Page 156 of The Stolen Kingdom

“I would love nothing more than to call you not only my mate, but my wife as well,” Valda blurted. Her chest tightened and her lips quivered. “You already know my intentions regarding you. I promise you the sky and the sea, and everything in between. I will care for you as I’ve done and—” Valda stumbled into her words. She touched her scabbard, her chest, and then her slacks. “I don’t have anything to propose with, but—”

“Valda—” Maris grabbed her forearms, but Valda had already gotten on one knee.

“I offer everything that I am; my entire existence is yours to have. In exchange, give me your nights and your mornings. Your happiness and sadness. I will hold on to all of them as long as you are by my side.” Valda licked her lips and leaned closer. “Maris Era, Queen of the Sea Kingdom,” a nervous smile stretched across Valda’s face. “Will you marry me?”

Maris stood still, looking down at Valda with wide-open eyes and parted lips. She turned to look at the children on the bed, at Cerberus, who had just jumped on the mess of furs to smell the babies’ heads before rolling into a tight ball. Maris regarded Valda again, her hands coming to cup her jaw. Valda thought she would feel hesitation, but all she felt was warmth, happiness, and excitement.

“Yes. I will marry you, Valda Aither, Queen of the Sky King—”

Valda didn’t allow her to finish her sentence. She pulled Maris down and captured her lips in a scorching kiss, wrapping her arms around her waist and lifting her off the floor. She wanted to be consumed, to feel her and nothing else.

Although Maris returned the heated kiss tenfold, she squirmed in Valda’s embrace until she was set back on the ground. Lost in the shining cobalt of Maris’s blue eyes, Valda scoffed, irritated when the other woman looked away and down her blouse. It wasn’t until she saw the two silver rings dangling from her necklace that she realized what Maris wanted.

Swallowing hard, clearly trying to contain her emotions, Maris looked up at Valda. The silent question hung in the air, and Valda nodded wholeheartedly.

“It would be an honor.”

Closing her eyes tightly, one tear rolled down Maris’s cheek before Valda embraced her again.

Epilogue

Maris fumbled with Valda’s waist band. The intricate design proved hard for her to take off while Valda’s mouth painted a fiery trail of goosebumps down her neck. She wanted—no—she needed to get Valda out of her clothes. As much as she loved her wife’s—Holy Asclepius, Valda was her wife—wedding attire, she wanted the clothing off.

That didn’t mean she didn’t admire the way Valda looked as she waited for her at Aphrodite’s altar with her cream-colored sherwani draped elegantly over her broad shoulders. Elaborate gold embroidery adorned the fabric, weaving a subtle whisper of Skylian culture. Golden thread formed patterns along the edges, creating a stunning contrast against the cream canvas. The perfect tailoring of her deep, orange-colored pants hugged her muscular thighs snugly. The golden piping that ran down the sides of their outfit mirrored the design on her top.

A wide belt in a shade of gold cinched her outfit together at the waist, stressing her powerful physique, the same wide belt she was desperately trying to remove. Maris wanted everything scattered across the floor. The burning need to feel Valda’s skin on hers was driving her absolutely insane. Or was it the wine?

Looking up, she noticed the same need burning in Valda’s eyes. It started the second their hands came in contact at the altar, when Valda squeezed her fingers and pulled her next to her to face the statue of Aphrodite, then the heat continued to grow after they shared their first kiss as wives.

The intensity of the kiss took Maris by surprise. She never thought Valda would devour her how she had in front of others. Maris was breathless when she pulled away. As her skin ignited, Maris doubted the wisdom of her decision to marry before the goddess of desire.

During the celebration, the more she drank, the more her hand would sneak under the table. Maris would squeeze Valda’s thigh, her fingers teasing to the junction of her thighs. Having the other woman compliment her outfit made her want to leave faster. Unlike Valda, Maris was wearing a dress which captured the essence of the sea itself. The dress cascaded in gentle waves, echoing the ebb and flow of ocean tides. Delicate seashell-shaped embellishments adorned the bodice, each meticulously handcrafted to reflect her kingdom, while pearls, like shimmering water droplets, were scattered across the fabric.

The dress flowed gracefully from her chest down to her hips, accentuating her curves. A golden belt, designed with the same ocean-inspired motifs, cinched her waist. A tiara embellished with golden seashells and pearls adorned Maris’s hair, and her gown was layered with thin fabric in shades of aqua and cobalt. The tiara held her flowing locks in place, allowing her hair to cascade down her back.

The scar on her back from the wound that almost took her life was hidden under the length of her hair, and the one on her chest was concealed under the soft chains connecting through the fabric of her dress.

Valda touched the exposed skin of her shoulders and arms any chance she could. During their official dinner, she would caress Maris’s legs under the table, and during their first dance, her rough, callused hands would roam over her back, under her hair, touching, caressing, stoking the fire. With each glass of meidaia, Maris loosened up more and more. Skylian music made Maris get up from her seat, but it was her home’s music that melted her into Valda’s embrace.

The other woman’s hand traced love letters on her skin, setting her on fire. Her heart hammered inside her head, chest, and between her legs, the more Valda’s hand touched her. As each song ended, Valda kissed her. First a terse kiss, then a deeper one, until all Maris saw was a blur of colors and faces as they rushed down Harmonia castle’s corridors.

And now, as Maris slammed the door shut and pulled at Valda’s clothing, their kisses were downright feral.

As if tired of her sad attempts at undressing her, Valda ducked, hooked her arms behind her knees, and scooped her from the ground, only to toss her upon the grand bed.

Valda’s eyes darkened as she untucked the waist scarf and tossed it on the ground. Maris watched intently, swallowing hard, her fingers digging into the fur blanket.

“Fucking you as my wife will be an absolute delight,” Valda said, breathless, undoing the buttons of her top, revealing sweaty, sun-kissed skin for Maris’s visual pleasure.

The more Valda revealed herself, the more Maris’s control slipped away. But it was Valda’s mischievous smile that made Maris feel her heartbeat between her legs. Biting her lower lip, Maris pulled at the fabric of her skirt, bunching it up at her waist. She wanted to feel Valda’s skin on her, but as she struggled to pull the dress off, Valda stopped her. Clutching her wrist, the other woman shook her head in disapproval.

“Keep the dress on,” Valda’s sultry voice sent a chill down her spine as she reached out to take the tiara off Maris’s head.

“All right…” she whispered, while Valda moved over her.

“Good girl,” Valda chuckled, hovering over Maris, slotting their lips together. Her tongue pressed inside Maris’s mouth, the contact sending a jolt of excitement down Maris’s lower stomach.

Just as Maris was about to deepen the kiss, Valda pulled back, the mischievous grin still intact.

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