True to Ash's promise, no-one had knocked on their door with one of the inevitable emergency tasks to be completed immediately, no-one had come to tell her that breakfast was ready, and it was almost noon when Sera finally opened her eyes. She sighed at the feel of the warm chest beneath her cheek. She smiled at the welcome weight of the arm over her waist, holding her close. Ash's heart beat loud and strong under her ear and she took a moment just to listen to it, to the way her own had matched it, their hearts quite literally beating as one, as some poet had once claimed that lovers did. Once, she might have dismissed it as a ridiculous romantic notion, but now she saw the truth in those words, the necessity of such emotions, a luxury she had never expected to be allowed, but one she couldn't now live without. She closed her eyes again and snuggled closer to Ash, grinning to herself as his arm reflexively tightened around her, as if he couldn't bear for there to be any space between them, even in sleep.

She never wanted to leave this bed, not when Ash was here, not when she had no worries racing through her mind, and not when she'd managed a whole night of sleep without being woken by the boys. She grinned to herself at the thought of Nektas babysitting them, at the way he'd likely enlist Jadis to help him since even a draken would struggle to calm both of them at the same time. They would look like Ash, she knew it, had known it from the moment they'd been born, their reddish hair the same tone that shone through Ash's in the sunlight, even with the differing shades, that color came from him. Their eyes were shaped like his, although the color came more from her, not pure silver as a primal's were, but the eather already coursing through their veins was visible nonetheless. Sera smiled to herself at the memory of Ash counting the freckles across Ires' nose and cheeks, nineteen, and the few, barely visible ones across Malec's, five. She shifted slowly to look up at her husband's face, the smile growing to a grin. In sleep, she could hardly have believed he was a primal, let alone the Primal of Death, he was just a man, he was just hers.

Ash blinked his eyes open, sleep still clouding them when Sera grinned again,

"Hi, sleepyhead," she laughed, her smile growing when he reached up with his free hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear,

"Hi," he smiled then, truly smiled, and Sera's breath caught in her lungs at the sight of it, it had been far too long since she'd woken up with him, really woken up in his arms, let alone seen that sleepy smile in the mornings. "Have you been awake long?"

"A few minutes. I didn't want to wake you,"

"You just wanted to stare at me while I slept?"

"That's not what I was doing!" She protested, but folded at his raised eyebrow, "Okay, I kind of was, but I haven't seen you so calm in weeks, can you blame me?" He grinned again, then laughed,

"Oh, I couldn't possibly fault you for finding any excuse to stare longingly at me," he teased, and Sera smacked his shoulder, hard enough that he feigned hurt, enacting a rather accurate impression of a dead body, at least until Sera started her half-hearted performance of grief, clapping a hand over her mouth and flopping to the mattress hard enough that Ash threw out a hand to keep from toppling off the edge of the mattress, "Cruel, Liessa," he crooned, and rolled out of bed, scooping her into his arms as he stood. A part of her automatically went to wriggle away, but the other, more insistent part, took control, and she relaxed into his hold, looping her arms around his neck, and letting out a deep sigh of contentment,

"I missed you," she murmured as he finally set her down onto a chaise before rifling through the wardrobe,

"I know, I'm sorry." Ash tipped up her chin to catch her lips in a brief kiss before murmuring, "You know I love you, and I hate leaving you, even if I know you're not alone, I just, I don't like it,"

"It's not like you're leaving me behind because you want to, some things are unavoidable, besides, I don't want to leave the boys for long yet, I'm not upset, I just missed you, and I'm glad I get you all to myself for a day," Ash shot her a feral grin from where he'd dropped to his knees before her, lifting her arms to tug a shirt over her head, and slowly lacing up the bodice over the top of it. He took his time with the laces, never once taking his eyes off Sera's, pinning her to the spot with his gaze alone, and she almost swore when he stood to retrieve a pair of tights, just about restraining herself, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her reaction.

"I believe someone was promised a picnic lunch," Ash grinned as he slipped a jacket on, retrieving Sera's as he moved to open the door. She hummed as he wrapped the jacket around her shoulders, rising onto her tiptoes to brush a kiss to his cheek before ducking under his arm and out into the corridor. Still, she made no move to escape when he followed her, catching a hold of her hand and leading her away from their rooms.

Sera shot a look over her shoulder, at the second door, the door behind which their baby sons had been sleeping. They wouldn't still be there now, but half of her wanted to go and look, to check on them before leaving. Ash seemed to sense the direction of his thoughts and he squeezed her hand,

"Nektas used to like to taking Jadis for a walk in the gardens when she was small, you want to go and see before we go?" Sera nodded, her mind preoccupied, it wasn't that she didn't trust Nektas, besides Ash he was the one she trusted most, but not seeing her children every morning felt wrong and she needed to see them.

Nektas was indeed in the gardens when they found him, humming as he walked, a child in each arm, swaying slightly to keep them settled. He smiled when he rounded a corner, catching sight of Sera and Ash making their way towards him,

"Look," he murmured, "Momma and Papa have come to see you," Sera chuckled to herself at the sight of the draken talking to her boys, he just, he looked so normal, almost human.

"Leave your brother alone," she laughed when Malec tried to reach out, his hands snagging in Ires' blanket as Nektas handed them both over, "Momma's here baby, see," Malec's eyes were wide as he stared at her, perhaps moments away from proving just how loud he could be when he was upset. Sera scooped him into her other arm before he could complain, rocking from side to side until twin giggles floated through the air. She glanced over her shoulder, finding Ash staring straight at her, his eyes practically glowing as a grin spread across his face. "What?" Sera demanded,

"I love you," he said, stepping forwards to brush his lips across her cheek as he grinned down at their sons in her arms, laughing as Ires reached out to grip his finger, but hiccuped and almost shook himself out of Sera's arms. "They're perfect," he murmured, "So are you," that whisper in her ear shifted Sera's thoughts far away from the babes in her arms and towards much more interesting places. She lightly elbowed Ash in the ribs, laughing as he feigned hurt, earning a giggle from Ires as he stumbled.

"Are you sure you'll be okay all day? We can come back after lunch if you need-" Sera started to ask, but Nektas raised an eyebrow,

"I'll be fine, at least these two don't set anything on fire, go Sera, you both need a day off, go and have one, and don't worry about us, we're going to have a great time, aren't we boys?" Both boys' gazes had locked onto the draken from the moment he started talking, so much that they hardly noticed when Sera handed them over, go, Nektas mouthed, before they notice you're gone, Sera shook her head as she tiptoed back, Ash on her heels, and stifled a giggle until they'd slipped back inside before letting it out.

"Poor Nektas," she laughed, her heart racing as Ash curled a hand under her chin from behind, tugging her head back so that he could kiss her, as if he'd been waiting to do just that. Sera closed her eyes, melting into his hold, his warmth. "What was that for?" She chuckled when he released her mouth, spinning her round in his arms so that they were face to face,

"Do I need a reason?"

"I guess not,"

"You laughed, it's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard, and every time I see you with the boys I want to kiss you, but I know you'd never let me kiss you properly in front of them,"

"Right you are," Sera laughed again, "But no-one's here now," Ash flashed her a cocky smirk, his gaze fixing her to the spot as he wound a hand into her hair, tugging her head back as he really kissed her, all thoughts flying from her head the moment his lips met hers. She opened for him at once, moaning softly into his mouth at the way he tugged her against him, an arm tight around her waist, supporting her weight as he practically devoured him. She might have dragged him straight back to the bedchamber they'd just left, but a door swung open,

"Oh Fates," Sera laughed at the voice as Ash released her, only to tug her closer, shooting a death glare over his shoulder at Saion, who was blinking furiously, "Never gonna unsee that,"

"Oh really?" Sera teased, "So easily scandalized," she chuckled, "You must be downright boring,"

"Just rather not see you two five seconds from tearing your clothes off is all," he winked as Ash continued to glare, at least until Sera wriggled out of his grip,

"Kick his ass later, I was promised a picnic, and I'm getting hungry."

It was a novel sight, seeing Odin laden not with the trappings of battle, but carrying baskets of food and a blanket. He didn't seem to mind, instead nudging Sera's hand for apples the whole time they were walking through what used to be the dying wood. It certainly wasn't dying anymore, vibrant green leaves brushed past Sera's face, tangling in her hair as the horse nudged her side a bit more insistently. She chuckled and shoved his nose away, grinning when Ash picked a blossom out of her hair, and Odin sulked at having lost her attention, snorting loudly and pinning his ears back,

"Awwww," Sera crooned, "Is the spoiled brat throwing a tantrum?"

"If he's spoiled, it's only because of you," Ash teased, clearly pretending not to notice the apple she subtly fed to the horse behind her back. There was something special about Ash's horse, beyond his size and the magic around him, a sort of intelligence that always made her wonder if there was some other magic about Primals' horses. From what she could tell, Setti had been the same when Attes had visited a few months ago, but she'd been weeks from giving birth, perhaps she was imagining things. Still, Odin took the hint the moment his saddlebags had been unloaded and the saddle and halter set aside. He tossed his head once, almost in a farewell, a yell if you need me, sort of look as he trotted through the trees to a small clearing rich with grass and a few low hanging apples. "Does one need hooves to get any attention these days?" Sera jumped at the sound of her husband's voice from behind her, but she sighed and leaned back into him as he curled an arm around her waist,

"Is he more intelligent than normal horses?"

"What?" Ash tugged her back to where he'd set out the picnic blanket, pulling her down into his lap, "I suppose he is, I never really thought about it,"

"He seems to understand things other horses don't,"

"Like when he's a third wheel?" Ash's voice was velvety soft, a slightly deeper tone than usual as he grinned,

"Among other things," Sera leaned sideways to reach into one of the baskets Ash had arranged to be packed, knowing full well that, with the way she was practically lying across him, her ass was right in his lap. Still, she squeaked in surprise when he lightly smacked it, "Pervert," she hissed, earning a deep chuckle, even as he grabbed the mini quiche she's been reaching for, "Hey," she complained, huffing in annoyance when he gently leaned on her lower back to keep her still,

"These are good, you should try one,"

"I was!" She complained, "Get off, asshole,"

"Oh, I couldn't do that, I'd be putting myself at risk of being stabbed, again, and I quite like being able to see your ass," oh she was so going to stab him if he didn't let her up in the next ten seconds,

"I only stabbed you once," she muttered, "And you deserved it,"

"For?"

"Sneaking up on me! We've been over this,"

"Still, you wouldn't have been caught off guard if you'd checked the house first," Sera groaned, and pushed herself up when Ash moved to lean back, finally handing her one of the quiches he'd stolen moments earlier, abating the urge to indeed stab him, lightly, affectionately. Fates, there was something wrong with both of them. She glared at him for another moment, but allowed him to pull her into his side, closing her eyes to just take in the peace around them, the feel of his arm around her shoulder, her side pressed against his, his chest under her cheek. A bird sang in the distance, and a brook bubbled nearby, no bustling streets, no complaints to handle, no visiting gods or Primals, nothing and no-one but her and Ash. Fates, she could spend every day for the rest of forever like this, with no-one to bother them but the wind and trees. Ash wound a hand into her hair, twirling the different strands around his fingers,

"Want me to teach you to braid it? Since you're so fascinated by it,"

"I wouldn't know how to start," he admitted,

"C'mon," Sera laughed, sitting up and snorting a laugh at the way his brows furrowed and he pointedly glanced down at the space she'd occupied a moment ago,

"I'll be cold now, come back here and cuddle me,"

"Old men and their damn needs," she teased, "C'mere," she pulled him up to sit beside her, and divided her hair in half, one to show him what to do, and the other for him to practice on. It was more difficult than she'd anticipated, with a string of curses falling from Ash's lips each time he dropped the braid or it twisted round or he forgot which strand he needed to move. Sera giggled to herself at each curse, starting her demonstration again and again and again, until he'd finally gotten the hang of it. She was still giggling to herself when Ash turned her round to face away from him as he pulled her hair into two braids along the sides of her head, and combined them into one long braid falling down her back.

He was practically bouncing with delight when he finished, and Sera grinned, caving to the uncontrollable urge to kiss that cocky grin off his face, ending up first in his lap, her hands fisted in his hair as he devoured her, then flat on her back on the ground, clinging to Ash's shoulders as he kissed along her jaw and down her neck, she chanted his name over and over, and he caught her head as she tossed it back, stopping it from hitting the ground,

"Don't ruin my hard work," he warned,

"Or what?" She asked, a bit breathlessly,

"Or I'll have to punish you,"

"Yeah? Good luck with that,"

"That's how it's gonna be then? You'll be singing a different tune later, Liessa, with my tongue and fingers and cock between your legs, or have you miraculously stopped needing me?"

"Don't need you," Sera ground out, desperate to keep her voice steady as he slid a knee up between her thighs, rubbing right against the most sensitive part of her, "Ash," she gasped, and he hummed,

"Don't need me? Happy to wait for later, for a proper bedchamber?"

"No," she whined, tugging at his shirt, "Ash,"

"Well?"

"Please," she whimpered, "Need you, please, Ash, pleasepleaseplease," Ash chuckled at the desperation in Sera's voice,

"I'm not sure you deserve it after all that,"

"No, please,"

"Gonna behave?" Sera nodded, "Be a good girl for me?"

"Yes, yes, just please,"

"Good girl," he crooned, slipping her tights off, followed by the bodice and shirt, her moans filling the air around them as he showed her exactly how much she needed him, and how much he needed her.

Sera lost track of time, lying on the blanket next to Ash, his voice in her ears, talking about everything from Jadis' latest adventures to what Sera was going to say to Ezra when she saw her and Marisol. Sera must have fallen asleep at some point, because Ash was carrying her through the trees when she woke, Odin nibbling at his pockets for treats. It wasn't just her that spoiled the horse, even if Ash thought she never noticed, she saw the extra apples he slipped Odin, he was worse than she was, stealing sugar cubes from the kitchen just to feed them to the horse. She twisted out of his grip, but her chest warmed when he slipped her hand into his, curling his fingers around hers as they walked side by side back to Lethe, and the dinner reservation he'd made. She'd needed this, this day, this time to have him all to herself, and to escape the stress of being Consort, and Primal of Life, even if the world couldn't know that just yet. Sera squeezed Ash's fingers gently,

"What?" He asked, squeezing back,

"Nothing, well not nothing, it's just, I love you," Ash leaned over to kiss her temple,

"I love you, Sera."