with this ring, I thee wed

[tiltingwithlips]

Man and wife.

They are at last man and wife, he hers and she his -- the Lord and Lady Percy.

It has been quite a day.

When the festivities are finally done, they have burned a great many candles, eaten a great deal of food, danced many a dance. Elizabeth is the one who finally takes Harry's hand, covering a yawn, and tugs him towards the door of the hall. The remaining guests raise a cheer and a cup as the couple head upstairs to their rooms.

Kate leans on Harry as they ascend the stairs, loose-limbed and smiling from exhaustion.

Comments

[tiltingwithlips]

Laughing: "Can anyone be?"

[valiantrebel]

He chuckles. "Coy Kate."

Back to kissing her neck and shoulder, then, if she'll be so glib.

[tiltingwithlips]

Her breath goes out in a long, shivering sigh.

"And hurried Harry, hm?"

Is this the part where they start taking off each other's clothes?

She wouldn't mind getting out of the wedding dress, truth be told.

[valiantrebel]

"I'll own as much."

He'd be in favor of removing clothes. He's even toying with the laces at the back of her dress, though -- well, it's not so much toying as fumbling. He's never had to undress a lady in such fine clothes before.

[tiltingwithlips]

Bending her head, she presses a kiss to the corner of his jaw.

"I'd have that off, if thou wouldst help me."

[valiantrebel]

He laughs, softly. Some might recognize, in some part of it, relief. "As you will, Lady Percy."

He circles behind her and, after some unknotting, begins to tug the laces free. There, at the nape of her neck, the delicate rise of her bones. He presses his lips there as his hands keep moving and the dress loosens around her.

[tiltingwithlips]

"My thanks, Lord Percy."

She shivers again as the cloth releases its hold, as the cooler air of the room touches her skin.

[valiantrebel]

That should do it. If he lifted the dress, she should come right out of it. He steps back.

Better to do this now, to shuck his jacket and pull off his boots before he'll be too far gone, before they'll get in the way.

He takes her skirt in both hands and raises his arms.

[tiltingwithlips]

Kate glances over her shoulder as he takes off his trappings, then lifts her hands to help slip the dress off over her head.

Well, this is -- new.

[valiantrebel]

There is staring. Gazing? Looking. And a sucking-in of breath. If Harry's not the luckiest man in Christendom, he doesn't want to know.

"Help me, Kate." He presses his hand against the warm skin at her waist to turn her toward him. "Or I may be moved to poetry."

[tiltingwithlips]

She hugs her arms around herself as she turns -- and then, gratefully, bursts into laughter at his words.

"Oh, spare me, soldier, thy silver tongue, if thou wouldst have me stay awake."

[valiantrebel]

"Zounds, I might be a fine bard with but practice." He loops his arms about her waist, grinning. "Thou'rt like... a fine ship... made of flowers..."

[tiltingwithlips]

Still laughing, she hits him lightly on the shoulder.

"Stop thy mouth! Or soon I shall be nothing at all."

[valiantrebel]

A very grave expression comes over him. "I know not how, Kate, I am so moved by my good fortune."

Maybe if his shirt came off, that would help.

[tiltingwithlips]

It certainly helps her feel a little less out of place, whether or not that was the intended effect. She hesitates a moment, then unwraps her arms and slips them around his waist.

"If thou canst not stop thy own mouth, let me stop if for thee."

Kissing him bare chest to bare chest is completely different from kissing him any other way.

[valiantrebel]

--even if he had had a witty riposte, he'd have lost it to the kiss and the feel of her bare skin on his.

He's done this before. A little. Just enough to know what goes where. But never with anyone he's had to... to think about before. And this isn't just a roll in the hay.

He'll think of how to move forward in a minute, but he just -- first -- needs to settle just -- where to put his hands, at the small of her back or over her hips or in her hair, or. Or.

[tiltingwithlips]

When she pulls back, there's an uncertain frown on her face.

"Is -- is all well?"

She, on the other hand, has never done this. She has some knowledge of the parts involved -- there have been enough puppies and foals born that she could puzzle out those basics -- but what she's supposed to do, or he's supposed to do . . . that's a mystery. Kisses and caresses stolen at Milliways don't exactly shed much light on the subject.

[valiantrebel]

"Very so," he says, too quickly, then stops himself. "Ah."

There have been conversations about this, with other people. Now he just needs to... have them with her.

"I know how this ends, but not..." He shakes his head. "I'd have thee enjoy this. And -- and me. Well, enjoy me and thee and that we should both enjoy this--"

[tiltingwithlips]

"Peace, my lord."

She takes his face in her hands again, still frowning.

"Thy tongue will run out of thy head."

[valiantrebel]

The smile he gives her is a bit abashed. "I must stick with my sword, it seems."

[tiltingwithlips]

"So much, I have heard, is the task of every man and wife."

[valiantrebel]

His expression turns amused. "Did I just hear such a jest from thee?"

[tiltingwithlips]

"I am not deaf," she says dryly. "Art thou?"

[valiantrebel]

"How's that? I heard thee not."

[tiltingwithlips]

She hits his shoulder again, giggling.