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

[valiantrebel]

Well. He is a soldier, after all.

Though he's certainly not had his fill of this, Harry pulls back, one hand at her elbow. "Kate, if you'll just..."

[tiltingwithlips]

"Just what?"

She was enjoying that!

[valiantrebel]

He was too!

But... his plight.

A significant nod downward.

"Can do we both?"

[tiltingwithlips]

"--Oh!"

Yes. Yes, they can, and with a good will.

[valiantrebel]

The noise he makes in his throat is happy, and animal.

In between more kisses and nips, and kneading: "Oh, God's me, Kate." They haven't been at this long, but he's starting to build already.

[tiltingwithlips]

She shivers when he says her name like that, although it's a warm rush running down her spine, not a chill.

Her grip may tighten a fraction but the rhythm of her hand stays steady.

[valiantrebel]

It's for the preservation of them both that he buries his face in her shoulder -- he may bite through her lip, past this point.

"Just there," he pants, and he grins into the crook of her neck. "That's good, stay there."

[tiltingwithlips]

Kate laughs, startled, and kisses his hair. This is incredible, to see Harry Percy undone, his prattling put aside -- and there's nothing in the world but his skin and breath against her and the foreign pleasure of him in her hand -- and none of this is quite what she expected, but oh, she's beginning to see why it's so very popular.

[valiantrebel]

If she'd just -- faster, but --

But no, this spot, if he might stay here a bit --

"Ah--"

He grips her hair, close to the scalp.

"Kate, how I'll be avenged upon thee--!"

[tiltingwithlips]

She catches her breath, lets it out in a laugh.

"What cause for vengeance, lord?"

[valiantrebel]

...!

--!

A dry end, but a happy one, a deep shudder and a groan. He unballs his fist and begins stroking her hair instead.

There's no resisting a low chuckle. "How thinkst thou I mean such a thing, my lady?"

[tiltingwithlips]

For a moment there she pauses, uncertain again, but her tone is light when she asks, "Why, art thou not well, my lord?"

[valiantrebel]

"I am very well." He hesitates. "And thee?"

[tiltingwithlips]

She nods, and leans in for a soft kiss.

"Very well."

[valiantrebel]

He's still frowning a little when they part. "I trust thou knowst there's more."

[tiltingwithlips]

"I did think as much," dryly.

[valiantrebel]

"Just checking."

...

"Why ask?"

[tiltingwithlips]

"Why ask if thou art well?" she echoes, blinking.

[valiantrebel]

"Aye, was something amiss?"

[tiltingwithlips]

"I do not know, else I would not have asked."

[valiantrebel]

"...Let's back to other things, what say you?"

[tiltingwithlips]

Kate raises her eyebrows, then laughs and leans in to kiss him.

And trails her fingers up his thigh.

[valiantrebel]

Oh, well spoke, if that may be called speaking.

She's a quick study, and a bold, and he can't even articulate what that does for him. He kisses back, runs his knuckles over her spine, but in truth right now he wants to see what she does next.

[tiltingwithlips]

Why, she runs her fingers over his skin and wraps them around him again, of course. After all, it worked out so well before.

[valiantrebel]

At that, he chuckles. "Ah, love--"

And, carefully, he shifts and rolls on top of her. "Let's try thee for a bit first."