(Disclaimer: I do not own Skyrim, just my OC's)
(Author's Note: Hello dearest readers! Let me start by apologizing for the delay in uploading the latest chapter. I've had other projects that I've been working on lately as well as some family issues to take care of, but please understand that while there are gaps in between chapter submissions, I will always keep this story in mind and try to update it whenever I am able to do so. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Thank you for taking the time to read it.)
Soon after dinner, Swims-To-Sea and Runs-To-Shore escorted Renessie home while Xana and Odahviing assisted the others with cleaning up before retreating off to bed for the evening. Normally, everyone would gather in the sitting room and share stories of the latest events happening around the village or just casually reading, sewing or drinking tea. However, Tenova and Flower-Song were too exhausted from their long trip home and decided to call it a night, to which the others followed suit and headed into their rooms.
At the moment, Xana was changing into her nightgown while Odahviing removed the offending clothing from his body. While he wore clothes out of respect for his mate, he despised them with every fiber of his being. They were either too constricting or too loose on his body and sometimes the fabric was too rough or itchy on his skin. Regardless, he was glad to be rid of them for the time being. Upon removing the last of his clothing for the night, Odahviing glanced over to see Xana dressed for bed and unbraiding her long crimson hair. A smile crossed his face as he suddenly pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her lithe body, making her gasp in surprise. "Odahviing, what are you doing?"
He emitted a chuckle and kissed her neck, "What? Can't I enjoy holding you close to me, dii brit fahliil?"
She playfully rolled her eyes and giggled as he gently squeezed her thigh, "I suppose you can, but what possessed you to do so all of a sudden?"
A shrug was his response before he answered, "I like being able to touch you. As a dovah, I cannot fully experience this level of closeness with you, nor can I hold you close. Just let me indulge in this simple luxury you joor take for granted."
At his sincerity, Xana couldn't help but smile, "Oh Odahviing, you're such a lovable dragon."
He emitted a slight growl as he suddenly began nipping her neck while squeezing her thigh once more, "Geh, Zu'u mindok."
She let out a soft moan at his pleasurable torture before she felt him slip his hand underneath her nightgown and began playing with the fabric of her undergarments. "Odahviing...my parents are home now…"
"And?" He breathed on her skin and kissed her earlobe while slipping a finger under her panties and teasing her clit. Xana emitted a mewling cry of want and desire which made him smirk, knowing he could bring her so much pleasure just by his touch alone.
"...We shouldn't...Ooohhh...Gods, why are you tormenting me so?"
His lips feathered kisses along her neck and ear before he whispered in an aroused, lustful voice, "Fah Zu'u med haalvut hi, dii brit fahliil."
She moaned as he teased her sensitive little nub with his fingers while running his tongue along her neck, "You...don't play fair…"
"I never said I was playing," he nipped her neck, causing her to gasp. Odahviing relished in these moments when he could torture his mate so deliciously. He adored the little noises she made and loved the feel of her skin beneath his fingertips. She was so soft and smooth to the touch: like silk or the membrane of his wings. As he continued to admire her, Odahviing slowly stopped his pleasurable torture and hugged his mate close while a smile graced his face, "Kogaan Bormahu fah drun Xana kotin dii laas." He then gently cradled her baby bump, "Ahrk kogaan fah ofan mu voth daar kiir."
XXXX
-The Next Morning-
Three tiny kicks and an unexpected push to her bladder was enough to wake Xana up from her peaceful slumber. Glancing over, she noticed Odahviing was still heavily asleep. A smile crossed her lips as she admired him before another kick to her bladder forced her to get up. Carefully, she removed his arm from her waist and slipped out of bed before donning her shoes and a robe, to which she stepped out of the room and quietly headed out to relieve herself.
After a few minutes, Xana returned to the bedroom, only to find it empty. Odahviing wasn't in the bed nor was he sitting at the desk waiting for her. She silently stepped into the kitchen hoping he was there, but it too was devoid of his presence. Looking around the sitting room, the young Dunmer noticed the fire had been re-lit, signaling that he had to have stopped by and tended to it. 'Where did he go?' She asked herself as she quietly searched around the large farmhouse, hoping to find her mate. When her search turned up empty, Xana wondered if he was outside.
Opening the front door as silently as she could, Xana stepped back outside and headed towards the barn. As she entered the large wooden structure, she spotted a familiar figure feeding the animals. With a smile, she stood silently nearby and watched as Odahviing tended to the sheep before moving over towards the stables and feeding the horses. When he was finished, he smiled and stated, "Good morning, dii brit fahliil."
She approached and gently caressed his cheek, "And good morning to you, dii brit dovah."
His eyes gleamed as a sharp smile graced his handsome face, "You look ravishing this morning."
"Hmm, same could be said about you, my dearest mate," she stood on her toes and kissed him, to which he then scooped her off her feet, making her giggle. "Odahviing, what are you doing?"
He kissed her nose and started to carry her back towards the house, "What? Can't I carry you around? As I said last night, I enjoy holding you."
A soft blush appeared across her cheeks before she planted a kiss on his chin, "You're such a kind dovah."
At that, Odahviing emitted a chuckle before opening the door and carrying her through the threshold, where upon entering, they were met with amused looks from her parents and brothers, who were now awake and starting to prepare breakfast.
"Aww, don't you two look adorable," Reem-Sha smirked, to which both Xana and Odahviing rolled their eyes.
"Oh stuff it, Reem-Sha. Leave them be," Stone-Scale jokingly teased and shoved his brother.
Flower-Song gave her sons a stern look, to which they ceased their playful banter and went back to preparing breakfast. She then looked over at her daughter and asked, "Were you two out feeding the animals?"
Xana looked at her mate for a moment before answering, "Actually, Hunter took care of them. I had left the room for a few minutes and when I returned, he was gone. I looked around and couldn't find him inside the house so I checked outside. When I entered the barn, he was feeding the animals." A smile crossed her lips as she looked upon her family, "I'm surprised to see all of you up and awake. I assumed you'd still be asleep."
"Oh goodness, no. There's so much to do. We've got your ceremony to plan as well as Shastan and Marbella's future wedding.." At the suspicious smirks her sons made, she curiously asked, "Did I miss anything?"
Before anyone else could speak, the front door opened, to which Shastan and Marbella stepped inside: both had a warm glow to them and were smiling. "Well, look who's here. Did you two enjoy yourselves last night," Reem-Sha chuckled.
Marbella blushed and squeezed Shastan's hand, "We did...in fact, we're engaged! But, I'm sure you all probably knew that, seeing as how nothing stays secret with all of you," she softly giggled.
"Nope," all five of Shastan's siblings said at once with smiles on their faces, making the young couple shake their heads with mirth.
"Oh sweetie, congratulations," Flower-Song approached and gave her a hug, which she happily returned.
"So, when did you and dad return home last night," Shastan asked his Mother when she suddenly pulled him in for a hug.
"We came home around supper time. Goodness, your Father and I slept like rocks afterwards. We didn't realize how exhausted we were from our trip, but now that we're well rested, we can go ahead and plan out your wedding along with Xana and Hunter's ceremony."
"Why don't we wait until after breakfast, my dear," Tenova chuckled as he glanced over at his mate.
"Oh very well, but afterwards I'd like to go over some ideas." She then returned to assisting her husband and their sons with cooking breakfast while Xana and Hunter began setting the table.
XXXXX
After breakfast Shastan and Marbella helped everyone with the cleanup before heading out to inform her family of their engagement. Once everything was tidy and put away, Swims-To-Sea, Runs-To-Shore, headed outside with their Father to tend to the crops and gather some for later while Reem-Sha headed out to the barn to clean the stables and change out the straw. Stone-Scale left for work while Flower-Song did some tidying up in the house.
Meanwhile, Xana and Odahviing were currently enjoying a hot bath, seeing as how they were rightfully due for one. While Xana could fit in the metal tub just fine, Odahviing was a bit too large for it. Not that he was fat or wide, but he was really tall and looked rather comical sitting in it. As she scrubbed her body and washed out her hair, Xana couldn't help the amused snicker that escaped her lips as she looked upon her mate with mirth: he just looked so adorably funny.
At her poor attempts to conceal her laughter, he raised a brow and asked with a smirk, "Something amusing to you, dii brit fahliil?"
She blushed and shook her head in denial, "Nope, nothing funny at all."
"Hmm," he sat still and intensely watched her as she bathed, feeling himself becoming aroused at her nakedness and beauty.
"Odahviing, why are you staring at me like a hawk stares at a rabbit...or a sabercat stares at a deer?"
A smug look appeared across his face, "What? It's in my nature to watch my prey. Especially when said prey looks rather enticing and delicious."
Xana's cheeks darkened as she resisted the urge to mount him right then and there. She liked his predatory side and enjoyed playing the role as 'the prey' every now and then. Of course, both Xana and Odahviing were equally dominant in the bedroom...and kitchen, and dining room, and pretty much every other room in her house... She couldn't help but feel a swell of arousal stir within her body, but there was no way she would give into his temptations. Her parents were home now and everyone was awake and alert. Nope. Not happening. Not when literally anyone could walk in on them at any time. She suppressed her baser instincts and continued with her scrubbing while Odahviing continued to watch her with those piercing blue, draconic eyes and that smugass look across his face.
"I can sense your arousal, dii brit fahliil. I may be a joor at the moment, but my senses are still as strong and sharp as they are when I'm a dovah."
She bit her lower lip and narrowed her ruby eyes at him, "Dammit, Odahviing, why must you be so alluring and handsomely charming?!"
He emitted a deep chuckle within his throat as he looked upon his divine mate with newfound entertainment and mirth. "Me? Handsomely charming? My dear dovahkiin, I should think by now that you'd know where flattery leads to."
Xana just playfully rolled her eyes and gave him a smirk, "Yes, yes, you...damn...handsome dragon."
"Brit fahliil."
XXXXX
-Later-
As the afternoon dragged on, Xana busied herself with assisting her Mother around the house and going over ideas for her and Odahviing's upcoming ceremony while the men worked outside. At the moment, Flower-Song was rummaging through one of her old wooden chests, searching for something in particular, "I know it's in here somewhere. Goodness it's been a long time since I've taken it out again."
"What is it," Xana asked curiously.
"My wedding gown," the matriarch smiled up at her daughter before rummaging through the chest again. "I was going to see if you'd like to try it on."
"I'd love to," her eyes lit up in excitement. She had never seen her Mother's wedding dress before and always wondered what it looked like. "You told me about it a few times when I was little but I've never seen it."
"Well, that's because I was hoping to surprise you with it when you came of age and were ready to wed. I'm just sorry you and Hunter couldn't have a large ceremony with your family present, but I understand your reasoning for why you kept it a secret."
She gave a small nod, "I appreciate your understanding. But while a large ceremony sounds nice, all we really want is something small. Nothing large or fancy."
"Oh sweetie, you deserve so much more than a simple gathering, but I will cater to your wishes and try to keep the guest list short."
"Thank you. I know Hunter would appreciate that, as would I. As much as I love my Dragonborn status at times, I often feel like a novelty and don't like all the attention that gets thrust upon me."
She sighed and looked upon the young Dunmer, "I understand your role as the Dragonborn is important, but I worry for you. I know you can take care of yourself, but as a parent, it's my job to worry." A smile then crossed her face, "But now I can rest easy knowing you have such a strong, caring and protective mate by your side."
Xana blushed and gave a nod, "That you can. Hunter is everything I could have ever asked for in a mate." She felt an array of soft kicks and discretely rubbed her tiny baby bump while her Mother focused back on finding her gown.
"So, I've been meaning to ask: wherever did you find him? Surely a man like that doesn't just fall out of the sky."
'Oh, if only you knew the truth,' Xana thought to herself as she smiled and replied, "Actually, he was recommended to me by one of the Greybeards, whom I worked alongside and studied under in the Way of the Voice, which I mentioned in my letters. He had extensive knowledge in regards to the dragons and Alduin in particular, and he came to my aid when I summoned him. Until I came into his life, he had been somewhat of a recluse and was wary of people, but he's really made quite a bit of progress since then. Not a day goes by when I don't thank the Gods for sending him to me."
"It warms my heart to hear you say that about you mate. It just shows how much you love him and how much he means to you. I'm glad Hunter fell into your life. You deserve to be happy."
"Thanks, Mom...I'm glad you and Dad approve of him. He was actually worried that you wouldn't like him or that you both wouldn't find him worthy of being my mate."
"Oh goodness, why would he think that?"
She shrugged, "It's just his inner fear, I guess." 'Not that he has many fears,' she said to herself.
Flower-Song was about to reply when she suddenly found what she was looking for. "Ah ha! Here it is," she unfolded her wedding gown and held it up for her daughter to see:
It was a full-length white dress with long sleeves and a generous-looking neckline. The material was a mixture of linen and lace that was soft to the touch. "It's beautiful, Mother. I can't believe you actually wore this. It just looks so...fancy. I never knew you liked dressing up so elegantly. I mean, I know you have taste, but I wasn't expecting something like this."
She playfully rolled her eyes at her daughter, "I may wear simple dresses, but I like dressing fancy every now and then. I certainly wasn't going to wear a plain dress for my wedding. It took me almost six months to save up enough Septims to purchase it and I had to travel all the way to Stormhold to even acquire it, seeing as how our little trade shop doesn't exactly carry fancy clothes or wedding dresses in their supply." She then asked, "Are you ready to try it on?"
Xana eagerly nodded, "Of course!" She then stood up and stepped behind the dressing partition where she began stripping out of her clothes and setting them aside.
"I'm so happy you decided to at least try it on. I understand fashion changes here and there, but it's nice to think that my dress may very well be used for its intended purpose once more. I hope it fits alright. I know you're a bit bustier than I was at your age, but I'm sure we can make some minor alterations here and there if needed. If not, we'll figure out something else. But, regardless of the outcome, I know you'll look beautiful," Flower-Song stated as she stood on the other side of the partition and handed her the dress with a smile. She was delighted that her daughter was so eager to try on her gown and hoped she wanted to wear it for her ceremony. "Do you need some assistance with the buttons?" The dress was fastened by over a dozen buttons running down the back and were difficult to fasten without help.
"In a minute I will," she stated as she slipped on the dress and noted how it emphasized her breasts. Obviously she had larger breasts than her Mother and not just because hers were swollen with milk. Thankfully, they weren't leaking at the moment, though she did leave her undergarment on just in case. The last thing she wanted was to stain her Mother's beautiful wedding gown. With a smile, Xana stepped out from behind the partition, "Okay, I'm ready to be buttoned up."
Flower-Song stood before her with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes, "Oh Xana...you look so beautiful."
The young Dunmer emitted a soft laugh, "I'm not fully dressed though. I still need the buttons fastened and I'm pretty sure I need a floral wreath upon my head or a bouquet of flowers in my hands."
"Yes, we'll get to those later. I just can't believe how gorgeous you look," she approached and started fastening the buttons down her back.
Once finished, Xana stepped over to the mirror and looked herself over, admiring how beautiful the dress was on her. While it was tight around her breasts and felt a little snug around her midsection, she loved how it complimented her figure and hugged her waist. Upon turning around to look at the back, she suddenly spotted a problem: there was a slit going right down the middle of her rear. Obviously this hole was meant for a tail, but being a Dunmer, she didn't have one. This would require some alteration or else Odahviing might see it as an opportunity and take advantage of the convenient opening. Xana felt her cheeks redden at the thought. "Well, this won't do," she smirked and gestured to the obvious opening in the rear of the dress.
Flower-Song chuckled, "Yes, I believe you're right. It does look rather odd seeing a tail slit on a dress when there is no tail attached to the wearer. I think I'll do some alterations to the top of the dress as well. It's rather tight looking around your breasts...no offence, sweetie."
"None taken," she shrugged.
"By the way, would you like me to make the fabric a little loose around your midsection as well," the matriarch gave her daughter a knowing smile.
Xana stared at her with wide, ruby eyes, "How...?"
"A Mother knows," she answered with a warm smile. "I knew you were expecting last night during dinner: Your mate kept glancing over at you and every time he did, his eyes went straight down to your stomach. You also made your condition a bit more obvious during breakfast when you started mixing your fruit, eggs and bacon in your porridge."
She blushed and emitted a slight chuckle, "I guess nothing gets past you. But, you're right: I'm pregnant."
Flower-Song's eyes started to tear up with joy, "Oh Xana...my baby is having a baby!" She wrapped her arms around her in a warm hug, "I'm finally going to be a grandmother."
"I take it that you weren't expecting me to be the first out of your children to produce a grandchild?"
At that, she laughed, "Goodness no. I assumed the twins would have been the first out of your siblings to marry and add on to the family. I guess I was wrong. But no matter, I'm just ecstatic for you and Hunter. I know you'll make great parents."
"Thank you," Xana returned her Mother's hug before asking, "Does Dad know?"
She gave her a smile, "I imagine that he does, seeing as how he's been in Hunter's situation before."
"Right."
XXXXX
Meanwhile, Odahviing was outside chopping firewood with Tenova when the patriarch looked over at the 'younger' male and asked, "So, are you nervous about becoming a Father, lad?"
"How did you know Xana was expecting," Odahviing curiously asked.
"Oh please, I'm a Father. I know when a woman is expecting a hatchling. I've been down the same path as you, lad. I see how you act around Xana when you don't think I notice: You hover close by and act as though she'll shatter at any moment, and your instincts are on high alert because you now have another to protect." He chuckled, "I was the same way every time my mate was expecting. I fretted over her well-being and made sure she wasn't straining herself too much. She found it rather annoying, but understood that it was just my way of supporting her."
He emitted a sigh, "I just worry, but I understand that is considered normal, correct?"
"Indeed it is, lad. But it'll get better in time. Just be prepared for Xana to experience occasional mood swings and unusual food cravings. And don't take whatever hurtful comments she might say to heart."
At that, Odahviing chuckled, "Nothing she could say would make me stop loving her. I'm aware of her temperament for I was once on the receiving end of it. But that is a long story and one I'm sure she'd like to tell you and the rest of your kin sometime."