The perfume of the flowers in the garden filled the twilight air as Elizaveta continued her walk through the grounds. It was completely quiet on the property, leaving the busy nation to her thoughts after a long day of handling state affairs.
She glanced back at her home and looked to the light shining from her husband's office. He'd been preoccupied today with work leaving her to her own devices after her duties were finished.
They had been married for three months now and Elizaveta had to admit, they had been three wonderful months. When she and Austria had first married under duress from their bosses, she had protested the match. It wasn't because she didn't care for him; quite the opposite. It was just that she was an independent woman who wanted to wed because it was her decision, and not an arranged one.
Roderich had accepted the decision gracefully, like a true aristocrat. When they were wed, he had assured her that she would not be forced to share his bed, but he had not been emotionally distant or cold to her. Despite her ranting and raving, he went out of his way to do things for her. When he played the piano, she would hear the sounds of her homeland throughout the home. The music always sounded so lovely that she was moved to tears, tears which she made certain he never saw, but she would prepare a splendid tea tray for him afterwards in gratitude.
As busy as the two nations were, they took their meals together whenever they could manage it and they would talk about politics, music, art, and the battles of the past, or gossip about neighboring countries. He listened to her attentively and never made her feel stupid for voicing her opinions even when he disagreed with them.
She told him about the uncertainty of growing up, believing that she was a boy and being scared and confused when it turned out she was not what she expected. And he had told her that she could never be a boy, because she was stronger than any man he had ever known. She had blushed and realized that she had been in love with him for the longest time. It was difficult to recall a time when she didn't love her prim, artistic, beautiful husband.
"Edelweiss…edelweiss, every morning you greet me," she sang bending to smell a rosebud.
She trailed her fingers through the soft petals and continued along.
"Small and white, clean and bright..you, look happy to meet me," she crooned feeling her heart overflowing with love as she thought of the man whom the song was for.
"Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow! Bloom and grow forever!" her voice rang out as she spun around in a circle like a little girl.
"Edelweiss, edelweiss," she sang dreamily, as she meandered along.
"Bless my homeland forever," a smooth voice behind her finished.
She turned around to find her husband staring at her. He had removed his coat after his long day of work and stood before her in his crisp white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up, breeches, and boots. His attire was not what drew her attention, but the heart wrenching expression on his face. He looked as if he were about to weep.
"Roderich?" she said going to him. "Are you alright?"
"Ja," he said never taking his eyes off of her. "You have a beautiful voice Elizaveta."
He lowered his gaze and seemed as if he was trying to compose himself.
"I had hoped to make you happy from the moment we said our vows," he murmured. "You sounded…happy, when you were singing that song."
She felt her face heat in shame and took his hand in hers and raised it to her lips. She dragged her mouth along his knuckles and felt him shake slightly. They had only ever exchanged pecks on the cheek.
She placed his hand over her heart and looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
"Yes my darling. You make me happy," she told him with a bright smile on her face. "I'm sorry if you did not know. I was so stubborn, I've cared for you ever since I came to live in your house all those years ago. I wanted you so…I just wanted to marry you on my own terms when I was ready."
He looked at her sharply and she was startled by the passion in his gaze. Perhaps it had always been there, shining from his violet eyes and she had never really looked into them hard enough. But she was looking now.
"Ich liebe dich Roderich," she told him as his arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her into him. He buried his face in her neck and held her for a moment while her arms came to rest against his back as they embraced. He shuddered and lifted his face so that his mouth was just touching her earlobe.
"Oh Beta…" he murmured causing a slight shiver to travel through her.
Then his mouth was on hers at last! She made a noise of surprise, before her lips fused to his and she wrapped her arms around his neck. It was an intense mating of lips, but still tender as they clumsily explored and learned each other for the first time.
He seemed intent on devouring her like a torte, as he fitted his lips to hers until she was forced to pull back for lack of air. His mouth grazed her jawline and his nose nuzzled her their while her breathing hitched in the quiet night air.
"Ah!" she gasped when he licked her neck as her hand buried itself under his shirt and gripped the skin of his back.
"Bumsen sie mich!" she groaned causing a shudder to run through her husband's frame.
"Beta," he murmured against her skin. "En is szeretlek, but perhaps we should wa-"
"We've been dancing around this for years," she purred rubbing herself against him. He closed in his eyes and blushed as she became aware of his erection. "Make me yours finally."
He tried to get his breathing under control as her mouth found his and tasted him again. He was helpless and responded eagerly, cupping her neck in his hand. When her tongue licked the seam of his mouth begging for admittance he groaned and willingly allowed the invasion. He was completely out of his depth, but she guided him until their tongues were dueling for control and showed no signs of retreating.
He felt lightheaded and dizzy from lack of air, but didn't dare break away as she sucked on his tongue, and caused a resulting throb in his groin. Then she was taking his hand in hers and placing it over one covered breast and squeezing his hand to massage the flesh.
They broke apart gasping for breath, but never stopping. Elizaveta ripped his shirt open and paused only for a moment to take in the sight of her husband's smooth, lean chest and torso.
"Beautiful," she muttered before leaning forward and kissing the base of his neck, sucking his clavicle and making him delirious.
"Should we not, mein gott…go inside?" he rasped as she licked his nipple.
"No, right here," she said desperately as her teeth grazed the sensitive skin of his stomach. He hissed and dragged her head up and caught her mouth. She was unprepared for the way he dominated her, shoving his tongue in, sucking her lower lip, and making her go limp in his arms. She became aware that someone was whimpering and was shocked to realize it was her as her husband used his hands, those beautiful pianist hands to untie her apron. He stepped back from her for a moment and she whimpered until he made a soothing noise and kissed her mouth before pushing off the white, starched apron. Then he spun her around and set to work on the lacings in the back of her dress.