Cold Feet

Life, Identity

Natalya decides to take a refugee family to Arrallath only six months before her and Fenneck's wedding day. She tells Fenneck about the pull to Arrallath she's been feeling realizing how monumental the last thirty years of her life had been. She tells him she needs to do this before the wedding and Fenneck allows her to leave.

Natalya felt her heart getting excited as she climbed the small staircase up to Fenneck's tower. It had been about a month since she'd seen him and was looking forward to being in his arms once again. He hadn't been up in the mountains for almost a year now. He was quite busy with his new responsibilities and Natalya was kept busy with the refugees and monitoring the trails in the mountains. She didn't miss Fenneck, thiramin prevented that somehow, but she did worry about him. He was stressed. The added pressure of his new position, Natalya's escapades in the mountains, their approaching wedding, his own political goals, the constant growing threat of Lenisily, and Baegla's future demise were weighing him down and Natalya felt guilty for what she was about to add onto his plate. She had been having more nightmares than normal. She wanted to believe it was because she was apart from Fenneck more, but even curled up in his arms in his tower they came for her. She was nervous about the wedding. All of her old insecurities that had kept them apart for so long were starting to creep up on her again and she felt terrified she was going to hurt him. It had been a long thirty years, she reflected, since Arrallath. Since the Demogorgon. Since she met Fenneck in the mountains. Since her entire life was thrown onto a different track. She took a deep breath before she opened the door. She saw Fenneck at his desk, hard at work. He looked up when she came in and smiled at her. She smiled back and started walking toward him when she felt a piece of wood slam into her calf. "Ouch!" She cried out. Another swipe hit her ankle and she felt herself stumble to the floor. "Take that you filthy pirate!" Niko shouted as he jumped on her and started whacking Natalya in the shoulders. Natalya started laughing as she tried to deflect the Niko's blows. She tried to feign defeat but Niko kept whacking her with the toy sword, even hitting her on the head a couple times. Suddenly Niko yelped as a giant vine wrapped around his waist and pulled him up off of Natalya, suspending him in the air. "Not fair!" He shouted. "I didn't tell you to beat her!" Fenneck walked over and helped Natalya up. "But she's a pirate!" Niko shouted. "Yes, and you defeated her." Fenneck argued back. "You said I could play with Natalya! Let me go!" "I'll let you go when you learn that you shouldn't continue to beat a helpless creature who's surrendered." Fenneck lectured. "Unless it's a demon, or a really evil monster." Natalya chimed in much to Fenneck's disapproval. "See! Natalya agrees with me!" Niko pleaded. Natalya giggled at their absurdity. "I have half a mind to leave you up there until you apologize." Fenneck told the child. Niko glared at him. Fenneck took Natalya in his arms and kissed her. "Ewww! Gross!" Niko complained. Fenneck started kissing her more passionately to annoy the child. Fenneck looked down as he saw some small vines trying to make their way around his feet. "Kindly fuck off." He told the vines and they started to retreat. Niko looked very annoyed by this. "Fuck off!" He yelled at the vines encompassing him. "Language." Fenneck scolded. "You said it!" Niko pouted. Fenneck rolled his eyes and laughed. "If I let you down will you promise to behave?" Fenneck asked the child. "You said I could play with Natalya!" "I know, and you may, if she wishes it. You have to ask first and promise not to hit her if you win the fight." Niko glared at Fenneck and finally rolled his eyes, "Fine, okay." The vines slowly lowered Niko to the ground and unwrapped themselves from him. Niko pompously walked up to Natalya and bowed and asked in an accent that was very clearly mocking Fenneck's own, "M'lady, would you care to play and sword fight with me?" He gave Fenneck a glare as he continued, "I do promise not to hurt you or offend you in any way." He turned back to Natalya still acting ridiculous, "I can be quite the gentleman you know." He winked at her, attempting to make Fenneck jealous. She played along, "Of course your royal highness. Do give me an hour or so to settle in and then I shall meet you in the ballroom." She curtsied to him and he smiled, "Marvelous! I look forward to our dual." Natalya laughed and Fenneck rolled his eyes at them, "All right, you heard her, off to your parents, Natalya will retrieve you when she's ready." Niko rolled his eyes and huffed as he left the room. When he was gone Fenneck picked Natalya up into his arms and kissed her. He carried her to their bed mat and laid her down. He was quite passionate as he kissed and touched her body. Natalya felt his hands reach under her shirt and grab her breasts. "Someone's impatient for our wedding night." She teased as he embraced her. It felt wondrous to be in his arms again and she welcomed his touch. "I want you so badly." Fenneck said as he undid her cloak and started to pull off her shirt. She laughed and kissed his lips, "Another six months is nothing! I can't believe you convinced me to wait thirty years before letting me fuck you." He smiled at her as he removed her boots. "I'm glad we've waited." He said as he pulled her pants off. She was left wearing a pair of braise and Fenneck started kissing her breasts, "Doesn't mean we can't have some fun though." He removed his ornate robes and was also only wearing his braise. They passionately kissed for a while before Fenneck tried to slide his hand down Natalya's braise. She stopped him and he looked offended. "You can wait a few more months!" She whispered into his ear. He smiled at her. "I love you so much. Please tell me you're staying here until the wedding?" Damn it. Natalya thought. Of course he was going to ruin this moment. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that." He looked immediately disappointed by the sudden change in her voice. He sat up, "What is it?" She sat up. "This family that just arrived. They want to go to go somewhere warmer, safer, I suggested...Arrallath." Fenneck sat and thought about this. "Cold feet already?" He half joked to her. She only half smiled, "It's been thirty years Fen. I just..." "No no, I...I understand." He looked away from her to hide his fear. She saw him start to panic and she moved into his arms, "I'll come straight back Fen, two weeks at the most, and then I'm all yours...forever." He looked up at her, his eyes were full of fear and remembrance of the pain she had caused him when she had left him, twice, all those years ago. "Fen, I love you. I want this...I do. I just...I need to do this." Fenneck nodded and slowly the pain left his eyes, "I know. You're right, a couple more weeks is nothing." He kissed her forehead, "But when you return I want you here. I need you here. I want to plan our wedding together and enjoy these next few months with you by my side." She kissed him. "Of course. I'll be all yours." She said, truly meaning it. They kissed for a few more moments before Natalya started getting dressed for her date with Niko.