Truth

"Manon?"

She let out a small noise.

"Manon, we really need to go."

She opened her eyes and squinted. The sun was hot on her skin and her dress was bunched around her waist. Her eyes met Dorian's as he buttoned up his pants. Manon tried to run her fingers through the tangles in her hair but eventually gave up. Dorian chuckled and kneeled next to her. His fingers grazed her cheek, her neck, landing on her shoulder. He leaned down and placed a kiss on the wound he made with his mouth. Manon felt the piece of skin stitch back together. He examined her flesh. The thin scar.

"I'm sorry, Manon. I didn't know... I still can't fully control how I heal and -"

She cocked her head. Gave him a small smile. "I like it."

Manon looked down at her dress, she traced the blood stains on the silk. Dorian took the straps that hung around her waist and slid them over her shoulders. He pressed his lips against hers.

Manon brushed her fingers against the wound on his neck. "Will you heal it?"

Dorian leaned forward to give her another kiss. When he pulled back, the wound was gone. Only a thin scar remained. "Now we match," he said.

Manon grabbed his hand and kissed the inside of his wrist. Dorian brushed his thumb against her cheek. He leaned forward and kissed up her neck. His warm tongue touched her skin and her breath hitched. Dorian's teeth gently scraped along her jaw and Manon let out a small noise. Dorian captured it with his mouth.

Manon's stomach growled. Dorian chuckled and pulled away. "Hungry?"

She rubbed her belly. "Very."

Dorian placed a quick kiss on her lips and stood. She placed her hands in his as he helped her stand. She pulled the ring she made off him and pulled off hers as well.

"We should hide these for now."

Dorian didn't reply. Manon kissed them and found a patch of mud in the corner to bury them. Once she was done, Dorian took her hand and led her towards the door. Manon looked over her shoulder to take one last look at the church. She smiled.

Dorian and Manon were once again at the river where Manon had cleaned the blood off herself. Dorian watched as she crouched down and began to clean her body. He discarded his clothes and did the same.

"Dorian..."

"Yeah?"

"My dress..."

Dorian looked over to where her clothes were laid.

"You can use my shirt. Just take your dress with you if you don't want anyone to-"

She nodded. She swam towards him. Dorian lifted her so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Her hands ran along his shoulders. She leaned her forehead against his.

"Will you tell them?"

She stilled and took a breath. "Not yet. But Dorian... If we choose this path, do we have to get married with an audience?"

"Do you not want to?"

She shook her head. "You are the only one who knows me this way. The only one I'm comfortable with. The only one I trust. But...I know we aren't actually married-"

"It's real to me," he whispered.

She placed a long gentle kiss on his lips. "Me too."

Dorian pulled away and rested his head on her shoulder. She ran her hands through his hair.

"Dorian... can I ask you something?"

"Always."

She paused for a long moment.

"If you needed to marry someone else for political ties... would you do it?"

Dorian kissed her shoulder and then raised his head to look at her. "I would rather be dead than be married to another."

Manon looked down.

Dorian nudged his head against hers. When she didn't look up, he gently tilted her chin up.

"But if you ever had to..."

"Had to...?"

"I won't be your mistress," she whispered. "I wouldn't do it. It couldn't stand to watch you kiss someone else and then come to touch me."

"I wouldn't want you to," he said quietly. "You know I wouldn't do that to you."

"But I also know how politics work. I've seen enough of that to know how things are."

"Maybe they don't have to be that way," he whispered. "Things change all the time. If we survive this...I'll be king and you will be my queen. But only if you want to."

Dorian moved a wet strand of hair from her face. Placed a kiss on her nose. "Will you be my queen?"

Manon pressed her lips to his. "Yes," she murmured on his lips.

Dorian ran his hand down her back. Lower. He cupped her and gently squeezed. His mouth bit her shoulder. "Shall I show you what I would do to my queen?" he whispered into her skin. "Show you what we will do every night."

She arched her brow. "Every night?"

"And day," he corrected.

"And how will you have me?"

Dorian bit her lip. "On your knees."

A kiss to the corner of her mouth. "On your stomach, with your hands fisting the sheets." He kissed the other corner. "This," he said as he squeezed her again, "up."

Manon fisted her hands in his hair as he licked up the column of her neck.

"I want your legs open wide for me."

Manon moaned.

"And then, Manon..."

Manon's lips parted.

"And then I'm going to lick you. My tongue deep inside of you...tasting you."

Dorian pressed her to him and groaned when he felt how wet she was. How drenched. His hardness against her.

"And then," he continued, "then I'm going to slide myself into you. And if anyone is around... might have to find a way to cover that pretty little mouth of yours."

Manon bit her lip, her long dark lashes looking up at him, and said, "I thought you liked my pretty little mouth."

Dorian grinned. "I fucking love that pretty little mouth."

And despite his words, he pressed his lips against hers gently. He pulled back and rested his head against hers. Watched her golden beautiful eyes go from lust to loving.

"I really do love you, Manon. So, so, so much," he whispered.

"And I love you, Dorian Blackbeak."

He chuckled. Shook his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"And when will you do this to me?" she said with a smile.

"I don't..."

When I won't hurt you. When this is...

He hated himself for even thinking like that. But his face must have given him away because Manon said, "We can still do other stuff..."

She paused and bit her lip. "For now."

Dorian gave her a slow nod.

Manon's stomach grumbled.

She looked away from him and said,"It is really hungry."

It.

And it was that word, 'it' became just a thing for her. And Dorian knew, felt it deep in his bones, that Manon was going to distance herself from their child. Because everyday she got closer. Closer to losing him. Closer to Manon losing him. He knew that even though he loved their child fiercely... it would never compare to the love of a mother. He also knew that though he and Manon didn't receive the love that a child should have been given, that they would've tried to give their child the best. And though he thought that maybe it would be best for them to distance themselves... their child didn't deserve that. He didn't know if their child was really a child... one that could feel hurt or pain. Joy. But even though Manon's belly was small... and perhaps their child wasn't fully developed... He deserved to be loved. To know that they loved him. That they wanted him here with them. That they would protect him. Love him, despite what little time they would have with him.

Dorian gently pulled her chin so she could meet his eyes. He wanted to tell her. Tell her that it was okay to love their child deeply, knowing that he wouldn't make it. Tell her he loved their child too. That his pain might not even compare to hers. That she was so strong. His Manon. That he might never be able to heal this wound of hers. That he would stand by her through it all. Listen to her. Be the man she needs. Be the man that she would want him to be. The man that wouldn't for once hurt her. But in the end, all he said was, "Food?"

Manon gently kissed him and said, "Food."

Doran turned away and was about to swim to shore when Manon caught his hand.

Dorian paused and turn towards her.

Manon looked up at the sky. As if she was having trouble forming her sentences.

"When that night... when you came into my cabin..."

Dorian nodded.

"It was my fault. This is my fault because I didn't take anything after. The curse was supposed to prevent us from having children. It was supposed to be a curse... but now I think maybe it was a blessing. To not feel this kind of love."

"It wasn't your fault," he whispered.

"And that night in the library... I did that at the end..for selfish reasons. I didn't want to admit to myself. Only allowed myself to wonder. All I did was wonder. But I did it with the intention of getting..."

Manon bit her lip, lost in thought again. Gave a quiet humorless laugh and shook her head. "I didn't even ask what you wanted. If you wanted. And I would of burdened you with a child. And I know you asked me once about children. And that you wanted some. And that 'I could make you happy' bit was your way of telling me you wouldn't mind having some with me. I still should have asked you straight on. We promised ourselves to each other and it should of just been common sense that we could. But I lied to you. Even broke my vow after I left you. And I feel guilt over that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left."

"I would of wanted you. Would have given you whatever you wanted. Will still give you whatever you want. And you know that, too."

"I know," she said, quietly. "I just wanted to give you a choice. One that I didn't get. One that she took from me. One that was taken from you."

He pulled her close to him. Kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

Manon captured his lips.

"I love you, Manon Havilliard."

Manon's stomach grumbled once again and Dorian gave a quiet chuckle. "Let's get you some food."

It was late when they got back to the village. The air was cold and Manon pressed her body to Dorian's, stealing his heat. She had her bloodstained dressed on to cover her thighs, but the rest was covered by Dorian's shirt. Dorian, who was currently walking against the cold night without a shirt. Manon wondered what his magic could do. What his limits were. If he even had any.

Manon studied him. He met her eyes and smiled. Their hands clasped together.

"Are you even a bit cold?

Dorian shook his head. "Not at all."

Dorian took her hands and blew hot breath into them. He kissed the inside if her wrist and pulled away.

"Better?"

"Not really," she said.

Dorian opened his mouth to reply... but Asterin beat him to it.

She was furious. "What happened to you?

"We-"

"We had some trouble. Manon took care of it. We didn't come back because we didn't want to risk men coming here." Dorian sighed and continued, "And that is what we will tell them."

Manon knew them meant her thirteen. Asterin already knew. Asterin wouldn't tell.

Asterin looked at Dorian and quietly said, "Thank you. Thank you for keeping her safe."

Dorian chuckled and Manon looked up at him.

He shook his head and said, "Manon saved me. She is the one that will keep me safe."

Manon understood the meaning behind those words. That she didn't just save him from the men in the hall. That she wouldn't save him from dangerous things because she was immortal and a witch. She understood that he meant that she would save him from the darkness that wanted to cling to him. The darkness that he constantly fought, day after day.

Asterin studied her for a moment. "May I have a word?"

Manon raised her brows. "May I? Word?"

"Well, he is the king you know."

"You don't have to be formal with us," Manon said. "Dorian doesn't mind."

"I know he doesn't." She rolled her eyes. "But you will be queen one day, Manon. We need to get used to this bullshitery."

Manon smiled.

"And perhaps you should watch your mouth, too. You'll have to set an example of this bullshitery. Don't want people thinking our queen has a dirty mouth."

Dorian smiled wide.

Asterin just shook her head, "I'll have a 'word' with you later, Manon." And then she left.

Dorian just shook his head, still smiling, and said, "I love that pretty, little, dirty mouth."

Manon playfully pushed him and said, "You're the one with the dirty mouth."

The thirteen were passing around bottles of liquor when she found them. They were inside Asterin's cabin. But when Manon's eyes wandered the room she found no trace of her.

Dorian entered a few minutes later and took a seat towards the back of the room. She gave him a secret smile.

Fallon was passing the bottle to Faline, who passed the bottle to Manon. Manon hesitated. She wasn't one to ever pass; she also wasn't one that allowed herself to get overly drunk. Just in case she was caught unawares. Though Manon knew in her current situation she couldn't. Her eyes met Dorian's briefly. But then the bottle was taken from her hands by Asterin who said, "Wouldn't want our queen to do something she shouldn't," she added with a wink.

And it was that moment that Manon understood. Understood why Asterin, who was beside her for decades was now distant. She knew. Asterin knew about the little prince inside her.

Asterin took a long sip and turned to Dorian. The thirteen also turned.

"I bet the king can't even hold down his liquor."

The witches laughed.

Dorian gave a wicked smile and held out his hand.

Asterin tossed him the bottle.

"Wanna bet?"

Dorian tugged at the laces of her shirt. Let it slip off her shoulders. The back of Manon's head rested against the wall as Dorian licked his way down her neck until his mouth reached her breast. He sucked on the sensitive peak. Flicked his tongue against her. Manon's hands ran through his thick hair. His hand slid underneath her breast. Lifting it so he can suck on her more thoroughly. Manon moaned.

Dorian licked back up her neck, claiming her mouth as his hands caressed her scalp. He groaned as his mouth clashed with hers. Manon tasted him. Tasted the liquor on his tongue.

Manon didn't mind. She wanted him like this. Wanted him to feel good; wanted him to feel the same way he always made her feel. He kneeled before her. Slowly unbuttoned her pants. Slipped them off her, and placed a kiss against her. His nose sniffed at her and Manon gasped.

She met his reddened eyes. Dorian held her gaze as he parted his lips. As the tip of his tongue gently tapped against her. She bit her lip, her eyes pleading with him to take her deeper.

Dorian stood and Manon slipped his shirt off his head. His mouth meeting hers once again. She reached for his belt but he pushed her hands away.

He lifted her off the wall and placed her on the bed.

Dorian placed his hands on her waist and flipped her so that her breasts were pressed against the sheets. Manon opened her legs so he could devour her.

Dorian spread her open. Moved his thumb on her bud and made circles. Manon arched. His fingers dug into the sides of her thighs as he tasted her. He licked around her outer lips and then peppered kisses on her core. He swallowed and spread her lips with his fingers. Watched as a new wave of wetness leaked from her. Brushed her opening with his knuckles. He moved his mouth down. Licked her from bottom to top. Put his tongue inside of her. Manon arched into him. She moaned into the pillow. Dorian feasted on her. Manon turned her head to the side to watch him. He peered over the side of her thigh and Manon sighed. Dorian smiled and then continued to feast on her.

Manon fisted the sheets and covered a hand over her mouth to quiet her moans as she met her finish.

Dorian flipped her gently onto her back. He licked her clit and then continued to lick up her body. When her lips met his he said, "Next time, Manon. I want to hear you moan. And I won't let you finish until you do."

Manon bit her lip and pushed him on his back. Unbuckled his belt.

He placed a hand over his face.

"I really am drunk, Manon," he whispered.

She rubbed him over his pants. Dorian groaned.

"Do you not want me to?"

Dorian chuckled.

Manon rubbed him a bit harder.

"I want that fucking pretty little mouth always," Dorian growled.

Manon smiled. She unbuttoned his pants and tugged them off.

Dorian sat up to sit at the edge of the bed.

Manon got on her knees. She licked her lips. Peppered kisses up and down his length. Flicked her tongue on his head.

"I want to hear that dirty mouth, Dorian."

He laughed and covered his hand over his face. Groaned when her tongue licked him from root to tip.

Manon plunged him into her mouth and began to thoroughly taste him. Dorian fisted his hands in her hair. Hers rubbed at his thighs as she took his thick length deeper.

She scraped her teeth against him and Dorian gripped her hair tighter.

"Holy shit...just like that," he panted. "Just like that."

She released him with a plop and moved her mouth down to suck at the sensitive part of him.

"Fuck."

Manon placed her mouth back on his member and began to suck.

"Manon," he groaned. "Fuck... I'm going to..."

Dorian moved the hair out of her face to take in every inch of her. Gripped her chin up for a better view.

"You look so fucking beautiful," he said. "So beautiful."

Manon groaned as Dorian finished in her mouth.

She pumped him twice and met his eyes as she tapped the head of him against her tongue; letting him watch as his finish coaxed her tongue.

"Fuck," he repeated.

Manon raised herself to place a kiss on his cheek.

Dorian wiped the bit of cum at the corner of her mouth.

"How was that?"

Dorian grinned at her as he pulled her to the bed.

A whole day. They were apart a whole day and he already missed her. He had awoken early to hunt with the men. His head pounded and Manon merely told him that it was his fault for betting against her thirteen. He had thought his magic would heal him. Guess not.

It was late when he entered their room. The hut wwherethey had stayed for days now.

The healer hadn't been in the kitchen when he woke. And Dorian understood that she must have left during the night to give Manon and him privacy.

Manon smiled as he approached.

"Did you miss me as much as I've missed you?"

Manon laughed.

"More," she said as she kissed him.

M anon watched Dorian one night as he entered their room. Several minutes before she had been panicking. She knew it was her hormones playing tricks on her... but the feelings were real. The memories were real. She was sitting on the bed. Her arms wrapped around herself. Shaking. When she heard him enter she quickly forced herself together.

Dorian eyes looked as if he'd been crying.

"Dorian," she whispered. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. Faked a smile. Brushed it off.

Manon needed him. Wanted him. Wanted this as much as he needed it. Needed his body and his heat.

His hand roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her to him so that the distance between their lips would close.

Manon slapped him. Her nails coming out without her permission; Her nails grazing his cheek and drawing blood. Dorian held his hand to his face.

Manon froze.

Dorian moved away from her and slid to the ground. His back resting against the bed.

"Dorian... I didn't mean to. Oh God. I'm so sorry," she said, as her mouth was covered by her hand. "I'm so sorry." She shook her head. Sliding down next to him. Her side resting against the bed. Facing him. Her eyes searching his. She slowly-gently reached out to him. Only allowed her fingers to make contact with his shoulder.

Dorian didn't look at her.

"Please...," she pleaded. "Please look at me."

Dorian didn't.

She took a breath of courage."There is something I didn't tell you. That night when we promised to tell everything to each other..."

Still no response.

"There once was a fae male," she said, as she gently rubbed circles on the tip of his bare shoulder. "It started out okay." she paused. "Started out a way I was used to. With them on..." she closed her eyes. "He kept trying to get me under him. He was strong and forceful. Like they all were. And after... when I was trying to put on my clothes... he grabbed me from behind..."

Manon rested her forehead against the side of his head.

"I wasn't fullydressed when he grabbed me from behind. He had one arm around my waist, the other was holding my arm. I remember he was really strong. The arm around me moved down to my..." she closed her eyes. "He gripped me there. Much to hard. It hurt. But as he did it... he twisted my arm. I felt him. I felt him behind me. He tried to enter me, but when he couldn't he got mad and twisted my arm even more. He removed his hand that was down there to place it on himself. To grip himself. To try to guide himself inside me. But he was only able to enter..." a tear fell down her face and landed on Dorian's skin. She brushed it away.

"When he was distracted I took my chance. He was young and untrained. It that moment I became stronger than him. I was the one that wouldn't be torn to pieces. I was the one that won. But in this moment he won. We done other things before. Touched in places as well, but with you I had a choice. You didn't just take and take. Didn't gorge yourself on me." She opened her eyes to find his sapphire eyes looking at her. "I panicked. This time I panicked. He won. What I did just now..."

Dorian finally opened his mouth. The side of his face leaking blood. Gently lifted her right arm.

"Is it this one?" he whispered.

Manon looked down when she saw his face but nodded.

Dorian bowed his head to place kisses all along her arm.

"The day in the marshes, when you grabbed my wrist, I was a bit terrified. Terrified of you. I don't know why. I know- know that you would never hurt me. There is no doubt in my mind. But..."

"I apologize for that, Manon. I promise to never do that to you again. Never."

"And I promise to never hit you again."

Dorian chuckled, and Manon felt her body ease. Dorian gently, slowly put his hands on her waist. But only when she answered his silent question. Manon nodded as he lifted her onto his lap.

He gave her a small smile, "You can hit me every time I deserve it."

It was her turn to smile.

She gently placed her fingers on his cut cheek. "Please heal it," she whispered.

Dorian placed his lips against and when he pulled away it was gone. Only a barley-there scar remained. She touched it and said,"But you can heal it fully?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to. What you just told me, Manon... I can't even imagine what that must feel like for you. That scar that he left on you..." he rested his forehead on hers. "You're right. I should just heal it."

"No," she said. "It is one of the kindest thing that anyone's had ever done for me. To bare a scar that is visible rather than one that no one will ever see. I want you to bare that scar for me. To also know that I am not alone."

She leaned forward to kiss it. Moved her mouth to kiss his lips. Deepend it.

Moved her hands down his stomach as his tangled themselves in her hair. They kissed all night long. Dorian whispering 'I love you', in between each one. Their clothes stayed on. They closed their eyes as Dorian pulled her close to him. At last, sleep took hold.