"Hm...are we there?" Amadeus took stock of his surroundings. "Chrom said we had to go through the portal with these talismans and we'd be taken to the right place…"
Cordelia let go of his hand as she wandered to look around. They seemed to have landed in the middle of some forest. The sun smiled above them, beaming her morning light down on them.
"Huh..I can't tell. But I've never been here before, that's for sure…" Cordelia motioned him over. "Oh! Look! Palm trees! I've heard of them..but never actually seen one. We must be in the right place; from what I've heard, palm trees mean that you're someplace warm and tropical!" She moved back to his side and grasped his hand. "This is going to be so much fun, Amy!"
He nodded and squeezed her hand softly.
"Yes..but where are we going to stay? We can't just...sleep out in this forest."
As if to answer his question, a voice suddenly boomed out from somewhere above them.
"Welcome to the Hotrealm! We're the Outland's hottest resort, the most prime ticket in town! If you'll just turn to your left and follow the path, I'll help you at our lobby!" The voice faded out, and Amadeus and Cordelia turned to face each other.
"Well..I guess we go left."
They turned and left, hand in hand.
"Ah, I haven't been this excited since..well, okay, since our wedding." Cordelia flushed with embarrassment.
"Cordelia..that was yesterday." Amadeus chuckled his girlfriend's elation.
Wife.
"I know! Okay, maybe it's better if I just say that I haven't been this happy ever…" Cordelia's face flushed again. "I got you back from the dead...which I still haven't forgiven you for, by the way," she said as she slapped him before going on, leaving him looking nonplussed, "and then we get married, and now we're going on our honeymoon!"
Amadeus nodded.
"Yes..it's all happening so fast-"
Cordelia interrupted before he could get any further.
"Hm? Do you mean it's going too fast? I mean...I know, you probably wanted to settle back in Ylisstol for a few days..and now you're out here with me, instead of catching up with them..oh gods, I've been so selfish, Amy, dear, I'm so sorry, we can-"
He held a hand to her mouth.
"Cordelia. You didn't let me finish." He grinned as he took his palm off her mouth. "Everything has happened so quickly..but I never said I didn't like it. I'll have all the time in the world to catch up with the rest of the Shepherds when we get back. But I only get one chance to marry the most beautiful woman in the world, and to spend a week with her alone at the beach…"
The rest of his words were cut off as Cordelia sprang into his arms.
They knew the resort right when they saw it. An elaborate arch made of two of the trees bent towards each other denoted the entrance, and they pushed the wooden doors to enter the straw hut that was the lobby.
"Oh! Welcome! You must be Sir Amadeus and Lady Cordelia!" Anna ran out to greet them.
But Anna would never call us that..
"Er...Anna? Is that you?"
The red-haired girl smiled.
"Yes, and no. You probably know one of my sisters. We're all identical! And we all share the same name."
"I bet family meetings are a hoot…" Amadeus muttered under his breath, earning him a reproachful squeeze from Cordelia.
"Anyways, let me show you to your cabana! My sister mentioned it was a honeymoon...so we've got the perfect place for you two lovers!" She turned and motioned for the blushing couple to follow.
As they walked, the Anna leading them gushed about the resort.
"We have the perfect vacation for you two! Especially after all that fighting. You Shepherds are all the rage in the Outrealms! You're like celebrities! So we've given you two a week of pure enjoyment! Your cabana has a personal section of the beach complete with boards, canoes, umbrellas and chairs for a picnic, anything you can think of! Of course, you'll have to get swimsuits first. We have a huge selection back at the lobby; make sure to check those out!" She winked at Amadeus. "I know you just can't wait to see Cordelia in a bikini."
"A what?" Amadeus asked. "What's that?"
"Oh you don't know? Wow. Well, you'll see."
Cordelia looked apprehensive.
"Er, yes, what is it?"
Anna laughed again and brushed her off.
"Oh, don't worry, it's not a big deal. He's probably seen a lot more of you anyways." Amadeus was going to protes this, but then he noticed that their feet had begun treading on sand and Anna barged on. "Here we are! Your keys are right here in this envelope, and don't lose them! Enjoy your stay, and don't forget to buy your swimsuits!" She handed the keys over and sped back towards the lounge, leaving the furiously blushing couple behind them.
"Well. What is a bikini, anyways?"
Amades shook his head.
"Your guess is as good as mine. Let's drop our stuff off and check out the room." They walked up the wooden stairs to the cabana. Amadeus put down his bag and inserted the key, turning it until there was a satisfactory click.
He picked up his bag before pushing open the door, and gasped.
The room was, in a word, elegant. Behind the door was a large storage space, where Amadeus assumed all the beach things Anna had mentioned were stored. All the walls were painted a light blue, matching the cloudless sky outside. In the center along one of the walls was a large bed, obviously for two, with matching light blue sheets. The blankets were a deeper blue, with white circles in rows and columns as the sole design. At the head of the bed were two pillows, one with a bright orange pillowcase, and another with a light green pillowcase. Smiling, Amadeus and Cordelia put down their bags on the floor to take stock of the rest of the room. Next to the bed was a sliding opaque door, which they hurriedly slid open. They saw a large common area, with a large orange couch, dinner table, and a large patio.
They stepped out onto the patio and gasped. The stairs led down..but they didn't lead to the floor. They simply descended straight into the crystal clear waters of the ocean as they lapped against the steps.
"Amy...wow." Cordelia nuzzled her head against Amadeus' neck, inciting a shiver of pleasure.
"Yea. Wow." He kissed her hair and wrapped his hands around her waist, enjoying the feel of her body. "This is going to be some week."
She pulled back and nodded, before winking seductively at him before backpedaling into the room, pulling Amadeus with her. She lay on her front on the bed, leaving Amadeus there staring at her backside.
"Er..Cordelia?" His tone was light, quizzical.
"Amy..my back feels a little tight. Care to give me a massage? I haven't had one since you left, you know…" He smiled.
"Alright."
He shook back his sleeves and gently rubbed her shoulders before making his way down her back.
"Oooh…." She groaned in satisfaction. "So you didn't forget how to give a good massage while you were wandering wherever?"
"Nah. It's always there." He continued gently kneading her back, taking pride in the little moans that escaped her lips.
"Amy? My dress..it's a bit tight." Her hand reached around to undo the knot that kept her dress on, effortlessly undoing it. Then she turned around, leaving her dress against the bed.
Amadeus instantly felt himself flush as her naked body looked back up at him.
"Er..um, Cordelia, honey, you seem to have forgotten your smallclothes. Should I get them for you?" He felt like his face was on fire. And not just his face…
"Oh, no, it's too hot here, so I thought the extra layer would be too much…" She gave him a beguiling look and pulled him on top of her. "And well, it feels like someone enjoys it," she whispered as she felt his passion pressing against her. Their lips pressed together forcefully, and her tongue probed into his mouth, seeking out his for a dance. He obliged, before she pushed him back up.
"What? I thought we were starting something!" He yelled out indignantly.
She winked at him again.
"Aren't you going to take your cloak off?"
"Come on, let's go get the swimsuits so we can go down to the beach!" Cordelia slid off the bed and groped around for her clothes.
"Alright, alright…" Amadeus said as he looked at his wife looking around for her clothes.
"Amy? Where's my dress? I can't seem to find it." Cordelia looked around frantically. Amadeus sniggered quietly, but his wife's sharp ear caught it. "Alright, Amadeus. Where are you hiding it."
Amadeus shook his head.
"Not telling you. Morgan did this to me before, and made me figure it out...so now it's your turn." He stuck out his tongue at her, and she jumped on him.
"Amadeus. If you don't want me to kill you right now, you will tell me where my dress is." She pushed him down as he flailed out and tried to push her off of him.
"Gah! Fine. It's under the blanket." She huffed and pulled it out, quickly tying it back on. Amadeus got himself clothed, and they pocketed the keys and headed back towards the lobby.
There was a ton of selection at the shop. It was divided into two parts, one with men's swimwear and one with women's.
So what exactly is a bikini…
Amadeus decided to follow his inner judgment and not ask anyone. He'd find out.
Maybe in a book? I'll look around when I get back.
He began flipping absentmindedly through the swimwear. They looked like smallclothes, except they were made of a more paper-like material that seemed to be optimal for absorbing water. They came in all sorts of colors, ranging from plain white, to a brilliantly bright blue, and back down to a deep black. He probed around, wishing Cordelia were around. He was never good at picking clothes. Cordelia had pushed him away as she entered the women's section, saying that she wanted her swimsuit to be a surprise for him, so he was alone, and buying clothes.
Gods. Can't I just wait for her to come back and help me choose one...ugh.
He looked around and around before finally settling on a pair that he liked. They weren't bright or loud; his style had always been quiet and understated, so he went for a simple, dark blue pair without any designs. He brought it to the changing room to make sure his size was right.
He decided to take a look in the mirror to see what he would look like. A horrible thought occurred to him suddenly.
What if my body looks like it would after I spent a year without exercising..?
He breathed a sigh of relief as he took his shirt off and saw the wiry, lean body he was used to. He wasn't underweight, but slim, and the muscles from all the training and fighting he'd done were still there. His body looked just like it did the day he'd fought Grima.
So did I just stop in time for the year I was gone..? Or what? I don't think this explanation will be found in a book anywhere.
A knock on the door disrupted his thoughts, and he hurriedly rushed out of the changing room.
He found Cordelia waiting for him outside the shop, holding a small bag of her own.
"What took you so long?" She held up the bag for him to hold, and he dutifully looped it over his wrist as he took her hand in his.
"Oh, you know. I got stuck admiring myself in the mirror." He winked at her. "Just kidding. There was just too much selection..I have to say, I was a bit overwhelmed by it all at first. And of course, leave it to Anna to charge premium prices." He unconsciously patted his money bag as Cordelia laughed.
"Oh, don't worry. We're here on vacation! You might as well enjoy it to the fullest, or not come. You didn't come out here to save money, after all."
Amadeus nodded.
"Well, I came out here to spend time with you, dear." He leaned over and she obliged him with a peck on the cheek.
They got back to their room and changed into their swimsuits. Amadeus decided to just change in the room while Cordelia changed in the bathroom. It was quite quick; he just dropped his cloak and pants, and pulled on the trunks.
"Honey! I'm done, let's go!" He knocked on the bathroom door.
"Wait! I'm trying...to...figure..out...how..to..get..this...thing...on!" She paused between each word.
"Um...everything okay in th-"
"YES. Stop asking."
"Well..I'll wait out here then."
She seemed flustered and annoyed, and Amadeus knew better than to keep bugging her about whatever it was. She'd tell him, in time. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally heard the door open.
"Finally! Can we-"
"DON'T LOOK AT ME!" She yelled at him.
"Gah! Okay, okay! Geez, what's wrong?" He closed his eyes obediently and rolled to look out the window on the other side of the room.
"It's just...this is..a bit mortifying."
"Can I see?" He asked lightly.
What in the gods' names could she be talking about?
"...Fine."
He turned around and gasped quite audibly, and felt his face blush scarlet. Her swimsuit was a light blue, matching the paint on the walls. The top was tied delicately around her neck, leaving her bare back, and the bottom was also tied at her hips, both pieces hugging her figure tightly and leaving very little to the imagination. The straps and material themselves seemed so thin and flimsy...almost as if Amadeus could easily remove them. His mind went to imaginary places for a while before he caught himself.
"Gods, Cordelia. You look absolutely amazing." He had to swallow hard to keep himself from positively drooling. "How could you be mortified?" It was a legitimate question.
"But my..you know! Aren't you a bit disappointed with..well, you know?"
Amadeus did know.
"Cordelia, we've had this discussion before. And besides, I've already seen it all." He winked roguishly at her, earning himself a sharp reprimand in the form of another slap."But really, dear. I couldn't care less about your..you know. I love you the way you are, and I wouldn't change anything about you, physical or not. I married you for who you are, not for your body. Now, can we go to the beach?"
Cordelia rushed forward to hug him before replying.
"Yes, let's go!"
Amadeus was out on the surf. He'd taught Cordelia how to catch waves back onto shore while lying on the small board, and they'd done it over and over again, all day. Swimming out into the ocean, and riding the biggest wave they had the patience to wait for all the way back in, before repeating it again. Cordelia had gotten tired, and said she wanted to just play on the shore, but Amadeus wanted to ride one more, so she was waiting for him on the sand. He looked back to where she was sitting, but she was gone. He shook his head. She'd probably found some other fascinating thing on the beach.
Amadeus smiled to himself as he paddled.
Cordelia's really enjoying herself out here. She's acting almost like a kid! I never would have thought this side of her was so prominent..normally she's such a serious person. I guess I could say that about almost everyone..because I got to know most of them in context of war.
He smiled to himself as he waited for a wave to bring him back to the shore, and his wife.
I really am lucky to have her.
A wave started to form, and he turned the board around and paddled furiously towards the shore. He felt the wave crest underneath him, before feeling the rush of speed as it broke.
"YEAAAAAAAAH!" He yelled as he zoomed back towards the shore. As he slowed down and slid on the wet sand against the receding wave, he smiled to himself and shook the water out of his hair. "Cordelia?" She wasn't under the umbrella they'd set up, which was where she said she'd be waiting for him. "Huh. Where is she?" He scanned the beach; it wasn't a large area, as they had their own private little section, so she couldn't be too far away. After a bit, he noticed a pile of…
Seashells? Huh?
He quickly moved over, his curiosity piqued. As he approached, he noticed a figure digging through the sand next to the mountain of shells.
"Cordelia! There you are!"
She jumped as if surprised at his presence.
"Oh! Amy! Erm..uh, is everything okay?" She dropped something back to the floor and straightened herself out, holding her hands behind her back.
"I was just looking for you! You said you wanted to play in the sand after I got one more wave, but you weren't under the umbrella when I got back, so I was wondering where you went!"
"O-oh. No, no, I'm fine! But thanks for your concern, you're so sweet." She leaned over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "I was just..picking out these shells from the beach! You were going to come sliding in, so I didn't want you to be cutting up your fine body on these sharp shells!" She moved to his side and ran her hands over his chest and arms.
Amadeus smiled in pleasure.
"Alright, alright. Just..let me know next time, alright? I was really worried for a second...especially right on the beach, anything could happen. So, what do you want to do?"
She scratched her chin.
"Ooh! I know! Let's make sand sculptures!"
Amadeus smiled.
"Sounds good. I'll move the umbrella and chairs over so we don't have to walk all the way over if we want to take a break." She nodded as he walked off.
"Phew. That was close." She looked at the mound of sea shells. "Wouldn't want him to find out-wait, what am I trying to hide? Amadeus is my boyfriend-no, he's my husband now!" She shook her head. "I shouldn't have to be embarrassed about anything in front of him..he did just say back in the room that he wouldn't change anything about me, and that he married me for who I am! I could have just admitted to him that I was collecting seashells..ooh! Isn't that one a beauty? And that one, too!"
Amadeus had the umbrella in one hand, and the two folded beach chairs in another. As he walked back towards where he'd found Cordelia, he noticed something odd. She'd found a bunch of long sticks, and seemed to be fashioning them into..handles of some sort. They lay next to her, and she seemed to be moving back and forth from the mound of seashells to the sticks.
Huh? What's she doing? Looks like she's having fun, though, so I guess I'll just play along..
He put down the umbrella in the sand, opening it up and unfolding the two chairs underneath it. As he approached his wife, he could hear her talking to herself.
"Aand..it's perfect! Just the right amount of exotic flair." She sat back and looked glowingly at one of the long sticks she'd just decorated.
"Er..what are you doing with all these handles, honey?" He brushed away some sand and took a seat next to her, and she jumped at his presence.
"OH! Amy! Er, hi! These are..uh...I wasn't goofing off, if that's what you're asking!" She shook her head vigorously.
"What? Cordelia, I-"
"In fact, I was..testing! I was testing if..er..I was testing the aerodynamic contributions of shells on lances! That's why I have all these handles! I was trying to see if adding shells would improve how they flew. Let's see if it works…" She gripped one of the decorated handles and let fly. It soared through the air, splashing deep into the ocean with an audible plunk.
"Wow! I don't think I've ever seen you throw your lance that far; it must be working! Let me try one." He reached towards the pile of decorated ones and selected one to throw. He reared up before Cordelia let out a meek yelp.
"AH! NO! Amy, please, not that one!" She reached out to stop him.
"Huh?"
"It's...it's my favorite." She looked down at the sand, not meeting his eyes.
"What? Your favorite?" Amadeus was confused.
"Yes...all of that about the aerodynamics of lances..it was a lie. I just really like seashells...so I wanted to practice using them to decorate my weapons." She was looking down in shame. "You must be so ashamed in me...I could have gone to help you bring all of our stuff over here, but instead I was sitting here playing like a child while you lugged everything over. You must be so disappointed in me...if…" Her eyes welled up and tears dripped into the sand. "If you want to annul our marriage, I'll...I'll understand…" She turned away and wiped her tears.
Amadeus couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"Cordelia...calm down!" He hurriedly rushed behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body back to lean against his. "You're blowing this way out of proportion! I'm not disappointed in you at all...in fact, this is all just making me love you more."
She sniffed and rested her head on his shoulder.
"It..does?" Her eyes moved upwards towards his face with a hopeful glint on her face, and he grinned at her expression.
"Of course it does! We've had so much strife and fighting in our lives, so I worry sometimes that you don't have enough time to relax and let off steam; I'm glad I got to see this side of you today."
He felt her body relax in his arms.
"...Thank you, Amadeus. It...really means a lot to me that you worry about me so."
"Cordelia, honey, I'm your husband now. You're the most important thing to me..of course I'm always going to worry about you." He decided to lighten the mood; they were, after all, on vacation. "And look at you, playing like a kid on the beach! Who knew you could be so cute?"
She snapped around.
"C-cute? There is nothing 'cute' about me!" She said indignantly, as she pouted furiously, refuting her point in Amadeus' opinion.
"Oh? Look, you're turning red! Are you blushing so easily? My, my, you're getting cuter by the second!"
Her expression changed to a defeated one.
"...come on, Amadeus. You know I hate it when people say I'm really cute and girly! And now people are watching..." She picked up one of the handles she'd made and pointed it at him threateningly.
Amadeus looked around, and did notice that a crowd had begun gathering, gesticulating at them and pointing excitedly. Presumably they were also staying at the resort.
Anna did say we were celebrities...
"Oh? Coming at me with a lance, eh? Please, I saw that coming from miles away. I'll just sidestep it and-"
"Right into my trap!" With breathtaking speed, Cordelia dropped the "lance" and wrapped her arms around Amadeus.
"Wha-mmf!" Amadeus' protests were cut off by Cordelia's lips pressing against his. He closed his eyes and gave way to the moment, before remembering the excited crowd that surrounded them. He sprang back, leaving a satisfied looking Cordelia. "Heh. Some master tactician you are. You left your lips wide open! You should have known that's the first place I'd go for."
Amadeus was still in a bit of shock.
"C-Cordelia...I can't believe you'd just.."
"What? That I'd kiss you in front of all those people? Well, you're my husband. It's my right to kiss you when and where I want. You underestimate me."
"Damn it!" Amadeus knew she was right, and she tossed her hair back and laughed triumphantly.
Amadeus held his hands up in surrender.
"All right, all right..you win. This is not going according to plan…"
Cordelia raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Is that a problem? Haven't you read in any of your books that strong wives make for happy marriages? But if you're so upset about your plan not working, you'll just have to think of another one...I'd suggest a surprise romantic offensive of overwhelming proportions, but that's just me. You're the tactician." She winked at him seductively.
"Oh, way ahead of you. But you'll never see it coming!" He pulled her into another hug and a deep kiss, and she pulled back ever so slightly to smile up at him, her head resting snugly in his neck.
"Yes...but you'll have to surprise me while I'm watching you. Because I always will be, Amadeus. My eyes are for you and you alone...I can't tell you how much I missed you while you were gone. I love you so much, Amadeus. Never forget that."
As he patted her head, he smiled as he noticed the wing clips that were, as always, in her hair.
"I love you too, Cordelia, and this is the happiest moment of my life."
That happiest moment would become the happiest week of their lives.
Got a couple of requests to do this scene while I was writing my first story, Clarity (if you haven't read it yet, please do! I just finished it; I tried not to refer back to it so that you could enjoy this without having to read it first), so here it is! Just some fluff and happiness between our newlyweds. Hope you guys enjoy it!