Hello everyone!
This is my entry on our ficathon. I hope you enjoy it! please comment!
as usual, everything belongs to Margareth Mitchell
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Your husband, Mrs. Butler
"Are you ready, Mrs. Butler?", Rhett asked her.
It was only then that Scarlett realized she was now Mrs. Rhett Butler. Of course, she had plenty of time to think about it before the wedding. She had eight long months to think about it. In all the letters from across the Atlantic, Rhett emphasized that they would be wed as soon as he arrived. However, the shock was tremendous when she heard the question "Are you ready, Mrs. Butler?". Scarlett was fond of Rhett. He was her friend, her confident and filthy rich. For all these things, she had conveniently forgotten what marriage entails: She would have to share her bed with him, and it was scaring the hell out of her.
Their marriage ceremony was simple and discrete, as it should be. It was Scarlett's third wedding, and the couple decided they didn't need the presence of any disapproving old guard member on their celebration. Melanie, Ashley, and Pity were the only ones attending the church and the dinner party at the National Hotel. After a very pleasant afternoon spent at the hotel, Melanie reassured Scarlett she would take great pleasure in spending the next three weeks pampering Wade and Ella. The three guests congratulated the newlywed couple and left.
"Scarlett? Are you alright?", Rhett asked.
"Yes, sure. I'm ready to retire".
Rhett knew Scarlett was nervous, he could read her very easily and it was quite amusing to see her blushing like a young innocent bride. He guided Scarlett to the stairs, his hand possessively low on her back. When they were out of the sigh of the people in the entrance hall of the hotel, Rhett whispered softly in her ear.
"Dont worry, my Pet. It will be fun", and placed a small kiss on her neck.
"I am not worried", she said, goosebumps spreading over her arms. Her need to be contrarious was far greater than her nervously.
Rhett opened the door of the suite they would spend their wedding night. He had selected this one and made all the arrangements to impress Scarlett. Their suite was beautifully decorated and Scarlett was amazed by the elegance of the room.
"This is so big! How wonderful! I love it, Rhett. It is a shame we will only stay a night here". She lightly touched his arms, in a gesture so unusual for them but so simple for a couple. They didn't have the time to learn how to behave as a couple. One day Frank died, Rhett proposed and after almost a year away, he insisted they marry last than a week after his return. Every simple caress seemed foreign but nonetheless enjoyable.
"I can guarantee you, Scarlett, that our room in New Orleans will be even prettier. ", Rhett said and caught her hands. He placed some small kisses while tugging her gloves out. She tensed up. Scarlett retrieved her hands and walked further into the room.
Rhett sighed frustrated. He waited so long for this, to be alone with Scarlett.
"Lets check the room. Oh, the view is so beautiful. What a nice balcony we have!" Come and see, Rhett!
"Yes, I know. I've been in this room before.", he said nonchalantly. "Scarlett, come here, I want to talk to you. Seat here." He said and pulled a chair for her.
"I know you are nervous, don't try to deny it. Tell me why."
"I... Oh, Rhett, I don't need to tell you why. You know why."
She blushed so deeply that Rhett had to contain a burst of laughter. How sweet she could be...
"Scarlett, look at me. You've been married to a boy and to an old maid in breeches. I want you to forget whatever ever happened to you before tonight. I promised you it will be fun, and I don't make promises in vain. Now, the first thing we need is to relax."
"I am trying..."
"I know, darling. Let's have a drink, it will help you."
"I can't drink. It is not fitting."
"Scarlett, we can do whatever we want, and I want you to join me in a drink. I prefer whisky. What do you want?"
Scarlett pondered if she should keep the lady-like attitude and refuse the drink, but she needed it so much.
"A brandy", she said.
"Good girl. Here it is", he said, giving her a glass. She drowned it with a swift movement and he smiled at how easy it was to her to drop the lady-faced.
"We need to go slow, darling. I think we could play a game. Do you know how to play poker?"
"Of course, I do Rhett. I used to love playing with my father. He always let me win!"
"All right! Let's play! I have some cards over here"
"What will we bet, Rhett? I don't have any money here"
"Whoever loses has to drink a dose of brandy. Deal?", he smiled deviously
"Deal", she could use more brandy.
Rhett was a professional player, he knew he would easily win. He wanted her to relax, to distract her mind with some other topic. Scarlett lost the first two rounds, and Rhett was not pleased that despite the liquor, she was still tense.
"You are not even trying, Scarlett. I don't want you to get drunk! Let's change the rules a little bit. Instead of drinking, we will bet our clothes. Whoever gets naked first, losses."
"Oh, you pervert! " She cried indignantly.
"Now you have some more incentive to play. You can do better. Let's see. You have your lovely dress, your underskirt, your corset, and your two pieces shimmy. Am I right? Five chips to bet."
"I still have my shoes and my stockings on. Seven"
"Fine. I already took off my necktie. I have my vest, shirt, undershirt, pants, breeches, stockings, and shoes. Six. Please, take off your shoes and we will be even. To be fair, we have to have the same amount of layers."
"Fair? You are a gambler! This is not fair at all! Nevertheless, I will amuse you, Rhett. Here it is. Shoes are off. Let's play."
This time Scarlett proved herself a better player. She lost the first two rounds, and had to take off her dress and underskirt, but after that Rhett lost several rounds and lost his vest, shoes, and shirt. In his defense, he was not trying to win the game, he wanted her to have fun, and winning brought a sweet smile on her face. He could not resist. Rhett had a comeback and Scarlett lost her stockings.
"Now, you said your father let you win... I think he was lying to you, Scarlett. You are a very good player. Either that or I am too eager to be naked." She blushed again.
"Well, you lose one more! Two pairs and you have nothing!"
Scarlett had never seen any of her husbands naked, and she felt strangely excited over the prospect of seeing Rhett naked. She was curious about a man's body. She watched intently while he took off his undershirt and took her time appreciating the well-built torso and the tanned skin of her husband. Interesting possessive thought: she was his wife, his property but he was also hers. Hers to care, to look, to touch...
"What is this scar you have?" She asked, getting near him.
"This one?" He guided her hand to touch the right side of his stomach.
Scarlett flushed, embarrassed, but Rhett kindly led her to explore his body.
"I was in a fight, back in the days when I was just a young adventurer in California, looking for gold. I made a man mad. He came directly to me with a knife. We struggled on the floor and he left me with this pretty scar."
"Did you kill him?", she said, running her finger through the thin line scar.
"Yes, it was the first time I killed someone."
"I am sorry". She looked at him and knew how it could change a person. She still had nightmares where the Yankee soldier hunts her.
"Don't be. He was a terrible human being." He said, caressing her face.
"I am sorry for you. Killing is not pleasant. Even when it is inevitable."
Rhett sensed there was something more in her comment. Something she was not telling.
"Did you ever kill someone, Scarlett?" He asked in a very sweet tone, without any judgment.
"I don't want to talk about it. What about this on your shoulder? It looks like a drawing... what is it?"
"Tell me about your secrets and I will tell you about mine... Tell me, darling." he guided her back to his embrace.
"It happened at Tara, I shot him before he could get near me. Melanie helped me to bury the body. I really don't want to talk about it, Rhett. I don't want to think about that period of my life. It was awful and I am very glad it is over."
Her face showed clearly her displeasure with the subject. Rhett always knew how to comfort her. He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.
"I am sorry you had to go through it. I am here now. I will never let anyone hurt you, Never. " He said, and when Scarlett moved her head and looked in his eyes, he kissed her.
Their kisses were intense and Scarlett barely felt when Rhett lifted her in his arms and moved them to the bed. He proceeded disrobing her while kissing her neck and caressing her arms. Scarlett surrendered to him. She let him guide her through their encounter, trusting him, trusting that he would make her entire world better.
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"Are you hungry?" He asked, " I will order a light meal for us."
"Yes, I am hungry. " She hadn't eaten well during the festivities. She had spent all the time worrying about their wedding night. She was happy that her worries were unfounded. Sharing a bed with Rhett was much better than it had been with Charles and Frank. Rhett was tender, and she felt good, warm, and safe in his embrace.
Rhett left the bed and was putting some clothes on to check about their meal when Scarlett called him. She noticed the drawing on his shoulder again.
"Rhett, you didn't tell me what this drawing is!"
"It is a tattoo." He said moving back to bed, " It is a drawing that will be forever on my body"
"Oh, why did you do it? Did it hurt?" She had never heard of Tattoos before.
" I am a man of the sea, Scarlett. This is very common among sailors and sea captains. I don't remember why I did it, I was probably too drunk to make this decision, but I like it."
"What is it? What it represents?"
"My little ignoramus. This is a Compass Rose. A compass is used to navigate the sea. My navy fellows think that having this tattoo means that I will always find my way back to port."
"Oh, it's a good luck charm!", she said, understanding the meaning of the tattoo.
"Yes, do you like it?" He turned his back to her so she could see it better.
"I do. It is very well done. How does it become permanent on your skin? "
"Well, they got a very small sharp needle and put the ink inside of my skin all over the drawing..."
"It must hurt." She flinched.
"It must, but as I said, I was drunk, I don't remember."
"Luck you"
"Yes, I am very lucky indeed. Do you want to take a better look at it? Come here. Touch it." He said, giving her a devious smile.
Scarlett kneed on the bed, wrapping up the bedsheet around her body.
"You know what? I will not touch you right now. Maybe later", she said, retrieving her hand that was about to touch his shoulder.
"Why not?"
"Well, I am hungry and when I touch you before... well, you know what happened."
"Oh, my little minx. I will feed you, don't worry. And then, after you are well-fed, I want to show you where I think you should have a tattoo.", He placed a small kiss on her cheek.
"Me? fiddle-de-dee! "
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Thank you for reading!
Feel free to comment and correct me. I like writing fanfiction to improve my writing and vocabulary, but as an English non-native speaker, I always make silly mistakes.
Here are two links about Tattoos in the Victorian /how-tattoos-became-fashionable-in-victorian-england-122487#:~:text=These%20records%20allow%20us%20to,written%20records%20of%20their%20own.
https/www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/customs-and-traditions0/sailor-s-tattoos.html