On the eve of their arrival, everyone's attitude wavered. Jarok and Raven got over their tiff and became even better friends, having forgiven each other for the time being for their faults. However, if one were to mention any sort of romance between the two, you were likely to end up with a black eye. Char became his friendly self again, laughing and hugging Xanthee at every opportunity, telling her how she'd love his home-world. However, Wolf could barely muster the courage to come out of his private chambers, let alone talk to his lover that he was doomed to lose forever within a few days. Xanthee herself was torn between the two, and had a horrid case of the wedding jitters on top of that.
As the ship was pulled into Eden's orbit, Jarok and Char scurried to the bridge, laughing like little boys, on their return home. Xanthee followed Raven with her eyes, sitting calmly as Raven made her way to the bridge after the boys uncertainly. Once she was out of sight, Xanthee rose gracefully and hurried into Wolf's room, pulling the door shut behind her and leaning against it like a trapped animal. He glanced up at her and then mustered all his strength to look away. She was wearing a beautiful floor-length gown of the color of silver and pearls that shimmered with every slight movement. It had no ornamentation, and other than the remarkable fabric and revealing slice up the side that stopped just below the hip, was rather plain. Her hair was flowed down around her, framing her face in gold and contrasting brightly with the gown in a dazzling array. After a while, she calmed enough and sauntered over to him. She placed her palm squarely on his chest and pressed him backwards onto the bed where he happened to be sitting.
"W-what are you doing Xa-Your Majesty?" He squirmed a bit under her hand as she began to remove his shirt and he struggled insanely to keep it on for some reason he couldn't quite fathom in his half coherent state.
"I'm not Queen yet, love. What does it look like I'm doing?" Once she'd successfully removed his shirt and dropped it at her feet, she released him long enough to languidly pull the shimmering curtain up and off her body, appearing before him naked. A sultry smile played across her lips at his sharp intake of breath. Of the year they'd been together, this was merely the second time he'd seen her completely unrobed. He reached and caressed her hip lightly, hesitantly. He jerked his hand away with a sudden violent motion, as if the very fire of her passionate spirit had burned him to the core. She laughed musingly, the sound like the tinkling of bells, and fell to him. She hugged him and smothered him with kisses; joy rang in her heart that she was with him again, for she could admit now that she loved them both equally. Something about Char seemed like Wolf, and vice versa. Since she couldn't change the circumstances, she rather preferred to embrace them for what they were. He lay stiffly beneath her, and he could hear the frown in her voice as she bent to whisper in his ear. "This is how it should be, my promised. I love you."
He nodded his head, delirious with passion as her sweet kisses graced his neck, the hollow of his throat, his chest. Xanthee felt his rough hands around her waist as he struggled to kiss her elusive lips.
Suddenly they heard a resounding whoop of joy emanating from the bridge as Char established a connection with the welcoming committee of Eden. Wolf jumped under her and released her forcefully, knocking her off the bed and onto the floor.
"This isn't right Xan, I can't do this. We can't do this. Can't do it ever again, no matter how much I love you." A single tear glistened as it dripped off his chin before he hardened his resolve.
"Oh sweetie, it'll be fine, you know this is what you want, deep down." Xan crawled back onto him and began caressing again, but he lay there stolidly until she gave up, shaking with rage.
"It's not right to sleep with a woman to be married, and as you said, you are not Queen yet. You can't persuade me this time, Xanthee."
"But…" she began helplessly, reaching out for him. She withdrew her outstretched hand when he shook his head once, more command summoned in that single motion than he could ever possibly voice. She pulled her silky dress back on, mussing her hair, and glared at him with hatred as it cleared her head.
Xanthee growled deep in her throat as he continued his melancholy stare, eyes glazing over and clearing them as he yawned. She let loose a wild, animalistic scream as she stomped her little foot and dashed out of his room, slamming the door open against its frame in her fury.
Once she was out of sight, he solemnly reached over and pulled his shirt back on, feeling the ghosts of her kisses and caresses all over his torso. He gently rested his elbows on his thighs and his face in his hands, squeezing the tears of restrained desire silently into his palms. Glancing out the doorway again, he watched her hurriedly finger-combing her hair back into place as Char approached her. He grimaced as Char swept her off her feet and held her in both arms, spinning once in a circle as they both laughed merrily. She kicked her feet cutely, and Wolf walked heavily to the door to push it shut between them, erasing them from his vision. He let out a last choked sob as he was reminded that he could never fully vanquish the image of them from his mind. At least, for as long as the interloper lived.