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Chapter Text

Gupta empire 400 AD

‘Why are you marrying Ikaris?’ 

Sersi met her eyes in the mirror. 

They were sitting in front of a dressing table inside the temple. A cosmetic palette and combs cluttered the table. The smells of freshly picked flowers permeated the room. Thena was on the other side of the room, looking at dresses.

In just a few hours, Sersi was to marry Ikaris, and Makkari still couldn’t help the strangeness of it all. She hoped her question wasn’t abrasive. She was happy for them, no doubt about it. But it was still odd.

‘As far as I remember, we don’t have weddings in Olympia.’ 

Sersi finished fixing her hair and turned to her. The glint in her eyes surprised her a little.

“Because I love him,” she shrugged with a smile. “Also, if we’re to live here a very long time, we might as well adopt humanities costumes. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll marry someone. I’ve noticed that you and Kingo have grown rather close.” Sersi waggled her brows. Makkari snorted.

‘Oh no, we’re just friends, is all. Kingo is also more likely to marry his reflection.’

All three of them laughed at that. 

“Well, regardless, I’m sure you’ll find someone one day. Whether they’re human or Eternal, I hope they make you very happy.” 

Makkari didn’t know how to respond. Instead, she looked at the brushes and paints on the table. She couldn’t imagine herself getting married. Weddings were just such a human thing. She didn’t get them. Why would someone willingly chain themselves to someone that way? Most Eternals in Olympia jumped from partner to partner as far as she could remember. Boredom was the nature of immortality. So she didn’t really know how humans could devote themselves to one person, especially when they lived such brief lives. Knowing Sersi, she probably saw her marriage with Ikaris the same way. She didn’t know how she could stand being married to him for all eternity. But if it made her happy, who was she to judge?

Sersi craned her neck to look at Thena.

“How about you, Thena? Are you and Gilgamesh planning a wedding soon?”

The blonde merely looked their way but said nothing. Thena was a woman of few words. They all knew that. Her relationship with Gil was a mystery to them. The way she and Gil looked at each other sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more than friendship between them. She doubted Thena would ever tell, though. 

The warrior simply smiled as if she held a long-lost secret and turned her attention back to the dresses. Makkari smirked and shook her head at that. Now she was definitely curious.

A few minutes later, the human women returned to the room and went back to fixing Sersi’s hair and getting her ready. Makkari stepped back. 

As she looked at the entire process, her mind drifted towards a certain telepath. She shut down the thought before a blush could rise to her cheeks. She loved Druig, but she knew they would never happen. He didn’t feel that way about her. He was Druig, after all. He scoffed at such things. To him, love was just a silly human emotion. And besides, they were friends. There was no need to complicate it love. She didn’t think about him that way either.

Makkari crossed her arms and leaned against the column beside her. Sersi grinned and spoke amiably with the humans.

She knew she wouldn’t have what Sersi has with Ikaris. And she was okay with it.

Amazons 1842

The woman working on her braids asked her a question and she snapped out of her memories.

She sat inside one cabin in the compound. Her simple, yet beautiful red dress hugged her figure, showing a bit of her shoulders. Her reflection in the mirror grinned back at her as excitement bubbled up inside her. 

She couldn't believe that this was the day. The day she married Druig. She had told Druig that she didn’t need a wedding, and she stood by that. However, as the day was finally upon them, what else could she do but smile? And as she prepared for the ceremony, the memories of Sersi’s wedding surged within her. 

Makkari rolled her eyes. How naïve she was back then. How did she not know that she and Druig would always end up here? They both gravitated toward each other from the beginning. Their union was inevitable. 

The ground vibrated, snapping her out of her train of thought once more. She turned and looked at the woman walking toward her. She held a box in her hand. Makkari raised a brow as the woman handed her the box.

“Un regalo de Druig,” the woman explained with a wide smile. 

Makkari wasted no time taking the box from her and placing it on her lap. A warm smile spread across her lips as she opened it. A single red flower lay inside the box. The petals were so large and wavy that they reminded her of a dress. She didn’t know the name, but she instantly recognized it as the same one he had given her when they first arrived in Tenochtitlan. She took the flower and read the note tied to the stem. The women arched their necks for a peek.

A flower befitting your beauty, my beautiful Makkari. 

The women giggled. She blushed, but rolled her eyes as she placed the flower on her ear. He was such a flirt. She wondered how the others saw him as some brooding man. If only they knew. Thinking of him, a pang of longing shot through her. She woke up alone in the morning. The first time in a week. The elders in charge of the ceremony were adamant about the age-old tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding. The fact that they were both much older than said tradition didn’t matter. Still, marriage was a human thing, and if they wanted to do it right, they had to do it the way humans did it.

“Él está muy enamorado de ti.”

The other women nodded, and a warm feeling spread inside her. He really was in love, and so was she. And after a thousand years, she finally understood Sersi. Devoting her entire life to Druig was the easiest decision she would ever make. He was her anchor, and she was his. She knew that now, just as well as she knew herself. Without him, life would be meaningless. Instead of scaring her, as it undoubtedly would in the past, it made something tender bloom inside her. 

The women continued to giggle as they prepared her for the wedding. She gave them some input on the makeup, but other than that, she let them work. The entire process didn’t take long, seeing as her makeup was relatively simple. She didn’t want to plaster her face with paint like women did in Europe. 

Once the women were satisfied with their work, they wished her good luck and left. 

Makkari frowned a little at that. 

Luck? Why on earth did she need luck? She was getting married, not going into battle. She supposed it was just one of those human things. Despite spending thousands of years among them, humans still eluded her from time to time. 

She stood up and paced around the room waiting for someone to get her. Her mind drifted to her soon to be husband. She couldn’t believe how far they’ve come since that first time they spoke in Mesopotamia. All the good, the bad, all the times he made her laugh and cry. They were truly-

The bond swelled with a warm feeling, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Looking over her shoulder, she stared at the door. She knew who it was before she saw him.

The door opened just wide enough for Druig to slip inside before he quickly closed it. As he turned and looked at her, sparks seemed to fly off of him at the way he smiled at her, like the very sun set on her shoulders. The only thing she could think of was how handsome he was. His attire was more or less the same, but that didn’t matter to her.

So they were throwing traditions out the window then.

Druig sauntered toward her, and she shot him a coy smile. The bond sent a shiver down her spine as she placed her hand on his chest and leaned forward to kiss his chin. 

‘You look so handsome.’

“I thought I always did,” he winked. She was about to roll her eyes when his gaze softened, and he smiled at her lovingly. “You’re gorgeous.”

He leaned down and kissed her gently. His lips tasted like pineapple, no doubt from having snacked on one. That made her smile a little. Nothing could stop this man’s appetite.

“After today, I can actually say that you’re mine.” He bent a little at the waist, and the edge of his lip quirked. “There’s no taking me back after this, sweetheart.”

She laughed silently at that.

‘I thought you said you didn’t need a wedding.’

“I don’t, but since we’re having one anyway, I’ll enjoy it as much as possible.”

She smirked and rolled her eyes. Vibrations trembled under her feet, and she peeked behind him, worried that someone might come in. The door remained closed and she looked back at him.

‘You know, if they find out you’re here, all the women in charge of the ceremony will kill you.’

He hummed. 

“Some things are worth dying for.” 

She snorted.

‘You’re so mawkish sometimes.’

He gave her a lopsided grin that had her heart clenching. He raised his hand and stroked her cheek.

“Are you excited?” 

‘I am. I know I also said we didn’t need a wedding, but it’s still exciting.’ 

His chest rumbled as he hummed in agreement. Cupping her face, he gave her a wolfish smile before nipping her lips. The very gesture had her body thrumming. She wondered if they could skip the ceremony and get to the fun part. Druig read her mind, and his eyes flashed. 

“I think the honeymoon has got to be my favourite part about all this.” He bent down and nipped at her earlobe. “Two entire weeks, just us. I can’t wait.”

She put some space between them to give him an exasperated look.  

‘Control yourself.’

As expected, that only proved to spur him on as he smiled devilishly and squeezed her thighs.

“If they wanted me to control myself, then they shouldn’t have wrapped you up so nicely for me. How will I even survive until then?”

She didn’t answer as she merely huffed. Her handsome Druig, she loved it when he got all playful with her. It was a part of their relationship that had always been there. How they always got into shenanigans together, as if they were a pair of children rather than immortal beings that had seen empires rise and fall. She remembered how she feared losing that part of them if their relationship evolved into more. She realized how foolish she had been. They would always be a pair of kindred spirits bound for eternity. 

Druig let go of her and stepped back. 

“I’m actually risking my neck because I have a gift for you.”

Her smile widened with almost child-like delight. She absolutely loved gifts. 

‘Really?’

He nodded, but the mischievous smirk did not bode well on her. 

“But if you want it, you’re gonna have to be patient.”

Her smile fell as she pouted. Druig stepped closer and slipped her braid behind her shoulder. His eyes glinted with amusement.

“Now, I know patience is difficult for you, so I’m making you wait until after the ceremony.”

Makkari huffed and glared at him.

‘I can still change my mind about this, you know?’

“You could, but then you’ll always wonder what my gift is.”

She narrowed her eyes. He was such a tease. He knew very well she didn’t like waiting. Everyone in their family knew that. Patience was for people that couldn’t run as fast as her. 

‘So you came all this way just to tell me you have a gift but can’t give it to me right now?’

Druig looked at the ceiling in mock thought before looking back at her and smirking.

“Yea, that sounds about right.”

Despite the slight annoyance and amusement, she couldn’t help but melt at how he smiled at her, eyes crinkling and teeth flashing. Why did he not smile more often? Did he not know how absolutely breathtaking he looked when he did? Raising her hand, she poked at his dimples. 

‘Your dimples are so adorable, you should smile more often so I can look at them.’

Red tinged his cheeks. 

“Really?” he asked smugly, downplaying his embarrassment. “Maybe you should give me more reasons to smile.”

Her heart did a flip. She couldn’t help herself and leaned forward to kiss him. It was brief, barely there kiss, but it would have to suffice for now. 

Before anyone could walk in on them and see Druig, he made a hasty retreat through the window, but only after giving her one last parting kiss. Her body shook with a silent giggle at his antics. The edge of her lip spread into a warm smile. Now that she looked back on their lives, all the hardships and the good times they shared together, she knew this had always been inevitable. Every decision, every road, led to this moment. It was like gravity had been pulling them together from the very beginning. She didn’t believe in a higher power, but even she had to agree that this was fate. 

A few minutes later, a group of women came to get her, and for the first time in a long time, she felt her body electrify with nerves.

Makkari straightened her back and walked out of the cabin. The heads of every member of the compound snapped towards her. Tender smiles flashed at her. She’d be lying if she said her legs weren’t shaking slightly. 

Her eyes were fixed on the chapel as she walked through the compound. Beautiful red flowers and ribbons adorned the doors and windows of the chapel, nearly blocking them from how many there were. It was all a bit much, but the humans were adamant. They wanted everything to be grand, despite their humble home. Makkari felt warmth spread inside her at all the work they did for them. It reminded her a little of Sersi’s wedding. 

It was a tradition to be walked down the aisle. But seeing as she knew no one in the compound, she decided to walk independently. She wished she had someone, though. Perhaps Kingo, her friend. At that moment she yearned for her family. 

Druig stood at the end of the chapel with his hands behind his back, and his head held high. He gazed at her as if he hadn’t seen her a mere minute ago. His eyes were filled with fondness. His tender smile spoke a thousand words. Her heart raced as she matched his smile. For a second, it felt like it was just them. The officiant standing behind Druig broke that fantasy, however. 

Ever the gentleman, Druig took her hand and then kissed it.

“Good to see you didn’t get cold feet,” he joked. 

She shook her head and went to stand beside him.

‘Well, a part of me wanted to run for the hills while I still could.’

He smirked and leaned a little.

“Hoping I would chase after you?”

‘You can try, but you would never catch me.’

“Oh really? I-”

The officiant cleared his throat, bringing them both back to reality. They couldn’t help but smirk sheepishly as the man shook his head. 

What came next was what she assumed was the traditional wedding ceremony. She’d never attended a wedding apart from Sersi’s, and hers differed greatly from hers. However, she knew both of them were supposed to say something, a wedding bow as it was known. Both she and Druig talked about it the day before. She assumed he would use the tradditional wedding vow. Druig was a very private individual. He wasn’t one to announce his love to the world. His words of devotion were for her and her only, and she was okay with that. But to her surprise, he assured her he would use his own. 

The officiant finished his speech and gestured at them. They looked at each other and clasped their hands. Makkari waited for him to go first.

“Makkari, as an Eternal, I have walked the earth for millennia. I have seen empires rise and fall. And in all of my time, I have witnessed such wonders and beauty, but all of it pales compared to you. You are the joy of my life. The sun to my world. The anchor to my turbulent mind.”

She told herself she wouldn’t cry, that she didn’t need this wedding, yet her vision turned blurry as tears gathered in her eyes.

“Your warm, inviting eyes and beautiful smile immediately softened my tough facade. I remember wanting to have, and sometimes make, reasons to talk to you. To see you beam that amazing smile back at me, immediately putting me at ease and brightening my day. I love that we started as friends. That is my favourite part. You truly saw me. You understand me, accept me, in a way no one else has, in a way that I believe no one else can. You are my best friend. You give me such joy. There is nothing in this world that I wouldn’t do for you. Living eternity together isn’t even a question, for even if the very ground decays beneath our feet, my heart will belong to you.” 

He smirked and pressed his forehead against hers.

“Whether you like it or not, I’ll always be there to annoy you.” 

Sheer will prevented her from kissing him or pulling him into a hug. How could he always have such ways with words? She knew this was usually the moment he would slip a ring into her finger, but they forwent that tradition, seeing as they already had their bracelets.

Makkari took a deep breath. Her hand shook as she signed. 

‘Druig, through the years, we have faced obstacles, some harder than others, that have helped us build our relationship. It has shown me your unwavering love, constant support, and silent strength. Thank you for accepting my eccentricities and sharing my hobbies and interests. For sticking by my side to translate when we only just met. For being my friend and having my back.’

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, anchoring her.

‘I promise to encourage you to follow your goals. I promise to continue challenging you to be the best version of yourself. I promise to make you laugh when you’re taking life too seriously. I promise to love you unconditionally. I promise to put you first and never lose our spark. I admire you and look up to you for all the good you bring to this great big world. You have opened your heart to me, and I know your capacity for love is beyond that of most people. Your core is one of a kind, and I am the richest person to get to marry you.’

Despite his tough facade, his eyes glistened. Their fingers entwined, much like the bond they shared. She couldn’t possibly be happier than she was right now. After everything they went through, having him here, with their past behind him and their future ahead of them was a dream come true. This would have seemed impossible a few weeks ago. 

Eyes still on him, Makkari barely noticed the officiant declaring them husband and wife. 

Druig stepped closer. They were face to face now, noses a few short inches apart. He caught her eyes and grinned his most tender, loving grin, the one only reserved for her.

I love you. She signed mentally. 

And with that, he kissed her. 

The party took place outside, with all the humans dancing and celebrating with them. She didn’t know any of them, yet they celebrated as if one of their own had just gotten married. She supposed that was true, seeing as Druig was one of them. And however much he tried to separate himself from them, she still felt the happiness and belonging he felt flow through the bond. 

She’s never seen Druig as involved in a celebration as he was now. The way he smiled, laughed and danced with her made her feel weightless. They must have eaten plates upon plates of food, but neither cared as they submerged themselves entirely in the celebrations. She had never felt this happy before. Sure, she didn’t need a wedding to show him how much she loved him or devoted herself to him, but she couldn’t deny how fun it all turned out to be. They should have done this ages ago.

After yet another dance, even her feet were starting to hurt. He took her hand and pulled her to the edges of the compound, where no one else could see them. Druig pulled her into a kiss, and she hummed against his lips. She wondered if it was time to leave. The sun had already set, and the humans didn’t seem to miss them as they continued celebrating. 

“I have a present for you, remember?”

Excitement bubbled up inside her. She’d nearly forgotten about that. Druig reached inside his pocket, and she wondered how she hadn’t felt it before. He must have gotten the gift when he went to get the food.

“The last few years without you were the hardest of my life. So every time I found myself missing you, I would work on this.’

Druig raised the bundle in his hand and removed the cloth. A beautifully carved red and silver parrot was nestled in his hand, gold glistening in its wings. The carving technique was exquisite, and she should know. She’d spent her life collecting stuff like this. It did not miss her notice that the colours were a complete match to her armour.

Druig grinned at her nervously and offered her the carving.

“For your collection.”

She grabbed it as if it were glass.

“It might not have historical value, but-”

She pulled him into a hug before he could finish and buried her face against his neck. Her eyes shut tightly as she fought back a sob. This meant a lot to him. She could feel it through the bond. This was more than a wood carving. It was something that reminded him of her, something that kept him company all this time and had worked on tirelessly. It was his tether in those tough times. Not one of her priceless trinkets was worth as much as this one. 

Makkari planted a kiss on his neck and separated. 

‘Are you sure you want to give this to me?’

He didn’t even hesitate to nod.

“I made it for you,” he mumbled.

She couldn’t help but smile fondly. She loved it when he got all vulnerable. Going on her tippy toes, she kissed him and signed against his chest.

‘I’ll put it on my bedside table.’

He smirked, nervousness giving away to his usual confidence.

“That important, huh?” He hummed.

She looked at him with hooded eyes as something more carnal spread within her.

‘Of course. Though, my favourite treasure will always go on my bed.’ 

He flashed his teeth with a grin and stepped closer.

“Is that so?” He bent and peppered her face with kisses. “Is that what I am to you? Yet another trinket in your collection to do as you please with?”

She giggled as he took her into his arms, prompting her to wrap her legs around him. A shiver ran down her body as he rubbed his nose against her neck, his warm breath brushing against her skin. 

“I think we’ve spent too much time here, don’t you think?”

Days before the ceremony, Druig told her that if they were getting married, they had to go all the way and have a honeymoon. At first, she assumed they would spend it inside his cabin. However, she was pleasantly surprised when he told her he had a hut outside the compound. She couldn’t help but blush when he told her he needed as much privacy for what he had planned. 

Excitement and arousal flashed in her eyes as she nodded. He gave her a heated kiss and put her down. His hand stretched out to her. They didn’t announce their departure as they simply slipped into the forest hand in hand with child-like grins on their lips. 

She wasn’t sure exactly where they were going, but Druig showed her on a small map he carried. She took hold of him and took them to the place he had planned. It took her less than a second to get to their destination. Makkari gave Druig a once-over before letting him go in case he got whiplash. He seemed perfectly fine. In fact, he seemed more than fine as he beamed at her. As she turned, she realized why that was. 

Her heart squeezed as a million emotions gripped her. 

A beautiful sandy beach greeted her. The moon reflected over the gentle sea as waves rolled gently against the shore. A cabin stood by the ocean. She’d visited countless beaches before, but this one was burned into her memory. 

Makkari took a hesitant step forward. The images of them together flashed behind her eyes, and she didn’t know how to feel about them. The memories of this place were bitter-sweet. This was where they gave themselves to each other, but where they also parted ways. 

“I know our memories of this place aren’t exactly the best.” He slipped his hand into hers. “So I thought we’d make new ones.”

She exhaled a shaky breath. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple and pulled her towards the cabin. 

“I built this cabin a few years ago,” he explained. “I come here whenever I need a break.”

She didn’t respond as her mind struggled to move past her memories. Druig sleeping peacefully on the sand as she left him tore at her heart.

His hand gave her a comforting squeeze.

“If you don’t like this place, we can leave. I just thought-”

‘I don’t want to leave.’ She turned to him and gave him a reassuring smile. ‘It’s just… there’s so much to unwrap.’ 

His brows knitted together, unconvinced by her words. Before he could say anything, she placed her hands on his chest and kissed the skin that peeked from his robe.

‘Tell me what you remember of this place.’ 

Druig wrapped her into a loose hug and bent down to ghost his lips over her temple.

“I remember our night together.” She shuddered as his hot breath brushed against her heated skin. “Your body moving against mine. Your moans as you came wrapped around me.” 

He rocked against her, and a little gasp left her lips. 

“I remember your love, the memories you shared with me that night.” He shifted on the spot. “I missed you so much. I missed your touch, your embrace, your lips, your laugh. It was painful.”

She tilted her head back to look at him. His eyes glistened from both the moonlight and unshed tears. Her heart ached at how vulnerable he seemed. 

‘Now you can hold me for however long you want. This time I won’t leave you.’ 

His face brightened at that.

They didn’t go to the little cabin. Instead, he took her to a familiar spot. Druig pulled her down to the grass. They knelt facing each other, giving her a sense of déjà vu. She was reliving the past, but it was different now. This was not their last time together before they parted ways. This was the start of something new. 

He pressed his forehead against hers. His eyes closed as he breathed in deeply. She recalled how nervous she felt in the past, how her heart threatened to jump out of her chest at his mere touch. But things were different now. Being like this together brought her comfort and tranquillity. There’s nowhere she’d rather be. 

The waves rolled in tandem with their hearts.

“Tell me what you want,” breathed  Druig.

Makkari opened her eyes to meet his. Druig’s baby blue eyes gazed into hers. The way he looked at her never ceased to take her breath away. The tenderness and love in his gaze were enough to choke her up. She only hoped she conveyed as much emotion through her gaze. He deserved to know how much he was loved, and now it was her responsibility to make sure of it.

She cupped his cheek and traced his lips with her thumb. 

‘Make love to me like you did that night.’ 

His body trembled from a shiver, undoubtedly recalling that night with great clarity. But instead of pulling her down to the grass, he hesitated. 

“I want to connect our minds.”

She tensed.

‘Druig… you know we can’t.’

He took her hands. His fingers grasped hers as if she were his anchor.

“Please, just for a bit. I need it. I need to feel you.” His eyes shifted to their hands. “I promise this is the last time I ask for it.”

She pursed her lips.

The desperation in the vibrations of his voice tore at her. She wanted to throw caution to the wind, but she couldn’t. Ajak’s words haunted her mind. What if they connected their minds and something went wrong? The possibility of that happening was too great. But how could she refuse him? His telepathy was a part of him. Being in someone’s mind came as naturally as breathing to him. It would be like chaining herself down. She also couldn’t deny how much she wanted the connection. To feel his mind as if it were her own. To feel as if they were two bodies wrapped inside one soul. 

Makkari sighed.

Ajak would not be happy. 

She didn’t need to sign her decision as he read it from her mind. Scooting a little closer, so their knees touched, he cupped her face. She waited with bated breaths. His eyes turned gold a few seconds later, and she kissed the space between them. The all-encompassing feel of his mind crashed against hers. The hot rush of his desire and love flooded her, nearly knocking her over. 

Makkari closed her eyes and moaned.

How could something feel this right? This complete? Like she was finally where she was supposed to be. She didn’t know, but it was intoxicating. His hands were against hers, his heart beating in tandem with hers. 

Druig smirked.

So beautiful. His thoughts fluttered into her mind.

She opened her eyes and stroked his hair back. Druig’s eyes fluttered at the feel of her nails scratching gently over his scalp. She smiled at how much he loved her touch on him. But as much as she cherished these simple touches, she yearned for more. 

‘Make love to me.’ 

He didn’t have to be told twice. Their lips connected, and she sighed into his mouth as the bond electrified her. He kissed her with slow intensity. Lips moving from hers, he nipped and sucked on her neck. His body shifted on the spot to push her down on the grass but he didn’t join her.

Makkari’s chest heaved, her eyes firmly set on him. She felt like a sacrifice, wrapped up and ready to be taken by the god above her. 

He flashed his teeth at the little analogy. He thought the same, but in reverse. She was the goddess, and he was her humble worshiper. Oh, and how well he would worship her.

Druig bent down so that he laid partially on top of her. His arms braced themselves between her head, blocking her view so that she could only look at him. His warm breath set her body on fire as he kissed and lapped at her neck. 

“I’m going to take my time with you,” he rumbled against her skin, making it easy to translate his vibrations. “Will you let me? Will you lie still for me so I can make you feel good?”

Her toes curled at his words. Meeting his eyes, she gulped and nodded. As if she would ever deny him anything.

He worried her neck, paying close attention to her pulse point. He sucked hard on her sensitive skin, and her breath hitched. He was working on the laces of her dress at the same time.

“As much as I love this dress, it’s kinda getting in my way.” 

She smirked at him.

He disposed of her dress in no time at all. What happened next had her writhing and moaning under him. 

Never going back on his promise, Druig went slowly. Slower than she liked. 

She writhed and moaned under him. His lips trapped her nipple inside his mouth and massaged it with his tongue. They had only just begun, and she felt like a live wire, her heart speeding. Her hands were on his hair to anchor her. Her breath hitched every time he sucked hard. The bond twisted both their arousal together, making it difficult to know where she ended, and he began. She was in ecstasy. Pure and simple. She would never tire of doing this with him. His hands, lips, every part of him knew exactly what to do because he could read her mind. He could tell what she wanted before she knew it. And yet he frustratingly kept the same slow pace. 

She wanted him… needed him to go fast. But the need to give him what he wanted was greater. And so she twisted the grass in her hands, her nails raked the sand and soil. 

“So sweet. So soft. So beautiful, and all mine.”

She nodded her agreement. Yes, she belonged to him, only him. It was always going to be him. Possessiveness and love bloomed from his side of the bond, pleased with her thought. But despite that, he continued her exquisite torture.

Makkari gasped. Her lips parted, filling the night with little whimpers. Her knees were bent, her heels dug against the grass. Druig laid between her spread legs. His tongue worked her folds open. He was getting quite good at that, but that didn’t surprise her. He was studying her like he did everything else, slowly and intricately. Most would be uncomfortable in her place. To lay bare one’s body and mind wasn’t something most people would be comfortable with. But there was nothing for her to hide from him. Her love, pleasure, memories, thoughts — they all belonged to him. 

His tongue slid inside her briefly, then moved up to her clit. Her hips bucked, but he kept them firmly in place with a sure hand. 

“I want to know what makes you moan.” He kissed her opening. “What makes you squirm?” He sucked on her clit. “Your arousal is so intoxicating. I want to feel all of it.” 

She melted under his touch. His words did terrible things to her. It surprised her she was coherent enough to understand them. There was a terrible ache in her, thrumming in her blood throughout her skin. Her whole body felt like it was about ready to snap in two, as every time she reached her peak, he stopped. 

Druig kissed her clit tenderly, only to continue his slow torture. 

He could do this all day, and she knew that wasn’t an over-exaggeration. She could feel it in his mind. His desire to unravel her completely until she was nothing more than a bundle of nerves. She wanted to please him, but she wondered how much of this she could take?

A finger pushed at her entrance, slow and hesitant. She groaned as her body sang for him, desperate for his touch. 

“That’s it. That feels so good, doesn’t it?” He breathed raggedly against her hip. This affected him as much as it did her. She could feel his arousal in both her mind and against her leg. 

“So beautiful the way you sing for me.”

He lapped at her clit while his finger pumped inside her. She threw her head back as her lips formed into an O. Her thighs locked around his head, locking him in place. He didn’t complain as he flattened his tongue against her folds.

She was so wound up. The softest touch would do it for her, yet she stopped herself. She’d come so far. She didn’t want to give in, not unless-

Let go, sweetheart.

Her nerves exploded with all the pent-up arousal. Her vision whitened as her climax electrified her whole body. A sense of weightlessness overcame her, and she couldn’t tell up from down for a second. 

Druig stroked her back into reality. His warm breath brushed against her neck. 

“Just like that.”

The soft vibration of his voice blanketed her body in a warm embrace. He read that thought from her mind and continued to murmur sweet nothings. It made her feel safe and loved in his arms and mind. How could Ajak ever think this was dangerous? 

She looked back at him. 

Druig knelt beside her. His chest heaved, his skin covered in sweat. She smiled at him and swept his hair out of his blown-out eyes. 

‘You’re such a tease.’

He shot her a lopsided grin.

“You love it when I’m a tease.”

She pushed him back. He fell against the grass with a gentle thud. Blue eyes followed her like a predator as she climbed on top of him. She cupped his face and stroked his cheek with her thumb. Druig leaned into her touch. His gaze was soft and unreserved. 

‘I love you.’ 

“Not more than me.”

She smirked and rolled her eyes. They always had to compete. 

Druig cocked his head and smiled like a Cheshire cat.

“Weren’t you going to make love to me, my beautiful wife?”

Years ago, that word would have terrified her, but now it made something warm and giddy bloom inside her. She couldn’t keep the grin from spreading her lips.

‘I don’t know, husband. I don’t think you deserve it after what you just pulled.’

“Hmm, then what should I do to absolve myself of these sins?” He leaned as far as he could, putting them mere inches from each other. “Shall I pray to the goddess Makkari?”

She snorted and kissed his lips. Despite her being in control, she kissed slowly and steadily. Why hurry when they had all the time in the world now? She never thought she would think that.

Makkari kissed his jawline as she reached for his cock. She moved her wrist to pump him lightly. A grunt thrummed through his chest, and his arousal flowed through her. She took in his flushed cheeks, wild eyes, and tense shoulders. Makkari shut her eyes and breathed in his little shaky exhales. How he lasted this long was beyond her. 

He didn’t let her continue her slow strokes as he grabbed her wrist. He swiftly lined himself to her entrance, gathering her slick by stroking his head through her folds a few times. Her body pressed down on him. A moan slipped through her lips as she enveloped him in her warmth. They stayed like that for a little while, their chest heaving and their senses overloaded. She’d almost forgotten how different this felt, the all-encompassing feeling of being this connected to him. The way she could feel his body and her own as one, their arousals twisting together, she would never grow tired of it. Why would she ever say no to feeling like this?

There was no need to say anything they didn’t already know or feel, so they remained quiet, enjoying the delicious fullness. 

Propping himself on his elbow, he slipped her braids behind her and kissed her temple. Nose pushing against her heated skin, he moved his hips. Despite being the one on top, she let him control the rhythm. Druig moved his hips in a slow and steady dance, his arms wrapped around her to anchor them together. The memory of those years ago slipped into his mind. She expected to feel sorrow and pain from the memory, but joy and devotion. He didn’t see that moment as a painful memory, but as a stepping stone for what they had now. If he knew that moment would one day lead them to this, he would have gladly waited a thousand years for her. 

Where once she cried with tears of sorrow, tears of happiness rolled down her cheek. Druig swiftly kissed those away gently. 

Her fingers raked over his scalp as her muscles clenched. Her walls tightened around him as she grew closer to her peak. He grunted as he felt how close she was. His pace stuttered and faltered, his hips jaggedly rutted into hers as he approached his climax. 

Her orgasm boomed through her, overwhelming all of her senses. His legs shook under her as he spilled inside her, his hot breath mixed with hers as both their mouths hung open in euphoria. He kissed her sloppily, revelling in their highs as their sweaty bodies clung to each other. Minutes, days, perhaps weeks passed as their body hummed in tune with each other as their orgasms tingled every one of their nerves. Slowly, reality hit them in the form of the waves splashing gently against the shore.

Druig pulled back the slightest bit to look at her. Her breath caught at the way he smiled at her, with impossibly wide lips and tears rolling down his cheek, no doubt matching her own. 

They didn’t let useless words fill the space between them as they let their emotions do the talking. 

They made love as many times as they could that night, switching from fast, hurried thrusts to slow and gentle. When the sun peaked on the horizon, they cuddled against each other as they watched the sunrise together. Neither of them would wake up alone this time.