A/N: By popular request I have written a fourth (AND FINAL) part to The Bride to address my "fade-to-black" cliffhanger. I credit Michelle (aka LotornoMiko) with the epic starting catchphrase.


A/N: I was VERY conflicted with this chapter. Parts of it I liked and parts of it not so much so try to be kind and give me constructive criticism if you will.


His words were shiver-inducing.

"Aren't they the same?"

Her legs trembled beneath her weight with Vytis supporting her as he guided her into an alien room. She was surprised – they never made it to the bed. Vytis gently laid her against the wall with insistence, his lips ghosting a soft trail of kisses reverently upon her jaw line, "Astridr, my beloved, by morning you will know that isn't true."

His arms curled around her and she was relieved for the moment he had touched her a familiar longing tightened within her, her weight melting beneath the ardent pressure. Immediately she was grateful for the way his arms curled possessively around her waist for he was the only one keeping her up. Their lips touched, the palm of his hand cupped her cheek for a brief but tender moment before sliding along the surface of her neck. Finally it came to a stop to rest upon her shoulder as his warm mouth tightened, claiming the soft skin of her mid-neckline.

The pressure was gentle but insistent; she could not explain what he was doing. It felt like he was biting but it was so gentle and almost lost to the suction of his lips over the delicate, pale hollow of her throat. She was pinned but behind her back she felt a single wandering hand, moving along her spine as he maneuvered his fingers expertly through the laces of her gown. It was easy to follow his progress from how her dress loosened to provide purchase for his hands to wander freely. However each caress, every touch wasn't unpracticed, wasted, or wanton. It was made to entice and stir a latent hunger in her that was all too eager to rise to the challenge of his summons.

From behind his hand moved forward, gently drawing down and banishing the velvet that concealed her from view. She couldn't resist the urge to tremble as she felt his fingertips brush and graze between her breasts. Up until now his seduction had sent her desire directly to her feminine core but as he teased the skin so close to her bosom she felt even it yielding, tightening like the rest of her in longing. Her breathing could only intensify as his kisses followed his questing hand. One hand came to rest upon a single nipple gently stroking over the surface while his mouth laid a gentle kiss upon the other.

His grip tightened around her waist, lifting her up to where his mouth was in contact with her skin but as he drew her close his mouth pulled back, a breath caressing over the wet surface as he spoke, "Astridr?"

"Yes?"

"Relax; this is for you, for your enjoyment."

Relaxing didn't come easily but if it was for her enjoyment he was definitely succeeding. His palm softly encircled the soft weight of her breast as he bent back down to take the other in his mouth. His mouth curled around the tightening skin of her nipple stimulating the flesh diligently, teasing it with his teeth and tongue. Every nip sent a pure signal of pleasure and arousal. The swollen bud of flesh alternating between tightening, softening, and tightening again and all the while his intent and through devotion sent spikes of warmth through her.

His hand, while not the same, was warm and just as thorough. He could not possibly be paying full attention solely to the task at hand but he kneaded the soft flesh lavishly, possessively. To her she knew she should have felt outrage to have him touch her in such a wanton manner. She was his wife, a respectable female yet it felt so…natural. Even as he aroused her to response again and again it made her feel calmed, it accustomed her to him, his presence, his touch. Never did he do this to shame her, only to see to her comfort.

Nor did he slight or fail to see to her comfort equally. Although part of her felt his loins stirring in an excitement to match her own he ignored it. He was a considerate lover, drawing no comfort for himself as he drew her long hair out of the way to allow his mouth descended on her other breast. His warm mouth sank into the soft flesh beguiling it beneath the tender scrutiny of his lips and the insistent pressure of his tongue. Every soft purposeful stroke of his tongue made the skin of her nipple tighten to a point. He continued to tease over the fragile skin in torment until she felt the response all over.

Her nerves were alight with sparks of pleasure that seemed to travel through her veins all the way through her body until they came to the tips of her fingers and toes. The energy was vibrant almost invigorating. There was a dampness that she could feel between her legs, a dampness that came from her feminine passage which ached. Even she realized the suffering was from the lack of something. The pleasure had been incredible but it had not been what her body desired in entirety. When the tender flesh between his lips had gone soft again she felt his gaze follow his descending hands.

His skin brushing against hers, especially her lower body made her legs feel weak. Finally his palms came to rest on her hips and hefted her against the wall as he sank onto his knees. His grip was careful but firm holding her up effortlessly. Her legs spread as he guided her to situate them over each of his strong shoulder. His breath caressed over the surface of her womanhood and suddenly understanding hit her as she was trapped between him and the wall – he was going to come at her from below.

Even forewarned of his intent she could not have prepared herself as his tongue parted her nether lips and slipped over her soft skin, surging inward, into her feminine heat. Again she should have felt outrage or spoken against such scandalous treatment but she didn't think she could have any voice even if she wanted to. Again her body desired that which defied logic and she listened to it rather than holding herself up to self-prescribed limits. Her reactions were all instinct, every step of the way. She quivered in his solid hold as he grazed his velvet muscle in an exploration of the silk within. It felt good but was no relief.

As if sensing the minor dissatisfaction of her body he switched tactics in such a way that she realized he knew exactly what it desired, what she desired. His tongue slipped out only to sneak back in just as quickly. Her husband was using his tongue, using it to mimic the actions of the previous night when he had…

Her breathing escalated as she felt the soft muscle go in and out, slow in the beginning but quickly picking up speed with every stroke. Astridr tried hard not to feel the need to react so completely but it was a task in itself to not try to follow his tongue in its retreat. Especially when each retreat, every withdrawal made the base of his tongue hit against the small bud of flesh between the lips of her womanhood. Never before had she realized that so much of her lower anatomy could provide such…pleasure.

The raw strength of his tongue continued to try to clean it, an endeavor it miserably failed to accomplish. Every movement made her try to clutch the elusive muscle in an attempt to hold his tongue in place, an endeavor she likewise failed at miserably. Even she could feel the damp heat between her thighs growing tense in her arousal and knew what was coming. Again he was pitching her upwards, gaining a response that her body freely gave in light, in response to the provocative actions. A flush rose to her cheeks unable to keep control over her responses. Truly she was so flustered but she could wrap her mind around one fact - she wanted him inside her.

Vytis from the beginning had been shown to have a healthy appetite of a physical nature and now she knew that she had one too, no matter how repressed, within her regardless of her health complications. On the heels of the second release she was allowed to relax. Vytis pushed her legs gently off his shoulders, his arms extending to catch her, gently lifting her down to where she was level with him as he kneeled. Beneath her she felt his erection but he didn't try to force himself inside her yet. Although she was eager for the consummation her eyes flickered to Vytis who was frozen. A single hand softly drew her radiant hair behind her shoulder while his eyes seemed to drink in the sight of her suffused in a pleasure of his own construction, "Astrid, may I call you that?"

It was the first time any had asked to call her pet variation of her name; his tone was so reverent that she knew it was a testament or token of affection between them. A smile came to her lips readily and she nodded, "Astrid, are you able to continue?"

It was her choice to decide? Surely most husbands did not allow their wives to dictate but she realized that he allowed her this decision, his leniency because she was frail and fragile in comparison to him but her appetite was great for him. After all she had experienced this night she wanted to feel completion. Vytis had been right she would understand the difference between desire and pleasure. Desire was the flames that kindled the inferno that was pleasure. Up until now he had fanned the flames of her desire until she experienced pleasure but none of it would amount to the equal of the pleasure she knew would come between them when they were one – together physically and emotionally.

"I am, I want to…"

In the darkness she could feel his gaze fall on her. His lips pressed softly against her, hands gently guiding her legs to part, his length slipped into place prodding against the wet folds until they parted to envelop his intrusion. After the soreness from the consummation of the previous night she had half expected to feel the same pain but this time there was nothing of the sort. No pain and her body no longer ached as he filled the confines of her feminine sheath. Her eyes closed as she felt her body clench around him. Vytis pulled her close, just holding her as he started to move, bucking between her legs. He was gentle on her body, holding back his full strength she was sure, but the effect she felt was instant and intense despite his gentleness.

As he continued to sink into her she knew it wasn't going to be long or drawn out for either of them. He was so rigid that he had obviously gotten aroused off of her reactions, she felt him quiver as she constricted around him. His breathing rate rose as he continued to slip out with difficulty and fight for purchase within her slick silken heat. The frenzied rate of breathing drowned all other sound out of her hearing but it took her a moment to realize that it wasn't him alone but her. She felt herself trembling in his arms as every upward stroke into her delivered a spike of pleasure that circulated to her body. Her breathing striking a desperate pitch to match his as she panted from the effect the pleasure wrought on her untried body.

Vytis eyed her with unquestioned desire but it held a layer of concern? She didn't realize why until it was too late. The final stroke was the nail in her coffin. A feeling of elation surged through her veins, her body quivering in his hold as she wrested their mutual completion together. Too late did she see the dark side envelop this triumph, ruining this moment, turning their moment it into a bitter shadow of the beautiful memory it should have been.

Her body again became her worst enemy; she was barely able to feel her final pleasure as her chest blossomed in pain, making her struggle to breathe around the hacking coughs that took over her being. The last thing she remembered was looking up to see Vytis, eyes fixated upon her in horror, as she gave into the darkness.


As usual consciousness came after her respiratory attacks purchased through pain. Her entire chest hurt and she realized that she'd overdone it. So many things had been working against her that day: the cold weather, the continuous travel, the exertion of the lovemaking. Unbidden tears came to her eyes, if there was anything to make Vytis regret taking her as a bride this was it. If she couldn't endure lovemaking however was she to conceive an heir for him. The distress taking over her made her descend into desperate coughs and part of her prayed for death so she didn't have to deal with disappointing her spouse. Instead she felt arms slip around her naked form in the darkness, a cloth held against her mouth. Instantly she saw blood stain the white but the soft touch over her chest below her breasts stroked softly over the skin until the coughs died down. The strong calloused hand travelled upward over her skin and finally came to rest beneath her eyes, wiping the tears free before they could stain her cheek.

Vytis…

"Astrid?"

"I-I…," she tried not to cry so he didn't have to wipe away MORE tears.

His voice sounded slightly light, "Sorry? You don't have to be. I am sorry, I took things too far…"

"It's not your fault…"

"Nor is it yours…now, rest, love. We'll get through this…together. Amaranth."

"Amaranth?"

He had called her this so many times but she never understood what it meant.

"A flower of unfading and flawless beauty, much like yourself. Rest, I am going nowhere."

Part of her could hardly dare to believe it, he wasn't disappointed even after this? What was more, he blamed himself? Maybe fate had given her exactly the spouse she deserved, maybe she truly had a soul mate who valued her for what she was and saw more to her than she did herself. Every time she had an attack at home neither her father or sister got involved leaving it to Mereit or other servants. Part of her expected to wake up to find a servant attending her in this new and strange place but instead she found herself alone with him personally tending to her repulsive needs in the dead of the night.

It seemed foolish, almost like a romantic faerie tale that had no basis in reality but she could feel only sincerity in the tender emotions between them every time she experienced them. Intuition told her that after everything they had experienced nothing would change in their future. Vytis, her beloved, was more than a man of his word, he was a man of love…whether he realized it or not.

Her one true love…


Freya recoiled as if burned, realizing suddenly that the memories held strength that she had previously underestimated. Their power came not from simple mortal emotions but from the intense love this lady felt for her beloved. Why had it taken her so long to realize the danger of the mortal that reappeared in each and every memory of import?

Love…

She wished she could deny it but it was written, plain for all to see. Love was a difficult emotion to seal, love is what made it impossible for the gods to destroy the mortal souls of the sleeping Valkyries. It endangered all she strove to prevent. If love came so easily between this Astridr and her beloved than this was the beginning of a much more difficult conflict than she had fought to date. All the memories she sealed up til now seemed trivial, simple to bury but they would gain strength from this stupid emotion. Her work would have to intensified enough to bury any chance that the memories could surface within Silmeria.

The mortal was most troublesome. She'd seen him when she collected Silmeria from this Astridr's deathbed and she hoped that he died. Once this Vytis returned to the cycle of reincarnation there would be none alive upon Midgard formidable enough to stir the memories, infusing them with enough strength to challenge the constructed seal.