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WARNING: CONTAINS MINOR TOD SPOILERS

THE CALM AFTER THE STORM

A dull throbbing filled Aelin’s head as she slipped through the castle in Orynth. Every last ounce of her stealth training was employed, she was little more than a wraith, and yet the castle was so gods-damned busy it was proving impossible to vanish entirely.

Servants- more than Aelin knew she employed- were flooding every room of the castle, anxiously making it ready for Terrasen’s first official visit from Adarlan’s King and brand-new Queen. Endless decisions had to be made- everything ranging from the menu to the banners to seating charts- even the color of the flowers placed in Dorian and Manon’s suites were the subject of intense debate.

And then Lord Darrow found out what Aelin’s private gift to the visiting couple would be.

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!” Darrow managed to catch a glimpse of her hair as she ducked around a corner.

Aelin cursed and broke into a run. The man had mellowed significantly since the defeat of both Erawan and Maeve’s armies, and the destruction of the wyrdkeys, but that didn’t mean he was finished pissing her off. If anything, his new tone was more likely the result of every other Lord turning to Aelin’s side. Sycophantic fool.

“Your Majesty!” he snapped as she took advantage of both youth and fae speed.

She ran up the main staircase, dodging servants and marking the faces of those who ‘accidentally’ blocked Darrow’s path.

Their reward would be grand to say the least.

At the top of the staircase, she ran down a hall to the left. He’d go first to her and Rowan’s personal chambers. She had to hide somewhere no one dared enter without an express invitation. Not if they wanted to survive.

“I’m not here!” Aelin burst into Lysandra’s rooms and quickly barred the door. She called loud enough to be heard in any of the connecting rooms in case her friend was… otherwise engaged. Aelin waited and listened with a pounding heart for the sound of Darrow in pursuit.

“Make yourself comfortable.” A deep, sensuous male voice behind her made Aelin whirl.

Lysandra was very occupied apparently, just not with anyone Aelin knew.

The male- for it was a male with sharply pointed fae ears- was powerfully built, all hard muscle and lithe grace. He had short, dark hair clearly rumpled by sex and large, almond-shaped eyes. He was truly a match for Lysandra’s penchant for exhibition- he stood in front of Aelin utterly unabashed with only a towel on- which put something else quite large and hard on display.

Aelin’s face went brick red and she stepped back into the door, “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Something must have happened between Aedion and Lysandra.

“No, it’s fine! Pull up a chair, we’ve got nothing better to do!” Aedion’s sarcastic snap came from the now-open bedroom door.

“Don’t mind him, he’s just a little tied up at the moment.” The dark haired male smirked.

“You barged in right when I was about to-“

“Come now, love. Aelin doesn’t need to know the details.”

Realization dawned on Aelin and she looked to the male’s wrist, where a familiar scar marred the skin, “Lysandra?”

“No, Lysandra lets Aedion bed random males in her room.” He- or was it still she?- said with a wink.

Aelin barked a laugh and glanced to the bedroom door, “Need me to leave?”

“YES!” Aedion shouted.

“What’s the hurry?” Lysandra purred, “He can wait.”

“Don’t pretend you weren’t about to-“

“I’m not the one who’s tied up, I can handle myself.”

“Aelin,” Aedion’s voice took on a pleading tone, “please go away!”

Lysandra walked over to the bedroom door and closed it on a string of vulgar curses, “Let me guess, Darrow found out about the toys you’re giving Manon and Dorian?”

“You helped me pick them out. If he starts shouting, I’m dragging you down with me.” Aelin didn’t budge from her spot by the door. As soon as Darrow had time to vanish, she’d be leaving the couple to their afternoon enjoyment. Besides- the scent of her cousin’s and best friend’s fun time was not one she wanted to smell.

“Well, you gave them what- a hundred trunks of books for their wedding? How long does he expect you to be all stiff and formal?”

“That’s what I said!” Aelin rolled her eyes, “Besides, I’m not presenting the gift publically, it’s just a trunk that will be in their room when they arrive, what business is it of his?! If Dorian and Manon start a war over it, I’ll just laugh and kick his ass.”

“It would be the first war started over sex-toys, that’s for sure. Darrow is an old, saggy prick.” Lysandra growled, “Are you sure we can’t kill him?”

“Rowan keeps saying no.” Aelin said. She took a deep breath and forced her temper down, “I’m really, really sorry I barged in.”

Her friend shrugged, “I understand. Aedion will too, once we’re finished.”

Aelin thought she heard something to the contrary growled from behind the bedroom door. Like Lysandra, she ignored him, “I’ve got to say, he’s got good taste- or is this one all yours?”

Lysandra dropped the towel and gave a twirl, utterly shameless, “My fantasy male. Tall, dark, muscled, and… on the large side. I was considering wings too, but that seemed over the top.” She sat on a couch and put a pillow over her new appendage, “I will say though, it’s a little annoying not being able to hide that once it gets excited.”

“If I weren’t a mated female- and you weren’t my best friend- I’d definitely look twice. Aedion is a lucky male to have you.” Aelin laughed.

“He is.” Lysandra smiled lazily. “I might keep this form for a few days. In my own skin I get in trouble if I walk around topless. It’s refreshing.”

“I say do it anyway, the males should get used to it. If they can be topless around us, we can be topless around them.”

Lysandra threw back her head and laughed, “Do it! You have to! Darrow will have a heart attack. Greet Manon and Dorian in just a skirt.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Aelin snickered. “I bet Manon would do it as well if we sent word. She doesn’t like the proper queen clothes.”

“Manon learned to hate Darrow pretty well in the war camp. If you promised her it would kill him, she’d agree.” The witch was as brazen as Lysandra. They’d become fast friends in Aelin’s… absence. “Speaking of Rowan-“

“We weren’t.”

Lysandra waved her off, “How’s it going?” Aelin’s fidgeting was answer enough, “You didn’t-“

“I’m not sure how that conversation is going to go, so I’m not having it.”

“Aelin-“

“How long has it been?” She shot a glance to the bedroom door.

Aedion roared something that sounded like, “Too gods-damned long!”

“Three, maybe four minutes.” Lysandra said, “Aelin-“

“The coast should be clear, and you two should get back to it. I’m sorry again for barging in.”

Lysandra sighed and gave up at last, “Not at all, you’re always welcome here.” she stood and came to give Aelin a farewell hug- still holding the pillow.

A dangerous glint flashed in Aelin’s eyes, “If I may recommend something?”

“Anything.”

Aelin spoke quietly- so quietly even Aedion’s fae hearing could detect nothing. Lysandra’s grin grew savage and immediately her body began to change again, “Oh, he’s going to be pissed when the blindfold comes off.”

“It’s more disturbing if he isn’t.” Aelin winked and turned to open the front door as Lysandra opened the one to her bedchamber, “Oh- if you’re going to be male for a few days, would you like me tell the others to call you Lord Caraverre?”

“Lady is still fine. Fun as this is, I think I’ll still primarily stay in my female form. Once I’ve had my fill of walking around shirtless, I’ll keep this one just for Aedion’s enjoyment.” Lysandra’s voice was still the velvet rumble of her other male form, but now she had shoulder-length blond hair, a sharp jaw, and Ashryver eyes. A perfect physical copy of Aedion.

“Have a good afternoon!” Aelin called as Lysandra opened the door and threw her pillow aside.

“GO AWAY!” Aedion snapped.

“Go fuck yourself!” Aelin called in a sing-song voice. She bolted from the room and clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter threatening to rip from her. Aedion was going to kill her.

Headache somewhat eased, Aelin slipped into the servant’s halls and cautiously picked her way across the castle towards her private chambers. Darrow had eyes among the staff, and so Aelin hid herself from as many people as possible. Lysandra’s gift was a blessing Aelin would happily have put to use to avoid Darrow. Dorian and Manon would love their present- and find it hilarious. Foreign king he may be, but Dorian and Aelin weren’t just friends, they were kin. Her gift didn’t need to be stuffy and formal.

Besides, their official gift is going to be as boring and safe as the wedding one.

It was a simple gift of the usual gold and jewels- little more than posturing by the Lords to show off Terrasen’s wealth. Aelin knew it would be greatly appreciated by Adarlan though. Their coffers were empty, their kingdom in shambles, and they’d taken the brunt of the losses under Erawan’s army.

Though Rowan’s cousin had taken over rule of Doranelle, many of the fae there had arrived on Terrasen’s shores, unable to continue living in Maeve’s lands after learning what their queen truly was. Aelin offered many of the craftsmen among them coin to choose instead to settle in Rifthold and help construction there. All readily agreed, so long as they had a safe home for their families. That would be another welcoming gift. Not to mention the trunks of rare herbs for Lady Westfall and an assortment of fae weaponry for Chaol.

Without my naughty touch thrown in, they’d never know the gifts were from me.

“If you see her, find me immediately!” Darrow’s snapping voice had Aelin freeze just on the other side of the servant’s door. He was yelling at the guards stationed far down the hall from her chambers.

Aelin snorted and gave him time to move on. The guards were trained by Gavriel and Lorcan, they were loyal to her. She opened the door and peeked out. Turi winked and waved her through with two fingers, in case Darrow should see. He twitched his eyes down the hall beside him. Darrow wasn’t far, but he would never spot her slipping into her rooms.

“Darrow found out about the sex toys, didn’t he?” Rowan was reclining in an armchair as he went through a stack of reports.

“That, and I’m physically incapable of listening to another word about linens, place settings, or what message it sends if we have tea versus kahve after the banquet!” Aelin threw herself across a sofa as the pounding in her skull resumed, “I keep telling them all that no one will care, Dorian is family, but they want it to be some damned pageant!”

“This is why I didn’t mind being a prince.” Rowan chuckled and set his papers aside.

“Are you saying you regret being a king?” she shot her husband a glare.

“No, not when that title came with the heart of the greatest female ever to walk this world.”

“Good answer.” She raised her legs so Rowan could sit beside her and then draped them across his lap, “And for the record I don’t regret being Queen, because the alternative at every step was ‘maggot-food’.”

“I’ll show you an old Whitethorn family trick in a few centuries, if you’d like. You fake your death and go live in peace while the kids rule.”

“Ooh, that sounds wonderful.” Aelin raised a leg and Rowan slipped off her shoes and stockings to massage her feet, “I’m so tired of that idiot Darrow, I don’t want to make any more decisions this year.”

Rowan chuckled, “Think of it this way- if Dorian pisses you off, we’ll make an official visit to Rifthold. Then he gets to experience all this fun.”

“That’s evil. I love it.” Aelin was only venting, and Rowan knew she wasn’t serious about resenting her throne. She loved the people of Terrasen too much to ever step down. Fantasizing about it was just… cathartic.

Aelin let Rowan’s hands relax the muscles in one leg, then the other. He only went as far as her knees, but an idea began to swirl in her mind. She stared at Rowan while he concentrated on the massage, willing him to meet her gaze.

His hands slowed, the massage became deliberate, focused, he was putting an awful lot of effort into ignoring Aelin.

“You’re King-consort, consort with your Queen.” Aelin nudged his shoulder with a foot.

“Is that your decision?” he said with a soft smile, his eyes still on her foot, “Are you making decisions before the end of the year?”

Aelin kicked him again, “The next decision I’m making is when we stop. Your next sentence determines how painful that’s going to be- sore muscles or blue balls?”

“I married such a gentle, demur female with such delicate sensitivity.” Rowan mused as he worked. A light sparkled in his eyes that told Aelin she was getting her wish, “You can decide when we stop. But I’ll decide everything between now and then.”

“Sounds delightful,” she purred, “though, you’ll want to put a shield on the door and keep it up.”

Rowan raised an eyebrow while he massaged her calves, “I thought you had better control over your power now?”

“Oh, I have perfect control. Can’t go burning up our rooms every time we have sex, can I? No, Aedion might be out for revenge… that’s all.”

“What did you do?” he said.

Aelin laughed, “Well, either he’ll enjoy it or he’ll kill me… He might be under the impression that he is making love to a frankly gorgeousblack haired male.”

“And in reality he’s with-?”

“A mirror copy of himself.”

Rowan threw his head back and laughed. It was a bright, open bark of laughter that made Aelin’s heart soar, “I’ll put the shield up, but you and Lysandra are just cruel.”

“Well, I was held captive and tortured by a Valg Queen. It does things to a girl’s mind.” Aelin stared hard at Rowan.

It only made him laugh harder, “Were you? You’ve never mentioned it before. Except whenever you want something.”

“I want sex. Your mate wants sex. Your wife wants sex. Your Queenwants sex.” Aelin nudged him with her foot again, “Gimme.”

Rowan delicately set Aelin’s leg down on his lap, then held out a hand with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Aelin’s own expression turned predatory as she took the offered hand and let Rowan slid her up and into his lap.

Shields clicked in place around the room as Rowan gently brushed her hair off her shoulders and wrapped his arms around Aelin’s torso. He pulled her back so that she was reclining against his chest and began to trace the tip of his nose along the skin of her neck and shoulder. The ghost of his breath tickled her skin, making goosebumps rise across her body.

Once upon a time, there had been no time.

Everything was rushed, everything dictated by the guillotine-like clock that hung over their heads. They were driven from their mating in Skull’s Bay by a need to plan their next move (and check on Lysandra). They were rushed on the ship by the tensions rising outside. The consummation of their own marriage was a fifteen minute affair- which was about a week shorter than Rowan would have liked.

Then what came after-

But he’d long since chased those horrible memories back with love, compassion, and more than a few kisses to smooth over her new scars (both physical and mental). Ever since he got Aelin back- ever since their enemies were defeated and Aelin began the new challenge that was ruling Terrasen- they took the time that was owed them.

Rowan didn’t give half a shit about the reports he’d been studying, the decisions Aelin still had to make, or even about what time dinner was at. Not so long as his wife and mate was in front of him and in need of a bit of consorting. If she didn’t say ‘stop’ for a hundred years, he wouldn’t.

Time had forced their hand for too damn long. Now, Rowan and Aelin intended to make it their prisoner.

Aelin’s smug grin at Rowan’s obedient attention slowly faded as she let her body wake to his scent and the delicate touch of his lips upon her. Stress and nerves melted away at the closeness of her mate. When he opened his mouth and traced the tip of his tongue over where he planted each kiss, she felt a fluttering in her stomach, and a tightness growing in her breasts. Those hands Rowan had wrapped around her began to trace idly along the front of her bodice with just enough pressure that Aelin could feel their strength.

“I think I’ve decided,” Rowan murmured as he nipped at her earlobe, “that these clothes need to go away.” He gave Aelin a light push forward on his lap. He rested his hands on her knees and slowly stroked up her thighs, until he could brush his thumbs across her core just hard enough to feel her folds split beneath the fabric of the dress.

Before Aelin could so much as sigh at the contact, Rowan’s hands went to her sides, then up her back to the laces of the gown. He leaned forward and kissed her neck. Her improved control of her own healing power made it easy to hide the red marks that rose where he sucked at her skin, then caressed it with his tongue. Though, even if she couldn’t heal them, Rowan knew Aelin was brazen enough to put those marks of proud display, partly because she loved it when he sucked on her skin, but mostly because it would enrage Darrow.

Slowly, delicately, Rowan untied the satin ribbon and began to loosen the dress. Aelin’s moan wasn’t entirely due to the kisses on her neck when he finally opened the back of the gown and cool air caressed her skin. Rowan’s hands went to her shoulders, where he pushed the fabric off of her and exposed her torso, all while only lightly tracing her skin with the tips of his fingers.

“I love you,” he whispered in her ear, “you have no idea how much I love you.”

“I like to think I have a pretty good idea.” Aelin smiled as he wrapped his arms around her once more and pulled her back to rest against his chest. One hand wrapped around her, sliding down into her skirts (but stopping above where she’d like his hand to go). The other skipped over her breast and cupped her cheek.

When they’d met and later when they’d mated, Aelin had been largely skin and bone. She was too focused on fighting, on surviving to properly care for her body- or he for his. Her muscles were still strong and hard, his chest and stomach were velvet-wrapped steel beneath her back, but those cheeks and breasts were fuller after a steady diet of real food. The stable roof over their heads was something neither had known in a long, long time, and that castle breathed extra vitality into the pair. Aelin was warm, soft, and practically glowing with life after so long simply surviving.

It was a life that had come far too close to being snuffed out.

A life he was more than willing to hold and stroke, if only to remind himself that it was still there.

Rowan nipped at the line of her jaw as his thumb traced the other side. Aelin turned her head and opened her mouth, hungry for her mate’s kiss. Instead, he quickly slid his mouth back to her neck, denying her what she wanted even as he opened his mouth wide against her skin, sliding his tongue across her neck so that she would know exactly how he was going to kiss her when he was ready.

And that wasn’t going to be on her mouth.

Aelin pushed her hips forward as Rowan’s hand gently cupped the front of her undergarments, and he let her brush herself against his resting palm- but no more than that. The hand on her cheek slid back and gave a quick tug to her loose hair, bearing her throat so that he could claim that with his mouth as well. He released her hair and began unhooking her bodice.

“I want you to rip it off. I like it when you make a mess.” Aelin whispered.

Rowan kissed the back of her neck, “Are you deciding I need to do that?”

She grinned even as her heart raced and that bodice became an enemy, “Not at all.”

“Good.” He slid his fingers between the fabric and her skin easily. Without any warning, he pulled his other hand from between Aelin’s legs and grabbed the bodice in both fists. He did indeed rip it wide open- with a little help from his magic so that it tore more easily. “Idecided to make a mess.” He threw the two halves over his shoulders, “I also decided I want to do this.” Aelin gasped as Rowan’s magic cut along the outside of her thighs, severing the fabric of her underwear. He pinched the front of them and pulled the fabric slowly, splitting her folds and sliding it across her core.

Aelin arched her back and whimpered as the fabric just kept going. Rowan’s free hand moved just beneath her now-exposed breast and he rested his chin on her shoulder, watching that fabric caress his mate’s sex, surrounded by the blue of her gown.

The scent was intoxicating, but those skirts were containing too much of it.

Rowan moved his hand around and down Aelin’s back. He slid it across the curve of her rear and as the end of her underwear finally passed over her knot, Rowan lifted his wife up and in a single deft motion yanked off her skirt. It (along with the strip of fabric) was deposited in the same heap as her bodice.

With his mate wholly naked on his lap, Rowan pulled her knees to either side, then wrapped his ankles around hers and pinned her wide open.

He breathed deep the musky scent of ash, pine, and mist- their scent.

Aelin noticed, “Just think, in a thousand years you’ll be tired of that and we’ll hardly ever have sex.”

“I’m willing to bet against that.” Rowan’s hoarse growl set her blood boiling.

In one thousand years, he would indeed remind Aelin of those words as she wrapped her legs around his hips and begged him to come inside her.

Now though, he slid a hand down her stomach and parted her folds with the back of a broad knuckle.

Aelin gasped at the shock that rippled through her body from where Rowan just barely grazed the knot between her legs. She grabbed his thighs and dug her fingers in hard enough to bruise, knowing all too well that if she tried to interfere with his too-soft touch, her husband would only hold those arms in place.

“Do you like that?” Rowan whispered between strokes of his tongue and lips on her neck. He’d barely begun and already Aelin was wet. His own need for her was painfully contained in his pants.

“I’ll like it more when you-“ Aelin cried out as a finger slipped inside her, “-yep, that’s fine!”

Rowan grinned and reached up with his other hand to pinch a peaked nipple while he slid his finger in deeper, then slowly pulled it out before thrusting again. Aelin’s legs strained against his, her toes scraped the top of his feet as she tried to find purchase. He let her hips shudder and arch as she pressed hard against his chest- but controlled how fast and how deep his finger went inside her.

That finger was smaller than what her body craved, but it filled Aelin and made her blood boil. As he flicked and pinched her nipple, her entire world narrowed to the feeling of his hands on her- in her. Aelin moaned and held his thighs tight. He was rock hard against her rear, and she rolled her hips as best she could, tormenting him even as he gently slipped a second finger in and put his thumb over her knot to make her cry out again.

His breath was ragged while his mate gasped. He didn’t admonish her for rubbing against him, but when it became too much- the smell of her and the feeling of that slick heaven his fingers were buried in- Rowan wrapped a shield around himself. It absorbed Aelin’s grinding as he fought down those primal male urges.

“You’re so beautiful,” Rowan whispered in her ear as Aelin’s hips strained forward, “I can’t wait to hear you come, feel you come.”

Aelin opened her mouth in a long, low moan and arched her back. Her entire body shivered as she was drawn closer and closer to that point of no return. Her hips lifted, giving him greater access to her knot, and with each rock of Rowan’s hand, his thumb pressed into that most sensitive of nerves.

Rowan moved his fingers faster, curling them inside her until he heard her breath catch, she grabbed his wrist, and began to move his hand in deeper, faster, harder, until-

Rowan bit her neck far too gently than she liked and when he pulled his fingers back he resisted her grip and wholly withdrew. Aelin whimpered, then growled when he shook off her hand and brought his fingers to his mouth to clean them.

“I said I wanted to feel you come. I didn’t say now.”

“I hate you… so much…” she panted. The sweet wave that had been ready to break over her receded, leaving her empty, aching, and pissed.

“You decide when we stop.” Rowan replied simply. He finished cleaning his wife off his hand, savoring her misty ash flavor, then pushed her unceremoniously off his lap, “Well, if that’s all…”

He managed to stand up and began to walk calmly away, the action as much torture for him as enraging to Aelin.

Her snarl was the only warning he got before she barreled into him, wrapped her legs around his hips, then began to push herself up and over his shoulder as she ripped at the clasps on his shirt, “GET NAKED YOU BASTARD!”

Rowan was laughing too hard to be surprised, angry, or even to offer a witty retort. He wrapped his arms back around the curve of Aelin’s rear and balanced her as he walked (much faster) across the chamber and into the bedroom.

When they go to the bedroom, Rowan’s shirt was largely open, and he was pretty sure his hips were bruising from where Aelin’s heels dug into bone, “Off, or I’m jumping onto the bed backwards.”

“Do you promise to take off your clothes?” She hissed. Aelin knew as soon as she got so much as a finger on his cock she would control him.

“I swear it on the blood oath between us. The clothes will come off.”

“Quickly.”

“Quickly.”

Aelin unhooked her legs and dropped to the floor, scowling still. Rowan wheeled around and picked her up. Before she could even process that he wasn’t stripping, he’d set her down on the bed (as gently as possible given his speed), yanked her hips to the edge, knelt down on the stone, and pulled both of her legs over his shoulders. Rowan’s mouth covered her mound and he kissed her with as much intensity (and as much tongue) as he’d been showing her neck.

Her scream was as much of surprise as it was pleasure, especially when Rowan pinned her hips with one hand and reached up to take hold of her previously neglected breast with the other. He sucked at her skin, pumped his tongue as deep into her as possible, ground his nose against her knot, and devoured her with an animal ferocity that had her back arching within seconds.

“What happened to-“ Aelin gasped as he flattened his tongue out inside her and gave a hard, broad lick. Her fingers shot to his head and curled into his hair, “-quickly?”

“That’s your fault,” he backed up just far enough to speak, breathing heavily with the scent of her so near, “’quickly’ is subjective.” He went back to tasting her with, if anything, more intensity.

Aelin had no response, not as her legs wrapped around his head and held him as tightly to her as possible without smothering him. Even with his fae strength against hers, he wouldn’t be able to pull away this time.

She did her best to watch him while he looked up at her, grinning as he fucked her with his tongue. The love (and wickedness) in his eyes took her breath away. This was her love, her husband, her mate. This was the only male who would ever- could ever- love her with such raging intensity, or worship her so thoroughly. He knew every black mark on her soul- and judged her for none of them. He knew her greatest wishes, deepest desires, and every last secret.

Well… Most of them.

That was what made her cry out as his fingers slid down to stroke her knot while his mouth pressed harder against her. It wasn’t just the pleasure he brought to her body- it was the love shining in his eyes. It was knowing that this was the male she’d chosen to spend her entire life with. He was chained to a Valg queen by magic- and yet the second he was free he went to Aelin without even stopping to catch his breath.

She was a prisoner of that same Valg queen- but the second she saw him again, she’d been saved. No matter how close she’d been to breaking, just the scent of her mate began to pull her back together. It still pulled her back together, on the darker days.

Rowan was so much more than her lover or husband or consort. He was her soul, and she was his.

The smile that lit his eyes when her hand on his head began to stroke his face was enough to undo her. Aelin was forced to throw back her head as her hips shot up and she began to grind against Rowan with a scream of ecstasy.

This time, he didn’t stop.

He took his hand from her breast as she shook and cried out. He tore at his clothes with that hand alone, not once stopping the stroking of his fingers or the passionate ministrations of his tongue. He ripped his shirt off, then pulled his pants down as far as he could without breaking contact. His shoes and socks were dispatched in half a second.

Aelin’s hips abruptly began to shudder and her whole body quaked. The juices flooding Rowan’s mouth ceased as her orgasm finished ravaging her.

Her husband however, was only starting.

Rowan licked his hand, wetting it with her thick juices, and stroked his cock as he stood and threw away his pants. He waited until Aelin’s eyes opened and she took in the sight of him before placing just the head against her hot center.

“Now,” Aelin rasped, “right this damn second.”

“Now what?” he smiled even though he was burning (thankfully not literally, which that had happened once before she really got a handle on her power). Rowan pressed the head of his cock against her opening and slid it up, both opening her and grinding against her knot. Her entire body jumped at the sensation, “Now we’re done?” he slid his cock up and down against her, reminding her just how full he could make her without giving her more than a few centimeters, “Now-?”

“Now?” Aelin wrapped her legs around his hips and tried to pull him in closer, “Now you stop fucking around with me and start fucking me.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.” Rowan pushed into Aelin in a single, powerful, and slow thrust. He felt her tight walls shoving against his cock, but he kept going. Lubricated as his cock was with her orgasm, it was actually possible to fill her in a single motion, so long as he was gentle.

Aelin fell back on the bed as her eyes rolled up and her mouth opened in another wordless scream of pleasure. She reached out blindly and grabbed his arms as he put a knee on the bed to continue his thrust. Rowan barely hesitated long enough for Aelin to even notice as he decided if she was pulling him in or pushing him out.

She was most certainly pulling him.

His pelvis pressed hard against hers, but Rowan still lifted her legs once more and wrapped them over his shoulders, opening her just enough to get another inch in. He used his hips to push her further onto the bed, giving him room to kneel.

Aelin took a deep, shuddering breath as he stopped moving and let her body at last adjust to the large (and very much welcome) invader. He smiled as he felt her walls shuddering and moisture dripped from around his cock, “Did you come a little just now?”

“Not a little.” Aelin gasped and pulled her husband down to finallyclaim his mouth with hers.

Gods, the attention he gave her mouth made her core pound around his cock like nothing she’d ever known.

Rowan brushed Aelin’s hair aside, freeing her face while his tongue played with hers in the same dance he’d just completed below. He didn’t rock his hips, not until Aelin’s walls stopped shoving back against him. Because of his stillness inside of her, Aelin could feel his cock throbbing and growing even harder.

“Now I want to come a lot.” She whispered between kisses.

“A lot?” he grinned.

“Hard and loud. So loud even your shield can’t contain it. I want all of Terrasen to know how good their King makes their Queen feel.”

“It’s my job as consort,” Rowan slid out of Aelin and rammed his cock back into her. She let out a short scream of pleasure, “I should be good at my job, shouldn’t I?”

“Yes!” Aelin spread her legs wide, inviting him in deeper.

He had other ideas.

Rowan grabbed Aelin’s legs and held them together, straight up. He crossed them, forcing her muscles to clamp down around his cock even harder. When he began to move, Aelin gasped and grabbed at his thighs, eager to find some kind of grip on her husband.

His balls slapped against her as he moved harder, faster, and in every way Aelin loved best. Rowan was nearly blind in his lust, but he let the sharp cries of his mate anchor him as he pumped his hips and began to shout her name with each thrust.

“Your turn,” Aelin gave up trying to grab at his legs and instead held her own breasts as the bed scooted under the force of Rowan’s thrusts, “come inside me! Fill me up- and no matter what, don’t stop!”

He did not need to be told twice.

“I love you,” Rowan groaned as he gave up holding her legs and let them drape over each shoulder. He needed to see her, he needed to touch as much of her as possible. Rowan collapsed onto Aelin’s chest and kept thrusting his hips in hard, fast strokes. He moved Aelin’s hand from one breast and began to bite at it while he felt a tension rising from his balls to his cock, “I love you so much. My queen, my wife, my mate. I love you, Aelin. I love-“ he lifted his head just far enough to look into her eyes as his entire body lurched and his hot seed began to fill her.

Rowan called her name one more time as his body trembled and jerked, as he gasped and shouted with the force of his release inside her.

As Aelin ordered though- he didn’t stop moving. She felt his release, and that added heat made her ravenous. Aelin gave Rowan a nudge and he hesitated mid-thrust, grabbed her hips, and flipped them both over so that she was on top. She let him fill her as she began to ride his cock, shoving it in deeper and deeper.

“You feel so amazing Rowan,” she gasped. He was a little softer after his climax, but still hard enough to ride comfortably, and Aelin knew it would be proud and strong again soon. That powerful muscle between her husband’s legs was her second favorite thing, beside him, and she knew it well.

“I love you,” his voice was hoarse as he reached up to take her hands. He offered her leverage, and Aelin took it happily. She used his arms to raise herself, then let gravity drop her down. She cried out as she rolled her hips around his cock. Just as Aelin knew his body, he knew hers and could tell that her own release was imminent.

“How do you-“ she gasped as her walls began to flutter around him, “how do you want me to-“ she couldn’t speak between her panting and cries.

“Looking in my eyes,” Rowan pulled her down so that his cock raked across her knot whenever Aelin rocked back, “looking in my eyes and screaming my name.” He slid a hand between them and began to flick at the apex of her legs, adding to the stimulation.

Aelin could only nod as the wave made her toes curl, her knees wobble, and her hips grind against his hand more than along the length of his cock, “Rowan!” her voice was high-pitched as she neared that peak.

He pinched her knot, her mouth slowly opened, and as it did, her body clenched hard against him. Aelin could only gasp as every muscle strained and seemed to hunch into her core, where she was exploding in blinding ecstasy and her own release came rushing forth. Only when that first wave had slammed into her, before the second knocked her flat, Aelin found voice enough to scream his name properly.

As Aelin lost the ability to move her body, Rowan began to thrust his hips up, taking over for her. His ministrations kept the orgasm running long and fast, until Aelin was red in the face and she at last managed a heaving gasp for air. Her body went suddenly loose, the muscles releasing Rowan for only a second before tightening again.

She shuddered and shook and Rowan kept thrusting as she cried out.

“Stop!” Aelin gasped at long last. Rowan gave her a few long, slow thrusts, slowly pulling out with each one. When the head of his cock popped free, Aelin put a hand over her incredibly sensitive entrance and rolled off of him, “Just give me a few minutes, then you can have another turn.” She grabbed Rowan’s arm and pulled him against her, savoring the heat of his body as her own suddenly became aware of the cool room.

“You don’t want another one right now?”

She just laughed, “You act like we didn’t have sex this morning, and won’t have it again after dinner. Trust me, you’ve given me plenty of screaming fits so far.” Her rasping voice was cheerful, but Rowan could hear the exhaustion at the edge of her. As he eased the strain of dealing with Darrow, the stress of their friends impending visit had gone with it, leaving only weariness.

Rowan kissed his wife’s neck and shoulders- not to hurry her body along, but to comfort her, to show his love. He rested his head just behind hers, and ignored his now fully-erect cock. It didn’t understand that it wasn’t playtime.

“Just a couple of minutes.” Aelin only wanted to catch her breath and let the too-sensitive ache between her legs die down before she let Rowan back in to find one last release for the afternoon, as promised.

He had other things in mind, and even though she was trying to ignore it, she needed something other than sex at the moment.

Rowan moved the hand across Aelin’s chest so that he held one of her breasts- the only little pleasure he would take for himself. He felt her heart racing beneath his palm, but he didn’t let it whisper of desire or lust. Instead, he simply held that breast and breathed silently, steadily beside Aelin’s ear, lulling her to sleep.

The warmth of his body, the welcome weight of that palm over her breast, the rhythmic breath on her neck- Aelin faded away with no resistance. Rowan had to slip off to the bathroom to handle himself before curling up against her back once more, but while he was away he cocooned her in a warm wind, and did not wake her until he felt her stomach rumble beneath his hand.

He’d told himself he wouldn’t stop even for food, but he refused to let his mate go hungry, “Aelin?” Rowan brushed his lips against her ear and held her tighter to his chest, “I think it’s time to get some food in you. In both of us.”

“Kinky old fae,” Aelin’s voice was a groggy moan, “I think a nice cucumber would fit me pretty well, maybe a carrot for you. They’re pointy, but hard, which will come in handy if we’re fitting it in your-“

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Rowan’s chuckle rumbled against her back.

She simply hummed something resembling a laugh and pulled him against her like a blanket, then fell still once more. He knew she was slowly waking herself up, those endlessly whirling gears of her mind ramping back up to speed. Rowan held her, breathed in that scent he nearly lost forever, and let his wife open her eyes in her own time.

“I fell asleep.” She whispered.

“Yeah, I guess I’ll have to try harder tonight to keep you entertained.” He smiled against her back, then released Aelin to sit up and stretch.

“Tonight you come five times, then I let you sleep.” She kissed the tip of his nose and blinked in the afternoon light.

“Five times?” Rowan laughed as Aelin got up and went to the bathing room to make herself presentable, “Well, in that case it’s protein and water for dinner.” He heard Aelin’s soft gasp from the bathroom, “Did you just remember what you and Lysandra did to Aedion?”

“Yes.”

“Get dressed,” Rowan laughed and rolled his eyes. He stood and ran a hand through his hair- all he needed since he’d cleaned up during Aelin’s nap, “then we’ll go see how much trouble you two are in.”

“It’s more disturbing if he isn’t angry.” Aelin chimed.  She was wide awake at the thought of seeing Aedion spitting angry. If he refused to come to dinner at all, Aelin might just die laughing. She’d make Lysandra put his face on to mimic how he looked when he opened his eyes to find him inside himself.

“Can’t argue with that,” Rowan snorted. “Though, I think Fenrys would be even more jealous of Aedion with a shapeshifter than he already is. If anyone would fantasize about that, it’s Fenrys.”

Aelin began laughing from the other room.

She hardly stopped all the way to dinner.

—–

The first thing Rowan noticed as he entered the crowded hall with Aelin was Darrow’s withering glare directed precisely at Aedion, who was perched on the lap of a handsome, dark-haired male who held him tight against his bare chest.

Darrow would never fault Aedion and Lysandra for their fun- he himself had been King Orlon’s lover. They simply never flaunted it half naked in the banquet hall. Well, Aedion was clothed, Lysandra was the problem.

She was an eternal thorn in Darrow’s side, as unused to proper etiquette as Orlon’s successor.

Aelin was just happy the display was keeping Darrow from annoying her at present.

“Well? Have a nice afternoon?” she asked innocently as she took her seat beside Lysandra. Rowan sat down on the other side of her and snickered at the barely-contained jealousy on Fenrys’ face. Connall was smiling shyly at a distant serving girl and noticed nothing.

Aedion had been smiling down at Lysandra, idly twirling strands of short black hair between his fingers. At Aelin’s greeting he shot her an odd look, “You two are demons.”

Rowan glanced at him, eager to see what his reaction was.

Neither he nor Aelin could tell in word, tone, or expression if Aedion was amused, enraged, or even annoyed by the female’s prank (Lysandra would later whisper to Aelin that he’d cursed her soundly even as he climaxed).

Aelin huffed at the noncommittal response, “How do you feel about your lover being shirtless?” She would get some emotion from him.

“Well, I like it very much, she’s cold and refuses to put on anything. Besides,” he smiled and directed Aelin with his eyes to Darrow. She took a peek- he was utterly livid, “I think every second without a shirt takes a year off Darrow’s life.”

“Never wear one again, Lysandra.” Rowan said mildly. He chuckled when Aelin shot him a look, “At least not while you’re in this form.”

“At first it was fun,” Lysandra admitted in that deep, male rumble, “but it’s kind of… drafty. I am determined to enjoy this, but if Aedion sits in his own chair I’ll freeze to death… Plus, women keep gawking at me. The only difference if I were female shirtless would be then maleswould stare” She pulled Aedion tighter against her chest, borrowing his warmth and sending a statement to those lustful server girls, “And I miss my breasts, strange as it sounds.”

“What about-“

“Ask her about male nipples outside of the banquet hall,” Rowan advised Aelin with a laugh, “Otherwise Darrow won’t just fume in the corner, he’ll go on a rampage. It’s not exactly becoming of a Queen and her principle members of court.”

“All of us have shit manners, why resist it?” Aelin rolled her eyes at her mate and raised her hand, “Assassin. Ex-Valg Prisoner.”

Lysandra followed suit, “Whore. Lady-Lord.”

Aedion pointed to himself, “Living blanket.” He next waved a hand between himself and Rowan, “Soldiers.”

It was Rowan’s turn to point to himself, “Prince. Queen-Consort. King.”

Aelin and Adion both pointed to Rowan and simultaneously, “Ass.”

From there, if possible, their conversation devolved further into a simple game of pointing and insulting one another.

Aelin laughed brightly, screeched in indignation, and cackled wickedly in turn as she was labeled ‘demon’, ‘schemer’, ‘god-flipper-offer’, and ‘fae collector’.

Rowan’s eyes burned as he laughed along with his wife and heard that music that was her voice. He’d never felt as loved as when Aelin looked at him. He’d never felt as much kinship even with the Cadre as he did with Aedion and Lysandra (though lately, with Maeve’s hold broken at long last, Gavriel, Fenrys, Connall, and even Lorcan had become like brothers to him).

No, Aelin was definitely wrong when she said he would tire of her in one thousand years. She’d brought too much light into his life for him to ever tire of her.

In one thousand years, Rowan would still marvel at how full his heart felt surrounded by those he loved, and those who loved him. The smile that shone bright on his face in the banquet hall would never fade, and his family would only grow larger, never smaller.

“Sentimental old male.” Aelin nudged him when Rowan had gone quiet, a smile on his face.

He nipped her ear with his fangs, rested a chin on her shoulder, and held her tight, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

Rowan nuzzled his wife a moment before the tightness in his throat eased and he could speak, “The family.”

Aelin looked to Lysandra (and a mildly confused Aedion) as her heart pounded. Her friend only nodded, a glint in her eyes and a grin barely suppressed on her lips.

She wrapped her arms around Rowans and sighed happily, “Thank you.”

Now it was his turn to whisper, “For what?”

She patted Rowan’s hands, then gently pushed his arms down lower, until he was holding the hint of a paunch that was growing at the base of her stomach… Something she’d only noticed- and had diagnosed- a few days ago.

“The baby.”

This is as close to a pregnancy fic as I’m willing to get :)