Chapter Fifty-two

He laughed, slowly working his way toward her, the last spot that needed to be finished was in front of the tub anyway. He pushed the bucket aside, turning to look at her. She was rising up, her fingers running along the back of his legs. “Do you mind if I join you?” She shook her head, her fingers working to release his belt. By the time she was pushing them off his hips, he was sprung and ready. She leaned toward him, but he pulled back, covering himself. “Please don’t, I was rolling around in mud a few hours ago.”

She pouted, making room so that he could climb in. “Well, if you’re going to be self conscious about it, then let me help you wash.” As she rubbed him down with the soap, she sighed, “I would have been willing to mop your floor on my hands and knees. I’m the reason it’s as messy as it is right now. I think I’ve vomited on your floor what, at least six times since we’ve been here.”

He splashed at her, chuckling, “You can’t help it. Why would I blame you for that?”

Lowering herself into the tub until the water was just below her eyes, she looked up at him, backing away until she was on the other side of the tub. “I blame myself for it. If I wasn’t such an idiot, I wouldn’t be pregnant right now.”

Damion shook his head, taking his time washing himself, since she stopped. “We all make mistakes. At least this one can also be seen as a blessing.”

“I’m pretty sure anyone else walking in your boots would disagree. I don’t understand how you can be so amicable about it.”

Damion looked at her in surprise. “You’re a princess, and I’m an orphan who grew up in the middle of the forest in a hidden village.” Damion put his arms up on the side of the tub as he finished washing his body. “I would never have had the gumption to kiss you or bring you here… if he hadn’t been as open with you that night, you may not have had the courage to talk to me as candidly as you did. I truly believe we’re only here because of how that night ended up working out. I wish you would stop beating yourself up over it.”

“That’s easy for you to say… but I’m going to make it up to you. I promise.” Gliding through the water, her hands ran up his legs before she pressed against him, kissing him deeply.

He sighed, pulling back. “You don’t need to make it up to me, Volencia. I’m over it. I don’t want to feel like you think you need to make me happy because of what happened that day. I’d rather just be able to be happy together, doing it because we both genuinely want to. I love you, and I want you just because you are you. I want to think you feel the same about me, and not because you’re trying to make up for something you feel guilty about.”

“I’ve never wanted anything so much in my life!” She perked up. Pressing her hands against his chest, she sat up straight, looking down at him. Her breast heaved, he hadn’t meant to upset her. “I’m sorry, I made you feel that way… I just…” She wiped at her eyes, and Damion couldn’t help but smile up at her.

“You are an emotional wreck, aren’t you?” He wrapped her in his arms. “Come here, lets just relax for a while and enjoy a moment of peace.” She curled into his lap, sobbing softly. “Just try to stop apologizing for it, okay?” He lifted her chin, kissing her softly. She all but melted into him, her hands wandering.

“I’ll try.” She trailed kisses over his jawline, “I want you anyway, even if it’s not—” Damion cut her off with a deep kiss. When they broke apart he shifted so that he was on his knees, and pulling her back against his chest. A hand dipped beneath the water, and as he found the treasure he saught, she arched against him. “Damion…” She sighed. Her breast filled his other hand, as he played with her nipple. She ran her behind up him each time she arched, and he growled, nipping gently at her shoulder.

He just slipped inside her when a knock came at the door. They both froze. “I’m indisposed at the moment.” Volencia squeeked.

“Indisposed?” Kirna’s voice shot through the door. “Damion is in there too, isn’t he? You two aren’t—” the door flew open, and Volencia dove off Damion to hide behind the wall.

“Mother...” Damion didn’t smile. He watched her seriously. “I know that you don’t approve, but you need to understand, we are both adults and can make the decision to be together.” He pulled a towel down from the shelf, wrapping around his waist as he stood, stepping out of the tub. Kirna stepped back, looking away in embarrassment.

“We should not be putting the princess in such a situation, Damion. It’s like you don’t even care about her reputation.” Kirna backed away as he took a few steps toward her.

“Why would anyone assume I don’t care? I asked her to marry me for that very reason. Because this is what we’ve decided.” He lowered his voice, looking straight at his mom, but she was now refusing to meet his eye, “I have lived most of my life expecting to never have this. To never find love, or someone who would be able to be part of my world. We’ve already been through so much. She is already carrying my child. I’m beyond the point of being treated like a petulant child because I’m being intimate with the one I’ve chosen to be my future wife.”

“But you’re not married. The goddess Ephira has always said that one man and one woman should be together always. That they would vow—”

“Mom,” Damion placed a hand on her shoulder, “I did vow. I gave her the only thing I have from my birth mother. I’ve given her my heart and would give her my life if it came to that.”

“And if her dad, the King, refuses?” Kirna grabbed her son’s hands, “Are you prepared to give up on any other future happiness you could have for this uncertainty? You are a bright elf, Damion, why would a King give his only daughter to you? Friendship doesn’t always trump these types of things.”

Volencia’s head popped out from behind the wall, “I am, Kirna.” Tears were running down her cheeks. “I’ll refuse any marriage he suggests in place of Damion. If he tried to force it on me, I would give up everything to leave with him.”

Kirna frowned, looking between the two of them. Damion only shook his head. “Grandios promises are easy to make when you’re not faced with the decision.”

“Mom,” Damion squeezed her hands, hoping she would understand how serious he was, “have you ever known me to be compulsive?”

“No.” She said quietly.

“Do you think I’ve made this decision too lightly?” She finally met his gaze, and he allowed the silence to stretch on, waiting for her answer.

"Clearly the turmoil you’ve felt these last few days has effected you. So, I have to say no, don’t I?” Her brow drew down unhappily.

He clocked his head at her, “Do you truly believe I would allow the Princess to give up her throne and folk for me?”

“No.”

“Do you truly believe that despite everything, I would just be able to go find another and be as happy as I am now? Do you think another elf would come here and be so willing to a part of our family? That there’s another who would be willing to give up their entire life for me, even if I wouldn’t allow them to?”

Kirna’s tears started to fall. “Damion, I don’t know. But neither do you.” She squeezed his hands.

“Do you believe I’m wrong in the decision that I’ve made to make me hers, even without all the proper permissions. Do you believe we shouldn’t be together? Despite everything you know about us. You heard dad two nights ago. Do you think that after everything…” He stammered a moment, feeling like his heart was about to beat right out of his chest, “Do you think I’m wrong?”

“That’s not fair!” Kirna’s eyes went wide, “I don’t understand, why can’t you just wait, like any of the others who have waited throughout time, until you’re actually married?”

“Trey has been married for years, mom. Years in which I never even had a chance to see someone of my own race, let alone meet someone whom I could have a relationship with.” Damion felt his anger flaring, “I know that you, dad, and Trey did everything you could to make sure I didn’t feel left out, or alone. But you know it wasn’t always enough. How could it be? I’ve spent two hundred years of my life being the only elf—”

“Even more of a reason you should wait. What if you find someone else? You’ve barely entered their world. You do realize if you marry a Princess, you one day will need to become King? What if you decide you don’t like that world, and want to come back here? You won’t be able to. You’ll be too caught up in the politics that you don’t even realize you’re signing up for!” Kirna suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace, and he froze, realizing she had completely forgotten he was naked as a baby beneath the towel.

“Are you telling me that you think I’m going to decide I don’t want to be with Volencia because I’m not made out to be a King?” The thought was so ludicrous to him, he couldn’t help but laugh, even while he clung to his towel, that was now threatening to abandon him.

Kirna let him go, wiping at her tears. “I’m just asking you be careful and in the mean time, have some respect for those of us who worry about you. I’ll leave you alone.” Kirna turned, running out the door.

Damion sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. “I’m sorry, Volencia. I need to go straighten this out. Clearly, she’s having a hard time, I just…” he watched his mom run to her house and slam the door behind her. She wasn’t one who usually had emotional fits, so it was out of character for her to be acting in such a way.

“It’s okay, Damion.” Volencia grabbed a towel too, wiping herself off as she stepped out of the tub. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Damion gave her a sad smile pulling on a brown shirt and loose pants. “I have a feeling there’s something bothering her that she’s not sharing. But I need to go find out.”