The Within Temptation Saga: Nightwish
By Draic Kin of the Balance
"I wish I had an angel
For one moment of love
I wish I had your angel
Your Virgin Mary undone
I'm in love with my lust
Burning angelwings to dust
I wish I had your angel tonight
Deep into a dying day
I took a step outside an innocent heart
Prepare to hate me fall when I may
This night will hurt you like never before
Old loves they die hard
Old lies they die harder." ~Nightwish, Wish I Had An Angel
FRANCIS
It is funny how quickly time passes. One minute, you are planning for someday and all of a sudden, someday is today. I always knew that things wouldn't be easy for me and Mary. The first few years after our marriage proved the most difficult, but in the end, it was our children—Anne, James, Catherine, and Aimeri—that blessed us as they were brought into the world. It's been five years since we were married, and I couldn't be happier than I am now.
These thoughts occupy my mind as I watch my wife and her ladies play with our children in the gardens of Versailles. Her eyes sparkle in her delight as she twirls our little Catherine; James and Anne chase after them gleefully as Lola cradles Aimeri, our nine month old infant son. It never ceases to amaze me how much Anne takes after her mother. She is just as strong-willed and stubborn as Mary, and she is a splitting image of her mother with her dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. James reminds me of both myself and of Bash when we were children; he is almost always causing mischief between himself and his sisters, always pulling pranks. Catherine is the complete opposite of her namesake; she is just as fun-loving as her siblings without a somber bone in her body. In truth, both she and James are the chief tricksters in the family.
Mary half-runs and half-skips over to me and I take her in my arms. She wraps her arms around me and kisses me deeply. I know that I could never be happier than I am when I hold her in my arms. I can feel the flames of desire flickering within her in her kiss. She looks over her shoulder at our children, concern marking her features.
"The children are going to be fine, Mary," I assure her. "Greer, Kenna, Lola, and Aylee will watch over them." She relaxes at my words before she kisses me again, with just as much fervor as the last, before taking me by the hand and leading me inside the palace. We steal kisses along the way, running in the halls like our children and the children we once were, before we make it to our bedroom. Mary tugs at my clothes insistently before helping me out of my shirt. Her hands run over my bare chest, her fingernails scraping my skin. I hiss in pain before I cover her mouth in mine. The years have done nothing to cool the fire of our passion. If anything, they have fanned the flames.
I spin her around so her back is pressed to me, giving me full access to her neck. Mary tilts her head back and moans as I begin to kiss and suck her pulse points, while I make quick work of her dress. She is naked before me and the sight alone makes me hard. "I love you, Mary," I whisper in her ear. Her breathing is uneven and her eyes are closed as she reaches behind herself, palming my cheek gently. Something inside her snaps, for she turns around and grabs my face, kissing me hard. I am thrilled by her impatience and her eagerness and I let her lead us to the bed. I push her onto the bed with my hips before I remove my jeans. I pause for a moment to let her drink in the sight of me, before I immediately crawl to her, hovering over her body.
"Francis…Francis, please," she begs. "I-I need you to—" My wife cuts herself off as she leans forward, kissing me desperately. We both move simultaneously, unable to take any more of the sensual torture of prolonging. I bury myself inside her until I reach the hilt, and Mary arches her breasts against my chest as our tongues clash against each other. I settle for pressing my full weight down upon her, relishing the feeling of her body beneath mine, skin to skin, cradling her head in my hand in spite of the pillows.
"Oh, Francis!" she sighs between kisses. "Francis!" I tear my lips away from our kiss in want of her neck, and she arches into me as she wraps her arms around my back. I pull away from her neck after a few moments, but she takes the opportunity to kiss me possessively. I can feel her urgency in her kiss, her silent request. Let me lead. Mary pushes herself upright, kissing me fiercely, and I resettle her in my lap. Her legs wrap themselves around my waist and our foreheads press together as we struggle to catch our breath. I circle an arm around her waist whilst stroking her face with my other hand. Her skin is soft and cool under my touch. I look into her eyes. She smiles breathlessly at me.
MARY
Francis gently caresses my face, and my skin is set afire at his touch. Five years we've been married, and I am just as thrilled by his lovemaking and his touch as I was the night we made love for the first time. We've been blessed with four beautiful children. France is my home. I lean forward, grabbing my husband's face and kissing him passionately. All I can think of is him and how fortunate we are, with our children and our lives together. Anne, James, Catherine, and Aimeri – my little ones. My children.
After our second honeymoon to Paris, we were blessed when I'd discovered that I was again pregnant with James. Thankfully, unlike his eldest sister, he was not born premature and he turned out just as happy and healthy. Raising both Anne and her brother proved a challenge, but it was one that both Francis and I loved. I fell pregnant again with Catherine the following year; she proved just as stubborn as her namesake. Her birth was the hardest, and not because there were complications. Just like Catherine de Medici, she didn't go out without a fight. When we finally were able to hold her in our arms, we knew all the pain was worth knowing that she was well. We lived together with our three children, growing in love and as parents, and I became pregnant again with Aimeri two years later. The birth of our second son was a challenge for multiple reasons. The doctors had said that the pregnancy was dangerous, that there was a chance neither I nor our baby would survive when the time came. I prepared myself for the worst, tying up all loose ends, saying my goodbyes, and even preparing my will because I was convinced that I would die and our child would survive. It took me months to make Francis stand down and let me carry Aimeri to full term; the time leading up to that point was filled with emotion. Francis didn't want me to keep Aimeri if it meant losing me and it almost destroyed our marriage.
The night I went into labor, I'd been ready to die for our son – and I almost did die. After several agonizing hours, I'd finally pushed him out of my womb but I suffered from massive, almost fatal bleeding. It was a miracle that the doctors had managed to stop the hemorrhage, but to me, all that mattered was the life of my son. I recovered quickly – and our son Aimeri was born happy and healthy. After his birth, our doctor advised us to avoid pregnancy for at least another year or so in order for my body to recover. We've been happy together, raising our children and falling in love more and more each day.
This sudden flash of memories overwhelms me and I have to blink back tears. Francis pushes me flat on my back, caging me with his body as his kisses become slow and lazy, a sensual exploration. His mouth moves from my lips to the curve of my neck. He kisses and bites my flesh, eliciting small gasps from me. I wrap my legs around his waist as his strokes become bolder and more brutal, each thrust bringing me closer and closer to the edge. We come together as one, screaming our release and unravelling in each other's arms.
I lie in his arms, the silken sheets entwined about us, gently stroking a pattern into his chest. My head rests on his shoulder. Francis's arms are wrapped protectively and lovingly around me, holding me close. "What are you thinking about?" he asks. His voice is quiet, barely above a whisper.
"Us," I murmur, "and our family, and how lucky we are….how much I love you and our children. Can you believe it's been five years?" Five years. Half a decade together.
"Yes, yes I can," my husband says. He kisses my hair before he tucks a strand behind my ear. He sucks on the spot just below my ear before moving to my neck. I rub our noses together playfully and Francis's lips are on mine. I receive his kiss and open my mouth under his, allowing his tongue to make bold strokes. My husband maneuvers so that my back presses into the mattress, and we make love again.
FRANCIS
"Mama, Papa!" The quiet is shattered by the familiar cries of James, Catherine, and Anne as they run into the room. Lola walks in, holding a sleeping Aimeri in her arms. Mary raises herself upright and wraps the sheet around her breasts, blinking the sleep out of her eyes.
"I'm sorry for the interruption," says Lola. "They were getting rascally and decided to play tag. I didn't think that they would barge in."
"It's fine, Lola," I assure her. She approaches the bed and settles Aimeri in my arms. I rock him in my arms, cooing at him. A few moments pass and he awakens. Mary moves closer to me just as Anne, James, and Catherine climb upon the bed. The children pounce upon me and the room fills with the sound of laughter. My wife lifts James into her arms and brings him close before she begins to tickle him. He squeals with laughter, and I am overrun by Anne and Catherine. I'm suddenly grateful for the sheet covering my lower body, given the timing of the children's ambush. In between our children and their tackling, I manage to steal a few kisses from my wife. We stay in bed with the children, laughing and playing together until we're crying with laughter and the children fall asleep.
I gently disengage myself from Anne and James and climb out of bed, redressing myself. I feel my wife's eyes on my back as I don my clothes. Mary sprawls out on the bed; the very sight of my naked wife sends all the blood rushing to my groin. "I think the children have exhausted themselves," I remark. Mary chuckles, and I erase the distance between us, sitting on the bed. I cup the back of her neck and kiss her fully. She kisses me back and we break the kiss, breathless.
"We should probably tuck them in," she suggests.
"Not like that you aren't," I chide her teasingly. I rake my eyes up and down her body suggestively, and she blushes. "I wore you out, Mary. You're exhausted. Sleep, my love." I cup the back of her neck and kiss her forehead. "I'll take care of the children." Mary lays back on the bed and curls o her side. Her breathing slows and I gently wake up each of our children. I take them to their respective bedrooms and tuck them in, one by one. I can't help but smile as I close the door to James' room. My wife and my children – the greatest loves of my life.
"Your Majesty?" I jump, and turn around to see none other than my page. "You have a visitor."
"Who is it?" I ask. The only people who would visit me would be Charles, my seventeen year-old younger brother, and Elisabeth, our eldest sister. I haven't heard from either of them in years. "Did they give you a name?"
"Serena." Serena. I haven't heard that name in years, since I left the Citadel. Those days are long behind me. My life is with my wife and my children now. A surge of hatred courses through me. I don't know what the Citadel wants with me, but all I know is that I want no part of it.
Serena is indeed where I expect her to be. Her back is to me as she admires the thrones. Her golden hair falls down her back and I can make out a gun in one holster attached to her jeans and a dagger in the other. She must sense that I'm here, for she turns around. Her azure eyes flash with recognition, malice and awe in equal measures. I don't make a single move to approach her and she smiles coyly, her stiletto heels clicking loudly against the marble floor.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I hiss.
"What? No kiss?" she sneers, feigning a pout. "That's a shame. We used to have so much fun together, don't you remember? But of course, that was before you fucked it all up and the Listener died because of your mistake. You ran fucking back home with your tail between your legs, and for what reason? Family business? The rise to the Valois throne and billions of dollars? Five years ago you wouldn't put one motherfucker over us."
"You didn't answer my question, Serena. What. The hell. Are. You. Doing. Here?" I growl. She giggles playfully and hatred and fury surge through me.
"Ooooh, I like it rough," Serena purrs. "Don't you remember? You would tie me up and fuck me senseless. Nobody in their right mind would forget that kind of mind-blowing sex. Because I sure haven't. I miss the good ole days. You, me, and the Citadel—and when the lights went out…" She reaches for my face, but I grab her wrist hard enough not to hurt her, but to make myself firm. She jerks herself out of my grip and her hand flits towards her gun.
"You want to know why I'm here, Francis?" she demands. Her voice falls quiet and her eyes soften. "I came back for you because I love you."
"Bull-fucking-shit. You are the same, manipulative psychotic bitch you were when I left the Citadel," I say lowly. I meet her cold stare. "Get the hell out of France and out of my life, Serena. That is an order as your sovereign king."
She slithers past me, but not before whispering in my ear, "Oh, Francis. We're going to have so much fun together."