Hello, lovely readers! Thank you all so much for your wonderful and encouraging reviews. They always make my day! I'm so excited to be posting this chapter. It's the one many of you have been waiting for. Hope you enjoy and will let me know your thoughts! Also, major thanks yet again to Almondblossomme for her help with translations.

Chapter 16: The Consummation

Needing to be alone, Felicity went straight to her room instead of the celebration. She couldn't very well return to the festivities with her eyes all red and tear tracks running down her cheeks. She held it together long enough for her guards, who Al Sah-him made sure were never far from her, to escort her back. The cool desert breeze from the balcony felt nice. Down below, torches lined the entrance into the compound and voices rose up from the groups gathered there. Luckily, no one would be able to see her expression or the tears that continued to fall. Her body trembled as the full impact of what she'd said to her father hit her. Years of bottled up pain and anger had finally exploded when she realized how Darhk was trying to manipulate her.

Never again, Felicity swore. It didn't matter that the Pit was losing its effect on him, bringing his mortality closer with each passing day. There was no way to resolve the schism between them. The love and protection Darhk offered was nothing more than a ruse. Another set of shackles disguised in pretty words and empty promises.

Felicity's hands clenched together. Now she worried for Al Sah-him. He'd been gone a short while, but who knew what Darhk was saying to him? Although she trusted her husband, Felicity couldn't quiet that small voice in the back of her mind that warned her father might find a way to drive a wedge between them. It was the only card he had left to play, since the truce was nothing more than ploy. That's assuming her husband hadn't beaten her father to a bloody pulp by now for what he'd said. Despite knowing Darhk was just lashing out for not getting his way, the insult hurt. It all still hurt as she attempted to process it.

"Shamsi," she heard a deep, tender voice behind her.

Felicity jumped in surprise. "Oh, frack! You scared me." She probably should've been used to her husband's silent ninja entrances by now. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Sorry."

"So, what happened? Is he still alive?" Felicity tried to joke. It fell flat to even her own ears. She looked Al Sah-him over and saw that his dagla remained pristine and unruffled. Her eyes next traveled to his hands. The knuckles were neither red nor bloody. No signs of a fight.

"Yes, but I was tempted."

Al Sah-him's hands were unmarred, but Felicity saw the way his fingers were rubbing together at his sides. He wasn't totally unruffled. Something was bothering him.

She closed the distance between them. "What did he say to you?" When he hesitated in his answer, she urged, "Oliver, please."

Oliver sighed and drew her closer. His voice was calm, and yet fury burned in his eyes. "I made it very clear that if he ever disrespected you again, he would find himself on his knees before you with my sword poised at his neck. His reply isn't worth repeating."

"But you were gone for a while. What else did he say?" Felicity persisted.

"It was a typical power play. He tried to intimidate me. It didn't work." He caressed her face, trying to smooth out the lines of her frown. "Despite the alliance, you never have to see him again if you don't want."

She wanted to push for actual specifics again, but maybe he was right not to tell her. The tirade he'd given her was enough for one night. Plus, it seemed as if Oliver had dug his heels in about this. The resolve in his stare made it known he wouldn't be elaborating beyond what he'd already divulged.

"I was afraid that…" Felicity trailed off.

"Afraid that what?" he replied.

"That he said something to make you change your mind about me."

Oliver reared back slightly, as if shocked. "After everything we've been through these past months, you really think I would turn on you?" Disbelief and worry colored his tone. "That I would be swayed so easily?"

"No, I know you wouldn't," Felicity quickly corrected. "But I got scared that…I just…I don't know what I mean. Forget it," she dismissed as her eyes watered with unwanted tears.

"Hey, come here."

Felicity let him envelope her in his strong arms, and she clutched him like a lifeline while she cried. One hand buried itself in her hair while the other stroked her back.

"Do you think I'm weak," she murmured.

His hold tightened. "No," he gritted out. "Is that what Darhk told you?"

"He said I'm always looking for someone to rescue me. First with Dig and now with you…" Felicity muttered. "He played on that, trying to offer me protection if I did what he wanted."

"There is nothing wrong with wanting to feel safe, shasmi. With what you had to endure growing up, I would be shocked if you didn't want that. Darhk was supposed to protect you, and he failed you as a father," Oliver explained. "You have protection now as my wife, but that doesn't make you weak. You've held your own here. That awful night of your abduction, you saved yourself from Al Torr. You've endured a hostile League—which has mostly come to accept you if tonight was any indication—and you've stood up to Ra's and Talia when they tried to intimidate you. Hell, you even challenged me when you were first brought here. The last thing a groom expects is his bride to pull a knife on him during the ceremony," he chuckled.

"Not my finest moment," she muttered with a sheepish smile. Everything he said she'd heard before, but it helped to have it reinforced.

"You're a warrior at heart," he persisted, "whether as my wife or a goddess hacker." That made her smile. "You're one of the strongest people I know. Don't let Darhk make you doubt yourself now."

Felicity glanced up at Oliver, awed by the enduring belief he had in her.

"I didn't intend to make you cry more," he joked while wiping at a fresh wave of tears.

"They're not tears of sadness. I mean, a part of me is sad that my father proved himself to be the selfish, manipulative bastard I always thought he was. But I mostly feel relieved. He's had a hold on me that I've fought for so long…tonight I finally feel like I've been set free."

"I heard the end of what you said to him." At her questioning stare, he explained, "The last time he was here and you angered him, it looked like he was about to hit you. I tried to give you two as much privacy as I could, but I was still worried it might happen again. I listened outside the door in case you needed me, and it sounded like you did when I interrupted."

"Then you know he was really after the Lazarus Pit. Is it true about Ra's? Is he in worse shape than he's letting on?"

"Time is catching up with him, yes. Though probably not at a pace Darhk would prefer," Oliver explained. "It would still be very dangerous to underestimate him."

"How long before he deteriorates completely?"

"Could be less than a year." Felicity felt a twinge of hope, which was soon dashed. "Could be much longer. It's not an exact science."

"So my father isn't on his deathbed like he led me to believe."

"Probably not, but he must be feeling the degeneration enough to be worried. Why else risk sending you here?" Oliver's tone was at war with his actions. It dripped with disdain while he held her in a protective embrace. It was a complicated mix of emotions she understood all too well—being thankful to have found each other but also recognizing the disturbing circumstances that led to it.

"Did you hear he has spies in the League—"

"We're aware of it. Just like we have our own sources in H.I.V.E.," he stated. "But what I appreciate is you protecting the Pit. Thank you for holding it together. I know it must not have been easy when you were so upset."

"It wasn't as difficult as you might think," Felicity confessed. "I wasn't protecting the Pit."

"Well, I appreciate you choosing to put the League—"

She shook her head, already cutting off that line of thinking. "Oliver, you heard what I said to my father, didn't you?"

"I heard bits and pieces," he revealed, "when you were both shouting. You said you wouldn't speak for him when I am Ra's or try to sway me."

"That's all you heard?"

He nodded, clueless. "Was there something else?"

"Yes, there was. Oliver, I didn't lie to spite my father or protect the League. I was protecting you. I would never risk Ra's finding out what you did for me and being angry with you." She cupped his face and held his gaze, matching the intensity in equal stride. "I told my father I choose you. My loyalty is to you, Oliver, not any of them. "

He claimed her lips in a swift and ardent kiss. Felicity opened her mouth for him and tilted her head to deepen it. "You're remarkable," he murmured.

She smiled against his lips. "Thank you for remarking on it."

"I choose you, too," he replied, causing her heart to skip a beat. "In case it wasn't already obvious."

She chuckled. "I know, but I still love hearing it."

"And I loved seeing you have fun tonight. It's the most relaxed I think I've seen you among the other League members."

"It was fun. Although the night isn't over." Their noses brushed as they breathed the other in. The tension in the air between them seemed to thicken and crackle. Every inch of Felicity's body was aware of him. Based on the way Oliver's eyes darkened, she assumed he felt the same way.

Oliver wiped away the remnants of her tears. "Felicity, we don't have to do anything tonight. I'll understand if it's too much after what happened—"

Felicity silenced him with another kiss. "I want to."

Oliver brushed his lips against her cheeks and made his way down her neck. Her eyes closed when his mouth latched onto her pulse point. He murmured against her skin, "You have nothing to prove."

"I know," Felicity hummed. "It's not about that." She broke away and stared up at him. "Oliver, I promise you I'm ready."

Oliver held her gaze, his vibrant blue eyes searching for any signs of doubt or trepidation. He wouldn't find them. She directed his hands down her body and around to the buttons on the back of her dress.

"I've made my choice. I want to give you the wedding night we should've had."

He gripped her and drew her forward, devouring her lips in a slow but passionate kiss. Heat flamed in Felicity's abdomen as a tremor of anticipation coursed through her. She let out a gasp of surprise when Oliver unexpectedly turned her around. He made quick work of undoing the buttons and touching each inch of skin he exposed. Meanwhile, Felicity reached up to undo her headpiece and toss it aside. Her shoes followed, which made her sink a couple of inches lower.

With the last of the buttons undone, Oliver slid the fabric from her shoulders. "I really do love this dress, shamsi." He kissed behind her ear, in the crook of her neck, and along her shoulders. "I couldn't take my eyes off of you all night."

"Good. Mission accomplished," she teased.

"Neither could some of my men." His touch combined with the scrape of the material leaving her body had goose bumps forming on her skin. "I'm going to enjoy torturing them the next time we train," he growled and clutched at her possessively. She shivered; he was too sexy for his own good when he was jealous.

Felicity bit her lip, smiling to herself. "It might be a while. I won't be letting you leave this room so easily anymore."

That earned her a playful nip on the back of the neck. The dress finally pooled at her feet and sparkled in the moonlight reflecting down on it. Felicity was left in nothing more than a thin, silky white nightgown with a sheer, laced bodice. While Oliver continued to explore the exposed parts of her skin with his mouth, his hands traced along her curves. His large hand spanned the length of her abdomen and trailed up. Felicity couldn't suppress the moan when he cupped her breasts and kneaded the sensitive mounds. She leaned back against him for support and huffed in frustration when she felt him still fully clothed.

Felicity spun in his arms and tugged at his dagla. Oliver took the hint and quickly removed it. When the exposed parts of their hot flesh finally met, they both keened. She wasted no time tracing the hard edges hidden underneath soft skin. Whether muscle or a scar, the ridges felt like perfection. Oliver sucked on her bottom lip and bit it when her fingernails scratched along his lower spine. She knew that was a sensitive spot for him and smiled at his groan when she did it a second time.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Oliver lifted her off the ground and carried her into their room. With her leg hitched over his hip, she felt his erection pressed between them and the heat emanating from his hand that was deliciously close to her core. Her back hit the bedpost, and Felicity instinctively arched into him. Her pelvis ground against his shaft, seeking more friction and eliciting a rough hiss from between his lips. She swallowed it with her own and coaxed his mouth further open with her tongue.

Oliver obliged before breaking away to kiss a trail down her chest. She cried out in sweet, pleasurable torture when he bit her hardened nipple through the fabric. Her entire body trembled as her core throbbed with need. Reaching between them, she pushed at the waistband of his pants to free him. Felicity had waited long enough to look on her own husband.

He released her, which almost had her protesting until he discarded the pants himself. Oliver stood before her completely naked and exposed. Felicity nibbled on her lip as her eyes widened at the sight of his long, thick length. Like the rest of his body, it appeared strong and imposing. Her inner walls contracted at the prospect of accommodating him and what he would feel like finally inside of her.

Oliver tipped her chin up. "You're trembling," he murmured. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," she admitted. "But I trust you."

"I'm nervous, too," Oliver confessed, which took her by surprise. He placed her hand on his chest where she could feel his heart racing. "It's never felt like this before."

A charged silence passed between them. Although he never looked away, she sensed something unfolding deep within him. He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it. Felicity was about to ask what was wrong when he suddenly took hold of her face and claimed her lips in a sensual kiss. Seconds later, Oliver bunched the fabric of her nightgown enough to slide it easily over her head. Felicity lifted her arms to help him, and he reached for her panties afterward. Her knees quaked as they slid down her legs. She kicked them away and stood still to let him look upon her completely. Oliver's intense stare was a mixture of longing and appreciation. Felicity knew what desire looked like, but this was more than that. It was reverence.

"You're blushing," he remarked, a hint of teasing.

"You wanted a blushing bride, didn't you?" she joked back before pressing her body fully to his.

Their laughter was short-lived when their naked flesh met. Felicity didn't know how her body could burn hotter when it already felt so inflamed. It was like Oliver made up her entire world, and nothing else mattered beyond the insatiable craving of their bodies to possess the other's. Felicity tilted her head back and welcomed his fiery kiss.

He pulled back momentarily, whispering, "You're so beautiful," before deepening it again.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, clinging to him as the coarse fingers currently memorizing her curves caused the juncture between her thighs to moisten. His own desire pulsed against her stomach, and she reached down to touch the most intimate part of him. Oliver groaned loudly when she gripped him and buried his head in her neck, his breath coming in swift pants. He was hard and turgid in her clutch—like a velvet hammer, capable of both power and pleasure.

Felicity left a trail of kisses along his broad shoulder while pumping him several times. He thrust into her hand before suddenly stilling her movements. "If you keep that up, shasmi, this will be over before it starts."

She reluctantly released him and nodded as her body hummed with pent-up energy. Felicity felt like she might jump out of her skin soon if she didn't get some relief. Their lips reunited in a heated frenzy as they clutched hungrily at the other. Felicity felt Oliver moving them back, and she went willingly onto the bed.

Oliver hovered over her for a moment before breaking the kiss. Felicity moaned in protest but sunk into the mattress when he mouthed his way down her body. His tongue flicked one of her pink, swollen nubs before sucking it into his mouth. It sent a rush of pleasure between her legs and tore an impassioned cry from her throat. Although he'd shaved for Eid Al Ta'sees, there was a thin layer of scruff on his jaw that tickled and aroused her skin. She gripped the back of his neck to keep him close and silently lamented that he didn't have longer hair she could tug on.

Switching to the other breast, Oliver treated it with the same attention. He ventured lower to her abdomen, licking and sucking a trail straight down to the apex of her thighs. Oliver hovered there, looking upon her, and Felicity felt another intense blush coloring her skin at his scrutiny. Self-consciousness overwhelmed her, and she instinctively started to close her legs.

"Hey," Oliver halted her and shoved his body between her thighs to keep them open. "You don't have to hide from me."

"You weren't saying anything." It was a simple enough statement, though her tone revealed her insecurity.

"Does a husband have to talk when he's admiring his wife?"

She shook her head. "No. Although, it would help to know what you're thinking," Felicity blurted out.

He traced a pattern along her stomach. His touch combined with the seductive gleam in his eye made her shiver. "I was thinking, shamsi, about how long I've wanted you."

"Really?" she breathed. Her body was taut with need and eagerness, a welcomed replacement to her self-consciousness moments before. "H-how long?"

"The moment you first touched me. You ran your hand along my arrow brand, and I swear it was like feeling the fire burn me all over again," he explained in a husky voice. "You left your own mark on me that night without even realizing it. And now I almost can't believe you're here…"

Felicity shook her head as her heart swelled. Although she'd sensed the sexual tension between them that night, she hadn't known how deeply she'd affected him. She sat up and leaned forward to kiss him. "If it were anybody else, I wouldn't be here," she said. "I told my father you're a good man, and it's the truth. The only positive thing to come out of all that pain was it brought me to you," she whispered.

Their foreheads touched as Oliver traced her lips with the pad of his thumb. The intensity of his gaze left her feeling exposed and vulnerable but never weak. If anything, there was great power in knowing that such a strong and formidable man was so captivated by her. That he would bend but not break to his own desires all this time until she felt the same in return.

"You are loved, Felicity. Very much," he murmured. "Do you understand?"

A tear slipped down Felicity's cheek. Her heart thundered and expanded in her chest, calling to his, though her mouth seemed incapable of forming words. Felicity kissed him then with everything she had inside of her, drawing him closer with no intention of letting him go.

"Make love to me, ya zawji," she implored.

Oliver guided her back onto the mattress but didn't completely follow. She watched, curious, as he leaned toward his nightstand. He grabbed a square foil from the drawer; Felicity didn't protest. Although she was on birth control, it couldn't hurt to be extra careful. With it secured, Oliver settled fully on top of her.

Felicity relished the feel of him surrounding her. Heat radiated from his body, and his hard muscles flexed against her soft curves. Naturally, her legs widened to accommodate his broader hips. The slickness at her core increased at the sensation of him pressed against her inner thigh.

Felicity wound her arms around his shoulders as he left open-mouth kisses against her flesh. She moaned when his tongue circled the sensitive spot just under her chin before sucking on it.

Meanwhile, his hand slid along the curve of her hips and down to her thigh. He stroked it a few times before hitching it up over his waist. They moaned in unison at the more intimate contact it created, and she unthinkingly lifted her hips wanting more. Oliver latched onto her mouth to swallow the rest of her soft pleas while he reached between them. The gentle caress of his fingers between her folds before slipping inside her center made her body shudder. She bit down on his lip to release some of the tension, and he growled lowly in her mouth.

Felicity was trembling again but not from nerves. Every inch of her vibrated with erotic energy, winding her muscles tight and yearning for release. He thrust his fingers inside once more, making her body hitch. But it wasn't enough. "Oliver, I need you."

She nipped at his shoulder while sliding her hands down his back. She loved the sensation of his muscles responding to her. When she finally reached that spot on his lower back and stroked it, she got the intended response. Oliver groaned and sunk further into her body, the tip of his shaft at her entrance now.

"Look at me, shamsi."

Felicity's eyes popped open at his request, and she instantly got lost in the mesmerizing blue depths. With his free hand, he took hold of her face and buried his fingers in her wavy, golden locks. She was unable able to look away, nor did she want to. Felicity held on tight when she felt him finally enter her. Oliver did it slowly, inch by inch, giving her body time to adjust to him.

They were both breathing heavily and moaning as he penetrated the tightness of her walls. The fullness Felicity felt was almost too much, and yet her body begged for more. She arched upward to take more of him in, and he responded in kind until he filled her to the hilt. Oliver pulsed and expanded inside of her, causing her muscles to ripple around him. Felicity mewled at the salacious sensation.

Oliver stroked her cheek and laid kisses across her face. His tender affections made another tear slip from the corner of her eye. He kissed that away, too, and met her lips.

"Anti lee." You are mine.

She repeated the sentiment. "Anta lee." You are mine.

Felicity felt the shift in that moment. The bond between them strengthening and solidifying as they lay there, naked and intertwined in so many ways. It only got more intense as he began moving inside of her. With each thrust, Felicity felt herself melding to him. She touched the hand that enveloped her face and sighed when their fingers interlaced. She gripped him as their bodies found a passionate, intimate rhythm together.

The coil in Felicity's abdomen tightened every time he sought salvation inside of her. She clenched around him, unwilling to let him retreat, though eager to accept him over and over again. Oliver grunted and groaned in ecstasy every time. The size of him and power behind his thrusts sent shock waves of pleasure Felicity hadn't even known existed throughout her body. A thin sheen of sweat broke out on them both, allowing them to writhe more easily against each other during their passions. Felicity had both legs wrapped around Oliver now, opening herself up to him completely—letting him finally take what he'd wanted for so long and demanding her own long-awaited desires be fulfilled in return.

"Shamsi," he moaned into her neck as his pace quickened.

Felicity's fingernails dug into his shoulder before she reached up to scratch the back of his neck. He thrust so hard inside of her her whole body shuddered and slid up further on the bed. Felicity cried out, begging him to do it again. Their movements became frenzied with their release so close. She suddenly knew what Oliver had meant about her touch branding him. Felicity felt the fire coursing through her body—intense and possessive—as her husband left his mark. This time on her soul and at her own request as she chanted his name.

Felicity's climax came in swift, powerful waves of pleasure that left her panting. Her body arched off the bed as the coil snapped and colors blurred her vision. If it weren't for Oliver's touch anchoring her, Felicity felt like she would've drifted away. He swallowed her moans, his kisses hot and primal, while her walls contracted around him. Oliver proceeded to seek his own release and, moments later, his massive body jolted as his shaft coaxed them both into blissful oblivion. They rode the remaining waves together until collapsing in a heap of tangled limbs, spent.

Oliver's head lay beside Felicity's. She kissed his cheek and rubbed his back, unable to stop touching him. His weight felt a bit heavier on top of her, but Felicity made no move to push him away. She felt warm and safe cocooned between him and the mattress. He turned his head finally and kissed her. Despite their exhaustion, their lips glided ardently against each other.

"Uhebuki," he whispered.

Felicity clung tighter, savoring the connection they still shared, and lost herself in the kiss. His declaration echoed in her mind and reignited the flame in her soul his body had just sparked. She never wanted this moment to end and she knew without a doubt, no matter what happened, she would carry it with her always.

I love you, I love you, I love you...

Translations:

shamsi = my sun

Eid Al Ta'sees = Founding Day

ya zawji = my husband

anti lee = You are mine (male to female)

anta lee = You are mine (female to male)

Uhebuki = I love you