After a good dinner, courtesy of Odar, the party decided to return to their homes and duties.

Lydia said her goodbyes and returned to Dragonsreach, promising to wait for Shagram, should he have any task for her to do. Jordis admitted with a small blush that she liked staying around Odar and asked Shagram as her Thane to allow her to keep bodyguarding him. Shagram agreed and so it was only him and Erdi that went to find their new quarters.

Good thing Erdi knew the Palace like the back of her hand. They found the room in no time, but stared dismayed at what was inside.

Two beds. Two perfectly comfortable, but single beds. And Shagram was big enough to cover a single bed by himself. They'll either have to sleep separate or Erdi will have to sleep pretty much on top of her husband.

Dammit, whose idea was this? Odar would not do something like… then she remembered that as a maid, it was her job to assign quarters. A job that now fell to Una.

This was an insult if she ever saw one. Either a stupid, petty way to make her uncomfortable in the same bed as her husband, or an insult to her as a wife, to have them sleep in separate beds.

"Gods, I can't wait until we have a place of our own," she muttered angrily as she went to put her things on the bed further from the door and so missed Shagram's questioning look. "One would think that the hagraven would let things go already."

She barely even noticed the chests full of gold and jewelry that stood by the wall. Shagram slowly made his way over to sit by her side. "Erdi?"

"Yes?" she raised her head to look at him.

"I think we already have enough gold to afford a house. What do you say, should we…?"

She smiled and opened her mouth to reply… when the door creaked open. The smile froze on her face as she saw the dog walk in as if he owned the place. And not just any dog.

Barbas.

She would recognize him anywhere, even if he was in a body of flesh and bones and not a statue at the moment. She watched, frozen in shock and horrified as he walked over to their bed and spit out a piece of rolled paper at their feet. Shagram put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Just a small reminder from my Master, girl." The dog barked a greeting, then grinned sloppily. "He still waits for his new shrine and is getting impatient. Best not keep him waiting."

"I… yes. Of course." Erdi muttered, afraid. This was something not even Shagram could protect her from.

Barbas just barked and wagged his tail. "I'll be off then. No need to inform anyone when you're done. My Master will know." With that, he turned and calmly trotted away. Erdi buried her face in Shagram's shoulder.

He held her tight for a moment, then caressed her cheek and gently asked, "What was he talking about, Erdi?"

She lifted her head and admitted in a guilty whisper, "I… When I summoned Vile, I had nothing to offer him. Nothing except my soul, which I didn't want to give. So… I promised to build him a shrine, here in Solitude."

He sighed and hugged her tighter. "A shrine to Vile. Where do you plan to build it?"

There was no judgment in his voice and for that, Erdi was grateful. She could truly count on him in all she did. There was no better husband, ever, and she won't believe anyone who'd tell her otherwise.

"I was thinking that the old Pelagius wing would be a good spot." She told him in a calmer voice.

"Pelagius Wing?"

"Yeah. People say it's cursed and we're not supposed to go in there. So, only those who need Vile would brave that place. I still have my old keys, so…"

"Very well." Shagram said once she paused. "I'll help you with this."

She put her hand on his chest and looked him in the eyes. So warm… "You'd do this for me?"

"Of course," he smiled at her. "I would not let my beloved wife face the Daedric Gods alone. Besides, I'm not exactly uninvolved either. You do remember that I promised to serve Vile, right? That's why he could summon me like that."

Erdi was torn between the desire to kiss him and the burning need to ask him his story. Strange how they never got around to talking about it. The desire to know more about him won, "How did you come to serve Vile?"

He gave her a bitter smile, "I was weak."

Erdi snorted, "I have a hard time imagining that."

He chuckled and caressed her face again. With a sigh, she leaned into his hand and made herself comfortable leaning against him. "Yet there is no way around it; it was my own weakness that doomed me. I was… I was the chieftain of an Orc stronghold." He gave her a considering look. "How much do you know about Orc strongholds?"

"Not much, I'm afraid."

"Well, the chief is supposed to be the strongest Orc in there. I… was, but I was not respected. I actually came from the Imperial city. A city Orc and so considered to be weaker than all others. Didn't matter if I could beat them all in a fair fight or not. Yet I was the only male Orc in there; only one that didn't leave to fight for the Imperials. The rest were too old or they were children, unfit to lead. That made me the chief by default." He chuckled bitterly. "It also made me hated and weak in the eyes of the clan. Especially my wife…"

"Wait, you are married?!" Erdi asked him, horrified. Did that mean he had a wife somewhere in Dragontail Mountains he never mentioned?

Shagram grabbed her before she could jump up from the bed. "Was. She's been dead for three years."

"Oh." She looked down. Why did she always suspect the worst of him, even when he proved time and time again he was a good man? "I'm sorry." Much sorrier for her suspicions than for the death of his wife, even if that did make her sound cold.

"Don't worry about it. It's… never been a love match. Kharzug… she mated with me because as the strongest female warrior, she was supposed to, not because she wanted me." He pulled her back into his arms and continued. "The clan would always find these 'tasks' for me to fulfill. Dangerous missions that were supposed to prove my strength to them. I finished them all, but… since I used potions to heal myself afterwards, they considered me a weakling and a coward. 'A real Orc would let the wounds heal on their own', they'd say. Or that I should have waited. Should have been treated by the wise woman of the clan, not help myself. Sometimes I think they wanted me to die." He growled.

Erdi raised her hand and gently laid it on his cheek to comfort him.

He looked her in the eyes and calmed down. "One day, they sent me to clear a cave full of resurrected corpses with only an old iron sword as all the other weapons and proper armor mysteriously needed to be repaired right that day. I recognized it as a challenge and accepted." He sighed and trembled with remembered horror.

"There were just so many of them. Way too many corpses for me to destroy without dying myself. They cut off my escape route and were closing ranks when… when I…" He took a deep breath, "I shouted that I wanted to live, and when this mysterious voice offered to help, I promised to serve in payment."

He snorted. "That voice turned out to be Vile. My clan sent me to clear out Vile's old abandoned shrine for some reason I never found out. Not that it mattered in the end. The whole clan was slaughtered before I managed to return to them. Every last member, including the children." He closed his eyes in pain.

"After that, I've spent three years trying to find another stronghold to live in, but… my honor would not let me lie. I had to admit I served Vile now. As soon as the strongholds heard this, they would throw me out… or try to kill me on spot. After a while, I stopped trying and… just… lived in caves." He smiled bitterly, "That was when Vile summoned me to you. The reason I was never truly angry with you over the summoning was… in part because you were the first person to talk to me this year. The only one who stayed close to me, knowing I belonged to Vile. The only one to keep me company, aside from the beasts. In a way, you saved me." He finished with a whisper.

Erdi stayed silent for a while. She had no idea what to say to him. Three years, completely alone? She shuddered. She did not even want to imagine it. Yet it seemed Shagram entered into this 'service' by accident. While she…

"You know, I summoned Vile willingly. Put a lot of effort into gaining his attention," she admitted. Better to get it out in the open now.

"Oh?" he lifted his eyebrow at her. She didn't seem the type to commit evil for a dark god. "What kind of effort?"

"I… well… I carried Barbas' statue all the way up to Vile's shrine."

Shagram snorted and she hit his shoulder. "It was a heavy statue, I'll have you know! And I had to fight spiders along the way!" His chuckles just grew louder.

Erdi smiled self-mockingly, then finished in a guilty voice, "I still summoned him knowingly and willingly. I knew what I was doing."

Shagram just shook his head, still smiling, "You were afraid, were you not? Felt threatened?"

"Well, yes," she replied cautiously; she had no idea where he was going with this.

"Then don't worry about it. People do a lot of crazy things when threatened. I should know," he smiled ruefully.

Erdi breathed a sigh of relief and snuggled closer to him. He put his arm back around her shoulders and gently kissed her hair. They stayed like that for a while, then Erdi remembered the piece of paper Barbas brought them. She picked it up and unrolled it.

It was a list of items. Items she'd need to build Vile's shrine.

"Three gold ingots? Flawless Rubies? Grand Soul Gem, Dragon's Tongue and Spider Eggs… How am I supposed to get all these?!" she cried, dismayed.

Shagram tried to calm her, "Don't worry, Princess. We'll get the items in no time, you'll see. I'll also help you to forge the shrine." He smiled at her, "I'm an Orc, don't forget. Smithing is in our blood."

Erdi looked at him and relaxed. He was right. As long as he was here, she had nothing to fear. They will deal with all this tomorrow. Tonight, the only thing she wanted was to sleep.

With a sigh, she pulled away from her husband and readied for the night.

After several days of running, they both smelled awful and she couldn't wait to bathe. Without even thinking about it, she readied all she needed, including the bathtub itself and the hot water, before she even realized what she was doing - as a Thane's wife, she should have someone else serve her.

She sighed. Just as well. She wouldn't trust Una not to do something underhanded again.

Once the bath was ready, Shagram made himself scarce and Erdi enjoyed a good long soak. Done with her bath, she readied another one for Shagram.

Where was he? She found him in the next room, scribbling something on some papers. He jumped up when he saw her approach. "I readied a bath for you," she told him, curious about what he was writing.

"Err, thank you. I'll just… finish here and go take it as soon as possible." His smile seemed a bit forced.

She shrugged her shoulders and went to chat with some of the Bards still mingling about, discussing the events of the day. She was too tired to try to figure it out now.

When she returned an hour later, the room was dark and Shagram already laid in his bed, dressed in the old Miner's Clothes. She smiled a bit and undressed under the moonlight. One look at her cold and lonely bed and she decided that she wanted to lie next to Shagram. Her first night back home shouldn't be spent alone; she definitely didn't like the sleeping arrangement back at Frostfruit Inn. There might be enough space of her after all, if she lied in his arms and didn't move around much. Could she…?

Shagram watched her with curious eyes, yet he said nothing. The bed he laid in was really quite… small. If she lied down next to him, she'd be pressed into his side the whole night. She blushed but walked over to him anyway. "Shagram?"

"Yes, Princess?" his voice sounded rough, yet somehow calming.

"Can I… sleep next to you?" she asked him hesitantly.

She heard his quick intake of breath, then he simply moved on his side and pulled the thin blanket away. She jumped right in and snuggled close.

"Thanks," she smiled at him. He just groaned, buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath. One of her hands buried itself in his long black hair. He put an arm around her and pulled her close, kissing the marks on her shoulder. His hard manhood was not easy to ignore in this position, but Erdi was too tired to even consider withdrawing… or doing something about it.

She sighed contentedly and fell asleep in his arms to the soft sound of his quiet growl.

-iwwo-iwwo-iwwo-

In the end, it was almost pathetically easy to get all that they needed for the shrine.

Come morning, Erdi dug through the chests full of loot and not only found the necessary ingots, but also a huge ugly necklace that had three flawless rubies. More than enough for the shrine. Meanwhile Shagram came back with Dragon's Tongue, Spider Eggs, a Grand Soul Gem and a mysterious bag from Angeline that he refused to talk about. Erdi was much too nervous about the upcoming task to worry about it.

"I made a deal with Beirand," Shagram told her once she put all the necessary ingredients on the bed and read through the instructions on how to forge the shrine. "I'll help around the forge the whole afternoon, then I can use it however I like for the rest of the day, once his work is done."

"That's great!" She smiled at him. "At this rate, we will be finished with the task today. It will certainly be a relief to be rid of it."

He smiled at her, then fidgeted. "There is… something else I should do today. I'll meet you tonight at nine, here in our room, alright?"

She gave him a curious look, but didn't press. "Very well. I think I'll spend the day at the Bard's College." She grinned at him, "I have to check if there are any new epic tales about my husband."

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "See you tonight, my mate."

She watched him leave and wondered what piece of business he wanted to deal with. Probably finish some favors that he had to abandon when they had to leave Solitude so suddenly. Gods, has it only been a week? So much has changed between them.

With a blush she remembered how he kissed her at Traitor's Post. Now that the pressing business was over and done with, maybe they could… She looked around their room. The Blue Palace was beautiful, true, but not very private. Just look how easily they barged into Elisif's chambers. In the heat of the moment, nobody even commented on it, so glad they were to see the Queen alive.

She didn't want her first time with him to be at a place where anyone can just walk in without knocking. And she definitely wanted there to be a first time.

-iwwo-iwwo-iwwo-

That night, Erdi paced up and down their room as she waited for Shagram to return. What if something happened? What if someone found out what they were doing? She bit her lip in worry.

The door creaked and Shagram stepped in. She breathed a sigh of relief, then noticed the covered package under his arm. He nodded to her and she went to check the contents.

The 'shrine' looked like a cross between an offering bowl and an arcane enchanter. Not exactly something she'd want to decorate her home. But then, it looked like something Vile would appreciate. She hoped it was enough… Gods protect her if it was not.

They left silently. Erdi still knew how to use the servant's passages, but this time they won't help them. Only one door led to the Pelagius Wing. She also did not know that part of the Palace as she did the rest. Cleaning it was one of the duties she was assigned at the Palace - it was also the reason why she was given the key, but the place was just so creepy that she didn't even want to enter it most of the time. It would come in handy now, though.

She took care to unlock it as silently as possible, while Shagram looked around for patrolling Guards. It wouldn't do to be caught now.

Several spider webs were disturbed as the door finally opened. Nobody's been here for years. They quickly went in and Erdi breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them. Erdi took Shagram's hand into her own, mostly to reassure herself that everything will be fine. Shagram squeezed it and together they left in search of a good place to set the shrine.

As they passed one of the web-covered corridors, a shield of blue light appeared around them. Erdi couldn't help the small shriek as she jumped into Shagram's arms. He held her close, but continued walking.

Once they reached the end of the corridor and walked down the stairs, Shagram unwrapped the shrine and Erdi helped him set it up. She arranged it to lean against the wall, until she felt it… fit. She couldn't explain it, but knew that their task was done. She breathed a sigh of relief and felt Shagram's hand on her shoulder. She turned to him with a smile and put her hand over his. Neither of them spoke, but both wore an expression of relief.

Vile's shrine has been built.

They stood as one and made their way back to the room they've been assigned. Yet when they crossed the corridor where the blue light appeared before, Erdi felt something was off…

She took another step towards the exit and disappeared.

"What? What just happened?" she cried out as she saw herself stand in some kind of mist covered wilderness. A second passed and a worried Shagram appeared next to her.

"Erdi!" He grabbed her arms and held on for dear life. "Are you alright?"

"I… yes. I'm fine. But where are we?" She looked around helplessly.

"I don't know." Shagram looked worried as well, but tried to hide it. "Don't worry, love, we'll get out of here."

She nodded to him. Another look at the strange place revealed a mist covered path leading them somewhere further… in. "Shall we go see where this leads?" she asked him uncertainly. He squeezed her arm and stepped onto the path.

They arrived just in time to see the end conversation of some strange… was that a tea party?

"Oh, and the cheese! To die for," exclaimed the weirdly dressed Nord.

The other one dressed in nobleman's fine clothes just sighed, "Yes, yes, as you've said, countless times before…" That seemed to be the wrong thing to say.

"Hafrumph! Well then, if you're going to be like that… Perhaps it's time I take my leave. A good day to you sir. I said good day!"

"Yes, yes, go. Leave me to my ceaseless responsibilities and burdens…" he managed to say before some giant purplish-blue light swallowed him whole and he disappeared in front of their eyes.

Oh. Another Daedra then.

Erdi could have cried. What was it with them and getting mixed up in all this crazy business. Wait, crazy… Was that… was that Sheogorath? Gods, please, no…

The… being turned to them and fixed its eyes on Erdi. A wicked grin crossed his face, as he said in a mockingly insulted way, "How rude! Can't be bothered to host an old friend for a decade or two. Don't they know who I am?"

Erdi took a deep breath and went with it, "You're Sheogorath…"

The wicked grin got even wider. "Ohooo! The little girl is all grown up. Guessing the Daedra that ensnared her and not afraid to name him to his face. I'm getting all teary eyed! And hungry! But yes, you got that right. Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Madness. Charmed."

Then he acted as if he only now noticed something about them and gasped, "What is this? Entering Pelagius' party without his hip bone? Oooh, the tragedy! How are you to make his mind so boooringly sane now?" Sheogorath paused for a second, then continued with glee, "Never mind! I like him better this way. But still, do you want to help the poor, homicidal monarch or not?"

Shagram put his hand on her shoulder and she knew - he will let her make the call. And support her either way. She was the one who always managed to talk to Daedric Gods without being ripped apart.

"We... already sold ourselves to Clavicus Vile. We cannot give you what you want," Erdi said hesitantly. "So, it would be nice if you could just send us back."

Oops. That was the wrong thing to say. The... entity in front of them was getting angry. "What? Whaaaat? Sheogorath is not nice!" he shouted at them and the sky got several shades darker.

Erdi interrupted the building rant, "Sheogorath isn't evil, either. Sheogorath is crazy." It was a risk, but what else could she try? Come to think of it, it was a crazy risk.

Sheogorath stared at them for a second, then burst into laughter. "That is true, the Mad God is indeed very crazy." Then with a negligent wave of hand, he gathered his power. "Oh, very well, let's just send you off now. I haven't got an eternity to waste on you."

And with that, they found themselves lying on the floor of Pelagius Wing. Naked. With their armor strewn all around the room. Erdi sitting astride her husband, her hands on his chest.

They stared at each other; neither had any idea how to react.

"You're not supposed to be in here," a male voice said from behind them. A very amused male voice.

They turned their heads as one and saw a young guard standing there. He was trying very hard not to laugh outright at them, but was not having much luck with it. His face was completely red and he was biting his lip.

Erdi scrambled and tried to climb off her husband, but Shagram grabbed her around the waist and held her firm. "I am a Thane of Haafingar," he said dryly.

"Ex... excuse me, my... my Thane," the guard was loosing hold on his laughter. "B-but you're not su-supposed to be in here."

"Very well. If you could turn around so me and my wife could get dressed..." Shagram was the epitome of innocence.

"Of... of course, m-my Thane," the guard obediently turned around, shaking.

'How did he even find us here?' Erdi wondered. Then she noticed the trail of blue glowing footprints leading from the exit right up to them. Right. Another one of Sheogorath's little jokes.

They quickly gathered their clothes. Erdi couldn't understand how Shagram could be so blasé about the situation. Were they not caught red-handed in a downright illegal situation?

Once they were decent, the guard led them out. Erdi had a feeling this sorry tale will make the rounds in the guard barracks the moment they turn their backs on him.

In that moment, she understood why Shagram did not make a scene about it; why he was not trying to hide them harder. It was better the guards think their Thane simply wanted to have some fun with his wife, rather than suspect Daedra worship, which is what they were actually doing. That would end up much worse for them than a simple 5 gold fine for trespassing.

"How about I buy the guards a round of ale and we forget about this... incident?" Shagram suggested innocently. As innocent as any Orc could be with those huge tusks of theirs.

The guard smirked, "Certainly, my Thane. I'll let the men know. We will meet you at the Winking Skeever." He waved at them mischievously, then left to finish his rounds.

"He'll tell everyone, won't he?" Erdi asked dryly.

"Yes. I believe he will." His shoulders were shaking. Was he… laughing?

Erdi shot him a disbelieving look as he couldn't contain himself any longer and started laughing aloud. Then she felt her own face twist with a smile and soon joined him.

She slumped with relief against her husband and continued laughing.

Her quest was over.

-iwwo-iwwo-iwwo-

"…and let this be an example to you, my friends! Thanes let their girls lead!" The drunken fool shouted and the rest of the idiots laughed, like it was the greatest joke ever told.

Shagram blushed, then tried to cover it by taking another long drink from his tankard. The sordid little tale made the rounds in all its glory… and it seemed he got more respect out of the men here for this than he had for saving Elisif. He shook his head ruefully. Nords…

Another guard slapped him on the back, "Naaah, friend, don't take this too hard! We all like to see Erdi so happy." He grinned at Shagram's surprised face. "What? You think we hadn't noticed? She's been glowing ever since she came back with you from that journey."

The one who found them agreed. Loudly. "Yeah! We used to be worried about her, all alone and dreaming of her knight. Then she, hic, she refused anyone who got close. Not even the, hic, the Thanes stood a chance! But you sure put a smile on her face!"

"Yeeeeah!" shouted all the rest of them and clapped his shoulder.

"I… did?" Shagram was honestly surprised. Sure, Erdi smiled a lot more now, but… hadn't she always been that way?

"Sure," the one next to him spoke teasingly. "You must be skilled, friend. She hadn't smiled like this ever since that woman, what's her name, Morrus or something, since she stopped writing books. Then you come along and suddenly Erdi's back to being the charming little fox we all remember."

Shagram blushed even harder. His Erdi smiled when she… But he… He had to go see her right now! But what about the guards? Should he just…

The guard next to him noticed the look in his eyes and shouted with a smirk, "Now, now, boys. Time to break this up! Let our Thane go enjoy his wife. And may she always wear a smile on her face!"

The rest of them lifted their tankards and roared. Shagram shook his head with a chuckle, said his goodbyes and went to pay the tab to a grinning Corpulus. He stumbled out of the inn.

The night was… fresh, but he felt kind of dizzy. Was he drunk? Nah, it was just a couple of bottles. He was sure it was fine…

-iwwo-iwwo-iwwo-

The door to their room opened easily, but Shagram had to pause at the threshold when he saw what awaited him inside.

His wife. Mate. His Erdi. Almost naked and waiting for him in his bed. He tried to suppress his possessive growl, but couldn't quite manage it.

At the sound of his voice, Erdi tiredly lifted her head and stared at him. Shagram stumbled inside, then locked the door behind him. He carelessly unbuckled and threw aside several armor pieces under her sleepy gaze, when she suddenly sniffed the air.

"Have you been drinking?" She threw an accusatory glance in his direction.

"A little," he admitted and finished throwing aside the last piece of his armor, standing there in his woolen underwear.

She sighed, then chuckled and pushed aside the covers for him to join her in their bed. "The guards roped you into one of their games, didn't they?"

"Games?" He asked her curiously as he paused before the bed.

"Yes. The one called 'Let's see who can drink the most' and the other one 'Who will faint from drinking first'," she commented dryly.

"Noooo. No games," he slurred. "Just a couple drinks, love."

She laughed, "I'm sure it was, Shagram. Now, come here. I'm getting cold," she made room for him in their small bed.

He groaned and all but fell onto the bed beside her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her neck.

It was not enough; it never was. He decided to see how far he can get before she'll stop him. A little good-night kiss would be perfect right now.

He carefully kissed his way upwards to her lips. Her eyes were open, trusting. As he covered her lips with his own, he felt one of her hands grab his dreadlocks and growled.

He kissed her harder, moving so that he ended up lying almost on top of her, careful not to crush her with his weight. One of his hands rose to gently caress her breasts and she gasped into their kiss. This time, there was no extra layer of leather and steel separating them and he could clearly feel the heat of her skin.

He needed more.

As his fingers slipped inside the top part of her woolen underwear and started exploring, he heard her moan under him and slipped his tongue inside her mouth. His Erdi tentatively responded. He started purring. The moment his finger brushed the hardened peak, she arched her back and pressed closer to him. He pulled the underwear away and panting heavily, moved his head to her breasts.

Erdi cried out as his mouth closed around her nipple, laving it with his tongue. "Shagram. Gods, Shagram…" he heard her moaning his name and grinned around the mouthful. Her legs started moving restlessly on the bed. Looked like he didn't forget those lessons from the Imperial City yet.

One hand made its journey down, caressing her sides, before slowly dipping lower. The fingers in his hair clenched and he heard her long moan as he explored her most intimate places. He played with her little nub, feeling her grow even warmer as she threw her head from side to side, all but sobbing his name. His own need became almost a secondary concern as he suddenly found himself needing to hear her moan.

The moment his finger pressed inside her, he felt the barrier and froze. His head cleared from the alcohol and he realized what situation he found himself in.

What was he doing? He planned to seduce his mate once they were living in Proudspire Manor, her old home he just bought that day and paid to have it furnished. When he had the oil he got from Angeline ready at the bedside table, to make her first time more pleasurable.

Erdi felt his sudden hesitation and pulled at his hair, until he lifted his head and looked her in the eyes. They were darkened with passion and something he couldn't name. "Don't stop. Don't… don't you dare stop." She trembled, but her eyes refused to leave his.

He groaned and dove back to her reddening nipple. His fingers toyed with her, gently pressing more and more, slipping further inside with little resistance. He started kissing his way down and felt her start when she felt his lips touch her navel.

"Shagram?" her trembling voice only made him harder and more determined that she enjoy this. "What are you…?"

The sentence turned into a squeal when he covered her mound with his mouth, his tongue toying with her nub. Her hands in his hair started pulling him away as she panicked at the new sensation, but he refused to be deterred. He continued the gentle assault, both of his fingers and tongue and smiled when he felt her relax and her legs spread wider, hearing her moaning his name.

Two of his fingers already deep inside her, found the raised spot and he started to gently massage it in time with his tongue's movements. When she started to tremble, he groaned and started moving even faster.

"Shagram!" She clenched around his fingers, hard. He felt her slickness flow and growled. She rode her first peak on his fingers and tongue, thrashing on their bed.

His manhood was almost painfully hard at this point. If he didn't have her soon, he thought he might explode without a single touch. He quickly rose up on his knees and hovered over her for a moment. Her eyes were glazed over and her mouth hung open in shock. He settled between her legs and spread them even wider. When she felt him at her entrance, she moaned.

"Yes," her shaking hands settled on his broad shoulders and she lifted herself to give him even better access. With a low, desperate growl, he started pressing inside, feeling her gently squeeze him in aftershock of her first orgasm.

When he reached her barrier, he swallowed heavily. One of his hands returned to her nub. He patiently played with it until Erdi moaned again, then pressed in. The barrier broke around him, yet Erdi barely winced. With a few careful thrusts, he was deep inside her, panting.

Their eyes met and time around them stopped. Her hands caressed his face and he closed his eyes in pleasure. She pulled him down to a kiss, which he gladly returned. One of her hands went around his neck, the other massaged the tip of his ear. He growled into their kiss and started moving.

He had never felt anything like this before. Not in the Imperial City, not in Moloth Yal. He felt connected with her as he'd never been with anyone else in his life. Somehow, he knew he would never find it with another; no one but his Erdi. His mate.

He felt her start to tremble again and knew she was close. He quickened his pace, needing to know he pleased her. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and she clenched around him. It was too much for Shagram. He covered her mouth in a desperate kiss as he filled his beloved with wave after wave of seed, as deep inside her as he could get.

He fell beside her, panting, and pulled her into his arms. He heard her groan as her shaking arms hugged him around the neck. He couldn't help but whisper into her neck, "I love you, Erdi."

For a single heartbeat, Erdi tensed in his arms. Then she sighed happily and kissed his forehead. "I love you, too, Shagram."

He felt himself truly relax. His Erdi loved him back.

He hugged her closer still and fell asleep with a smile.

-iwwo-iwwo-iwwo-

A/N: Just one more chapter and the epilogue :)