Author's Note:
Dear readers,
I am so excited to be sharing this chapter with you at last :) It's been a long time coming and I'm so grateful for all of you who are still reading and made it all the way here :D
Those of you who read regularly might have noticed that my posting speed slowed down a bit. I'm sorry about that – it's really a combination of me being lazy with editing and being absorbed in another writing project. The latter did lead to me not writing for the main story of NBP for a bit longer than usual and that means the reserve of my chapters is dwindling a little :D It happens, and I still have relatively a lot of them written, but I will be only posting about once a week for a while now, just to get myself back into the more comfortable pace that I'm used to. I'm planning on returning to writing for NBP very soon, but first I need to finish other stuff that won't leave my head ;) And hopefully I'll return to my old posting schedule eventually, but for now, the chapters will be a little bit sparser.
I hope you all enjoy them with the longer anticipation period nonetheless. Might make the suspense better :D
And now, let's finally celebrate this momentous cheesefest.
Chapter LXXVIII – With You
The day has come.
It was finally here. The eighteenth of Last Seed.
Aeyrin felt like she barely slept, but she also felt oddly energized.
She was instructed to stay in her room all morning while the others worked on some 'final touches', whatever that meant. The morose innkeeper only brought her breakfast and drink and then she was left alone, waiting for whatever was going to happen. She was only allowed to go to the bathing room once to wash herself, but that was all under Idesa's supervision. Not literally – she wasn't in the room with her, but she did bring her there and waited until she was done to bring her back. Apparently Aeyrin couldn't wander around. She felt even more guarded now than when she was here under Karliah's protection.
Nope! Not thinking about that!
She was beginning to get a little anxious eventually. All this waiting was not good for her. She spent her time studying all those vials on her nightstand and on the small table by the mirror in the room that Taarie set up there. The entire place still smelled intensely with her concoctions after some were spilled, but everything was cleaned up. The smell might never go away.
Well, at least the inn could boast about having fragrances from the Divine Elegance here forever.
She spent a few hours in the room with excited anxiety gnawing at her until the door finally opened.
Raven walked in with his notepad already ready with a message.
.
Bishop is in Endarie's hands. Time to get you ready.
.
"Are you getting me ready?" Aeyrin giggled at him. He was the only one who came.
Raven smirked at her and quickly scribbled another message below the first one.
.
I could. For old time's sake.
.
She chuckled at him again. Strange, back then, when they first met, he was so terrifying to her. Everything in the Guild was. But now the memory of him getting her ready for Mercer's disgusting party wasn't unpleasant. Not when she knew that this was how she found her now dear friend.
Soon though, two more people marched into the room. Azshan and Taarie.
"Morning, honey," Azshan grinned at her. "Ready for your day?"
"You bet," Aeyrin smiled eagerly.
"Were you good?" Taarie gave her a warning look. She knew what she meant.
"I was," Aeyrin giggled. "I didn't even peek, I promise." She really didn't. She wanted to be surprised.
.
Should we blindfold her until she's all ready?
.
Raven showed off his new idea to everyone, eliciting a chuckle from Azshan and a pondering 'hmmm' from Taarie.
"Well… it's not a bad idea, but I need to do her eye make-up. I think I have a better solution."
She walked towards the mirror and promptly took it off the wall. She put it down on the floor, turned away from them so that it showed no reflection. Now Aeyrin's look would be a mystery. That was fine though. She was fully comfortable leaving herself in Taarie's expert hands.
It was all gonna be worth the wait.
…
"You?" Bishop scowled a bit after he had been shoved by Raven into Azshan's room, only to find a familiar face there.
An Altmer was waiting for him there, one he unfortunately remembered. It was one of the sisters from Solitude who were preparing them for the ball with Azshan. Bishop knew that her sister was bringing Aeyrin her dress, but did she have to bring her too? Bishop was really not going to get all that shit on his face as she wanted him to back then.
"Yes, me," she smirked at him. "When my sister told me your wife-to-be commissioned only a dress and not a matching outfit for the groom, I almost fainted," she scoffed.
"Of course you did," Bishop shook his head. Because that was a normal thing to faint over.
"Barbaric," she rolled her eyes. "So I took it upon myself to make you an outfit worthy of the occasion."
"I don't have money," Bishop scowled at her. He didn't know how much she would charge for something like that, but it would be too much. "And I already have an outfit." He didn't have the one she made – that one was in Solitude. But he had the one he bought himself for the first ball and then left in Breezehome.
"One that you undoubtedly wore before," she scoffed.
So fucking what?
"And it's free. A gift," she continued. "So stop complaining and don't look a gift horse in the mouth."
A gift? Free? Really?
Well… that was something else. It better not be some frilly colorful bullshit! But the stuff she made for him last time was actually nice. And not as uncomfortable as the one he had with him now.
"Fine. But you're not putting any shit on my face and you're not shaving me," he growled. He would not let her even try that again.
"Please, as if I would waste my products on someone who has no appreciation for them," she waved her hand dismissively. "I just need to fit the clothes on you right. Have you washed?"
"Not yet," Bishop shrugged. Raven just told him… well, wrote to him, that he was needed here. He hoped Aeyrin was calling for him, but apparently not.
"Well chop, chop! What are you waiting for? I won't have you stinking up my creation," the Altmer urged him.
"Pleasant as ever, I see," Bishop rolled his eyes. But fine. The sooner he was done with this shit, the sooner he could see Aeyrin.
And the clothes better be worth dealing with her.
…
Bishop looked himself over once more.
It was really not bad. It was actually really nice. And comfortable. And soft. The quality of those clothes was easily felt against his skin. Fortunately Endarie remembered the instructions she got from Azshan the last time – black suited Bishop the best.
He was dressed in a black long doublet with ornate silver buttons with tiny pearls embedded in them. The fabric was smooth and had some vertical lines on it, but they were black on black, so it took a keen eye to notice them. He liked that. The collar had white lining around it, as did his boots with rolled down tops. Everything else was just black with silver buckles and details. He did have a silky white tunic under the doublet, but that was barely visible.
He felt oddly nervous and he wasn't sure why. But it was a weird excited nervousness. He had been feeling that more and more as he walked towards the shore of the lake with Lydia, Saadia and Karnwyr. He knew Aeyrin was already there. He couldn't see her yet, even as they approached. There were two men blocking his view and he really wanted nothing more than for them all to just disappear right then. He didn't even notice the surroundings. He was so eager to finally see her.
Lydia and Saadia both squeezed his shoulder, but he barely registered it. They got into one of the last three boats there, along with Karnwyr diligently following them, and disappeared wherever. He didn't care. He was just waiting for one moment.
Azshan and Raven were both telling Aeyrin something for a while, but then they finally said their goodbyes too and moved towards another boat. And there she was.
He noticed her warm smile first, but soon, he was able to concentrate on the rest of her. She wore a gorgeous white dress clinging to her form. It didn't even look overly ornate. Its hem hugged the curves of her breasts and arms, leaving her shoulders completely bare, but her arms covered with wide flowing sleeves. The dress itself was tight around her torso, but loose below her hips with a slit there uncovering her leg, covered with white stockings. The dress was only decorated at the top by a string of silver ornaments with small pearls embedded in them, just like his. Her cleavage was decorated by what he always loved to see – the silver wolf-head ring and her amulet of Stendarr from Therien. Her hair had only small simple braids in it in the front and one larger one in the back, tied by the ribbon he had gifted her in Solitude as an alibi for the engagement ring. And there was the blessed hair-piece they got made together with a pearl from the Sea of Ghosts. He wasn't sure where that 'blessing of Kyne' was supposed to be displayed until she twirled a little for him on the spot. He saw that the V-shaped back of the dress was decorated with the various flowers they had collected in the forest.
"What do you think?" She smiled at him excitedly when she finished twirling. She was clearly very eager to show herself off to him in this.
"I… I don't think I can speak," he let out a breath he didn't notice he had been holding. "Princess, you are so fucking beautiful."
Aeyrin promptly took a few steps towards him, though she wobbled a bit in her heels on the grass. The second she reached him, he outstretched his arms to bring her into his embrace, letting her fold down her arms against his chest as he admired her looks from a new angle. Fuck, how was she so beautiful? He couldn't go get married! He was too fucking busy staring at her and he didn't wanna stop.
"You too," she smiled at him affectionately, stroking her hands against the fabric on his chest a bit. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, love," he smirked. Only one day. But he did fucking miss her. Right now he wasn't sure how he even made it a second without her.
He leaned down to pull her into an eager kiss and Aeyrin reciprocated instantly. She tried her best not to grab at the hems of his shirt to pull him in – she didn't want to mess up his outfit. He looked so handsome. Black really suited him best.
Bishop slipped his tongue into her mouth eagerly and she felt for a while that her knees would buckle. She wasn't sure if it was because of how unsteady she felt on her heels in the grass or because of how intense the kiss turned. Bishop's hands pushed on her bare back, pressing her closer to him and letting his familiar comforting warmth envelop her.
A few giggles echoed from the lake, reminding her that they had people waiting for them. It was tough to pull back, but she forced herself to.
Bishop certainly looked disappointed by that, but he knew they had to go. Besides, they could enjoy each other's company later. And later, until the rest of his life.
When Aeyrin stepped back from him with a wry smile and flushed face, he grabbed her hand firmly in his. He absentmindedly brushed his thumb over the engagement ring on her finger before he ushered her on towards the last boat on the lake.
The others left one of the new boats for them. The wood looked fresh and smooth and the boat itself was decorated by flowers, unlike the rest of them.
When they finally sat in the boat and Bishop grabbed the oars, he finally took some time to look over the surroundings.
The island up ahead had everyone waiting for them, gathered in a semi-circle by the Lady Stone. In the middle, there was an arch made of twisting wood with flowers decorating its top. Below the arch, only one person stood. Therien was back in his Stendarrite robes and smiling warmly as he watched the boat approach. There had always been lone trees on the various islands, but now they had colorful lanterns wrapped around their trunks and connecting them. The lanterns were not lit yet, but that made sense. It was barely past noon. And on the other smaller islands, there were tables set up, once more adorned with flowers and holding platters of the food he helped make and various bottles and goblets.
It was fucking impressive. Their friends really went all out moving all this to the small islands. He was especially impressed with the arch – it must have been Lydia and Saadia's idea. In fact, all of this probably was. They took it upon themselves to organize everything.
He concentrated on Aeyrin again once he took scope of the surroundings. She kept looking around, leaning over the edges of the boat and studying the decorated lake with astonishment. Fuck, he still couldn't believe this was real. That she was real. And that she wanted to be here with him, to marry him. How the fuck did a bandit scum like him get so lucky?
When the boat finally bumped into the edge of the island, Bishop promptly placed the oars inside and stood up. He grabbed Aeyrin's hand once more and together they stepped onto the familiar island. They had so many great memories here. But this one would top them all.
Hand in hand they walked towards the arch. It was hard to hide the excitement, though not just for them. Everyone kept grinning at them as they passed, but nobody said a word.
When they finally stopped in front of Therien, they turned to each other. Bishop took Aeyrin's other hand in his too and squeezed her gently. It was like the whole world fell apart. He felt like there was nothing around but her and that was the most warm feeling ever. Only Therien's voice brought him back to reality.
"Friends, family, it is my honor to be here today to unite my beloved daughter to the man she loves," Therien spoke softly. Aeyrin wasn't sure if anyone in the back of the circle heard him. He sounded a little choked up. "Before those dear to them, before the Gods, for all eternity to be united."
Aeyrin couldn't help but step a little closer to Bishop. She wasn't sure if she couldn't take his eyes off him because of how lovingly he was looking at her or because of the words her old mentor was saying. Did he prepare this speech? Aeyrin had never been to a wedding properly. She had no idea if this was what the priests always said, but it didn't matter. She felt her eyes water in touched sentiment regardless.
"In this harsh world, in times of endless strife, they found shelter with each other and nourished it through all the obstacles life threw at them. And even from a distance, even from mere letters, it always warmed my heart to see the feelings they shared grow."
Alright, that was definitely not some usual speech. Somehow it was even more touching that he took the time to prepare this. The next part sounded like it was no longer directed to the crowd and Aeyrin managed to tear herself away from looking at Bishop and instead looked at Master Therien when he gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
"It was my greatest privilege to raise you and to give you home, my dearest," he smiled warmly before he looked at Bishop. "But it makes me even happier to know you found a home here where you truly belong now."
Aeyrin had to tear herself away from Bishop for a second and she turned abruptly to wrap her arms around her mentor's neck. He reciprocated instantly, but she could feel that he was only hugging her back with one hand. The other rested on Bishop's shoulder and squeezed amicably.
Everyone still stayed respectfully quiet at the exchange before Aeyrin pulled back again and returned to hold Bishop's hands. It was difficult to keep the emotions at bay now. Tears were accumulated in her eyes and when she looked up at Bishop again and the way he was looking back at her, they were uncontainable. She had to take back one of her hands to wipe them off a bit to clear her vision. Only then she saw that Bishop didn't look very composed either, though he wasn't tearing up yet, his eyes were a little glazed.
"Psst, don't smudge the makeup," Taarie was the first to interrupt the touching silence with a little careful hiss. That just made everyone present chuckle.
When the audience composed themselves, Master Therien's gentle voice began to ring again through the area.
"And so, on this day, am honored to pronounce Aeyrin and Bishop united in marriage. For all the happiness and gifts life gives us, through all the hurdles and sorrows, a future united…"
This part Aeyrin recognized. This part could be recognized by anyone. Well… maybe not people outside of the Empire, but that didn't matter. She felt like she couldn't talk, but her voice found its way, together with Bishop's in unison.
"With you."
Bishop was clearly not able to contain his emotions any better than her with his eyes watering. His fingers twined with hers and he tugged her to pull her against his chest. It was as natural and instinctive as anything for her to balance herself on her tiptoes to meet him in an eager kiss.
Cheers erupted the second their lips met. It was easy to ignore them at first as they got lost in the contact, deepening the kiss with passion. But the cheers were getting louder and louder and they probably wouldn't stop, so after a spell, they forced themselves to part and just continued to stare at each other while the crowd calmed down.
"Come on, say something!" Azshan called out to them after a moment of silence. Right. They were supposed to say something too. Not that either of them prepared for any of this, but it was kind of what usually happened, at least from what was common knowledge.
Bishop opened his mouth as if wanted to talk, but no sound came out. Dammit. He was unable to speak through the lump in his throat. Fuck, how could he even begin to tell her how much she meant to him. As if she didn't already know. As if wasn't plain to see to anyone when he stood there, holding her like a fucking emotional wreck. But somehow, he didn't really give a shit how it looked.
Fortunately, Aeyrin seemed to find her voice. It was quieter than he expected and she still sounded really choked up. But that only reassured him that he wasn't the only one. That he wasn't the only ones whose brain felt like it was melting with warmth when he looked at her here, in this place.
On his wife.
"Bish, I can't even… I can't even express how much I love you," Aeyrin sniffled a little and he felt her hand twitch, as if she wanted to wipe her tears again but couldn't bring herself to stop holding onto him. "You gave me my true home when I left the one I outgrew. You were there for me for… every insane thing that threatened to bring me down. And… and however long we're lucky to be in this world together, I will…" she had to swallow to find her words again. He understood. It was fucking hard to talk. "I will cherish every single moment with you. Every smile you give me, every piece of calm we can find, every… every stupid fight."
Bishop only found out that he could actually make a sound when he let out an instinctive chuckle at her words.
"I can't wait to continue spending my life with you," she sniffled again and Bishop squeezed her hands in his. Their audience clapped and cheered again, but they quieted down all too soon and waited for Bishop to talk. Fuck, he couldn't. But he had to at least try to speak. She managed, and she deserved to hear those words too.
"Princess," his voice came out all hoarse, but he didn't care. Aeyrin heard him and that was all that mattered. Her smile beamed at him ever brighter at the nickname he called her two years ago and never stopped. Right now, she really looked like one. He hated speeches. They were fucking stupid. But when he looked at her, none of it bothered him. He could so easily forget anyone was listening and just focus on her. Just tell her alone how much she meant to him. "I never thought I would be capable of… feeling like this about anyone. I never thought it was even possible to be this happy. The day I saw you in Riverwood was the best fucking day of my life and I wouldn't exchange it for anything. I still can't believe I got so lucky. And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life making sure you know how much I love you."
Despite him focusing only on Aeyrin, of course their audience heard every word. They erupted in another bout of cheers the moment Aeyrin let go of his hands and threw her arms around his neck at last. It was ridiculous how much he missed holding her like this. His arms wrapped around her bare back again, feeling her soft skin beneath his fingers as he pulled her into his embrace and met her kiss eagerly.
This time they didn't let the cheers rush them. They only concentrated on each other and got lost in the kiss entirely. The cheers quieted down eventually, even though the two of them didn't stop. But there was one of their 'guests' who managed to interrupt the exchange.
With an excited bark, it seemed like Karnwyr could no longer sit there quietly at Lydia's side. He rushed towards the two of them and began circling them, nuzzling their legs eagerly. That made them finally part as they both let out an amused chuckle.
They both bend down to envelop Karnwyr in an affectionate hug. He excitedly licked Aeyrin's cheek, then Bishop's and he let out a few more happy barks. They cuddled him for a while together, but it appeared that the other guests wanted attention too. When they both straightened up, they were again met with Master Therien's warm smile.
He reached out for them to take each of their hands in his, squeezing gently. He himself looked on the verge of tears, but he was still able to talk.
"My children, I can't tell you how happy I am for you two," his smile widened even more. "My dearest, all my life, I've seen you content, at peace, with purpose, but I never saw you as complete and fulfilled as I can plainly see you today."
Aeyrin threw one more affectionate smile at Bishop before she turned back to her old mentor.
"I am confident you two will continue to make each other happy despite all the struggles in your life. And it's my greatest joy to know you found each other."
"Thank you, Master," Aeyrin sniffled. "For everything. For always being there."
"And for not instantly hating me," Bishop smirked, eliciting a brief chuckle from the old man.
Master Therien pulled Aeyrin into one more quick hug and then he pulled Bishop into one as well. He didn't really expect it, but a wave of warmth passed through him when the old man wrapped his arms around him and patted his back.
Therien squeezed each of their hands once more before he let them go and moved elsewhere into the semi-circle, giving space to someone else to walk into the arch to the two of them. Well, three of them. Karnwyr was still by their side, nuzzling their legs occasionally.
Lydia and Saadia approached next. Lydia herself looked a little choked up, but Saadia took it upon herself to talk with a beaming smile on her face.
"This was just perfect," she let out a satisfied smile.
"Thanks to you two," Aeyrin chuckled.
"Please, who cares about all this? You two together are what makes it perfect," Saadia winked. "No matter what, I will forever be grateful for everything you did for me. For us. For our friendship."
Lydia nodded rapidly, unable to talk. But she did find some words in her a second later. "To think when I walked in on that… ehm… scene… this is where we'd all find ourselves."
Bishop let out a laugh while Aeyrin chuckled with an embarrassed blush covering her face. True, their first meeting with Lydia was mortifying, but when it led to such a friendship, how could she ever complain about that?
Lydia and Saadia enveloped them both in a four-person hug before they moved over as well and Azshan approached excitedly.
He got the hug out of the way right away as he gripped Aeyrin firmly and pulled her into his chest. They stayed like that for a while, both still in a bit of disbelief that they could be genuinely this close again, before Azshan pulled back and patted Bishop's shoulder amicably.
"I will never stop kicking myself for trying to ruin this," he let out a wistful sigh.
"Azshan, stop," Aeyrin gave him a sympathetic smile. She knew it would be a process, but she forgave him. She hoped he would be able to forgive himself for everything he had done one day too. He deserved a new chance.
"Leave it in the past already," Bishop nodded.
"I'll… try. And I am really happy for you two and the future you'll have together," he smiled.
He gave them both as convincing of a grin as he could muster and he quickly moved over, making room for Brunwulf.
"My friends, it is wonderful to see such happiness in this world for a change," he smiled at them warmly. "It does wonders for one's spirit. And not just me. Many people here needed a respite from their struggles," he looked over to the elves worriedly, but he quickly focused back on the two of them. "Thank you for letting me be a part of it."
"Thank you for all the help," Aeyrin reached out to squeeze his hand. "For the wedding and… everything else."
"It's a privilege, my friend," he nodded. Then he patted each of them on the shoulder briefly before he moved on as well.
Next, Taarie and Endarie approached eagerly.
"My dear, you are… perfection," Taarie sighed wistfully as she looked Aeyrin up and down.
"All your work," Aeyrin chuckled.
"No. Any bride in Solitude, forced into her union for political reasons, would mar my creation with her fake smiles and sour glances. You, lady Aeyrin, shine so brightly today, it practically outshines my masterpiece. Perfection."
Aeyrin almost got choked up again, but fortunately, or not, Endarie fixed that with her own remark.
"Well, I certainly managed to elevate the scene," she gestured to Bishop. "Not bad for your barbaric charms."
Bishop rolled his eyes, but he did let out an amused scoff.
"I expected much worse," he smirked. "It's… really nice. Seriously. Thanks." It was. And she annoyed him much less when she instantly gave up on her face masks and other bullshit. The attitude was still a little grating, but nothing could sour his mood today.
"My pleasure," Endarie smirked back at him.
The two sisters both shook their hands in congratulations before moving back to the semi-circle. And the next group of people rushed towards them excitedly. All six of them pushed into the arch and surrounded Bishop and Aeyrin with eagerness.
"An elf and a Nord married. What a world we live in," Faryl let out a merry laugh.
"There's a joke in there somewhere," Aval smirked.
"Ah, stop it, these two are perfect for each other," Idesa grinned at them.
"Yeah, and he's not a Nord anyway, right, f'lah?" Malthyr joined in.
"That's right," Bishop chuckled. It still made him feel ridiculously happy whenever they mentioned that 'honorary elf' bullshit. He had really gotten fucking soft to be this affected by it. But then again, today he felt like he was being too affected by everything.
"You'll always be one of us," Ambarys smiled at him. "And we're all really happy for you two. Nchow, we haven't had this much fun for ages."
"And it's not over yet! When does the party start?" Revyn smirked.
"Soon, don't worry," Aeyrin giggled. Of course they were excited for more food and booze and music and laughter. Then again, so was she. But there were still more people to talk to. The elves accompanied themselves by loud cheers as they rushed away, making room for Erik and Brelyna.
"Before I forget again," Erik grinned. "All the Blades send their congratulations."
"Even Delphine?" Bishop laughed. Somehow he didn't see that happening.
"Actually, yeah, but she did roll her eyes when she said it. And she did call the wedding a 'frivolous distraction from our very real problems'," Erik shook his head with amusement.
"Course she did," Bishop scoffed.
"Well, I disagree. This was and still will be an amazing day," Erik continued. "And I'm so glad to be here, after everything you've done for me…"
"Don't start. You've done plenty for us too. Like saving our lives a few times," Aeyrin winked at him. His talent to save people from dragons really came in handy.
"Aah, let him enjoy all that modesty he fronts," Brelyna chuckled. "He likes playing the unsung hero." She earned a bump to her ribs with Erik's elbow, but they both laughed together afterwards. "It's a nice change of pace. I'm glad I could be here," Brelyna continued after a while. "And I'm glad to see you two happy."
"It's really good to see you happy too, Brelyna," Aeyrin smiled at her. She did her best not to sound in any way pitying or sympathetic. Brelyna had lost much, but pity always made things like this worse – Aeyrin knew it all too well.
"Yeah. Having a friend or two does wonders," Brelyna nodded wistfully. "But I guess you'd know. Enjoy this day with all of them."
They were certainly going to. Not that they haven't enjoyed a few more days with everyone before, but they definitely weren't tired of it yet. Though finding a private moment wasn't a bad idea either, eventually.
Lynly approached them next with a bright smile on her face.
"This is so lovely," she let out a content sigh. "And even seeing that horrible werewolf couldn't dampen everyone's spirits."
"Werewolf?" Aeyrin raised her brow. What was she talking about? At first, almost instinctively, Aeyrin startled that Lynly was talking about her, but that was just not possible for multiple reasons.
"I'll tell you later," Bishop chuckled. They still had no chance at all to talk about their day apart. He was curious how Aeyrin would react to the werewolf. He was pretty sure that by now, she would not be eager for him to have killed it without a second thought either. The whole ordeal left them both with a different perspective. A much more complicated one though. It would have been so easy to earn his trophy then. Ah well. There would be more opportunities to earn that from her.
A whole lifetime of them.
"Oh, right, I guess you haven't heard yet," Lynly chuckled. "Never mind. Thank you again for inviting me. I've never played at a wedding before. I can't wait. I prepared some new songs."
"Good. Just none of those Nordic tunes we hear everywhere every day," Bishop smirked and Lynly nodded at him eagerly.
"I am as sick of them as you are. Too bad the patrons in Ivarstead are mostly pilgrims from all over Tamriel and want to hear them," she sighed in frustration. "But none of that here."
She enveloped them both in a brief energetic hug before she skipped away excitedly too, letting the last group of people approach.
Brynjolf promptly gave both Bishop and Aeyrin pat on their backs respectively. He had his chest puffed out and he looked kind of like a proud parent as he looked them over. And of course that he would get sentimental.
"All that shit that happened. It's a miracle we're here. But we made it through so much and you two deserve to be happy together."
"Yeah, it's good. To see, I mean," Sapphire mumbled a little, uncharacteristically quietly for her. But then her voice got back to its normal volume when she bristled at their surprised stares. "I'm fucking shit at speeches, so fucking what?"
That was the Sapphire they knew. All was well. The other rogues and Bishop and Aeyrin instantly laughed at her outburst.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," she scoffed. "Whatever. Just… shits from the past shouldn't get to hold us back," she nodded meaningfully at both Bishop and Aeyrin. "Good on you. You never let them fucking break you for good."
"Neither did you," Bishop smiled. No matter how much she struggled in those forests and in the safehouse, she was still here and now back with her family.
"Yeah," Sapphire smiled a little, but when Brynjolf threw her his proud parent look, she instantly rolled her eyes and groaned.
Raven had to tap Aeyrin's shoulder to get her attention, but with that, everyone looked. He seemed to have had a note ready for them from before. It wasn't written in his usual hasty scribbles but with nice smooth penmanship.
Of course he had this ready.
.
Aeyrin, you deserve the best in your life. And now I know that it's him. I hope you're happy together.
Bishop, don't fuck it up again or this time I swear I'll gut you.
.
Well… the sentiment was what counted. Bishop rolled his eyes at Raven with an amused scoff, but just like for a long time now, he really wasn't bothered. Somehow it just never seemed as a mean jibe anymore. He just clasped Raven's shoulder with a chuckle.
"I'm sure you'd try."
Raven tried to look threatening, but it was very ineffective when Aeyrin threw herself around his neck and his expression instantly softened. He wrapped his arms around her affectionately and squeezed her in his embrace.
"I wouldn't worry, I know you two will treat each other right," Brynjolf smiled warmly while Aeyrin and Raven finally pulled apart. "And for now, we should just enjoy the celebrations."
The group of rogues moved aside as well and then, there was no one in the arch anymore. All the congratulations were done.
Bishop and Aeyrin turned back to face the semi-circle of their guests who all just looked at them expectantly.
"Well… now what?" Bishop chuckled and a few sparse chuckles from the crowd followed. He seriously didn't know though.
"Now we party," Sapphire smirked, but she was instantly met with surprising disapproval from the Windhelm Dunmer in the mix.
"Not yet! Now you walk!" Faryl called out.
"What? 'Walk'?" Bishop raised his brow at him. What the fuck did that mean? He wasn't the only one confused though. Everyone in the crowd, and Aeyrin too, looked just as stumped.
"Yeah. Walk. It's a tradition. Come on," Aval urged them.
"Walk where?" Bishop shrugged. He still didn't get it. Nobody got it but the elves, apparently. Even Brelyna looked confused.
"Anywhere. Just… I don't know, the other end of the island," the Dunmer explained. It wasn't much of an explanation though.
Bishop and Aeyrin shared a confused look, but… well, whatever. They merely shrugged at each other and Bishop grabbed her hand in this. He had no fucking idea why anyone would wanna watch two people walk from one end to the other, but fine.
The moment he tried to take a step forward though, he noticed Faryl chugging something at him. Well, not at him, but Bishop and Aeyrin both flinched out of the way instantly. The aim was clearly the ground in front of Bishop though and the projectile hit its target soon.
It splattered onto the ground, leaving weird pinkish sludge behind and a somewhat unpleasant smell, though not as bad as the one yesterday when this thing was boiling.
An ash yam. Only now Bishop and Aeyrin noticed that all the other elves, aside from Faryl, had one hand behind their backs and huge grins on their faces.
"What the fuck? These are for throwing? Why the fuck did I have to boil them?" Bishop huffed. Ambarys was so insistent that he make the yams for him, he honestly thought the elves wanted to eat them. It made no sense since they tasted awful, but maybe they had weird tastes. This he did not expect.
"So that they splatter. How else would they splatter?" Idesa rolled her eyes as if the answer was obvious. Well… that was a point, but why were they splattering ash yams at all?!
"Why the fuck did I have to season them then?" Bishop scoffed. That part made no sense.
"I didn't ask you to do that, f'lah, you just did that on your own. You should have followed instructions," Ambarys smirked at him. Wait… did he? Maybe he did. Maybe it was instinctive. "They just gotta be boiled with flin to splatter properly."
"But… why?" Aeyrin shook her head. Were they going to throw smelly yams at them? She didn't want that.
"They're the shit in your path," Revyn grinned. "It's a tradition. It symbolizes the shit you gotta get through in life. You need some proper elven traditions in your wedding."
Of course the Dunmer would have a wedding tradition including wading through metaphorical shit.
Before Bishop and Aeyrin could react, Aval tossed another yam on the ground in front of them. Both flinched once more, but it didn't hit them, just the ground.
"This is so uncouth. You will ruin the clothes for this?" Taarie gasped in shock.
"Hey, it's part of life!" Idesa argued. "And when you get through, the smell will keep out evil spirits lurking behind your back."
Staving off ghosts of the past? That was a nice sentiment. And it was a pretty apt metaphor, all in all. Aeyrin was looking nervously at the elves' excited faces and then down on the mess in the grass. She was clearly torn between wanting to include the tradition and her dress and shoes.
Well, that was an easy fix.
"You want metaphors? Fine," Bishop smirked. He promptly let go of Aeyrin's hand and instead stepped behind her. Within a moment he bent down and gathered her in his arms into a bridal carry. That was… apt. And not just that. Whatever shit was ahead, he was always gonna be ready to carry her through it and keep it off her.
Aeyrin let out a yelp and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked a little confused and unsure first, but soon, a grateful smile appeared on her face and she nuzzled her head into Bishop's neck affectionately.
The elves, and Taarie, all cheered, elves in celebration and Taarie in palpable relief. Bishop stepped into the yam without hesitation. It was just like stepping into mud. No big deal.
The elves continued to throw their yams below Bishop's feet, but he steadily ignored the smell and the sound of sloshing boiled yams. And very soon, there were no yams left. He made it halfway to the end of the island before the elves ran out. They seemed happy with that though. They instantly got the whole crowd to cheer for their successful walk.
"Woohoo! You did it!" Idesa cheered while Bishop let Aeyrin back onto the ground – just the grass this time – the shit was well behind them with all its evil spirits.
And there was only one thing that could be said anymore. Bishop only shook his head at the elves' antics before he made a decisive proclamation.
"Great. Now let's drink!"
…
The celebrations were in full swing.
Nobody needed to be encouraged twice to enjoy themselves. Brelyna took a few people on one of the boats to another small island where the food was and she worked steadily with small flames to warm the feast up for everyone. The largest crowd headed over to the third occupied island to enjoy the drinks. There was some food there too and there were drinks on the other island as well, but it was pretty clear what the main focus of each was.
Then there was the main island where Lynly played her music and sang, with Azshan occasionally joining her for the singing part. And some people were happy dancing to the merry tunes or just sitting in the grass and listening to the music.
Bishop and Aeyrin were being pulled to one group of people, then the other. Someone was always eager for their attention. It was nice. They never had so many close friends in one place and they should enjoy that to the fullest.
But then again, slipping away at least for a while did sound more and more tempting as the hours passed by. And especially with the atmosphere.
No matter who pulled away his attention, Bishop could not keep his eyes off Aeyrin for too long. She looked so fucking gorgeous in that dress and with her hair like that and everything. He didn't even know what he loved more. But the best of it all was whenever she looked back at him when she felt his stare and that loving smile decorated her face again.
It was getting harder and harder when he wrapped his arm around her, held her hand or kissed her briefly. He wanted to do so much more constantly. But every time he tried to take her aside and suggest they slip away for a bit, someone interrupted them. So fucking frustrating. How was he supposed to keep himself calm and composed when she looked like this? And when she kept looking at him like this? It had been two fucking days! Normally that wouldn't be that bad, but it was the week of their wedding, for fuck's sake. They should have been doing nothing but fucking.
Alright, calm down.
He needed a distraction, since Aeyrin was being pulled away by Idesa for another celebratory drink. They've had several of those already, but at least Idesa only poured a small amount into each goblet for every one of those. Getting too plastered and passed out was not on the schedule. It was only late afternoon. The sun hasn't even set yet.
When Aeyrin was dragged away towards the end of one table on the 'drink island', Bishop let out a sigh and headed over to the other end to get himself a drink. Lynly was currently playing some very energetic tunes, so most people were dancing. Even Karnwyr was in the midst of that crowd, jumping excitedly among them. It could have been a good opportunity to slip away, if it weren't for Idesa.
He still didn't end up being there alone though.
"Hey. Having fun?" Bishop asked as he approached Therien. The man was currently pouring himself some wine. Heh. Wine was the exception even for the Masters, it appeared.
"I am. You have interesting friends. I never thought I'd get to meet so many people from such different backgrounds all at once. Not even in the chapel. Not even in the Chorrol temple. Or perhaps that is because people don't share these things with us. Everyone is so open here. Even your thief friends," Therien smiled a bit.
"Really?" Bishop raised his brow. Did they tell him that they were from the Guild? Bishop assumed they wouldn't tell anyone here. Why would they?
"The Nord gentleman, Brynjolf, he asked about me. I merely told him of my past in Chorrol with Aeyrin and that I came to a remote chapel here to help a small community. The official story, you understand," Therien explained, eliciting a nod from Bishop. "Your friend mentioned that if we need anything, the Guild would be willing to procure supplies or rarities to the remote community for a small finder's fee. It's not an option I am considering, for the safety of the people, but it was very… enterprising."
"Right. That's Brynjolf, alright," Bishop smirked. Always making deals, even with old priests. He just saw opportunities everywhere.
"It's interesting to meet everyone, but I am grateful for Brunwulf's presence here more than anything," Therien chuckled a bit wryly. "I cannot keep up with you young ones anymore. Not the activity and certainly not the feasting and drinking. I am grateful that Brunwulf is eager to take a boat further onto the lake from time to time for some quiet conversation."
Hmm… that must have been tough to be older and more tired easily around all these people. Bishop couldn't help but wonder if it bothered Therien. It would have bothered him. He would probably be that old guy complaining about everyone being too loud and shit. Not being able to keep up bred frustration for sure.
It would… one day.
Bishop couldn't help it. His eyes went to Aeyrin at the other side of the table and this time, he wasn't seeing her with his wanton eyes. Not just that. He was seeing that young girl she'd always be. Always for him. She would never be anything else while he was alive. And if he was lucky enough, he would be the old man unable to keep up.
"Does that bother you?"
Bishop almost forgot that he wasn't alone until Therien spoke again. What? What was he talking about? Bishop got entirely lost in the conversation when those thoughts took over.
"Her lifespan. You are older than her and a Nord," Therien pointed out. Fuck, Bishop didn't need to be reminded of that. But… how did Therien even know that was exactly what Bishop was thinking about? Was he being so fucking obvious?
Maybe he was being obvious. Therien complained about being old and Bishop instantly looked at her with a very likely morose look on his face. He was having a hard time hiding any emotions today, it seemed.
Oh well. Maybe if anyone understood…
"She says it doesn't matter," he sighed in resignation. Might as well try to talk about this with someone. "We can both die anytime. And if not… being married to me won't prevent her from having a life without me… after." Fuck, that was painful to think about, especially today. But it was a good thing. He had to remind himself of that.
"She is very right," Therien nodded with determination. Yeah. She was right. But it still didn't make him feel much better.
"I know," Bishop let out a frustrated grunt. "But what if, by some fucking miracle, we both get to live. Until I'm… your age. And she's still… like this." He couldn't help but think about it sometimes. He didn't want to, but it was a possibility. A very real one.
"My dear girl does have some interest in Dibella's teachings. But not to such a measure she would put appearances before love," Therien chuckled at him a little, as if Bishop was being stupid. Was he?
"Yeah. It's not even that." The appearance was a bit of a worry, but not as much as other things. Things more important to Aeyrin. To their life together. "Not that much. But… I won't be able to do shit. I won't go on adventures with her. Maybe I'll just be in bed and she'll feel like she has to take care of me."
"Young man," Therien gave him a sympathetic smile. He still looked a bit like he thought Bishop was being dumb. Why was that comforting? "Life makes fools of us all. Why worry over things that are not certain to happen, years and years before? You will grow, your relationship will grow and go through challenges. And you will meet them head on whenever they come in whatever form. Depriving yourselves of happiness just because some hypotheticals might sound hard to overcome now, that is just cruel. To yourself and to Aeyrin. Enjoy what you have, son."
Bishop flinched at the word. He wasn't sure why. He even completely forgot what they were talking about for a moment. That word just stood out oddly to him and it made him feel strange. But that really was stupid. It was not meant like that. He was a fucking priest! He called everyone 'son'.
"Did that bother you? When I called you that?" Therien asked almost carefully.
Fuck, this guy was a witch. He could read Bishop disturbingly well. Though he wouldn't say it bothered him. It bothered him that it got a reaction from him. It shouldn't have.
"No… no," Bishop quickly shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. It was no big deal. "You people do that. It's just a… priest thing, right?"
"Not in this case," Therien stated, completely matter-of-factly.
What? What the fuck? Bishop instantly felt a lump in his throat. Fuck, hadn't he been emotional enough today? What was going on with him? But that… got to him. No one had ever actually called him that with anything but disdain. Or in the generic priestly way that didn't count. But this was apparently not it.
Fuck. Great, now his eyes were stinging. This fucking guy really was a witch. First he made Azshan cry with just one hug, and now this?
"What the fuck are you doing to me, old man?" Bishop tried to talk through the lump in his throat, but all it got him was a hearty laugh from the priest.
Therien placed a comforting hand on his back, but Bishop noticed from the corner of his eye that Aeyrin left Idesa behind and was now walking towards them.
Fuck. No. He was not letting this be a whole… thing. Not a chance.
"Bish. Are you alright?" Aeyrin instantly picked up on his unusual state, but he didn't let it escalate.
"Yup. All good. Ides! Got one there for me too?!" He quickly called out to the Dunmer and began rushing towards her, leaving Aeyrin and Therien behind. That was what he needed. A stiff drink. He was just being weird today because he was married and Aeyrin looked like that and he hadn't had sex with her for two fucking days! That was definitely it.
Aeyrin watched Bishop's hurried escape in confusion for a while before she turned to Master Therien. He had answers, right?
"What's up with him?" She asked worriedly.
"Oh, no need for concern, my dear," her mentor smiled at her warmly. "I merely called him 'son' and reassured him that it was not a… what did he call it? 'A priest thing'."
She could have sworn that Therien smirked smugly at that. Maybe he was getting a kick out of making Bishop flustered. No wonder though. It made Aeyrin feel so warm inside that he called him that.
She couldn't help the big grin spreading on her face and she promptly stepped on her tip-toes to plant a grateful kiss on his cheek.
Master Therien only chuckled at her affection before he waved his hand dismissively at her. "Go, dear. Enjoy yourself. And make sure your husband doesn't drink himself under the table for a moment of vulnerability."
'Husband'. It was almost surreal to hear that word.
It was probably a good idea though. And Bishop was going to absolutely pretend like nothing happened, but that was alright. He could pretend all he liked, she knew he just got emotional over that.
It would definitely be hard not to tease him about it though.
…
The sun had already set and the whole lake got enveloped in the red moonlight of Messer climbing up onto the sky. It was a beautiful sight, especially with all the torchbugs around and the stars reflecting on the water's surface.
But there wasn't much to see in the dim lights. The entire day the skies were clear and it was possible they might see the northern lights too a little later, but there was simply not enough light to illuminate all their drinks and food and boats.
Luckily, there was a solution. They still had to light the lanterns. And Bishop and Aeyrin questioned how people were going to do it – whether they would all take the boats to light the candles in the lanterns one by one.
But apparently, Brelyna boasted about having other ideas.
That was… worrying. She demanded everyone's attention, calling out across the water so that her voice would reach all three islands. It was apparently going to be a spectacle. What kind of experiment did she have up her sleeve now?
Bishop and Aeyrin gathered with some others on the main island, right by the Lady Stone. Brelyna was standing at the other end of it on one of the rocks there. She looked quite self-important like that. Though she clearly was not going to make a speech or draw much attention to herself. The main show were supposed to be the lanterns.
She spread her arms wide and little flames appeared in the palms of her hands. So many of them. Dozens or maybe hundreds. They were like tiny sparks, but they were actual flames, dancing in the darkness.
Everyone watched in awe as the little flames sprung from her palms and flew through the air just like the torchbugs would. And soon, the first ones hit their target – the insides of the lanterns.
One by one, or sometimes simultaneously, the lanterns were getting lit in a dizzying colorful display. Brelyna actually found a way to light them all... well, not at once, but with barely any work. Though she did look like she needed to concentrate on that. Her eyes were closed and her arms were still spread out wide.
But then, one of the flames didn't hit the candle it was supposed to. It actually hit the rope on which the lanterns were.
"Shit! Put it out before the whole rope catches!" Erik instantly called out to the people on the island above which the incident happened. People there grabbed pitchers and goblets quickly to gather water from the lake, but unfortunately, everyone's attention got captured by it.
"What?!" Brelyna gasped in shock, as if she had no idea what happened. She probably didn't. And as her concentration broke, the remaining flames fell out of control, all towards various points of the ropes. It was very fortunate that most of the lanterns were lit properly already, but there were a few of those little flames that could do some damage. People instantly began to scramble, whoever was the closest. And Brelyna promptly doused one flame on the rope with a small frost spell.
Aeyrin watched the scene with concern, no matter how beautiful the lit lanterns were. This caught her attention more. If one of those flames managed to split the rope, the whole string of lights would plummet into the lake.
But soon, she felt an insistent tug on her wrist, tearing her away from that scene.
"Come. They got this," Bishop's whispered voice rang by her ear.
Well… the ropes were still a point of concern, but… she saw the way Bishop looked at her the entire day. And it just made it more difficult that they had no moment of privacy. She didn't need to guess. She knew where he wanted her to go with him.
Anywhere else. Anywhere with no people.
She let herself be pulled readily until Bishop ushered her into the nearest boat. It wasn't the one designated for them with the flowers, but they didn't care. It was close and nobody would notice them slipping away on it.
As Bishop grabbed the oars and began to steer them away, Aeyrin glanced back at the islands. Their friends really did have it under control, it seemed. Some of the lanterns weren't lit, but nothing was exactly 'on fire' either. The lanterns that were lit though created a really magical sight.
And it was even better that they made it easier to see. She could see Bishop watching her instead of anything else with that same look on his face he had the whole day. Affection. Love. And clearly lust too.
"Where are we going?" Aeyrin asked, though she knew the answer already. Not the specific one, but she knew the why of it.
Bishop didn't talk. He just gave her a very telling smirk. As if she couldn't tell before. But the smirk really made her feel all warm and excited.
Without another word, she scrambled on the boat until she could lie down and lean herself against his chest. She didn't care that he sometimes bumped her with the oars as he rowed. Not as long as she was pressed against him like this.
And soon even more.
…
The boat ride seemed endless.
Bishop was intent on taking them to the shoreline further from Falkreath – where Brittleshin pass was. Now he was regretting it. It was way too far. He thought it would be a good spot so that nobody would overhear them – there was all that pent up energy he wasn't going to hold back on.
But the whole time Aeyrin snuggled with him, planted slow open-mouth kisses on the side of his neck and stroked over his thighs. She was not making things easier. Not to mention the view he had like this, right down the cleavage of her breasts. The corset of the dress was pushing them together so fucking beautifully and he couldn't stop thinking about burying his cock between them and then watching as…
Fuck. Breathe. Calm down.
They were almost there. He could wait. He waited for so long already.
Aeyrin giggled against the skin of his neck before she nipped him there eagerly. She was probably amused by how worked up he was getting. It was hard to hide. Literally in some ways. And he wasn't sure if he could get away with blaming his heavy breathing on the rowing alone.
But then, at last, the boat bumped into something. Shore. Thank the fucking Gods!
Bishop instantly put down the oars and instead, he started to collect Aeyrin into his arms. She chuckled when he didn't even allow her to get up on her own and she accommodated him by supporting herself on his neck.
It took palpable effort for Bishop to get up with her in his arms, but he did manage. She was pretty sure it would have been much more of a struggle on any other occasion, but the prospect of sex spurred him on.
To be fair, she couldn't wait either. It's been too long, considering the fact this was their wedding. They were supposed to be thinking about each other all the time, but it felt like they were always occupied with something else. It wasn't fair. It needed to be rectified.
Bishop stepped out of the boat and onto the shore. He walked only a few steps forward to the nearest tree before he finally let her down.
"So… what are we doing here?" Aeyrin teased and his reaction did not disappoint.
Bishop instantly yanked her by her waist, pressing her to himself firmly as a low growl of frustration escaped his lips.
"You know damn well why we're here. I need to fuck my wife before I explode."
Aeyrin giggled at him, but the second he said it… 'wife', it made warmth spread through her whole body and this time not the lustful kind. She liked the sound of that from him.
"Hmm… we can't have that," she smirked. "Wouldn't want my husband to explode." She wanted to say it too. It still felt so strange but in the best ways possible. She wouldn't mind if she never got used to it. Because then it would keep feeling this… special, whenever she heard it or said it.
Bishop's expression got turned into an affectionate smile for a moment, but soon, the familiar smirk that still sent shivers down her spine appeared.
She promptly turned her back to him. Beneath the flowers, there were fastenings of the dress. Fortunately it wasn't too elaborate of a job to take it off, but it needed deft fingers so that the flowers would survive.
"Help me out?" She looked back at him over her shoulder, but Bishop only shook his head.
"No. I wanna fuck you in that dress," he grunted lasciviously, looking her up and down with hungry eyes. Damn, she could feel her face burning.
Well… she could give as good as she got.
"Oh. It's a good thing Taarie didn't want me to ruin the dress lines again. Makes things easier," she chuckled. And it was even better when she heard Bishop swallow loudly behind her back.
"Fuck. Come here," he reached out to her instantly, spinning her in his arms so that she could face him again and his hands promptly slid down to her ass to squeeze her. And to check if she was telling the truth. It was really fucking bleak how little time they had for each other all day when only now she managed to tease him with this information. And when only now he actually found out on his own. He didn't even have a chance to grope her ass all day! That should be a fucking crime.
He dipped his head down to catch her in a passionate and very impatient kiss. His tongue teased along hers eagerly before he pulled back to nip at her lower lip. All the while he took a step forward, forcing her to take one back so that he could pin her against that tree.
But Aeyrin suddenly pressed her hands against his chest and pushed him away, breaking the kiss and the embrace.
"The dress will get ruined," she sighed as she looked back on the tree behind her. Grinding against a tree bark? It would be as good as torching it. And that would be a damn shame.
"Shit. Ground then?" Bishop looked down, but while he said it, he realized it was a stupid idea with a white dress anyway. "Maybe the boat?" It had all these benches there though. It looked kinda uncomfortable. Besides, the two of them would definitely tip it over. There was not even a question about it.
Well, there were still options. He didn't want her back to him, he wanted to watch that smile on her face all the time today.
So instead, he lowered himself quickly and grabbed her around the waist, yanking her up until, with another surprised yelp, she managed to wrap herself around his form with her legs around his waist and her breasts practically in his face. Perfect!
Aeyrin grabbed his hair for a moment, but then she seemed to think better of it and outstretched her arms instead. She ended up grabbing a sturdy branch above her head, holding herself up like that while Bishop held her body wrapped around him.
"This is good," Bishop smirked.
"Yeah," she chuckled again. There was no chance of anything happening to the dress like this. The only thing touching it was air.
"Finally. Now let's see if you were lying."
He suddenly hoisted her up a little higher at the same time as he lowered himself down onto his knees. Before she knew it, her flowing skirt covered him entirely and she felt his warm breath on her upper thighs.
She held onto the branch, clutching her fingers around it as her body tensed more and more each second. She felt Bishop's tongue on her thigh, then higher and higher. Her legs wrapped around his head instantly to steady her. She wasn't sure how much weight she should leave on Bishop's shoulders, literally, but she couldn't really let go of the branch even if she tried. His tongue reached its target and began making sure very thoroughly that there was no cloth in the way whatsoever.
His tongue glided through her folds, around her clit, then inside her. His hands gripped her buttocks firmly and he was treating her with such intensity it made her head spin. It was fast and, strange as it seemed from having his tongue on her, even rough. She felt like her body would combust in flames. Her cheeks, her chest and the back of her neck burned intensely. And soon did her thighs. Bishop's fingers were digging into the flesh of her buttocks so hungrily, it made her thighs tremble on his shoulders and her toes curl. Gods, she loved that.
Maybe it was the anticipation. Maybe it was the pent up energy from the whole day – whole day of seeing his wanton glances directed at her, a whole day of seeing him in that black outfit that looked so good on him. Or maybe it was just the intensity with which he played with her. Whatever it was, she wasn't sure she had ever come undone this fast before. It felt like barely a few minutes passed and she pressed her thighs around his head firmly and let out a moan of relief. The knot in her core unraveled so pleasantly and she felt her heated body get covered with cold goose-bumps.
After a while of her heavy breathing and calming down, Bishop gently pried her thighs apart and tried to find a way out of her skirt. He had to leave her hanging for a while, but fortunately for the long slit in her dress, it didn't take him too long to stand up and grab her again so that she would wrap herself around his upright body once more. Thank the Gods. Her hands felt weak now, like they couldn't hold her up on that branch. She was pretty sure that now she wasn't even holding on and Bishop had to support her entirely.
"Hmm… someone's eager," he chuckled at her as he began to plant kisses onto the cleavage inadvertently shoved in his face. Or maybe it wasn't inadvertent from him.
"You're one… to talk…" she chuckled while she still tried to catch her breath a bit. She could feel just how 'eager' he was now when her legs were wrapped around his waist again and his hard cock kept prodding her through their clothes.
"I just can't wait to fuck my wife," he grinned. He kinda liked saying that. It still felt weird to say that at all, but he liked how weird it felt.
Aeyrin smiled at that, but as he continued to nip and kiss the exposed tops of her breasts, she did let go of the branch with one hand and, instead, she placed it on his cheek to make him stop and have him look up at her.
"Today was perfect. Everything about it," she let out a content sigh. Even now she could see the lantern lights in the distance and so much warmth enveloped her. But of course, the best sight was right here. The sight of her husband looking up at her lovingly.
"It was. I love you so fucking much, princess," he murmured before he got right back to her cleavage, licking over her skin there.
"I love you too," she let out a soft gasp when he nipped at her and suckled on her skin. This would leave a mark. She didn't care. As if everyone hadn't already seen they belonged together. A few more marks on her skin will not be a surprise to anyone. And as if sensing her thoughts, Bishop promptly craned his neck after that and pulled her down a bit to leave one on his favorite spot on her neck too.
And soon, she felt him shift and move his hand between their bodies, fiddling with his trousers.
She used the hand she freed previously to roll up her dress properly. It was a very light material, so it wasn't too difficult. And the slit helped. In the end, she managed to get her lower half exposed with the dress around her waist and hanging behind her ass like some luxurious white tail.
Bishop's hand ran over the stockings ending at her thighs eagerly. He still seemed to love those things and Aeyrin was very glad that Taarie made another dress with that slit so that she would have to wear them. Really, it was impressive how perfectly the dress fit everything she might want. It wasn't anything gaudy or ostentatious. It was simple and beautiful but also somewhat daring and ornate just in the right ways.
But she really should stop gushing about her outfit when there were other things to gush about. Especially when Bishop was already holding his cock with his hand and pressing its tip right to her entrance. The contact made her whole body jolt. And it only got better when he entered her slowly, savoring each push of his hips further.
She quickly returned her hands to the branch and held onto it with both firmly. She could tell by now. Every motion of Bishop's body let her know about the next. She could feel the strain, the effort he put into going slowly. And she also knew it wouldn't last long. And she knew how to make things even better. After all, she didn't want slow right now.
She let out a lascivious moan and clenched her inner muscles around him when he buried his full length inside her. Bishop let out a deep grunt at that and he planted his head into the crook of her neck. He returned his hands to her bare buttocks and picked up the pace instantly. Now she had to really hold onto that branch. And with each rough thrust, a loud moan escaped her lips and her whole body clenched in pleasure. Gods, she hoped people on the islands couldn't hear them.
But that was not important now. What was important was the pleasure and that alone.
The whole day and all its pleasant frustrations seemed to crash down into this moment. Aeyrin came surprisingly quickly again, and her walls clenched and pulsated around his cock so much. He wasn't far behind to follow. He gripped her so hard she was pretty sure it would leave some marks, but that didn't matter.
She felt his warmth spread inside her and she let out a long satisfied sigh. This really had been a long time coming. But she was glad it took that long. The wait was definitely worth it.
And there was no rush to get back to those islands yet, was there?
They had some more time they could spend right here.
And then… they had even more time once the wedding was over.
All the time they could wish for.
Together.