A Time of Consummation

By the time Maria had reached the cottage, the wind was blowing fiercely enough to knock Maria off balance had she not been running so fast and with such determination. Her heart was pounding adrenaline through her veins and she was losing her breath; her throat was beginning to fill with hot liquid as a result. She was very sure that no one was pursuing her on foot, so she had no fear for herself. Or for her husband, really – she saw how stupid and slow the alcohol had made those Nazi lechers, and Georg was more than capable of defending himself.

But just because her mind had no rational fear for Georg didn't mean that her heart didn't have irrational worry – as any wife who loved her husband would.

Maria did not stop completely until she had entered the cottage, climbed the stairs to the third floor, and shut the door behind her once in the safety of Georg's room. Only then did she bend over, clutching her stomach, trying to get her breath back. She was shivering slightly, since the temperature outside was dropping due to the coming storm and the wind only made it seem colder. Her shawl was wrapped tightly around her again and, spotting the small fireplace, headed to it and started a fire, kicking off her shoes on the way.

As she watched the flames grow and dance, every few seconds her eyes went to the door; her ears were on the alert for her husband's footsteps. But that was hard to hear because the thunder was becoming more frequent and the fire was now crackling away merrily.

Remembering the conversation they had been having before being cruelly interrupted, Maria felt her heart beginning to flutter and blood beginning to rush to her face. She felt both overwhelming excitement and overwhelming nervousness at the same time. Maria went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face, in the hopes of cooling herself off.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she almost didn't recognize herself. Maria was not a woman who really looked at herself often in the mirror, having grown up with no mirrors both at her uncle's home and in the abbey. In the last nine months, she barely glanced in the mirror, but now she did. She recalled how she had looked into her brook the day she had learned of Georg's proposal. Then she had been heartbroken and angry; now she looked…like a bride. Her revealing white dress, her flushed cheeks, her sparkling eyes that revealed everything in her heart…

You have brought me to that moment when words run dry…

To that moment when speech disappears into silence…silence…

I have come here hardly knowing the reason why…

In my mind, I've already imagined our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent…

Maria could say with absolute certainty that this had been the best day of her life, let alone the best birthday. And, though Maria had little knowledge and no experience, she had a gut feeling that this wonderful day would end it the most wonderful way.

She didn't want this day to end…because the thought of tomorrow really scared her. Seeing those Nazis had reminded Maria of what was to come tomorrow: Georg would ship off, under the guise of a Nazi but really a spy, towards actual battle as opposed to just training. Oh God in heaven…

Georg was still not back yet, and so she felt restless with worry. The wind rattled the windows and the thunder was getting stronger. Needing to find some control, Maria went to the bed and knelt before it, folding her hands as it in prayer, and pressed her forehead to her folding fingers. Before she knew it, she had begun to pray familiar words she had known her whole life. They drew her to a safe place inside her soul as rain began to patter above and around her.

Her prayers drew her in so deeply that she did not hear the sound of footsteps, and it wasn't until the door opened that she was brought back to reality. Maria's head shot up and she saw Georg standing in the doorway. He did not have a mark on him, and he was looking straight at her.

Relief and tremendous love flooded through Maria's system. She sighed and smiled as she rushed from the side of the bed into his arms, embracing him tightly, while he embraced her just as tightly back after closing – and locking – the door behind him. Soon they both relaxed in each other's arms, and Maria pulled her head back so she could take a good look at him.

"You're all right? They didn't hurt you?" she asked softly, caressing his cheek. There were a few raindrops soaking through his hair and shirt, but otherwise relatively dry. But she only barely registered these facts as her eyes were captured in his gaze. His eyes hid none of his love or desire from her.

In response to her questions, he just nodded, his hands coming up to cup her cheeks reverently. Then he was kissing her lips gently, tenderly, and then letting his passion for her release. She responded with equally as much, and it wasn't long until their mouths opened and their tongues began to dance. They were addicted to the taste of each other; they had not kissed so passionately since his last night home over two months ago. Soon their hands too were roaming their partner's body.

Maria felt herself losing all semblance of control and she didn't care. But when she felt him pressed her close to his body – and felt something hard poking her stomach – their mouths parted and they looked at each other, their eyes alight with desire and nerves. Maria couldn't help but lower her gaze to find out what was poking her – and her throat went dry when she realized just what it was.

"Maria," breathed Georg, lifting her chin so he could look directly into her eyes with a searching gaze. "Remember the promise you gave me the morning after the autumn ball. Are you absolutely sure?"

Maria did indeed remember the morning after the autumn ball, the morning after she had come to Georg's room for the first time and broken down in his arms. He had realized just why she had come to his room, and had made her promise that she would not ask him to make love to her until she was sure beyond a reasonable doubt. Between then and now, there had been several times when she had considered becoming intimate with her husband, but something had always held her back: she hadn't been ready yet.

Now, remembering the promise, Maria knew now that she would be true to it when she gave her answer. She loved him with all of her heart, and tomorrow she would have to watch him go. If something, God forbid, should happen to him, it would hurt a lot more if she had not taken this step with him tonight than if she had.

Now I am here with you…

No second thoughts I've decided…decided…

"Yes." To prove her point, she gave his lips as gentle a kiss as the last had been fiery. "I just wish I knew what to do."

Georg gave her a tender smile and caressed her cheeks. "We'll start with something familiar." He loosened his arms around her and took her hand, leading her to the roaring fireplace. "Sit down," he said, and she did, sitting on the soft carpet, tucking her legs beneath her. To her surprise, Georg knelt behind her. Before she could ask what he had in mind by 'something familiar,' her question was answered when he began to massage her bare shoulders. She smiled and instantly her nerves were settled.

Georg relished in the texture of her smooth skin. He half-massaged, half-caressed her, moving slowly from her shoulders down her back. Her soft sighs told him she was enjoying his administrations. When he came to her dress, Georg leaned forward and tentatively kissed the side of her neck. In response, she softly moaned and leant back against his chest. Elated, Georg's hands and lips remained at play, both on her back and on her neck. As his lips kissed the corner of her collarbone, his hands found the small zipper at the back of her dress and slowly pulled it down. Maria felt it and turned her head to look at him.

He brought his hands up to the ties around her neck that were keeping her dress up, and silently asked for permission. She just gave a small smile and nodded before turning her head back around to look at the fire.

As Georg grasped the strings loosely in his fingers, his mind went back to a dream he'd had about Maria the night before he had come back to the villa, his last night as a dark shadow of a man. But he decided not to dwell on the possible workings of God or his psyche, and slowly tugged at the strings until the knot loosened. He let them go, and the top of her dress fell into a pool around her hips.

Though he'd seen this view of her before, the night before his birthday, the circumstances were extremely different. This time he did not try and suppress his bodily reaction. He stood up and so did she, her back still to him, the dress falling to the floor and pooling around her feet.

She turned around slowly and didn't meet his eyes, her cheeks flushed and her hands shaking quite a bit. Longing to comfort her, Georg took her hands and stepped backwards, her following and carefully walking out of her dress. Turning them at the edge of the bed, he got a much better view of her bare upper body in the firelight and candlelight. His mouth went dry, and his already hard member began to throb.

Noticing how her gaze was still lowered and her hands still trembled, Georg gently cupped her face, raising her gaze to meet his. "So lovely…so beautiful…" was all he could manage to say in his awe and hunger, but it seemed to work, for she gave a small, but relieved, sigh. "May I touch you?"

Again, Maria nodded. Slowly, so as not to rush or scare her, Georg's hands slid down from her face, down her neck, across her bare shoulders and collarbone, and then further down her chest. Her breasts were perfectly formed and, as Georg found when he tentatively caressed one, firm and soft. The beast in him purred with pleasure and anticipation.

Past the point of no return…

No going back now…

Our passion play has now, at last, begun…

Maria almost jumped when she felt his hand touch her breast for the first time, but thankfully she just took a sharp intake of breath; the pleasure was so strong. His hands were gentle, teasing, and loving. Maria thought she would get dizzy from the pleasure of it all, and reached out to grip his shirt to keep her balance just in case.

When the pleasure he was giving her reached a new height, her hands unconsciously began to fumble with the buttons of his shirt. This caused his hands to withdraw and she realized what she was doing. She looked at him, her turn to silently ask permission. He just smiled.

With slightly trembling fingers, Maria unbuttoned his white shirt from top to bottom, then opened the shirt completely. She watched the movement of his muscles as he took it off and tossed it aside, noticing that his muscles had gotten a little bigger and more defined since October, when she had last seen him without a shirt. Her heart rate accelerated and her mouth went dry. She looked into his smoldering eyes again. "May I touch you?" she asked, using his words. It was the first time she had spoken since she had told him yes, and her voice was low and husky with desire, but also breathy from nerves.

Georg's only response was, "Please." Her heart rate accelerated even more.

Past all thought of right or wrong…

One final question:

How long should we to wait before we're one?

Deciding to take his advice and start with something familiar, she lifted her hands to his shoulders and reacquainted herself with the feel of his skin, which was very warm. Then, as slowly as he had done, Maria fulfilled her five-month long wish by moving her hands over his chest. His muscles were strong, and she felt them contract under her touch as his breath began to shallow. She was glad he seemed to like what she was doing. The hair on his chest fascinated her; she'd been wanting to touch it for months, to see how it would feel. Feeling more daring, she raked her fingers through it, her hands ascending his breastplate. She almost missed his very sharp intake of breath.

"It's soft," she purred, not even knowing she was speaking aloud. But he heard it, and the words had barely left her mouth before his own mouth descended upon it. They were kissing desperately, Maria's hands ascending to his thick hair and his own hands roaming her bare back. He pressed their torsos together, and the skin-on-skin contact brought both of their desires to a new height. Georg scooped her up and placed her on the bed.

What raging fire shall flood the soul?

What rich desire unlocks its door?

What sweet seduction lies before us?

When will the blood begin to race?

The sleeping bud burst into bloom?

When will the flames at last consume us?

Pulling away to look at his half-naked bride, he was relieved to see that he saw no fear in her eyes but a desire and love that equaled his own. Maria's breathing was shallow, as he could see by the rapid rise and fall of her round breasts. Feeling a throbbing between his legs again, Georg quickly stripped himself of his shoes, socks and pants, but he hesitated before lowering his boxers. Maria saw this, and slowly nodded; her curiosity and desire overwhelmed her nerves and apprehension. So he lowered them to the floor, completely naked before his wife, and laid down beside her on the bed, kissing her lips before she could look for too long. But she'd seen it, and what she had seen made her nervous but even more…she couldn't quite name the burning sensation between her legs, or the wetness beginning to pool there.

But as her husband leaned over her and his lips briefly lifted from hers, a fear came back to her, and she asked timidly, "How can I please you? What should I do?"

He gave her a gentle smile while his eyes smoldered. "You are not to worry about that. There is nothing you can do that will not please me; the mere sight of you has been enough to drive me insane over the past nine months. This day and this night is for you, and my bride deserves to be completely ravished, starting here…" He drifted off as he kissed her lips again. His hands and mouth descended downwards from there and proceeded to ravish her thoroughly.

Any part of Maria that was not already convinced that her husband was amazing was now convinced; his touch, whether by his fingers or his mouth, was magical, and she thought she might explode from the pleasure he was giving her, especially when his mouth ravished her breasts …

Past the point of no return…

The final threshold…

What warm unspoken secrets will we learn

Beyond the point of no return?

Georg, too, felt he could explode at any moment. He didn't just ravish her body with his hands and mouth; he worshipped it. The scent, feel and taste of her skin was addicting, and her hands raking through his hair only urged him on. Finally, he traveled across her stomach and came to her silk panties. He raised his head to ask permission, and she nodded quickly. So he slowly peeled them off and dropped them on the floor before tentatively touching the area he had just uncovered.

I always knew he would drive me to insanity, thought Maria as Georg touched her most private area. She moaned in pleasure at the expert working of his fingers, and gripped the bed sheets as her back arched. "Georg…"

Feeling how wet she was, Georg knew she was ready and was elated. And hearing her say his name in a way she had never said it before, he knew he couldn't wait any longer either. So he slid back up her body and carefully placed himself above her, most of his weight on his forearms.

"Are you ready, my love?" he asked, his member pressing against her entrance, both throbbing to merge.

Maria didn't hesitate, and said, "Yes." She and Philomena had talked somewhat about this before she had left; Philomena had confirmed to Maria that there was some pain the first time, but that it would pass and wouldn't taint her first time, if her partner loved her and treated her with love. She knew that Georg would not hurt her if it were in his power, and would not impale her but make love to her.

Georg lowered his head and kissed her lips, then pressed his forehead to hers in a silent prayer. He was just as nervous as her, because he had never taken away a woman's innocence. Dear God, please give me restraint, don't take my self-control away, and please don't let her hurt for long.

Locking his gaze with hers, so he could watch for any danger signs or pleas to stop, Georg slowly pushed himself into her. When he reached the barrier, he stopped and let his fear show in his eyes.

Maria, through half-lidded eyes filled with need, unwrapped one of her arms from around his upper back and caressed his cheek. "Do it…please…"

So he did, breaking her maidenhead and sliding completely inside her.

The bridge is crossed,

So stand and watch it burn…

Maria closed her eyes tight and bit her lip to keep from crying out. A brief sting of pain followed by an awkward, uncomfortable feeling. She was glad that Georg stayed still while he kissed her face many times, giving her body time to adjust to him. When she'd first seen his fully erect member, she'd been completely at a loss as to how it would possibly…fit inside her. Apparently he could, and after a few moments, the uncomfortable feeling ebbed away and she realized he felt perfect inside her.

When their gazes locked again, Maria breathed a quote from the second chapter of Genesis that was very appropriate: "And the two shall become one…"

The fear in Georg's eyes disappeared and he smile tenderly at her. His nose caressed hers as he gave a quote of his own from that chapter: "This one, at last, is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh…"

After that, their lips pressed together and no more coherent words – beyond names – were spoken for quite a while. They found a rhythm together and moved as one, that timeless and oldest ritual of living beings. Pupils dilated, hearts raced, muscles contracted, skin became sheathed in sweat as it slid against each other, breath was panting and moans of pleasure came from both. Georg's prayer was answered, and he was able to control himself just enough to only increase his speed when Maria urged him to.

The flames of passion at last consumed them both, merging two beings into one, as they were meant to be.

For two people who had desired each other but had never acted on it for months, it was not long until both reached their peak. Maria came first, her nails digging into his back and her whole body arching as her wet walls clamped around his member and she cried out Georg's name. That was more than enough to send Georg over the edge as well, spilling into his wife as he roared her name in triumph.

They collapsed, Georg on top of Maria. Her firm hold around him prevented him from rolling off him, so he rested most of his weight on his forearms and laid his head on her chest. One of her hands went into his hair and she kissed his head.

In this position they stayed as their breathing and hearts calmed somewhat, more one being than two. They barely heard the sounds of the storm raging outside, and thoughts of their inevitable separation the following day was far from their minds. And for good reason; they were now both complete.

Now they were truly husband and wife.

We've past the point of no return…