Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: Written: 2015, Found: 2018- Licia

The winter air chilled her skin, not that she noticed nor seemed to care. It pushed the swing she sat on- the same swing her mother had fallen off of when she was pregnant- swaying it gently back and forth. She knew that everyone was probably looking for her, but at the moment, it didn't matter. Something had been bothering- it had tugged at her all last evening and all this morning, to the point that after the girls had all gone to bed, she'd slipped out of her own room and gone to Mika's.

Without a word, he'd pulled back the covers and shifted over, allowing her to climb up beside him, settling herself against his chest before he wrapped the blankets around her and held her close. He hadn't said a word, simply kissed her forehead and nuzzled her hair, sleeping claiming him once more. It had taken her longer, though the steady rhythm of his heart in her ear had helped.

"You had better plan on enjoying what little time together you will have after the ceremony, Your Majesty. You never know when fate will deem to step in and steal it away."

The Duke's words sent shivers down her spine and turned her stomach sour. It was very evidently a threat- not just made to a ruling monarch, but to a member of the Palmarneae royal family. A threat that Raven, in her anxiety over the wedding, feared would come true.

She'd told Mika that morning, after waking in his arms, about her fears; he'd listened, before kissing her softly, promising that nothing would happen to him, to them, that they would be okay, and that it was just an old man's way of scaring a young woman in hopes of getting her to bow to his will and give in to his demands. "Nothing will happen, Nevermore. I promise. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. He's just trying to scare you to get what he wants."

"Everyone's wondering where you'd gone." She looked up as Mika made his way towards her, his coat unbuttoned on his sturdy form. With a soft sigh, he knelt before her, reaching out to lay a hand on her knee. "Just needed to get away?" She nodded, not trusting her voice. "I fully understand." He straightened, and she shifted to the side; the wooden swing was big enough for two. Silent, she watched as he walked around it until he was behind her, and took a seat, so that he faced her. The wood creaked lightly; it had been years since weight had been placed on it.

His blue gaze studied her; the blue and white pinstripe dress she wore softly complimented her pale skin, and she wore her hair down, the sides pulled back and held with a white ribbon. The black of her cloak made her deathly pale, and yet, it only added to her beauty. They sat in silence for several minutes, before she finally decided to break it. "Mika, I'm scared." She met his gaze, and he reached up, caressing her cheek, letting her get her thoughts together before responding. "What if it comes true? The Duke's threat? What... what if something happens tomorrow? What if I lose you-"

"Shh, shh, Raven, hush." He rested his forehead to hers, taking her face in his hands now and gently stroking her cheeks. "Nothing's going to happen tomorrow, except that we're going to get married. The day we've hoped for for years is finally going to happen and we're going to become husband and wife. Like we always dreamed of." She smiled softly. "And after the wedding ceremony, we're going to make love, and I will do my best to make sure every part of you is satisfied, before we join our family and friends for the reception."

"You always satisfy me, Mikalos." She whispered, reaching up to cover his hands with hers. Her violet eyes turned worried, and she frowned. "I just-" She shook her head, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her close.

"It was just a threat, sweetheart. Just an empty threat made by a jealous little man-"

"An empty threat is still a threat, my husband." She whispered against his bicep. He kissed her head, taking a deep breath. The chill of the winter air settled over his skin, and he buried his face in her hair, holding her close.

"He is a man that is of no consequence to us, my love." He replied, nuzzling his nose against her hair. "And we mustn't let him ruin this." He pulled away, meeting her gaze. "Our wedding ceremony is tomorrow. Today is the last day we will both be single, and we need to enjoy it." She shook her head.

"We have never been single, Mikalos. Even when we were apart, we still belonged to each other. We will always belong to each other."

"In life and in death." He replied, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips. "Nothing, not even Death, will tear us apart." He lifted her hands, pressing firm kisses to her knuckles. "Of that, I promise. Death himself will not keep me away from you, will never keep me away. Even in the hereafter, we will find each other." He kissed her knuckles again and then pulled her close, kissing her deeply, sliding his arms around her waist, beneath her cloak. Gently, he brushed his tongue against the soft skin of her lower lip, and willingly, she allowed him entry. He tightened his arms around her waist, and she wrapped her arms tight around his neck. Their tongues brushed together in a familiar dance they'd done a thousand times before, though this time, this kiss felt different.

Perhaps it was because in ten hours, they would officially be married. Perhaps it was because they knew that the next time they shared a kiss, it would be after vows were made and rings exchanged, when the High Priestess declared them husband and wife before their family and friends, beneath the full moon, before the ever watchful eyes of the Goddess. Perhaps it was because the next kiss they would share- after the ceremony- would be when they finally made love in the small encampment not far from the reception. Or perhaps it was because the next time they awoke in each others' arms, there would be rings on their fingers, signifying their marriage having taken place.

But either way, not matter what the reason, this kiss was different.

He slowly pulled away, meeting her gaze, before bringing her wrist up and pressing a kiss to the pendant that dangled from it. "I will always be here. Not even Death will keep me from you, Ravenna. I am, and always will be, yours. Forever. This is my unbreakable vow."

She released a soft breath, smiling, as she reached up to caress his cheek, before throwing her arms back around his neck and kissing him deeply once more.