A Different Ending
Rifiuto: Non Miriena
Summary: At seventeen, she chose her destiny. At eighteen, the last piece of it claimed her. And now, with a country to rule and a semester to finish at school, Marberly's ruling monarch believes the pieces of her life had been writ in stone. But she'll soon discover that the very 'destiny' she claimed a year ago has very different plans in store for her. Plans that could build her up... or tear her down. Raven/OC. Written: 2015, Found: 2018
A/N: It might be a good idea to read Waiting to Be Rewritten before starting this one, if for nothing other than context.
She waited anxiously on the front steps of Redarnia, keeping a lookout for any sign of the car. A small, amethyst ball of fire rolled between her hands- a habit she'd had since she was a child. The skirt of her lilac-colored dress swished softly as she paced, stopping every so often to crane her neck, before she'd see nothing and resume pacing. It was Wednesday; in two days, she would make the biggest change of her life so far, and she wanted them there for it.
They'd gotten the invitations; she was pretty sure they'd all accepted, so where were they?
"Easy, Nevermore. You're going to wear a moat into the stone, and then your father will have to have a drawbridge constructed just to enter the foyer." Strong arms slipped around her shoulders from behind, and she stopped her pacing, visibly relaxing at his mere presence. "That's my girl." He kissed her temple. "They'll get here when they get here, no need to worry. I can't imagine any of them refusing."
She 'hmmed' in response, reaching up to cover his arm with her hand, the flame disappearing as soon as her hands parted. She seemed to sink visibly into his body, lolling her head to the side to allow him access to the soft flesh of her neck. But instead of taking the bait, he pulled away, taking her hand and tugging her back into the palace. "No, Mika! What if they show up? I have to be here-"
"And you will be." He replied, stopping her protests with a soft kiss. "But you don't need to spend the next two hours pacing the front steps. You'll wear yourself out, not to mention your heels, and be so wound up, you won't be able to relax and enjoy the moment they do get here." He tugged her up the stairs to the second floor, where the royal household's living quarters were, down the hall towards her room and pulled her close, kissing her softly as he opened the door.
"Mika, I have to-"
"You have to relax, Nevermore." He replied, tugging her into the room and shutting the door behind her. "This wedding of ours is stressing you out to the point I'm half afraid you'll start splintering like Cedar." She smiled at his soft chuckle, happy he could recall Ever After High without regret or hurt in his voice, though it still lingered in hers. His arms slid around her waist, and he kissed her deeply, walking her back to her bed before climbing up beside her. They lay among the pillows and blankets, hands trailing and teasing, mouths drinking deeply from each other.
Playfully, he walked his fingers down her thigh, slipping them beneath the skirt of her dress and trailing them slowly up the inner skin, towards the area between her legs. She pulled away. "We're not supposed to do anything until after the ceremony on Friday, remember, my prince?" She pressed her forehead to his, mock scolding him. He smirked, kissing her quickly.
"And we won't, my queen. Remember, what needs to be done after the ceremony requires two parts of me in one very specific area- my mouth-"
"And," She glanced down gaze locking briefly on the area between his legs. "and I am a very lucky woman." She grinned at his soft chuckle, sliding her hands along his waist to rest against his hips as he caught her mouth again. While she was distracted, he slipped his fingers between her undergarments, finding the bundle of nerves and gently rolling it between his thumb and forefinger- she moaned against his lips before deepening the kiss- before slipping two fingers between her folds and into her, being careful of her hymen, for it was to remain intact until after the ceremony.
A very unladylike groan escaped her, and she soon arched her back as he continued his ministrations, breaking the kiss and guiding his mouth to the delicate skin of her throat. She tightened her grasp on his hips, her teeth sliding out to grasp her lower lip as he teased and played with her. "Mika-"
He shifted, pushing himself onto his elbow so he could meet her gaze. "Come for me, darling." He whispered, kissing her softly. "Remember, this is a encouraged; it's a good thing." She bit her lip, meeting his blue irises with her violet ones, already filled with desire and desperate for release. Palmarneae and Marberly were very similar in how they viewed intercourse- from oral, to penetrative and masturbation. Both countries viewed such acts as normal to the value of everyday life, and even encouraged it, though by different means for different reasons.
In Palmarneae, a couple engaged in penetration before the wedding ceremony, whereas in Marberly, a bride was to lose her barrier after the ceremony, as an offering to the Goddess. However, both countries believed that masturbation was an accepted form of intercourse before the actual act; a couple could play and experience without actually committing the act- which was why it was so popular among engaged couples. It also gave them time to understand each other's interests sexually, leaving less embarrassment or awkwardness to take place either before or after the wedding ceremony, depending on which country the wedding took place in.
"Mikalos-" She reached for him, wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing him deeply, moaning against his lips as he quickened his pace. Out of an attempt to steady herself, for she felt about the surely go over the edge, she grabbed for the top of the headboard, fingers grazing the wall above it. Amethyst soon ran the length of the room, covering each wall before vanishing.
She a hand down his chest and over his stomach, eventually brushing her fingers against him through the material of his slacks, and he groaned, his body reacting the only way it wasn't allowed to in regards to her. "Goddess, Ravenna, what do you do to me?"
A throaty giggle escaped her throat, and she kissed him. "This is encouraged, remember my love?" She breathed, kissing him again, as her fingers began to work of their own accord, undoing his slack and slipping between them, slowly stroking his length. "Get it out of our systems now, and by the ceremony, we'll both be ready."
"Oh, Ravenna, my love." The kiss was hard, firm, deep. She laughed against his lips as he hardened at her touch. She broke the kiss, pulling away from him, tightening around his fingers as her body finally gave in to his teasing.
"Mhmm... Mikalos..."
Eventually, he carefully removed his fingers from her folds; she caught her breath, shaking her head with a laugh. "I'm sorry, my husband. I didn't mean to-"
"Shh." He kissed her softly, before getting up and slipping into the bathroom connected to her room, quickly washing his hands. He could smell her arousal not only on his fingers, but from the bed, and he told himself that they were doing the right thing. That with her gently stretched and used to the sensation of being entered, once the wedding ceremony finished and they were required to slip off before the reception, it would be easier for her to get used to him when he finally filled her completely, as a husband should. "You have nothing to be sorry for, my beautiful wife." He replied, slipping back into the bedroom, in time to see her step out of her now damp undergarments and toss them in the hamper before grabbing new ones.
"This isn't Ever After. You know how our countries view intercourse. They have no problem with it, so why should we?" He tipped her head up, gently thumbing her chin before kissing her sweetly, his gaze going out the window. "Are you ready? We should go greet your friends." She turned, letting out a soft gasp of excitement as she saw the car enter the gates.