A Unique Wedding

[Igraine]

It had been decided between them both that Nimue would refrain from entering the War as a physical presence. She would stay behind in whatever domicile that the pair decided to settle in and produce enchantments, runes, forecasts, and whatever else her powers were capable of – without actually getting into the thick of trouble. This, of course, had not been run by Queen Mab and it would be entirely remiss of Nimue if she didn’t present her case, preferably with her new husband by her side.

As it was, Nimue had convinced Thorin to wed in the Seelie Realm. It was a realm that kept her alive, it was the realm that had created her, and it was her home above all others. There was a clucking of women behind her as Nimue let out a soft sigh. The tradition went that the men would take care of the groom and the women would take care of the bride. A full day had been spent figuring out what to dress Nimue in to best suit her features, her body, and her groom’s tastes. In the end it had been agreed upon to give her a dramatic flair, while tying in with her roots as a Nymph. When the dress was brought in Nimue raised her brows in alarm, and shock.

The dress was something that was incredibly Fae. It was a floor length gown made entirely of material from the Fae realm. When she felt it she was surprised at the softness for the gown was made entirely of plant material. Most of the skirt was made of the skeletons of silvery leaves, bound together over a fine spread of creamy silk that was spun from spider’s webs. Across the middle the corset was comprised of panels of the whitest and purest birch bark. A set of fresh water pearls rounded out the outfit by draping lazily over her arms as straps might if they had fallen. This would leave her shoulders completely bare, the beauty of her creamy flesh accentuated by the dramatic nature of the dress.

When she was in the dress, Nimue felt as if she was wearing part of her heritage and she smiled, twirling for the gathered women. The skirt of the dress was split in places making it flare out comfortably and beautifully. She sat on a stool and allowed the women to bind her hair in an intricate weave of an updo, planting a circlet of fresh white spring flowers in her hair. She would present herself without makeup of any sort, as she always would, and so the ladies spent some time adding small flashes of sparkle to her hair and dress.

In true tradition, Thorin would wait for her at the altar. It was a strange sort of thing with many candles, flowers, beautiful things unlike anything in the human world. They would be asked to drink water from the pool of Nimue’s birth, they would exchange some vows, and then Thorin would be allowed to kiss his bride. So, when she presented herself at the end of the aisle, very few present for the nuptials themselves, Nimue had a hard time reigning herself in. She wanted to spring down the aisle to Thorin, her heart hammering excitedly in her chest.

Who knew that the nymph would actually want to marry? In all her years she had never felt for anyone what she felt for Thorin, and she instinctively knew that it wasn’t the fault of the locket. She stood at the end of the Aisle, waiting for Thorin’s reaction to her dress which was completely otherworldly and yet suited her so much that it seemed right to wear it now.

When she joined him she smiled up at him, a loose lock of fiery red hair falling to brush the soft skin of her neck. She would forgive him anything and give him everything. This was her destiny and she felt it as keenly as the knife she had plunged in her own belly to free herself from Nicoli.

[Thorin]

Thorin dressed himself in a simple earth tone pants with a basic eggshell white shirt. He wasn't one to be complicated, but he did make sure that their wedding bands would be intricate. It always felt awkward dressing for a special occasion, the suit feeling more cumbersome than his armor. Their marriage would be a simple path for him and he was content on living in her realm. It was the first time, that he had put someone elses needs before his own- a feat that was rare for the Xanathi men.

The night before their wedding, he had forged the rings out of Vuri metal. The metal could be compared to mithril in strength, but it varied with the ability to hold rune magic. Thorin had discovered this on his own, his own sword consisted of several interlocking runes on the blade itself. Normal beings wouldn't understand the layers of runes, but a Vuri would be able to decipher them.

Before he had set the rings, Thorin had spilled his own blood over the runes. When the blood finally settled into a dark stain, matching black goldstone gems would be set in the middle of the bands. With these rings, he would be able to watch over Nimue without her being aware. It was a simple precaution, but it appeared to be the most appropriate Vuri rune to bless the rings with. Nimue might not understand Vuri right now, but he would explain everything in detail later. Their history was still so new, that he was constantly discovering new boundaries. The blood would react with the rune and instantly connect him to her.

Standing nervously at the altar, he was speechless when she arrived on the scene. His mind instantly went to the prepartions with Igraine and everything that Caderyn had taught him in the Fae realm. They had prepared their own vows, but words weren't necessarily needed to express their devotion. Nimue would be able to see tha this nerves were shaken. Thorin constantly adjusted his footing, glancing into her eyes now and then with a tense smile.

He didn't say a word to her, but gently cupped her hand as she stood in front of her husband-to-be.

[Igraine]

The wedding proper didn’t take very long. Nimue was startled when Thorin produced rings made by his own hand. She looked up at him with a brilliant smile as he slipped the ring on her finger, and she looked at it closely. The black goldstone sparkled like the night sky and the blue black metal shone with a deep brilliance. The runes she didn’t understand at first but their meaning was implied. Safety, Harmony, Hope, such is the language used during weddings and the beginning of a long journey.

Nimue slid Thorin’s ring on his finger, citing her vows with calm nerves. She smiled up at him when the ceremony was over and wrapped her arms around his neck as they kissed as Husband and Wife. In Thorin’s arms Nimue didn’t reach the ground. He was massive and protective and everything she never knew she wanted in a husband.

A soft ripple of noise radiated out from the pair, enough of a disturbance to cause Nimue to look away from her husband as he set her on her feet. It was then that she hit her knees and clasped her hands together, bowing to the only creature standing – besides Thorin.

Queen Mab was the stuff of legends, the beautiful Fairy Queen from childhood stories long thought to be fiction. Standing here, in an enchanted forest glade made to serve as a natural cathedral for the newlyweds, she looked completely surreal. Mab was a tall woman with translucent, but not transparent, porcelain skin. She had brilliant eyes that seemed to be iridescent like the sheen and color of a peacock feather. Mab held her head high, her white blonde hair falling in loose curls that were gathered in a silver mesh net. A diadem of brilliant diamonds, peacock ore, and pearls, twined in beautiful silver branches around her delicately shaped head. Mab looked no older than twenty-five years old and yet her eyes held age untold within their depths. She moved with the grace of a woman thirty times her age, and she was older even than that. A quirk of a smile lifted the edges of her delicate petal pink lips. They looked soft, as if they were nothing more than the whisper thin petals of a rose.

“I see you have found a mate, Nimue.” It was a simple statement, but it set an explosion of activity into motion. Fae were running this way and that, gathering whatever they thought the Queen might need. Before long she was seated on a makeshift chair of cushions and twigs. She smoothed her silver gown over her knees as she sat, a scepter resting on her lap in her hands. If Thorin focused he might see the outline, the barest hint, of glass like wings that extended from her back. The Queen of the Fae was generally the only creature that exhibited such wings. There were wings aplenty within the Seelie Court, but the Queen had the most unique pair in existence. It was the cause for many cultural adaptations of tradition and once Mab was gone everyone would question what sort of wings Igraine would sprout. It was obvious that Kahlan would have sprouted white feathered wings, but that was also her heritage. Many Fae had bets out that Igraine would have feathers instead of the delicate glassy looking wings Mab sported.

“I am sorry, Majesty, I didn’t think you would want to attend my nuptials.” Nimue moved closer to the Queen and bowed low again. When she felt the Queen’s feather light touch on the back of her head she straightened and knelt in front of her. Mab’s stare was something that she had taken the full force of many times before for her transgressions, but that was not to say that she didn’t respect the woman and that she wouldn’t be sad when Mab finally left the
Throne to complete her transition into the next phase of her life.

“You have been an exceptionally trying child. I have always been interested in what you would make of yourself.” Mab reached out and ran her thin nimble fingers along Nimue’s cheek and jaw, cupping her face gently. “Show me the ring, child. I am curious what this son of Isabella is capable of crafting. Caderyn said that he was a good student. One takes notice when the best blacksmith of the realm compliments his student.” Mab studied the ring on Nimue’s finger with a scrutinizing eye, taking note of the metal and choice of gem, her eye not missing the runes on the ring either.

“Fascinating. You there, Husband of Nimue and Son of Isabella Aedren Rivenfelde. You have fetched a wife like none other, and I find myself relieved that you did not take Igraine to wife. She will not be able to have a husband very early in this career of Queen of the Seelie. Love comes later or mayhap acceptance more so than love.” Mab got to her feet, her delicate feet sheltered by slippers of the same silvery fabric of her gown. She walked to Thorin and circled him, taking note of his stance, his appearance, and his overall general hygiene.

“Son of Isabella, Husband of Nimue, you are now a Son of the Seelie. I would like to see you smith something for me. Something simple. I want a bracelet of this strange blue black metal with blue sapphires, moonstones, emeralds, and rubies. All of the materials, apart from the metal, will be delivered to your choice of abode. You will also have as many men and materials at your disposal for the creation of your own Smithy. Consider me curious, adopted Son of the Seelie.” Mab walked back to Nimue and ran her fingers through the woman’s fiery red hair and smiled.

“See that you have children before I transition, my child. I am curious to see if your offspring are as valiant and oblivious to the rules as their mother.”

Nimue blushed prettily and got to her feet, hugging Mab in a familiar gesture. The Queen simply hugged her back, smiling into her hair, cherishing her for her youth despite Nimue’s age.

“What say you, Husband of Nimue? Are we in agreement?” Mab looked up from where she held Nimue gingerly, looking frail and incredibly powerful all at once.

[Thorin]

Thorin caught his heart in his chest, his breath empty for words. Nimue had crumpled before him, but he had little time to go to her side. Fae were rushing to the entity that had caused such a stir. The woman was beautiful and the epitome of grace. His shocked eyes never left her visage. Queen Mab made his blood still and his nerves shudder. Something about her set him on edge. While other creatures rushed to her aid, he stood dumbstruck at the legend before him.

The mention of his mother and Caderyn stirred something in him. He had forgotten about the old man that had taught him blacksmithing. How could he of forgotten such an old soul? Yet, Queen Mab had heard of his talent through that same man. Thorin wasn't shocked that she knew of his mother, since Isabella had taken refuge in the Fae realm, but it did make him revisit old memories. While she circled him with a predatory grace, he stiffened his upper body, his eyes never faltering from her movement. Why couldn't he speak? It was as if her beauty paralyzed him and forced him to stand at attention.

Feeling foolish, he looked to the exchange shared between his new wife and Queen Mab. Thorin regretted not knowing more about Nimue and the Fae, but he had a feeling that Queen Mab would be visiting them often. Until he was spoken to, he didn't utter a word, but he felt his courage returning with a hint of unease. By the gods, he had faced worse. Beauty shouldn't make him crumble, but it was her fierce power that struck his senses. His Vuri nature practically buckled at her presence.

Not wanting Nimue to think of him as weak, he found the nerves that had been hiding behind his fear. At the mention of Igraine, he turned his eyes to Nimue. She would see his nerves bound against fear, but there was more to him. Thorin was not marrying Nimue for a simple cursed locket, but because his heart told him she was meant for him. Igraine was someone of his past and that was where she would remain.

As for children, he smiled when he saw Nimue's face flush with a heated embarrassment. Queen Mab could count on them having many children- provided his wife approved of that notion. He was about to speak, but his words caught in his throat again. Queen Mab had just announced him as an adopted Son of Seelie...he was taken aback, dumbfounded once again. He had only been known as a Vuri, but now he would be able to change that fate. While he was not a borne Fae, they did not always adopt outsiders. Thorin took it as a great honor and he gathered some strength to bow.

“What say you, Husband of Nimue? Are we in agreement?”

“I say I am dreaming, but your wish is my command, your Majesty. I will forge your request.”

Thorin was already going through the forging process in his mind. It wasn't every day, that a Queen requested his skills. He wanted to impress Queen Mab with this “gift”that she thought he possessed. She was no ordinary Queen, his stomach already churning at the thought of disappointing her. By the gods, how did the Fae Queen punish those who disappointed her? He didn't want to think of that and ruin the moment.

When Queen Mab mentioned the number of men, materials and his own smithy, he could have gone against his nature and fainted. He didn't answer her right away, thinking on the response as if it would determine their very fate. Nimue was the one he had to consider, when he decided where they would reside. She needed to be near the veil.

“I will run the smithy by my hand alone. Nimue spoke to me about her magic and her personal needs. We should live on the human side of the veil. I am still new to this world of Fae, so I would let her make that decision.”

Thorin respected Nimue, so he looked to her for approval. If she saw fault, it was only because of his ignorance with Fae. He didn't realize how informal he spoke in front of Queen Mab. His mind was too overwhelmed with the wedding, her presence and sudden offer.

Maybe they could start a new reputation, for the name Xanathi. His father had already cursed it, but Thorin was determined to clear his name. Getting out of his current thought, he glanced at Nimue, who seemed to be beside herself.

“We should think of the children, not just my profession. I plan on us having five or six.” Thorin said boldly, even if Queen Mab stood before them. Everything was happening so fast, but he had a feeling that the Fae were not phased by this sort of thing.

[Igraine]

“Children?” Nimue looked at Thorin and smiled. She knew he wasn’t ready for children and that he already had two. One of which still needed to be born. She also knew that part of his heart would always belong to Igraine on some level. Their wedding had come as a surprise to most, and yet together they were stronger emotionally than apart. She gave her whole self to Thorin and he gave her the strength she didn’t possess.

“We can have children if you desire them.” Nimue thanked Mab and walked with her back to her open air carriage, drawn by six pure white horses and one jet black horse that looked to be one of the incredibly rare dark unicorns. They were so rare that usually only the Queen of the Faery was capable of having them.

“Thank you for your support.” Nimue said to Mab as she reached the carriage. The pair embraced and Mab climbed into the carriage. She reached down and lifted Nimue’s chin, looking into her beautiful blue eyes and smiled.

“My child, you have done the right thing. I know he is unrefined, but he has a lot of family issues that only seem to come from that line. Your influence on him will help guide his path. I have left four of my best architects behind for your use. Just make sure he gets a smithy. I suggest placing it near the house but not attached because of the fire risk.” Mab signaled the driver and waved one hand to Thorin before the carriage ambled off.

Nimue turned to where her new husband stood and smiled. He looked so dumbfounded, so shocked to be shown kindness after all that had happened in his life. She wandered over to him and slid her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. He had finally gotten to some point in his mind where he didn’t freeze like a startled hare when she touched him.

“So…how about the wedding night?” It wasn’t night yet, hardly dusk, but they would need to catch up on…a lot.

-------------------------

Several days later the plans for the home they would raise their future children in was already in the process of being built. It was a relatively large two floor number with an expansive smithy some one hundred yards from the house proper. The house would have several large rooms, around six, and one huge bedroom for Thorin and Nimue. Their bedroom was on the top floor and overlooked a small glade that would soon be filled with summer flowers. The house was set near a clear and deep spring, for Nimue’s sake being a water creature, and within walking distance of the veil to the Fae realm.

By the end of the week the house would be complete, including all of the furniture and necessary items they would need.

Nimue watched from the shade of a large oak tree as the carpenters worked. She leaned back against the tree with a skin of water in one hand and a book in the other. Her legs stretched out over a large quilt that she’d spread over the ground so that her dress didn’t get dirty. She was lost in the book, unaware of what was going on around her, but feeling that she should witness as much of her house being built as possible.

[Thorin]

Thorin watched their house being built with feigned interest. He glanced at Nimue from afar, but quietly crept up to her side and joined her. Thorin was still a little timid about expressing himself around Nimue. He would change that today, but he didn't know how she would react. Clearing his throat, he decided to be forward about the question that had been plaguing him.

“How do we have children? With the amount of times...you should be pregnant by now...” Heat rose to his face, realizing how absolutely ignorant he sounded. Nimue was a nymph, but he didn't think having children with her would have been so difficult. Igraine had gotten pregnant almost right away, but those were thoughts meant to be left alone.

There was no easy way of asking about the process. Nymphs were confusing creatures, but a race he didn't mind being married to. Nimue fulfilled him. If she couldn't have children, he could live with that, but then why would she agree to all of the additional rooms? He doubted that she was barren.

Standing up, he moved from her, unable to look at her directly. Igraine had hardly made him feel this way. While he didn't welcome it, these emotions made him rethink his actions around Nimue. He considered her, which was a first for Thorin.

“I know I am a father twice over, but you are my family now. I only want to concentrate on us.” Besides, he doubted that he would be given right to see Morgana being born. He and Igraine hadn't parted on good terms. In fact, he was sure that she was cursing him for every breath he gave.

Feeling his pulse calm, he built some nerve to speak to her directly. “I want to try for a child with you tonight.” Thorin didn't know how much more forward his words could be. Sighing, he realized that she was more enthralled with her reading material.

“On the subject of family, I suppose I should tell my mother, that I'm married and invite her for a visit.” Plucking the book from her hand, he disappeared from her view in a teasing fashion. Nimue may or may not enjoy the idea of a visit from her mother-in-law. Since his side of the family were all connected as Vuri, she would have to get used to their visits.

Flipping through the books pages, he remarked on the content through stifled laughter. “I can see where you are learning your moves from and why it holds your interest over your husband...” He continued reading passages, much to her dismay. Now and then, he would quote a sentimental line.

Even if the book was returned, he would have her either way. “Tell me how we are to have children and you may have your book back.” Thorin knew how to get under her skin and force her to pay attention. While she had beauty, she also had a fierce temper of her own, though most of the time it lay dormant.

She would feel him near, taunting her with his presence, yet he would be untouchable all the same. Thorin was feeling more and more childish around her, but it wasn't necessarily a bad experience. He only felt anger and frustration around Igraine. These new emotions were welcoming.

“I don't know how you read this stuff, there aren't any pictures....” He appeared beside her momentarily, with a boorish grin. Thorin made the pages flutter like a makeshift fan. The book was nearly tattered from his manhandling. It was almost impossible to hide from her completely. The sunlight pierced through him and created a simple transparent outline of his body.

Thorin knew that she could use her nymph powers against him and it wouldn't be a first time. He stole a kiss from her, wondering what her thoughts were. He must look insane, teasing his own wife for information regarding their intimacy.

"Mrs. Xanathi, do not try my patience...are you expecting me to beg?" Thorin grinned at her and dangled the book just a few inches from her grasp. He enjoyed these games more than he ought to, his eyes shined with a love and mischief created only for Nimue.

[Igraine]

Nimue was startled by Thorin’s sudden presence. She jumped when he pulled the book from her grasp and she laughed. Her eyes followed Thorin, watching him handle her book with his large hands and a grin spread across her lips. She rearranged her dress and settled on her knees, running her fingers through her long fiery red hair. She cast a glance at where Thorin’s feet were and shook her head, amusement obvious in her every move.

“I have to open my womb in order to have children. My nature, as a Nymph, if I were like any other woman I would have had a hundred children by now. So if you would like to try for a child of our own, I will go to the spring now and do the ceremony. I am not barren; I just have to do the ceremony every time you would like to have a child.”

Nimue got to her feet and stretched her arms over her head. The bodice of her gown pulled tight against her chest and her slender neck arched slightly. Thorin might have flashbacks and that amused his Nymph wife. She danced on light feet around him and plucked her book from his hands, dropping it to the ground at her feet.

“You can watch the ceremony, if you so desire. You can’t touch me though until I’m done. Once it is time to have the child I must give birth in water. I am a creature of water, after all.”

Nimue winked and walked off to the nearby spring, her bare feet never finding discomfort with the forest floor. The spring was within sight of the house, but there was enough tree cover to keep her privacy intact. Nimue stripped naked and stretched her arms wide and high over her head. She bent down and gathered her clothes, folding them and setting them aside nicely. If Thorin followed her she would cast a glance over her naked shoulder at him, her hair covering her backside – but he knew every curve of her body intimately by now. He would know what her hair hid from him.

Nimue stepped into the water, walking toward the source of the spring as it gurgled forth from the earth, cool and pleasant against her skin. Once she was waist deep she began singing a soft song in a language that Thorin would not recognize. It was a beautiful song that built to a high crescendo before crashing like an ocean wave. Nimue had her hands above the water the entire time, but as she finished her song she sank beneath the water to the spring itself, using her mage-like powers to help open her womb to the presence of a child. When she surfaced again she would glow as if the evening sun were shining on her – except it was the afternoon.

Nimue turned to where her clothes and Thorin would be and walked out of the water, her hair plastered to her body in places where it looked like bright red vines. She smiled and stretched wide, bowing from her waist to her husband as if she were a mere performer and he a member of the audience.

“It is done, Thorin. I am capable of having children with you now.”

[Thorin]

Her voice trapped him in time. Thorin was as still as the forest, but he watched her with a quiet serenity. He'd never felt anything as urgent, as imperative, as the need to to have her. Desire and affection began to pulse through him, the moment more profound than he would realize.

Joining her, he caressed her neck. Her skin, warm and fragrant, seared his tongue. Nimue's body, lithe and curving, scorched his hands. Thorin was drunk with anticipation. It was tormenting as it was pleasurable. His heart ached for another woman out of his grasp, but his desire for Nimue became absolute. Scooping her up in his arms, he rested her against the forest floor.

He didn't care if the place were sacred, he would have her. Thorin caressed her neck, reassuring her. He felt white-hot inside, desire thrumming through his body. Kissing her passionately, he tightened his embrace, crushing her to him as if he were afraid to lose her. Her visage was almost a waking dream, a vibrant imagery, a sensation unlike anything he'd ever felt.

Thorin could think of nothing but feel her body beneath his, the wetness of her sex. His fingers danced about, caressing her breast, enjoying the soft supple skin of a nymph. The only thing present on his body, would be a glittering locket- the symbol of their union. Thorin knew that it was not the locket that captivated his senses, but the woman underneath his hardened body.

With a violent passion, he pushed himself into her body, experiencing a different elation. He was gentle with her, but part of him wanted to ravage her. He moved slowly, savoring the feel of her body, warm and wet and tight around his.

He would awaken next to her dazed, but welcome her sleeping body. Thorin didn't think he could love another. The tension left his veins, his mind became clear. Looking to her sleeping body, Nimue appeared to be born of the forest, almost a surreal sight for a man like Thorin. He realized then, that he would die for her and protect her.

Since being with Nimue, he knew that he was not like his father and he never would be. His heart was broken from Igraine, but it was mended and renewed from Nimue. Caressing her cheek, he attempted to wake her in a more subtle fashion.

[Igraine]

It took a few long minutes for Nimue to wake up. She felt warm and cozy wrapped in Thorin’s arms on the forest floor. Their lovemaking had been screened from the eyes of the builders, but the Fae realm was used to the workings of a Nymph. Her eyes fluttered open at the feeling of Thorin’s gentle hands waking her. A lazy cat-like smile inched its way onto her lips and she stretched against him.

His clothes were strewn about while hers were folded neatly as they had been before her ritual. Nimue focused on her body for a moment, listening to the pounding of her heart and the blood pulsing in her veins. She listened to the air filling her lungs and leaving all the same, and she knew that she was pregnant – only because of the difference in the rhythm of her body. It wasn’t a magical knowing so much as a physical one.

“I probably should have warned you that Nymph’s usually only have girl children. My friend William is the only male Nymph in existence. There are rare cases when a Nymph will create a male child, but that is extremely rare, and they are generally only half Nymph. Our children will be mostly Nymph or full Nymph if they are girl children. Neither of us will know what the sex of the child will be, though it can easily be determined to be a girl in nearly all cases.”

Nimue laughed and rolled over on her belly, looking at Thorin carefully. There was carelessness about him, a softer side to him, that hadn’t been there before this encounter. She smiled and kissed his mouth softly, letting her lips linger on his for one magical moment before pulling away. She was completely comfortable with her nakedness; it was others that didn’t understand it. None of the Fae building the house would even glance twice in her general direction if she walked around naked. They were used to Nymphs and their ways. Humans, however, were not used to the ways of Nymphs or Fae as a whole – so trouble could come of such negative interactions. Luckily Thorin was her husband and he wouldn’t let anything negative happen to her so long as he was living.

“What would you name our daughter? I am open to suggestions.” Nimue rolled over in the sand, letting her hand linger in the cool waters of the spring she had exited some hours earlier before their heated sexual encounter. It was a soothing feeling, touching the water and being so close to the fiery heat of Thorin’s body. She felt so calm, so collected, so at home like she never had before. Nimue wondered if Queen Mab hadn’t recognized what the pair would do for each other, and so had allowed such a union to occur.

Nimue rolled away from Thorin and crawled to the spring water. She cupped her hands and drank from the spring, glad that it had been found and that they were building their lives near it. With the ease of an elegant swan, Nimue slipped into the water to wash the sweat and sex off of her skin. It soothed the aches of her body like no balm ever could. As she splashed and swam around the small pond spring she looked completely at ease and incredibly happy. When she swam near Thorin once more she would splash his naked body with the cold spring water and quickly swim away again, laughing a soft and happy laugh – infectious really because of her sexual power as a Nymph.

She was pregnant, that much she knew, but there was still so much more to learn about being a parent. There was also so much that Thorin had to learn about being a father. He had two children already but neither were allowed to be near him – except maybe the girl child that Igraine would produce. Sad, really, that he wasn’t allowed to be near his son, though that was a mess that needed to be cleaned from his memory.

Nimue swam quietly, not really expecting Thorin to join her, even though she splashed him and had potentially taunted him by swimming away.

[Thorin]

Thorin watched Nimue relentlessly tease him. When she playfully splashed him, he slipped into the water on cue. The water should be refreshing, but it was like a spiritual and physical cleansing for him. Nimue needed to understand that she was his focus now. Even if Igraine granted him rights to see his daughter, he wondered if he really would visit her. Biologically, he was a father to two children, but he wouldn't have a say in their parenting- they may as well have been dead to him, so that was how he would treat both their existence.

Reality could be harsh, but it could also be a dreamscape, like the one he was experiencing with Nimue. Because he could not have Igraine, he would punish Morgana and her mother. He could hate them both equally.

His son was another matter and something out of his control. If the boy sought him later in life, he couldn't predict how he would react when they met on the same path. Neither child should be punished for being born, but his mind argued otherwise.

Swimming to Nimue, he slid his hands on her waist and pulled her close. “Maira...unless you've thought of something? I'm not the best at naming...I didn't name my last two children.” Thorin caught his own words and made her look into his eyes. He could tell when she worried about him. Thorin didn't want her to think that he needed a relationship with his other children.

“Igraine has always denied me, even when I wanted her more than my own life. The other child was born against my wishes and I was tricked into his creation. I'm sure that King Pendaran has him and will more than likely poison his mind.” Thorin paused, not recognizing his own voice. It was the most he had revealed to her, even though they had shared so much physically and emotionally.

Running his hands through her hair, he made sure that her eyes never left his. “They are a chapter that has closed in my life. There are circumstances that I cannot control and I doubt I will ever face my children. It's best to pretend that they are buried somewhere...” Igraine included, Thorin thought miserably to himself.

Thorin didn't know how he would react, if he ever came face-to-face with Igraine again. He knew that he had made mistakes, but it wasn't as if he hadn't tried to redeem himself. Pressing Nimue against the edge of the pond, he kissed her and trailed his fingers across her stomach.

“You and this child of ours, are my life now.” Thorin said, wanting her to finally feel comfortable with him. He didn't want her to think that he still wanted Igraine, or another path. Deciding to change the subject, he began to talk about their child's future.

“How long will you carry the child? Is it the same as a human woman?” Gods, he felt ignorant. He didn't expect her to give birth the next morning, but he had to at least prepare himself for the upcoming months. Thorin predicted many nights with the vodka bottle, especially with his nerves. Planning his new family, actually unsettled some of his nerves. Part of him wondered if he would be a decent father.

“I will teach her my trade and you will teach her your magic.” Thorin said matter-of-factly. For the first time, he felt nervous around Nimue. She felt fragile, even though he knew otherwise. “I'll make sure that my past doesn't destroy what we've built.” He said to her quietly. Thorin would severe ties with Igraine, or anyone else involved, if it meant keeping peace in his family.

Thorin kissed her, before he pulled himself out of the pond. He let the sun dry his body, before putting his clothes on. The new forge would be waiting for him. Excitement built up in his chest. He remembered his task for Queen Mab. There was so much on his mind, that he was starting to wonder if he would ever focus.

Looking back at Nimue, he reached his hand, to help her out of the pond. “Let's go, love. We can always come back tonight.” He felt restless, as if some urgency in him called for action.

[Igraine]

Nimue accepted Thorin’s proffered hand before wringing her hair out and using a little of her magic to speed the drying of her body. Tiny wisps of smoke radiated off of her body as the water evaporated. She quickly braided her damp hair before pulling her dress over her head and lacing it shut with deft fingers.

“I will carry the child for seven months. It will seem shorter if I stay any amount of time in the Seelie realm. The name you have chosen pleases me. I have no other name in mind.” Nimue curled her arm through one of Thorin’s as they walked toward the forge where he would spend most of his time working. It had been finished a few days prior at the Queen’s urging.

“The Queen had the materials sent earlier today. Everything you need will be in the forge.” Nimue sauntered away to where her book and blanket had been left. She picked up her book and her blanket and shook it out before folding it and moving to a shade tree near the forge. She laid the blanket out half in the shade and half in the sun. She lowered herself to the ground in the sun, soaking in the warmth as she laid back. She was content to let Thorin do as he pleased – even if that meant ignoring her presence until the piece of jewelry was done.

Forsaking any thought of her book, Nimue rolled onto her side and watched Thorin move, enjoying the movement of his body. When he was sure of his movements and confident in his purpose, Thorin was transformed from a brooding troubled young man to an incredibly alluring warrior. Idly, Nimue wove branches and tall sweet grasses together as she watched her Husband move about the forge, taking inventory of all of his tools. It was strange that he would worry so much about what Igraine was doing, and she knew it was because he still loved her.

Nimue smiled and rested the crown of branches and sweetgrass on her head, turning over onto her belly to read her book and attempt to ignore her husband. It was hard with him so near and so tantalizing, it was as if she could feel the heat from his body all over her skin even from a distance. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted any other man.

[Thorin]

Thorin left Nimue to her fantasy. His forge was open, so she could watch him work and be at peace. There would be little discussion between the two, his work instantly consuming his mind. Thorin was impressed by what Queen Mab had delivered. A large anvil protruded in the middle of the forge, while a hearth was set for metals to be wrought. His workbench was covered in fine silver and precious gems, the cabochons shining like starlight.

He inspected each piece, putting one particular stone aside. There would be a necklace for Nimue, but her design would be much more personal. The design for Queen Mab would be intricate and even more complex. Thankfully, Caderyn had taught him everything he knew, his nerves taking hold of him. Thorin would be judged for his work, but this was not the time or place for self doubt.

With the design mapped out in his mind, he began working on the setting for the cabochons. Each gem would have a specific placement, all intertwined to create the dramatic bracelet. Days turned into nights and he hardly left his workplace. Nimue often brought him food, or forced him to step away for a stretch.

He often used his wife's feminine touch to judge the bracelet. Since Queen Mab had requested the Vuri metals, he had to spill his own blood to create that familiar dye. Regardless of the weighty gems, the bracelet would appear as if floating and connected by fine spun silver.

Taking a small chisel, he carved on the back of a cabochon, his makers mark. Even though he was full of muscle, he had the touch of a court lady. This was something that Caderyn had taught him early on: control. The cabochon barely moved in his hand, the chisel making fine points and dips where it was needed.

Placing the finished on silk, he went to work on Nimue's necklace. He had practically ignored her presence since he had begun, but he was sure that he would be forgiven by this gift. Her necklace would appear to have the same properties. Once worn, the gems would fall like teardrops along her neckline. The finest gems and silver were used, nothing spared for his wife. He wrapped the necklace in silk, but placed it in a hand carved box.

Stretching, he wondered if he should clean up, or simply present the item as is- her reaction would amuse him. Gathering the precious cargo, he ventured into their home to surprise Nimue. He was covered from head to toe in blackened soot, but his mind wasn't concerned about his hygiene.

“Nimue! I'm finished...I've brought you something.”It was still difficult for Thorin to express himself, or shower her with gifts. He awkwardly placed the box on the table and waited for her presence. He would be cleaning himself up for Queen Mab's delivery, but he had to witness Nimue's reaction first. If she was pleased, than the Queen would be pleased.

[Igraine]

Nimue wandered in from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. It was amusing to picture a Nymph in the kitchen, and Thorin might well have reason to fear for his life and his stomach if she had actually been cooking. No, Nimue wasn’t actually a horrible cook – granted the help in the house, a small elvish woman of indiscriminate heritage, by the name of Amariel – took care of most of the household chores and preparing the meals. The Nymph had been in her greenhouse and distillery, cooking up draughts and potions.

“What’s the matter?” Nimue frowned as she brushed her hair back from her face. Her eyes found the box first, a brilliant smile lighting her face as she skipped over to the table. She picked the box up and looked up at her husband who looked so incredibly uncomfortable in his own skin. Her smile lightened a little and she clutched the box to her chest. Her outfit was a simple cotton gown that could be let out as her belly grew with the child that Thorin had so desperately wanted of their relationship. Nimue was open to the idea of children and this was a new experience for her, mostly a hungry one.

She opened the box and gasped at the sight of the jewels. She picked them up and held them against her skin with a bright smile to accompany the gesture.

“Oh, Thorin! This is stunning! How do you manage such amazingly fine work?” She wasn’t looking for trade secrets, she was simply exclaiming how incredible his workmanship was. That was when she realized how dirty he was. She set the jewels down and shook her head, seeing handprints in soot everywhere.

“You better move before Amariel sees you. She will have a fit at all the soot you’ve tracked inside!” Nimue laughed as the small elvish woman rounded the corner with a large pot of something delicious smelling. Nimue caught the pot before it could hit the floor and set it on the table. The little elvish woman looked like she would explode as she looked at the soot spots on all the furniture, the walls, and even the…ceiling?!

Nimue tossed her dish towel at Thorin and pointed upstairs with a laugh.

“Wash up before dinner, and before you give Amariel heart failure! You will eat before you present yourself to Queen Mab, no objections!” The Nymph crossed her arms under her breasts and challenged Thorin with her best frown, which really only came off as a seductive glower.

[Thorin]

Thorin caught the towel and watched the dragon emerge. Amariel practically flared her nostrils, speechless from her temper. When put in a better mood, Amariel was an ideal maid, but he couldn't help but provoke her senses. They had their good-humored rivalry, her demeanor often reminding him of his mother.

Wiping the soot from his face and hands, he purposely stalled near Nimue. With his bulky frame, he appeared barbaric next to his wife. Shirtless and full of sweat, he hugged her and brought her close for a kiss. Amariel would have already had her panic attack by then, but her words would be ignored. He had been without his wife for at least a couple weeks. It was obvious that he desired her attention above all others.

Since being with Nimue, he only felt peace. His mind and soul were no longer torn, or aching for a love that would never exist. She was his all and he could hardly stand to see her in distress. “I thought I told you not to overwork yourself?” Sighing, he looked to his wife with some understanding. She would go insane, if not kept busy in her greenhouse. Amariel pushed him aside, with an irritated huff. The woman was used to working around him and she was quite skilled at ordering him around. Preparing a meal for a Vuri was not an easy feat, considering he often dined on flesh and blood in private.

When asked about the creation process, he smirked, knowing Amariel would not appreciate his answer. “I used my blood to create that color. Since you insist on disobeying me, perhaps you can figure out some sort of enchant for Queen Mab's bracelet.” Thorin remarked jokingly. Nimue had been attempting specific brewing recipe's, but he hadn't spoken to her in days, so he hardly knew of her progress.

Grabbing an apple from a nearby basket, he ate while going through his thoughts. Nimue would be giving birth in the next few months, but Amariel was not a midwife- hell, she had enough trouble keeping up with her current tasks. Keeping track of their children and helping Nimue would be too much for one woman to handle.

“I've sent for a midwife to assist you. She is an old friend and I'm sure that you two will get along...er...three.” Thorin almost forgot about Amariel, who practically raised a butcher knife at him. It was not the first time that she had lost his temper at him. Soot painted the kitchen, his muddy boots creating a mozaic of filth on her once perfect floor.

“Master Xanathi, if you do not MOVE.out.of.MY.kitchen, I will be adding you to the stew!” Amariel hissed at him, all the while forcing him to be at the foot of the stairs. Thorin didn't look to his wife for help, he had lost this battle, but there would be more in the future. Because of Amariel's interruption, he didn't get a chance to explain his sudden announcement. He also didn't get a chance to read the approval or disapproval of his wife. Thorin began to doubt his idea, but the letter had already been sent and accommodation's promised.

“Aye, woman! I'm going, but I'll be sure to have Nimue test my dinner. I won't trust a single spice you place in there!” Chuckling, he hurried upstairs, glad for the distraction of the shower and a chance to recharge his body. If his prediction was correct, Chizuru would be the perfect midwife for Nimue. From what he remembered, she had an orderly way about her and the ability to heal. With a house full of women, he could hardly let Amariel's mood sour his.

[Kirin]

Chizuru clutched a staff that was entwined with flowers in her left hand as she walked. She used the strangely pretty thing as a walking stick and it looked like it belonged to her. In reality, it was a possession of the man that had summoned her to his land. Chizuru no longer needed to travel with an interpreter, for she had managed to get some lessons of the "common" languages of the other
countries. She did travel with a body guard that had preferred to remain silent because he had no grasp of any of the foreign languages.

She had aged, looking more mature and almost elegant compared to how she looked when the man named Soren to her had met her. Chizuru was staring up at the house, raising an eyebrow. Her palm was sweaty around the inappropriately feminine staff. Her bodyguard stood next to her, muttering for the first time since they stepped off the ship.

"This place looks strange and rather foreboding." He spoke in their native tongue. The bodyguard was dressed in full leather armor.

Chizuru nodded. "That is something I have noticed about these foreign structures, but they are pleasing to the eye of those that live there." She knocked on the door.

It must be alarming to see a human with a large bow slung over her shoulders and a quiver of arrows across her back standing at the doorstep without a single expression on her face other than utter confusion. And next to her, a younger male human with full armor, two swords and a scowl across his face. At this point, with all the traveling, there was no air of royalty. Chizuru listened, then finally attempted to look more pleasant to the person answering the door. Her eyes were quickly taking in her surroundings and she was sure her guard was doing the same. In fact, for this initial visit with Soren, she dressed down, somewhat. She had taken a liking to cross-dressing when traveling. Her guise was of navy blue loose-fitting pants called hakama and a pale yellow kimono with her family crest embroidered on the back. Her hair was styled in a topknot, twisted at the top of her head. She resembled a young male samurai.

Her facial expression relaxed as she felt a faint wave of nostalgia. To which, she immediately pressed a palm to her forehead in embarrassment.