Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: Written: 2019 - Licia

She could feel it, flurrying just beneath the skin. As their lips met at the stroke of the hour, it moved from beneath her skin to on top of it, finally released and free. It danced up her arms and along the strands of her hair, tinting her body and clothing lightly in blue. Snowflakes began to swirl lazily around them, as she deepened the kiss, their bound hands tucked between them. His other rested at her waist, and her left reached down of its own accord, fingers flexing softly.

Vanja had informed her that she would have no control of her magic upon the stroke of the witching hour, and though Elsa was worried, she had finally come to accept that there would just be periods where she would have no control over her magic. And what was more, she could feel the other four spirits beginning to make their appearance as well- a light rain, courtesy of Nokk, turned into a mist thanks to Gale dancing about, pricking at each of the candles with laughter; sparks dashed about the ground as Bruni pranced about, and a soft rumbling beneath their feet was felt as the earth giants made their approval known.

Her magic began to dance with the others, and she hummed softly against his lips. The laughter and excitement of the tribe brought them apart, and Hans rested his forehead to hers, and they looked up. She let out a soft laugh, watching as her snow danced with Gale- who also lifted Bruni off his feet.

"Oh! Pretty!"

She turned her gaze to the ground at one of the children's cries- Aase, if she remembered right- and she giggled, seeing the swirling frost dancing about the ground. A moment passed, before she met Hans' gaze, and then backed up. She stopped however, upon realizing that the hand she normally used to gather her skirt was currently bound to his; she could have lifted the other side of her skirt, but oftentimes, the foot she used sent the ice skittering in the opposite direction. A laugh escaped her and she met his gaze. "Help me with something, husband?" She stopped- husband! Oh, it was such a funny term, when she truly thought about it!- and blushed softly.

He raised an eyebrow. "My skirt?" The eyebrow rose, before he reached for the material, stopping. "It won't melt, not until I say so." A moment passed, before he nodded, reaching for it and lifting the portion he'd grabbed to her hip. Taking a deep breath, she very gently stamped her foot into the ground. A soft crackling was heard as her signature snowflake appeared beneath them. Her magic continued to swirl and dance with the others, and she lifted her head, closing her eyes in contentment, if only for the moment.

When she opened her eyes next, it was at a soft gasp. She turned; the four runes of the main elements were coated in beautiful, spiral fractals of frost that seemed to tattoo itself into each stone, and she smiled. "I take it they approve?"

She turned back to Hans, stepping closer and nodding. "They approve." She sighed, biting her lip. "I think they approved from the start, but because I was so uncertain and so against us, they sided with me, because we are all a part of each other." She glanced down at their hands. "Just as we are a part of each other, now. I love you."

He whispered it back, kissing her softly, before letting out a startled yelp as he was lifted off the ground. Elsa's laughter filled his head as she followed, thanks to Gale. "We will... be put back down right?" He didn't bother trying to hide the worry in his voice, and she nodded, reaching up to caress his cheek.

"What's wrong, sailor? I thought you were used to having your feet leave the ground."

"Yeah, on ships, Elsa dahl. It may not be land, but it's still sturdy. This... this is not sturdy." She giggled, reaching up and lifting his chin.

"Someone needs to learn to trust the spirits." He scowled at her.

"I do trust the spirits. I'm married to one. She's the only one I need to trust." Her soft giggle reached his ears, and he looked up, the panic he felt at having his feet leave the ground gone as she shifted closer, nuzzling his cheek.

"By trusting me, you trust all of them, love. We're extensions of each other, just like you and I are."

Before Hans could say anything, their feet were back on the ground, and it took him a moment to get his balance back. "What was that for?"

She shrugged, smiling. "We're spirits. Do you really expect us to need a reason?"

After several minutes, Yelena spoke up, urging everyone to return to the camp before turning to the couple. It was tradition in the Northuldra for the multiple cords to be removed and replaced with a single one, wound multiple times about their wrists, that would stay until it was time for the couple to retire. As the magic continued to dance about, Yelena gently untied the cords, removing them each slowly and carefully, to allow the return of blood flow back into their wrists be gradual. Once the last cord fell away, Yelena nodded to Elsa. She had asked earlier, and the chief had agreed.

After gently flexing their wrists, Elsa lifted her free hand. With a soft nibble of her lower lip, she twirled her index finger slowly; what appeared in place of the six cords was a single cord made of ice and frost, colored a light, soft blue, softer than the softest of silks with a beautiful pattern of snowflakes along the ends. It wound slowly about their wrists, binding them together once more, thought not as tightly as for the actual ceremony.

Hans sighed in relief. "No offense to Yelena or tradition, but I like this one more; gives me a little more freedom to move my hand." She giggled, moving close and kissing him quickly in agreement. The chief chuckled softly.

"You will keep that upon your wrists until you return to your hut; only then will you remove it." She studied the pair, smiling softly. "Don't worry, no one will disturb you once you return to your hut. Ancient tradition once said that the tribe would wait outside the hide, making noise and encouraging the couple during their first night together," The pair seemed horrified. "but that tradition fell away as the years passed. Now, offerings are left for the couple-"

"Offerings?" Hans furrowed a brow.

"Things to encourage the couple to engage in their first act as husband and wife-" She chuckled softly as both began to blush. "And in the morning, breakfast is left for them. The next few days after are to give them a chance to adjust to marriage."

Elsa swallowed, something tugging at the back of her mind. "And... and my... my virtue? And... children?"

Yelena furrowed a brow in confusion, before remembering. "Primitive we may be, but there is nothing more primitive than checking that a woman, newly bound and freshly married to her husband, lost the barrier within her most sacred of places. The Northuldra do not check a woman for her lost virtue, Elisabeth, do not worry. Women bear the fruit of their husbands' seeds, they are Great Mother's human personification, able to bring life into being; that is sacred, as sacred as the bonds of marriage. We do not force it nor check that a woman carries the fruit of her husband within her. If Great Mother and the spirits wish to bestow motherhood to a woman, they will do so, not the Northuldra."

She watched her niece bite her lip, glancing at Hans before he spoke next. "That's... very noble, Yelena, but..." He sighed, squeezing Elsa's hand as he gathered his thoughts. "Vanja said that we are to bear-"

"Me, Johannes. Not we, not you, me. I am to bear a child." Elsa cut in curtly, and he winced at the chiding as Yelena chuckled softly.

"Right. Sorry, love." He sighed, having lost his train of thought. "She said that we are to have a child, but not now. Soon. So, does that mean..." He stopped, glancing at his wife, who continued to worry her lip in anxiety.

Yelena sighed. "I don't know. I cannot tell you. Vanja cannot tell you. And neither can the spirits. When it is time for a child to come along, you will know." She could see the question in the young prince's gaze and held up a hand. "The night you conceive your first child will be different; it will feel different to both of you. Your connection, which is and will be strong, will be stronger. I cannot tell you if you will know the exact moment your child is conceived, Elisabeth, but it will feel different."

"Do you think we'll be ready by then?" Hans whispered, and Yelena reached out, taking both their chins.

"No one is ever truly ready when a child arrives. But we do our best to give them the world. It is all we can do." She caught Elsa's gaze, sighing softly. "It will be okay. Your marriage is already keeping the river at bay, I can see it in your eyes. It's grip is still there, but your magic and your union is keeping the voice back, for now. Your joining later tonight will help. With any luck, we may be able to keep the river's assault at arm's length, at least until we can figure out the best course of action. So relax, we are ahead, for the time being." She gently caressed Elsa's cheek. "Now come on, we have a wedding to celebrate."

The pair followed Yelena back to the camp; food and drink was laid out, music and laughter abounded. Upon their appearance, cheers and congratulations were heard as many came up to congratulate them. They settled down to eat and drink, enjoying the music and noise, and the feel of a weight- not matter how small, no matter for how long- being lifted from their shoulders. Unlike 'civilized' wedding receptions, there was no first dance, not that either Elsa or Hans were bothered by it. In fact, many of the restraints they had faced among 'civilized' society, were barely noticed or accepted by the Northuldra; it was refreshing, to feel so free of the normal constraints of what had once been their society.

Eventually, the revelry slowly began to wind down as the children were put to bed. The music continued and the excitement continued, however Elsa and Hans seemed to only have eyes for each other. He leaned over, brushing a tender kiss to her lips, holding his up out to her, and she accepted, taking a sip of the sweet wine- made from fermented berries- before returning the kiss.

Unsure of whether it was the wine, the heat of the moment, or the excitement of the evening, but suddenly, all Elsa wanted was to be alone with her husband, partaking in that most carnal of desires, reaching that highest of forbidden peaks. She wanted the touch of his hands on the most intimate parts of her body, the weight of him against her, the taste of him on her tongue to last forever-

Slowly, she broke the kiss, resting her forehead to his. "Hans." He met her gaze, green eyes sparkling. She accepted his gentle kiss, reaching up to grasp his clothing, as their other hands rested in his lap.

"What is it, my dahl?"

She swallowed, blue eyes boring into his, and he chuckled softly. "I... I desire more of you than just your kiss." A grin tugged at his lips at her choice of words. "I want all of you, all that you will give me, and I swear I will give all of me to you in return." She caught his mouth again, and he gripped he waist. When finally they parted, he caught her gaze. Then, with a quick kiss to her joined hands, he stood helping her to her feet. They glanced at Yelena, who nodded softly in understanding.

But before they slipped off to Elsa's hut- their hut, now- the Snow Queen turned back. "Vanja, Yelena-"

"The diadem is safe with me tonight, Elsa. It's best if you keep away from it for the next few days; that way we can form some sort of plan while you have a semi-clear head."

"And don't worry," Vanja added. "the spirits all agree, you are safer here in the camp for now. There is no need for you to return to Ahtohallan, not right now. And the more time you stay away, the better chance we have of getting a handle on all of this. I wish we could say that the more you stay way, the weaker the bond between you and the river becomes, but that would be a lie. As of now, all we can hope for is that bond you two have built through your union tonight will be strong enough to keep the river's voice and desires at bay, to perhaps give you a little peace for the time being."

The couple shared a glance, before thanking them silently and slipping off to their hut.