Here is a bit of post-wedding. Fun. Getting acclimated with the League.
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Wine culled from grapes that grew on sunny hills not far from Nanda Parbat was surprisingly elegant and plummy. Felicity relished the smooth tannins and thoroughly enjoyed a bottomless glass regularly filled by a faceless attendant. It was a surprisingly tasty and effective anesthetic, desperately needed to calm her nerves. She had heard that weddings were usually stressful events, but somehow doubted that Modern Bride ever covered the intensity of a reception attended by actual killers. Still, wine.
Oliver helped too. He never stopped touching her during the evening's festivities. As they sat together at a table for two in the League's hall and the celebration unfolded before them, she always felt some part of his body connected with flesh. His fingers entwined with hers. His mouth against her temple. His arm enveloping her shoulders. Feeling his touch reassured her that their recent vows were real and that she was safe.
The whole affair was strange. Ra's gave them an inscrutable look when they finally arrived, nearly an hour late. The two avoided eye contact with most of the attendees as they entered, although Oliver did see Merlyn and grinned accordingly. Then Ra's announced the couple, Al-Saheem and Manar, and made another serious speech. Afterwards, for "entertainment," League members demonstrated some impressive combat techniques that reminded Felicity of the dance fighting from "West Side Story." An opulent meal was served and Felicity enjoyed a chance to feed Oliver morsels from her plate. He whispered a reminder that he expected her to be dessert via warm breath and small nibbles on her neck.
Then, Ra's approached the table. Felicity observed him warily, her grip tightening in Oliver's hands. First, he blustered to Oliver about tardiness, but forgave him due to the distraction of his lovely bride. Oliver adopted a fake smile and nodded while squeezing his Consort's thigh beneath the table. Ra's then addressed Felicity directly and presented her with a gift. It was a sword with a smaller-than-usual handle, etched with a flower pattern and sporting a deadly blade. Al-Saheem's Consort gingerly examined the shiny metal. "Ooh, this is very sharp. I am used to being around pointy things, but I've never had anything pointy of my own until today."
The ramifications of her current ramble lost on her, Oliver smiled accordingly. Remembering their recent conversation about her lack of fighting skills, Felicity then gave the Demon's Head a shy smile and a nod of acknowledgement. "I'll try not to hurt myself with it," she said aloud, thinking internally that she was grateful to finally be armed in this pit of vipers. The present was unexpected, but what happened next left Oliver quite speechless. Ra's Al Ghul winked. At Felicity. He would have to ask her about it later.
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After the festivities, if you could call them that, Oliver and Felicity were delivered to their new quarters at a very late hour. The chamber was bigger and even more opulent than Oliver's previous accommodations – more befitting his role as Heir, as well as one who had a mate. They were exhausted from the day, so when they entered, the flickering candles drew them quietly to the bed. They peeled off their robes and crawled into the sheets to hold each other and take some well-deserved sleep.
At daybreak, Oliver awoke, expecting to find a lovely woman curled up next to him. His hand felt for warmth, but there was nothing there to touch. He opened his eyes to find Felicity perched in a chair by the bed, swaddled in a white sheet. Warm light streamed through a large window, creating a halo around her soft hair and a glowing effect on the fabric. The flower necklace had broken and petals were strewn across the floor.
"You look like an angel right now."
Felicity blushed. She wasn't used to compliments this early in the day, but she did not mind them. Oliver turned toward her, partially covered by a red satin sheet, and propped his elbow up to look at her. The welt of the brand on his chest looked less inflamed now, but it would take a week or two for it to heal. The image of him reclining there, relaxed and so perfect, would be filed away by Felicity for the rest of her life.
"How does it feel?" she asked, pointing to her chest in the same place Oliver's new scar resided.
"Stings a little. Don't worry." He smiled because her first thoughts were always of his well-being. It made him feel cherished. "I'm imagining what you'll look like in a white dress, Felicity. One day. Soon."
She smiled broadly at the idea.
"Don't you think the red wedding shroud might catch on? It is much easier to remove."
"True. I hope you weren't disappointed last night. We didn't even get to…dessert. I was just so wiped out," Oliver looked a little sheepish.
"So was I," she smiled. "But, you know, I'm thinking it's still last night back in Starling City…"
"God, I love you. So brilliant."
Oliver's lips turned up and he motioned for her to return to the bed with a wave of his hand. Felicity needed no further encouragement. She got up and unfurled the sheet from around her, once again revealing the mysterious images temporarily covering her soft curves. Oliver licked his lips in anticipation. She tossed the fabric over Oliver and the bed. Felicity crawled onto the firm mattress and fluffed the sheet over them dramatically, letting it cover their heads.
"I love you too."
Oliver moved around under the fabric, eliciting a giggle that shook the bed. Felicity looked down and found him kneeling naked between her ankles. The sheet still covered them both like a thin tent.
"This reminds me of when Tommy and I would make forts with blankets and chairs in the backyard."
"Really," she quirked her brow. "Forts with Tommy? This reminds you of that."
Suddenly Oliver's neck responded, ending his nod "yes" and replacing it with a shake "no." There was, after all, a naked woman involved in this current scenario and he and Tommy should have been so lucky.
Sensing it was time to stop sharing, Oliver bent down to study and lavish attention on her breasts as she gripped the sheets beneath her tightly. He planted his hands on either side of her ribs and lowered his mouth to tease her nipples mercilessly with the tip of his tongue. Felicity knew that she was making enough noise to be heard by the "neighbors," but she didn't care.
After thoroughly mouth mapping of her breasts , Oliver turned his attentions south to her legs. It appeared he had a process. First, he studied the scrolled writings and drawings on an area of skin, then he nuzzled it with his jaw and kissed the spot before moving on. He was on a mission.
"Oliver, what are you doing?"
"Making love to you, Felicity. Exploring."
"Find what you're looking for yet?" she panted.
"Hmm," he murmured, taking a break from worship. He advanced between her legs with a twinkle in his eye. "Special pictures, remember? I'm just an archer looking for his..." Felicity's eyes grew wide and her excitement spiked. Oliver grasped her knees and spread her thighs wide, which coincided with his smile. "Ah, there it is." Oliver hiked her legs over his shoulders and plucked his new favorite bow with his lips and teeth. He was leaving marks all around her soft skin, but she didn't really care. What he was doing made her moan and twist her hips in search of more pressure.
Then he stopped. Felicity caught his eye and watched him move closer, his handsome face stopping at her entrance. She instinctively tensed up. He was…Right. There. Breathing. He tilted his eyes toward her and his expression effectively conveyed an entire collection of impure thoughts. After several moments, Felicity was the first to break.
"Are you waiting for me to do something?"she started babbling. "You are making me feel so…I kind of forgot to talk. How about that?" A few seconds later, Oliver drove his tongue exactly where she wanted it.
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"Bullseye," she whispered into his chest. "Multiple…arrows."
Oliver was thoroughly tangled up in his consort's limbs and they had been consorting quite effectively all morning. He spoke into her hair while running his fingers through it.
"Good. Write it all down." He looked smug, deservedly so. When it came to making Felicity Smoak feel like the most loved woman in the world, he was feeling pretty successful so far.
"Even that part when I used my mouth to…" she grinned.
"Well, maybe not that part, Baby. Who knows who reads those library books?"
"You don't want the other Assassins to find out your Consort is a nymphomaniac with mad bedroom skills?" Oliver pulled her tight against him.
"Things are dangerous here, Felicity. And I know you don't realize it, but you are amazing. The kind of woman that men can't help wanting and falling in love with." Felicity buried her face in his shoulder, planting light kisses across his skin. "Do you understand that? But you're mine now and I need to keep you safe."
"I am. I want to keep you safe too."
"Hey, what happened with Ra's last night? Did he wink at you? Should I be worried, Baby?" Oliver feigned jealousy.
Felicity nipped at the skin above his Bratva tattoo. "Oh yeah, he's a real dreamboat."
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Around mid-day, Oliver suited up in the black uniform of a League member to begin accelerated training. He and Felicity separated with a delicious kiss that would be worth remembering for the rest of the day. She watched Oliver head toward the door, his jaw set and his eyes made hard. He became Al-Saheem before crossing the threshold. Felicity winced inwardly and couldn't wait to end his terrible burden.
The Consort donned a grey tunic and leggings and headed to the chamber where Thea was still unconscious. She had promised Oliver that she would check on his sister whenever possible, but it also ended up being an excellent way to meet with Merlyn far from prying eyes. Felicity slipped into the room and found him reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" aloud. She approved. The girls in the story were strong. This was a way of telling Thea to find her own strength and come back to them. When Malcolm noticed she had entered, he stopped, slipped a mark in the book and placed it on a nearby table.
"How is she doing today? Oliver is going to try to come by later." Felicity approached the young woman – the sister she wasn't sure she'd ever have – and touched her face lightly.
"She is still the same, "Mrs. Queen." Merlyn's eyes seemed watery all the time since they Felicity was attacked. Felicity had only just noticed.
"I'm not…Mrs. Queen."
"Maybe not legally, but in every other sense." Merlyn got up from his chair and reached for a box. He offered it to her. Felicity stepped away from the bed and took the box.
It was heavy, forcing her to set it down. "What's this?" She lifted the lid and found a tunic crafted of thin metal inside.
"It's mail. Wear it under your clothes. An extra layer of protection until you can take care of yourself better."
"Thank you. And, uh, thank you for yesterday. You helped me. You helped us."
It wasn't easy for Felicity to say anything kind to him. Merlyn turned his back to her so she could doff her tunic and slip the mail on underneath before redressing. It was a shapeless garment, but it looked like it could make a difference.
"Next time, bring that sword that Ra's gave you. I can start teaching you how to use it here. No one will see you or suspect anything."
"I will," she said quietly, her eyes returning to Thea. "They are waiting for me at the library now. Let me know if she needs anything. Oliver will make sure that she gets it. I'll make sure."
Merlyn turned back to face her. "Thanks. Be careful, Mrs. Queen." Felicity adopted a tiny smile as she headed out the door.
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That night, Oliver returned to their chamber quite late. He slipped through the door to find his beloved napping in a chair beside a tray of food. His gruff demeanor immediately softened. She had that effect on him, even while sleeping. He slipped out of his uniform and into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before kneeling barefoot beside her chair and laying his head in her lap. He closed his eyes and felt peace.
Felicity woke and happily slipped her fingers into his hair to lightly scratch his scalp. It soothed them both. Oliver smiled for the first time in hours. "Felicity. How was your day."
"I missed you."
"Me too." Oliver turned his head and noticed a change in the room, his eyes trailing from the floor to the ceiling. "Hey, where did that come from?"
"Kind of a wedding gift, except since it wasn't a real wedding, so maybe it's just a plain old gift," Felicity frothed as Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist. She planted kisses slowly on his close cut hair. "Maybe I should have gone with monogrammed towels, but you have so many names now."
Oliver Queen looked up at her for a moment, then glanced back at the salmon ladder that had been installed in a corner of the room while he was gone.
"I thought it might be nice if you could keep up some routines you're used to. Doing that seems to help relax you when you're stressed." She ran her fingers along his muscular neck until she reached his back. She ran her fingers underneath his shirt, hoping some attention make him forget his day.
"Thank you." Oliver Queen raised himself up and looked straight at her, his blue eyes twinkling. "Fe-li-ci-ty."
"Yes, Oliver?" She smiled.
"It's really a gift for you, isn't it?"
Felicity let a blush take over her cheeks. "I never get tired of watching you do that."
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Well, what did you think of that one? Is the story building well enough for you?
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