Shae stared at her husband in silence for a moment, unsure what to make of his appearance in her bedchamber. Standing from the low stool at her vanity where Dywana had helped her get ready for the night, she wrapped her dressing gown tighter around herself. Her long auburn hair had been brushed until it shone, but she still ran her hands through it nervously. Felix paced the floor, still not wearing a shirt, his hair on end.

"You wanted to talk," she prompted when he said nothing.

Stopping in his tracks to look at her, he took a deep breath. "Yes, I..." He faltered, seemingly unsure of what to say. "I had this all rehearsed in my head. But now that I'm here, I can't remember a word." A wry smile touched his lips.

Moving over to sit on the edge of the bed, she made sure her robe covered her properly before crossing her legs and looking up at him. "You didn't need to come over here," she mumbled while smoothing imagined creases out of the bedsheets with her hand.

"I wanted to make sure you're all right." He took a few hesitant steps towards her. "I don't like how we left things. You were clearly upset about something, and I never want to be the reason for your upset."

She felt like her heart might break. He was always so considerate of her feelings. Always had been, even during their first meeting. He was the only one who had cared to ask her what she wanted. Their situation was not one she would have chosen had she truly had a choice, but she'd gone along with the arranged marriage, and Felix had tried to make it as easy for her as possible. Agreeing to a marriage of convenience, and respecting her wishes on everything about their life together. Making sure she was, if not happy, at least content.

If she was honest with herself, he was probably a better husband than a lot of other men, even if she wasn't the most important woman in his life. He spent a lot of time away from her because of his duties as High King, but it was a separation she had allowed rather than taking an active part herself. And he was a wonderful father to their son. It was one of the reasons she loved him.

She sat a little straighter. No! No, she didn't love him. Couldn't love him! But once the thought had taken form, she could not dispel it. She loved her husband, whether she wanted to or not. Despite the walls she had built around herself since the loss of her family, Felix had nestled himself inside and refused to leave. Vaguely, she registered that he was talking to her, but she wasn't listening. Surely he could not tell how she felt by looking at her?

Slowly braiding her hair, she tried to keep her hands occupied. Were they shaking? She flexed her fingers before looking back at Felix, who stood a few feet away staring at her, and she realised he had indeed said something earlier.

"Shae?" He frowned. "Are you listening?"

"No," she admitted.

He let out a little huff before dragging his hand through his hair. His green eyes met hers. "I just want to know why you left."

"Oh. I..." She stood, wrapping her arms around her chest as she considered what to tell him. "It's all just going too fast."

"That's fair. We can... We can slow down."

She almost laughed at his willingness to slow down. How much slower could they be, considering they had been married nearly three years? Was she a fool to protect her heart as much as she had? Especially when the barricade had already been breached. She already loved him. Whether he loved someone else or not didn't diminish how she felt.

"As long as it's not because of Isobel." His words sent an icy shiver down her spine, and her eyes flew to his. He must have read the truth in her face because his lips pressed together into a thin line.

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled. "What goes on between you and the sorceress in none of my concern."

"That's a load of rubbish!" Felix's outburst surprised her, and he grimaced. "I'm sorry, but you are my wife and if you believe I'm having an affair with another woman, or am in love with another woman..."

He shook his head before coming over to take her hands in his. His grip was warm against her cool skin.

"Shae... I don't know if you need to hear this, and I might be making a fool out of myself, but—" He hesitated a moment, his thumbs caressing her palms. "I am not involved with Isobel. I know there's a lot of gossip about us, but that is all it is. Gossip. Rumours. Fairy tales woven about the two heroes who saved the world."

Shock washed over her, and she pulled back from him. His hands hovered in the air for a moment after she retreated, before falling to his sides.

"You're not?" She couldn't believe it. Had she made it all up? She'd been so certain.

"No." His brows furrowed. "Did you truly believe that I was? It's all rumours and hearsay based on nothing but people's need to spin a tale."

She thought back on all the times ladies of the court had given her pitying looks. All the whispered stories about Felix and Isobel. Their tragic love affair that was forbidden by Highglaive. "Why did you never tell me?"

"I..." He made a face. "I wish I had, but I didn't realise you believed the stories. You never asked me about it."

It was true. The love he supposedly held for Sorceress Isobel had been the perfect excuse for her to stay away from him. To avoid the risk of feeling anything. She had been all too happy to use their love affair as an excuse for separating herself from the world. Happy to lock herself and her feelings in a tight chest, just the way she had her bow and arrows. Happy to pretend to be the proper High Queen the world of Erya deserved. But her true self wanted out. Just like her feelings, her true self had become too large to fit in the chest. She no longer wanted to be separated from everyone around her. No longer wanted to be alone.

She looked at Felix. He stood a few feet away, watching her warily. He looked handsome with the flickering light of the candles caressing the shape of his bare chest, showing the lines of his muscles in sharp relief. There was no fighting this. She loved this man. Why should she deprive herself of his touch when she craved it so much?

With new determination, she took a step towards him. She was tired of denying herself everything she wanted.

"When I said I hoped for us to have a better marriage, I meant it," Felix said. "And if this... misunderstanding... has caused some of the issues, then I hope we can clear it up, and—"

"I agree."

The hint of a smile whispered across his lips. "Great. Is there anything else you want to know? I have nothing to hide."

"Not right now." She shook her head slowly and lifted her hand to place it on his chest, just above his heart. "I just want us to have a regular marriage."

"Well, if you think of anyth—" He stopped, his eyes widening. "Wait. You want to... Am I understanding you correctly?"

She certainly hoped so. Was she going to have to spell it out to him? More, Felix. I want 'more'.

"Let's be husband and wife."

The tips of his ears turned red and his green eyes burned darkly. Wetting his lips with his tongue and running his hand through his hair again, he looked almost pained. "Shae, by the Gods, I want that, but are you certain?"

Untying her flimsy robe, she watched as his eyes followed its descent to the floor. He swallowed before his gaze travelled back up along her naked body to finally meet hers.

"Felix," she said softly. "Be quiet and make love to me."

He let out a pained groan, and for a moment she thought he might deny her, but then his lips were on hers, hot and hungry as he pulled her close. When her naked body collided with his bare chest, tiny sparks of wildfire ignited, and as he deepened the kiss, they quickly grew into a blaze that threatened to engulf her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held on as if he was the only shelter in a storm.

Sliding his hands down to cup her bottom, he hoisted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. When he ground his hips, she moaned against his mouth as the friction shot arrows of pleasure throughout her body. They nearly fell onto the bed, a mesh of limbs, searching mouths, and roaming hands. He trailed kisses down along her jaw, following the line of her neck, to nibble at the sensitive spot by her shoulder. Shivers of pleasure spread through her and she closed her eyes, allowing herself to succumb fully to the sensations evoked by his touch. Moving her hands over his shoulders and upper arms, their hardness and contained strength amazed her.

Felix's hand came up to palm her breast, massaging gently, his thumb grazing lightly over the nipple. She bit her lower lip, holding back another moan. She felt wanton, her body ablaze, craving more and more. More. When he moved away from her neck to take a nipple into his hot mouth, all thoughts fled. Lacing her fingers through his hair, she gasped as he alternated between sucking and nibbling, causing the wildfires in her body to travel all the way to her core.

Just as she thought she couldn't take it anymore, he lifted his head to gaze at her, his green eyes akin to emerald flames in the light of the candles.

"By the Gods, Shae," he said, his voice hoarse. "You're beautiful."

Her skin felt warm and feverish, no less so after his compliment. His hand caressed down her chest, following the line between her ribs, the dip of her waist, and along the curve of her hips, his eyes following its path. The look of appreciation, and the way he touched her almost reverently, made her skin tingle in response. More.

Before she could utter the word aloud, his mouth was back on hers, kissing her passionately. Kissing her as if she was the only woman he ever wanted, and she freely allowed herself to succumb. To lose herself in the blaze, and if she ended up burned, it was worth it. He was worth it.

Abandoning her lips, his mouth followed the path his hand had previously taken, kissing his way down her chest, the slight stubble on his jaw scratching lightly against her skin. When he approached her abdomen, she suddenly felt a little less sure of herself.

"Felix? What are you doing?"

He looked up at her and gave her a wicked grin that sent a spear of nervous excitement through her. "Something I've wanted to do for a long time."

She frowned. "I don't understand..."

"Just trust me," he murmured as he placed another kiss just below her belly button.

"I just don't—" Her voice trailed off as his hand lightly caressed a path along her hips and down between her thighs, his fingertips gently grazing her skin. "Oh." The simple word wasn't much more than a puff of air as she relaxed into his touch.

The gentle caresses chased more sparks of wildfire across her skin, and she writhed under his soft ministrations, wanting something, even if she wasn't entirely sure what. Her legs opened almost of their own volition, craving more, wanting everything he would give her. When she felt him shift on the bed, she expected him to remove his breeches but was surprised to feel him locking her thighs in his arms and grabbing onto her hips. Opening her eyes to stare at him, she found him looking back at her from between her thighs, and her skin heated at the sight as he grinned.

Before she could open her mouth to protest, he bent his head, and she felt his hot breath against her a moment before his mouth and tongue descended on her. A long stroke that started at the bottom and finished at the apex of her desire had her arch her back in response, her hands grabbing fistfuls of the bedsheets as if to anchor her in the storm of her emotions. Everything faded away. All she could focus on was the feeling of his lips and tongue against her as he tasted her. She was on fire. No longer was he chasing small sparks of wildfire through her body; he was conjuring a firestorm of want and desire.

When her hips bucked, his arms clamped down like steel bands, holding her in place, leaving her unable to escape his wicked onslaught. Leaving one hand gripping the bedsheets, she laced the fingers of the other through his hair, grabbing a fistful, not sure whether she wanted to push him away or pull him closer. Her body burned, and there was a pressure building that threatened to consume her. Almost as if he sensed her urgency, he slid a finger inside her, stroking in tandem with the movement of his tongue. Her world exploded in flames, a powerful fire that erupted, spreading through her body, and left her limbs limp as it dissipated.

Felix, looking rather pleased with himself, came back up and kissed her. His hand buried in her hair as he continued softly kissing her while she recovered her wits.

She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling shy. "Was that... Was that 'more'?"

The question gained one of his warm laughs, his green eyes glittering. "I suppose. Did you enjoy it?"

Unable to bring herself to say it, she nodded even while her cheeks burned hotly. Remembering that he still wore his breeches, she pushed against him until he lay down on his side next to her. "What about you?" she asked, twisting, so she lay facing him.

"Well, we're not done yet."

"Right." She wasn't sure her cheeks would ever stop burning at this rate.

A look of uncertainty crossed his face. "Unless you want to stop?"

Instead of answering, she placed a hand against his chest and nudged him until he lay back on the sheets. She sat up for better reach and moved her hands down along his chest, enjoying the feel of his hot skin against her palms, the muscles tight below her touch. Watching her quietly, his eyes hooded, he allowed her gentle exploration. When she reached the waist of his trousers, he obliged when she tugged on the buttons and shed them, throwing them on the floor.

She suspected she might be staring, but her husband was a magnificent specimen of a man. Long, muscular limbs with a light feathering of hair a couple of shades darker than his head. A flat stomach and well-defined chest, broad shoulders, and lean hips. Raking her nails lightly over his thighs, she was rewarded with a shuddering breath, making her braver. She tentatively stroked his hardness, fascinated by how soft it was despite the steel underneath. This netted her with another shuddering breath and a grunt. Emboldened, she tried a few more strokes until Felix's hand covered hers and stilled it.

"Shae," he groaned. "I'm only a man. I don't think I can handle any more of you touching me. Not tonight."

Not allowing her the chance to argue, he buried a hand in her hair and pulled her down for a deep kiss that she could feel all the way to her toes. A moment later she was on the bed again with him hovering above her, kissing her passionately as he slid a hand down between her legs, stroking and petting, kindling those wildfires again. By the time she was gasping in his arms, he settled himself between her thighs, but before moving he looked at her, as if asking her permission. They had done this before, to get an heir. But not like this. Nothing like this. Everything was different now. And she wanted it. She wanted 'more'.

She nodded and then gasped as he entered her in a long, smooth stroke, filling her to the core. He leaned down to kiss her, absorbing her moans as he moved inside her. Cupping her bottom in his hands, he angled her towards him, allowing him to reach deeper and it was as if he had found a magic spot as her world quickly ignited, the fire burning quicker this time. She grabbed onto his shoulders and threw her head back as she exploded in flame yet again, his name escaping her lips. He was right behind her, finishing a moment later with a deep stroke as she buried himself within her.

Their breaths were slowly returning to normal as Felix tumbled onto his back and pulled her into a cuddle. This was something she had never allowed before, and she could have sworn he waited with bated breath to see if she would pull away and ask him to leave. She rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, finding that she fit well, and nuzzled into him. He visibly relaxed and tugged her yet a little closer, his arm around her. With a combination of his leg and free arm, he pulled the sheets up to cover them.

Yawning, she reflected that this felt good. Right. She draped a leg over his thighs and slid her arm over his firm chest. Yes, she could get used to this.

~~~~~~