[IC] Gift in the Ashes [Tiger/LalaKitty]

[Lala Kitty]

Synopsis:
Aranhil is moving along too slowly for Sylvia. The marriage of the crown prince & his princess solidifies the kingdoms of Dragon & Elf, & while Sylvia is ready to jump headlong into discovering intimacy & becoming closer to Aranhil, he doesn't want to hurt her or make her feel rushed, so he dodges her & tries to make her focus on less bedroom-related issues. But the more Aranhil tries to soothe Sylvia & assure her that they should wait, the more insecure she becomes, worrying that he husband doesn't feel the attraction she hoped he had.

Meanwhile, River is slowly wooing Emera. he wears his dragon armor much less, doesn't keep the company of other women anymore, & it happy to just be around the Elven woman he fell for. But Emera is worried that River is only changing to please her, & becomes nervous that he'll switch back to his old self. River will have to prove to his stubborn lover once & for all that he chose her over all others, & that he isn't going to let her go no matter what.

---

"I don't think I'm ever going to get my husband to share a bed with me, Cendres," Sylvia told her sister-in-law forlornly, slumping into her chair with a rather unladylike sigh. She just couldn't believe that with the combined efforts of Cendres' ideas & her feminine wiles, Aranhil still kept firm & insisted that the two of them sleep in their separate beds & remain chaste. Sylvia didn't know where she went wrong; she & Aranhil already loved each other & spent every waking hour together, so why did they have to bother with "taking it slow"?

With another sigh, Sylvia thought of the things Cendres had already suggested, but failed horribly. There was the ploy to convince Aranhil that Sylvia was ill one evening, & although Aranhil stayed with her all night, he insisted on staying in the bedside chair. Her fear or lightning & thunder (though to be completely fair, the thunder storms in Dragon country were much more violent than the Elven kingdoms) also resulted in her husband staying in her bedside chair, though he held her hand that time.

The last stunt was wearing a dress with a low neckline. That particular incident ended with Aranhil tossing his wife over his shoulder & giving her a long, drawn out lecture about how she put her purity in danger when she did things like that. It took all of Sylvia's inner strength not to bitterly tell her stubborn husband that she didn't want her silly purity anymore, but to share a bed with him.

"I will go to the library for now," Sylvia murmured after a bit, "I should probably write a letter to Emera & see what she thinks; she's always been really good about getting her way. Let me know if you can think of anything else."

[Tiger]

"I KNOW!" Cendres cried. Her eyes had lit up with the pleasure of her discovery. She, personally, adored getting into trouble. If someone was unlikely to want to yell at her when everything was said and done, most likely it would not be fun. She liked to take action, but only when the result was one that caused mischief. It wasn't that she was a cruel child, or a mean spirited young woman, she just enjoyed keeping people on their toes, and playing pranks. "I've been thinking up all sorts of ways to get him to screw you. I've got a few ideas already"

Giggling to herself, the young woman grabbed her companion's hand. "Come with me, I'll tell you what I have in mind." She eagerly led her down the hall. They passed several rooms, most left empty during the day. Here and there, a suit of armor glinted from where it stood in alcoves along the hall. "So, because we don't want too many rumors," as if they weren't already spreading like wild fire, "We should talk about this only in private! Come on."

With very little persistence, the girl got Sylvia into the future queen's bedroom. She shut the door, and locked it, then ran around the room, checking to make sure no one was here, and no one could hear. She loved to be thorough, and to check every last detail. "Alright!" Giggling, she stood before Sylvia, her hands locked behind her back. "First things first. We need to establish a goal. That's easy. Our goal is to get you laid! Next! The plot. So far, three have failed. Some more miserably than others. Clearly, Aranhil doesn't take subtlety. So we're going for a more direct route." Wondering over to Sylvia's dresser, she opened them and started to rummage though them, talking all the while.

"First option, we can use these!" Proudly, she yanked out her prize. Danging from her finger tips were a pair of metal cuffs, with a long chain attached to them. She started to laugh at the color of Sylvia's face. "If he can't leave your bed, he'll get bored. And if he's bored, he'll eventually do something with you!" She explained brightly. "One of my friends gave them to me when I told him you were having troubles with your husband. He also offered to take care of you if you didn't like your husband, but I told him to go shove himself down a volcano."

Giggling, she tossed the chains over to the young, probably blushing, princess. "Second option. Go to HIS room. Refuse to leave, use any excuse you can to sleep with him. He won't complain if you show up in your night gown, tell him you had a bad dream, and cuddle up in his arms. Tell him you had a nightmare; you were going to stay a virgin forever!" Thrilled to death with embarrassing her sister in law, she moved on to her next point.

"Or be even more direct! Show up naked! Tell him to screw you! Whatever it is you have to do to get him to take you to bed! Ask him if you can have children, tell him that there's this really hot guy you want to see undressed. You'll figure it out. Now, what option did you like best?" She inquired. Walking over to her friend, she nodded to the cuffs. "I like those. 'Cause after you're done with him, you can put pants back on him, and then we can tickle him for a long time as punishment for making you wait!"

[Lala Kitty]

Very gingerly, Sylvia held onto the cuffs in her hand, now thoroughly mortified. Of course, Cendres had gotten carried away again. While making love with her husband would be nice, all she really wanted was to share a bed with Aranhil. Besides, other than two affectionate pecks in the morning & before bedtime, Aranhil kept his distance with Sylvia, so she had no idea if she was ready for that kind of intimacy. Her maiden heart would probably explode if she really tried to pounce on her husband.

Holding the handcuffs as though they burned her skin, Sylvia gingerly put them onto a nearby table, wrenching her hands together. Just what was Cendres thinking sex involved? Although, Sylvia had to admit, Cendres probably knew a lot more than her. What if Aranhil shared the same love of handcuffs? Gods, she needed to calm herself. She was letting a woman almost 30 years her junior get her riled up.

"I think that I will try the direct approach," Sylvia murmured softly then, "With my clothes on. You're right, Cendres, Aranhil isn't being swayed with subtlety. I am being too roundabout than a dragon's wife should be. If I explain things to him in a straightforward manner, he's bound to agree right?" Grabbing the cuffs again, Sylvia gingerly handed them to her sister-in-law.

"Besides, I think it has occurred to you that I have nowhere near the strength I will need to overpower your brother & cuff him to a bed," Sylvia said, blushing a little at her own joke.

[Tiger]

"You're smarter than him." Cendres answered bluntly. She was not one to pick and choose her words carefully. If she thought something, she said it. "And you have magic! You can MAKE him do what you want!....Right?" She tipped her head to the side, honestly not sure. "That is how magic works, isn't it? You can just tell people 'Do this' and they do it?" She sighed, a dreamy look crossing her face. "I want magic." She could just imagine all the trouble she could cause if she were capable of a few spells. It was a glorious thought.

Waving it off, she tossed the cuffs back onto Sylvia's bed. "You'll figure out how to use them. You could cuff yourself down for his pleasure, if that's easier. I'm sure he wouldn't be able to resist. Ooh! There you go! That makes another idea! I'm brilliant!" Beaming widely, she hugged her new sister. "You're welcome, Sylvia! And once he finally lays you, you'll owe me a favor, so you can help me with stuff!" She declared eagerly. "Come on now! Let's go shopping! We can pick up all sorts of gorgeous undergarments. If he's gunna be in your bed now, you're going to want him to like what he's taking off of you. I love the lace ones, especially if they have silk or velvet too!"

Chattering on about what types, styles, and colors she liked the best, she grabbed her sister in law's hand, dragging her down the hall. Sylvia had no choice in this matter, Cendres wanted her to come.

Thankfully, Sylvia always has a knight in shining armor. Surprised to see his wife held hostage by his sister, Aranhil stepped out into the hall behind them. "Cendres? What are you doing to my wife this time?" He demanded, his hands on his hips. Judging by the color of her face, Sylvia was not here willingly.

"Oooh! Now's your chance!" Cendres turned around, pushing Sylvai towards Aranhil. "Go on! Just like I told you to! I'm getting out of here so I don't have to listen!"

Aranhil sighed. "What has my sister done this time?"

[Lala Kitty]

Sylvia let out the smallest of squeals as Cendres tossed her to her husband, the young woman easily possessing three or four times more strength than her body looked like it could contain. The usually graceful & poised Elven woman floundered helplessly as Cendres abandoned her in the middle of her endless tirade to get the couple to sleep together, but Sylvia knew that in the end, Cendres' heart had been in the right place. Sylvia knew that the young woman wanted nothing more than to know Aranhil was happy with his wife.

"D-don't worry about Miss Cendres," Sylvia assured Aranhil softly after he voiced his disapproval & almost-permanent skeptical mood towards his sister, "She has good intentions, Aranhil. She'd been trying to... h-help me with something recently.Though I admit, she & I seem to be on different levels now. I mean, I can't possibly do the things she suggested today, I don't think I could ever be that bold, &-"

Sylvia felt her face slowly turning red, knowing that she was babbling now & confusing Aranhil further than he already was. He could be assuming that she was talking about literature or sewing, for all she knew. Aranhil probably didn't even understand that Sylvia had a sexual attraction towards him, or that she even knew what that was.

She had to admit, it was partly her fault for agreeing easily to his decision for them to spend a full three months in separate rooms, but honestly, she hadn't expected for three days to feel like an eternity to wait; when he'd mentioned that his previous time frame was six months, she felt like she would faint. Now that the two of them were married, all Sylvia could think about was being close to Aranhil & becoming a more intimate couple.

"Aranhil, I want to share a bed tonight," Sylvia suddenly blurted, in the middle of the corridor, no less. Her violet eyes widened considerably as she realized what she'd just did, her hands flying up to cover her lips. Oh no, did she really just say that so bluntly? She knew that she wanted to be more straight-forward this time, but not like some uneducated harlot throwing herself at a man. Unable to hide her shame, Sylvia averted her gaze to the floor. She could only imagine the disappointment her husband must be feeling at her lack of discipline.

[Tiger]

"Miss Cendres? That is my sister you are talking about, Sylvia." Aranhil chastised his wife gently. He had a smile in his eyes. "You do not need to try and fool me. I know she is no 'miss'. She is far from a lady. Save your titles and your respect. She is your sister now. Call her 'that bitch' like the rest of us." He laughed to himself, picking his wife up into his arms. Oh how he loved her. She was so sweet, and gentle. He could only love her more with every second he saw her. She was his gift from the gods, he was sure of it.

Carrying her over to a bench below a window, he listened as his pretty little wife went on about something or another. Now, there was nothing against her, and he didn't mean to be rude, but sometimes, she could talk all she wanted, and he never heard a word she said. It wasn't really his fault, though. When she spoke, he liked to watch her lips. He loved seeing how she formed the words, watching as she enunciated certain letters, or skipped over others. He especially loved 'Th' for some reason. The way she made that sound just thrilled him. Unfortunately, if he started watching her lips, he couldn't stop thinking about them. And if he started thinking about them, it was not long before he was dreaming of kissing her again.

Lately, he was thinking of kissing her a lot. He was pretty sure that a lack of kisses was driving him insane. Lately, he had been grumpy, and irritable. Since the very day she'd arrived, she'd been changing him. He'd gone from logical and reasoning, to running on emotions all the time. River was suppose to be the emotional, rash one. Aranhil had worked very hard at making sure he thought everything out first. Yet, Sylvia, of all people, could turn him into a raging demon, or a spoiled lap dog. Sometimes, that irritated him. Others, he just rolled over and begged for her to rub his belly.

Well, perhaps not literally. But he felt like he might as well be doing so.

Becoming aware that she had finished speaking, he opened his mouth to reply. "Sylvia, my love, you know very well that-"

"Aranhil, I want to share a bed tonight,"

"...What?" Blinking to clear his head, Sylvia's husband just stared at her. Had his sweet little wife really just said such a thing? He'd never heard her to say anything so bluntly, much less something of such a sensitive nature. So he did the only thing he knew how to do. He agreed. "Alright."

Wait, he agreed? Aranhil started to frown. Since when did he agree with anything? He was to be the king. He made the choices, and others agreed. Not the other way around. But now that he had agreed, he couldn't dare take it back. He sighed. "It does seem like you have been particularly....needy?...no..um....What word can I use that won't get me in trouble with you?" He inquired. If he'd learned one thing from watching his parents while he grew up, he knew not to anger his wife. An angry wife was worse than a thousand wars. "Well, you did get sick....and there was that storm.....and I think I heard Cendres say you wanted me to come sing you bedtime songs the one night. I am sorry I never did that, I had to attend to an important incident. There was a fight between two maids. One broke the other's wing. I had to sort out what that was all about. But anyway, I guess I have been neglecting you during the day."

Suddenly, he felt like a bad husband.

I'll roll over, here's my belly!

He sighed softly. "I'm sorry, Sylvia."

please rub my tummy?

"I promise not to neglect you again. I guess it's only fair. If I haven't been with you in the day, it's natural you'd want my attention, instead, at night. I promise, I still will not risk your reputation, I know how much you need to stay pure like we agreed, but I won't be neglecting you any longer. In fact, I'll change that, starting now."

I'll be a good boy. Please, please rub my tummy?

He could just hear himself begging for her forgiveness. Instead, he drew her close and kissed her. "Come. I'll take you for a picnic lunch. Change into something suitable for the weather, my love. Today, I am yours." He swore with a bright smile. "I'll go tell the kitchens to make us up a nice basket. Meet me in the courtyard?"

[Lala Kitty]

Sylvia felt desolated as Aranhil completely blamed himself for her words, her eyes wide & with tears as he vowed to be a better husband to her. A better husband? How could he possibly be better than the best husband she could have ever asked for?

Now thoroughly disappointed in herself, Sylvia buried her face into her hands as her tears fell. She'd been so selfish, & didn't think of how it would affect her husband. It had never occurred to her that he would blame himself. & poor Aranhil, he was probably even more confused than before, seeing her in such a state after he'd let her have her way.

"I am so sorry," Sylvia apologized, dabbing her eyes & forcing herself to look at her husband, "Aranhil, you have done nothing wrong. You've been so attentive & gentle, but I... I'm so insecure & impatient, I've been trying to rush our intimacy. I'd even convinced myself that you couldn't be attracted to me. I assumed the worst, all because I knew you'd already be sharing a bed with your bride if she were a dragon. Can you forgive me for making you feel so terrible?"

[Tiger]

Aranhil gave up. He had no idea what to do with his wife. "Sweetheart? I don't understand. What's wrong." He tried to be soothing, holding her near and kissing her tears. "Please don't cry. You haven't made me feel terrible. You never do anything wrong. I love you, dearest wife." He nuzzled her lightly, trying to get a little smile from his love. Lately, all he had seen were tears and frowns. His wife didn't seem happy like she had the first few weeks of their marriage. It was really starting to make him worry. He just wanted to see his beloved girl a little happier. But he just did not know how.

"Sylvia, darling, why don't we go for our picnic? We'll be out in the open air, which I know you love and need, and then you can tell me everything that is on your mind." He suggested brightly. "Maybe we can still work this all out. I know it must be very stressful for you. Your parents were very, very mad when I refused to give them the bloodstained sheets the day after our marriage. I hope they haven't been putting pressure on you, my love."

Drawing his young bride into his arms, Aranhil walked her down the hall, gently guiding her towards the kitchens. "Come with me, sweet one." He murmured softly. "We'll get this worked out. You're not under your parents' control any more. It's alright, darling. They can't force you to do a thing, if you don't want them to." He smiled and kissed her cheek gently. "Please, relax? I will keep you safe from them. There's no pressure to create children here. When we are ready for children, they will come naturally. Not because some stuck up king and queen thinks that their daughter needs to rush into bed with her husband. We will prove our point, sweetest. They'll figure out we can not be bent to their will when me make them wait these last few weeks before we even think about making a child."

He paused as they reached the kitchens. "Tell me what you would like for lunch, alright, sweety? I'll have them make up a nice basket. We can finish this conversation when we are somewhere safely away from the castle."

[Lala Kitty]

As always, Aranhil soothed Sylvia with just a few words, his gentleness & calm reassurance surprising her. When she was told that she would be marrying a dragon almost a year ago & groomed to suit his race, she was made to believe that he would be a cruel man who would take what he wanted from her & force her to be obedient to him. Each time Aranhil spoke to her, he erased her worries, & made her feel terrible for ever assuming he would wish harm on her.

But of course, Sylvia's gentle husband still misunderstood her intentions a little. He thought this was about her desire to please her parents still, but it was far from the truth. Honestly, Sylvia cared much less about her parents' wishes for her than she cared to admit, even to herself. Aranhil had already won her over to the point that she preferred his way of doing things. He didn't try to coheres her, or try to make her feel as though she owed him anything.

Leaving that conversation for after the picnic, Sylvia gave Aranhil her smile again & followed him to the kitchens. She felt much calmer, & thankfully, all of her tears had dried, so maybe the cooks wouldn't be gossiping about her & Aranhil again. Sylvia requested some braised meat & sandwiches for her & Aranhil, the women giving them a small pie as well.

[Tiger]

Aranhil smiled and kissed her gently. He had no problems showing her affection in front of his subjects. He actually preferred when they saw him acting affectionate with his wife. He wanted them to see, and to understand, that there would be no more hatred between dragons and elves. They were allies now. And, he hoped, if they saw him kissing his wife enough, it was less likely that she would become someone's snack.

"Thank you, ladies." Aranhil flashed a charming smile at the kitchen maids. "If my brother were still here, I would have suggested going to visit him, and informing him that I have sent you there for a special thank you. Perhaps when he gets back." He laughed softly, turning and taking his wife's hand. Honestly, he did not believe Emera and River would be going anywhere.

As far as Aranhil was concerned, his brother was infatuated. There was a girl who wasn't throwing herself at him, and who wasn't ugly, or related to him. River wasn't use to women who said no. He was infatuated, and obsessed, and as soon as he ether got to bang her, or got to see that there were hundreds of girls, just like her, and that she was not so special after all, he would be over her. He was positive that Aranhil would be back to his normal, womanizing ways, before too long. He just had to wait for his brother to return home.

The basket was in his left hand. His right was on Sylvia's waist. With his arm wrapped gently around her, Aranhil lead his pretty wife out of the castle. "Come, my love. We shall find a spot in the woods to enjoy our day together." He suggested, a bright smile directed her way. "Did you have anything in mind that you especially wanted to see, or to do? Perhaps you would prefer a meadow, where you can pick flowers? Or the deep woods, so you can watch the animals? I promise I will keep you safe, no matter where we shall be."

[Lala Kitty]

Sylvia happily accepted her husband's arm & followed him outside, a little amused at his attempts to be chivalrous. For some reason, Aranhil had assumed that his wife couldn't protect herself from a stray cat, but enjoying the attention as she was, Sylvia allowed him to assure her ever chance he got, always feeling that little flutter in her stomach when he promised to keep her safe. After all, as a Dragon, having something to protect was important.

"Anywhere that we can enjoy eachother's company will do," Sylvia assured Aranhil, her hand gently resting on his arm as they set off. She felt much better once they were out in the sun, enjoying her time with Aranhil & feeling herself loosen up. Being in those dark rooms all day was what was expected of a "proper lady," but in all honesty, she much preferred the openness & adventure of just stepping foot outside.

[Tiger]

Hey, stray cats can be mean. Aranhil had learned that first hand when he was a boy. Apparently, cats did not like it when you ran up, declared they were adorable, and picked them up. He'd been three. He was not very fond of cats. He liked Hoppy better. He liked Hoppy in a pot best. However, he had promised his wife he would not eat her rabbit. So, instead, he turned and stole a gentle kiss. "Sylvia, my love, have you heard from your maid lately?" He inquired as he lead her out into the sunlight. He glanced up, checking quickly on the wind speed and the likelihood of clouds. He did not want this day to be ruined for any reason. Today was Sylvia's day. it had to be perfect.

"If I remember correctly," He added thoughtfully, taking a second as if to search his memory. "I believe you are the most beautiful woman in the world." Aranhil grinned at his wife, then slid his arm around her waist. "And I never remember anything incorrectly." He smirked, kissing her gently. "Come, I know a good place to eat lunch." Serious again, he inquired, "What have you been learning lately, my love? I was informed that lessons were going well. Just not what your lessons are. I hope they're not trying to change you too much. I mean, I know you're an elf and all, but I like you how you are."

[Lala Kitty]

"Nothing too major is going on," Sylvia assured her husband with a smile, "My teacher is acquainting me with Dragon customs & traditions. My new maid has been teaching me as well, things about the general public." Making a bit of a face, Sylvia tilted her head when she remembered something her maid Clara had told her just last night.

"Did you know that the dancers in gentlemen clubs around here can take off as much clothing as they want as long as they don't show their ankles & feet?" Sylvia mumbled, sounding appaled, "Please tell me, what makes ankles & feet so intimate? Elves walk around barefooted at home all the time."

[Tiger]

Aranhil's look went from a sunny, happy grin, to a dark glare in under a second. Emotions covering from whiplash, he turned to her. "What did she say?" He asked, clearly displeased. "I believe I need to have a....'chat' with your new maid." He did not find it appropriate, at all, for her to be telling his wife about such things. His wife was innocent, and sweet. She did not need to be troubled by thoughts of what women did, or did not, wear when working at such places. "Don't worry, sweet one. You won't have to fuss about such things again."

"As for your question, well....I think I can answer that." He said with a shrug. He sat back, looking to the sky thoughtfully, as if trying to recall an old lesson. "With dragons, everything is strong. Or practical. Our hands, our legs, our wings....a lady's breasts are practical, they feed her children. Her....parts....produce the children. But her feet, well....they are small, and dainty. They are her only real sign of femininity. Now. Long ago, before the war started, elves and dragons use to be friends, you know. We had a king....Huran the Hungry, if I remember correctly. He use to visit the elves all the time. And each time he came back, well...he had another couple of lovely ladies with him. You see, Huran had a huge foot fetish, and he adored the way that elves prance around barefoot." As he spoke, he casually ran his hand along her calf, his fingers tracing their way along her soft slipper. He smiled. "So much bare skin on display. He'd put them in long dresses, so that their feet would peek out at him, secret hints of lust for him to try to catch whenever they so appeared. It's said that his fetish was so strong, it passed down. From generation, to generation." He smirked. "All the way down to.....," His grin suddenly turned evil. "Me."

Without warning, he ripped her shoe off, laughing as he tossed it over his shoulder. He set to work, teasingly kissing and tickling her foot, trying to draw a giggle from his lovely lady. He, honestly, had no clue why feet were so special. But he loved any chance he got to tease her. Clutching her ankle, he worked mercilessly on tickling her. After he was sure she could stand it no longer, he gripped her thigh, using it to pull her to him. He grabbed her by the waist, hoisting her onto his lap and crushing her to his chest so he could kiss her.

For a long while, he sat there, his wife clutched close to him. Drawing back, he smirked. "And that, my darling, is why you should never show anyone your feet." He whispered in her ear. He kissed it. Gently he worked his way down her jaw and across her neck. He laid her down lightly, rolling over her and kissing her again. "I love you, Sylvia." He told her quietly. "I would go a thousand days without shoes if that was what it took to keep you with me."

[Lala Kitty]

Sylvia was relieved that she & Aranhil were alone for the moment, knowing that the intimate way he touched her was just as controversial as back in the Elven kingdom. From what she had learned of the dragons thus far, showing open affection could be taken as weakness or a challenge to others. The men in Sylvia's new home seemed to be a little greedy with their treasures, whether it was possessions or loved ones. When her teacher had pointed out that many Dragon kings practiced polygamy with the daughters of foreign kings & nobility, Sylvia bristled with anger, fiercely proclaiming that Aranhil would never be allowed to have even one mistress. She wondered if Aranhil would be amused by her possessive display, or if he would be repulsed. All the same, she was happy that she was able to enjoy her husband's company & feel his hands idly wander over her exposed skin.

As Aranhil told his little story of the king with a supposed foot fetish, she naively listened intently, even leaning in a little. She was completely fascinated by the perversion of the notorious "foot king". When Aranhil sprung his trap, Sylvia let out squeals & laughter when her husband pounced & tickled her until she could barely breathe. & right before the elf was sure that she would faint, Aranhil grabbed her & pulled her against him for a kiss. Immediately, Sylvia forgot his attack on hr & melted into him easily. Sylvia clung to her husband & sighed contently when they parted, her chin resting on his shoulder to recover as Aranhil spoke.

To hear Aranhil say that he loved her was one of the most wonderful things Sylvia could ask for, & he was said it frequently. Sylvia wondered if the fluttering in her stomach would ever go away as she smiled warmly & held Aranhil's face in her hands, her thumbs rubbing his cheeks affectionately.

"You don't even have to tell me that," Sylvia assured Aranhil quietly, "You prove to me all the time that I am safe in your hands. It is I that seems to fall short when it comes to giving the affection you deserve. It makes me wonder how you keep such a level head all of the time."

[Tiger]

Aranhil grinned at his little bride. He adored the way she was so devoted to him. Most people were obedient because he was the crown prince, the heir to the thrown. They feared him, and through that fear, they obeyed him. His wife, however, was good to him simply because she wanted to. Because he was worth her loyalty. He'd never truly felt important until he'd met her. She gave him more than he could ask for. "Thank you, Sylvia." He kissed her gently. "You are the reason I can keep my head level. You are the only reason I need for anything."

Knowing that if he stayed over his wife for much longer, he would break his vow to keep her virgin, he rolled off. It was so very hard to let her be. She had no idea how much he desired her. He sat up, trying to hide that desire. "I'm sorry. I think I lost your slipper. I'm not really sure where I tossed it to. Remind me to find it for you before we leave, alright, darling?" He requested with a shy smile. He hadn't meant to loose it, he just hadn't been very careful with it. He'd been more focused on his trick.

Laughing softly, he settled back. "Anyway, honestly, I haven't a clue about what makes feet special. Don't worry about it, alright? It really doesn't matter at all." He smiled and kissed her cheek gently. "Talk about something more pleasant, my love. Have you been getting on with Mother lately?" He inquired curiously. He know that his wife was not his mother's favorite person. As much as he wanted to change that, he wasn't sure how. Hopefully the two women could work it out themselves. "Anyway, my darling," He kissed her gently, "From what I have heard, you and Cendres are getting along well."

[Lala Kitty]

"Cendres & I have been getting along rather well," Sylvia admitted as her cheeks turned pink. she couldn't admit why exactly they were bonding, but Aranhil looked pleased just to hear that his sister & wife were getting along.

"Sadly, your mother doesn't seem willing to warm up to me just yet," Sylvia sighed, "I think that it's still hard for her to accept me as family. But don't worry, I wont't give up."

Leaning in, Sylvia wrapped her arms around Aranhil's neck, rubbing her cheek into his chest. she was glad to be spending this time with Aranhil, but she was still so nervous about approaching the subject of them sharing a bed again.

[Tiger]

(Stupid me restarted my comp by mistake, loosing the first. But here's the post!)

Aranhil beamed at her, delighted that she was trying so hard. "Thank you, sweety. That means a lot to me." He kissed her cheek gently. "Thank you for working so hard." He smiled at her and took her hands in his. "You seem to always want to do whatever you can to make people see how good you are. I am certain that my mother will not be able to hold onto a negative view for very long. How could she? You are here, and you are perfect. I love you, darling Sylvia."

He kissed both her cheeks, then sat back. "You know, sweet....you have grown up to be quite reserved, have you not? Do you think it would be wise to send my little sister to your homeland to learn to be a lady? Or would she be too much for them, and wreck havoc on the country? I would not want them to think that I am declaring war so soon after our peace." He explained with a sigh. He knew very well that his little sister was not someone to casually send on a visit. He secretly suspected that a previous carnation of her was the very reason that the dragons had been at war with the elves. And were still at war with the dwarfs. And Merfolk. And....alright, dragons had lots of wars.

He laughed softly. "She's caused a lot of trouble over the years." Grinning at his wife he curiously asked, "Darling? What do you elves believe about death? What happens when we die?" He was curious. Dragons believed that you were sent to start another life. You could live forever, each time in a different body. Endless possibilities. It was just how they saw things.

[Lala Kitty]

Sylvia sipped her tea as Aranhil assaulted her with a barrage of questions, most of which she knew he didn't expect her to answer. She'd learned to filter out the important things Aranhil said in his moments of excitement, knowing that he was probably just piecing things together himself. It was why he was usually so quiet & methodical with his words in public. When he asked her what Elves believed happened when they died, she was a little taken aback, but supposed the topic of religion was bound to come up eventually.

"Elven belief isn't generally restricted by a single belief," Sylvia explained, putting down her tea for a moment, "Some believe there is an afterlife, some don't, & some even believe that there are no Gods. However, there is always the central belief that one should give back to nature when they die. A passed elf is buried at the roots of a sapling when they pass, so when the tree grows, their body can be the food that nourishes the tree."

Sylvia sipped her tea again, tilting her head a little to absorb more sunlight. She felt much better than in the past few days, cooped up in her & Aranhil's countryside home. Her tutor insisted that ladies were meant to be pale & slight, though she was certain Aranhil didn't mind the slight tan of her skin or that she wasn't toned to perfection.

"Those same trees are cut down from oldest to youngest, & used to make religious relics & homes," Sylvia continued after her brain finished its little detour, "For example, my grandmother's tree is what was used to make my dowry chest. The reason I was so upset when I arrived at your father's castle was that Dragon servants that accompanied me on the trip rather callously tossed my chest around when transporting it. I'm afraid they believed that I was just being difficult, however, & word got to you that I was frivolous before we even met. But honestly, it felt like they were tossing my own grandmother around."

[Tiger]

Aranhil looked a little uncomfortable at that thought. Her dowry chest had been moved into their wedding bedchambers, which were, currently, his. However, since he still slept separate from her, it was just him alone in the room with her trunk. Or with her dead grandmother, if he chose to see it like she did. Even creepier, that meant her grandmother would be there watching when they finally decided to have children.

Looking a little bit pale he causally added, "Perhaps it would be best if we decided to wait for children for a long, long time....Yes?" He gave her an innocent smile. He doubted that she would believe how casual that statement was suppose to be. "And darling, word didn't get around that you were troublesome because of some chest." He reassured her. He smiled and kissed her a few times. It had gotten around because she was an elf, and suppose to marry him. But he wasn't about to tell her that.

"Now, precious, why don't you relax a little? Stop thinking about dead people, and just enjoy our lunch?" He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her near to him and kissing her cheek. "What do you think of the strawberries, sweetheart? I think they are at the juiciest time of their season right now." Honestly, he didn't care about strawberries. But anything was better to talk about than dead grandmothers in trunks. Be they in the wood, or actually in it.

However, being a tough man, he could not possibly inform his wife that this was freaking him out a little. What kind of a big strong guy would he be if a dead body made him nervous? How would she expect him to protect her if he couldn't even face something that couldn't fight back?