A/N: This one I hope comes a lot sooner than the previous chapters have been, I am somewhat infrequent with updates. It's a habit I'm trying to break, and the only way to do that? Just get on with writing and get 'er done!

Also, about COVID-19: I can safely say that I am not infected and am still stuck at home in quarantine. Perhaps this will motivate me to get more chapters out, or just enjoy the sudden freedoms. Also, what the heck? Hoarding toilet paper? It's a little random, isn't it? I hope that you're safe and not infected, and if you are my prayers are with you. Be safe!

Chapter 9+10, everyone. (does anyone understand the reference? I know it's old)

Chapter 21: Honeymoon

Neither I nor Camilla got much sleep during the first few nights of our marriage, but I don't think we were complaining much.

The sunlight that managed to penetrate through the heavily-covered windows earned a growl from me as I squinted, displeased with the unwelcome presence of light. The dragon within me voiced its discontent, and I nestled into the figure beside me who let out a murmur, arms wrapping around my waist, arms wrapped around my waist in an iron grip pulling me closer still. The feeling of hair against my nose sent a shudder through me as I desperately tried to contain a sneeze. It was a futile effort though, and I inhaled, then turned away and sneezed. It wasn't very loud, but it might've had the same effect as someone shouting at a funeral. As I swiped at my nose and shook away the still present lull of sleep I glanced around.

The honeymoon suite was located in a tropical resort, accessed only through the Dragon's Gate. I could faintly hear the crashing of the waves outside. The room itself was rather nice, with a pair of doors facing a secluded deck if we wanted to enjoy the sun and ocean breeze from the comfort of our room. The wood-paneled floor was littered with bedsheets and various packages.

As I glanced up at the sleeping face of the beautiful woman I felt the urge to turn away, to follow through years of protocol and instinct. Yet the memories of last night came rushing back, along with the sensations. While Camilla tended to be simple with her displays of affection, those were before the wedding ceremony.

"Hmm-hmm, you know, Corrin, of the new responsibilities that come with being a husband, let alone my husband? Maybe a little teaching is in order. Don't worry, I promise I'll be gentle~."

I shuddered at the heat within the quiet voice, feeling the heat rush back through my body, but I figured it wouldn't be pleasant to wake her up, especially after such a long night. I quietly slipped out of her embrace, even if it was the only spot I desired to be in for time and all eternity. The resort boasted dozens of different activities, some of which piqued my interest. All of the sights here were completely foreign to me; I had never felt sand beneath my feet or dipped myself in the ocean.

I located the trunk that held my clothes and retrieved a simple white robe from within, donning it within seconds. Digging further into the trunk revealed a pair of rather short… shorts. Swimtrunks, the merchant called them, eyes roving me up and down with a saucy smirk. Their flirting still continued when I told her that I was engaged and preparing for the honeymoon.

"So, you lovebirds are headed to the tropics for your honeymoon? I envy the lucky girl who gets that bod of yours all to themselves."

The teasing wink the merchant sent me was enough to unnerve me, but not on the level of Camilla's hungry gaze. If she were to see me in such revealing clothing I'm not sure how she would react.

Speaking of, I glanced backward at the sound of rustling sheets; my wife groaned as she stretched her arms, allowing me to see a generous amount of skin. Perhaps more than what would be considered appropriate. I didn't bother turning away, and the sight caused a deep rumbling from the back of my throat. When she noticed my continual stare, her mouth curved upwards in a heart-stopping smirk.

"Good morning, beloved." The way she emphasized the word "beloved" sent shivers up my spine, the desire to jump back in bed became very tempting. She beckoned to me with a finger, and I, being the dutiful husband, heeded her call. Camilla's giggles sounded angelic as I wrapped my arms around her, pressing my lips to hers. A wave of euphoria surged through me, heightened by the sensation of her fingers dancing along my chest. Being married certainly had lots of perks.

Hating to break apart from her but needing to breathe, I pulled away, panting heavily while she continued to leave kisses along my neck and jawline. Each kiss lingered longer than the last, and as time went on I discovered how adept she was at kissing. Every time her lips pressed against my skin, it earned her a hissed outtake of breath.

As much as I wanted this to progress further, I stopped her with a gentle hand against her face, causing her to pause and gaze and me expectantly.

"I have some plans for us today," I said. Her eyebrow rose.

"Does it have to do with us staying in bed all day and taking advantage of our new relationship with each other?"

"As tempting as that offer is, I'm afraid I have to put it off for later tonight." She pouted, staring at me with pleading eyes and complete with the stuck-out bottom lip. I let out a short laugh, lightly tapping the tip of her nose. I wouldn't fall for her ploys, not today at least.

"I promise that we'll have plenty of time to enjoy our new statuses later. For now, however, I can offer an exception. If you get out of bed quickly and gather your needed clothes, I will allow for a rather enjoyable bath."

The smile on her face was the only answer I needed. She darted out of bed, but not before reaching her arms around my neck and forcibly pressed her mouth against mine, leaving little time for me to breathe or even think as her tongue quickly infiltrated my mouth. Her actions earned her a pleasurable growl from the back of my throat, sinful fantasies invading my mind and attempting to override my intended plans for the day.

When we finally did leave the room, it was with a sense of refreshment and eagerness, bright smiles on our faces.

The sun beat down on the seaside, making the waves gleam brilliant blue as I rested in the shade. The caretakers of the beach had been generous enough to place umbrellas for every beachgoer who wanted to relax, each one colored differently and sporting a pattern that matched with no other. The towel protected me from the gritty layer of warm sand below, allowing for a relaxing time. And I would relax…

If people would simply quit staring.

They weren't even directed at me. The hungry eyes that targeted the resting figure beside me stirred up unpleasant emotions deep within me, emotions that I normally didn't feel or otherwise cared about. Yet the way those men stared at Camilla, with hungry gazes and eyes practically gleaming, made me want my Dragonstone. Those who were daring enough to scowl at me would be surprised with my own defiant glare, a primal growl threatening to emerge from the back of my throat. And despite my fiercest attempts to ward them off they still lingered at the edge of the waterfront, the youngest of them barely an adolescent while I could count one or two men with grey hairs.

The thought of Camilla being confronted by these men sickened me, I thought with a shake of my head. I glanced back at the said woman, who looked as if she hadn't a care in the world. The attire she had been given was both ill-fitting and yet seemed to match her perfectly- she showed as much skin as she could while keeping her modesty intact to a degree, the lilac fabric pressing into her skin as it strained to remain intact.

It was pleasing to the eye, except the only eyes who should behold it was supposed to be mine. None of the other men deserved such a treat.

"Are you all right, dearest?" Seemingly knowing of my turmoil, Camilla propped herself onto her side, turning my head gently with a hand that seemed impossibly soft. Just behind her, I noticed that a few of the men looked rather envious or sent hateful scowls at me.

"Just wondering if it was the smartest choice to wander out in daylight in a place full of strangers. We've just married, after all, and I don't intend on setting my eyes on another. However, there are certain pigs that have escaped their sty and appear to have focused on one of us."

"Pigs? Isn't that a little strong?"

"Not strong enough," I said under my breath. I wouldn't say anything positive until they got on their knees in front of me and begged for mercy, and then booked it without looking back.

"You do know that you can't stop them from staring. And even then, what good would come from banning people from looking at me? I think that the opposite would occur instead of your desired effect," she said. I opened my mouth to refute that, only to realize her reasons were sound and logical. All I could say was, "It would make me feel better."

"Are there any other suggestions you may have?"

"Perhaps a public display of our affection for each other? It will be clear, precise, and the vain hope that any of them might get their filthy hands on you will be reduced to ashes before us."

Camilla straightened up, tossing her hair across her shoulders and kneeling on the towel. Her actions, I noted, grew a great deal of attention from the male populace, heads turning as she rose up like a mermaid from the sea. Could they not see that we were a couple? What did they think we were? Cousins? Siblings? I suppose the latter was partially true, but we were siblings in name alone-

"Hey there, gorgeous!"

My breath stilled as a rather foolish man wandered up, winking to Camilla and completely ignoring me. The muscles on his arms and legs made me feel like a willow tree; flexible, but putting up little to no fight. "You're looking drop-dead beautiful."

If I had my dragonstone on me, his sandy blond hair would've gone up in flames.

"Why thank you," she replied, "you aren't so bad yourself."

The idiot grinned, not even realizing the double-meaning. However, my vindictive pleasure was short-lived; he stepped under our umbrella, just inches away from our towel and went on; "Whaddaya say a pretty dame like yourself gets treated to a drink? On me, of course."

Masking her giggles with the back of her hand, while I internally raged and wanted nothing more than to make a display of his mistakes. I wonder how much damage I could do with the base of the umbrella pole-

"That is awfully kind of you, but I'm afraid that I'm content with staying here."

The man's face gave a slight twist of annoyance at not getting his way. I smirked at him, ready for him to walk away and leave us alone. Unfortunately, he proved to be rather persistent.

"What's the problem, then? Is your brother being a little overbearing? Come on, babe; we can come back here later. I'm much more fun than him!"

She stared at him, completely expressionless before pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm afraid that the rather majestic man beside me is my husband, who unfortunately for you," she pointed at him, his face losing all color as his jaw failed to work and simply hung low, "he has the temper of a dragon. If I were you, I would get out of here as quickly as possible."

The man backpedaled, tripped on his own feet and fell into the sand. Scrambling up to his knees, only to meet our combined glares, convinced him to promptly book it. Excellent. Maybe his sudden departure will persuade the other idiots to back off. And if they didn't I'm sure that I can use other means, preferably ones that dyed the ocean or sand scarlet-

My dark musings were broken as a hand rested on my thigh. My eyes zeroed in on it, then on the person whom it belonged to.

"You were growling," she said. "While that may be appropriate for some wild beasts, I'm afraid you aren't classified as an animal, despite your other form."

I blinked, then became acutely aware of the sudden soreness in my throat. I sighed before falling back against the towel, finding small comfort as she tucked herself into my side, using my arm as a pillow. "Have I… always been so selfish?" I found myself asking.

"Not entirely, I think," Camilla said, and from the hesitance in her words, she must've been carefully deciding how to reply. "It seems to have cropped up in recent months, and it's mostly centered on me."

She looked up when my head rose, only to chuckle at the look on my face. "It's nothing to fret over, dear. I find it rather endearing to be perfectly honest with you. So many men wish to have precious seconds to talk with me, but there's only one who deserves a full audience."

"Even if it makes me seem greedy to some people?"

"You always have fretted over the image you project to others. It was one of those traits I found most endearing," she giggled. Hearing such a divine sound immediately soothed my antsy nerves, and I felt myself relax against her. Feeling the released tension, she reached over to take my hand, laying them both against my chest as she started to play with the gold band on my finger.

"I suppose I am acting irrationally."

"No one has ever lived a life without some degree of irrational behavior. And before you attempt to apologize there is no need for one."

My open mouth abruptly closed. Her keen knowledge of my upcoming apologies was rather unnerving; I suppose I had a tendency to excessively apologize. In my head, it was always better to apologize for something that may have happened rather than let a grudge fester and grow.

An apology, then, was not what I needed to make up to her. I needed something that would be meaningful to her.

"Would you be irritated if I suddenly changed the schedule?"

I felt her shift, then turned my head to meet her face. Eyes narrowed with intrigue, her mouth curving up.

"A sudden change? What did you have in mind?"

I didn't say anything, opting to let my expressions do the job. I rolled onto her lap, covering her mouth with my own. The sudden squeak of surprise that she earned a pleasurable growl from the back of my throat, yet I did not relent. Gripping her back as she wrapped her arms around my torso, she let out a delighted murmur when I nibbled her lower lip, opening her mouth to let my tongue explore. I relished the way her fingernails bit into my skin, not enough to draw blood but enough to leave a mark.

I broke away, the grin on my face absolutely feral as I recognized the same intensity burning in her eyes. Her finger trailed down the front of my chest, leaving the subtle message of desire and passion in their wake, deep beneath my skin.

"We can come here tonight," I said in a low and husky voice, "enjoy the sunset between the two of us. In the meantime, I propose we return to our room and… what was it you said? 'Take advantage of our new positions with each other?' "

Her chuckle was all I needed to hear.

A/N: I won't write any smut or lemon, but I kinda want to approach the border without being explicit or terribly dirty. Anyway, chapter 21 is here, and I hope that you enjoyed it from the confines of your home.

I hope that all of you are safe in these times, washing your hands and keeping yourselves clean. This whole debacle is something I couldn't predict, nor would I expect to be experiencing. Best wishes to all of you, and thank you SquidbaggerOfWoomyNygeness for beta-reading this and offering your advice, up next: fighting together (NOT arguing, I mean more alongside each other in battle. Arguing will come later, and I do not look forward to it).

Thank you for reading; if you enjoyed this, how about leaving a like and/or follow, maybe check out my other works? If you didn't like it, please tell me what I can do better. Reviews are always appreciated; from constructive criticism to expressing simple appreciation.

Write on!