Chapter 8

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT

Even through her glove, Shirayuki still felt the warmth of Izana's hand as he quietly led her through the darkened halls. She stared at their interlaced fingers, too terrified of their impending conversation to care if anyone saw them. They meandered through the palace, and it was only when he stopped them in front of a grand staircase that she realized they had passed all of the public rooms. He led her up the marble steps and took a left down another hallway, at the end of which stood a tall set of double doors inlaid with gold and flanked by two heavily armed guards, their presence making it more than obvious that these were his private quarters. She clenched his fingers tighter, heart pounding. As if sensing her nerves, he stopped halfway down the hall and turned to face her.

"Will this do?" he asked softly. "I did not want anyone to overhear our conversation, and I've grown very tired of all the interruptions."

Shirayuki swallowed and took only a moment's consideration before nodding. "It's ok."

His lips quirked. "I won't leap upon you again, if that is what you are worried about."

And that was precisely the problem, for she rather thought she did want him to do so. The temptation to give in to his embrace would be far greater in the privacy of his rooms, no matter what he intended their future to be. Shirayuki shook her head to dispel the thought. She would hold fast. "I know."

They continued down the hall, Izana nodding cordially to the guards as he fished out a key from his pocket. The men gave almost no reaction to their presence, as they were certainly trained to do, but the younger of them darted discreet glances her way through the open visor of his helmet. After her eyes grew accustomed to the candlelight, she realized it was Kai Ulkir staring at her. It seemed the young knight had gotten a promotion. She smiled timidly at him, her mind going back to memory of him and his friend giggling at her from the gates, an entirely different Wistalia at her side. As Izana pushed open the door and began tugging her inside, she caught Kai shooting her a subtle thumbs up from his spear hand, before the other guard subtly kicked him in the shin and closed the door.

She squinted her eyes in the darkness, the room only illuminated by a sliver of moonlight through the window, and made out a set of upholstered couches on one end and a small meeting table on the other, indicating that this was a receiving room of some sort.

"Apologies for the lack of light," he said as he led her across the room to another set of doors. "I obviously don't receive in the middle of the night, barring emergencies, and I hate wasting coal for a fire that will never be used."

Shirayuki only nodded, well aware of his disdain for aristocratic frivolities. Besides, she thought with a blush, it gave her an excuse to keep holding his hand. Through the second set lay a vast foyer, and just when she thought he would approach the third set of large doors at the end of it, Izana took a sharp left towards a smaller, more nondescript door in the corner, beneath which she could see the inviting glow of a fire.

"Here we are," he muttered, quietly opening the door and ushering her inside.

She eyed the surprisingly snug room, her gaze first falling to the ornate desk by the window. Several papers and open scrolls were strewn across the surface, a half empty glass of brandy perched elegantly at the corner along with a discarded teacup. In front of the lit fireplace sat a rather comfortable looking sofa, with a coat draped on one arm and a book nestled on the cushions. The place was distinctly lived in, and Shirayuki wondered at him bringing her to what was quite obviously his private space, unsure if she should find it promising or not.

He walked around her, snagging the coat and scooping the book up. "Apologies for the mess, it's been a while since I let a servant in here."

"Not at all. You should see my room when I'm busy." She moved to the sofa and sat, resisting the urge to sigh at the inviting dip of the cushioning. She soothed her skirts with her hands as he sat down beside her, the weight of him sinking into the cushion remanding her of the task at hand.

He leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees and stared into the crackling fire. They passed a minute in tense, awkward silence before he spoke. "I've never done this before."

She blinked. "Done what?"

He gestured vaguely to the air. "Dealt with loving someone."

"How long?" Shirayuki blurted in reply, his second confession of the evening rattling the sense out of her. She longed to know, yearned to see just when his feelings had changed.

"I'm afraid you'll slap me if I tell you the truth."

Again, she remembered the feel of his arms around her waist as their horse came to an abrupt stop, the tiny gasp that had left his lips when her back hit his chest, how he'd followed her around the academy with that ridiculous cover of his for seemingly no reason other than a bizarre whim. His hands had trembled when he picked her up after she'd fainted, and she'd been too in love with Zen to attribute it to anything but the cold.

"Do you remember back at Lyrias, when you met Zen at the gate?"

"Yes." It had been a wonderful surprise, and she'd all but slammed into the iron bars to grasp Zen's hand, close to tears at the reassuring sight of her prince after so long.

"After he appeared, I had the flash of an urge to punch him in the nose. That was when I knew."

"I see," she breathed. "That explains a lot." Shirayuki had always wondered why, in the days after the outbreak, Yuzuri had made such giggly comments about 'Lowen' and why Suzu had paled like a ghost after Izana properly introduced himself during their visit to the royal pharmacy. And then Yuzuri had put those earrings on her, gushing about how pretty she looked shortly after Izana had left with a request for tea to be brought later on.

Oh, Gods. That impromptu makeover had been for him.

"I fear I was a tad too obvious." He shook his head ruefully. "Haki gave me an earful when I proposed to her, you know."

"Well, it wasn't obvious to me."

"Much to my immense relief. Until now, that is." He edged closer and grasped her hand. "I've made a dreadful mess of things."

She fought the urge to squeeze his fingers, not wanting to encourage him should the question she was sure he was about to ask prove to be an unfavorable one, and took a shuddering breath before speaking. "Well, you have me here now, and no one will interrupt us. What is it that you want from me?"

He blinked once, twice, his pulse thundering beneath her fingers. "I want you with me every day, want to wake up beside you every morning, want to have you on my arm at every gathering." His head tilted closer, his gaze fixed firmly on her face, his eyes the most intense she'd ever seen in their entire acquaintance. "I want you sitting beside me in the main hall, our prince in your lap and a silver crown glittering in your lovely hair whilst every noble in the land bows and scrapes before us in the hopes of gaining our favor."

Her mind froze and her heart sang wildly in her chest. "Oh."

"I'm not saying it will be easy, but I—"

She interrupted whatever he had been about to say, launching into his arms and hugging him tightly. She buried her face into his shoulder, breathing in his lavender scent and trying her best not to cry again. "You should have said something sooner," she mumbled into his coat.

His chest vibrated with a chuckle. "Is that a yes, then?"

Shirayuki gently pried herself away from him, embarrassed at the cool feeling of her tears hitting the air, and only managed a shy nod. His hand came up to her cheek to wipe a stray tear from her eye. "I really must stop making you cry."

She laughed. "What a terrible fiancée you are."

"Fiancée," he mumbled, a small, silly smile breaking onto his face. She decided he looked gloriously handsome in that moment, so much so that she couldn't help but lean forward and give him a quick peck on the lips. His hand shot up to grasp the base of her neck as she tried to pull away, his smile becoming more mischievous. "Hey now," he muttered against her lips, "Don't think you can get away with just that."

Heat pooled in her belly as he slanted his mouth over hers and pulled her close. His tongue lazily teased along her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to shyly answer his stokes as his hands gently pressed into her shoulders, guiding her down until she was on her back with him hovering above her. He pulled back from the kiss with a soft look. "I would very much like to make love to you right now."

Her chest grew heavy, breath quickening with nervous anticipation. "Please," she whispered and ran a hand up his chest, stopping to rest her palm on his rapidly beating heart.

He said nothing, only leaning down to give her another kiss. She gently ran her gloved fingers through his hair, and he pulled back with an amused huff. "I'd prefer feel your bare hands on me."

"They're rather calloused, you know," Shirayuki replied, self-conscious in front of him for the first time in a very long while. No doubt he was accustomed to the smooth, unblemished hands of proper ladies rather than those of a well worked (and proudly so) pharmacist. But he only hummed absently, grasping one of her gloved wrists in his hand and fiddling with the tiny buttons at the base of her palm.

He deftly popped each closure and ran his mouth across the sliver of revealed skin. His low voice rumbled against her pulse. "Oh, dear. Whatever shall I do."

Teeth gently nipped her wrist as his other hand grasped the top of the glove and peeled the garment off her, goosebumps trailing down her arm as the fabric slid down her skin. He repeated the treatment with her other glove, and her anxiety melted away as she gleefully slipped her hands back into his hair, reveling in the softness between her fingers and thankful he'd decided not to tie it up tonight.

"You look better with it down," she mumbled, gently pulling on him in a shy request for another kiss. He braced himself on one elbow, arm cradling her head, and obliged the request, pecking her lips once, twice and then smothering them completely. She moved her hands from his hair and down his body, hard and overwhelming above her, and shivered at the small moan of approval he spilled into her mouth as her hands slipped under his coat to properly clutch his back. She closed her eyes with a happy sigh, but then tensed when she felt the warmth of the roaring fire hit her stockinged calf as his hand pulled up her skirts.

He paused, likely sensing her change, and pulled slightly away with a concerned frown. The knuckles of the hand bunching her skirts brushed against the skin of her thigh. "Is this alright?" he asked, the usual velvet quality of his voice replaced with something raspier.

"I've never been with a man before."

Naturally, Shirayuki knew the particulars, she was a pharmacist. But theory and practice were two very different things, and Zen had never obliged her on the matter, with either one of them devolving into blushing hysterics the moment the subject was even brought up.

"I know," Izana replied, his face showing not an inch of surprise and, if anything, looking a tad amused. "I realized it the moment we kissed in the greenhouse."

"Oh." Embarrassment coursed through her. "I'm afraid I might not be very good at this."

"Is that all you were worried about?" His teasing smile gentled, the knuckle at her thigh lightly stroking. "I really am not bothered, but we can wait if you want."

She shook her head. "Waiting is the last thing I want."

"I'm relieved," he said with a shaky exhale. "You have me quite riled up, you know." His eyes darkened on her form. "Don't worry about a thing. I have you."

She could only nod, her breath quickening as the hand continued its journey, dropping the fabric off at her waist and slipping between her legs. Shirayuki bit her lip, flushing scarlet with both embarrassment and pleasure as he ran a slow, teasing finger around the edges of her center.

Her leaned back down to nuzzle the side of her face, gently nipping her earlobe. "You're so sensitive. It's rather cute."

She could only reply with a loud whimper, rolling her hips against his hand as the finger pushed between her folds and massaged the tender flesh within. An ache built within her, prickles of pleasure increasing with each stroke. The finger pushed inside of her, the slick friction of the action nearly sending her over the edge. She snapped her eyes shut, breath catching as her body clamored for release. Izana's lips left featherlight kisses her eyelids, his free hand cupping her chin and gently rubbing her cheek whilst his fingers still worked within her. "Look at me," he gently commanded. "I want to see your face."

She obeyed, taking in his hooded eyes and parted lips, his darkly angelic face framed by the light of the fire as he stared at her with naked lust. Her body went taught, and she sucked in a breath before crying out, jerking against his hand as an overwhelming pulse of pure ecstasy exploded from her center. Her hands fell from his shoulders as he sat up, and she watched dreamily, her body heavy and relaxed, as he shrugged off his coat and tossed it behind the sofa, his waistcoat soon following.

"Turn around so I can unlace you," he said as he fiddled with his cufflinks, voice hazy with desire. She did as she bade, standing on shaky legs and bearing her back to him.

After several seconds of rustling, along with the thump of his boots being tossed onto the floor, his quiet footfalls made their way across the rug. He stopped mere inches behind her, and she shivered with anticipation as his hand stroked down her back and tugged at the lacings of her gown. He made quick work of the ribbons, and soon her bodice slid from her shoulders. His hand paused atop her stays.

"They lace in the front," she said with a blush.

"Ah," he replied absently, again seeming unbothered by this second mark of her lower status. His arms came around her waist, pulling her flush against him. He'd taken his shirt off, and the heat of his bare skin seared her through her remaining garments.

She leaned into his solid chest, tilting her head as his face nuzzled into her neck, teeth nipping playfully on her pulse whilst his hands loosened her stays. He pulled them apart, palming breast through her chemise and reigniting the fire within her. Feeling far too warm and needing to do something about it, Shirayuki took a few steps out of his arms, stepping out of her gown as it collapsed at her feet and allowing the stays to slide from her body. Before her courage could leave her, she grasped the hem of her chemise and hauled the garment over her head, turning around to face him in nothing but her stockings. She resisted the urge to cover herself, the feminine pride she felt at the way his gaze seemed to almost devour her body overpowering any embarrassment.

"Come here," he muttered quietly, though she needed no prompting to reach out towards him and run curious hands over the hard planes of his body. His arm lazily wrapped around her waist, giving her time to peruse him at her leisure, sapphire eyes watching her every movement. She planted a kiss on his chest, her hand trailing down his abdomen, and enjoyed the feeling of his shudder as she dipped a finger in the waistband of his trousers. She smiled against his skin, pleased with the knowledge that he was just as affected by this interlude as she.

"Getting brave, are you?" he teased, though she could hear the slight strain in his voice as she popped one of the buttons open.

"Maybe just a little," she replied, looking up at him with a hazy smile, any remaining doubts fading away as he returned the gesture, reaching up to rub his thumb along the corner of her mouth.

"Lay down on the rug," he said.

She lowered herself onto the plush carpet, sitting up on her elbows and watching him shrug out of his trousers. He put a hand on his hip and cocked his head to the side in a rather arrogant manner as her eyes raked over his naked form. "Like what you see, Shirayuki?"

"I wouldn't have agreed to marry you if I didn't, Izana." She celebrated an inward victory at being able to keep her voice somewhat steady without succumbing to her usual red-faced shyness.

"I'm happy I meet your standards, my love."

Her heart nearly fluttered from her chest at the endearment, and she focused on wrapping her arms around him as he lowered himself atop her to keep the overwhelming emotions at bay. She tightened her grip on his back as he guided himself inside of her, wincing slightly at the unpleasant burn of her body stretching to accommodate him and willing herself to relax, knowing the feeling would subside once she grew accustomed to the new invasion.

Her cradled her head between his forearms, touching their foreheads with a warm, if slightly concerned smile as he buried himself completely. "Are you alright?"

"I will be in a moment," she replied, the discomfort already beginning to subside, and rolled her hips experimentally, sighing in pleasure at the delicious ache the slick friction caused within her.

He seemed to take that as his cue and gently moved, his breaths erratic against the side of her face. She sought his mouth with a whimper, meeting him in a clash of tongues as he quickened his pace. She wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning into his mouth at the delicious friction caused by the new angle, and he answered her with his own hum of pleasure, snaking a hand down to where they were joined and roughly massaging her. She tore her mouth from his with a loud shout, clinging to his body as she tumbled into oblivion once more. He followed moments later, burying his face into her neck with a low moan.

They lay still for several moments, the only sounds in the room being the crackle of the fire and their harsh, exhausted breathing. He rose onto his hands, looking down at her sheepishly. "I'm crushing you. How ungentlemanly."

Shirayuki giggled, brushing some damp strands of blonde hair away from his face and feeling happier than she had in a long while. "I don't mind."