The Tales of Woe of a Dentist 2.0

You happily nuzzle against the side of his chest, “So cozy—mmm—thank you.”

“Of course.” After kissing the top of your head, he stays silent a moment, enjoying the feeling of you beginning to soften and relax against him. “If you want to talk about it, kitten, you know I’m right here, hm?”

“Y-yeah, of course. Thank you.” You tilt your head up to meet his eyes, hoping to offer some assurance, “It’s just…work, I don’t know—feeling drained.”

“I see.” He nods slightly, his warm gaze fixed on you while he strokes your cheek with his thumb. This is before his brows raise, “My diligent hunter who knows she doesn’t have to work, but does it for the people.”

You tap his chest with your hand, “Shush, you!”

“I’m only teasing, sweetheart.” He lets his finger stroke your nose, giving you a gentle tap as he smiles. “I know how hard you work. You do a lot. Too much, I think. They don’t deserve it.” He says so like he means it, earnestly believing your efforts aren’t acknowledged to the extent they should be. Suddenly, his eyes shift and become softer, more playful, “Mmm, been too busy to let me spoil you.”

You lift a brow and mirror his same smirk, “Spoil me, huh?”

He hums, “Mhm…” His thumb returns to your cheek, stroking your skin lovingly while drinking in each curve and each feature your face has to offer him. His voice becomes smooth and coaxing, “Let me take you somewhere. Wherever you want. Whenever you want. I’ll get you whatever you want. You deserve a break, hm?”

You smile, your hand flattening over his chest, “All I want...is to be right here, next to you.” His shoulders relax further as your hand runs along his skin, “You’ve been busy too, you know.”

He lets out an honest, regretful breath, “I know, kitten.” He pauses, trying to absorb exactly how you’re feeling, “...Do you think I enjoy being away from you?” While laced with his usual tinge of sarcasm, a part of him genuinely asks, sometimes fearful that you may underestimate the pain it causes him to be anywhere other than right next to you.

You grumble, turning your face back into his chest. You knew, and knew well, of course not. But those biting insecurities from a long and tired day—days—nipped at your heels and allowed doubt to spread—feeling an angst grow that what if you did, in fact, rely on him more than he did you?

He brushes your hair back and away from your forehead, staying silent yet another moment to enjoy the sound and the feeling of you breathing against him. “After we met, every separation has tested my patience. But because it’s you, and only you, I’m willing to wait.”

“What if—” you sigh deeply before looking back up at him, “I can’t wait. I never want to wait.”

He squeezes you tighter with the arm holding you against his chest, “Just because I said I’m willing, does not mean it’s not the most grueling moments of any given day, kitten.”

“Hmph…” You press your lips against his chest before letting your cheek rest against him again.

His voice becomes a playful coo, “Hm? Not good enough for you, sweetie?” Suddenly, his other arm coils around you and he’s flipping you onto your back, letting his weight press down between your thighs.

When he hears you giggle and sees a small smile, he grins, “What if...I told you that waiting…missing you…being away from you…is pure, utter, and complete torture, hm?”

Your eyes crinkle as you smile, and he can’t help but smile right back, pure admiration and adoration in his eyes, “Mm, now we’re talking…”

He offers a light laugh and a smirk, “Oh, yeah?” He lets his head dip, pressing a light kiss against your collarbone. “Well…” his bottom lip drags up the base of your neck before pressing a kiss against your skin, “it is.” Between gentle kisses on your neck, “You have…no…idea…just…how painful it is.”

“Mmm—”

“Every hour,” his lips part, pressing a more passionate kiss against your neck, his hips driving forward between your legs, “every minute,” then, you feel his teeth from a soft nip, “every second…”

When you laugh again, he’s already groaning and beginning to suck on your flesh, soothing the pressure against your skin with his tongue. Your string of quiet laughs ends up faltering into a moan.

He pulls out from your neck, and he cocks a brow but still wears his famous smirk, “And what is so funny about that, kitten?”

“Nothing, you just—” effectively silencing you, with his arms propping himself up above you, he lifts his left hand, tracing the outline of your bottom lip with his thumb while you speak, “y-you…”

He smirks again, “Cat’s got your tongue?”

“N-no…”

“So cute.” His thumb drops from your lip, his index finger working in tandem to grip your chin lightly, leaning in to give you a soft kiss.

You notice the faintest glow from his right eye, “I don’t think my princess wants to talk about it, hm?” You don’t move or respond, stuck in place with searing anticipation. He speaks warmly, “That’s fine by me, I’m ready to listen when you’re ready to share. But…” His gaze drops to your lips before returning to your eyes, “Until then, you seem to have a different desire, hm?”

Letting go of your chin, his knuckles lightly brush against your cheek affectionately, “I can promise you, kitten. I missed you more than you missed me.”

You shake your head softly, “Mm-mm.” Your hands raise to slip over and past his neck and into the hair at the nape of his neck, “Not possible.”

Putting his left hand back on the bed, his lips curl into a smile the closer he gets, “Very—very—possible, kitten.” He leans in further, his lips hovering over yours while you toy with the ends of his hair, his voice a whisper, “More than likely, actually.”

You smile again, wrapping your legs around the low point of his waist, “Will you tell me more about those minutes and seconds?”

“Oh, kitten…” you tilt up, your lips grazing his, “even better, I’ll show you.” Directly after he finishes speaking, he’s crashing his lips down onto yours, a gravely groan humming from his throat.

“Mmmph—” You let your fingers thread completely into his hair as your legs squeeze tighter around him.

When you break away, his lips are immediately touching the corner of your mouth, your jaw, and back down to your neck, “Sy—mmm—I missed you—” he bites your skin softly, “ngh—so much…”

His lips touch the edge of your ear, “More, kitten. So much more.”

“Mm-mm—” Each denial, each bicker over whose longing held more depth, causes him to bite you—a quiet punishment for, in his eyes, denying his supreme truth.

He chuckles against your skin, “I don’t think so.”

Your chest starts to heave, “I d-do.”

“Is that so?”

“Mmhm…”

Making his way down your body, he shakes his head, again and again, his lips touching your shoulder, your sternum, the top of your chest... He sits up, pushing your nighty up your thighs, “No, kitten.” He smirks at you, his palms warm against your skin, “Not possible.”

“Yes, poss—” He gives you a look that makes you stop speaking, his fingers hooking into the top edge of your panties by each hip, slowly pulling them down.

Leaning back in and down, relaxing between your thighs, his lips press against your skin, “Are you comfortable, kitten?”

You rake your fingers through his hair, pushing it back, “Mmhm.”

He grins, pressing his lips into your other thigh, “Good. Now, let me show you, hm?”

“Y-yes, please.”

“Good girl.” The phrase makes your hips twitch, your exposed cunt bucking just barely in the direction of his mouth. Immediately, his eyes flick to yours, a devious grin etched onto his face, “Oh, I see. This is what you missed so badly, hm?”

“N-no—mm—well, yes but—”

He laughs quietly, his hands slipping beneath your thighs and gripping your hips, using a short and swift tug to pull you closer to his mouth which makes you release a sharp gasp. “It’s okay, kitten. No need to lie. I promise, I also missed this more than you.”

You laugh in response, offering a firm tug of his hair to force his gaze back on you while he tries to lean in to get his mouth on you, the action making him groan and give you a heavy-lidded gaze full of amusement. You smirk, “There’s absolutely no way.”

“Oh, but there is.” His fingertips dig into your hips, “Let me go, and I’ll be happy to show you, kitten.”

“Mmm…” Your grip loosens and he smiles.

“That’s it...good girl.” Keeping his eyes on you, his tongue barely grazes the hood of your clit, slow and short, but still enough to make you whine. “Mm, that, too. I missed the sounds you make...” He presses a light kiss to the top of your slit, just above your clit. He kisses his way down, waiting for another whine, which he gets easily.

When you buck your hips again, his fingers press into your skin. “Ah, ah. You have little patience, sweetie.” His tongue parts your slit, running up until he creates a soft tug against your clit, “Let me enjoy what I missed so dearly, hm?” You nod, biting your bottom lip while trying to keep your hips down. “Mmm, good.”

With a more flat stroke of his tongue, he gently licks over your clit until you whimper, “S’pretty…” With each noise you provide, he’s consuming you more openly—getting greedier each second.

“Sy—oh m-my god—” Your head falls back against the silk covered pillows.

Barely lifting his mouth and between slow laps of his tongue, “Mm-mm. …Mmm—eyes on me, kitten.” Weakly, you lift your head, his right eye promptly glowing now. “Mmhm…” He hums against you, the vibration—the look in his eyes—making you moan.

“Mmmph—y-you—”

He stops, “Just relax, sweetie.” His right hand lets go of your hip, his arm coiling around your leg and hip until the nook of his elbow is wrapped around your thigh. He brings his hand past and down your stomach, all the way down until he‘s spreading your slit with his fingers. “Mmm…look at you. I miss everything about you, kitten.”

He licks a slow, short stripe over your wholly exposed clit, and continues to do so repeatedly between speaking, “Each sound…each sight…each desire you have.” You tremble, whining while staring down at him helplessly. “It’s my job to give them to you, all of them. When I’m away from you…” His lips wrap around your clit, offering the slightest and most gentle suck he’s capable of. When letting you go, “I can’t stand it.”

“S-Sylus—mmm…”

Without another word, his hand leaves your slit and returns to your hip, his mouth hungrily back on you, engulfing you completely as he grinds the flat of his tongue against your clit. “H-holy shit—nngh—!” Both of your hands lace into his hair, tugging while lifting your hips to get closer to his mouth—as close as possible.

You moan loudly when he chuckles against your skin, your eyes mutually locked. You never needed to tell him when you were about to cum. He knew. He could see it, sense it, feel it—taste it. He could watch it happen with absolute certainty. It didn’t matter if it was loud and fast or slow and quiet. This one, though, laced with longing was somewhere in between.

With zero words spoken, it’s like he gave you silent permission with his eyes that you were allowed to finally throw your head back and look away from him. When given that look, your back arches dramatically and your head falls back into the many lush pillows beneath you.

As soon as you start to whine, whimper, shriek, he’s extending his hands past your hips, his large hands palming your waist, his fingertips digging into your back and his thumbs into your waist, pulling you down closer to him.

Humming, groaning, a gravely grit in his voice spilling from his throat and vibrating against you only made things more intense. “Sy—oh m-my god—f-fuck!”

He only chuckles again and hums from his throat, slowing the stroke of his tongue to draw out the furtherest most depths of the feeling—to force it to last as long as possible.

Before you, or he, is even finished, “I-inside me, I n-need you inside me—nngh!”

His hips drive forward into the mattress, having been completely hard right from the start, but painfully so at the actualization of your release he himself created. But even then, he doesn’t stop, wrapping his lips back around your clit to suck, “S-Sy—h-holy shit—mmm!”

Gasping, “P-please—ngh—I need you.” The emphasis unintentionally placed on “you” makes him immediately stop. Despite the frequency to which he loves to make you cum—over and over again—with his mouth, who was he to deny his greatest love of all her desires? To gratify them instantly, whenever she calls for them. It’s what he was made for, he thought.

Crawling up to meet you, his lips suddenly are on your thighs again, your hips, your stomach, your chest, your neck…all while you’re panting and failing to recover. “Look at me.” His lips press into your cheek, his voice softer—gentler, “Look at me, kitten.”

When you meet his eyes, “Mmm—t-that was—” He doesn’t let you finish, his lips quickly meeting yours instead, his tongue slipping into your mouth easily as you welcome him. Without thinking of it, your feet raise, trying to push down and against the material of his briefs hugged around his hips.

He parts from you, chuckling, “So needy, kitten.”

“Y-yes, yes—I need you, please.”

His expression softens, “I need you, more, princess. Always.”

After a quick adjustment, you’re both completely bare, the underside of his length grinding against your soaked slit while he kisses everywhere he has access to at this angle. Your lips, your face, your chest, your neck...

With his face buried in your neck, “I missed you.” His voice is honest, slowly losing its typical collected edge as it slips into raw desperation, “I missed you so much.”

“Mm-mm. I—” your voice cracks into a whine at the sensation of his hard cock grinding against your clit teasingly slowly, “m-more—” Your sentence can’t be properly stated, let alone finished. As a result, you feel him smile against your skin.

He continues to grind against you, the feeling unbearable as you’re desperate to feel him—all of him, “Sy—S-Sy—e-enough. You w-win. You missed m-me more, p-please just—mmm!” You gasp when he lets the head of his cock press against your entrance.

“Y-you’re so—” You want to scold him, but can’t, especially not as he starts to sink into you while groaning into your neck, “Y-you—oh my god—y-yes, mmhm—”

It’s slow and undulating, driving a deep sense of comfort that penetrates far beyond that of your skin and reaches all the way down to your bones. That is especially when he lifts his head from your neck and presses his forehead against yours.

When your eyes start to close at the all-consuming sensation, “Right here, kitten. I’m right here. Stay with me.” His voice is a smooth hum, not possessive or commanding, but rather a reminder that he’s exactly where he should be—where he’ll always be.

Connecting in this way transcends the physical, and becomes an embodiment that whether you were as close as you could be, or as far, it didn’t matter. The very fabric of your souls are one—like he was keen on reminding you, showing and displaying to you in every action, word, or task he performed for you out of his deep, burning love.

“That’s it. Look at me.”

Your moan is thin and quiet when he presses into you completely, your eyes both wanting to close and to stay open to savor the love he shares with you from his own. He was right, every hour, minute, and second, not feeling this way, was torture.

“You’re so beautiful.”

“Sy—” You can’t find the right words to respond with, completely engrossed by the feeling he transfers to you with an intention and loyal devotion felt—experienced—through his skin. The slow, meticulous thrust of his hips left you exactly where you wanted to be—in his embrace.

Eventually, you do find the right words, “I love you.”

The way in which he speaks those same words back, “I love you…” carries such weight, another reminder that his love is endless—always right here; always waiting, ready, and willing to be provided whenever you call for it, need it, or hell, even demand it, “so very much.”

You don’t need to ask him to kiss you, to kiss you and never stop—never part from this feeling of sheer and pure entanglement in every sense of the word. In any given moment, before you can utter the words, he already knows exactly what you need, and is more than devoted to give you just that—whatever it may be.

Grumbling, you squeeze his forearm that’s closest to you, sinking your nails into his skin, “Mmmph…s’cozy, shh.”

He lets out a more hearty laugh, flexing his forearm for you in the process, “Did you just shush me?” 

“Mmhm…shhhh.” Your voice becomes a needy whine, turning your head to the side to rub your cheek on him, “…Ruining it…quiet, you.”

With his continuing sweet laugh that warms your heart, he still sounds a tad offended, “I’m ruining it!?” When you don’t reply and continue to smush your cheek into him, he simply watches, loving deeply when you behave in any capacity how he often does. He kisses the top of your head, “You’re so cute.” After waiting a second to see if you’d stop—you don’t, he hums again before speaking, “Do you know what today is, doll?”

You shake your head no, using it as an excuse to keep rubbing on him. After, you bring your face full frontal back into the side of his pec, “Mmm, mm-mm. Shh!”

He laughs again, brushing away some stray hairs of yours splayed across his chest, “Just about day fourteen of your cycle.” 

You release a small groan into him, a little frustration rising that he won’t just let you have your fun without a bit of a pestering and a tease, “Mmm, so?” Your voice is muffled due to your mouth—your whole face—being actively pressed against him.

“So…” He waits for your reaction.

“Oh—oh.” You lift your head up quickly, looking at him with bleary eyes from having them closed for so long, “Can you—!?” He knows your cycle better than you do. While helpful, it left little information to the imagination, and he can always sense any changes in your behavior before you even process that they’re happening. It truly did make him the sweetest, best, and most informed boyfriend there ever was.

He grins, holding back another laugh while nodding, “Oh, yeah.” You stare at him a bit abashed, squeezing your legs together while you press your face back into him out of embarrassment and a rising, needy desire to have your face right back where it was, “Well, even if I couldn’t...” His voice lowers, “Look at you, pup.”

You groan again, “Mmm, you’re so big…so warm...just—shhh.” You playfully nip at his skin through his shirt.

He chuckles, using one of his hands to stroke your hair as you nuzzle him, “Okay, baby. Whatever you say…” All he needed to do was wait.

This wouldn’t end until you’re lifting his shirt up and shoving your face underneath. As soon as he goes to grab it and lift, you’re whining loudly, biting into his pec. “No! Mm-mm, leave me under here!”

He seals you back underneath his shirt and lets go, “Okay, okay! You’re so cute, pup. You can stay under there as long as you’d like.”

You press your lips into his skin, “Hmph…good.”

He’s like a furnace, so warm, and so, so, soft. His skin is electrifying to touch—whether it’s with your hands, your mouth, your body... You let your bottom lip drag across his skin, under and then over the side swell of his pec, your teeth grazing the space and closing—but not around his skin, like you’re teasing yourself as opposed to him.

When you feel him wiggle in his seat from your touch, you reach over and press your left hand against his hip that’s furthest from you, finally sinking your teeth into his skin. His voice is a reserved whimper, “H-hey—”

“Mmmph…” Needily, your mouth opens again, wide, sucking on his skin—taking however much of his muscle will fit into your mouth with a vacuumed pressure. While you suck, you let your tongue caress the skin that’s in your mouth.

His hips twitch again, “Pup—ngh—”

You shake your head gently, holding him in your mouth, “Mm-mm.” After you let him go, you mix deliberate and sloppy kisses to his skin, turning your focus and attention onto the space just beside his nipple.

By this point, you’re panting, quiet groans and whines slipping past your lips. He tastes so good and smells even better, the cedary scent of him contained and more powerful beneath the confines of his shirt. The more you suck, bite, lick, and kiss him...the harder you squeeze your thighs together.

When you truly process his scent and let it overwhelm you, you moan into his skin. You delicately let your tongue graze his skin, once just beside his nipple before going directly over it—softly...slowly...tantalizingly...

“Shit—mmm…” His hands press against you underneath his shirt. You press your lips into him softly before licking again, teasing the outer edge of his nipple with the tip of your tongue. He moans to the feeling, “Babe—”

Cutting him off, and by doing so like he frequently does to you, you let your lips wrap around him softly, sucking tenderly before applying more pressure and letting your tongue massage the bud. You feel his hips buck beneath your left hand, moaning openly against his skin at his reaction. You let go momentarily, only to flick your tongue against him before wrapping your lips around the bud again.

Without a warning other than a loud groan, he suddenly yanks his shirt up and over your head, the material landing above his chest. Caught, you release him from your mouth and smile up at him—equal parts mischievous and guilty. With his chest rising as he breaths deeply, you press your lips into him again, staring up at him with pleading, aroused eyes while you do so. “Mmm…” he shifts in his seat, a small groan sounding from his throat that makes his voice hoarse, “not even gonna let me watch you, pup?” You kiss the side of his chest, “That’s not very nice, hm?”

Moaning while doing so, you sink back into the side of his pec, biting and squeezing his muscle between your teeth. When he groans, you let go and sit up, “Off.” Like he thought, all he had to do was wait. Quickly, you lean forward and kiss the same spot you just bit, “Take it off. Right now.”

He smirks, “Yes, ma’am.” While you wait, impatiently, your fingers grip and sink into his thigh that’s closest to you. As you watch his core flex while his arms go up, your hands immediately part from his thigh to drag up his abs back to his chest. Once his shirt is off completely, he lets it drop behind the couch. He runs a hair through his hair, “Like my chest that much, princess?” 

You’re quick to straddle his lap, and instinctively each of his hands palm both sides of your ass, drawing you in closer with a tight grip. You wait not at all to let yourself grind down onto his lap, “Mmhm…”

As he leans forward to kiss you, you stop him by pressing your palms against the top of his chest, pushing him back into the couch. Your hands flatten, pressing harder as you drag down his muscle a short distance, “Just look at you, so fucking sexy…”

With his chest heaving and expanding under your touch, he chuckles, “Is that right?”

You sigh longingly, staring at his chest rather than at him, “Shut up.”

His eyes widen, but he can’t hide his smirk, “Geez, pup—”

You interrupt, finally meeting his eyes, “Quiet. Let me have my fun, hm?” 

After groaning, he swallows and nods, glancing down at your hands that now have a firm grip over his muscles, your nails pressing down into his skin until you make him moan.

As you continue to squeeze, palming his wide, warm muscles in your hands, his head tilts back and rests completely against the back of the couch’s edge. “Mmm... Good boy…” Before he can make a sound or move a muscle, you’re practically lunging for his throat, licking a clean, slow stripe up and over his adam’s apple.

“Ngh—oh—” His fingertips dig into your skin over the material covering your ass. When your teeth reach his jaw, you nip his skin, “F-fuck, pup—”

Leaning in on one side, your mouth is hot on his neck, not holding back in how you bite him. “Nngh!” Your hips drive down into his lap, easily feeling how hard he is—how hard he has been, likely since when you first drove your face into the side of his chest earlier.

As you retract from his neck panting, driven by a wild desire for him, he’s quickly lifting his head off the couch and gripping your face in both of his hands. “Pup—”

You don’t let him speak, crashing your mouth onto his instead. Where you may normally wait to slip your tongue into his mouth, you don’t. He moans into your mouth immediately at the contact, the grip of his hands on your face softening as he welcomes you. Reluctantly, you part from him, needing to say your piece, “I need you to cum inside me. Right now.”

“N-now?”

“Yes, Val. Right fucking now.” Your lips find his again, his groans and moans from you kissing him—grinding against him—falling easily and frequently into your mouth.

Trying to pull back from you and failing, he speaks between wet, desperate kisses, “W-wait—ngh—are you—mmm—sure?”

“Mhm.” Breaking away, your hands press against his chest as you grind down more intentionally. “Now, stop talking and help me get all my clothes off.”

When he doesn’t immediately react, your mouth goes straight back for his neck. You sink in, sucking on his flesh hard as you grind more aggressively against his cock. “F-fuck—if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to eat me, baby.”

Releasing his neck with a gasp, you bring your mouth right by his ear, whispering, “If you don’t help me get us both naked, right now...then yes, I will.”

“Pup—” he chuckles, only to silenced by his own moan when you nip his earlobe, “m-my god—nngh—” He groans again, starting to peel you off his lap by your waist. His voice becomes low, “Alright, I’ll give you what you want.”

“Please—yes, right now. I need you inside me.” You try to kiss him but can’t as he’s assertively pulling you off his lap and putting you on your feet in front of the couch.

After an aggressive handful of minutes involving mostly a frantic stripping of clothing, your back is pressed against the couch, your right leg up on Valko’s shoulder and your left pulled up by your hand underneath your knee. He’s planked above you, his left hand grabbing the couch’s armrest above your head, and his right holding his cock in his hand as he’s actively torturing you with it.

You’re a whining, dripping mess—submitted to him, “Valko please—h-holy fuck—put it in, I c-can’t take it!” You’re not sure you’ve ever felt so fucking hot before—quite literally burning up beneath him.

He fights a smile, carefully, and much too slow for your liking, grinds the head of his cock against your throbbing clit, “Gosh, pup—s’needy, aren’t you?”

“Yes, y-yes! Val, put your cock inside me r-right now—I fuckin’—oh m-my god—s-stop teasing me—nngh—you asshole.” Each word that comes out of your mouth is interrupted by a pathetic whine.

He tsks at you, running his cock back down then up the length of your slit, “Hey, now, baby. No need to be mean, hm?”

Your voice cracks, whines that have become explicit moans interrupting practically every other word, “S-sorry but—nngh, fuck! You’re being s-so—”

He hums deeply from his throat, withholding his need to moan while trying to stay in control, “Sorry, gorgeous—mmm—I am kinda being a dick, huh? ...You’re just so fucking sexy, begging for me.”

With your free right hand, you reach for whatever part of his arm on the couch is available to you, gripping aggressively, “Ugh! Nngh—s-stop it—p-please!”

Pulling his eyes from yours, he watches as he grinds his cock against you, “Mmm—you’re so fucking wet, my god. Look at you…”

Utterly desperate for him, you’re saying anything and everything to get his cock inside you, “Mmhm—p-please, don’t you w-wanna feel? I’m so w-wet for y-your cock, p-please! I n-need you to cum inside me—” He moans, the suggestion right there for the taking. Instead, he lifts his cock the slightest bit up from you and taps against your clit, “Nngh!” Your eyes snap shut, desperation taking over in rapid, shallow breaths.

When you open your eyes again, he looks far too smug, “If y-you—ngh—don’t fuck me right n-now, I s-swear to—” Without waiting another second, thankfully, he’s sinking his tip inside you, “Mmmph!”

“Good girl—ngh—fuckin’ oh my—”

You immediately drag your left leg up even higher with your hand, pulling your thigh against your body, the action pulling him deeper, as you interrupt him, “Y-yes, yes, oh my god—m-more—more—”

He sinks slowly, like he’s trying to tame you—but also, control himself, “Nngh—s-shit—calm down, pup.”

Your hips buckle and wiggle, “No—n-no, all the way, mmm—h-holy shit—you feel s’fucking good! I c-can’t—”

Doing what he normally would himself, as he pushes in, you release your left leg and place it over his other shoulder yourself. The change in angle makes him sink further, both of you failing to contain your moans.

He stares down at you in awe; not that you weren’t ever like this—you definitely had been—but right now, it was making his vision blur and his cock throb to a painful degree. He never wants to hurt you, and often holds back from thrusting into you as hard as he possibly can in fear of hurting you. But…it seemed like you really—desperately—wanted him to do just that.

Now completely inside you, your legs above his shoulders and pushed back into a mating press by his weight, he lets both of his hands grip the couch’s armrest, tight. With each thrust, you’re begging him for more, watching his core flex and contract with his weighty thrusts into your aching cunt.

“H-harder, harder! Mmm—nngh!” Each time you cry out for him to frankly, absolutely violate you, he groans deeply, fighting against a primal urge to just completely let go and rail you to his heart’s content.

Lacking restraint with each and every thrust, when he really starts giving you what you want, all you’re mostly left with is the ability to scream yes, over, and over, again. “Just like t-that, y-yes! Yes! D-don’t stop—nngh!”

With your eyes rolled back and your head tilted back into the couch, you can’t focus on his face, instead just on the feeling of him drilling into you with all of his power. Speaking through a broken pant while you tremble, “M’gonna—m’gonna—” You can’t form the sentence, the feeling of the head of his cock penetrating you and slamming against your G-spot endlessly and quickly leaving you a weak, dizzy mess.

His eyes close, fighting so hard against his own release brimming at the surface from the feel of you—from your reactions to him fucking you as hard as he’s able. Each time he opens his eyes to admire you, he’s playing a dangerous game. When your legs start to violently shake against his shoulders and cries of pleasure pour out from your lungs, “Nngh! Oh, fuck—baby, m’gonna—” He can’t get his warning out, either.

Suddenly gaining the ability to speak at the utter need for him to fill you in his entirety, “Yes, yes—mmm—give i-it to m-me—I need—ah!” Your cries of desperation are silenced by a dramatic, deep thrust forward, his vocalized and raspy grunt like music to your ears. 

“Mmm—fuck!” He plunges again, if possible, somehow harder. Every lasting thrust from him is timed with each hot, spurt of cum you can feel warm you from the inside—accompanied unmistakably by a repeated and aggressive twitch from his cock fighting against the pressure of your walls squeezing down around him.

Since he had already knocked out all available air from you, you don’t know how, but you speak without any air in your lungs, “V-Val—h-holy fuck—yes, y-yes, t-that’s it—!”

Using the armrest of the couch, gripping it still with both hands—his knuckles completely white—for the final dose of his cum, like a medicine you require, he thrusts again, the intense pressure eeking out a loud, pathetic moan from your throat.

Slowing down slightly and calming, but neither of you recovered—not even close—he pulls out partially, glancing down between the two of you, “H-holy fuck…look at that, hm?” You’re beyond trembling. Before you can speak, he pushes back in, “Did you get what you wanted, puppy?”

Your voice is a satisfied plea, your head spinning, “Y-yes—oh my god—yes!”

He repeats the process, watching his release slick around him and ooze out between you both with each teasing thrust forward, sure to tilt up with his hips each time he’s completely inside you to press his tip against your G-spot, leaving you whining and shaking. “So damn pretty…love it when you’re full of me...”

“Kiss me, kiss me, kiss—” He chuckles, finding perhaps too much joy in your avid desperation, spreading his arms and jostling your legs off his shoulders down to his elbows so he can get to you and silence that desperation with his mouth. When his lips land on yours, that means his cock is buried its full extent inside you again, incentivizing a whiny moan from your mouth to his.

After a moment—several moments—of staying entangled, you stay exactly where you are, but he raises and sits normally on the couch, pulling your legs over his lap, petting and rubbing you lovingly while you recover, his warm, large palms flat against your skin. Still panting, “God, baby... I don’t think I’m the only one who experiences a…heat, so-to-speak.”

Completely out of breath, you weakly get out your rebuttal, “Shut…up…”

He laughs, squeezing your shins in his hands, “As you wish, princess.”

You swallow harshly, “Go—mmm—drink some water. We’re…doing that…again.”

His eyes peel off your body—truthfully, off your cunt dripping with his claim—and land on your eyes, “Again!?”

“Mmhm…s’good—so fucking good—need it…again...”

With a light growl and a laugh, he’s pulling your legs apart by your ankles, wedging his body back between your legs, “My insatiable, pup, huh? Need more of my cum, do you?”

As he’s pushing further forward, nuzzling his face into your neck, “Y-yes, oh my god—”

Speaking between kisses on your neck, “Mmm—fuck—I need five minutes.” His teeth sink into your neck, “...Make that two.”

You laugh quietly, your chest still heaving. His kisses on your neck slow, “But…I don’t get to make you cum with my mouth first, hm?”

You whine, “A-after—mmm—l-later—need you s’bad…”

He bites you again before speaking, a low growl getting cut off by a groan, “Mm—nngh—now who’s being the asshole?”

You tsk, tapping his back with your hand in defiance, “Hey!”

He quickly pulls his face from your neck, bringing his face in front of yours. “Kidding, baby. I take it back, I’m sorry,” he kisses several spots on your face, “really sorry, pup, that was mean.” He doesn’t stop kissing you or apologizing until you smile and giggle. “But asking me to keep my mouth off you…might just be meaner.” He kisses you softly, so softly it has you whining for more, “You know how much I love to make you cum that way…”

Panting, you raise your brows at him, “Are you saying you don’t want to cum inside me again, hm?”

He folds easily, too easily—in a way you absolutely love, “Okay, shit. I’ll be right back, gonna get us some water.” He hops off you with a speed that makes you laugh again. He points a finger at you, smiling, “You stay right there, hm?”

You gesture down with both of your hands to your pure comfortability sunken into the couch, legs spread and one dangling off for dramatic effect, giggling, “Do I look capable of moving to you?”

“Mmm—no…you don’t.” He teeters in place, contemplating jumping you right then after having just stood up, “Fuck! Okay, be right back.”

***

On the floor beside the couch, splayed out, “Okay, okay. …No…more…”

You roll onto your side and press your lips into his tricep, “One more?” 

“No!” He groans to the thought, his abs flexing. “Fuck…” his voice cracks into a chuckle, “you’re tryin’ to fuckin’ to kill me, pup.”

Your voice becomes a tempting coo, “You’re just so—”

He interrupts, “Don’t start, you.” He speaks through deep pants, “You got me…for all…I’m worth…”

“Doesn’t hurt to find out, does it?” You tip your fingers up his chest, leaning into him as you start to sit up.

“Back, you! Uh-uh. You’ll—” he starts laughing as you quickly plop down on top of his large frame, “kill m-me!”

“Hmm…” You press your face into his chest, “hmph…”

Stroking your hair and back lovingly, you move with the rise and fall of his chest, “How about this, princess…as soon as we wake up, I’ll fuck you even harder, as many times as you want.” You moan into his chest. “You know how I am in the morning, hm?”

“Mmhm…even harder, huh?” You bite his chest weakly, a small whimper sounding, “Can we go to sleep right now, then?”

“Oh, god.” You giggle, squeezing your limbs over his body in a wide hug to encompass the size of him. “You’re not gonna let me rest the next few days, are you?”

You lift your head and look at him with a devious smile, “Nope.” You pop the “p,” pecking his chest with your lips once, “Now, off to bed, handsome.”

“My god…” he smiles, brushing your hair back with both hands, “what have I gotten myself into?”

You smile back at him, “You love me.”

He pinches your cheek, his eyes full of authentic warmth, “Mhm, more than you know.” Wrapping his arms around you, he’s tugging you further up his torso, “C’mere…naughty thing, you.” He feigns like he’s going to bite you before giving you a gentle, sweet kiss. After the kiss, “Let’s shower first, hm? I’ll clean you up.”

“Mmm…that sounds nice.” You kiss his cheek, “Thank you, baby.”

“Good, can’t just leave my girl a mess after all that. Come on, up you go.” You whine playfully, reluctantly peeling yourself off him. “Mm-mm, don’t stand up. I got you, baby.” Your heart warms and your stomach turns. You roll off him onto the carpet, sitting up slightly. After he stands up, he squats back down beside you, “Come on, arms around my neck, hm?” You smile, wrapping your arms around him as one of his arms scoops beneath both of your knees and the other supports your back. Regardless of how spent he may be, picking you up like this is absolutely nothing to him—no matter the situation.

Holding you in his arms, he smiles before pecking your lips, “I love you, pup.”

You stroke the side of his cheek with your hand, offering a light pinch, “I love you, handsome.”

As he heads for the bathroom with you in his arms, he chuckles, “Don’t get any ideas, Miss Hunter.” You laugh in response and rest your head on his shoulder, nuzzling into his warmth once again.

***

… ... ...

“Stop it, you! Go to sleep!”

“Today, let us feast and praise our young men for the glory they have brought upon our tribe!” the chief declared, his words met by loud cheers and thunderous applauses all around.

You were helping bringing the food to the banquet when you felt a strong grip on your arm, tugging you gently back. You steadied the basket of flatbreads you carried and looked up, meeting Sylus’ gaze. He smiled at you mischievously.

“Let the other girls handle this,” he said, tossing a look to the other young women behind you giggling and smiling with envy. “Come with me.”

You couldn’t get a word out as one of the girls came over and took your basket from you, all of them laughing and prodding you to leave with Sylus, much to your embarrassment.

“Go on, we know how much you have been missing him,” one of the girls said, batting her eyelashes teasingly at you.

“It’s a wonder our sheep didn’t get stolen away by wild beasts while its shepherd was so lovesick,” another teased as she exaggeratedly patted her heart rhythmically.

“Was she now?” Sylus asked, amused. He gave you a knowing glance and you glared right back at him.

“Oh, hush, all of you.” You rolled your eyes at your so-called friends before grabbing Sylus’ hand and dragging him away, your ears burning as you could still hear the laughter and cheering.

You paused in your steps once you both were out of sight. You looked up at Sylus, feeling sheepish now. “Um…Actually, I don’t know where we are going…”

He laughed and shook his head. “I was wondering where you were dragging me off to.” He leaned down and pinched your cheek, his grin widening. “The chief’s daughter still gets so easily flustered when others talk about her betrothed, hmm?”

“Sylus, quit it!” You rubbed at your sore cheek with a pout.

“I can’t help myself,” he said, pulling you closer into his embrace. “I have missed seeing you and hearing your voice these last few months.”

Your arms slowly encircled around his waist. You looked up with a bashful smile. “So…you felt the same?”

“Do you doubt me, my beloved?”

He leaned down and kissed your lips. It felt just as sweet and tender as you remembered when he last kissed you goodbye months ago. He parted, but his gaze remained on you, searching—beseeching.

“I would never,” you responded, standing on your toes and stealing another kiss from him, much to both his surprise and delight.

“Come,” he said, breaking away and smirking at your disappointed pout. “I have the horses ready.”

“The horses?”

“We have much to catch up on, my beloved,” he said, taking your hand in his, “And I do not wish for prying ears to listen in on our conversations.”

You rode upon your chestnut-colored mare while Sylus rode his stallion, its black coat sheening in the sunlight on the grassland. The horses walked leisurely across the plane side-by-side as their owners idly conversed. You excitedly rambled on and on about the most mundane events that had happened in his absence, only becoming acutely aware of his silence when you caught sight of his smirk.

“…I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

He shook his head in disagreement. “I have missed your voice,” he answered, “Won’t you tell me more?”

You felt embarrassed by how much you were talking, and even more so when you realized he was listening and watching you with such rapt attention. You shook your head fervently. “No, it’s your turn to talk.”

“It won’t be nearly as entertaining as your story of the goat herder getting drunk and falling asleep in the goat pen while his goats took over his home.”

You rolled your eyes. “I will not be swayed by such weak flattery.”

“Then shall I serenade to you instead, my beloved?”

You covered your ears. “These mortal ears are not worthy of such…unearthly…singing.”

He huffed. “My men have enjoyed my singing these past few months,” he responded proudly, “Surely, my future bride would as well.”

“They’ve truly earned their feast tonight then,” you murmured more to yourself.

“What was that?”

“Nothing—” You paused, your playfulness disappearing instantly the moment you caught sight of several small colorful pouches in the saddlebag on Sylus’ horse, items meant to proclaim affections for the receiver of them. You didn’t even think before blurting out, “Who gave you those pouches?”

You silently cursed the moment you realized what you had asked. You tried to look away nonchalant, missing the smirk rising on Sylus’ face.

“Jealous?”

“No…” You nudged your horse, urging her to walk faster.

Sylus did the same with his horse, matching your pace. “These were welcome home presents.”

“Were they?” Even though you tried to maintain a façade of indifference, you felt your skin crawling at the thought. Against your better judgment, your mind was already racing through the names and faces of all the village girls that could have gifted him those pouches. You played out possible scenarios of how the events could have transpired. You pictured those girls giggling and blushing as they handed him their homemade pouches that they had spent so much time on for him.

You pictured him—smiling. At those girls. Smiling, as he received their gifts. Smiling, as his hand might accidentally brushed against theirs. Smiling…

At others.

Sylus called your name, and you found yourself breaking out of your self-imposed stupor. You turned away to hide your red cheeks, embarrassed by your sudden behavior change. You tried to speak calmly, suddenly becoming very aware of how stiff your voice sounded, but it was better than to let your actual emotions come through. “It will get dark soon. We should head back.”

“Are you jea—”

You kicked your mare’s sides, urging her to take off at a gallop. You didn’t want to hear him finish that sentence, didn’t want to think further about what had transpired. You knew you were behaving irrationally and immature, but you felt like you couldn’t face him, couldn’t stand for him to see you in such a vulnerable, ugly state.

Sylus chuckled as he watched you atop your mare, racing away across the land in the direction of the village. He tugged at his stallion’s rein, yelling, and his own horse took off after yours. Even though he had allowed you a head start, it didn’t take long for Sylus’ horse to close the distance.

You could hear the heavy hooves of the stallion behind you, and you urged your mare to run faster. It was a futile attempt to evade the approaching party. In a matter of seconds, Sylus’ stallion was running side by side with your mare again.

Your eyes widened when Sylus leaned over, his strong legs still keeping him steady on his horse. He grabbed you by the waist from your horse and easily carried you over to his, ignoring your panicked cries. The stallion had slowed to a halt, giving Sylus a chance to settle you and him more comfortably atop the horse. You watched with dismay as your mare continued galloping back to the village, leaving you trapped with Sylus. You looked up, shooting Sylus a heated glare.

“Why did you do that?!”

“Why are you glaring at me?”

“Why did you grab me like that?!”

“Why did you run away?”

“Why—why—”

He waited, his arrogant smile making you even more flustered and angry and emotional. Your glare wavered; you could feel the hot tears brimming in your eyes. You hurriedly blinked them away, but now you could also feel your chest tightening with pain, your breathing coming out ragged. The longer Sylus looked at you and the more you struggled to keep your emotions in check, the worse you felt, knowing a dam was about break and you could do nothing to stop it.

“So why—" Sylus stopped. His smile faltered when you finally broke down crying:

“Why…did you accept them?”

“What?”

You buried your face in your hands, crying, unable to calm yourself or keep the hot tears at bay. You shook and sobbed, your words tumbling uncontrollably out of your mouth, “Why did you accept those girls’ pouches?”

Sylus looked down at you, shocked, not expecting to see you crying, your voice holding so much hurt and pain, he felt guilty for putting you in such a state. He wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you back to rest against his chest. He shushed you softly as he whispered apologies while you cried. You felt him burying his face in your hair, his chest pressing closer to your back, and you couldn’t understand why, but the act itself just made you cry harder as you wrapped your arms around his, hurt and scared and angry.

As dusk settled in, painting the sky in purple and orange, the air felt heavy. In the wide expanse of the grassland, the plane stretched for miles and miles, seemingly endless. You were but a speck in the field, and in that moment in his arms, you truly felt so small and insignificant.

As you returned to the village, nightfall had already descended. You and Sylus had ridden back in silence, the awkward atmosphere only worsening with each passing minute. Sylus had kept an arm protectively around your waist the entire time while his other hand held the rein. You looked down, eyes following the horse’s hooves as he trotted back to the village.

“We’re almost back,” Sylus’ soft voice broke through the tensed atmosphere.

You looked up, seeing the huts that lined the outskirt of the village and your mare quietly grazing in the distance. You wriggled a little, but that only made Sylus tightened his hold. You looked down at his arm around you and you said softly, “Let me down. I can walk back.”

“No,” he answered.

“Sylus—"

He suddenly yanked the rein, forcing the horse to turn around in a different direction.

“Sylus?!” you looked up, panicked, not expecting this sudden change in pacing. Sylus’ sight remained ahead, and your heart sped up at the view of seeing his handsome face from this angle, bathed only in moonlight.

Sylus commanded his horse skillfully and you both rode atop the stallion at a brisk pace across the grassland. The cool night breeze brushed against your cheeks, drying your earlier tears. You even found yourself starting to smile and laugh, the adrenaline taking over and stealing away your earlier anguish.

Eventually, Sylus took you back to the village once he had seen that you had calmed down. The horses were returned to their stable. After giving your mare a comforting stroke down her mane, you turned just as Sylus handed you the saddlebag. You looked up surprised.

“They mean nothing to me,” he said resolutely, “Burn them.”

“I’m not going to…”

He stroked your cheek with the back of his hand, making you swallowed your words. “I had never meant to make you upset or have you cried like that, nor did I mean to make you jealous…”

“I was not jea—”

He leaned down and kissed your lips, silencing you. You dropped the saddlebag, the pouches spilling out on the ground. “Sy—”

He lifted you into his arms and you looked up in surprise. “What are you—"

He carried you out of the stable before letting you down again. You looked at him exasperatedly. “You always do what you want—this is not fair…”

“What’s not fair?”

“It’s not fair…how…I’m the only one…feeling insecure…”

In the village square, you could hear the celebration dying down as people started making their way home. The bonfire in the center still blazed brightly.

“You are right,” Sylus responded, “I don’t feel insecure.”

Your shoulders slumped and you kept your eyes lowered. You suddenly felt Sylus’ finger under your chin, tilting it up so your eyes met his.

“You were promised to me,” he said, hushed, “And I to you.”

He kissed you. “We are meant to be, and were we not, I would rewrite the stars, to change the course of destiny and weave a new tapestry of fate to make you mine.”

His forehead pressed to yours. “My beloved,” he held his gaze with yours, “I will always choose you, in this life and the next. Whether we are meant to be or not—”

He kissed you again, and the last remnants of your jealousy and hurt faded away.

I will always choose you.

The following morning you were lazing in the field as the flock of sheep grazed peacefully all around you. The warm sunlight had you yawning, already feeling yourself being lured by the tempting sun into drifting back to sleep.

As the time passed, your eyes felt heavier, and you nodded off a little. Another yawn escaped before you decided a few minutes of rest wouldn’t hurt. Slowly, you closed your eyes, letting them rest for a few minutes.

“Is this what you do when I’m not here?”

You immediately opened your eyes when you heard Sylus’ approaching voice. You let out a soft surprised squeak when he knelt down next to you, his face looming just mere inches from yours. He was smirking. “Lazing around and sleeping? What if your sheep gets stolen by wild beasts, my beloved?”

You glared at him. “I was not sleeping. I…was blinking.”

“Your eyes were closed for far longer than a blink should be.”

“I had some dust in my eyes.”

“I’m quite sure I heard you snoring.”

You blushed and shoved his face aside, glowering when he started laughing at you. “Did you come all the way out here just to tease me?”

“Mmhmm,” he answered with a pleased nod as he sat back with his legs propped up. His elbow rested on top of his leg while he cradled his chin in his hand. You noticed in his other hand was a wreath crafted from leaves and berries.

Your heart quickened and you gasped softly. You looked at him expectantly, wondering if this meant what you thought it meant. It was at that moment, though, that you noticed the dark bags under his eyes. You crawled over to him and he sat back, allowing you to settle in between his long legs. You reached up and touched his face.

“Did you not sleep last night?” you asked him worriedly.

He simply smiled and shook his head. Without a word, Sylus placed the wreath on top of your head. You reached up and touched it tentatively as you looked at him confused.

“I wanted to finish this for you,” he explained, smiling, “Just as I had thought. This suits you.”

“R-really?”

“Mmhmm,” he hummed again, nodding. He leaned in to steal your lips. “You look beautiful.”

“Sylus…” You could feel your cheeks warming up as he spoke.

“Now everyone will know you are mine and I am yours.”

You felt touched by his gesture. Without thinking, you threw your arms around his neck, surprising him into losing his balance. Sylus laid on the grass with you on top of him. You grinned and kissed him happily. He looked up, gasping softly when he saw the sunlight had formed a radiant halo behind your head.

How…ethereal...

He smiled, his hand gently grasped your chin, his thumb brushing over your soft, trembling lips. “We are already promised to one another,” he said, “but if I may be presumptuous, I would still like to ask.”

You looked down at him confused.

“My beloved,” he said, voice soft and sincere, “will you be my bride?”

You stroked his cheek, and as you leaned down closer to his face, your wreath tilted on your head. “What do you think?”

He smiled. “Your wreath is going to fall off.”

“You’ll put it back on for me, right?”

He huffed in amusement at your audacious question, but he nodded. “Yeah,” he said lightly, reaching up to fix the wreath for you, “I will…my bride.”

For that brief moment, you felt like your heart had stopped, your mind replaying what he had just said over and over again. Slowly, you smiled again as you leaned in and kissed him, feeling his strong arms wrapped around you and holding you close to his body.

“This is my vow to you, my bride” he said, your faces just barely apart, “There is only you in my eyes. In this life and all of the lifetimes afterwards, I will always choose you.”

“Same for me,” you answered, gazing back at him fondly. You stroked his cheek, letting yourself willingly and helplessly drown in those passionate crimson eyes.

“I will always find you,” you promised, “In all of our lives together, I will always find you and choose you, my love.”

Your ardent words beckoned his lips to yours, and for the rest of the day, you lay together under the warm morning sun on the grassland, lost in your own world of bliss.

Hands intertwined, you returned to the village with Sylus, his handmade wreath worn proudly on your head. There were envious looks directed at you and sighs of resignation heard here and there. You felt a squeeze from Sylus’ hand and you answered back with your own.

His love for you had always been true and steadfast.

When you looked back on your years together, it seemed he was always there, always yours.

The boy who was promised to you and you to him. An oath had been formed between two powerful families long before either of you came into the world, but perhaps it was always meant to be, because never once did either of you seemed to rebel against your destiny.

You grew up alongside him on the grassland, running barefoot and riding horses across the endless green pasture under the sun. It was a rich childhood filled with laughter and smiles, skinned knees and clumsy first kisses, with the boy who had carried you on his small back home. With the boy who had promised to grow up and become the strongest warrior on the grassland. With the boy who had sworn he would always keep you safe and protected.

The same boy, one day, had become a man, who had unwittingly stolen many young maidens’ hearts, but his own he had safeguarded and kept for you alone.

The man who would always find his way back to you no matter how far his duties may take him.

The man who would soon become your husband, the promise made so long ago between two families would now be honored.

You tightened your hold on his hand, and he smiled down on you.

That smile alone seemed to have banished any lingering insecurities you had. As you stared into his eyes, falling deeper and deeper, you knew nothing could ever sway him, could ever tear him from you. Likewise, there was no one else in your eyes and heart.

It was always going to be him.

There was much to celebrate in the coming weeks. Weddings after weddings took place across the village as one after another, couples were married off.

In the middle of spring, on a warm and sunny day, you were the last to be wedded, but your wedding ceremony was the most extravagant. As the only daughter of the village’s chief, you were the pride and joy of your father. From birth, you and Sylus had already been matched, your future destined together, and now as young adults, the day for your wedding was finally here.

Dressed in red and gold, the colors symbolizing love and prosperity, the elder women prepared you for your groom. You pressed your lips between a lipstick paper, staining them crimson as your cheeks were painted in a similar shade with the rouge made from the scarlet flowers gathered in the grassland. Your hair had been cleansed, fragranced, and styled with gold and red flowers decorating your tresses. You were the very image of a new bride, and now the time had come for you to go meet your groom.

As you made your way through the village, passing cheers from well-wishers, your eyes honed in on Sylus waiting for you at the end. Your breath hitched, your heart speeding up. Dressed in a matching red/gold ceremonial robe and trousers, he waited for you with a smile. You couldn’t help but noted appreciatively how the robe he wore brought out the beauty in his eyes.

His crimson eyes were always so sharp and piercing, able to strike fear into his enemies’ hearts, but when he gazed upon you, there was only soft, gentle joy, love, and gratitude.

The happiness he felt in this moment, knowing soon, by the day’s end, you would be his wife from now until the end of your time on this earthly plane.

The love he felt for you was deeper than the ocean’s depth, unmatched by any force in this world. He would lay down his life for you, rebel against the gods for you, he would submit to you time and time again.

The gratitude he felt for being born into the same lifetime as yours, to be able to have you as his, to build a life with you. He couldn’t begin to express the depths of his gratitude, but he would gladly spend the rest of his life trying.

As you approached him, his gaze seemed to soften even more. You stood facing him, your heart beating faster than normal. One large hand cupped your face and you smiled, leaning into his touch, feeling your heart steadying again.

Soon, he and you would be tethered together in matrimony, your bond witnessed by your village and the heavens above.

You exhaled slowly as the priest began the ceremony.

“May the gods and goddesses bless this pair, allow their union to be fruitful and their happiness endless.”

You stole a glance at Sylus, startling when you met his crimson gaze already settled on you. The fond smile he wore quickly transitioned to a smirk at your flustered expression. You started to look away out of sheer embarrassment, but you caught sight of him quietly mouthing to you: “Eyes on me.”

You found yourself obediently listening to him, your focus entirely on the man you were marrying. Likewise, Sylus kept his own eyes on you.

Time felt sluggish as the ceremony wore on, your body moving through the motions and unable to truly comprehend anything that was said. You didn’t even remember when the ceremony finally ended, only breaking out of your daze when the whole village erupted in cheers as even more scarlet flowers were tossed and thrown in the air to celebrate.

Now husband and wife, you linked arms with Sylus as you made your way back to the square, smiling and laughing as everyone cheered and blessed your marriage. You looked up just as Sylus leaned down and captured your lips, his sudden public display of affection causing a commotion.

While you were hyperaware of the many eyes on the two of you, Sylus appeared unconcerned. To him, there was no one else around. It was just the two of you.

“My bride…”

From morning to sundown to nightfall, it seemed like the celebration would never end. The feast was plentiful, the alcohol abundant, and all around you, people enjoyed the festivity to their hearts’ contents, feeling encouraged to engage in gluttony and merriment for this one special day. It was not every day that many would witness such a blessed union as this marriage between the most powerful warrior in the village and the chief’s daughter. There was much cause for celebration, much joyous anticipation for the bright future that was to come.

While everyone was taking part in the merriment, you and Sylus sat at your own private table, idly chatting and dining, unable to tear your eyes away from one another. You were feeding him some fruits when the village herbalist brought forth a tray with two wooden bowls filled to the brim with a specially prepared wine for newlyweds, the alcohol laced with a potent aphrodisiac. You took one of the wooden bowls hesitantly while Sylus grabbed the other. You took an uneasy glance at your new husband.

He smirked, meeting your gaze. Without any hesitation, Sylus raised his bowl to his lips, downing the wine in mere seconds. You felt a flutter in your belly before you drank from your own bowl, feeling the alcohol burning down your throat. The wine itself rushed to your head, already causing you to feel a little tipsy.

With your inhibitions suddenly lowered, Sylus pulled you to him, his lips seizing yours, and you tasted the rich wine still staining his lips while he tasted yours. You were told the wine would take some time to take effect, so you wondered why you felt so lightheaded in that moment from just a mere kiss.

“Come away with me,” Sylus murmured, his lips just a breath from yours. Taking your hand in his, Sylus dragged you to your feet, steadying you, before leading you away.

He spirited you away to the field on the outskirt of the village. You both left behind the raucous celebration, hearing the drunken laughter and singing fading with each step you took. As the other villagers continued in their festive merriments, no one noticed the absence of the newly wedded bride and groom.

On the outskirt of the village, there was no lamp or bonfire to light the way—only the distant stars overhead to guide you through the darkness. You passed the slumbering flock of sheep, all clustered together for warmth and protection.

“They need to be sheared soon,” you remarked, laughing as you pointed out the fluffiest of the bunch.

He smiled and grabbed your hand again, fingers intertwining together. He led you far away from the village, across the grassy plane.

How strange. You had run barefoot on these grass as children, and now you were walking side-by-side as husband and wife. You not-so-subtly leaned closer to him. He smiled.

“Where are we going?” you asked, looking up at your new husband.

Sylus shrugged. “Away,” he answered, “It’s too noisy back there.”

You laughed. “Celebrations are supposed to be noisy.”

He shrugged again. “I do not care for them.”

“How ironic, coming from a man who has been celebrated for his many feats all of his life.”

He chuckled, but decided not to deign a response to your quip. Instead, he paused in his steps, turning to face you, asking, “Shall I take you away from this place then?”

“And go where?”

“Wherever you would like,” he answered, making suggestions, “The sea, the mountains—”

“And if I say I enjoy our life on this grassy plane?”

He smiled. “Then I will build the biggest hut worthy of my bride.”

You giggled. “Such a powerful boast,” you said, humoring him. “What if I don’t like it?”

“Then I will build a new one.”

“What if I they all displease me?”

“I will still have a lifetime to please my fickle bride,” he responded, grabbing your wrist and pulling you to him. You both stumbled back, rolling down on the grass until you laid beneath him. Your cheeks suddenly felt warmer. Sylus peered down at you with a knowing smile. “My bride is suddenly silent…”

You looked up, wide-eyed and mouth slightly parted. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest, your senses suddenly heightened as you became all too aware of the close proximity of Sylus to you. He leaned down and nuzzled his cheek against yours.

Above him, the dark night sky loomed overhead, millions upon millions of stars scattered the heavens, bearing witness to the sacred union on the grassy plane. You felt a slight warmth in your body, but you brushed the feeling aside.

“The moon…” you murmured, gaze looking past him at the bright, full orb in the sky, “She is beautiful…”

“Indeed,” he answered, hushed, eyes fixated only on you. His long, slender finger trailed down your smooth cheek as he spoke softly, “Have I stolen a goddess to be my wife?”

“Such sacrilegious words,” you chided him, but Sylus responded with a roguish grin, stealing your lips and taking your reprimand with delight.

He hummed and murmured in between the sweet kisses, “Am I wrong? Would the gods not bow down to your beauty? Would goddesses not become green with envy and wish to covet the love I have for you?”

You gasped for breath, unsure if your racing heart was spurred by his relentless kisses or the feverish words he had so sweetly uttered. You panted softly, voice still scolding, “The hubris of this mortal man…”

He pressed his forehead to yours, laughing, “I speak of only the truth—my truth.”

“The gods will surely punish you for such loose lips.”

“To bear punishments simply because my only crime is that I wish to lavish my bride with praises and love?” He kissed you again, a haughty smile graced his face. “Then let them punish me.”

The warmth in your body spread. Surely, such words couldn’t have this much of an effect on you, right? You vaguely noticed Sylus’ own expression seemed more heated, his eyes darkening with a look of desire and longing.

He kissed you again, but you felt it was different from the previous light, affectionate pecks. He was practically ravaging your soft lips to the point you felt like you would bruise. You moaned against his mouth, this burning inside of you worsening as you kissed him back just as eagerly.

As the night wore on, you began to notice the effects of the aphrodisiacs settling in, feeling the warmth spread in your body and seeing the flushed look on your new husband’s face.

“Sy-Sylus…” you called for him, and his lips and teeth grazed along your neck. You panted and tugged at his ceremonial clothes urgently. “I…I feel so warm…”

“I know,” he husked back, hand cradling your face. He breathed in sharply. He himself was also beginning to feel the effects of the aphrodisiacs on his body, and coupled with the erotic sight of your flushed expression, he could feel himself hardening, needing you just as much as you needed him in this moment. He kissed your lips again, his voice coming out in soft pants, “I cannot wait to go back to our hut. I must have you now.”

You nodded, your body was aching, yearning for him in a way you had never felt before. You tossed your head to the side, your arms reaching up to wrap around your body, your own hands tugging at your clothes impatiently. “It’s so hot…Sylus…my body…it…it feels…it feels like…like it’s throbbing…I…I…”

He groaned at your words. He pulled away, and you looked upset at the sudden loss of contact, already missing his heavy weight on you, his warm heat against you, his soft touches on you. You whined softly, needing him on you again.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, breathless.

“With my life,” you answered immediately, and he smiled.

He knelt before you, like a devout follower, your body his temple to worship at. He offered you his kisses, words praising your beauty. You watched, eyes glazed over, your throat drying, as he removed his clothes tossing them to the side unceremoniously. You felt the ache inside you worsened as you took in the magnificent appearance of your husband, your eyes raking up and down his glorious body. Your breath hitched as you bore witness to his manhood, feeling both trepidation and excitement swirling inside you.

He reached out and disrobed you, his own eyes greedily taking in the sight of your exposed body. There was no other beauty or treasure in the world that could entice him the way he was feeling for you in this moment.

“Lay back,” he ordered, and though you were confused, you obeyed him. Suddenly, your eyes widened when he had your legs slung over his powerful shoulders while he settled between your parted thighs. You felt his warm breath trailing along your thigh, reaching your core.

“Sylus, what are you—ohh…” your head fell back as you let out a moan, feeling his mouth pressing against your most intimate area.

His mouth…he is… “Ahh…!” You covered your mouth, embarrassed by the unexpected noises you were making.

“Don’t.” Sylus looked up, chiding you gently, “I want to hear more. I want to hear how good I am making you feel.”

“Ohhh…” You could feel him parting your slick lips, his tongue diving in and stroking against you in all of the right places. Your hips moved on their own, wanting more of this stimulating sensation he was bringing to you.

You opened your eyes a crack, barely able to see him, but you did catch a glimpse of his hand, seeing it wrapped around his magnificent manhood, pumping it urgently as he continued to pleasure you. You could feel your body pulsing at the sight, your breathing coming out in quick gasps and moans.

“Sylus…ohhh…”

You whimpered, feeling an unfamiliar sensation happening to your body. “Sylus—I…I feel strange…ahh…ahh…”

“Do you feel good?” he pulled back just a moment to check in on you, a smirk on his face. You whined in frustration at the sudden loss of attention. He laughed and continued. You cried out when Sylus’ other hand pressed against you, brushing over an area that had you bucking against him. He continued stroking that same spot, feeling that sensitive little pearl, that was making you cry and moan so desperately, the erotic sounds you were making had him stroking himself harder and faster. Your helpless cries rose in pitch, coming out faster…and faster…and—

Your hips bucked up, your head tossed to the side as you let out a strangled moan, fingers finding only grass to hold onto as your body experienced the most euphoric sensation you had ever felt.

Sylus lapped at you greedily, forgetting his own pleasure as he wanted to only extend yours. You had never felt this high, this searing, hot pleasure coursing through your body. You focused on the feeling, wanting to hold onto it for as long as you could.

You were panting so hard, body trembling uncontrollably with pleasure. You didn’t know how long the heavenly feeling lasted, but when you felt the haze starting to subside, you realized Sylus was lavishing you with kisses. You hummed back tiredly, feeling his hands explored your body. You moaned as he squeezed your breast experimentally.

“How are you feeling?” His voice was soft. He pressed a kiss into the nape of your neck.

“So…so good…” You said, but then you wrapped your arms around his neck, pressing yourself closer to him again. You still felt so hot inside, still not fully satisfied. You whimpered to him, “Sylus…the wine…”

He panted, his hand cupping your sex, the friction from it only easing your ache a little. You needed more. Instinctively, your hips moved on their own, your body trying to seize whatever friction it could to satisfy this agonizing ache inside you.

“You are still so wet,” he murmured, laughing softly to himself, “This is good…”

You were confused by his words, but Sylus immediately kissed you again, reassuring you. “I’ll quell the fire inside you.”

Your eyes widened when he aligned himself to you, the head of his massive manhood pressing into your slick folds. You bit down on your lip, wincing from the unfamiliar sensation as you felt more and more of him entering. You gasped, tensing.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, pressing his lips to your shoulder. “Bear with the pain a little, my bride.”

You arched forward, voice scared. “Sylus—!”

He hushed you softly as he pressed more of himself into you slowly, groaning as he felt your walls stretching to accommodate him. He gauged your reaction closely, pleased as you became used to the feeling of him penetrating you.

He watched as your expression slowly changed, your arousal coming back stronger as he sheathed himself fully inside you. For a moment, he remained still, buried completely inside you and letting you adjust to the feeling. His lips found yours again, his hand slipping into yours.

“Ahh…m…more…”

Sylus’ ears perked up the moment he heard your soft plea. He began moving. Slow, careful movements at first, and then he slammed into you, making you cry out as stars filled your vision. Once he was sure you were enjoying yourself, he picked up his pacing, setting a hard, fast rhythm.

You writhed beneath him on the grass, moaning as he spread you more, taking you in deeper. His kisses trailed down your neck to your chest, his mouth finding your nipple to suckle. You squirmed when his tongue teased the sensitive nub, swirling around it until it hardened. “Sylus!”

He groaned when your fingers found his hair, tugging at him, urging him on. His voice was heavy with arousal when he spoke, “Taking me so well…my beloved beautiful bride…” He kissed your neck, his hands explored your body, learning and memorizing all of the curves that only he would ever know and trace. He memorized the way you sounded, the way your body was trembling with pleasure as it felt every burning touch and thrust from him.

“Sylus…more…more…please…”

He smiled and kissed your lips, swallowing your pleas hungrily.

Every powerful thrust had you calling his name, begging and pleading for him to go deeper and harder and faster. He answered your desperate pleas, giving you everything you were begging for. “Sylus—I am…ahh…it’s…close…”

He grunted. He could feel it too, knowing you were so close to coming undone again by him. That sweet, mounting pleasurable feeling you had felt earlier was almost here, just within reach, a little more, and—

You could feel your world tipping over, a white-hot searing pleasure coursing through your body, more powerful than the last. You didn’t know which god or goddess to praise for the intense pleasure this man was bringing to you, but you continued to cry out anyway. You gripped the grass, tugging until you pulled them free from the ground. The grass blades slipped from your fingers and scattered in the wind.

Sylus continued to rock into you, his own climax nearing. His hands gripped tightly your hips as he pounded into you with enough force that your breasts bounced. His hand skimmed over your flat belly, already imagining it growing heavy with a new life inside.

“Going to have you bear my children,” he murmured against your ear, his large hand gripping your much smaller one.

You moaned at his words. This was to be your role. You had always known it. The women were expected to bear their husbands’ children, the future of the village depending on these fruitful unions. For a powerful warrior like him, there was even more pressure for you to conceive, to bear him many strong sons who would inherit and carry on his legacy.

“Yes, yes,” you answered him breathlessly. You held onto him as he drove into you, his words reigniting the fire inside you. You whined softly into his shoulder. “Please, Sylus…”

“Oh, gods,” he grunted, “You are going to look so beautiful, my beloved.”

You mewled at his words. “More…ah…tell me more…”

His breath hitched, but he continued, his own words making him dizzy with pleasure. He was smirking as he panted, “Would you like that, my beloved? Would you like to grow big and round with my baby in your womb?”

You whimpered. It was your role. It was your duty. However, the way he asked, the way his deep voice sounded, rasping with desire, made you realized that you did want to have his babies—not out of obligation, but as an expression of your sincere love for him. You gasped and cried out, “Yes!”

That one word seemed to have driven Sylus wild. He spread you more and drove in deeper, his powerful thrusts unrelenting as he neared his own release. Your cries echoed in the dark night sky. You practically squealed, unprepared for this sudden aggressive switch.

“You’re going to carry my baby,” he murmured, nearly delirious with desire, “Grow big and round with my baby. Everyone will know. Everyone will know it is my baby in your womb, my baby that I fucked into you.”

You panted and moaned, your hands searching desperately for anything to hold onto, anything to keep you grounded as he took you for himself. Normally so sweet and affable with you, his sudden lewd words had you throbbing all over again. You didn’t realize you could get so aroused by such obscene words, but you found your body was craving more. You wanted to hear him say more of these perverted words, wanted to hear these indecent thoughts spoken aloud by his deliciously and sinfully deep voice. You wanted him to act on his lascivious desires, wanted those words to come true, wanted him to actually fuck a baby into you. You whimpered his name, gasping and pleading.

Sylus leaned in closer to you and you instantly encircled your arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly. He wrapped his own arms around you, lifting you off the ground, your legs locking around his waist as he penetrated you deeply, hitting that sweet spot that had you feeling that same euphoric feeling approaching again.

“You are going to look beautiful—so fucking gorgeous—heavy with my baby in you. Going to keep feeling you, going to fuck you over and over again while you are pregnant.”

His movements had become hurried and graceless, his own words mixed with your reactions had him close to the edge. “Gonna fill you up, gonna keep you full, gonna make sure my seed take.”

“Oh, Sylus—I am going to—ahh, don’t stop, don’t stop!”

You felt it, it was coming again, it was mounting, getting tighter, so close, so close, so fucking close—

You screamed your release into his shoulder, your nails scraping frantically along his back as you felt him emptied into you, filling and flooding your womb full of his seed. You bit down into his shoulder, and he hissed with pain and pleasure. There was just so much.

“Sylus—ahh, I…I feel so…full…”

He groaned and buried his face into your neck. His voice was low and commanding, “Take every last drop.”

“Ahh…Sylus…Sylus…”

He lifted your head from his shoulder, and he leaned forward, your lips his to take. You trembled against him, the aftershocks of your release still coursing through your spent body. You stayed in his arms, boneless and satisfied, the effects of the aphrodisiacs finally wearing off.

You looked at him with half-hooded eyes, meeting his own satiated gaze. His lips found yours again, his kisses more tender this time as you stayed in each other’s embrace longer as you both slowly came back down from your shared climaxes.

You lay with him beneath the stars, the cool spring breeze a welcoming presence after your heated lovemaking. You nestled into Sylus’ embrace, sighing softly when he tightened his hold. He covered you both loosely with his ceremonial robe as you basked in the afterglow.

You prayed for this moment to last, to always remember every single detail of this night. Among the million stars above, you hoped at least one would hear your silent prayer and make it come true. You closed your eyes, letting yourself be enveloped by Sylus’ warmth. As you slipped into a deep slumber, you could hear Sylus’ rich, deep voice murmuring softly:

“My beloved bride…I love you.”

As daybreak came, you found yourself waking up on top of fur, feeling a strong, protective arm wrapped around you. When you looked up, you didn’t see the sky. You looked around and realized you were inside a hut.

You heard soft snoring and looked up, seeing Sylus’ sleeping face close to yours. You smiled as memories of the previous day rushed back through your mind, your cheeks tinging pink as you remembered the passionate night beneath the stars with him on the grassland.

You snuggled into his embrace, his now familiar warmth enveloping you. Sylus stirred when he felt your movements. He looked down and smiled, kissing the top of your head.

“Good morning, my bride.”

You smiled, answering him, “Good morning…my husband.”

The one word seemed to have robbed Sylus of all thoughts as he seemed to sleepily replayed what you had just said again in his head. Slowly, happily, he smiled and pulled you into a kiss.

“Say it again,” he murmured against your lips.

“My husband.”

“I love you,” he whispered back, his words making you swelled with joy. He rolled over and had you trapped beneath him. His feverish kisses covered you and you struggled to keep up.

“Sy—Sylus, the sun is up—!”

“I do not care,” he murmured, nibbling your neck, “Do not worry. Just let this happen, my bride.”

You mewled softly, feeling his soft lips all over you, his hands roaming your body brazenly. Helplessly, you gave in to his wicked temptation and to your desires, surrendering yourself completely to him that morning.

By the next moon cycle, many of the new young brides had fallen pregnant—yourself included. The men had already departed for their hunting trip, already prepping for the cold winter months to come. They would not be receiving news about their expecting brides until they returned—hopefully with a bountiful hunt.

You had all conceived around the same time, so everyone’s growths were only slightly different. Even though, you were the last to lay with your husband, everyone noticed how fast you were growing, belly rounding out bigger and faster than the other new brides and mothers.

Oh, worry not, that is normal, one woman said.

The women in Sylus’ family all bear big, strong sons, another explained.

That’s right. You should be proud that you are already this big, you were told.

Child, do not fret, you were made for this, an elder assured you.

At night, you lay in bed, hand smoothing over your growing middle. Though the women in the village had offered you their wisdom and experience, you still felt unsure and worried about your fast growth. Your heart beat softly, your worries mounting. You turned in bed and stared at the empty space next to you, missing and yearning for your husband’s warmth and comfort.

You closed your eyes, hand cradling your belly, and you prayed for Sylus’ safe and quick return.

When the summer heat crept in unexpectantly, the village resounded with joyous cries as the men returned with wild games and fowls. Some were to be feasted on in the coming days while others would be cured for the winter months when food was scarce.

You raced through the village as fast as you could in your current delicate condition, arriving at the square just as you saw the imposing figure of your husband. A large wild boar was slung over Sylus’ strong, broad shoulders as he entered the square, but the moment he saw your approaching figure, seeing your rounded belly, he dropped the wild beast and rushed to you, gathering you into his arms, laughing joyously.

He carefully steadied you on your feet, dropping to his knees as he cautiously felt your belly, surprised when he was already feeling faint movements. He looked up at you adoringly, “You look breathtaking, my beloved.”

You covered your mouth with both of your hands, suppressing the laugh and cry threatening to rise. He looked at you concerned.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve missed you,” you confessed, feeling tears brimming in your eyes.

He smiled. “I’m home.”

“Welcome home,” you said the familiar words you had said so many times in the past, but this was the first time you had uttered them as his wife. You sighed, relieved, repeating, “Welcome home.”

Nightfall arrived once more, and throughout the village, families settled in for the night one after another.

“I’ve missed you,” Sylus murmured as he climbed into bed with you, his lips already finding yours. You hummed softly, feeling your heart beating fast when his large hand rubbed against your belly, feeling the faint movements of the baby inside.

You could hear his soft, disbelieving chuckle as he parted from you. His forehead pressed to yours, his lips still near yours. “This is really happening,” he murmured, overjoyed “How do you feel?”

“Good,” you answered with a smile.

“No sickness? No discomfort?”

You shook your head. “The herbalist had given me some medication to help with the sickness.”

Sylus nodded in understanding. “That’s good then,” he murmured. He kissed your forehead, and he apologized softly. “This won’t be easy on you, so I want to ease your discomfort as much as I am able to.”

“Sylus…”

He leaned down and kissed your belly. “You are giving me the greatest gift I could ever ask for.” He rubbed your belly fondly, delighting in feeling his child responding to his touch, “Thank you, my beloved.”

The fears and unease you had felt about your changing body disappeared the moment you laid with Sylus. The flames in the lamps had long been extinguished, but you felt like in the dark hut, you could still see him clearly, see the love and desire in his eyes.

He worshiped your body the same way he did on your wedding night, reveling in the beauty and changes happening. The stretch marks that had started to appear around your stomach were caressed and kissed with revere, his voice full of praises and gratitude for the sacrifices you were making to carry his child.

When he gripped your soft, widened hips, you let out a low, deep moan, your body welcoming him in. The night air was cool on the grassland, but within this hut you both called home, there was a heat unlike any other as sweat-slicked bodies moved together with familiar ease. The air was thick and heavy with the sounds of your intense lovemaking, and where your moans ended, his began.

You kissed him, your ardent words coming out in between gasps and moans, “Welcome home…my love…”

He smiled against the sweet kisses, greedily taking them for himself. His forehead rested against yours, his movements reaching you where you needed most, and as you came, trembling so beautifully with pleasure beneath him, he breathed against your neck:

“I’m home.”

The once vibrantly green grass of the plane had begun to yellow, drying out as the weather started changing. The morning air had been chilly, and within Sylus’ warm embrace in the early hours, you both felt reluctant to leave the comfort of your shared bed.

You could hear stirring outside your hut as one by one, many of the villagers were getting up, ready to start the brand-new day. You burrowed into Sylus’ embrace, ignoring him when he laughed.

“Are you not going to get up, my bride?”

You shook your head. “It’s still early…”

You felt his hand brushing aside your hair, hearing a soft agreeable hum from him. You perked up when you heard him speaking again, “I will have to leave soon.”

“No,” you said, grabbing his arm and preventing him from getting up. “Stay with me a few minutes longer…please?”

He chuckled and shook his head in amusement. He leaned over and kissed your head, his hand smoothing your hair to the side. “So needy this morning,” he teased, though you didn’t care. You did feel needy, wanting him to stay and coddle you a little longer.

“So what if I am?” you challenged him. You attempted to sit up, but the heavy weight you carried made the once simple task much more difficult. Sylus immediately helped you as you cradled your large belly. You wondered just how big you could get for the remainder of your pregnancy. You already felt impossibly large, almost embarrassed by your size compared to many of the other expectant women in the village. You leaned back against the wall, sighing as you rubbed your belly restlessly.

He smiled sympathetically and kissed you again, his own hand resting over your stomach. “The baby is already so active this early in the morning,” he said, astonished.

“He must take after his father,” you said wearily as you shifted uncomfortably, “He doesn’t let me rest at all at night.”

Sylus smirked; his expression wickedly lewd. “Is that so?” He felt your belly again, feeling nonstop movements from the baby. He glanced at you, seeming intrigued by your earlier comment. “You said ‘he.’ What makes you so sure it’s a boy?”

You shrugged. “The women have told me that I am carrying low, which they said all points to me carrying a boy.”

Sylus looked puzzled by your explanation. “And you believe them?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted, “But I thought you would be pleased to hear the baby might be a boy?”

“I wouldn’t care if it’s a boy or a girl,” he said firmly. He leaned closer, his hands pressed against the wall on either side of your head, keeping you trapped. He smirked and kissed you. “Besides, I have no intention of just having one child with you.”

You blushed and tried to look away. You gasped when he went in and kissed your cheek, his lips traveling further south as he continued down your neck. “Sy—Sylus…”

“I knew it. You look so beautiful like this,” he murmured, his hand continued to caress your belly, delighting in feeling his child moving inside you. “Carrying my baby, having my baby…”

“Mmm, Sylus…”

He laughed again when he felt a particularly strong kick. “I see we have a fighter,” Sylus said, smiling, “Maybe he does take after me—or she.”

You looked at him curiously. “‘She’?”

He nodded and laid back down next to you. He kissed your belly, stroking it fondly. You felt a warmth in your chest when he did that, his look of adoration and delight making you smiled fondly.

“I want both sons and daughters,” he said firmly, looking up at you. He stroked your cheek, “I want daughters as pretty as their mother. As sweet as their mother. As loving as their mother.”

You smiled, your cheeks colored a pretty shade of pink. You decided to play along with him, teasingly asking, “Does that mean I want sons as strong as their father? As dependable as their father? As free-spirited as their father?”

“Is that how you see me?”

You nodded. You tilted your head and looked thoughtful. Sylus raised a brow at seeing your sudden quiet disposition.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stroking your cheek again.

“Do...do you…”

“Do I what?”

Your cheeks brightened further.

“Tell me,” He demanded. “What is it?”

“How many children are we going to have?”

Sylus wasn’t expecting that question, so it took him a few seconds to register what you had asked him. He then laughed, making you feel embarrassed. He quickly apologized, kissing you reassuringly. “I don’t know,” he admitted, “But I want to have a lot of children with you.”

He sat up, his hands cupped your face as he leaned in closer. “As many as my beloved will allow me to have.”

“Then,” you started hesitantly, feeling your heart pounding in your chest, “If I say…I want to give you as many as you want…”

Sylus looked surprised, and then he smiled again, his lips brushing against yours. “Then, I feel like the most blessed man in the world.”

He pulled you into his embrace, showering you with sweet words and kisses.

Outside the hut, life had already begun again as people went about their day and chores. You both could hear the laughter of children running outside, mothers scolding their little ones, and men already laboring away to provide for their family.

For this particular morning, you and Sylus both decided to idle, to lounge around and enjoy the comfort of each other. As you lay in his arms again, Sylus lulled you back to sleep with stories of the future. You drifted to sleep, his deep voice describing a memory yet to come: beneath the azure summer sky and across the luscious green grassland, your children raced barefooted, their sweet bell-like laughter carried away by the playful wind.

“I feel like I am being kicked in all directions at once,” you sighed one cold evening, your hands rubbing restlessly all over your stomach. “Surely, this is not normal.”

Sylus wrapped his arms around you from behind. He looked down at you, your pout nearly making him laugh out of complete adoration for you. He couldn’t help but found you endearing whenever you looked frustrated and upset.

“You must be close to giving birth now, right?”

You nodded as you grabbed Sylus’ hand, guiding him to where you felt the most movements in your womb. You smiled when you looked up, seeing his surprised expression when he felt the baby’s strong kick. You answered his inquiry, “The midwife said it wouldn’t be long before the baby drops.”

As soon as you finished saying that, your expression faltered. Sylus noticed the change and he questioned you gently. You tried to brush it aside, but Sylus persisted, demanding to know what was upsetting you so suddenly.

You reluctantly relented. “Sylus,” you started, your voice growing smaller as you prepared for your confession, “I’m…scared.”

His expression softened. He turned you around to face him, but you kept your sight downcast. You could feel Sylus rubbing your cheek in comfort.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, “Speak to me.”

“What if…something goes…wrong.”

Sylus was immediately silent. You slowly looked up. His lips were a tight line, his eyes hardening. You could see him inhaling sharply as he seemed to try to keep his emotions under check for your sake. You then felt him guiding you to your bed.

You both sat down and Sylus was holding your hand tightly in his. At first, he didn’t say anything, almost as if he was trying to gather his thoughts and choose his words carefully. After a few beats, he began to speak:

“I do not wish to lie to you,” he said, mindful of his words, “But…I also do not like thinking of the possibility. All I can do is believe that everything will be fine.”

You looked unassured; your expression still anxious.

He pulled you into his arms. “I refuse to think otherwise,” he continued, his hand rubbing the back of your head soothingly, “You are strong and capable. Our baby is healthy and active. I have no reason to think differently.”

“Sylus…”

He leaned down and kissed your forehead. He looked apologetic as he spoke, “I wish I could take away your worries.”

You rested your cheek against his chest, eyes closed. You could feel the soft rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. This was…calming, you realized. His presence alone was comforting you, easing your fears. You opened your eyes and looked up at him, hesitant.

“Will you…stay with me? When I give birth?”

He looked at you confused.

“Please…”

He gave you a small smile, his hands cupping your face as his thumbs massaged little circles on your cheeks. “You know men are not allowed in the room.”

“Since when do you follow rules?”

At this, he laughed, conceding immediately. “You’re right,” he said, nuzzling his face against yours, “I will gladly stay with you, my beloved. I don’t want you to ever feel like you are alone, especially during this time.”

You smiled against him, feeling as if the worries you had been shouldering silently was easing. You still felt scared, felt so unsure of yourself, but you knew with Sylus by your side, you could find the confidence to believe that everything would work out in the end.

“Oh!”

“What’s wrong?” Sylus looked down at you, his face hardening.

You laughed as you peered down and felt your belly. You gasped again, laughing louder, “He is really not making it easy on me!”

Sylus relaxed, smiling with you.

“Or she,” Sylus reminded you, his own hand covering your stomach. He stroked it lovingly as he continued to speak, “She could be upset that her mother is scared and anxious.”

Sylus nuzzled his face against yours again, kissing your cheek. “But I hope her mother will feel better knowing I am here.”

You smiled, touched by his attempts at comforting you. “I am,” you answered. You then poked his cheek playfully, your expression puzzled. “But why are you so insistent that the baby is a girl? I thought you said it didn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sylus reaffirmed, grinning, “But we don’t know for sure yet if it is a boy or a girl. I don’t see why we can’t entertain the idea that we could be having a daughter.”

You laughed softly. You wrapped your arms around your large belly. “You say it doesn’t matter, but why do I get the feeling that you are really hoping for a girl?”

He smirked. “Am I?”

He pulled you down into bed, helping you lay on your side, your back resting against his chest. Sylus rubbed your stomach soothingly, his warmth encompassing you. You closed your eyes peacefully as you listened to his calming voice:

“We could have a pretty little daughter,” he began, his smile infectious. “Perhaps she will be as feisty and sweet like her mother. She would be the brightest jewel in the grassland, our precious little treasure.”

“We would have to find a good husband for her,” you quipped teasingly. You opened your eyes and looked up just in time to catch Sylus’ look of utter disdain. You giggled and poked at his cheek again, making him frowned even more. “What is with that look?”

“The very idea displeases me.”

“What about it displeases you?”

“Just…everything.”

You tsked at him. “Be honest,” you said, amused, “what do you not like about this?”

Sylus groaned and looked down at you with a light glare. “You are really going to make me say it?”

You nodded with a grin.

“No boy will be good enough for her.”

You laughed.

“You’re laughing at me,” Sylus said, offended. He had genuinely thought you would be on his side on this matter. “You are actually laughing at me. How impudent.”

You rolled your eyes at him, saying, “I am sure we can find her a perfect match. After all, we were matched perfectly by our parents, right?”

Sylus looked at you defeated. “You are being very unfair.”

“I am being as fair as I can be when we are discussing about our baby, who we still don’t know for sure if it’s a boy or a girl.”

Sylus sighed. “Very well,” he conceded, still unhappy, “You really ruined my good mood.”

You looked at him with mock-pity. “And your baby keeps me up at night. And it’s your fault I can’t see my feet any more—and they are swollen because of you, too. And also—”

“Alright, alright,” he relented, amused, “I know when to call it quits.”

He pulled you back against him, his hand resting over your stomach. He murmured into your ear, “Boy or girl, it doesn’t matter. The baby is already the greatest gift you can give me, so thank you, my beloved.”

You closed your eyes and smiled, letting his gentle ministrations eased you to sleep as you felt the baby you carried calming down, seemingly also lulled by their father’s presence and voice.

One by one, many of the young mothers went into labor with their child. Day after day, week after week, the painful wails and desperate cries of laboring mothers were heard throughout the village as a child was brought forth into the world.

You were the last, and everyone waited with bated breath for your child’s birth. You were already the biggest, and with each new day, you continued to grow uncomfortably bigger. The cold winter month was also settling in, stripping the grassland of its once vibrant colors and life.

On this particular evening, the first snowfall had arrived, already blanketing the grassland in a layer of snow. You had heard the laughter from children as they played, attempting to catch the falling snowflakes on their tongues. You looked down at your belly, rubbing it as you wondered what your child’s first reaction to snow would be like.

“Please come out,” you pleaded to your stubborn baby, “Don’t you want to see the snowfall, too?”

You felt a strong kick, almost as if the baby was responding negatively to your plea and question. You sighed, and huffed resignedly, “Already stubborn like your father…”

“What about me?” Sylus entered the hut just as you finished speaking.

“Nothing,” you lied, giving him a poorly-disguised smile. He knew you were fibbing, but decided it was perhaps in his best interest to not antagonize you during this time. He knew the last couple weeks had been rough on your body and with so many women having already given birth to their babies, he knew your anxiety was also increasing as your own child seemed adamant about prolonging your discomfort.

“Do you want to eat something?” Sylus offered, but you shook your head.

“I think I want to walk.”

“It’s snowing outside,” he answered.

“I know,” you responded, “Maybe I can just walk around the hut. It will help with the pressure around my hips.”

Sylus nodded.

You paced your hut restlessly, one hand on your lower back as the other cradled your large belly. You breathed in and out slowly, wincing in discomfort. Sylus walked up behind you, his hands settling on your hips as he rubbed soothing circles.

“Do you think it’s almost time?” he questioned, worried.

You were about to shake your head, but you winced again in discomfort. “I don’t know,” you admitted, as your hands rested over his appreciatively, silently urging him to press in harder. He complied.

“The last three days have been false pains,” you said, frustrated, “Does the baby not want to be born?”

He chuckled and leaned down to nuzzle his face against your cheek. “The baby probably feels safe inside you, so it doesn’t want to be born yet.”

“I would feel touched by such lies,” you started, turning to peck his cheek to his amusement and delight, “but, Sylus, I am too uncomfortable to put up with your thinly-veiled flatteries.”

“When have I ever flattered you?” he remarked with a teasing grin, walking around to face you. He rubbed your overdue belly with a sympathetic smile. He couldn’t help but found your frustration endearing, though he knew better than to voice such thoughts aloud during this time. Instead, he guided you to bed.

You sat down in between his legs, your back against his chest. His arms wrapped around you, his hands rubbing soothing circles around your gravid middle as he leaned down and nibbled on your neck, whispering huskily, “I know this has been tough on you, my beloved, but I have adored seeing the changes that you have been through to carry our child.”

His brazen touches felt so possessive, as if it made him proud to know that the many changes that had happened to your body was his complete doing. You whimpered and sighed as he continued, seemingly growing bolder with his intents. The featherlight kisses he peppered along your neck felt like such a stark contrast to the lustful words he whispered to your ears.

“So beautiful, so fertile,” he said, his voice so honeyed and sultry, you felt like you were pulsing inside. You could barely keep your breathing steady or your voice quiet. Sylus gazed at you intensely, his scarlet eyes seemed to shimmered with satisfaction. He appeared almost pleased by your flushed doe-eyed look. He continued in the same hushed, sensuous voice, his hands practically groping you all over, “And so voluptuous. You have filled out beautifully, my beloved.”

“Sylus…” Your voice sounded breathless as you reached down to grab at his mischievous hands. You felt a building warmth in your body, his devilish voice and tantalizing words igniting a fire inside. With his teasing ministrations on your sensitive body, you began to crave for more from him. You squeezed his hands.

“What is it?” His breathing stopped for a moment, seeing the aroused look in your eyes.

He smirked.

Sylus leaned in and kissed you, his touches shameless and greedy.

He helped you lay down and as he continued to trail kisses down your neck, his hands were already working on undressing you. You tugged at his own clothes, and he chuckled in amusement at your impatience. He began undressing himself as well, letting all of the clothes fall to the ground. He lay down behind you, his lips trailing along your shoulder as his hand rubbed your much overdue belly. You whined as you felt him rutting against you from behind, his hard member pressing against your slick entrance.

“P-please…please, Sylus…”

You felt your insides throbbing, desperate to be filled by him. You gasped into a pillow as he answered your plea, his massive manhood slowly easing in, drawing out your heavy moans. You felt his hand pressing into your hip, gripping you tightly as he buried himself in you.

You were practically crying with relief, just feeling him sheathed inside you was easing the discomfort you had been feeling these past few weeks. You rocked back against him, a silent invitation. Sylus smirked.

He began moving, but compared to your previous lovemaking with your husband, this time Sylus was careful, his movements slow but precise, still able to draw out your pleased moans. He gauged your reactions, his own pleasure secondary as he was more concerned about your comfort.

“Sy—Sylus…m-more…”

“Are you sure?” His words came out in soft pants. Seeing you so heavy, so close to going into labor with his baby, was arousing him in a way he never knew it could. He wanted nothing more right now than to fuck you like a wild beast, to make you writhe and scream with pleasure. He was only holding himself back for your sake.

When you nodded, unaware of his inner desires, that was enough to break his restraint. You gasped as you felt his thrusts getting harder, feeling it reaching you deeper and deeper. Your fingers curled around a blanket, gripping it tightly as your face was buried against a pillow as you felt him driving into you with more force than before.

You groaned and moaned into the bed, your grip around the blanket vicelike as you felt his length piercing you with precision over and over and over again. You called out his name, your pitch higher than normal. Sylus groaned deeply at the heavenly sound, his arousal clouding his mind with only thoughts of claiming you again and again until you went into labor.

Sylus’ pants grew heavier, his eyes darkening with lust as he took in the sight of you. In his eyes, you looked absolutely perfect like this. On your side, heavily pregnant with his baby, your leg held up by him as he fucked shamelessly into you. Your cries and moans were the sweetest noises he had ever heard.

Sylus reached around you with his other hand, groping your heavy, tender breast, kneading and teasing until your milk leaked and dribbled openly down your chest. At this point, you were too far gone, completely lost in this thick haze of pleasure to even feel any embarrassment or worried about your modesty. Whatever he was doing, you wanted even more from him.

“Don’t stop…don’t stop…ahh…please, Sylus, more, more, more…!” you whined over and over, his name spilling shamelessly from your lips. You could feel your pleasure was cresting, reaching new heights. “…Sylus…Sylus!”

“Fuck!” he hissed as he felt you cumming around his cock. He buried his face into the crook of your neck, one hand squeezing your breast as his other gripped your hip so hard, you would surely bruise by morning. Without a word, he spilled into you, hot and heavy.

Your eyes squeezed shut, lost in this state of euphoria. You moaned, feeling so full. He was cumming into you so much, you felt his release dripping out of you.

You gasped, feeling a twinge in your belly.

“Oh, gods, ah…ah…ah” you panted as you reached for his hand over your breast. You whimpered as you felt an unfamiliar tightening around your stomach, the pain intermingling with the residual pleasure you were feeling. “Sy—Sylus…”

You called for his name weakly, and Sylus was immediately alerted. He looked down at you in concern, feeling your nails scraping against his hand. “What is it? What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

You shook your head, but you couldn’t stop the whimpers from escaping your lips. The cramps were worsening and you just wanted to curl up. “Ah…Sylus…my belly hurts…”

At those words, Sylus pulled out of you slowly and more of his release spilled out obscenely. His breath hitched the moment he realized his seed wasn’t the only thing dripping out of you and down your thighs. There was a growing wetness on the bed beneath where you lay.

Your water had broken.

You gasped and clutched your belly, feeling the first pangs of labor as well as the baby descending lower in your womb. There was so much pressure in your hips, you began to panic. Seeing your distress, Sylus immediately dressed and rose to his feet, rushing outside the hut, his deep voice bellowed across the quiet village, “Call for the midwives! It’s time!”

Night descended over this small village once more, and the first snow of winter continued to gently fall, the ground already accumulating several inches from the past hours. The village was quiet, giving the illusion of tranquility, but within one lone hut, the atmosphere was tensed as you labored while several midwives tended to you.

“It won’t be long, child,” a midwife commented, checking the progress of your dilation. Another wiped at your sweat-soaked face with a cooling cloth, giving you a look of sympathy.

You whimpered and gritted your teeth as you breathed through the next pains.

“Easy, easy now,” you heard Sylus’ voice behind you. Cradled in between his long legs, you leaned back against his chiseled chest, panting heavily. You were grateful that he had insisted on staying with you in spite of the midwives’ initial opposition. With only one sharp glare from Sylus, he had everyone yielding to him, none daring to oppose the fearful warrior.

You felt Sylus caressing your small fingers in his hand, this simple act already keeping you grounded and calm. You whimpered quietly, “It hurts so much…”

He looked down at you helplessly. “I know, my beloved, but you’re doing so well. Stay strong.”

You moaned softly as you felt Sylus large hand massaging your hips, easing some of the pain, if only a little. As the minutes ticked by, you felt the pains getting closer and closer until you finally heard the words you were desperately waiting for:

“She is ready to deliver.”

You leaned further back against Sylus as he helped you get into position to start pushing. With your legs spread and propped up, you began pushing at the midwife’s urging. Your eyes widened as you felt the baby shifting inside, dropping lower.

“It…it feels so…big,” you gasped.

Before one of the younger midwives could make a quick remark regarding the genetics in Sylus’ family, he silenced her with a cold glare, making her cowered back. He looked down at you warmly, your hand in his. “That’s it, keep going…”

You pushed for several seconds longer, but honestly to you, it felt like an eternity. You could have sworn the pressure was intensifying, feeling the weight so heavy in your pelvis. Quick, short grunts left your lips as you bore down again. Once the pains ebbed, you collapsed back against Sylus, crying in frustration, “Nothing is happening!”

Sylus shushed you gently as the midwife reassured you that you were progressing well. You found it hard to believe. You panted softly, already feeling your energy drained. Sweat glistened down the sides of your face as you shut your eyes again, body tensing as the next pains arrived. You instinctively started pushing once more, feeling more progress being made this time. All around you, you heard hushed gasps and whispers, but you couldn’t comprehend anything said as you concentrated on birthing your baby.

Without a word, Sylus guided your hand lower and you felt between your legs. You opened your eyes in shock. “So much hair!” you exclaimed, laughing in spite of the agonizing pain you were feeling. Your fingers felt the little tufts of hair again. You couldn’t believe it. This was your baby’s. Your baby was right there.

For this brief instance, you felt your energy renewed as you gave your everything and bore down again, your laboring grunts heard throughout the room. As you pushed, your hand found Sylus’ again and you squeezed it tightly, his presence giving you the strength to persevere through this arduous ordeal.

“Just a little more,” he said, pressing his nose into the crook of your neck. “You are doing so well.”

Your efforts yielded slow result, feeling the baby emerging little by little. When the contractions subsided, you leaned back against Sylus for a brief reprieve, but instead of resting, you whined in frustration when you felt the baby receding a little and negating all of your progress just now.

Sylus whispered praises and encouragement soothingly to you as the midwives also assured you everything would be fine. You barely registered any of the voices, your body demanding your full attention again as you felt the next urge to push.

“Oh, gods…”

You panted softly, your eyes clenched shut as you put all of your focus into pushing out your baby again. You unconsciously squeezed Sylus’ hand, and then you let out a tired cry when you felt the baby’s head emerging fully. You trembled and sobbed, feeling a strange mixture of pain and relief in that moment. You could hear voices all around you encouraging you on, but the words meant nothing to you as you could only focus on the excruciating pain you were enduring.

“Here comes the shoulders, push, child, push!” the midwife’s voice rang loud in the room. You reflexively shook your head, begging silently to any merciful goddess who would take pity on you and end this suffering now.

“Please…I can’t…!” Your grip on Sylus’ hand tightened, your nails digging into his flesh. If he had felt any pain, he did not voice or show it. Instead, you felt his warm breath close to your ear, his soothing voice low and only audible to you.

“I know it hurts, my beloved, but you can’t stop now.” Sylus’ voice pulled you back, and you leaned against him crying softly. He rubbed you up and down, whispering more words of comfort and encouragement. “You’re so close, so close, a little more, my beloved, just a little more…our child is almost here…”

Your breathing was ragged, but you tried to gather what little strength you had left. In spite of your exhaustion, your body was already acting on instinct, already pushing again and you groaned lowly, feeling like you were being spread more and more, feeling each shoulder painfully coming out one at a time.

“Hah…hah…Sylus…ahh…”

“I’m here, I’m here, I won’t leave you,” he whispered, his eyes darting rapidly from your face to his baby slowly emerging from you. He seemed to have stopped breathing as he watched, awestruck, as the baby was born.

You collapsed back against him, sobbing in relief.

Not too long afterwards, the room resounded with the loud cry of a newborn.

“It’s a boy,” the midwife declared after cutting the cord that connected you and your son. The baby was immediately cleaned and prepared to be swaddled.

Sylus stilled at the announcement, the reality of the situation slowly settling in. His face broke out into a wide smile as he looked down at you. “A son, we have a son—”

The joy in the room was short-lived. Sylus was the first to notice you straining again, hearing your soft grunts and whines and seeing the pained look still on your face.

He was immediately tensed. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

You gritted your teeth and then let out another strangled cry. “It still hurts!” You turned, burying your face against his chest again, sobbing. You couldn’t even rest for a moment as you felt the now all too familiar urge to push. You gasped and panted against Sylus’ chest. It couldn’t be…this couldn’t be happening…you had just given birth already…this couldn’t be happening—

“Another child!” One of the younger midwives cried out, alerting everyone else in the hut. There were shocked gasps and mutters as many crowded around while others continued to focus on your first baby who continued to cry.

“Twins,” another muttered, shocked, “She was carrying twins.”

The eldest and most experienced of the group quickly accessed the situation, already barking out orders, “Don’t just stand there! Hurry! Prepare for the second child!”

You did not know whether it was because of the first baby or not, but your second child was coming much quicker. You had no time to rest as your body was already straining again, already feeling that painful ring of fire as your next child started to emerge. Using the last of your strength, you leaned forward, chin to your chest and you bore down, your voice strained as you struggled. You rested for a few seconds and you continued again, and within just another three hard pushes, you delivered your second child, its cry almost immediately joining its older twin.

You fell back against Sylus once more, completely spent both physically but also emotionally. Sylus leaned down, his cheek nuzzling against yours, his praises plentiful.

“Twins?” he questioned, amazed. He kissed your cheek. “Rest, my beloved, rest, I love you.”

Not too long afterwards, the afterbirths were expelled from your body. You were immediately tended to, cleaned and cared for and showered in endless praises for your remarkable feat. You smiled wearily, barely conscious and barely registering any of the competing voices in the room. You had never felt an exhaustion such as this one.

Perhaps it was because of the long, strenuous hours of labor, but it felt like you were drifting in and out of consciousness, unable to decipher what was a dream and what was reality. You were drained entirely, but you knew you could not sleep just yet. You didn’t want to go to sleep right now. You wanted to see your babies. Babies.

You opened your eyes wearily, sensing an approaching figure. You looked up, confused, when the midwife handed you the two swaddled babies. You nervously took them both into your arms, staring down in amazement at the two small red-faced newborns fussing and cooing quietly.

You let out a choked gasp, your tears barely held back as you smiled down at your children. Your children. How surreal, how sweet, those words sounded to you.

“Identical sons,” the matronly midwife said, praising you warmly, “You did well, child.”

She helped you adjust to holding your babies, patiently explaining to you everything you needed to know. When one of your sons started crying again, she helped guide both babies to your nipples, and you gasped softly at feeling both of your sons latching on and suckling hungrily for their first meal. You could feel your milk flowing, entering hungry little mouths. You half-laughed and half-sobbed, unable to even comprehend fully the current surreal situation.

You felt so overwhelmed. You had given birth to not one, but two babies, and they were identical boys. You were now a mother to identical twin boys. You just could not seem to register that thought no matter how many times you repeated it in your head. You looked up at Sylus, and he smiled back just as helplessly, also unable to wrap his head around the current situation.

“Thank you,” he murmured instead, kissing your lips. He smiled tenderly as you gazed at him wonderstruck. “My beloved bride, you have given me not one but two sons.” He kissed you more deeply, drawing out your soft moans. He kept you in his warm, protective embrace for just a few minutes longer as the midwives cleaned the room and prepared for their leave.

He peered down at you and his children, his smile unwavering. For Sylus, there was no greater treasure in the world than the three treasures he now held in his arms. For you and for his children, Sylus was willing to face Heaven and Hell’s wrath, to do everything in his power to keep his beloved family safe and protected.

As he watched you nursed his children, his hand reached up, his finger gingerly stroking one of the twins’ cheek. The baby’s skin felt so soft and smooth and delicate. He was enthralled that these two beautiful little babies came from you, that you had went through such an arduous trial to bring his children into the world, and now you cradled them protectively against your breasts, letting them suckled the precious milk your body was providing for the newborns.

He had never seen such beauty and strength as this, and so it seemed the only thing he could do was willingly let himself fall deeper and deeper in love with you, his beloved.

In the center of the hut, there was a firepit. Flames danced within the space, warming the quaint home.

It had been a few hours since you had given birth, and after making sure both you and the babies were taken care of, everyone had left, including Sylus, leaving you alone with just your sons.

It was still so dark outside. Dawn would not break for a few more hours, so you wondered absently where your husband could have gone this late in the night. You did not idle on those thoughts for too long, your attention focused entirely on the babies you had just birthed hours ago.

You sat up in bed, gazing in wonder at the two sleeping babies sharing the wicker bassinet, still in awe that these two little ones came from your body, conceived from the love between you and Sylus. You smiled as you watched your babies sleep, unable to ignore that they were indeed bigger than most babies born in the village, but not so drastically as many had you fearing for months. You chuckled to yourself, unable to fully fathom how these two babies were inside you just this morning, and now they were asleep right next to you.

One of the twins started hiccupping, breaking you out of your spell. Instinctively, you took him into your arms, carefully holding him over your shoulder. You gently patted his small back, softly comforting your son with soothing words.

“Motherhood looks lovely on you.”

You looked up when you heard Sylus’ voice as he entered the hut covered in a light dusting of freshly-fallen snow. You noticed he was carrying a basket of food in one hand and an extra bassinet in the other. There was also a fur blanket strewn over his shoulder. You raised a brow in confusion, and he chuckled in response.

“Everyone’s been so kind,” he explained as he set everything where they needed to be. He adjusted the second bassinet next to the first one before turning to face you. You handed him the baby in your arms, watching as he carefully placed the infant in his own bassinet.

Almost immediately, both babies started fussing and crying softly. You laughed quietly as you leaned in closer to Sylus, your arms wrapped around his. “They have never slept away from one another before,” you remarked, finding the situation heartwarming.

Sylus nodded, smiling softly. He helped you back into bed to rest before he knelt down on the ground between the two bassinets. He lightly rocked both bassinets at the same time, pleased when his sons calmed down, the gentle motion lulling them back to sleep.

As you lay on your side, watching this sweet scene, you felt so much love and joy in your heart. You yawned softly, and at Sylus’ gentle urging, you allowed yourself to succumb to sleep as well.

When you opened your eyes again a few hours later, you saw the two newborns tucked in Sylus’ arms as he cradled and rocked them while pacing around the hut. His deep, gentle humming was joined only by the warm crackling fire in the hut and the soft whistling winter wind outside.

You felt at peace, as if the world had quieted down. This moment in time felt so surreal, like a sweet dream you never wished to wake up from.

“I love you,” you found yourself saying sleepily, alerting Sylus.

He smiled back and walked over, settling down in bed next to you. You sat up, taking one of the babies from Sylus. You leaned closer to him, gentle eyes flitting back and forth between the two identical babies you both held with so much love and adoration.

Warmer than the fire, you heard Sylus’ gentle murmur, “I love you, too, my beloved.”

The years had rolled by on the grassland, life remaining, more or less, unchanged. This era of prosperity continued with the village now under Sylus’ leadership. You had seen six springs passed since your marriage to Sylus, and from this union, you two were blessed again and again and again.

The warriors are home! came the familiar words from the village and carried all the way down to the field where the sheep grazed.

“Mother, Mother, Father is home! Father is home!” your children ran by you barefooted, many already leaving you behind to rush to the village entrance.

Your twins helped you to your feet, and your hand settled on the large, round bump you carried once more. Another child was on the way. Your seventh.

Swaddled and resting on your back was your sixth, barely ten months old. He cooed happily, seemingly sensing his older siblings’ excitement. You smiled, always delighting in hearing your children’s sweet laughter.

You carefully made your way back to the village, listening fondly as your twins chatted and laughed. They were the spitting image of their father from head to toes, and while they inherited little of your physical appearance, they gained many of your mannerisms and quirks instead.

When you and the twins finally arrived at the village square, a crowd had already formed. After months apart, families were reunited again. This familiar scene had played out so many times before in the past, and yet you never tired of it. As always, there would be a celebration, for the glory and victories these brave men have brought home, but more importantly, to celebrate families reuniting once more.

As you and the twins treaded through the dense crowd, you saw your beloved husband towering in the center. Sylus already had his youngest daughter—barely three—sitting on his shoulders, her little legs swung over his shoulders and her small hands tugging at his hair happily. Your other daughter and son danced circles around their father asking for their turn to be held by him. You laughed softly as you witnessed Sylus’ overjoyed but helpless expression as he tried to accommodate his children.

At the sound of your familiar laughter, Sylus looked up. Seeing your approaching figure, his crimson eyes lit up with joy. He carefully set his daughter down to join her siblings. The twins immediately left your side and ran to their father cheering and already showering him with questions and praises. He greeted his sons affectionately, kneeling down to embrace all of his children and accept their kisses.

Your youngest son was now held in your arms, balanced on your hip as you stood in your place. You gazed at Sylus with the same love and joy as the spring when you had married him. Sylus slowly stood up, sighing blissfully as he took in the sight of you round and heavy again with his child.

“I’m home,” he said the familiar words warmly, and your heart swelled with happiness and love.

“Welcome home,” you responded fondly, smiling as he crossed the distance with just a few short strides. He gathered you into his arms, enveloping you in a familiar warmth and scent only he possessed. You sighed happily against him, only broken out of your daze when you heard your youngest son giggling. He squirmed against you as he held his little arms out for his father. You smiled as Sylus took the baby boy from you, easily holding him in one arm.

Beneath the azure sky, in his loving embrace, you remembered a story Sylus had once told, a memory that was yet to come. The sweet bell-like laughter of your children was carried on the playful wind across the luscious grassland. Surely this moment must be it, you thought, unable to fathom a greater happiness than this.

Sylus knelt down before you, his lips touching your growing belly fondly, his touch gentle and loving.

“My beloved.”

You looked down lovingly at your husband, your heart beating quietly for him as he gently guided your youngest son’s hand to your round belly. He spoke softly to the baby boy, his voice sweet and tender. Sylus looked up, the depths of his love for you reflected in his crimson eyes.

In this moment, you also recalled the elders had long ago told tales of a paradise after life, but you wondered how there could be a greater heaven than the one on the grassland with your lover—your destined half.