Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

"Awake," Vlad said in a low tone to avoid waking his wife. "Quite awake." That was the best he knew to describe it, and he'd be damned if he called it nervous. He wasn't exactly nervous, so much and thinking a dozen things at once while his muscles lay coiled in anticipation of something unidentified. "Your body..." his gaze scanned the length of the demigod's form in a silent inquiry.

[Emora Deen]

Atul reached to cup the wound in his side, but didn't quite cup a hand around it. "Took a holy bolt to the chest," he whispered. "Gods that hurt. Burns like hell. I'll favor it for a little I'm sure. It could have been much worst. Tenele healed it as best she could, enough to keep me from bleeding out. She shouldn't have..."

The King recalled too well her trembling hands and the blood dripping from her nose.

"Anyway," he sighed, snuggling the pillow. "It is good to be home." His hand snaked over Tenele's stomach and his fingers curled around Vlad's hand.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's cool fingers closed around Atul's. A thorn of tension pried loose from his mind as he felt the man's skin safely against his. "It is your wedding morn, Atul Hajaris," he murmured with pleasure.

[Emora Deen]

"Hmm?" Atul asked, eyes closed. He hummed it, mulling over the vampire's words. Then, his eyes snapped open. "What?!" he said, too loud as he sat up. The sudden noise startled Tenele and she yelped, flinging her arm up as she rose to sit and smacking Atul in the face.

"Ah!" Atul grunted, and the broke into a laugh. "Ow. Gods."

Tenele huffed at the dark room. But, the King's warm laughter calmed her frazzled nerves. "Why are we screaming?" she murmured, falling back against the bed and curling her hands over her skull. Her head was throbbing.

"Sorry..." Atul replied. "Vlad... Vlad reminded me that it was a very important day. I got excited and terrified I'd forgotten with everything going on." He grinned at the vampire. "They'll come to cart you two off when day breaks and the three of us won't be allowed a moment together until tonight."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad blinked. He'd supposed Tenele would be off with the maids, but the vampire had expected to be at Atul's side throughout the day. He knew nothing of the protocol. A cold finger of dread caught his tense stomach and plucked at it. "I assume there are...traditions. Are there any that merit forewarning?"

[Emora Deen]

Atul pondered it, tracing circles along Tenele's arm. "I don't think so. You've already been warned about the goats."

"I don't need goats," Tenele chuckled, despite the ache in her head.

"Too bad," he replied. He tapped his chin. "Well, what I meant to say was that we won't have a moment alone for the rest of the day. We might be together here and there, but we won't be like this, alone, until tonight. First thing they'll do is get us ready to receive our gifts. The presentation will be at breakfast. There will be a large feast for those who have arrived and they will give us our gifts then. The wedding will be in the evening. There will be another feast that night, which is where we greet them as official husbands and wife. Then..."

The kings cheeks flushed rose. "Maids will take us one by one to the roof veranda, where it is customary for the wedding night to take place. It will be prepared with candles, incense, and silks. Beautiful, I imagine. They will prepare us and then allow us our privacy."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad raised an eyebrow slowly. "Privacy, meaning we have at each other on the castle roof for the whole kingdom to see?"

[Emora Deen]

Atul blinked. "That is far too high for anyone to see. It is secluded enough to offer privacy. But, I'll request there be curtains drawn up if it worries you that you might be spotted."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's cheeks darkened. "I am not worried." He shifted his hips an inch back from Tenele's rear to make it less obvious how unworried he was.

[Emora Deen]

Atul smiled. "I'll have curtains put up," he said. "There will be guards on the roof, so maybe it is best." He thought about it, about the traditions of his kingdom. "This will be the first time, in all the years of my family's reign, that Verin will not be greeting the bride this night. I'm not entirely sure if the tradition was started by him or not. Maybe it is best we don't have it there...."

Tenele reached out her hand and curled her fingers around Atul's arm. "It is fine," she said. "It matters not where we spend our night, as long as it is with you."

Atul grinned. "It will definitely be with me."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad made a sound low in his throat very close to a purr... or maybe a growl. The inch he'd retreated was no longer enough to hide his interest from Tenele, but the thought of her noticing only served to fuel his hard-on.

Married to them both. Enjoying their wedding night until their bodies begged them for rest. Serving as their husband and ally all of his days. All thoughts that fueled the proud pleasure that had kept him restless all night at their side.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele snickered at Vlad's obvious interest. Just to torture him, she pressed back against that hardness with a slight wiggle. "I think Vlad is very happy with tonight's accommodations."

Atul smiled, oblivious to what his lover was teasing about. "I'm glad." He leaned forward, giving both of them a kiss long kiss. His gaze went to the rising sun just starting to crest the horizon.

Tenele took the towel Vlad had wrapped her in and tossed it over his head. "Don't worry about the time. When they want us, they will come for us."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad rested his forehead against the nape of Tenele's neck and took a slow breath. His body still seared from Atul's mouth against his and the soft pressure of Tenele's rear against his need.

Nope, he thought. He would not be sleeping between now and morning.

And sure enough, he didn't, right up until the moment the maids knocked politely at the door just after dawn.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele went with the maids and met with her daughter in a room that had been prepared for them specifically to use during the days festivities. Her husband was taken somewhere else for his own prepared room. She ate a small breakfast with Tenara before dressing in traditional Hajaran garb. Tenele wore a beautiful teal littered in beautiful gold embroidery. Tenara wore violet with silver embroidery. Tenele wasn't entirely sure what Tenara thought would be happening that day, but she was eager and happy and kept saying how exciting it was. She was, after all, becoming a real princess like so many of her favorite stories.

The whole morning went by in a blur for Tenele. She was led with Tenara to a large banquet area for breakfast. Atul as seated in a gold throne, and two empty ones were at either side of him, with an even smaller, child-sized chair next to the one on the left. Tenele chose that one so that Tenara could sit next to her.

The room filled with people, and she greeted Atul and Vlad and spoke to them shortly before the formal breakfast began. The people who greeted them and presented gifts began to blur together until a nobleman from the north paused before them with a beautiful woman at his side.

She was tall, a little taller than Tenele was used to seeing women, and had long brown hair, and pretty gray eyes. She was tan, and youthful, maybe early twenties.

"My name is Abadad, from the great city of Merku. I have brought gifts of gold in honor of your wedding, King Hajaris." The man bowed, and after he bowed the woman did the same. "I have brought a fine horse in honor of your wedding, King-Soul Dracul." He bowed again, this time at Vlad.

"And for you, to my lovely future-queen I have brought on of Merku's finest gifts. She is well trained, and perfectly suited to meet all of your needs," he said. "Merku prides itself on providing concubines exceptionally trained on entertaining the female persuasion."

Tenele choked on her coffee. She set the cup down slowly, hoping she hadn't any coming out her nose. "I'm sorry?"

"I present to you Osa of the House Uson. She volunteered as tribute to you, my Queen."

Tenele blinked at the beautiful woman and then turned a red faced stair to her husband. "I... I...."

"Forgive my future wife," Atul smiled. "She is new to the custom of having concubines. We are pleased with your gifts. Thank you."

"You are most welcome, my king." The man bowed and backed away. Osa bowed, smiling pleasantly at Tenele, and then turned to follow.

[Soran Nightblade]

Tenele's reaction to her present was the only thing that pulled Vlad's attention back from his boredom coma. It was amusing to watch her smile and blush. As for the concubine, he had zero interest in her, same as the rest of their gifts.

His eyes scanned the room and found Sinead's. The queen was making polite conversation with some honored guests at one of the head tables. The woman always did seem at ease with court affairs, so it was no surprise that she took to it, even in an unfamiliar kingdom. He'd been too busy to thank her for helping Tenele the night before, but such formalities were rarely observed in their relationship anyway. It was interesting to have her here. She'd been unable to attend he and Tenele's wedding at the monastery, although she'd practically orchestrated the whole thing. This time, she was there and dressed to the nines, every bit the mother of the bride. And....master of the bridegroom? What was she, exactly, anyway?" he mused in boredom, transparently missing the next five or six gifts.