Note: Based on a lovely image by the very talented denkiru on Tumblr: post/178926363493/ehehehe-happy-weens-of-hallows
Of Demons and Dragons
A Fire Emblem Fates Story
In all his years as in incubus, Owain had always felt an unquenchable thirst, a desire that eclipsed all else. The need for physical contact, the need to conquer another being and make them his. To watch their free will flicker away in their eyes as he seduced and dominated them was a delicious sight that never, ever got old. It filled his chest with satisfaction, to reduce maidens to screams of pleasure with his cock, to break men to shambles of mewling as he claimed their asses, to fill the night with moans of ecstasy. However, no matter how good the sex was, no matter how many orgasms he had, the hunger always returned. On and on, in an endless cycle: the hunger, the seduction, the sex, the satisfaction, the urge, back to hunger. The periods of complacency post-conquest varied, but the fact remained the emptiness always returned.
Niles told him it was just the way of things, how they functioned as a species. And hey, sating a particularly strong pang of need felt really good, so why should he complain? He was thinking way too much about this. To Owain, though, the whole cycle felt almost pointless, the sex hollow, in a way. It bothered him to such a degree that he started abstaining, or at the very least holding out until he could no longer bear it. What was the use of empty sex just to abate a lust he could never fully satisfy?
He was in the middle of one of these dry spells, slumped irritably against a large mound of pillows, his tail curled around his finger for fidgeting, when Niles traipsed into the room, sunny and devious from his escapade the night prior.
"Still on that fruitless hunger strike, love?" Niles said as he flopped beside him. "You truly are an odd bird, you know that?" he said with a droll smile, twitching one of Owain's horns.
"Leave me alone," Owain grumbled, batting at Niles' hand.
"How long has it been this time? A month, two?"
"Why does it matter to you how long it's been?" he said with a sour frown.
"Only wishing to admire your dedication to this deluded idea, hun," Niles said blithely with a shrug of his shoulders. "I can hardly last two days without looking for some action."
Owain sighed, twirling his finger in his tail. "What good is the action if the effect wears off so quickly? The dark gnawing in my soul never ceases, and no scullery maid or squire can cloy this abyss inside me. So why bother?"
"You think too much," Niles stated with a sigh, slouching to lay his head on Owain's shoulder.
"Perhaps you don't think enough," Owain retorted, tone laced with bitterness.
"If I could solve this problem for you, dear, I would, but you know full well sleeping with another in our species does nothing for it," Niles said, finger tracing circles against Owain's arm.
"I wasn't asking you to," Owain said with a weary sigh, sitting up and drawing his knees to his chest. He folded his arms atop them and rested his chin there, sulking. "This is my choice, after all. I don't need your help."
"Then I guess I won't tell you the juicy rumor I heard about," Niles said, weaving his fingers together and placing them behind his head, his elbows jutting out against the pillows.
"Juicy rumor?" Owain repeated, turning back to him, eyebrow rising.
"It may only be a myth, mind, but...rumor has it if one of our kind sleeps with a maiden of pure heart just once, they'll be satisfied for a whole year."
He gave Niles a searching look. A whole year without the unyielding thirst, free to fill his days with reading and spell-crafting and any other of his hobbies his hunger so often distracted from? The thought was tantalizing, he had to admit, especially in his current state of abstinence. "How the hells do you tell a maiden of pure heart from any other, though?"
"Who knows?" Niles said, crossing his ankles. "Perhaps she glows or something?" Snickering, he added, "Or perhaps only certain parts of her glow?"
It was something at least. He spent the next few days in the library of their lair, researching pure maidens. However, very little was written on the subject, so he decided he'd just have to wing it. With goal in sight, he packed some provisions and set out toward the town, hoping to get lucky. After all, if he was unsuccessful, he could at least pick off some drunk tavern fodder and temporarily quench his thirst. The trail down the mountain was empty, though he didn't expect to find anyone; humans rarely traveled this path, and only his and dragonkind called the mountains home. Coming across a dragon would be an unwelcome encounter, though, as he'd likely end up its meal. Dragons, however, tended to keep to their own side of the mountain, only coming out once a month to hunt for travelers or large game. Humans and elves therefore avoided the area entirely, lest they become the victim of some creature's hunger.
He'd dressed as a traveler himself, in black boots, matching trousers, and a white tunic, a black cloak around his shoulders to stave off the autumn chill. His concealing spell could mask his horns, tail, and claws, but it couldn't alter his ear shape, so to the uninitiated, he'd appear to be an elf. This suited him just fine; elves and humans had a peace treaty, so he could enter the town without difficulty. Not only that, but some humans saw bedding an elf as an exotic challenge, something Niles exploited with relish. He walked the familiar slope toward the forest below, a book in hand to pass the tedium of the trek. The beaten path was so familiar that he hardly needed to look up, ambling through the woods with the ease of experience.
A sound pricked his ears, and he glanced up from his book with interest. It sounded like humming, feminine humming. Curious, he stepped off the path and wove through the trees toward the sound, eventually coming upon a clearing. Wildflowers blanketed the earthen floor, and the creature seated in the center of them, the source of the humming, stole his breath.
Owain had seen his fair share of comely women, from barmaids to socialites, but the maiden in the clearing had a beauty that bordered on ethereal. Long waves of platinum-blonde hair cascaded down her back, a crown of wildflowers adorning her head. Her dress was the purest white he had ever seen, long with ruffles that hung off the shoulders, the tops of which were bare. She was seated in such a graceful way, her dress tucked around her legs as she wove another crown of flowers, humming a peaceful tune to herself. From this distance, he could just make out the tips of her pointed ears; an elven maid, then.
If he was asked to describe the purest maiden in the world, he was certain she would be it.
Running a hand over his hair, he took a steadying breath. Time to turn on the charm. A year of freedom from his curse was on the line. Stepping out of the treeline, he cleared his throat. "Forgive me, fair maiden," he said, raising a hand in placation when she gasped and whirled to look at him. Her crimson eyes were striking, so much so that he lost his nerve for a few seconds. He took another step forward, recollecting himself. "I was traveling through this forest when the loveliest voice pierced my cognizance. I'm so pleased to find the owner of said song is just as captivating, if not moreso."
She tilted her head for a moment, as if studying him, and then a smile broke her face, and she giggled; a merry, fluttery laugh that sent chills through him. "My apologies for interrupting your journey, kind sir," she said. "This meadow is a favorite of mine, and I only wished to spend some of my leisure time here."
"Might I inquire your name, milady?" he asked, giving her his most charming smile.
With another giggle, she replied, "Corrin. And you, good sir?"
"A name suited to your unparalleled beauty, milady," he said, eyes crinkling with merriment. "As for myself, I am Owain Dark, a simple wanderer of these great lands."
"An adventurer, eh?" Corrin said, her eyes flashing with playfulness. "What exactly are you adventuring for, Owain?"
"I seek to record thrilling tales, dear Corrin," he said, which was partially true; in his free time, he did enjoy writing stories of adventure. No one in his commune of incubi and succubi enjoyed them unless they were about sex, though, which, to be frank, was painfully dull.
"So you're a storyteller, then?" she asked with intrigue. "I'd love to hear one."
"I'm more interested in the story of why a lovely elven maid such as yourself is unattended," Owain said, taking a few more steps toward her. "These woods are dangerous, gentle Corrin. Rogues less upstanding than myself could claim you in unscrupulous ways."
She raised her knees and hugged them to her chest, grin mischievous. "I'm capable of handling myself, I assure you," she said.
He was almost an arm's-length away from her when the scent hit him. Metallic, like gold hoarded in mass-quantities; brimstone, from the heat in the depths of the mountains; and blood, thick and pervasive. Demeanor shifting entirely, he took a step back, hand raised to cast a hex if needed. Frowning at her, he said, "You're no elf."
A devious chuckle in her throat answered, and she looked up at him, expression amused. "And you're no adventurer." She stood, a hand raised to soothe him, the other clutching the second crown of flowers she'd been making. With a grin, she said, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."
Huffing in annoyance, he lowered his cloaking spell, his true form revealed, eyeing Corrin as she did the same. Gnarled, white horns, like antlers, appeared on her head, poking out from her hair. A tail curled around from beneath her dress, the tip flanked with long scales sharp enough to pierce flesh. With a sigh of relief, she unfurled her wide white wings.
As he thought: she was a dragon.
"Much better to be honest now, isn't it, Owain Dark?" Corrin said with a wry grin, smoothing the lines of her dress.
"I should have known something was amiss about you," Owain said with a leer, hand still raised in spell-casting position. "Your beauty matches the tales about dragon-mortal forms."
"Thanks for the compliment, handsome," she said, winking at him. "For that, I suppose I won't eat you."
He laughed, humorless and derisive. "Like a dragon would skip the chance for a free meal."
"You can doubt me all you like, but the truth is, I only eat game, sweet incubus," she said, running the flower wreath through her hands, her focus there. "Mortals may be beneath us dragons, but they still have morals and families; I can't bring myself to prey upon one just because he wanders into my territory, the way others in my clan do. And besides," she added, flicking her gaze up to him with a grin, "I ate a very sizeable bear just three days ago. It'll be weeks before I'm hungry again."
Owain hesitated, giving her a studying look. "You seriously expect me to believe you've never eaten a mortal?" he asked, eyebrow raised.
"Of course not, because that would be a lie," said Corrin, giving him a serious look. "I did eat a man—once. He was gathering water near a stream when I came upon him. As I was leaving to return home, I happened to notice smoke from a nearby fire. The source was a small camp, and a woman sat by the fireside, heavy with child and clearly in labor. The man I'd eaten was her husband; he had gone to fetch water for the delivery." Her eyes fell to the ground, a pall of shame clouding her expression. "Once I'd realized what I'd done, I cloaked myself and went to assist her. The whole time, she was distressed about the whereabouts of her husband, even until the birth of her son. As she lay there, cradling the child and sobbing over the husband inside my belly, I felt a grief I cannot explain. From that day onward, I vowed to never eat a mortal again. Of course, my kin thinks me foolish for such softness," she said, a small smile on her lips. "It's why I'm here alone; no one wants to bother themselves with an odd bird like me."
He stared at her for a moment, and then a chuckle escaped him. "It seems we have that in common, then," he said, leaning his weight on one hip. When she tilted her head with interest, he sighed, seating himself in the flowerbed. "My kind call me an odd bird as well."
Sitting in front of him, her knees to her chest, she frowned. "Why's that?"
"Because I find the nature of my species frustrating," Owain said with a grin. "The endless cycle of lust and carnal pursuits, it's all so...pointless. Every mark I claim leaves me feeling emptier than the last. There's just...something about it, something hollow and insincere that crawls under my skin, even when just thinking of it."
"An incubus that doesn't want to bed every mortal in the land? You truly are an odd bird, Owain," Corrin said, grinning at him.
With a faint chuckle, he nodded. "So they tell me. Lately, I've taken to resisting the urges when they arise, at least for as long as I'm able. Every time I eventually succumb, I feel more shame than satisfaction."
"If it's simply a matter of staving off urges, why don't you take matters into your own hands?" she asked. "I know those in my clan who do so to quench their heat when they'd rather not clutch an egg."
"My kind can't climax from self-stimulation," Owain said, shaking his head. "It's why we seek out mortals to whet our appetites. Believe me, if the answer were that simple, I wouldn't be here, a month into celibacy and frustrated out of my mind."
"So why are you here, then?" Corrin asked with a tilt of her head. "Headed to town to break your fast again?"
He sighed, a hand raising to his forehead, his fingers rubbing absently against one of his horns. "There's a myth I heard about that if I can bed a pure maiden, it'll sate my desires for a year."
"Ohhhh, so you thought I was this fabled maiden, huh?" she said, nodding in recognition. When he sighed again, she smiled kindly at him. "Sorry to disappoint you. Though I may be unmatched, I doubt a dragon is qualified for your myth."
"Unmatched?" Owain said, eyebrows frowning.
"It means I haven't found a mate," Corrin explained. "Dragonkind join in pairs, much like mortals do. We then bond and stay with that mate for the rest of our lives. But I've yet to meet a drake I find suitable, and, considering my place as a social outcast, none are seeking to bond with me any time soon."
He nodded slowly, his eyes on the ground, contemplative. "To be honest, I know my quest is most likely in vain," he said with yet another sigh. "I'm doomed to face this dark torment, plagued with dissatisfaction and contempt for the remainder of my days."
Corrin paused, her eyes lidded in thought. Looking up at him again, she spoke. "Is there something I can do to help?"
"I'm afraid not," he said wearily, rubbing at his eyes. "Unless you know of some pure-hearted maidens I can charm."
She giggled; despite himself, he actually liked her laugh. "Well, I can't do that, but...I could at least break your dry spell for you?"
Owain looked up at her, blinking in surprise. "You...I'm sorry, what?"
Blushing, she glanced away, her smile broad. "I can't say I'll be up to your caliber, since I'm unknown in bed, but I wouldn't mind helping so long as it's for you." She looked back at him, eyes gentle. "Odd birds like us should stick together, don't you think?"
Heat rose in his cheeks, a sensation he'd never experienced in this context. Something in his chest flared, his heart thruming faster. A smile, genuine and heartfelt, curled his lips. "I couldn't ask you to do that, Corrin. After all, I'm sure the first time is probably sacred to your kind, isn't it?"
"It is," she said, nodding. "It's supposed to create the bond between mates for life. However, since you're not a dragon, I think it should be okay."
The temptation was strong, pulsing in his veins, but his chest ached with anxiety at the thought. "I...Corrin, I don't want to hurt you." He was surprised he said it, but there it was. Something about her set him off his game, made him feel weird and charged. It was why he told her the truth about his frustrations; she just seemed easy to talk to.
Smiling, Corrin sat up on her knees. "Then how about this," she said, raising the crown of flowers and placing it on his head. Leaning in, she pecked her lips against his cheek. When she pulled back, she looked up at him, still hovering in close proximity. "I hope that you find the answer you're looking for, Owain."
Blushing furiously, he swallowed. He didn't enjoy kissing, at least not the handful of times he'd done so with mortals. It was really only a means to an end, and the end didn't require much lip service. However, in that moment, he felt a strong magnetism, a desire he'd never experienced before. Eyes lidded, he leaned forward, humming contently when Corrin reciprocated and met him. The kiss set off an explosion within him, tingles rippling through his limbs as her soft lips pressed against his over and over. Her sigh of bliss only spurred him further, his hand coming up to cradle her cheek as they deepened the kiss, his tongue meeting hers in a dance that made him weak. Corrin pushed forward, and before he knew it, he was on his back in the flowers, her body pressed against his as she sweeped his mouth with thorough curiosity.
It wasn't at all what he was used to. With mortals, he always had them enchanted, so he took charge, using them to fulfill his needs, their own pleasure inconsequential as he topped them. However, the weight of her body atop his was oddly wonderful, so much so that he wrapped his arms around her to keep her there, a whimper in his throat as she meshed her fingers into his hair. It was nice, nicer than he'd ever felt, and it made his cock twinge in anticipation, a need building in him that was unlike his typical urges. Corrin's fingers fiddled with the base of his cloak, and, catching her intention, he sat up, shedding the garment and tunic as well, leaving him bare-chested save for his usual chest harness. Corrin lifted her dress enough to straddle his lap before pressing him back to the ground. His hands framed her hips as she pecked down his chin and neck, but when she sank her teeth into the connection of neck and shoulder, he let out a startled yelp.
"Relax, it's not that kind of bite," she said, petting him for reassurance. She laved her tongue over the spot, adding, "Just what we dragons call a love nip. Is that okay?"
He'd never heard someone ask a question like that in this context. It caught him off guard, and he instinctually nodded. As if sensing his unease, she moved to kiss him a few more times, settling his nerves back to a dreamy sort of bliss. She retook her place at his shoulder and bit again, this time more gently, and a moan escaped his mouth, a trend that continued as she sucked against the skin, his mouth hanging open to vocalize between pants. The pain didn't even faze him after a while, instead filling him with a strange sense of pleasure as she nipped more marks against his shoulders. When she traced her lips up his neck and back to his face again, he attacked her with vicious affection, the need to express his approval overwhelming.
"Does this mean you accept my offer?" Corrin asked against his lips, her smile audible.
Owain paused, hand reaching to cup her cheek, and she leaned back enough to look him in the eye. A hazy, heated swirl of emotions boiled inside his chest at the sight of her gorgeous red eyes, the gentle entreaty within them filling him with a longing so unfamiliar yet so powerful that he lost himself to it. He rose to a seat as he pressed in to kiss her again, sweet and soft. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his arms curled around her middle, pulling her against him. Gratified hums only spurred him into more action, tipping forward and cushioning her decent to the ground as he fell in place on top of her.
For the first time ever, he wanted to do something during sex that wasn't for his own pleasure. It was bizarre and new, but he wanted it, to make her feel good, to make her want him. Slowly, he trailed down her cheek and neck, working his lips down into the cleft of cleavage exposed by the bodice of her dress. With a sigh of approval, she bunched the dress in her hands, and in seconds, it was over her head and abandoned entirely. To his surprise, she was completely naked beneath, the sight of her body kindling the furnace inside him He rose to his knees and fumbled with his remaining pants and boots, even shucking the chest harness off him as well, wanting nothing left between them. The sweet feel of her skin against his as he joined her again was sinful in the best way, and he slid right back to kissing down her collarbone. Her breasts were perfectly sized, her nipples pert and calling out to him, so he pecked across the curve until he could latch onto one, Corrin's breath hitching above him. The subsequent moan egged him on, and he flicked and swirled his tongue against her as his hand came up to grope the other. He squeezed her and worked his palm as he nipped and sucked on the other side, her soft groans an aphrodisiac. He wanted more of those, to please her, to make her fall apart at his hand. If it was for Corrin, it was worth the effort, his heart oddly satisfied.
When he finally detached, he continued down her stomach and on to her thigh. His eyes fell on the light curls of pubic hair, the sweet lips of her labia, and a new idea struck him. For some reason, though, he didn't want to overstep, so he asked her. "May I?" Owain said, pressing a few hesitant kisses toward her vulva.
"Y...Yeah…" Corrin sighed above him.
A few seconds for repositioning, and he was on his stomach, poised to do something he had never done but for some inexplicable reason was very compelled to do. Timidly, he traced his tongue against her labia, and the quiver of excitement in her moan made him grin. Settling, he licked across the entrance, the taste of her so wonderful that he had to have more, falling into a rhythm that had her thighs trembling around him. She lifted her feet to arch them over his shoulders and down his back, and he sank further into his tongue work, effectively making out with her vagina. He had a vague idea of the sorts of things women liked, so with that minimal knowledge, he shifted upward, tongue following, until he found what he was searching for: that small, sensitive nub that had her moaning loudly once he'd located it. He swept his tongue over her clit with eager enthusiasm, Corrin's shudders and gasps a delight he couldn't explain. Her voice rose as he continued to swirl against her, faster and harder, until her cries became desperate and she heaved upward a bit, her cadenced groans indicative of her orgasm. Diligently, he lapped against her until he was certain she was finished, giving her a few parting tastes that made her twitch and whimper.
Wiping his mouth on the back of his palm, he sat up, smiling down at her, the sated look on her face shooting a pang of warmth through him. Corrin locked eyes with him, a smile overtaking her as well, and she hoisted onto her elbows and then onto her knees. Maintaining eye contact, she pressed the pads of her fingers against his chest, leaning him back on his palms. She let her hand trace downward, still gazing at him as her fingers found his dick and brushed against him, which coaxed a groan out of him as he closed his eyes. Fingers curled around him and stroked upward, a moan tumbling out of him as his head went back. He'd had marks touch him before, but it was never like this, so intimate and intense. It had him erect in seconds, his breath heavy and his mouth dry as he let it hang open. He felt her shift, and he opened his eyes a fraction, Corrin looking back at him with longing. Smiling, he reached for her, and she straddled his lap, lowering onto him until her heat consumed him.
They both hesitated, enjoying the sensations of connection. Her insides felt almost form-fitted to him, so warm and snug and absolutely perfect. Her hands framed his cheeks, and he sat up more, his gaze heavy with desire. Their lips connected as she rolled into him, an act that had them both groaning into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her as she continued to ride, tongue clashing with his. It felt so good, so sweet and strong, his heart roaring in his chest, and in that moment, he lost himself. Nothing remained but the two of them, the feel of her skin against him, the taste of her lips, the slick warmth of her muscles all around him as his cock grinded against ridges that felt custom-made for him. His arms trembled as they separated for air, foreheads connected as they gasped in time.
"Ahh...C-Corrin, I'm going to…" Owain panted when the urge started to climb, his whole body prickling in anticipation.
"Yeah," Corrin said, pressing her forehead into his. "M-Me too, Owain, please, don't stop…"
He couldn't deny a request like that, gripping her sides to pound her harder into his lap. Hips thrashed, sweat beading on their foreheads, both of them moaning with increasing volume, clinging to each other as if their very lives depended on it. The pleasure rose upward, clouding his mind, until finally, it peaked, and he mashed his forehead against hers, coming with an intensity so powerful that it eclipsed every climax he'd ever experienced. Corrin too groaned in ecstasy, her muscles clenching around him in a rhythm that enhanced his moment, encouraging him to thrust with more fervor, an act she seemingly appreciated. The swirl carried on far longer than his usual, his brain on fire and whole body trembling. When it finally ebbed away, he let out a quivering exhale that bordered on a sob, Corrin crooning softly as her body relaxed.
They opened their eyes in the same moment, the gaze shooting a charge through them both. Arms encircling one another, they pressed in for a kiss, deep and affectionate, Owain tangling his fingers in her hair as he cupped the back of her head. His heart was alight, his whole body tingling with an afterglow so pleasant that he never wanted to lose it. From the very beginning, this encounter was special, and his thoughts whirled in his head, unable to piece them together.
He'd heard of the mortal concept of love before. Supposedly, it meant wanting to be with the same person always, something completely foreign to his species. In that moment, though, he finally understood. This...This feeling, this urge to do this with her again and again...To talk with her, to share his secrets with her, to hear that wonderful giggle and stare deeply into her wine-colored eyes, to melt completely into her embrace...Was this love? Could love happen this quickly? He wasn't sure, but right now, it was the best answer he had for this desire to stay here forever with her.
"Corrin...I-I…" he whispered against her lips. To his surprise, his voice trembled, his throat suddenly hot and strained, his eyes watering.
She pulled back to look at him, and she too had tears welling in her eyes. His hand came up to brush her cheek as one escaped, his thumb caressing it away in an instant. "Is…" She hesitated, swallowing to strengthen her voice. "Owain, is it...always like this for you? When you bed mortals?"
"No," he answered immediately. "This was...Corrin, this was different. A different that I...Corrin, would you, maybe…" He couldn't find the words, staring at her with a heavy, almost distraught confusion.
"Owain…" Corrin said, hand petting his cheek. "Can...Can I keep you? I want...I want you to be with me, always."
His heart leaping, he nodded. "Yes," said Owain, his voice suddenly firm. "Gods, Corrin, yes. I want to be with you, too."
"It might mean we'll be outcasts from both our kinds," she said, leaning her forehead against his.
"I don't care," he said, grinding his forehead against hers as he shook his head. "Corrin, I've never...I've never felt this alive in my life. You...You're the answer I've been looking for, I know it. The endless longing won't be so unbearable if I can quench it like this, with you."
Corrin smiled, a small chuckle in her throat. "Maybe it's fate that I've never found a suitable mate in my own kind," she said. Her fingers slid into his hair, adding, "Maybe I was waiting for you all along."
Their lips found each other, as if sanctioning the idea. They shared a few more tender kisses before parting again. "You know," Owain said, grinning, "I'm fairly certain our kinds have similar lifespans."
She giggled, which made him grin all the wider. "Are you proposing a bond, then?"
"Absolutely," he said, pecking her lips again. "Corrin, I want to be devoted to you from this day forward. After all," he said, grin sly, "odd birds like us should stick together, don't you think?"
They shared a laugh, the warmth between them palpable. "Owain, I...I love you," Corrin said, locking eyes with him.
He paused for a moment before his eyes lidded with affection. "I love you, too, Corrin. I may be the first of my kind to feel this way."
"And I'll be the first to bond with someone who isn't a dragon," she said with an adoring smile.
Owain gripped her chin, adding as he leaned in, "Sounds like fate to me."
Bonus Ending:
Corrin landed on the ledge of the cliffside, furling her wings afterward. The large buck had been a welcome feast, which meant she was now free to spend the month with her love.
As anticipated, neither of their kinds took well to the news that she and Owain had decided to join as a mated couple. The lack of understanding meant they were both exiled, but to be honest, they had planned for this eventuality and had found a suitable cave to call home beforehand. It was situated lower in the mountain range than their home colonies, only accessible by flight, which meant she had to carry her love to and from, not that she minded in the slightest. Together, they had made the nest a home, stocking it with pillows and books and a small pile of gold things to sate her natural desire to collect the precious metal. Owain ate the same things mortals did, so they often traveled to the town market together, disguised as an elven couple. The past several months had passed by with blissful happiness, their love blossoming into a deep romance. They spent their days together, Owain sharing stories from his vivid imagination. Corrin couldn't fathom being with anyone else.
She shrugged the bag of groceries on her shoulder and headed for the mouth of the cave. After a short walk down the winding path, she entered the main cavern, beaming at the sight that awaited her. Owain sat in the center of the pile of cushions that was their nest, his legs folded and a book in hand. He was reading to the large egg in his lap, furs nestled all around it for warmth. It had surprised them both that she was able to clutch by him, but it was a fact they took as proof of their undying love for each other.
Owain looked up from his reading, and his grin broadened. "Welcome home, my draconic seraph," he said, his voice tender. "Ophelia and I were just getting to the best part of the story, if you'd like to join us."
"Ophelia, huh?" Corrin said, setting the bag on the ground at the base of the mound and clambering across to sit beside him. "Is that the name you've selected from your list today?"
"It is indeed, and I rather like it," he said, grinning at her. "After all, you've said the hue of the shell indicates our firstborn is female, correct?"
"Should be," she said, stroking a hand over the top of the egg. "Thank-you for keeping her warm while I went out," she added, bending in to smooch him.
"But of course," Owain said, giving her an extra peck. "Incubating my darling child while her mother secures sustenance is all apart of my joyous life as your chosen mate."
"I also brought you some things from town," she said, snuggling closer to him. "They had those fruits you like."
"You're so good to me, beloved," he said, kissing her forehead. "Now then, shall I catch you up on the story so we can continue our reading?"
"Actually," Corrin said, skimming her finger along the shell of his ear, "now that my hunger has been dealt with, I was wondering if yours needed sating."
He paused, a mischievous grin curling his lips. Bending down, he smooched the crown of the egg. "Sorry, Ophelia, mommy and daddy need some alone time now," he said, gently lifting the egg from his lap and setting it safely aside on the nest, swaddling the furs around it and propping the book open in front of it. He hoisted his shirt over his head, Corrin's hand yanking him toward her by the ring of his chest harness with a sultry giggle.
Though his natural thirst hadn't decreased in the slightest, fulfilling it with Corrin was a delight, and, for Owain, that was more than enough of a compromise.