Yep, another update this week!
Thank you for coming back to read! And I'm so glad you're enjoying it.
"Rey, you may kiss your husband."
She's still not sure when they start cheering, whether it's when their lips meet, or halfway through the kiss, but for it to be her second, well she can't help but to think that her first kiss was much better.
When he pulls away, he doesn't say anything, not that she'd be able to hear him above the noise but his eyes meet hers. For the first time this evening, she doesn't feel like she's made a horrible mistake.
He takes her hand and together they turn towards his family. They naturally part, and Ben leads her down the makeshift aisle. The size of the crowd has grown, but before she can ask about where everyone came from, someone gives her another tankard of ale.
"Here's to Ben and Rey!"
More cheers and more ale. Ben still has a hold of her hand and as they drink to the toast, he watches her over the cup, his eyes never leaving hers. She lowers her mug and he does the same. She wants to ask… but before she does, someone starts to play a lonely melody on a violin.
He pauses long enough for someone to call out, "Come on, Jacen! It's a celebration!"
She can see Ben's cousin grinning on the other side of the fire. He doesn't say anything but he does bring the instrument back to his shoulder, and with his bow, begins another song. This one is much liveler than his other tune. Ben puts down his mug on the log behind them then reaches for hers. She gives him a questioning look which he answers, "It's our wedding day. Dance with me?"
"Of course," she whispers as she sets her mug down too. He pulls her into his arms as if they were in the great hall at one of her aunt's gatherings. They don't go far before one of his cousins tugs her into one of their reels around the fire. It takes a couple of turns before she's in his arms again.
Instead of continuing the dance, he pulls her to the side. "It's getting late," she mutters. "Shouldn't we be getting back to the castle?"
"You can't leave yet," a voice rumbles behind them. They turn to meet the gentle gaze of…
"Papa!" Ben exclaims. The older man envelopes him a giant hug. "I was wondering where you were."
"Come," he quietly commands.
Rey knows not to refuse. As he passes by members of the tribe, they bow their heads out of reverence. He leads them out of the circle of wagons. Here in the field, separate from the rest, is a little fire in front of the door of another wagon. She can't tell much about it because of the sun going down hours ago, but from what she can see, it's amazing.
Little carvings lead to bigger carvings. When she gets closer she can see that the animals are actually different birds and dragons. His grandfather stops on the other side of the fire and only says, "Ben," with a nod before he goes back to the rest of his people.
"What is this?" She whispers even though she knows they are the only two out here. Everyone else is still dancing.
"This is the Skywalker family wagon. If a member of the family needs somewhere to stay, they come here to use this wagon." He leans closer to her and mutters, "it's also been used to start many a Skywalker marriage."
"Oh," she flushes red, getting his meaning. "We're going to-"
"You know as well as I do that our wedding is not valid until we do." He leans back and in the dim light of this campfire, his face is cast in shadows that cause something to dance along her spine. "You wouldn't want your aunt and uncle to separate us once we go back to the castle, would you?"
She doesn't think that they would actually do something like that, but she's met this groom and while he seems hard and dangerous, he is a knight after all. He's kinder to her than the red-head back in her castle.
And that kiss…
"No, I don't want that." She looks back at the wagon. "Are you considered a Skywalker then?"
"I am."
"Are the legends true then?"
"Are you asking me that to keep us from our wedding bed?"
"No!" she breathes as he inches closer to her. The last of the midsommar warmth lingers, but since the sun has set, a slight chill creeps in. She can feel his warmth and lets herself close the distance between them also. "Aunt Jyn would tell me the stories-"
He touches her but it's so he can move her in front of him. He doesn't do anything she would expect a bridegroom to do, but his hands linger on her hips and she can feel his nuzzling her hair. "I can tell you stories too," he promises his voice low and seductive in her ear. "But I can also show you things that I think you'd like." He pauses and she hears his exhale. "Can I have you Princess?"
Once again, her title sounds like the lover she always wished for calling her. Maybe this will be a love match.
She turns in his arms. Her lips brush his in the briefest of kisses. "Can I, have you?"
The smile that he bestows on her is everything in that moment that she never knew she needed. He doesn't have to say anything as he picks her up. A giggle escapes as she wraps her arms around his neck.
It's not far to the wagon, and he doesn't let go of her so he can pull the string to open the door. "Go on in," he invites as he sets her down. She gathers her tartan that's still tied around her and steps up the couple of steps in.
Someone was already here to ready the wagon. Even as an orphan, she's known her family's love all her life, knowing that strangers out of love for their nephew and cousin did this…
This being candles are scattered along the surfaces with a lantern hanging from the top of the wagon on delicate chains. Shelves line the walls on either side of the bed, oh the bed, with little bottles all along them. He must see where she looks because he says, "Nana keeps her apothecary stuff in here too."
A bright and colorful quilt covers the built-in bed and even as the sight of the bed makes her swallow hard but she loves the quilt. She turns to him to tell him when he's there in front of her. It's such a small space really but oddly enough he looks like he belongs in it even though he fills it. He flicks the belt that holds her tartan in place.
"Oh," escapes her. She starts to obey his unspoken request, but he murmurs, "Let me?" instead. In their haste to ready her for their handfasting, his nana had fixed her tartan. In the flurry of the moment, Rey still don't know how Ben's nana folded the plaid to make the dress she now wears over the clothes she left the castle in. But once her belt is loosened, the plaid falls.
"I was wondering how that-" he chuckles. "It was quite beautiful."
"I think what your family did is even more amazing that what is going to happen-"
"Shhh-" he bids her as he touches her lips with his finger. "We'll talk about the morrow later."
"I like that." She reaches for him. Years of fighting and living alongside her fighting men, she has seen them in various stages of undressed, but never totally naked. So, when she reaches for his belt, her unspoken question in her eyes, he meets her question with a grin.
His tartan falls, but still remains in the folds it was put in. He catches it with practiced hands and sets it aside then picks her hers. With adoration, he folds them and puts them on a shelf.
Unsurprising, he still wears the same clothes also.
"Our wedding finery-" she says.
"I wouldn't have married you any other way. Do you have regrets?"
"Only that my aunt and uncle wasn't here."
"Tomorrow then. We will dress in our splendor and marry again according to the law set forth by your uncle."
"What about-"
He steps closer and cups her cheek. She turns her head and presses her lips into his palm. "Don't worry about them."
"Alright," she agrees as she smiles up at him.
His fingers trail to the hem of her tunic and pulls up. Underneath her tunic is a chemise that she cut short. "What's this?"
"My undergarments," she huffs. "Even though I was training- I had to have something under my clothes."
Instead of letting him take another piece of her clothing, she reaches for his tunic. He's tall, so much that his head brushes the top of the wagon but she still manages to help him get it off, and he's left in his undershirt.
She doesn't miss how his cheeks are flushed pink as they take one another in. "Sit on the bed," she softly commands her knightly husband.
His brow arches but he does what she bids. It's only two steps for him to sit and he sinks down onto the soft quilt. "Pick up your foot," she whispers. When he does, she's prying his boot off.
It lands with a thud beside her. The other one lands beside its mate. She offers him a hand and when he touches her, she pulls. He understands her meaning and stands.
"Let me-" he starts but she shakes her head. Instead she's reaching for his other belt. When it's undone, his trousers fall but stop around his knees.
"Sit back down?"
"No need," he replies. He steps out of his pants one leg at a time, then lays them on top of their tartans.
She looks down, not sure if she can keep meeting his eyes. But then his finger tilts her head back and she looks into his eyes again. "It's my turn," he whispers. He finds the belt she uses to keep her leggings on and with a flick of his wrist it comes undone. Instead of asking her to sit, he kneels before her.
The sight of him submitting to her like this makes her heart beat faster. She wobbles when she picks her foot up so she naturally reaches out to catch herself.
She just happens to steady herself by touching the top of his head. His breath catches as she runs her fingers through his inky waves. He touches her calf with one hand then with the other eases her boot off. He repeats with her other foot. But instead of standing, he reaches up and eases her pants off next.
He helps her to step out of them before he straightens. They take each other in. Both in their white linen undershirts. She reaches for his. Arms up, she eases it over his head.
Her breath catches as she takes in his chest. She knew that he would be muscular, but she never imagined… her hand, as if it's moving on its own reaches for him. Her palm lands in the center of his chest and she smiles when she feels his heart as it speeds up.
His chest is hard but soft at the same time as she runs her hand down. He still has on his breeches, which are tied at his waist. Sudden shyness makes her look away at anything but him.
She also realizes how short her own undershirt is, which if she was wearing her dress instead of her training clothes would be her new chemise her and Jyn just sewed. For the first time, she wishes she had on soemthing beautiful for him.
"You are so exquisite," he coos as he reaches for her hem. A flash of white as he tugs it over her head. She's left in the tight underpants she wears when she's wearing her leggings and the linen she wraps around her breasts when she's training.
"I'm dressed like a boy," she says frustrated. "Tomorrow I will be dressed-"
"As my bride," he finishes for her. "Come let us finish undressing." he reaches for her first, and loosens the linen. It falls in his hands and she doesn't miss how he just stops for a moment to look at her. She begins to fidget and that's when he pulls down her underpants.
"Princess," he breathes. And the way he whispers her title… he picks her up and places her on the bed. He doesn't say anything when she scoots back to wiggle under the quilt. As much as she doesn't want to watch him, she can't tear her eyes away as he drops his breeches before he joins her under the quilt.
Bare skin from waist to thigh to knee to toes touch. She's not sure how to feel as he lays by her. "Rey?"
"Ben?" She squeaks.
"Can I just hold you?"
"You mean-" she flounders not sure what to do. So, she does what she's been doing all evening, she looks into his eyes. Those eyes are the same color as the amber necklace that her mother wore that's in the bottom of her box. He scoots down in the bed and somehow, he pulls her to him. But before either one of them gets comfortable, he turns them both so they are looking at one another
"You're shaking," he mutters, worry evident in his voice. "You have nothing to be afraid of."
"I know," she answers. "I'm not scared of you-"
"Are you afraid of what we're going to do together?"
"Not afraid-"
"Nervous that it's going to hurt?"
She remembers Talle and the other maids talking about it. "I've heard that it's good or bad. But when it's bad it hurts."
He pulls her close enough so he can kiss her forehead but not enough for their bodies to touch. "I can make it feel good if you'll let me, can I try?"
He's her husband now and something deep inside her wants to make him happy.
So happy that he'll love her like she's starting to care for him.
"You can," she whispers. Then before she loses her bravado, she asks, "Will you kiss me? Like you did in the wood? Not like we did in front of your family?"
"Anytime, Princess," he murmurs before his lips land on hers. It's the same but different in that there is a new urgency that wasn't there before. It could be that the something different is the lack of clothing between them.
His lips kiss their way to her ear. No one's ever touched her there before and when he sucks her ear lobe into his mouth before he lightly bites her. She's glad that she's laying down because she would have toppled over if she had been standing.
Her arms circle his shoulders as he continues to map her skin with his mouth. She remembers the look he gave her when she first touched his head so she runs her finger through his waves. She scratches his scalp lightly, making his rumble low in his chest. "You remind me of the big black tom cat at the castle. But are you purring or growling at me, my Knight?"
"If you keep scratching me like that," their eyes meet as he rumbles against her breastbone. He's rolled her to her back so he can continue his journey across her flesh. "I might be doing both."
"Both?" She asks. Not that what he's doing doesn't feel good, but when he licks her nipple before he envelopes it in his mouth while his hand squeezes her other, her back arches off the bed as she gasps.
A curious heat gathers between her legs and all she can do is moan, "Ben, what is-"
"You feel it, too," he murmurs against her as he scoots even further down in the bed.
"What-" she can't finish because he's licking her there, in her most private place. He pauses long enough to pull her folds apart, then he's sucking and licking on the little bit of flesh there. What she's never realized is how it would make her feel to have… she gasps and then her moan fills the space as she reaches for him. Her hands find those waves… but something is building that she's never felt before down there where he is… "Ah!" she hums as molten pleasure fills her in places she never knew she had.
Tingles wash over her as he continues his assault on her private place, but then he puts his finger in there… the place Aunt Jyn said was for husbands and babies. Her thoughts are no longer in her head as the need that has been gathering washes over her.
When she can't move, he comes back to where she can see him. She can't even focus enough to see what he's doing, but when she feels what could only be him because it's too big to be his fingers that was just there, in her…
He eases his length in, only pausing when he feels what could only be her maidenhead. That's when her sweet Knight lowers himself over her to kiss her.
Her breath is shaky as she exhales but when he continues to kiss her as he breaks through her innocence. There's only a slight pain, but when he's seated deep inside, the pain ebbs away.
"Are you alright?"
"I am," she reassures him.
"Good," he whispers. That's when he begins to move. She still feels the pleasure that she felt before but it's changed too. It's almost greater than it was before. She's breathless the faster he moves as her eyes roll back. His lips are on hers again and his touch is what she needs to send her chasing her pleasure again.
He speeds up and she manages to open her eyes to watch him come undone above her. His breath is ragged as he stills, eyes closed as he pulses deep inside.
By now it's hot and sweaty in the wagon, but when he collapses beside her, he draws her close. The silence that surrounds them is blessed and not strained. When her breath is normal, she says, "That was love making? No wonder men and women do crazy things in the name of it." His chuckle makes her smile. She tilts her head up from where it rests on his chest. He meets her eyes. "Now that we are husband and wife- that means that we can do that whenever we want, right?"
He laughs, this loud, happy sound as he pulls her to his chest again but before she rests her head on him again, he says, "I do like the way you think, Princess." Before he kisses her forehead.
"I almost don't want to leave," she admits as she tugs her tunic into place.
"Do you think anyone is missing you?" He asks as he pulls on his boot.
"Rose might have looked for me. But not even she knew that I was leaving."
"You didn't tell your friend?"
"No of course not," she mutters as she reaches for her boot. He picks it up before she does and then helps her slide it on. Her heart flips and speeds up when he caresses her calf before he kisses her knee.
"You could have been in danger-"
She steps closer to him. As she runs her fingers through those inky waves that she loves so much she whispers, "But I met you."
He grabs her around the waist and flips her back on the bed. She giggles as her heart soars. He kisses down her throat to the point where her cleavage starts. "But I'm the worst kind-"
She nudges him back so she can meet his eyes. "The worst kind?"
"Oh yes," he growls against her skin, "I might be a fierce dragon sent to eat you up-"
"But perhaps I know how to tame my wild dragon-"
"You do?" he murmurs against her skin. She doesn't say anything, but cups his cheeks. His eyes meet hers. "And how do you tame him?"
She kisses his forehead. "With kisses of course," she chirps as she continues to kiss his eyelids, then his cheeks. It's him who kisses her on the lips while his hands squeeze her breasts. "Ben! We need to be going, look how pale the window."
"It is the moonlight," he swears.
"I can see the dawn-" she protests.
"That's not the dawn, it's the sun setting." He pushes her tunic up so his lips can continue exploring.
"The rooster tells us that the dawn is here."
"It is an owl," he promises. Before she realizes what, he is doing, her leggings land on the floor and he's pushing his way back in.
"Ben," she moans. Neither one of them has slept and even now she should be tired. But here with him, she feels like she could stay up forever as long as he's touching her.
He doesn't push into her as fast as he did before, this time his love making is slow, almost lazy. Their hands have time to touch and to roam and even though she's felt the wave of unspeakable pleasure several times tonight, it's still sudden when it overtakes her.
They stay on top of one another until his manhood falls out. He looks up at her and whispers, "We need to be going."
"As long as I'm with you I'll go where you go."
"Well come along Princess," he grunts as he stands. He offers her a hand then effortless pulls her up next to him. "Let's get you home."
They both gather their clothes and start to dress, again. "We get to marry again in just a couple of hours."
"Have another ceremony?" She asks. He sounds almost as if he's excited about it.
"Once we tell the king what we did." He's pulling on his pants so he doesn't see her face as it heats up. "We can just repeat what we did."
"Oh, we can?" She teases. He smiles that smile that she loves at her. "Will you be up to it?"
"Me?" he chuckles. "What about you? Will you be too sore to welcome your husband again?"
She moves and can't stop the wince that betrays the pain between her legs. "You are hurt!" He says, worry making him reach for her.
"Tis alright. I have a stream that will soothe my pains before the wedding."
"Perhaps I can meet you there?" He murmurs as he pulls her into his arms.
She swats at him. "Come let's begin the long walk home."
His eyes sparkle in the candle light. He hops down the steps, and whistles. She doesn't say anything, but in only a moment, his Uncle Luke appears leading a white horse.
When Luke stops beside them, Rey gives him a kiss on his cheek while Ben gets the reins.
"In the morning, wait for my message. We want you to perform the ceremony at the castle. Will you spread the word?"
"I will." Luke waits for Ben to climb on, then he helps Rey to settle in front of him. "Congratulations you two."
Rey smiles, suddenly tired. Ben's arms surround her and she lets herself lean back on him as her eyes drift closed.
She must have fallen asleep because she's jerked awake when the horse stops moving. Ben is still holding her so she knows everything wasn't a dream. She looks around and the early morning dawn is starting to lighten up the sky.
"Are you going to climb back to your room?" He whispers. She can tell that he doesn't like the idea.
"Your men are asleep all along the hall. It would be impossible for me to sneak in even with me knowing all the passages. Go sleep-"
"But I was given the room next to yours."
"Oh, I didn't realize that." She looks around. "The field for the horses is just right there. Let's turn his guy out with the others and I'll show you how to sneak back into my castle."
He chuckles. They dismount. She goes to the gate while he leads the gelding over. In no time the saddle is lying on the ground and the gelding is trotting away to look for some food. He carries the saddle and hides it in the bushes for them to retrieve when it's daylight.
"Are you ready for my secret?" She whispers.
"Alright?"
She reaches into the vines growing up the wall and tugs. A hemp rope shakes loose. "See?"
"That's how you do it?"
"It is," she smiles up at him.
He pats her bottom. "Hurry up," he says
She doesn't miss his urgent tone but instead of asking about it now, she grips the rope and starts to climb. Hand over hand she hurries, and when she looks under her, she's not surprised to see him behind her.
When they are both in her room she allows herself to breathe again.
He runs his hands through his waves and she can see his relief too.
"What do you think the king's reaction would be if he caught me in your bed?"
"I don't want to know," she admits. She leans in to steal a kiss. "Go to your bed and in several hours, we will be wed again. And I will never leave your side."
"Or my bed."
"Or your bed."
"Good morning, husband."
"Good morning, wife," he mutters before his lips find hers again. His kiss is gentle but she can feel the desperation there too. When he breaks the kiss, he doesn't say another word but on silent feet leaves.
She isn't sure how long she stands there waiting and watching but it's not until she feels a hot breath on her neck and a creepy whisper say, "Wife? This just got very interesting-" then a hot cloth over her nose and mouth with something sweet smelling… arms that are not her husband's surround her and she reaches… her sword is gone… she tries to call for him… but her eyes are so heavy and it's easier to just give in…