The Coronation

[Kysis]

It seemed she was really intent upon retiring from the guard and moving on.  The mention of Dagger reminded him of that, and he repressed a flinch.  The one problem with Oberon (for a marriage) was the fact that all Lam’s past was there.  Including people like the strange Lord Dagger and Lieutenant Fredrickson.  What sort of conflict would arise when they came back and an announcement of their engagement reached those ears?  That was a matter Kysis would have to leave for Lam to explain.

But the idea of offering Lam a job?  Kysis laughed softly, putting a little kiss on her nose before moving back at the distance his face was before, wrapping his higher arm around her.  That was a funny vision.  And a weird one.  “Offer you a job?  Surely the king would not want to completely lose your services.”  Kysis was grinning, glad he could talk a little to avoid that last question.

“It would be nice if you could continue to work with Prince Mayhew.  He was really nice when I met him.”

Children.  Did he want to have children right away?

“And about children… I don’t know.  I really don’t.  I would like to have children, just I don’t know when.  It will effect both our lives… majorly.”  Wow that sounded stupid.  Kysis wanted to kick himself in the head.  “That was… not as articulate as I was hoping.  Sorry.”

[Existentially Odd]

She laughed at his comment, finding it thoroughly endearing that he would demean himself because he was obviously flustered by the notion - and willing to show it by giving her an answer, rather than leaving her hanging.  She loved that about him; that he considered her and made an effort not to close himself off any longer.  It wasn\'t exactly something he\'d been thinking about as long as she had either, she supposed, so he had every right to not be as eloquent as would be impressive.

She mulled over everything for a few moments, her left hand trailing absently up and down his back and side - except for when it stopped so her thumb could obsessively caress the ring.

"What I\'ll do," she drawled thoughtfully, once she\'d concocted a plan (the problem was, her brain had skipped from subject to subject so fast, it was taking her a while to trace her way back to where she\'d begun so she could start explaining there), "is just tell Freddy and the king that we\'re engaged, at first.  They\'re the ones I trust to give me the best advice and I\'ll let their opinion influence what work I do or don\'t do afterwards."

The next topic was quickly stated.  "I think we should get married in the spring, after winter\'s over with.  The way will be clear for your parents to travel up - Jax, too, I assume you\'ll invite him? - and Calista will have had her baby so she and Tiberius might be able to travel as well.  Plus, Oberon is beautiful in the spring," she murmured huskily, fondness for her home evident in her tone.  "By then, I\'ll definitely know what I\'m going to do workwise  Oh, and I\'d like us to be married by the Acolyte in Adora\'s Sanctuary, even if it\'s not a particularly esteemed thing to do."

She paused momentarily then, but in such a way that it was obvious she was tasting the next words she was going to say and it wouldn\'t be appropriate for him to interrupt.  Her breath was held, for a start, causing the silence around them to become expectant.

"I\'d like us to stop worrying about being careful and try for a baby straight away," she admitted, releasing her pent-up breath in a gentle whoosh.  "It may not happen quickly - or even at all - considering I\'m already thirty and... we should know if that\'s going to be the case.  The sooner the better, really.  I\'m surprised your mother didn\'t comment about my being so much older than you - maybe my hair being down fooled her.  I\'ve been told I look younger with my hair down," Lam explained, attempting an offhanded laugh that didn\'t really come off, because she was feeling suddenly nervous that Kysis would argue with her and tell her even though he didn\'t know when they should have children, he definitely knew it wasn\'t now.

That would not be good at all, considering the flighty feeling of nervousness that alighted in her belly every time she thought about not being able to get her next dearest wish (which was a baby, now that she had the man she wanted).  If she couldn\'t produce a Liari heir, would Kysis divorce her?  He\'d ended up with the title because Ryos hadn\'t been able to have a son, so it was likely if that happened to them that the estate would simply shift back to Calista\'s children but... she didn\'t want to let her husband down like that.  She didn\'t want to be let down like that, herself.  She desperately wanted a child and a son who could continue in their footsteps and carry on their family legacies.

Worse, if Kysis didn\'t divorce her because she was barren, but stayed married to her for love, would he resent her?  Would their love eventually turn bitter and fade so that they never spent time together and could barely stand each others\' company (as seemed to be the case with his parents)?  Would he seek to have a child out of wedlock with someone else?

Everything was too horrible to contemplate just then, and she pushed all these thoughts determinedly out of her head.  No, it was best to know now whether or not they could have children together; those other bridges would be crossed at some other point in the future.

"Do... you think you\'d be against that?  I mean, you don\'t know when you want to have one because it will change our lives but... a lot of the changes we\'re contemplating will happen as soon as we\'re married.  We\'ll start living together - well, we\'ll supposedly start living together," she amended wryly, knowing that the dissolution of her home (as the smallest, it made sense for her and Matthew to leave it and move into Kysis\' house) wouldn\'t happen officially until they were wed but that she had no intention of sleeping without him up until that time if she could possibly help it, "and I\'ll have either quit or started some other form of work that has already taken us having a child into account so... it shouldn\'t be too terribly traumatic as far as changes go."

Her words were slow and gentle in their persuasion, but obvious in their intent.  She would accept it if he had strong reservations and balked completely at the idea of so quickly turning their duo into a trio but she was compelled to make her standpoint clear.  "Plus, it\'s considered a wonderful omen for a productive marriage if Adora has blessed a bride with new life before the ceremony," she pointed out hastily, unable to help herself.  She pressed her lips together then, though, for she didn\'t want to annoy him by repeating the same message over and over.  He deserved to have some input.

[Kysis]

Lam had Kysis thinking about invitations, who should come and who could not.  By Spring time, Calista would have had her child, Kysis believed (he was unsure as to where she was in her pregnancy), but that would mean she would not want to leave the baby in Kreos, and traveling that far was hard enough as it was, so... Kysis would want Calista to come (more so than he would Arna).  And Jax definitely.  Who else?  Marcos was obviously going to come so--

Baby.  Now.  Kysis blinked furiously, as if trying to draw what he just heard in through the amazing grasping power of his pale eyelashes.  Then he stared widely, listening intently to every work.  He had drifted off into his own thoughts for a moment there, but now she had his full attention.

And her points were valid.

Kysis nodded a little at a few points, taking it all in, processing it in the silent vacuum that had become his mind.  After she was done talking, his brain started up again, a million thoughts flying in from all directions, cluttering together, muddying any organization in his head.  Kysis tried sorting it out.  Yes, Lam was older than him.  Yes, age sometimes did effect fertility.  Yes, it would be good to know whether or not they are... compatible early on, though it would not change his opinion of her, at all, if they were not.

However, one fear held on tight, refusing to let go until voiced.

"I... I just don\'t want what happened... with your mother to happen with you."

There was fear in his blue eyes, though the light might have masked it.  It could probably be heard in the slow, measured tones of his voice, a whisper as if saying too loud could make it true.  That was another of those strange Greek beliefs.  Naming it calls it into being.  Kysis did not want that to happen to Lam.  It was his one and biggest concern.  What if...

He could not think about it right now.  Thought of it made him want to coil his arms around Lam and hold her tight and never let go for fear that if he did, she would vanish.  Kysis bit at his lip, trying to keep that image away from the forefront of his mind.

[Existentially Odd]

She gulped and blinked at him in the darkness.  "Oh," she breathed softly, "I hadn\'t thought of that," she stammered into the stunned silence about them.  Then she frowned, as reason began to seep through the shock of thinking of herself dead from having a baby.  She\'d contemplated her death in so many ways from guard duty through the years that... something as innocent as childbirth hadn\'t ever entered into the equation.

"No, but... it wouldn\'t.  From all reports my mother was a small woman, like... five feet five tall.  My father\'s a big man, he\'s more than a head taller than me even now, withered and broken as he is.  My mother wasn\'t built to have his babies whereas I take after him.  I have good hips and... well, you\'re smaller than me," she murmured, trying to play coy but unable to hide the smile in her voice.  The Liaris were all built on fine bones and slight frames; she had no doubt she\'d bear Kysis\' baby without a problem.

She leaned forward to hug him, attempting to soften the blow dealt by her possibly insulting words.  "I\'m not planning on leaving you at all, let alone soon," she assured him huskily, rubbing her cheek against his before placing a soft kis upon his lips.  Her nose nudged his as she waited to see if her words had made him feel any better.

[Kysis]

The fact that she hadn\'t thought about that made his heart jump straight into his throat.  That fear was starting to really sink in and take root when she got to reassuring him that it would not happen.  Five-foot five was small?  Well, compared to Lam and her father, he guessed, which would explain a little.  Though... that brought up the brief thought about Alia, how she had not suitors that he knew of, and how frail and tiny she had always been.  Kysis tried pushing that thought away.  He would think about Alia at some later point.

Kysis returned her hug with relief.  Yes, he was smaller than her.  He knew.  Jax had made a few irritating comments along that line (ever since Kysis told him about wanting to propose).  Of course, it also settled his nerves a little that the child would be enough for Lam to handle.  She was strong and healthy.  And bigger than him.  Hmph.

"Well, you\'ve heard my reservation..."  That was a way for saying yes without saying yes.  Kysis figured he would have to say it some time tonight, but right now, he was still mulling over the fact that complications happened.  It was nice to hear Lam say she didn\'t intend on going anytime soon, but still...

[Existentially Odd]

She giggled, leaning down to place little kisses against his throat now.  "Only one, hmm?" she murmured, knowing only time and fate would be able to see if his fears would be put to rest - or justified.  Part of her wanted to tell him that if everything went stupid and she did die, thats he expected he\'d continue on without her just fine, and not close himself off to love again but... she couldn\'t.  It was too soon, he was too newly hers and she wasn\'t that gallant.  She was selfish and jealous and din\'t want to think about him with anyone but her, for now, no matter how honourable her intentions might have been.

"Then I guess we can just practise the method until a decision\'s made for us, one way or the other," she told him cheekily, rubbing amourously against him as her tongue prodded his throat like she knew worked wonders for him.

As much as she wanted that intimacy with him, however, her mind wasn\'t able to stay focussed beyond the little tease and she pulled back suddenly, propping her head up via a raised elbow.  "I can\'t believe you actually want to marry me," she told him honestly.  "Do you think your father\'s going to approve?  What happens if he doesn\'t but your mother does?  Does the majority vote win?" she giggled, making light of something that was really very serious.  She\'d seen Arna as the greatest hurdle, it was true; she wasn\'t anywhere near as worried about Marcos.

[Kysis]

That was a sudden change of mood, not that Kysis could argue.  His brain would not let him argue as she went to his neck, but then she was talking again, and somewhat serious again.  What?  Kysis was utterly confused.  Perhaps it was the fatigue of the day, as long as it had been, or maybe that really was weird.  Hmmm...  Both sounded like they fit the bill, so Kysis just tried to process the questions flung at him as best he could.

"Marcos is probably approve though I probably won\'t approve of his reasons for approving.... did that make sense?"

That somewhat jumbled sentence mirrored exactly how his predictions of Marcos had gone so far.  Apparently, Marcos and Arna had been talking about the relationship with Lam.  Marcos knew it was more than a business formality.  That was good.  However, the fact that Marcos had not asked Kysis himself was bothersome.  Was it a lack of caring?  Or was it just waiting to see whether or not his predictions were right?

"He will probably look at this from a business standpoint.  And as far as I can tell, he would think it is a good decision?  I mean... you are the Captain of the Guard, and I am a weapons merchant.  They fit together like... like..."  Kysis was having trouble with thinking of a comparison.  What was the usual one?  Why was his brain not letting him think of one? "Like... a.... two things that naturally go together?"

Wow.  Again with the lack of intellectual talk.  Kysis really needed to get some sleep, but refused to end this conversation yet.

[Existentially Odd]

"Salt and pepper," she supplied with another laugh, finding him delightfully scatterbrained.  She put it down to the fact that she was still caressing his back and ass, giving it a squeeze and every now and again rubbing her hips against his in a very suggestive manner.  He usually got a bit addled whenever sex was involved, despite being a great deal more comfortable with it now (though he had yet to initiate anything).

Naturally, her pairing of things that always went together were food related.

"So... if I do quit the guard to have the healthy baby your mother approves of, I\'ll destroy any good business connections that your father would approve of and thereby make him angry?" she said slowly, trying to work out if what he was implying was true - thet she couldn\'t really win, with his parents.  It wouldn\'t surprise her, but it was disappointing.

[Kysis]

"Well..." Salt and pepper did work together naturally, he supposed, but Kysis was sure there was something better (than peas in a pod).  Ah, nevermind.  At least there was a comparison made that had some sense to it, which Kysis would not exactly making at the moment.  Lose lose with his parents?  Perhaps not.

"I don\'t know...  I mean, Marcos may also look at it by the Lord Liari law handbook" (which Kysis had jokingly named it) "and see that I am... umm..." Kysis grabbed Lam\'s wandering hand and held it in his own, trying to clear up his already tired mind, "He would probably say he is glad I made a decision before the forty-two weeks ran out.  If I lost the title, there would be no one next in line.  Marcos would be in charge as a regent of sorts until a male heir got of the age specified.  Marcos\' first concern, as far as I have heard, is to make sure the line continues."

Of course, Kysis was not even sure of that, but now that he had those thoughts out in a coherent matter, he released Lam\'s hand, kissing her ear as well.  Until she inquired about something else, he did not really have to concentrate, so... Kysis took advantage of how his arm was wrapped around her, toying with the tips of her hair a little.  Not much, just enough to be vaguely distracting.

[Existentially Odd]

She sighed, finding his lips on her ear more than vaguely distracting.  Her eyes drooped closed and she went still against him, bested at her own game as shivers ran through her relentlessly, causing her skin to harden with gooseflesh and her nipples to poke against his chest.  He had a heartstopping knack for bringing her to knees, when he wanted to.

"So if... Calista has a boy and we... don\'t," she managed, eventually finding the ability to speak - though it was stilted and breathy, and her eyes still weren\'t open as she leaned even closer to him (if that were possible), "it would be... him.  Or if we have girls... maybe Alia?  If she... ever marries... and has a child... that is.  She won\'t... be happy with us... when we get back.  Will she... still live with us... when we\'re... married?  I assume I\'ll move into... your place?  And Matthew can come?"

She was asking very serious questions in the most non serious way, panting words out around the pounding of her heart and the racing of her hormones, sounding as if she could care less.  In fact, she was interested in how the Liari line was appointed and why they\'d never bequeathed it to a girl, but she forgot that in the face of his delightful attentions.  She was lucky she managed to ask her questions about Alia, for Adora\'s sake!

[Kysis]

Now she knew how he felt, with how distracting she had been while he was trying to talk seriously.  It was humoring to listen to, Kysis moving from her ear and along her neck for more kisses.  During this break (it did take a while for Lam to get that all out, for which Kysis mentally applauded) he thought of his answers, toying around with her hair a bit more, not just the tips any more, and kissing all the while.

"The title is passed down to the son of the Lord if he has one, and if not, to the oldest nephew." Kysis murmured this all against the soft skin of her neck, nibbling a little in the pauses.  It was a serious topic, but why not have a little fun?  The day had already been too damned stiff as it was, with the formal breakfast and ceremony and Arna and all.  So, it was time for some play.  He had survived the day.  Perhaps it was a little celebration?

"Alia was talking about moving out on her own,"  Kysis took a little more time to lavish affection on her shoulder at this point, talking against the skin after a quick tease of it, "probably taking Rico with her.  If you do move in with me, I would love if you brought Matthew along."  Nibble, "He\'s got a quick wit and can cook too."  And would effectively put Rico out of a job.

[Existentially Odd]

Her eyes fluttered open at the mention of Kysis\' former lover.  Rico... she hadn\'t even thought of him yet.  Momentarily, confliction arose in her; sympathy for him because the man he loved was definitely moving on and had chosen respectability, marriage and a family over a secretive union with him, exultation because the one threat to her position in Kysis\' life would be out of their house and not within their immediate sphere to continually remind her that Kysis had strong feelings for him.

Of course, these thoughts and feelings were near-instantaneous flashes running through her, and they hardly compared to the way him playing with her hair and moving over her to kiss her neck and shoulders affected her.  She had one last, valiant effort at conversation left in her before she surrendered to the arousal he\'d expertly stoked.  Maybe she\'d been wrong in thinking only he got addled when it came to sex, after all.

"Shit.  Rico.  He won\'t... be happy, either.  But.. um... I wouldn\'t... you wouldn\'t... want... to," she tried to argue, finding her brain wasn\'t co-operating, especially when she looked down to watch what he was doing and it tugged on her hair.  She shuddered against him silently (somehow).  "By the Gods you\'re good at that - and sneaky!" she told him rapidly, able to get it all out in one go because it wasn\'t anything to do with what she\'d wanted to say.  She took a breath (or two) and got back to that as quickly as she could, intent on being just as fluent.

"But as I was saying; you wouldn\'t want to come and live at my little house would you?  It\'s logical Matthew and I move into the manor, isn\'t it?" she asked, having been slightly jarred by the words \'if you do move in with me\'.  It could hardly go the other way if they wanted to have children - she\'d have to clear out her armour room!  As interested as she was in his answer, she began coiling her lower half around his, attempting to move him between her legs so that when they gave up the pretense of serious conversation - as delightful a game as it was - he would be in the position she wanted him.  One day he might surprise her and demand something he wanted instead - which she\'d love - but until that point, she was in control.

"You\'ve got... all those empty rooms... to fill."

[Kysis]

Kysis noticed the movement she was making, going into it himself, and while he was at it rolling so he would be on top.  His arm was still under her, but that could be dealt with in a little bit.  For now he had to answer her questions and hopefully move the conversation to something else they both seemed a bit more interested in.

"I kind of like my room.  A lot.  Sorry.  So yes, you and Matthew can move in.  Will hopefully move in."

So many rooms to fill?  Hmmm... true.

Of course his mind was completely elsewhere.

"So, after this we can get some good rest and... finish the tours of Kreos?"  He was not really looking for an answer in this, considering how he covered Lam\'s lips with his right after he spoke it.  That was his plan, and since Lam made no effort to object, that was how it would go.

And then, finally back to Oberon.  He was already missing it there.