Rosemary PoV
"Rose, we've arrived," Saffron announced, his voice steady and unyielding.
I jolted upright, confusion washing over me. Had I really dozed off? How had I missed the stunning landscape unfolding before us? Ugh, I had lost track of time!
He extended a hand toward me, his fingers poised and firm.
I accepted his grip and stepped down, feeling the strength of his hold.
A sudden fierce gust of wind threatened to topple me as I got off, but Saffron's steady presence kept me upright. Makkuroyama was definitely windier than the crown lands. At least here, there were no towering buildings or mountains obstructing my view of the expansive sky.
A smile spread across my face as I took in the sunset painting the horizon. The lake beside us mirrored its vibrant blues, deep violets, and fiery reds like a flawless glass surface.
"So beautiful," I breathed, marveling at the scene. I rarely encountered a water body this grand. The sections of Kaguya River winding through the namesake city were impressive, but the river's true magnitude was hard to appreciate unless seen from above. And it was always in motion. I would know, given I nearly died under its mighty current.
This lake, however, exuded a serene calmness. I smiled again, thinking of the man beside me—the one who had pulled me from the clutches of that raging river.
"Indeed," Saffron replied, his voice as cool as ever.
I glanced at him, only to find his steely gaze fixed not on the sunset, but on me. His expression was unreadable, yet a subtle tension in his posture hinted at a deeper intensity beneath his composed exterior. Like a small but deep stream.
My cheeks reddened as I realized the implication of him saying that while looking at me. Did he really think me beautiful?
He quickly turned away. "This is one of my favorite views."
My shoulders slumped a little. So, he meant the view...
"So, this is where you live?" I asked.
"I lived a bit further out. In that house," he said pointing to a house on a nearby slope. "This house is one I built for us."
I stared at the two story stone house. "It must've cost a lot."
He rubbed the side of neck. "Only getting the electricity and plumbing set. The land was a gift from Ma. You could say she gave me my inheritance early. Luckily, it's not too expensive in these far flung parts. It just took a lot of hours to arrange."
My eyes widened. "Wait, did you make the building by yourself?"
While we Kuroriku had earth powers and could thus move stones to create impressive structures, not everyone had the knowledge to make a functional modern house.
He nodded. "Yeah. It took all the money I got from Ma to buy the wood, wires, pipes, and furniture. Although, I made some of that too."
Whoa. So he knew carpentry too. Just how many talents did this man have?
He motioned for me to go in.
I took a deep breath. My hands were shaking. This place would be my new home. This was the furthest from home I had been in years. While I might've gotten away from my cold father, part of me still worried I might've jumped from the pan to the flame.
Saffron helped me inside. The house was a tad chilly, much like Father's castle. The walls even looked a bit like the ones back home. The biggest differences had to be the wooden floor and the lack of chandeliers.
"Do you need anything?" Saffron asked as he removed his tuxedo coat and placed it on the sofa seat.
"Just some water, please," I replied, feeling parched. The sofa was sturdy. The quality of the wood finish was also superb. Saffron mustn't have been a novice at carpentry. Had he learned the skill at a young age? He must've to reach such a level as this young of an age.
Saffron quickly fetched me a glass of water from the kitchen and sat beside me. "You should rest," he said, putting a hand against my shoulder.
I took a sip of water. "I slept a lot already."
"Would you like to read some books then? I have several."
I did like reading book. But, was now the right time? This was technically our honeymoon. Although, it felt a tad weird to have it in what was to be our home. No, I was asking for too much. Still, it would have been nice if our post wedding night felt more like an actual honeymoon.
I got up and grabbed him by the arm. "Uh, aren't you forgetting what today is?"
He blinked. "Valeday?"
I blushed. "Yes, but that was not what I meant. It is our wedding night."
Saffron stared at me for a while before grabbing me by the hand. "Alright, I will show your to our bedchamber."
My face heated up as he escorted me down a stone corridor, more reminiscent of a wine cellar than a hallway.
Our bedroom had the same chilly air as the rest of the house and the same vibe as well.
I gulped as I stared at the large bed. Maybe I should not have brought it up after all.
"Don't worry about it," Saffron said, signing as he leaned against the entrance. "If you want to back out, you can."
Was that sigh disappointment in me? Or was it more so frustration with me asking to spend the night in the first place?
I took a deep breath and pulled him in, closing the door behind us.
"I-It's okay!" Turning around, I placed a hand on his chest. It was large and sturdy, just like a mighty tree. "I am sure."
His violet eyes lingered at my hands as I began to unbutton his white shirt.
"If you insist. Let me know if you change your mind." He put a hand on my chin and raised my head up. His lips pressed against mine. The feeling was like that of our bond of marriage but more intense. Perhaps due to its longevity.
He stepped forward and I stepped back as we got closer to the bed. His hands reached for the zipper on the back of my dress. He tugged on it until it was completely down.
I ran a hand down his open shirt. His abdomen had a few scars on it, likely from battles he had fought. He would be going to that place soon. So this might've been our only one and only night as a married couple.
I yelped as he put his lips on my now exposed neck. My face heated up. I felt like I could pass out at any moment. This was a danger to my heart.
"S-Saffron" I said in what sounded more like a moan.
"Yes?" he said before giving me another kiss, this time closer to my bossom.
"L-let me take the lead. Okay?"
He turned his head away. "Alright, if that's what you want." His ears looked red. It was cute to see.
I pushed him into the bed and unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. Several scars from past cuts dotted his sides as well.
My fingers caressed them. Thankfully, they weren't very deep. But it was a reminder of the life he lived. Could this be our first and last night together?
Saffron pulled off my dress and held me tightly, snapping me out of my worries.
Even with me leading, it felt difficult. Ugh, maybe I should've listened to him. He said that we could stop if I told him, but would he really? Well, he did agree to let me have the dominant role. Truly, the one who didn't want to stop was probably me.
I placed my hand between his legs and unzipped his pants. My eyes widened. Maybe I signed up for more than I could bargain for...
"Something wrong?" he whispered, looking up at me with deep violet eyes.
"No, it's nothing," I said, turning my head to the side. How was I supposed to tell him that he might've been a bit too big for me. Ugh, what if my frail body couldn't take it? Although, even if I were healthy, I had my doubts if I would be able to handle that beast between his legs.
He sighed and turned away. "You don't have to force yourself, you know?"
I gulped and stared at Saffron's handsome face. Even if my body was weak, I wanted to continue. This could very well be our only time as husband and wife.
Saffron held out a hand and patted my head. "If you want to stop, we can," he said, panting a little.
I shook my head. No! I wanted to give be able to give him an heir. If that was impossible for me, I wanted him to have a wife that could. But for that to happen, I had to try my hardest. Plus, this was only the first time. I heard that it was always the most difficult. After tonight, it should become easier.
I put a hand between his legs. His member twitched. It was getting bigger again after having calmed down during my hesitation.
Saffron's eyes widened. His face was very red. I smiled and tugged on his black undergarments.
My husband turned to look at me as I drew closer to his face. He put his hands on my face and pulled me in for a kiss. His tongue entered my mouth and caused my heart to beat like never before.
He put one hand on my sides and rolled me over. Was I that light or was he simply that strong?
His free arm reached for the light switch, leaving only the moon and starlight pouring in through the window to light our way.
I gasped as he removed his underwear. His manhood was thicker than I thought. My eyes closed as he rubbed it between my legs. I couldn't help but whimper. His teasing felt good. A little too much. My heart was pounding like crazy. He wasn't even inside me and I was already struggling this much. This was going to be an endurance test...
"Rose, you alright?" Saffron asked as he pushed my hair away from my face.
I opened my eyes and saw those steel purple eyes looking back at me. Had he noticed me whimpering? Of course he did! It was almost a borderline moan!
I nodded and put my arms around his waist. He was a large man overall. It felt good, though. To have someone with a sturdy back like his by my side.
It reminded me of when I was a kid. How I would wrap my arms around Ore whenever I would get terrified. Of Father, usually. But also, other scary things. Sometimes, it was Father who I held onto for protection. Those were the days before Mother's passing.
Saffron came in for another kiss as he removed my undergarments. His lips journeyed to my bosom and down the rest of my body.
"Saffron, what are you doing?" I asked as he got a little too low.
He looked at me. "I heard that lubricants help, but since I didn't buy any, I figured saliva would help."
I couldn't help but smile. He was talking about something dirty, yet sounded so nonchalant and innocent.
"I-it's alright," I said, closing my legs.
Saffron sighed as he panted slightly. Unlike me, he was barely exhausted. "Rose, if you are nervous. We can still stop. I won't mind."
I turned away. "It's not that. If you're going to do it, I want to return the favor too." Even, though putting that beast anywhere inside of me was going to be a tough ordeal as it is.
My husband frowned. "Rose, sex is not tit for tat. That said, doing it only for my sake is pointless."
His words took me a back, but they also made my heart flutter a little. My husband was more romantic than I had expected. That was not a bad thing. If anything, it made me happy.
I lowered my head. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Saffron said kissed me on the forehead.
I held out my hands. "But I do wish to continue. I wanna be yours, even if only tonight."
Saffron lips brushed up against mine. "Alright." He caressed my face and kissed me again. "But I might no longer be able to stop if we do continue."
My face reddened as he moved away. "I don't think that I can either." I kissed him again, this time, putting my tongue inside his mouth.
Saffron pressed his body against mine against, teasing my entrance again with that monster of his. I still was unsure if it would fit, but just being like this with him was enough for me.
We held each other softly, yet firmly as we rubbed our bodies against one another. The coldness of the bedchamber no longer bothered me. Nor did the longing for companionship.
Even if our wedding night was not a fairy tale one, that was fine. At least for tonight, we were husband and wife, not strangers. Although, I still hoped there would be more to our marriage than just sex. I wanted true love to blossom from this passionate night. Maybe it was me being naive again, but I felt there was a real possibility. And was not going to let go of it.