His eyes were locked in with hers, powerful, strong, hers. Their breathing was heavy, evidence of their passion, their naked bodies slick with sweat. His hands held her waist, his grip almost bruising, as she rocked her hips back and forth, furiously. Her moans, a mixture of pleasure and possessiveness, a gift for him, to provoke, to drive him insane, to make him want her more, to make him need her more. She wanted him to need her as much as one needs oxygen, to be as addicted to her as she was to him.
A memory flashed in her mind, the feel of the dagger's hilt in her hand, the feeling of the cold steel sliding into his heart during the climax of their last fight, and the raw, animalistic claim she had made afterward:
"Mine!" She gasped.
"Mine!" He replied.
Elle moaned without consideration or care that anyone could hear her climax, and he joined her, making it even more intense, prolonging it. The world shattered. And they didn't care.
"I love you so much..." She breathed, heavily into his mouth, her raw love, violent and animalistic, unleashed on him, only for him. Mine. She thought. "You don't get it, Lucian... So much!"
"No... No... Elle... MY Elle... I get it..." He breathed so heavy and loud that she shuddered at the beast that he was, her beast. He gripped her waist tighter, and she knew there would be bruises as she gritted her teeth and endured being forced down onto him, the ache adding to her pleasure, making her body shake out of control. She buried her face in his neck, biting him through her overwhelming climax. Mine! Mine! Mine!
She woke up hours later, the rhythmic breathing of the man she cherished preciously was comforting, reassuring, and made her feel protected, powerful, and untouchable.
She recalled that she had been raised and told that she was superior to anyone else, that her lineage was engineered to be pure and beautiful, and these things had set her apart from everyone else. She had been the perfect princess, the unreachable beauty that would be given as a trophy for the best man among her father's appointed ones. Yet this man who had kidnapped her, this man she had hated at first for his audacity to proclaim that she was his, this man who had taken her as his woman, this man who had shown her the arts of love, this man who she loved above all else, had saved her. My wonderful Lucian.
She laid a kiss on his rough bearded chin; the beard was something she didn't particularly like when kissing him, but he looked very much himself with it, dangerous, stronger, experienced, and so damn attractive.
His eyes snapped open. "Hi..." He whispered.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," she apologized. She had fallen asleep between his arms.
"Well... waking up to this view is a dream come true, little minx," he whispered. She smiled. Then her expression changed into one of fragility and anguish.
"Hold me tight, Lucian... Please..." she begged, softly. "And no matter what, please never let me go. Never. You hear me? Never! I'll be so mad if you do."
He chuckled, lightly.
"You don't seem to understand, little one," he replied, playful. "There's no escape from my grip. You're so trapped here, you aren't going anywhere."
She giggled. "Good." He squeezed her a little. "Ugh!"
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Lucian whispered, tenderly removing the golden threads of hair that covered her pretty face. Her hazel blue eyes met his, and then she avoided his gaze. He kissed her.
"I'm here... I'm not going anywhere without you... Eternity is ours." Lucian breathed in her ear.
"I hate you! Because I love you so much!" She hit his chest with her fists, anger glaring in her eyes. "Because I can't live without you, and I mean it." Her voice was sharp as the blade she had once used to pierce his heart. He took the hits because she needed it, and he loved her. "You're so annoying! Why do you love me anyways?"
"Why shouldn't I love you?" He replied with a predatory glint in his eyes. "You're made for me… To devour… Whole."
Elle's eyes darkened. "And I enjoy being devoured." She whispered, her gaze of raw desire locking with his. "Cheeky."
"Little minx..." he chuckled. "That's what I live for…"
She tried to find deceit in his eyes, wanted to find it so she could cry that he was like all the others, but there was no such thing, just a deep warmth that filled her heart and melted her anger.
"Silly… You're a silly man, Lucian..." Elle said with mix of exasperation and affection.
"And you're mine," he replied with a playful smirk on his lips.
"Love you…" she mumbled, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she burrowed into his chest, trying to hide.
He chuckled, kissing her forehead, over and over. "I love you... So much!" He said, mimicking her earlier tone with a playful grin.
She tightened her grip on him, her fingernails digging into his skin so hard they would have hurt him if he wasn't a Praetorian. Then she kissed him, tender, with pure sweetness, and a voracity in her eyes so intoxicating that Lucian forgot everything else.
"You are mine." She proclaimed into his mouth, the same words she had pronounced their first time. "Since the very first time you saw me, you were, are, and will be mine, Lucian... And I'm yours."
His kiss was everything she needed. Filled with desire, with need for her, with enough tenderness to make her feel perfect and enough roughness to make her chuckle. She loved to tease him, to anger him, to remind him that she was a vibrant mess, his vibrant mess, and he had to deal with that, to hold her until she felt like home between his arms again, until the crawling insecurities faded away because of his kisses and lovemaking.
Every time he kissed her like that, she recalled the first time he had stolen a kiss from her, and the price almost had been his life. Then she remembered the fight in the warehouse, the way he could dodge, block, distract, and play her so well he was next to her in a blink. It had been exhilarating, and his audacity to claim her had been so intoxicating she had found herself claiming him instead. She blushed, recalling the moment with embarrassment because by doing so, she had submitted to the primal need that had taken over her. Lucian had something in him that she had grown to find irresistible, and he had told her several times that the same happened to him with her. Two very powerful AIs were currently investigating the reason behind such bond.
Their stomachs growled. They laughed.
"Would you play the wife for me?" He tenderly asked.
"Sure," she said, standing up, letting him behold her nudity and the bruises he had left on her alabaster skin. "But only if you play the husband for me later..." Her tone was alluring, intoxicating, a pure tease released when she knew she was far enough from him. He stood up immediately, a hungry beast of lust, but she wasn't there anymore, her giggling echoing in the pathway towards the kitchen as the sound of her pretty feet on the cold metallic floors grew more distant.
"You know I hate it when you go barefoot like that; you could hurt yourself," he yelled after her.
"It was a life or death situation," her echo reached him. He smirked. If she hadn't run, she would be pinned against the mattress, again.
"Little minx..." he muttered, slightly annoyed, starting to pick up his clothes, dressing up, and then hers. He walked after her. "Are you feeling cold already?"
"I have my fur coat here," she answered. "But you should hurry; my feet are getting cold."
Lucian sighed and grabbed one of her many pairs of boots, along with tissues to clean her feet. He considered bringing her clothes, but her earlier mischief had earned her a different reward. He smirked with lust.
"I must remind you two that the tournament will commence in two hours, and you should begin preparations," Ada informed them, her holographic image materializing before him, a clear indication that their private time had concluded.
He sighed. They had returned to the ship specifically to avoid interruptions, and yet...
"Don't give me that look," Ada said, her form solidifying. "You two had ample time. And so did we. We've endured enough of your... enthusiastic love for one day."
Lucian smiled, amusement in his eyes. "You could have just shut down for a while."
"Next time, we will," she retorted. "But your... sessions tend to be rather prolonged."
Elle reluctantly re-entered the room and remained near the door, a charming pout on her lips, her eyes playfully meeting Lucian's. She was in delicious danger.
"Hello," he greeted her, the fire in his eyes causing her to bite her lower lip.
"Ah... we're supposed to be preparing for the tournament," she stammered, a nervous smile flickering across her face as she took a step back, ready to turn and spring away.
"Nowhere to run, kitty," he commented, a predatory purr, promising a swift and decisive capture, and so much more. "I'm going to make sure of it."
"Says you," she taunted, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"That's enough! I'm authorizing the royal maids to board the ship," Ada announced, and immediately, six impeccably dressed maids materialized around the couple. "Ladies, they are in your capable hands." The AI declared with a playful smirk gracing her holographic features.
"My lord, my lady," the head maid graciously introduced herself. "I am Tina, and these are Ana, Sophia, Maria, Lana, Carol, Susan, and Katie. Please allow us to escort you back to your rooms in the palace."
"You may proceed," Ada said. The maid nodded, and with a swift activation of her Quantum Key, they blinked back to the palace.
They were escorted to the bath in their room. Afterward, the maids dressed them in pristine white attire: a tailored suit for him, and a flowing gown for her. The ensemble made them resemble a groom and bride, an effect heightened by the Ouroboros ring on her finger, now resembling an exquisite engagement ring, something that didn't exist anymore. Elle had intentionally chosen to wear it this way, a nod to ancient customs she'd discovered in her beloved books. Lucian remained unaware of this, and she toyed with the idea of revealing her romantic gesture, but the moment hadn't felt right, and she dismissed it as a fleeting whim. She idly caressed the ring, her quantum key, and then met Lucian's gaze. Elle couldn't deny the radiance in his eyes, the love he felt for her shimmering there, in the way he held her, in the tender curve of his lips, his soft touch on her skin that made her body shudder in response. He warmed her from the inside out, and then she was in his arms, being kissed with tender passion, loving his words that worshipped her beauty and fed her ego more than... necessary. Had the maids not been present, they might have lingered in that embrace indefinitely.
"Miss, Sir, please follow me," the head maid, Tina, announced. They reluctantly stopped kissing, their arms still entwined, and followed the maids.
"We have been granted permission to quantum-blink to the throne room," Tina announced, and in a blink, they were back within the grand chamber. Elle took note of Tina's exceptional quantum manipulation, a skill she suspected was shared by many within the palace.
"Ah! Elle, Lucian," Soren greeted them, his voice warm. "Welcome, welcome."
"We are delighted you could join us," Anya added with radiant smile.
"Majesties, the honor is ours," Lucian replied, respectful.
"Thank you for your invitation," Elle added.
"We must ensure everything is prepared for the opening ceremony of the tournament," Soren said. "The people will undoubtedly wish to hear from the renowned Lord Lucian, and the beautiful princess of the Neo French Empire, his wife."
Elle sighed inwardly. The wife thing again? Really? Though, technically, I am a wife now. She thought with a playful smirk tugging at her lips. It was absurd, coupled with the undeniable truth of their intimate bond. It made her chuckle inwardly.
"Elle is not yet my wife, technically," Lucian corrected, his eyes twinkling. "But I intend to rectify that soon."
"Oh! I was under the impression you had already married, given the news reports from Neo Switzerland, which you did not deny," Soren said, surprised.
"This is wonderful!" Anya exclaimed, clapping her hands. "You could have the wedding here!"
Elle and Lucian exchanged glances, momentarily caught off guard.
"I wish for the world to know you are my wife, Elle," Lucian said, tender.
"The world already believes I am your wife," Elle countered. "Making it official wouldn't be so bad."
"Oh, how lovely! You two are simply adorable!" Anya gushed, eliciting a chuckle from Soren.
"When do you envision the ceremony?" Soren inquired. "We could arrange all the details within… how long?"
"One week, sir," Lyra, one of the many AIs assisting the majesties, replied, her voice echoing through the chamber.
"Wonderful!" Anya clapped again.
"I… I see no reason to object," Elle conceded, a blush warming her cheeks. Lucian embraced her, a gentle squeeze that elicited a happy squeal, followed by a tender kiss. She had just agreed to marry him, in one week.
"We will hold the ceremony… after our exhibition match, Lucian, Elle," Soren announced, thoughtfully. "It would be a magnificent conclusion to this year's festival."
"There may be complications," Lucian cautioned.
"Nonsense," Elle declared. "I am marrying you, regardless."
Lucian chuckled. "Your father, your kingdom, will not be pleased. They might even wage war against the Great Argent Kingdom."
"Let them try," Soren retorted. "They will regret it. Their invitations will be the first to arrive."
Lucian grinned. Soren hadn't changed much.
"We are marrying," Elle declared, firm.
"We are," Lucian added, happy.
"Leave it to us," Anya assured them. "You need only attend the rehearsals and preparations. We will secure the finest instructors. We will make this the most celebrated event in the world!"
Elle's heart fluttered. The princess in her loved to hear such words. When she was little, she used to dream of marrying in splendor, inspired by the breathtaking beauty of her father's new wife. Though no one could ever rival her mother's grace, Elle had been captivated by the young woman's radiance, envisioning herself as equally stunning on her own wedding day. She also recalled wanting her groom to be a powerful man, loving and caring, a man who could protect her instead of reprimanding her for showing fragility, as her father did. Now, she could be fragile whenever she wanted because Lucian would be there to protect her, because his strong arms around her made her feel so safe, so adored and deeply loved that she didn't need the walls of perfection she had raised to keep the world at bay from scratching her beautiful heart, as he called hers.
"Let us not underestimate humans," Lucian cautioned. "The New Gods did, and they paid the price."
"That is precisely the source of my confidence, Lucian," Soren replied. "Our essence is human too."
Anya chuckled, ignoring them. "Lyra, start the preparations for their wedding. It must be big and expensive. Meanwhile, we must talk about what you are allowed to say in the tournament ceremony."
Lucian and Elle focused their attention on the Queen. "Soren's idea, don't look at me like that."
"Indeed..." Soren said, smiling gently.