeked over the edge of Kyojuro’s wings at the new arrivals. You wish you could remember their names but there was little time to converse with the dragon king and queens. You could recognized royalty though, the straight postures, the sharp eyes. 2 of the kings had arrived, each different rulers of territory within the kingdom but they worked well. The taller one was pretty, his white hair was longer than Kyojuro’s, decorated in jewels and multiple braids through it. His deep violet eyes were watching you.

“You idiots. How could you disappear on your wedding night? The Raven siblings are going crazy with worry. You are the first royal multi-racial couple, and you pull something like this?” The shorter male was quick with his words, the disappointment and anger in his voice evident. “You are lucky I was here, or the treaty would have fallen through thanks to this stunt. No one can track like me, and you know that, although something tells me your dick doesn’t by the smell. Fucking disgusting, you were given a home away from the castle for that not a fucking field like peasants.” The onslaught of colorful words did not stop until he was finished. His bi-colored eyes looked between you and Kyojuro, a sign you were both in the shit.

“Are you decent?” The taller male spoke. Kyojuro looked at you, bare body marked with bruises and red with embarrassment. He was in a similar state.

“no. my queen has a robe but I did not prepare clothing” You could hear the beginning of another colorful tirade before it was interrupted the slip of the tongue as he switched to the ancient Draconish tongue, cursing Kyojuro out without you understanding, Tengen stepped in, nudging the shorter male before a silent conversation happened between the two men standing before you. The shorter male walked off, further into the field where you finally witnessed the transformation. It looked painful, the extension of his limbs, elongating his body and growing over 10X his size. Before you was the one most feared, the Void dragon. The ombre of scales that started black at the top and were white at the tips of his feet and stomach was beauty itself. There was fear in your admiration as he turned and eyes the two of you. The ventilating scales on the sides of his neck flaring with a deep purple color. He released a huff before taking off, obviously annoyed as you watched void flames eat a hole in the clouds before he disappeared.

“Apologies. His lack of sight in such an unfamiliar territory makes him uneasy, let alone the hunt we’ve been on this morning. If you could put your robe on, Kyojuro you may take one of my layers.” He was shedding the outermost coat of his off before he was finished speaking. The long black trench coat that shone purple at the right angle was dangling off the tips of his fingers. “You will fly ahead of me to the castle. There are outfits awaiting you on the bed of your honeymoon home. Change quickly while I am outside, I will barge in if you take too long. There is a meeting to be had.” He wasted no time, turning around and holding the coat out. You took that as your chance to dress yourself, removing the robe from yours and Kyojuro’s laps. He kept a wing covering you as you stood, putting the robe on and tying it tight. Kyojuro’s smile was tight, the corners of his lips not fully lifting as he strode to the other king, taking the robe and covering himself. Tension was thick as Kyojuro walked out into the field, not even done walking before he was shifting, the scales on his body stretching into the beautiful beast who has done nothing but kept you safe.

“After you”

Landing the second time was much smoother now that you knew what to expect. The effect on your body was still the same. You sat in the grass staring at the honeymoon home while your body shook with adrenaline.

“Tengen said we have about 10 minutes, would you like me to carry you?” Words didn’t come to you, moving silently to get up, taking the hand Kyojuro offered and following him to your temporary home. The clothes laid out were nothing too extraordinary, it was summer, so the clothes were lighter, more breathable. Kyojuro came out in white slacks, a red button down and a formal vest embroidered with his kingdoms emblem. Your dress was red to match, the half sleeves and bodice were thin, almost see through but the black corset covered anything that shouldn’t be seen by others.

“Beautiful. I’m sorry for the way Obanai was. He hates it here, too Many smells. Gyomei has some weird connection with the earth so he can see outlines of things but like all other void dragons, Obanai hasn’t had eyesight since he was a kid. Thankfully they sent Tengen with him, somehow, he always calms Obanai down.” You nodded, Tengen, the audial dragon king. Your future brother-in-law. Supposedly he is a menace on the battlefield, the sound barriers he has broken and skulls he has shattered are almost equal. That’s who stood outside your door. It made sense, based on Mitsuri’s chatter about the Audial dragon he seemed to be the biggest hoarder out of all of them. It was a well-known fact that the dragon people enjoyed collecting fine things, it’s how their kingdom flourished, they had a keen sense for treasures

“I understand, there is a reason the Void dragons aren’t often seen outside of your kingdom. Is there anything we can do to make it more comfortable for him here? Everyone will be here for a few months while the transfer of power and the weddings happen, plus we have to be crowned before going back to your kingdom.” Kyojuro nodded.

“That is very kind of you, if this meeting has a moment where we aren’t being chewed out perhaps, we shall ask how to remedy and make things comfortable here. You’ve done great with Muichiro and Giyu. I truly don’t think I’ve seen them besides in the seats at the wedding.”

“I think I saw a tail in the lake when I was going to the springs.” You recalled the slim object, flicking water around. “Can I ask though. That’s the first time I’ve heard Draconish. How would I learn something that complex?” The sound of Obanai’s curses made it sound like he was hissing, a slur of words and noises.

“Your human vocal cords aren’t made for it actually. Theres a level of vibration needed to speak it. Thankfully there Is an enchanter in our kingdom who does specifically that. I am not sure the specifics of what he does but he alters the brain to give you the knowledge and understanding to speak it or something. His name is Murata, he’s good. Really good as a medicine man or doctor” Kyojuro smiled. Holding his arm out for you to take.

Tengen was quiet as he walked with you guys to the castle, heading in the direction of the ‘war room’ although it hadn’t been used for war in decades it was used for meetings between royalty and visitors. The room was full as you walked in. Your siblings sat together, arms crossed and eyes pinched. You could see the disappointment on their faces. The dragons were all quiet, Mitsuri shuffling uncomfortably in her seat. all eyes were on the three of you as you took your seats.

The tension in the air was thick, no one quite sure where to start, Obanai kept his head down but his clenched fists atop the table told you what you needed to know.

“Where were you?” Your brother was the first to speak, his posture lax but you could see his anger clear as day, one leg crossed over the other, leaning on his side as he glared between you and your new husband.

“Kyojuro and I found a field to enjoy the sunset. We ended up falling asleep, it was purely accidental.” You spoke up, knowing to just admit your fault than argue with your brother.

“And I am to believe that? Your wedding night and you two disappear without telling anyone, not even Sasha.” You flinched at the name of your lady in waiting, you hoped she hadn’t been punished for your lack of care. You remembered the way she limped in pain last time she was punished. It was a dinner between the dragon elders and your family, she had slipped on a puddle un knowingly left by a water dragon, resulting in a pot of hot tea spilling on your aunts leg. The burns weren’t severe thanks to her many layers. Sasha’s burns were blistered though. You had helped dress the wounds, ignoring her pleas to ignore it, it was her fault. It was a cruel punishment, she still bore the scars but she never spoke ill of your aunt or anyone else. “This wedding was a step towards better days, to help heal from the losses from both of our kingdoms and you pull something as reckless as this? To have sex in the grass? Are you an idiot?”

“Now, Alexander. Understand it was an accident, we didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Alex scoffed, cheeks red with anger as your sister watched on in silence.

“This was childish and reckless, I expect more from you now that we are to be crowned, things like this cannot and will not happen again. No more whorish behavior, you will remain covered unless in your private chambers. I do not care how old you are or that you are the first to wed, there will not be a repeat of this behavior.” The silence that followed your brother's words stung more than the words themselves. You were used to the lack of censorship when it came to him. He was to take over after your aunt and uncle, he was the only one who truly knew how to rule. But the fact your sister sat in silence and did nothing to ease the sting of his insults hurt you a little more. You bowed your head, looking down at the ring that sat on your finger. Even after a marriage and soon a crown, you were still treated like a child.

“I do not recall whorish behavior. I do recall consensual love-making between a married couple. You will not address my wife in such a manner ever again. You may be king soon, but you are not yet. The second she married me she became the queen of Ashra. Remember your place Alexander because you will not be warned again. What we did was reckless and I accept fault. We should have told someone where we were going, let alone come back afterwards, but I will not accept you degrading my wife in front of me and the rest of the royalty in this room, am I clear?” Alexander sat straight, his eyes flicking between you and the hand Kyojuro had placed on your knee while he was speaking.

“Kyojuro, Y/N. Please do not do something like this again. Our families have suffered great loss already, we cannot lose anymore. If you wish to be adventurous, please let someone know. Or just keep it within the castle grounds.” The Poison dragon Shinobu addressed the both of you, the purple hue of her lips menacing as she smiled at you both. You bowed in apology at the gentle reprimand from Shinobu. You would much rather be yelled at by her than Alexander.

“That is not all we have come together for today though. The marriages between Diane and Tengen, followed by Alexander and Shinobu will not have ceremonies, for time’s sake and the good of both kingdoms they will be signing the binding vows and then all shall be moved forward. After your honeymoon is over, Kyojuro and Y/N you will be moved to Ashra where you will stay, Obanai, Muichiro, Sanemi, and Mitsuri will accompany you. Shinobu, Tengen, Diane, and Alexander will stay in Ravenhill along with Giyuu and I while the expansion continues. Y/N, as your marriage contract originally stated you will live permanently in Ashra, you will be given a list prefilled with what is going with you, if you require certain staff of anything please make changes and give it to your lady in waiting. Diane, your wedding dress is being altered into the ceremonial gown needed for the transfer of power and crowning. Since Kyojuro noted earlier Y/N is a queen in our kingdom's eyes she is not needed at the transfer of power, and such will happen before your vows are signed. Is there anything else that needs discussion?” Your mind was spinning with all the sudden changes in plans and your sudden status change that no one bothered to mention. You had officially been queen this whole time which means Kyojuro wasn’t just using that name in the heat of the moment. Your head felt light with all the thoughts spinning around, like a twister in your mind scrambling everything. Gyomei, the eldest of the dragon royals, waited in silence to see if there were any more questions. With a nod the royals stood, your brother and sister still seated and staring you down. Kyojuro led you out of the room with a careful hand on your back.

“Does he usually speak to you like that?” It was the first thing Kyojuro had said since arriving back at the honeymoon home, his eyes didn’t leave you as you looked over the list left for you to review.

“Alexander?” you questioned, even though you knew that’s who he meant. He nodded. “I am the youngest of the Ravens and yet I am still to become queen. I’m sure he is just upset that all his education and studies had been for naught as he must share the kingdom now. It’s okay” Kyojuro didn’t look pleased, his lips pursed in thought as he paced in front of the bed you sat on.

“Do not make excuses for him. He has no right to speak to you like that. You are your own person, a woman of great strength and resilience” You scoffed, embarrassed at him flaming your ego but also that he suddenly knew all of this and seemed convinced it was true

“We have been wed only 24 hours and you know all this about me? You may think me strong but he’s not wrong. I should have been more careful; I should have thought it through before let-“

“Do not listen to him. Do you regret it?” You shook your head, feeling so small under the hurt look Kyojuro gave you. It made you want to hide under the blankets, to wrap them so tight no one could perceive you. “Y/N, I enjoyed making love to you last night. I have enjoyed getting to know you. Have we only known each other for a day? Yes, but we’ve been betrothed for years, since my father was king. I don’t know about you but there aren’t many dragon-human relationships and if I was a human engaged to a dragon, forced to marry him I would have run away at the thought, let alone a dragon king. Our people lead through strength, meaning the nine of us have won our title by a show of strength. But you are moving forward with this marriage with your head held high, by making an effort to get to know me and talk to me like a normal person. Hell’s, you let me bed you on the first night, not even afraid of my wings, teeth, horns, none of that. That is strength, which is resilience and loyalty. You are more than you realize.” Kyojuro had moved to sit on the end of the bed, a hand resting on your knee as he addressed you. He left you speechless. How had he felt about all of this in such a short amount of time, was he feeling the same connection you had felt? There was an ease with him, like he had been in your life forever. Deep down he had been, you had been betrothed for 10 years at this point, a decade you had been promised to each other, you were raised to be his, and for him it was you.

“Kyojuro. Thank you.” His smile wasn’t as bright, not all teeth shining down on you. He patted your thigh, getting up from the bed.

The remainder of your day was spent organizing your list of things to be moved with you. Sasha sat with you as you decided what to bring and what not to bring. Kyojuro sat with you for a while, but he quickly got bored, deciding to go for a flight around the kingdom.

“So, you and the king will be flying ahead. It’s a much quicker flight than it is carriage. We need to pack a week’s worth of clothing for you to go into the kingdom.” Sasha was trying to figure outfits, what to arrive in but also is comfortable to fly in, she was scratching her head as she looked over your vast wardrobe.

“Do you know what the weather is like there?” Sasha looked at you like you had grown another head.

“Your highness, have you not read the books I’ve left out for you?” She pointed back into your bedroom, a frustrated look on her face. “I shall forgive this since I know the past couple of weeks have been a blur for you. Between the accident, funerals, a wedding, AND ESCAPING OVERNIGHT TO HAVE SE-“ you jumped at your maid, covering her mouth as she began giggling. Since the death of the former king and queen Sasha has been more open with her opinions of things, she had become like a confidant, someone you could rely on and a shoulder to cry on.

“I did not escape. We left on our own two feet, well, his back.”

“And you rode back on his front?” You gasped in horror at her brash words.

“Sasha, I am a queen now. It is inappropriate to speak like this” she nodded, turning back to the clothes in front of you. There were a variety of options, separated between color and cut. The warm colors were on the left and it went to cooler colors. Kyojuro had talked extensively of heat earlier in the day, he was the flame dragon Afterall. But maybe that was how he felt? Maybe he lives in cooler temperatures to fight the fact he is always hot.

“We have a little less than two weeks, I shall do some reading on attire and weather patterns for you. We’ll work on clothes later. Go back to your honeymoon, out” She was waving you out, tossing the edge of your dress ahead of you so you would follow. She was giggling as you kicked back at her, playful like you had been sisters arguing over dresses. The thought made your chest ache. You once had been a family like that. After your parents gave you up to your aunt choosing instead to live their lives as they had, off the money of your grandfather, the former viscount. You were still young, only 5 but old enough to remember the shock of being moved from a small cabin on the edge of the kingdom to the largest building you’ve ever seen, a castle. All you had with you was your brother and sister. Diane was 3 years older than you and Alexander was 5 years older. The age gap never mattered because it was the three of you against the world. You had survived off of mere pennies, how hard could royalty be?

“Y/N! there you are! Come, there is something we must show you!” Mitsuri was the first to greet you in the courtyard, immediately pulling you towards the back gardens where the honeymoon home was. “So. Obviously you and Rengoku aren’t the first inter-racial couple. However, you are the first royal inter-racial couple, which means you set a standard. That’s okay though because there is a long history of couples like you and different means it all depends on the couple. Like our mating ritual, did Kyojuro tell you about that?” She was talking a mile a minute, but you were catching up

“He… Mentioned it briefly. He doesn’t know how I would be able to do it” She made a noise

“Exactly, you’re so small and I’m afraid his cock would kill you” Your eyes bugged out at the crass wording. She spoke like she was reading out the daily newsletter. “So, we know how to do that, all the reading is back at the Rengoku home for you two to get down and dirty with. That’s not what were here for though.” She paused her steps right before you stepped into the back gardens. Looking at you she held both of your hands in her own. “This is a wedding present from all eight of us. I know you haven’t had time to spend with all of us yet but hopefully once everything settles and marriages are final, we can spend it together as a family. This should help though.” She was smiling as she let go of your hands, walking into the back.

Sitting by the lakeside, surrounded by small flowers and clovers sat your lone dragon, his head perched above the water as he stared at his own reflection. Was this another ritual that you didn’t know about? Was the old tradition of making sure your marriage was consummated via audience a regular thing in the Ashra kingdom? Obviously, it was consummated in a field before but when he’s in that form? Where did his cock even come from? You couldn’t see anything from across the lake. Mitsuri whistled loud enough that Kyojuro’s head popped up, yellow eyes locking with you. His jaw pulled back in what looked like a smile? A dragon smile that was all sharp teeth and spit.

“Hey! Come on!” Mitsuri yelled, waving over at Kyojuro. He took seconds between leaping in the air to landing in front of you two. His head bowed, entering your personal space with a nudge of his nose.

“Hello! Feeling refreshed after your flight?” There was a huff of hot air in response, blowing your dresses backwards. His jaw slackened, tongue lolling out as he panted. Your husband happened to be a scaley dog, with a lot of saliva.

“So. Kyojuro, turn around please, you can look later.” She was silent as Kyojuro turned around revealing what looked like a harness? The straps were all brown, almost dark enough to blend in with his scales. Mitsuri reached out, gripping one of the large straps. “This is a saddle. Like your horses, but for your husband. Please only use it for flights and nothing else, it was very difficult for us to find. Only 2 leather shops make them in the entire kingdom! Hopefully that changes but it will take time. Here, let me help you up” She guided your feet into the divest in the leather, like a ladder up to a personalized seat. There were straps that kept your thighs and body onto the saddle and a waist strap that will help with stability. “How does it feel? Uncomfortable? Do you think you need some blankets?” You were adjusting the straps around your thighs as Mitsuri talked, trying to fit it to you. “When you’re done come on down and I’ll show you how to take it off and on.”

The remainder of your honeymoon week and a half was spent getting to know your husband in every form. He spent his mornings in bed, sprawled over every inch of it and only making room for you to cuddle up under his arm, surrounded by his wings. Because he was a walking heater you only needed a thin quilt. After a hearty breakfast he went on a flight to stretch his body and work up some energy, sometimes he would take you with him if you were feeling up to it. Flying got easier with time, and it was nicer with the security of the saddle, even if the name made you grimace. The afternoons were spent in the study, you would read, and he would usually have one of the other dragons over to discuss things back home.

“Are you nervous?” Your turned in bed, adjusting the nightdress that had ridden up. Kyojuro’s hands found home on your hips, looking down from where he was perched against his pillow.

“Very. You aren’t often in this form, or your people aren’t, and I don’t want to make people feel forced to do that to interact with me.” He nodded “you are different, you are my husband and unlike a dragon I cannot physically handle you in your other form. Like the wise words of Mitsuri you would ‘kill me with your cock’ or something along those lines.”

“Oo, very wise indeed. Quite a noble death though, what is more valiant than dying on a kings cock?” he let out a small grunt as you slapped his chest, feeling your cheeks warm at his vulgarness. You had learned so much in such a short amount of time. The people of Ashra were more open with their bodies, women often didn’t wear tops when in human form and there was no need for clothes in dragon form besides decoration like jewels and paints. Although from what you’ve heard that is very special occasions, like births and marriages. It interested you to witness the overall comfort of their people, the trust in each other.

“I’m excited to meet your family though. Also to get to know your people, you’ve seen my home and the little seclusion of it. But yours sounds so” you couldn’t quite find the words to place on it.

“Welcoming?”

“Yes! Just from the sounds of it, you are in there with your people not locked behind tall walls and looking down upon them. Their struggles are yours and I feel that’s why you have done so well as a kingdom.” He was caressing the bare skin of your hip, watching as you talked animatedly about your excitement.

“You will shine in Ashra. Not only will the people find you as beautiful and ethereal as I do, but they will be able to see and know you as a person, not a figure. I think our kingdoms will be good for each other. Your knowledge of nature’s destruction and decay of the natural land will help us grow and our strength will help you grow. Then we shall be one. Like a very large family” you were nodding against the scales of his chest, enjoying the heat he radiated and dreaming of a better future.

“Family sounds nice. I want our babies to grow up in a place like that, surrounded by love and safety.” Kyojuro chuckled, vibrations shaking your head where it lay. He noticed you nodding off, giving your forehead a quick kiss.

“Goodnight my queen”

The Flight to Ashra seemed to take less than an hour but half of it was spent blinking the sleep out of your eyes and letting the cool air of the skies wake you up. Thankfully your arrival wasn’t supposed to be a grand event, there would be a feast in a few days to welcome everyone back and give you a chance to meet the elder dragons and the retired kings and queens. The clouds were low, sitting you on edge as you didn’t know what to expect flying into the Ashra kingdom. Kyojuro lived in one of the northern quadrants, most flame dragons lived there to keep their scales cool and ice harvesting was best done by those who could melt the edges and prevent too much damage. You expected hot weather, but the cold was a welcome change. Layers were easier to pile on than remove. As Kyojuro lowered himself you were welcomed with the sight of green. Lush green pastures greeted you, some dragons were lying about among them, you saw some running around, some even greeted Kyojuro, flying alongside the two of you. There was a rumble below you before Kyojuro let out a call that felt as if it could shake the earth. Baritone and scratchy it was met with everyone around responding in a similar manner. You could feel the excitement in Kyojuro underneath you. The extra effort he put into flying faster, the playful growls as another dragon joined your flight home. There was a longing to know how to communicate with them, to be one of them. In the two weeks of marriage, you had felt more like you had a family than you had your entire life. It was terrifying to start fresh, to be rushed into marriage and a brand new home, a new culture. You were grateful to be granted the official honeymoon phase, to get to know the man you would be assisting in running a territory with. If your betrothal hadn’t already been planned, you’re afraid you would end up like Alexander and Diane. Signing a paper and going immediately into ruling alongside each other. How were they expected to run a kingdom together if they didn’t know each other? Your brief conversations with Tengen and Shinobu had been pleasant, Tengen seemed easygoing, outgoing. He was the opposite of your sister and maybe that would work out for the best, open her up, bring out her adventurous side, it had to be hiding in there somewhere. But those problems weren’t yours anymore. Yours were around you in every shape and size, in every color and kind. As Kyojuro descended further you got an even better look ahead. The ground was still green but further ahead was mountains, white Mountains. Glaciers. Kyojuro explained the history of the keep, built inside of a glacier. It was a gift from the Frost dragons when the first marriage happened in history of their royalty. It was a tale that went so far back Kyojuro said not all of it was known. Due to some structural pieces the keep had maintained its place and has expanded as time passed. It was a fascinating sight, the entryway was intricately carved into the side of the glacier, it looked like a painting. The carvings were even prettier up close as Kyojuro landed in front. Surrounding the glacier were burrows, where most of the dragons resided if they chose not to stay in the keep. There were plenty of them laying around in the sun, looking up to greet the two of you with calls of their own. He laid on the ground while you dismounted, getting your first taste of the chill that came from inside. You had read about packing warm but maybe you would still need to stick with Kyojuro for extra warmth, Goosebumps formed on your arms as you looked around. Lanterns lit the entryway, dragons and humans mingling about the open doors. There was a latch on the front of the harness that helped Kyojuro take it off if something ever happened, but he found it easier than watching you fumble around with the large belts around his arms. Shaking off the saddle he looked down at you, a grumble of some Draconish slipping through his lips before he turned to head inside.

You stared at the saddle, unsure what to do with it, you didn’t want to meet his family while lugging that thing behind you, but to leave it there would feel like you didn’t appreciate the time and effort taken towards acquiring this gift.

“Someone will be taking care of it. Do not worry.” You missed the transformation of Kyojuro back to his human form, jumping at the sudden volume of his voice. He was more casual today. Long flowing black pants and a simple red vest, if you didn’t know better you would say he was going to the beach. Compared to your layers of dress and fur coat you probably made an odd looking couple. “Come on, I’m sure the family is dancing on their toes waiting for us” He chuckled, waving you over from the entrance.

The halls were wide, dragons meandered about, breaking off along the never-ending halls and various rooms, there was an occasional human or Dragons in their human form but for the most part it was all dragons. Your nerves were humming with each step. There was an inferiority in humans when compared to the dragon race. Speed, strength, size. There had to have been many beautiful women vying for Kyojuro as their partner and yet he was promised to you since you were a kid. He was the strongest Flame dragon, he came from a long line of rulers in the Ashra kingdom and he had ruled the Flame territory for three years already. Aside from his achievements, he was physically beautiful. He had sculpted himself into a unit of destruction, but the same hands that could tear out a heart, the same teeth that could tear apart muscle had shown you such grace and delicacy. Were you enough to measure up to that? You were adopted by royals, given away and not expected to do anything but serve. What could you accomplish like he could? Each step felt like a death sentence, you were walking to your final judgement and thins were looking grim. You were nothing compared to them, why would they accept you, your family didn’t even accept you. Kyojuro didn’t mention it but since you’re scolding about sneaking away you didn’t let Kyojuro get too close. He had managed kisses and cuddling but much further and you shut it down, maybe you were acting whorish, but he was also your husband, and you were expected to bare his children, right? The further you walked the less people you ran into, small waves and grumbles greeted Kyojuro as he waved back, sending love to those around but you remained meekly by his side, observing.

“Okay, so this door on the right will be our home and the left, is my family’s home. Are you ready?” Kyojuro stopped in the middle of the hall, pointing between a large red door and a much smaller black door on the other side. The obvious size difference made it obvious which was the home you would live in, though the thought of a dragon sized bed did sound appealing. Hopefully there is a bed large enough to fit Kyojuro and his wings. You nodded, letting Kyojuro drag you into what would be your new home. What you expected was not what you were looking at. The walls were made of stone and the floors were a dark wood. You made out a living room, with a lit fireplace and the comfiest looking sofa, decorated in blankets and furs. You could make out a kitchen and a hallway.

“3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, this room and then there is a balcony that goes out the side of the glacier in the bedroom. Wanted it to be a surprise. The cold to us is so comfortable but I don’t want you to freeze so the family looked into as many blankets and quilts as possible. They are in the spare rooms closet.” You were in shock. The warmth of the room already had you getting a bit stuffy in your layers, but also the care taken and the artistry of making a home your size and accommodating you as much as possible. Your eyes burned at the thought behind your home, the love put into each detail. There were paintings along the wall, depicting the dragons of the Rengoku family in their human forms. There was no mistaking they were related, the red tips of their hair, the red sheen on their scales, the proud looks. The Rengoku’s were a sight to behold. The woman in the Photo was just as beautiful, if not prettier. Although she seemed a bit more docile the fire in her red eyes was something you had seen often in Kyojuro. Her long black hair was braided and matched the black of her wings and scales, she was breathtaking.

“Kyojuro” You spoke softly, unsure if you could speak without bursting into tears.

“Is something wrong? I can call the builders, we can find something else. Any changes that need to be made and it will be done” He was holding onto your arms, looking you over in case there was something wrong. You just looked at him, trying to prevent tears from coming.

“No! please don’t. It’s perfect, it’s beautiful.” You took a deep breath, looking around the room again. The Rengoku family crest hung on the door. “I’m grateful. You have done a lot for me, accommodated me so much and I am.” You paused, looking back at your husbands worried face, a soft smile coming to your lips as you moved to hold his face. “I’m overwhelmed at the beauty of it. The care and the love are embedded in these walls, and it is a lot, but it is perfect. Thank you” Kyojuro’s smile could have broken his cheeks, his teeth nipped playfully at your hand as he stepped back, holding a hand out for you.

“I want to show you the rest.”

The house was beautiful. Every room had been carefully picked out and crafted. The artistry had heart and it showed in each corner. The master suite was large, enough for Kyojuro to stretch his wings fully without hitting anything. The bed had been specially made to fit him as well, comfortably even though deep down you both knew he would be crowding in your space, wrapping you in his warmth. By the end of the impromptu tour, you had both found solace in the comfort of the couch. You had shed some layers, leaving you in just a floor-length burgundy, velvet, long sleeve dress. Kyojuro was spread across the couch, wings spread and arms resting under his head. You sat at the other end of the couch, just admiring the scenery. You were automatically comfortable in your new home, it felt nostalgic, like something you had been missing. A knock interrupted your thoughts before the front door opened. Kyojuro and you rose to your feet as in walked the rest of Kyojuro’s family.

“Mother, Father, Senjuro” Kyojuro greeted them with open arms. His mother was holding onto his fathers arm, she looked just as she had in the painting, all of them did. The Rengoku’s were stunning in person.

“Mr. and Mrs. Rengoku. It is an honor to finally meet you, I am Y/N Raven, crowned Queen of Ravenhill.”

“Oh, please sweetheart, no need for formality. You have long since been part of this family. You can call me Ruka or mom if you want, this is Shinjuro and I’m sure Kyojuro has told you of Senjuro.” Ruka stepped forward, pulling you into a hug as she spoke. Shinjuro stood by the door, observing and Senjuro made himself at home after greeting his brother. “Do you like the home? Kyojuro has been writing frantically since he’s been in Ravenhill, making sure everything was perfect.” Your cheeks burned at her admission of Kyojuro’s nerves, as you looked over you could see the darkening of his own cheeks, the embarrassment he tried to hide behind a cough.

“Its incredible. The thought and care that was put into making a home to accommodate not only me but Kyojuro’s size as well. The balcony is even big enough for him to jump off and go into the field for his morning flights. Its perfect. I’m very happy. Thank you” Ruka was beaming as she looked back at Shinjuro. His stoic expression melted a bit as he gave a more relaxed nod in acknowledgment.

“If you need anything do not hesitate to ask. Murata will be here later tonight, he is helping Kagaya out currently. We hope to have the speech done by the feast in two days. Rest. Enjoy your home. We will come back tomorrow” Shinjuro gave another nod as he held a hand out for Ruka, Holding the door open and letting her lead him out. Senjuro sat still on the couch.

“Can I stay for a bit?” He was looking at Kyojuro who quickly nodded, before waving goodbye to his parents. “What was your guys wedding like? I was so sad we had to miss it and run the territory. Mom and dad won’t let me fly that far by myself. Was it like the books said? Where you just say words and sign a paper?” Kyojuro sat and you followed suit, taking one of the arm chairs facing the siblings.

“It was like that. Y/N wore a beautiful dress, and we exchanged blessings and signed a contract. It was very nice, a lot less blood” Senjuro and Kyojuro laughed at your disgusted face.

“Do you like my brother Y/N? Is he being a stink-butt to you? He likes to hide my favorite shell sometimes. Does he hide your stuff?” You couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of Kyojuro hiding shells, playing innocent and telling his poor upset brother he has no clue where it went.

“He hasn’t but that doesn’t mean he won’t. I should hide all my stuff when it gets here shouldn’t I?”

“Yes! Before he starts hoarding it like Tengen does! Mated dragons love reminders of their mate, so he probably has some of your stuff already. Tengen is marrying your sister, right? Hopefully she doesn’t have too many shiny things.” You shrugged. She was no longer your problem, you were over a week's carriage ride away.

“What do you know about mating?!” Kyojuro’s eyes were bugging.

“I’ve read things! I’m not a baby Kyojuro! I will be an adult, I will have a mate at some point!” Senjuro was huffing, the smoke coming out of his nose reminded you of the annoyed puffs that Kyojuro distributed. It was cute seeing the similarities in the family, you could only hope it would continue with your children. Kyojuro continued to pester Senjuro about his knowledge and other readings until the younger Rengoku was called for dinner.

Murata didn’t arrive until the sun had long passed the horizon; He was accompanied by Shinjuro. Murata was human, no teeth, no wings, no horns, he was only a few inches taller than you but paid no mind as he sat right down, making himself at home as he unpacked various items from his bag.

“Your highness. Y/N Raven, the human queen to the dragons. It’s an honor, and about time I’ve seen it happen.” He smiled, brushing his black hair out of his eyes before turning back to his bag. “Shinjuro, I appreciate your hesitance on me working on your son, but I fear this is a bit personal, do you mind stepping into the other room?” Shinjuro’s glare barely eased as he stepped into the kitchen, out of earshot but still keeping the three of you in his eyesight. Kyojuro sat on the couch, grabbing your hand as you sat next to him to watch the enchanter work. He pulled out vials, a wooden bowl and various herbs.

“The reason I asked Shinjuro to step out is because you two are unmated” Kyojuro’s gaze sharpened, eyebrows furrowing as he looked at the enchanter. “It is very possible to mate with humans, Kyojuro. For dragons the mating ritual is almost like a mark. Using your powers you mark your mate, for dragons it is just a mark, on humans you are almost injecting them with a piece of you. Mating with Y/N will change her physically, all I do is give that extra push to help her along with speech.” You let go of Kyojuro’s hand, there was never any talk of you turning into something else.

“The mating process will need to happen in order for her to fully develop that speech. You will take a scale, preferably a chest scale, using your flames, heat it until it clows and insert a piece into an open wound on her body. It will hurt, but only while it is happening, the pain should soothe almost as soon as you remove the scale. Y/N in order to do this you must give him blood. So, bite her, anywhere, even just a drop on your tongue is good enough and using that bite for the scale is all it takes. While you sleep your body will adapt. You will be able to withstand heat easier, your body will be able to create life using dragon sperm and your vocal cords will stretch, allowing that vibrato needed to speak Draconish. That is, it, nothing else. What I am having you drink is essentially liquid education. You are getting the Draconish language in a pinch. You can understand and speak once your body adapts. It seems simple but it is a very difficult thing to achieve. This ingredient, the dragon's bane is only found in the frost queen's territory, it's difficult to get through for me because it's found on the inside of the isalic volcano. I’ve lost three couriers in five years to acquire it.” Murata had been mixing everything he gathered as he spoke, rarely looking up from the bowl.

“Is this okay? Are you okay?” Kyojuro took the momentarily silence to lean into you, not taking his eyes off of the man in front of you. You couldn’t look away from the chunky mixture Murata was holding. You would have to drink that and then make Kyojuro drink your blood and burn you? Your head felt light, it was all so much too quick. You were expected to be able to speak the dragon language by the time of the banquet in two days. You would have to become something new. New home, new occupation, new Husband, New language, new body, new, new, new. It was too much.

“I can’t, no” You stood, quickly leaving the room and heading to the bedroom.

“Y/N!” You ignored the calls of your name, just taking time to breathe. The balcony door was cracked, letting the fresh air in and you went straight for it, wanting not to be near anyone and just think for a second. The evening breeze was cold, but it helped with the panic you felt settling into your body, leaving you wanting to run. You enjoyed being with Kyojuro, you enjoyed learning about him and his culture, but was it worth changing everything for?

“I sent Murata out. He left the drink for you to take whenever you want.” Kyojuro had made his presence known with a knock. You didn’t look towards him, just nodding as you continued to look out to the houses around the glacier. “Overwhelmed?” You nodded again, not trusting your voice. “I will sleep in one of the spare rooms tonight, give you that space. Goodnight” He left without another word, shutting the balcony door softly behind him. You immediately felt guilty for not answering, he was always willing to help you, always checking on you and you just pushed him away. Maybe you needed to clear your head with a quick soak in the bath.

Soaking left you with a clearer head, more willing to talk. Once you dressed and braided your hair for the night you went to find your husband. The room next to yours was empty so you went to the next one, opening the door slowly and peering inside to see if he was still awake. Turning to face the door Kyojuro squinted.

“Y/N?” you made a noise before entering the room, squinting to try and see through the dark. As you made your way through the dark a candle was lit, the small flames coming from Kyojuro’s mouth making the room glow bright before the lit candle was the only flame. Placing the Candle back next to the bed Kyojuro turned to you as you crawled in bed next to him.

“Can we talk?” he nodded, pulling the covers over your lap while you both sat with your backs to the headboard. “I’m scared, Kyojuro. This is so much change in so little time and I don’t want to lose myself. My body will change and what if I become unrecognizable?” Kyojuro was silent, pondering what you said.

“For the humans that have done this there isn’t any outside physical changes to your body. But if it worries you that much then we won’t mate, and you won’t have to drink the concoction Murata made. I can translate for you” There was no hesitation in his answer, he spoke so easily like he had no qualms about it.

“But mating is a whole ritual and thing for you” He shrugged

“I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do. I’m not a monster” You looked over at the man next to you, finding him already staring at you.

“Thank you Kyojuro” He gave you a smile, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. You leaned into him, looking up to kiss his jaw. He leaned down, capturing your lips with his own in a sloppy kiss.

“I want you to be happy, no matter what” You pulled him back into you, letting him crown you until your back hit the bed. Teeth clashed as your lips grew more feverish, moving with purpose as if you were trying to eat each other whole. You moaned into Kyojuro’s mouth as you felt his hardened cock grind against you. You tried pulling him closer, chest meeting your own as your thighs raised, dress falling towards your hips which Kyojuro took advantage of, sliding his heated palms under your dress, caressing the bare skin of your stomach and teasing the edge of your panties. Every touch he gave had purpose, it was gentle yet held meaning as he grabbed at you. He pulled back, lifting off of you with kiss swollen lips, teeth shining with spit as he looked down at you.

“You are so beautiful, so deserving of everything good in the world. I’ll do anything for you.” His words made you feel on top of the world, like any hardship would be okay as long as you had him. You didn’t respond, just pulled him back into you, meeting his lips in another heated kiss. He sat up, pulling you with him as his hands fumbled with the ties of your night dress. Your hands wandered the expanse of his bare chest, nails dragging along the scales of his pecs. As the fabric of your dress fell away you broke the kiss. Kyojuro didn’t stop, trailing his kisses down your jawline and against your neck.

“Kyo, do it” you moaned, trying to pull him against your body. He sat back, confusion written clearly on his face. “Be my mate” You could swear his eyes darkened as the words fell from your lust soaked lips, he wanted to get on his knees and worship you in any way you wanted.

“Are you sure?” you nodded, giggling as you kissed him again.

“I want to be yours, even if I change, only for you” He smiled against your lips, sitting on his heels.

“Okay, so I bite you, and burn the bite with a scale? You have to drink the thing too! Okay wait” He stood from the bed, wings stretching behind him as he left the room quickly. You took the time to shuffle out of the rest of your night dress. Although you had felt reservations towards mating and the changes, Kyojuro would be there with every step, and you could do anything with him. By the time you had settled back onto the bed Kyojuro stood at the door, the wooden bowl Murata had earlier in one hand and a cloth in the other.

“Let’s move to our room, there’s medical salves and stuff in there just in case” You grabbed the candle, leaving everything else behind as you followed Kyojuro to the main bedroom. You sat against the pillows as Kyojuro put everything on the table next to you. Your nerves were beginning to buzz as he sat next to you.

“c’mere” pulling you into a kiss you quickly fell back under his influence, arousal pooling in your gut as he palmed your breasts. Within seconds you were on your back, pushing the fabric of Kyojuro’s pants off of his hips, watching his cock spring free of its confines. He was practically throbbing against your hand as you wrapped your fingers around him. He was pushing the ‘fabric of your panties to the side while you guided him towards your soaked core. E released a heavy groan as his cock pushed into you. With shallow thrusts he sunk further into you, rocking gently as you moaned against his lips. There was no need for foreplay, no rush, no demands. This felt different, intimate. Kyojuro’s thrust were slow, there was no rush to cum but even so your pleasure built. Each grind of his pelvis against yours pushed you further towards the edge. Kyojuro’s head ducked against your neck, groaning against the skin of your collar bone as he continued his slow pace.

“Please, this-fuck. Please” he was mumbling nonsense against you as your hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, wanting him to fully take you. He got the message, lips peppering kisses along your collarbone. You could feel his teeth drag against you, leaving goosebumps along your body as he teased you.

“Kyo” you warned, hinting that you were on the edge. He grunted in response, placing a kiss on your right shoulder before you felt the sharp sting of his teeth. It was momentary before he was soothing it over with his tongue, lapping at your skin like a thirsty dog. His thrusts quickened, pushing you over the edge with everything happening. You cried out, nails digging into the scales on his shoulder. He grunted, feeling your pussy suck him like a vice, begging for him to cum inside. With a few more thrusts Kyojuro fell over, Hot ropes spilling inside of you with a groan. Everything was still, just heavy breathing as you tried to come back to earth after that orgasm. Kyojuro was quick to recover, sitting up. He shucked the rest of his pants off, giggling at the fact you were both too eager to let him take them fully off. He didn’t regret it though. You laid in a daze, blood clotting on your shoulder and cum dripping from your pussy but that didn’t bother you as you watched Kyojuro grab the cloth and bowl. He sat next to you, leaning over you to dab at the blood on you before wiping up his cum, apologizing as you winced under his touch. He was as gentle as he could be, letting you recover from such a physically overwhelming experience.

“Do you want to drink this or finish the mating ritual first?” You blinked at him, sitting up.

“Pain then gross liquid, exciting” Your sarcasm made Kyojuro laugh, kissing your forehead as he swapped the cloth for the bowl. “How do you get a scale?” You looked around his body, taking the time to admire him again. He was a sight you would never get sick of. He lifted a hand, in a blink claws had extended from his nail bed.

“Just cut it off, which one do you want?” You weren’t sure why it shocked you, they were a part of him, but he seemed to be so unbothered by it that it made you nervous.

“Do I keep it?” He nodded

“We can make it decoration to represent our bond, a burnt scale and a sum cloth with some blood” You grimaced, and he laughed.

“Gross, let me look” you pushed against his chest, watching him fall against the bed before you straddled him, looking at the scales that covered his abdomen. You didn’t want anything that would be too obvious or would put him in danger but also the bigger it was the more it would hurt, right? There wasn’t a way to truly tell the size of them, they overlapped and created almost a pattern, so you chose a scale that was almost in the exact spot he had bitten into you. You slid off his lap as he sat up, handing you the bowl as he grabbed the cloth again with his free hand. He was careful as he adjusted, you held the scale up, lifting it from the skin underneath. He could feel where you were pulling so even without looking, he was sawing the scale off. The sight made you flinch, but he didn’t seem to be in pain. Blood bubbled under his nail as he worked on removing the scale, carefully pulling it as he sawed it away. The scale was in your hand rather quickly, the sticky rag pressed against his shoulder to slow the bleeding. You looked at the bloody scale in your hand, admiring the way it shone in the light. It felt sturdy as you closed your fingers around it, you might cut your fingers off if you held it too tightly.

“We’ll no doubt have to bathe after this, that rag needs to be burned as well” you chuckled, watching as Kyojuro chucked it before turning to you, gesturing to the bowl in your hand. With a quick cheers you downed the mysterious liquid. The bitter combination of ingredients had you grimacing, but you powered through knowing it was almost over. You practically threw the empty bowl at Kyojuro, taking an exaggerated breath you made it known it was disgusting.

“Let’s finish this and bathe.” You gave Kyojuro the scale before climbing back on his lap, chest to chest. He just watched you for a second, let you fiddle with his hair to distract yourself. His free hand squeezed your hip in encouragement. Turning his head away he let out a breath, fire licking the edges of the scale pinched between his fingers. The heat that was so close made you lean away, too hot. It made you anxious for what was going to happen next. Your eyes flicked to the dried blood on your shoulder, teeth forever to be embedded into your skin. You watched as the color of the scale glowed, enhanced by the heat. As the red turned to a bright orange Kyojuro stopped, turning towards you.

“Are you ready?” You pinched your eyes shut, frantically nodding while you anticipated him getting it over with. “Hold onto my arm, squeeze as tight as you want.” You gripped his free arm with both hands, anxiety spiking as the seconds passed. It felt like an eternity as you waited. Hot, HOt, HOT, your grip tightened on his arm. Tears immediately fell as you opened your eyes. Kyojuro had already disposed of the scale, blowing gently on your shoulder. You let out a pained cry as Kyojuro moved to hold your face, kissing the tears as they fell down your cheeks.

“I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry” He went from kissing your tears to kissing the burn, the smooth skin of his lips easing the burn significantly. It was quiet, the anxious energy of the room dissipating as the pain eased. It was over, you were officially mated to the dragon king.

“It’s been almost 20 hours sorcerer, why isn’t she awake?” Kyojuro was pacing the floor in front of the fireplace. Shinjuro has shown up with Murata in tow shortly after Kyojuro had made an appearance at the Rengoku home, frantically explaining what had transpired since Shinjuro and the enchanter were asked to leave the night before. Murata was a stranger to the Rengoku’s. He resided in Shinobu’s territory and worked with her. There wasn’t enough trust between the flame king and the enchanter for him to not bite his head off right there.

“Your majesty, the queen is tired. The changing of one’s body is not easy, adding that to the fact she is in a new home and an unfamiliar place, her body needs plenty of time to recover and relax.”

“That sounds ridiculous. You never mentioned this. If the queen is hurt-“

“if the queen does not awake by noon tomorrow, you may punish me as you see fit, but I have never not seen this happen. You may ask any of your people who mated a human. They need rest. Her body is much more fragile than yours.” Kyojuro seemed unimpressed as he looked down at the enchanter. The man was tiny compared to the king. He could simply squeeze his throat and break his neck. It would take seconds.

“Kyojuro, she will be okay. If He is important to the Poison Queen, then we shall hear him out. Shinobu would never put her territory at risk by blindly trusting someone like this. Especially with something this important. Give her time to rest.” Kyojuro’s stiff posture hadn’t changed. His shoulders were still tense and raised, wings stiff and slightly puffed out, like he was trying to intimidate the enchanter hovering next to his front door. Though their time was limited, he had grown quite fond of his human wife. Her questions were amusing to him. She desired knowledge and didn’t hesitate to ask if needed. She was firm in her decisions and headstrong. Though she seemed to be troubled by her family and the words Alexander easily three in her face, she stood proudly next to the dragon. He didn’t expect to go through the process of mating. This was a political marriage, not one built from love. You only mated if you saw yourself with that person forever. Mating was a bond that changed both parties. It was an unbreakable connection that had been formed over and over for generations. Though marriage derived from mating, the dragons held strongly to that tradition. But this was different. The marriage was not built with love, but there was love in it now. Neither of them said it, neither of them ever spoke of it. But the trust and comfort they had in each other was all the confirmation needed. The visceral need he felt for his wife was like nothing he felt before. He had, of course, experienced feelings for another. He had felt lust and the envy that sat in one’s body following a crush; He had experienced heartbreak and loss. This feeling, however, was a new one. His every thought had been consumed with her, the orange and wisteria mixture of perfumes and soaps she had smelled like. The color of her eyes that seemed to be everywhere he looked, even the little lemon pastries that seemed to be more sugar and lemon than necessary he had grown fond of. He felt like a dog, wanting to be around her all the time, follow her as she looked off into nothing and ruminated on things. He wanted to sit alongside her as she wrote letters and studied books. He couldn’t put a finger on the moment he fell in love with her, but it was terrifying to think of how fast it was. He expected her to be repulsed by him, to feign happiness that barely masked her disgust of being married to the dragon. Though they never said ti outright, there was a reason humans had settled in a new kingdom, forgetting the dragons they had once lived alongside. The older siblings may react that way, but Kyojuro got lucky. Y/N Rengoku had been the perfect person all along, a betrothal that may have been written into the stars, fate spinning their thread of destiny and intertwining the chord of their lives sos they lived a happy one. That’s why the waiting killed Kyojuro, because if anything happened to her, here would he end up? Heartbroken and unfit to rule. He would give every jewel and every silk he ever collected to make sure you woke up okay.

“Alright, you may leave, I shall wait for the queen” With a dismissive wave of his hand Murata was quick to leave. Kyojuro sunk into the couch, leaning his head back on the pillows with a deep sigh.

“try to get some rest son, I shall have Senjuro sit here in case something happens.” Shinjuro didn’t wait for an answer, leaving the house immediately. Though rest ould not come with his anxiety this high, he knew rest would be a good idea. So he tried to take it easy. He took the soiled blankets, clothes, and clothes to be washed. He hand scrubbed everything to make sure everything was pristine for when you woke. The cloth had blood stained into it, but it would stay as a fond reminder of your mating. Maybe it could be used as abstract art alongside the bloodied scale that sat on your side of the bed. You would find that gross but funny, so Kyojuro kept it on him as he stepped back into the bedroom. You were still fast asleep, the steady rise and fall of your chest indicating that you were still in this world and that eased Kyojuro’s worries momentarily. You didn’t move, not even a flinch as Kyojuro crawled in besides you, laying on his side to look at your sleeping face. You were facing him, your mouth parted slightly as you dreamed. Your hands were under your head, like they were your pillow instead of the silk one Kyojuro had imported for you. It was cute, your little habits. Although he didn’t feel tired, he didn’t want to leave you. What if you woke up and needed something? He felt restless, anxiety filled his veins urging him to run, to fly, to get away. He wanted to scream, to cry. His nerves were shot looking at you, at your peaceful face, when he felt a pit forming in his stomach, growing bigger with each minute you slept. He needed to leave.

Senjuro sat on the couch, a book in his hands while his wings spread out behind him, covering the whole couch.

“Father really did send you?”

“You didn’t hear me come in?” Kyojuro shook his head, taking a seat in one of the armchairs. “What were you doing?”

“Washing some clothes, the soaps in Ravenhill are too strong for my nose, irritate me,” Senjuro nodded, approving of his brother’s answer and returning to his book.

“I’ve been reading about human and dragon relations. There are many relationships in the southern territories. The void dragons and poison dragons in particular. I wonder why that is. Does Obanai have a wife?” Kyojuro rolled his eyes at the question. Obanai would rather slit his throat than court anyone, let alone a human. He dislikes everyone, let alone someone who can’t withstand the lack of light in his home.

“Not at all. He would lose his mind before marrying anyone, dragon or human.” Senjuro laughed at the blunt answer. Nodding along.

“You’re right. Anytime I’ve met him, he’s been very prickly. Shinobu is marrying a human though, maybe it’s destiny.” Kyojuro shook his head again, a soft chuckle leaving his lips. There was no destiny for them. Alexander was a bastard, angry and spiteful. He was awful and Kyojuro felt bad for the poison dragon.

“Kyo?” Both dragons turned towards the hall where the queen stood. She wore one of Kyojuro’s robes, the deep gray robe swallowed her whole and Kyo9juro smiled at the look of her. She was still half asleep, eyes squinted and a yawn barely concealed behind her hand.

“I’ll should get home. Hello Y/N” Senjuro was quick to leave, shutting the door behind him. Y/n shuffled over to the couch. Soft steps muffled as she stumbled over the robe. Kyojuro reached over for her hand as soon as she sat down.

“How are you feeling? Are you okay?” There was no hesitation between his answers, his wife’s eyes trailing over his worried features.

“I’m good. Tired and a little sore, but I’m okay. It’s late, how long did I sleep”

“21 hours,” she chuckled in disbelief, shaking her head.

“That’s a lot. I don’t feel any different. Check me” she dropped his hand, standing up from the couch. She untied the robe quickly, letting it fall off her shoulders and onto the floor. Kyojuro sat in shock, looking at his wife’s figure on display. She was bruised, the bite on her a deep purple, but she didn’t seem bothered by it. There was nothing else visibly wrong, and Kyojuro smiled at that fact.

“Your beautiful.” The color that darkened her skin with embarrassment had her suddenly feeling shy, scooping the robe back up and putting it back on. She was speechless, mouth opening and closing while she tried to find a response. There wasn’t one, so she turned around, heading into the kitchen. Kyojuro’s heavier steps followed behind her, stopping in the archway of the kitchen while she fumbled around for a cup.

“Y/N” she turned with her empty cup. “I love you” The baritone in the way he spoke Draconish was intimidating, but the emotion in his voice matched with the sincerity in his eyes made her want to melt.

“Kyojuro.” She paused, surprised by the serpent like sounds coming from her mouth. She placed the cup on the counter next to her, stepping to her husband. “I love you too. You make me feel heard. I feel like you truly see me and anything I can do anything as ling as I have you. I love you so much, i have for a while.” The ease that settled into Kyojuro’s heart at hearing her words spoken in his native tongue made him feel on top of the world.

[hana-no-seiiki]

𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐄

𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄! 𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐒 + 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄! 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐱 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑! 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 (𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝟏)

“Athanaxious. We are going back right this instant!” An adult male siren called out to his brother. His beautiful gradient tail of obsidian to violet shimmered underneath the water filtered sunlight.

“Oh stop being a prickly pufferfish for once, Vasileios. We’ll be in the deep once again in a moment. I just have to—“ ‘Athanaxious’ replied with a huff. No matter the uncountable times he had come to the shoreline, it was still difficult navigating through shallow water on such a rocky beach. His tail, an exact opposite of his companion with its sandy ivories and gold, flicked in all directions as it tried to propel him away from harsh terrain.

His hands gripped tightly to a leather sling bag across his exposed chest.

“Have to wh—“ The albino creature attempted to ask but was thwarted by a hash tug on his arm, “Hey!” He stretched out his arm to slap Athanaxious in retaliation only to pause at the sound of singing.

“All I ever wanted was the open sea and sky; freedom from the life I always knew.”

Both men froze. A chilly delight crawled through their spine, their limbs and eventually the tips of their fingers and fin. Vasileious had never heard of a voice that entrancing. He has heard several of his fellow sirens luring humans to their demise, but none of them could even hope to compare to this sound. It echoed within the chambers of his heart, the matter in his brain, and the longing that lied dormant within.

But then he saw it’s source and the features on his face soured.

A human.

You.

“Now all I am is haunted as days and hours roll by…” You continued with your song, and then you abruptly halt. The next line wouldn’t come out properly. Your eyes run over the words, slowly getting frustrated with how it wouldn’t fit in.

Athanaxious doesn’t waste a beat. He knew that adorably annoyed sneer you’d make and what would fix it. “All I ever think about is you.”

Vasileious gasped. Athanaxious never sang. Always going on and on about the safety of the sailors on sea and how he didn’t want their blood on his hands. Yet here he was freely providing his — quite literally — magical voice to this human.

“Athanaxious, what are you—“

“Than! You’re back! I was just thinking on ways to improve that verse. Thank you.” You ran, the ruffles on your chiffon blouse flowed through the wind. You flinched and stumbled as the pebbles scraped the sole of your bare feet. Your luxurious leather heels long forgotten.

“Of course, your highness. I wouldn’t miss our reunions here for anything.” Athanaxious winked, just like how you taught him a while back.

You chuckled. The siren had noticed how the clothes you wore contrasted to those he’d usually spot at sea. ‘Couture’ you called it. But all he could think of was those pictures of human prince and princesses, and thus the little inside joke started. “I told you I’m not . . . “

Your eyes trailed from your raven haired companion to the albino. Athanaxious’ tail always fascinated you, but the new siren’s looked out of this world. Further reminding you of how different the worlds you lived in actually were. “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, him?” Athanaxious rolled his eyes, another mannerism he learnt from you, “Just one of my older brothers.”

“You didn’t tell me you have an older brother.”

“Y-you didn’t tell me you were fraternizing with a- a- human! What would father think about this?Not to mention mother . . .” Vasileious’ fins shivered at the thought.

“Father knows.” Athanaxious shrugged whilst looking throw the bag he’d wrapped around him. You have gifted him many things, tangible or not, throughout your friendship. So he thought of bringing something back to you.

A pearl necklace. He was actually going to give you the clam it came from but judging from what fishermen looked for and spoke about, he thought giving you the biggest, shiniest pearl he could find would have been more appropriate.

As soon as you received the gift, you swiftly embraced him in an attempt to hide the empty look on your eyes before mustering the most sincere ‘Thank you.’ you could do.

“In any case, don’t humans have siblings as well? I just didn’t think it would be interesting enough to mention in our conversations. Our time together is often far too brief.”

“Far too brief it is.” You stared at the iridescent pearl. A sigh escaped your lips. “Than, I have an event scheduled on a beach—“

Vasileios attempted to cover his little brother’s mouth but it was too late.

“Magnificent! We’ll be there!”

“Excuse me, I didn’t agree to this—“

“—across the continent.” Your cheerful temperament dissipated.

Athanaxious asked, confused at why you seemed so upset about such a fact. Didn’t more events meant you get paid more in those currencies you spoke about? He shook his head, perhaps you were forgetting he wasn’t human like you always did and said, “Your highness, do I like I wouldn’t be able to swim there?”

“No, of course not. You seem quite capable.”

Athanaxious’ cheeks turned a dark shade of blue at your words.

“Besides you must have plenty of royal duties to accomplish.”

“I have no such thing—“

“Thank you for reminding me, human.” Vasileios’ patience had ran out. He loved his brother to pieces — he really, truly did — but feared the wrath of his parents much more. “Mother asked us to survey the reefs. If we come back without a proper report. . .”

“Oh fine.” Athanaxious slapped the other siren’s hand away, and then faced you with his sharp teeth. “Fare thee well, your highness.”

“You too, Than. Twas a pleasure to meet your brother.”

You sighed one last time. Annoyed at your lack of confidence in conveying the message you wanted to.

Athanaxious will find out sooner or later that it was your very own wedding he would attend by himself,

and the nickname he gave you? Might have some truth to it soon.

[ AUTHOR’S NOTE ] - status: unedited

Have an old ass draft that has collected dust atp.

If this gets idk, 1000 notes I’ll make artworks of our siren brothers and switch out the one I have featured on the header.

This fic will have three-five acts in total. Of which the story I’ve already planned out. It’s pretty much just a twist on the classic little mermaid story to end our pride month with a bang. We love our historic gays as much as our contemporary ones 🏳️‍🌈

reader is amab and will have more stuff alluding to their masculinity in later acts.

[ LINK TO NEXT ACT HERE ]

©️ hana.no.seiiki - yun | 2023

[sweet-as-an-angel]

Yandere Kencanons

Warnings: Kidnapping, Abduction, Major Spoilers for The Barbie Movie, Unhinged Post, Possessive Ken, Ken Just Wants to be Loved, Petnames, Ken Being Condescending, Post-Patriarchy Ken, No Pronouns Used for Reader Except 'You'.

Simply put, you’d charmed Ken. Made his non-existent heart flutter and a feeling he always associated with Barbie to overtake him. Been in the wrong place at the right time. Hence, less than a few hours after your meeting with Kenneth, you were in Barbieland. Sorry - Kendom Land.

You’d made the mistake of asking him for the time, in a rush to make it to work. And, with a twinkle in his eye and a seeming newfound sense of purpose, he proclaimed that “You respect me!”

Dazed and with little else you could say, you shrugged. “I mean…I guess…?”

And that was enough for him.

“I must go – get back to Barbieland – spread the news about patriarchy!”

You'd humoured him, more for the promise of your own safety than actual agreement, and he tipped his hat to you, billowing away in the direction of Venice Beach in a haze of his own world.

You managed to dodge him initially, untangling yourself from his vacant stare and making it to work unscathed.

On your way to lunch a few hours after, however, you were accosted again.

Of course, by none other than Ken Carson.

Who, having put all he’d learnt from his books on horses, the Wild West, and patriarchy, literally lassoed you and threw you onto his shoulder.

“We’ve gotta get you back to Barbieland – the Kens are not gonna believe this !”

On your journey back to this mysterious place, Ken explained to you how Barbies usually rule everything while the Kens are left with nothing.

“But, with you at my side, I’m sure we can make it right!”

You genuinely chalked this guy up to be insane, if at most, an escaped patient.

However, as you traversed 2D landscapes, you were more inclined to believe him. That this fabled Babrietopia did in fact exist.

And, once you get there, you become Patriarchy Ken’s personal servant.

He tells you to “Brewski Beer” him, all the while talking about how his initial conception of patriarchy had been that it was “Horses who ran the world, but it’s actually men — and horses are men extenders.”

He calls you his “bride-wife” or “groom-husband”, which, compared to the other Kens’ long-term distance low-commitment casual partners, seems oddly…endearing. Dangerously permanent.

With no idea how to get back to the Real world, you’re stuck with Ken and his entourage of fellow Kens, the Barbies either indoctrinated into their way of thinking or in hiding.

Speaking of, you are basically Ken’s property.

And he treats you as such whenever one of the other Kens tries to accost your service.

His tone is low, eyes sharp. “(Y/N) is my long-term distance low-commitment partner, not yours, Ken.”

And, to show as much, you get to sit on the floor next to Ken as he watches the Godfather with his Kentourage, talking through the whole thing, commenting on its ingenuity and nuance.

He also makes you stay nearby whenever he changes outfits - which is just him changing into another faux mink coat, pants and headband.

Despite being this new, independent, untethered Ken, he asks your opinion on things which seem largely inconsequential. Still, you sense something unstable. Insecurity, perhaps.

"What about...this coat?"

"Isn't that the same as the last one you showed me?"

Ken looks at your glass reflection in the wardrobe doors. His smile glitches, falters. He replaces it.

"Yeah, course - I was just testing you, seein' if you were paying attention."

Whenever you get a moment alone, away from the madness of the Kens, it’s short-lived. For Ken is never far behind, seeming to materialise in the doorway of whatever room of the Dreamhouse you’ve adopted as your refuge.

“What’s wrong, tiny baby?” He says, sauntering over to you, snake-like.

“I want to go home, Ken,” You tell him, voice racked with sobs, tears in your eyes.

He just gives you a narrowed, confused look, adopting an almost incredulous posture as if to say ‘Why?’

“First of all, I don’t like your tone, Doll,”

He steps towards you. You step back.

“Second of all, why in Kendom Land would you wanna leave ?" Another step forward. Another step back. "This is the dream of any patriarch’s partner to be where you are now; it should feel just like home !” Another step forward, another step ba-

Your legs hit the edge of the bed.

It doesn’t matter how hurt - or frightened - you look. Ken doesn’t listen.

“And besides, do you know how many Barbies would kill to be where you are now ? I know Weird Barbie would.” And he smiles – smirks – as if he’s triumphed you in some way only he is aware of, hands on his waist. The image of power.

Ken tends to test his boundaries when it comes to physical affection.

Seeing as he received none with Barbie, he seems to want to try his luck with you.

And yes, this does include him puckering his lips and staying stood in front of you until one of you caves.

Usually, it’s him, causing him to retract and act as if nothing happened. Which it didn’t. 

But when he really wants a kiss, he can persist for hours.

You timed him. Two hours and three minutes until you relented and pecked him.

“Wow,” he says, every time, as if it’s the first time, his eyes clouded with dreams and what you could only pen as whimsy.

He’s incredibly touch-starved. Show him an ounce of willing and he’ll be overjoyed in his own, new, macho way. Though, he does have a hard time containing a squeal whenever you touch skin.

Secretly, he's entranced by how...human you are. how different you feel and talk to the other dolls in his Kendom.

He's developed an obsession interest with your hands, holding them in his, telling you how small and soft your hands are compared to his.

He squeezes them whenever he gets the chance, commenting on how "Squishy" your fingers are, despite you having a skeleton beneath your skin - a concept that blows Ken away every time you explain it to him.

He also adores hugs. Though, he only hugs you/lets you hug him when out of view of other Kens. He needs to protect his image as the stoic leader, after all.

Loves a cuddle; goes stupid crazy for them.

He favours holding you to his chest and resting his chin atop your head. He finds your warmth a foreign comfort. While you find his lack of a heart – and a beat – a discomfort.

“S’nice and warm,” he says, eyes closed, the image of laxity. "Being here with you."

He mumbles that last part. You know not to inquire further. The Kens consider any form of genuine affection to be a weakness.

It’s in your best interest to just let him stay there and talk about whatever it is he’s fascinated himself with, lest you wish to incur a temper tantrum or the cold shoulder.

Aside from being a fan of hand-holding, he's also a partaker in wrist-holding.

If you ever do something to aggravate him, he tends to grip your wrist hard enough to make you wince, his jaw clenched, eyes narrowed.

“Something wrong, Babe?” He’ll say, tone deep with simmering wrath.

You know not to push it with Ken.

Despite how platinum and perfect he is, he does harbour a resentment which, whether caused by you or not, he seems to target you with.

Talked to a Ken for too long, or in a way he didn’t like?

He’s going to embarrass you in front of him. Make you seem undesirable to all who are not himself.

He knows he can’t make you disappear, given the fact that you’re mortal. But he knows he can make other Kens disappear; an idea that, the first time it appeared to him, frightened him, made him confront a darker half he’d repressed. But, as time went on, he’s learnt to harness it in ways you’d never have suspected from a Ken.

Not that you’d know it from the way he treats you, but he does actually care for you.

Perhaps…as much as, even more so, than he does — did — for Barbie.

He doesn’t feel like he’s tethered to any one job or image when he’s with you; his identity is not an extension of yours. But, he does try to treat yours as if it is an extension of his.

“Babe, hurry up with those beers — the game’s about to start !”

He knows you’re impervious to the effects of his brainwashing, given that you’re from the Real World, so he feels that you’re the most genuine person in Kendom Land. Hence he tends to treat you with equal harshness and care.

This also often leads to Ken asking you things about your world. Things he doesn’t yet have the answers for.

His favourite pastime is to lay his head on your thighs while you sit against the headboard of his bed, asking you any and all questions that come to mind.

“What’s your favourite colour?”, “Where does the sun go when it’s night time?”, “What did you do at your job?”

Personal ones like that last one often cause you to tense, and Ken can tell. He tends to refrain from asking you such questions now, seeing as any reminder of your life prior to this cause you to, what he has learnt to call it, cry.

Despite how tone-deaf Kenneth can be, he is actually rather intuitive. Or, rather, considerate.

When you’d told him your favourite colour, he’d painted his bedroom walls in it. Albeit a slap-dash job of it, given how interior design is not in his box description like Interior Design Ken, but he tried !

Despite his small acts of kindness being his attempts to imitate comfort, they do little to calm you. For everything he says, does, discussing a future with you in Kendom Land, changing aspects of his world to cater to your preferences, feel as if you are to take up unwilling, permanent residence here.

And, while you wait and plot for a way to escape, you exist as a perpetual puppet for Ken to mither and berate and order around.

In the real world, a doll has started appearing on shelves – a new range of ‘Misery Barbie/Ken’ dominating the toy aisles of every supermarket and toy store, your visage wrapped tightly in every box.

Tears, an outfit demeaning enough to make a grandmother faint, and the unwavering expression of the need for freedom.

Reblog for more content like this! It helps creators like myself tremendously and it is greatly appreciated :-)

Masterpost Masterlist

Yandere Masterlist Juicy Original Content <3

[j-jinxee]

[ ⟡​ ] — NIRAGI NSFW HEADCANONS,,

NSFW under the cut! ⊹ Niragi x Reader

✦ [warnings – weapon play, oral, handcuffs, pet names, spit, licking, uhh just v nsfw]

─────

₊˚♱ Ok so let's start with the fact he's always armed, carrying that rifle like it's a basic necessity. He uses those firearms in many ways, from simple intimidation, to having you suck on the barrel while his finger hovers over the trigger. He pushes it deeper down your throat as you here the safety click off, he never actually has the safety on normally, it was just to make you all the more scared. It puts him on a power trip, knowing he could absolutely waste you at any moment, even if he never actually will.

"You could kill me right now if you really wanted to"

"I know, and maybe one day I will. But right now I need those pretty lips wrapped around my cock, come on baby."

₊˚♱ Speaking of oral, he's obsessed with making you gag on him. Leaning his head back against the headboard, your nose poking his stomach as he forces your head further down. He'll let you go your own pace for the first few minutes, riling him up with how painfully slow your going — kitten licking his tip, giving lots of attention to those pretty veins decorating his shaft. That's how it goes until he needs to feel dominant again, his hands going to grip your hair, beginning to thrust upwards as he kept your head still. Tears starting to cloud your vision as your throat started to bruise.

"Fuckkk, whore can't even take dick properly? It's ok, gagging you like this is so fucken hot."

₊˚♱ Is definitely one for humiliation, but not in the common ways. He's not gonna make you suck him off in public, he's the only one allowed to see you like that. Niragi is the type to handcuff you to him, letting everyone at the beach know you're his, and anyone who tries to get with you will soon be staring down the barrel of a loaded rifle. He'd somehow get access to handcuffs, clasp them to one of your wrists, then the other end to his belt. Walking around, flaunting you like a trophy.

"You're mine baby, and I'm gonna show you off whether you like it or not."

₊˚♱ Pain kink 1000%, and shockingly, actually prefers receiving it rather than inflicting it. He'd have a nice silver pocket knife and ask you to use it on him after you suck him off. It's a nice interval between the oral and then actual sex, just a little something more to get him really fucked up. You'd be sitting on his lap as he comes down from his high, opening the knife and gliding it across his collarbones, it gets him hard immediately. You leave a few little cuts near his biceps and chest, until he says there's enough.

₊˚♱ Spit kink, no questions asked. Remember the way he spat on Hatter's dead body? Yeah. This ties in with his oral fixation, the way he's constantly sticking his tongue out, the way he adores licking every inch of your body, the way he loves when your teeth clink against his tongue piercing. He'll hold your face up by your chin while you're on your knees, standing over you as he spits in your mouth.

"Don't swallow it so soon baby, taste it, taste me."

₊˚♱ You can't convince me he wouldn't love being called daddy. He actually wouldn't realise at first, unaware of how much he loves it, until one night you unintentionally moaned it out as he was drilling you from behind. His movements stopped, making your heart sink. He leaned down towards your ear.

"What was that baby?"

"Nothing- sorry"

"Say it again."

Since then, he can't get enough of it. Constantly demanding you to moan it out as loud as you can, letting everyone know how good he fucks you.

----------------------------------------------------

I could honestly go on for so long abt this man and I'm not proud of it cuz yk 💀💀 but it's not my fault he happened to be SO ATTRACTIVE LIKE WHY'D HE HAVE TO BE SUCH A PRICK WHEN HES THAT HOT 😔 anywayzzz hope u enjoyed hehe :33

Ok cya, luv ya x

[tragedybunny]

Dance With Me Under the Diamonds, See Me Like Breath in the Cold - Astarion x F!Reader

I've been waiting to write this for some time. I'm absolutely thrilled with it and I hope you think it's beautiful.

Reader and Astarion have come a long way since that meeting on the beach. They've made it all the way to their wedding.

“Where in the hells is Gale?” Astarion fusses while fidgeting with the brocade crimson overcoat he’s wearing. “That man is always late.”

“He’ll be here Love,” you give him a small kiss on his cheek and take his hand, trying your best to keep things calm. "He's not even actually late yet."

“Still haven’t found patience to be a virtue I see,” Shadowheart strolls over to the two of you where you wait under an arbor of night-blooming jasmine, her arm hooked in Lae’zel’s.

“Would you expect any different,” Lae’zel adds a wide smile to her words, an attempt to make it clear she’s joking. The Githyanki has certainly seen her share of change since you met her, really hadn’t you all though?

“While I’m glad you two have finally developed a sense of humor, I’d rather not be the subject of it.” You can feel his agitation rising and it’s your turn to silently plead with the universe for Gale to hurry up.

“Perhaps he’s nervous,” Lae’zel turns to her partner, pretending Astarion isn’t right there fuming.

“I am not!” Before he gets any more worked up, they both pull the pair of you into a sudden embrace, leaving Astarion stuttering and you trying not to giggle at his expense.

“Congratulations you two, we’ll go mingle and pray for Gale’s safety if he’s any later,” The two of them join arms again and make their way back over to the crowd greeting an enthusiastic Mol and her gang of children that’s expanded beyond just the original tieflings. They’re becoming quite the criminal enterprise. There are so many people here, lives you’ve both touched. Originally you’d planned to just stay at your little house for the event, but when more requests to attend kept coming, you had to choose somewhere else. Duke Ravenguard had graciously offered you private use of Bloomridge Park.

“You are nervous, aren’t you,” you whisper mischievously and watch him try to hide it.

“Of course not, I managed to convince you to come this far, now it’s all formality,” your heart skips a beat when he smiles, the tips of fangs peeking out from under his lip. Smiles like that were all too rare when you first met him.

“I don’t recall needing much convincing.” Truthfully, you don’t remember what had brought the subject up, but Astarion had reminded you that it wasn’t a point, legally speaking, as neither of you technically existed.

“It doesn’t have to be in an official record anywhere, it’s just a promise we would make to one another. And we do know the perfect Cleric for a nighttime ceremony.” The way he’d just stood there for a moment you thought you'd said something wrong. Perhaps it was bringing up a Cleric and making it a sworn oath, he didn’t exactly have any love for religion. But then he was dropping to his knees, taking your hands in his, and begging you to be his wife. It was appropriately dramatic for him. And now, here you were, gathered with friends and found family, waiting on a late wizard.

“Brother!” Beside you, Astarion braces and a pale figure collides with him, embracing him tightly

“Hello Dal,” he gingerly returns her hug, as you notice Aurelia remaining a respectful distance behind them. “It’s good to see the both of you too,” he nods in Aurelia’s direction. His relationship with his “siblings” is complicated, but the horror they shared bonds them, and some of them have tried to make a family out of what is left to them. Dalyria seems to be the most persistent, she even had the two of you come visit their home in the Underdark.

“I’m so happy for you Astarion,” she finally releases him but leaves a hand on his arm fondly. “You’ll have to come visit again. I’ll even make Petras promise to behave.”

There’s turmoil in him only you can see, he would love to forget about anything that reminds him of Cazador, but the sisterly love Dal tries to give him is something he’s missed in his life. “At least it will be safer for him that way.”

“Stop,” she smiles and gives him a peck on the cheek. “We’ll talk more later.” As she walks away, Aurelia gives a stiff wave.

“His time is up, he's de-” A flash of light interrupts and when it fades two figures are standing amongst the crowd, a wizard you know well and one you briefly met.

“Sorry for the wait,” Gale begins awkwardly, trying to ignore Astarion’s considerable glare, “we were occupied in a bit of an undertaking…”

“But I am sure you will find the reasons most acceptable,” Elminster takes over, giving your floundering friend a reprieve.

Another flash of light as two more figures appear and you can't believe your eyes. Your heart leaps and you shout inadvertently. "Karlach! Wyll!" Without a second thought, you launch yourself at both of them, Astarion following along more reservedly.

"Steady on there, Soldier," Karlach pulls you into a smothering hug.

"How," you ask, smoothing the cream lace of your dress as she lets you go, still stunned she's outside Avernus without exploding.

"Wizards," Wyll smiles, glancing at Gale and Elminster. "We had to find a way back, there's no way we'd miss this."

"It won't hold forever, but we think we've got a way I can come back for visits. Until we get something permanent. Good news is Zariel's seemed distracted by something lately."

"I suppose overall this is an appropriate excuse for being late," Astarion finally relents.

"Aww, come on Fangs, don't be sour, it's your wedding." Karlach has a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Do not," but it's too late, the tiefling picks him up in a crushing hug. "I missed you too Karlach."

Tears suddenly start to form in your eyes, seeing them all together again, it was something you feared might never be. Wyll gives Asatrion a less brutal greeting and you turn to Elminster. "Thank you. You will stay right," it's the least you can do.

"Gale has assured me there are to be many culinary delights after, and of course, I've never seen a vampire spawn get married. So I believe I shall."

"Ah. I see Father made it," Wyll waves to Duke Ravengaurd who had been waiting a respectful distance away. "Best go see him, we'll catch up more after."

"You both better save a dance for me," Karlach calls over her shoulder, taking his arm, and kissing his temple.

"Tell me you have them," Astarion has fixed his attention back on Gale, and you rush to his side before he can begin another tirade.

"Worried I would eat them?" Gale has recovered himself from Astarion’s initial onslaught and is smiling brightly.

"Yes," your beloved is still in no mood for jokes.

"Honestly Astarion," you give him a look.

"Ugh, fine, I'll calm down. Once he hands them over." You're lost as to what Gale has that's so important considering the occasion.

"Never change my friend," he laughs and pulls a small box from a pocket on his robes and opens it gently. Inside there are two gold rings with small red stones set in them, you can feel the hum of magic in them.

“Sending Stones?” You glance at Astarion as he takes the box from Gale.

For a moment he seems almost shy about it. “I thought it would be nice if we were always able to speak to each other, no matter what. I know it’s not feasible to never be separated.” The two of you had spent almost every moment of the last couple of years in each other’s presence, but as Astarion continued to heal, he seemed more comfortable with time spent apart.

“You’re adorable, you know that,” your lips brush the tip of his nose, the gift is an incredibly sweet sentiment, and you’re so proud of how far he’s come.

Under the right circumstances, vampires actually can blush. “I..” he starts, sounding like he’s going to grouse about something, probably being called adorable in front of everyone, but stops. “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand why you think that my Love, after everything I’ve done.”

You reach up to brush his cheek and run a finger through his curls. “That wasn’t who you really are.”

“I take it, we're ready.” Isobel joins you under the arbor, eyes already fixed on the moon above, and you both nod in response. “Then let us begin,” her voice carries to the crowd and silence falls. “We come here, under Our Lady’s Light, to bless this couple and sanctify their bond.”

You honestly don’t remember many of Isobel’s words after that as Astarion takes your hand and you get lost in his soft, crimson eyes. Maybe it’s a bit terrible of you to ask Selune’s blessing and then not pay attention, but you think she can understand. “The rings,” Isobel prompts and Astarion retrieves them from his pocket, opening them so the Cleric can bless them. “May the Moonmaiden’s light ever guide your hearts toward each other.” A nearly imperceptible mote of silver light seems to land on them and lends the jewels in them an unearthly glow.

Astarion tenderly picks one up as you proffer your finger. Isobel had agreed to let you both speak your own vows, as long as they didn’t directly offend any of Selune’s teachings. You’d reassured Astarion every step of the way that you didn’t need it to be a sworn oath in front of clergy, but he’d oddly insisted, saying he wanted to swear himself to you to the fullest. “As long as it’s Isobel though, she’s the only trustworthy one.” Shadowheart was still figuring out how much religion she wanted in her life, though it seemed Selune was patient as she continued to have a Cleric's gifts.

The ring slips on your finger perfectly and your heart stutters, your vision getting watery again. You do the same for him in turn and you both entwine your hands, speaking in unison. “Unto thee, I vow, mine heart and home, mine life and love, for now, and all seasons. Let me never from thy side be parted, and unto thee, no evil do. Until, at last, my life shall leave me, this my beloved, is my pledge to you. So I do swear.”

“And so sworn before our Lady, I do pronounce thee wed.” The crowd behind you applauds, and you can barely see Astarion through the tears.

Lae’zel and Karlach are shouting raucously, “Kiss! Kiss!”

You start to lean forward and notice his eyes are just as wet as yours. “Hells, why did I agree to do this in public,” he laughs, dabbing his cheeks with the cuff of his sleeve.

“You couldn’t miss being the center of attention,” your laugh is lost in a happy sob. “Damn it, kiss me before I pass out or something.”

Softly, he pulls you in, lips finding yours. The chaste peck turns deeper, giving the crowd what they want judging by the noise. But then something unexpected happens, there’s the tinkle of mischievous laughter, as though a woman stands near to you. A voice that’s both honey-sweet but radiating power whispers in your ear, “congratulations my dear child,” and you feel a surge of fae-touched magic, reminding you of that day you took a different oath.

The kiss breaks and Astarion is staring at you, surprise clearing away his tears. “I know you.”

Everything goes numb in the rush of terror that follows, he’d learned some of who you were before the Nautiloid, but there was much still to tell. “Astarion I’m so-”

A slender finger is pressed to your lips. “Hush Love, tomorrow. And it changes nothing, I still love you with all my unbeating heart. Now let’s indulge everyone since they came all this way to celebrate us.”

The night is full of feasting, drinking, song, and dancing. The two of you mingle with old friends and those whom you met only briefly, the scents of a delectable feast wafting through the air. When the music starts, you share a waltz under the night sky, Astarion holding you close and whispering in your ear, “love you Sunlight.”

True to her word, Karlach insists on a dance with both of you, surprising you with her talent for it. “I’ve been teaching her,” Wyll looks over at her and Astarion lovingly from where he’s dancing with you. “Once you find a safe place to rest, Avernus can be a bit boring.”

You stumble across Lae’zel, angrily giving gold to Mol and her crew. “She lost a bet,” Mol says proudly.

“Oh really, and what sort of scam bet did you get her to agree to, my favorite tiny criminal” Astarion asks fondly. Mol comes to visit you sometimes and you’ve decided you’d rather not know what he’s been teaching her.

“She thought you might light on fire as soon as it got religious,” Mol laughs and scampers off.

Astarion pinches the bridge of his nose. “You’ve seen me in temples before.”

“Chk, but never swearing an oath.”

“She has a point,” you nudge him playfully.

“Oh you are going to pay for that later,” he leans in to nip at your neck, causing you to shiver.

Dawn nears much too soon and you can see some of his happiness evaporating. There still was no solution you’d found to let him live in the light. “We should go,” you whisper in his ear, “what’s a wedding without the wedding bed?” Ever so lightly, you let your tongue brush against his ear, a spot of divine torment for him you’ve found, and listen as he gasps softly.

“Indeed my Love,” his mood revives and the two of you make your good-byes, your friends having promised to clean up the aftermath of the night. A young woman you think you recognize passes you an open bottle of wine on the way out of the park, “a gift from summer’s best,” she says and it fills you with a strange sensation for a moment before Astarion’s mouth is on yours again.

Your house isn’t far from Bloomridge and the two of you stroll the streets in a blissful, dreamy state, wrapped in each other’s arms, sharing drinks from the wine that tastes of sweet berries and summer rains. Lights dance in the morning mists and everything feels transcendtly perfect as you ascend the steps to your home. Astarion pins against your front door, kissing you hungrily and letting his hands wander your body. “My wife,” he breathes against your skin as his lips travel down your neck.

Heat sparks inside you, ravenous for him. “My husband,” you sigh, lost in your love for him.

[angel-of-the-moons]

Nectar

Jake Lockley x Fem!Reader!

TW/CW: NSFW, Fingering, Voyeurism (sorta), exhibitionism, dirty talk, grinding, biting, smut, Jake is a cheeky little slut we all know this

MINORS DNI: I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT YOU CONSUME

A/N: This is self-indulgent as fuck, to help get me out of the funk I've been in. This is also because I actually grow these flowers and some interesting things happen when you milk them. That and I love to tell people I milk flowers for shampoo, the confusion is great.

(Any Spanish in this fic is written in italics and largely translated by Google, since I still know only a tiny bit and don't know any Spanish speakers personally)

🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒

Jake dropped his duffel bag next to the front door, sighing as he tugged off his jacket.

It was a quiet day, thankfully, because Steven and Marc left him to control the body today, to allow him to front by himself without their "chattering" in his ear...

"Muñeca?" He called out.

When there was no answer, he tried for you again.

"Alguien en casa?"

His brow furrowed when he was met with silence. You were home, he was sure of it. Your car was out front, the front door was unlocked...

That's when he noticed it, the sliding glass doors were open.

Hairs rose on the back of his neck and he automatically suspected the worst. He pulled his gun out of his chest harness, turning the safety off and he slowly crept to the open doors, finger off the trigger.

Just in case.

He inched his head out just enough so he could sweep the corners of the back yard, surrounded with thick shrubbery and trees, and flowers of various sorts.

Until finally, he looked at the farthest and most shaded part of the yard.

There, hunched over, you were. Your hair damp and hanging in clumped strands around your face, what appeared to be sweat soaking your face, dripping down your neck, and into the valley between your breasts.

Your whole look was alluring, really. You were wearing your biker shorts, your boots loosely tied, your tank top rolled up to reveal just enough of the tantalizing skin he adored to touch so much.

Jake tilted his head, running his tongue along his teeth as he leered at you a moment longer, a familiar hot feeling settling in the pool of his belly.

Well, it had been a few days... too long for his tastes.

He then noticed something odd, next to you was a small pail, the kind you'd see a child using at the beach. The particular patch of flowers were probably the ugliest ones in his opinion. He made sure you knew it, too. They looked like pinecones without the prickly bits, conical in shape (obviously) with small blossoms poking out here and there as green faded into a bright red-pink.

When he asked you why the fuck you wanted those ugly ass things, you giggled and said "You'll see".

Jake grunted and put the safety on his gun off, holstering it and hanging it on the coat rack by the door.

He put his gloved hands in his pockets and walked into the patio, and over to you.

"I was wondering where you were." Jake hummed when he was close enough, tilting his head.

You looked up at him, and instantly you knew.

"Jake!" You said, breaking out in a grin as you stood, knees dirty. You slipped your arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek; but of course, Jake being Jake, he turned his head and caught your mouth, shoving his tongue between your teeth to slide against yours with a soft groan; one of his hands cupping the back of your neck and the other going to grip at your waist, slipping beneath your tank top, the soft worn leather sliding up your back.

The smell coming from you was almost heavenly. Sweet, a little earthy, but almost like a cologne he wore, ages ago. It was a good smell for you.

"Jake." You breathed, separating from him, pouting up at him. "Can't wait, can you?"

"Mmm." Was all he said, his hand at the back of your neck moving to tip your chin upwards, his thumb brushing your bottom lip.

"Well too bad, you horndog." You giggle, pulling away from him, to kneel back in the grass.

"What are you doing?" He sighed, pouting like a child as he crossed his arms.

"Milking the flowers, duh." You grin up at him.

"Qué? How the... how the fuck do you milk a flower?" Jake asked, his brow furrowing as he kneels next to you.

"Here, watch." You grab a hold of one of the heavy flower heads, gesturing for him to lean in as you put your tiny pail beneath the flower.

When Jake leaned in, you gave a sudden squeeze to the flower, and some kind of clear gunk shot out and splattered on Jake's face, right above his eye and dripping down his cheek.

You broke out in a fit of giggles when he fell back on his ass, furiously wiping at his face and spewing curses.

"You're jerking off flowers!" He hissed at you.

You cackle some more and gently squeeze the flower, ignoring his comment.

Jake hesitantly sniffed his hand and realized...

"Did you put this in your hair?"

"Mhmm." You hummed. "It's a natural shampoo and conditioner. It keeps your hair shiny and fluffy... helps with bug bites and it can apparently be used as a massage lotion."

"....Where the hell did you learn that?" He squinted.

"YouTube. I got bored one day. It smells good, though, doesn't it?" You smirk at him as he rights his position now, making direct eye contact as you ever so slowly work your hand up the flower, the clear nectar dripping down the soft skin of your hands, into the waiting pail below.

He felt his cock stir in his pants as you turned from him and moved back down the flower, and back up again, squeezing out every drop you could.

You grab the handle of the pail and lift it, revealing it had been tucked inside of another bucket the whole time.

"It does smell... okay." Jake conceded.

"Just okay? Jerk." You snort, as you reach for another flower to start draining it into the pail.

"Mmmmh." Jake hummed, watching your slick fingers grip the flower head.

"You can go inside, y'know?" You sigh as his fingers reach out and grip your damp hair softly, the nectar from the flowers soaking your hair, the shiny fluid clinging to his glove.

"Don't want to." He murmurs, standing on his feet, looking down at you.

You don't have to look at him to know that he's smirking.

"Seeing as how you won't go inside and leave me alone, here." You hand him the pail full of the clear liquid.

"Set this on the counter in the kitchen for me?" You bat your eyelashes for extra effect.

Jake rolls his eyes, still smiling and does as you ask.

As he set the pail down, he leaned his hip on the counter.

He had a rather painful hard-on now. Watching your dainty fingers work at the flowers, all he could see was your hands wrapped firmly around his cock slowly stroking up, your fingers playing expertly over the tip, just the way he liked it...

Jake sighed and walked back out, and seeing you bent over as you milked more flowers sent a thought through his mind.

🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒

When you stood up, you were suddenly grabbed from behind, strong arms wrapped around your waist as lips sought the pulse in your neck.

"Jake." You sighed, your hand going up to gently grip his dark curls.

"Hmm?" He hummed.

It would have been innocent, a little cuddle and love nip.

If he wasn't grinding his hard cock into the curve of your ass.

"Jake!" You gasped when you felt one of his hands slide down the front of your shorts.

"No panties? Naughty girl." He grinned as he bit down at the soft spot in your neck, earning a moan that you had to swallow back down before it got too loud.

"Fff..." You hiss, looking around frantically as his fingers swipe over your clit, toying with the wetness in your folds.

"So wet for me. You're having more fun than you're admitting to me, muñeca." Jake growled, biting harder on your skin as he curls a finger into your waiting cunt.

"Jake! S-someone might see us!"

"Let em see."

Jake chuckled cruelly, shoving you forward into the large oak tree your flowers were planted around.

He turned your body until you were facing him, and he claimed your mouth, biting you lips and shoving his tongue into your mouth before you can protest, he pulls his mouth away from you, tugging the glove off his hand with his teeth, and shoved his hand down your shorts again and quickly pushed his fingers back inside of you.

He pressed the heel of his hand into your swollen clit and ground on it as he thrust and curled his fingers, making sure you writhed and squirmed; relishing in each contraction of your muscles as you gripped at the meat of his arm with your hands, biting your lip hard to stifle the moans.

You tried to focus on something, anything that wasn't your boyfriend's hand buried knuckle deep in your cunt.

You squeezed your eyes shut and leaned your head back, choking back your whimper.

You tried to focus on the bark of the tree digging into your skin, the pebble in your boot you kept forgetting to take out.

But all thoughts were brushed aside as you felt your orgasm being pushed, and pushed hard.

Jake was never the kind of man to half-ass anything. Especially when it came to fucking you. Normally he liked to work you up slowly, teasing you and eating you out until your legs turned to jelly, before fucking you on the nearest available surface.

Right now he was needy, desperate. You weren't sure what got him so worked up.

You gasped, and when you opened your mouth, Jake shoved his tongue back inside it, swallowing your voice in a hungry kiss as your muscles clamped down, spasming around his fingers as he thrust them in and out, fresh slick gushing around his digits as he fucked you through your orgasm, leaving you breathless and jelly-legged.

Jake pulled away from you, grinning like a shark.

You panted heavily. "You... you fucking shit--"

Your voice went dead when you heard your neighbor call out your name.

You yank Jake's hand out of your shorts and shove him away from you, fixing yourself as best you could when she walked through the gates connecting your yards.

"Oh! Hey, Joyce!" You say awkwardly.

"I was wondering if you finished getting that nectar?" The older woman asked sweetly, completely oblivious to what she just walked into.

"I... ah. Yeah. I kind of knocked over the second batch but I have some inside I can filter for you?" You cough awkwardly.

"Oh! That would be so nice thank you, sweetheart." She tilted her head, looking at Jake. "Oh! I take it your boyfriend has been helping?"

Your eyes widened in mortification, and you looked at Jake's hand, shiny and still wet.

The bastard didn't even try to wipe it off!

Jake gave you an impish grin and looked at his hand, playing with the lingering stickiness as he looked at Joyce.

"Sí, ma'am. But I was being a little careless and cost her the second batch." He replied politely.

"Oh, well, I'll be waiting! Take your time, sweetheart, no rush!" She hummed, turning to walk back into her own yard.

Jake waved the hand that still had your fresh slick clinging to it.

You grab his hand and yank it down, hissing.

"We're going inside. Now."

[susanhannifordcrowley]

Writing Tools: How I Named My Characters in The Vampire with a Blanket of Stars By Susan Hanniford Crowley