Lightmas Eve

As the holiday of Lightmas nears, and peace blankets the new Kingdom of Marksylvania, thoughts turn to happier concerns.

78.

Lightmas Eve

 

The snow fell heavily that evening, bringing a joyous peace to a historic day in Westmark.    After the coronation ceremony, there was nothing left but feasting and merry making left to do.    The entire city was happy and carefree.    The Muddy Boot was so filled with people that tables were set up in the Ducal Keep, Dwarven Armor’s Guild Keep and the Knights of Northmarch Keep.    All were open to the public and everyone feasted happily.   

Even the Talminor, who had timidly kept themselves separated since following Valmiai and Elina to Westmark, joined in the festivities and everyone got along perfectly.

As the Lightmas holiday was the following day, there were lit candles everywhere and hymns of praise sang to Yesh.

Never had Westmark seen a happier day, and none wanted to see it end.

 

***

Gamel lay in bed, reflecting on the events of the day with wonder.    Against him lay Valmiai smiling contently as she caressed his cheek.

“You impressed everyone today.” She told him lovingly, “Even me.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you slipped into the role as crown prince so very well.   It saddens me though, for I really do not want to be a Queen someday.”

Gamel leaned over and kissed her, “You really don’t have a choice now.   You’re my wife.”

“It is a role that I have long desired, though when it came to pass, it terrified me.   I should not have tried to flee today.   But it would not have been far.    Just far enough to avoid everyone’s eyes.”

“But why?   You are gloriously beautiful!”

She shrugged, “I do not crave the spotlight, but now that is where I shall be… for I guess five years.”

“Five years?”  Gamel asked, “Why five years.”

Valmiai pulled the covers back, taking Gamel’s hand and sliding it down her naked body until it rested against her belly.

“Five years, the dream said.”

“You’re pregnant?!” Gamel shouted, “But… we’ve only… just this last week…”

The Inion Sidhe lady smiled, “Two days ago, my love.    The day that both of us had the Burning Tree dream, and the day after we united physically.   I was told in my dream that though I had just conceived before the dream, that I too would have to wait to bear this child for five years.”

“That’s… amazing.”  Gamel stammered, reeling in the revelation that he was going to be a father, “So on our first time…”

“That’s all it takes, my love, but perhaps it is Yesh’s will… it will be difficult for all Elven women to conceive now.   I fear our Elven races will not see many children.”

“Valmiai, we should be officially married as soon as possible, so we won’t cause a scandal for my parents.”

“Tomorrow.” She sighed, leaning back against his chest, “I have already spoken to your aunt Zeatt.   We will have a simple ceremony - only family.    I let her know about our baby, but she won’t tell your parents.   Let’s tell them all tomorrow, after the ceremony, during the Lightmas dinner.”

“Wow, my parents are going to be so surprised!”

“And happy?”

“Oh heavens, yes!    Thrilled, would be a better word.   Do you realize that you carry a future King or Queen in your womb?”

“That is far down the road, Gamel.   Perhaps they will never reign.   But it will be our child, and that is all that we need.    Prince or not.”

Gamel rubbed her belly in wonderment, dreaming of the future.

 

***

 

In a room not far away, the King and Queen of the Sylvan Elves laid in bed trying to catch their breaths.

“Are you okay?”   Aedric asked his wife, kissing her slightly sweaty brow.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?  I didn’t exactly know what I was doing.”

She laughed and hugged him, “It was wonderful… very wonderful.”

“But I wore you out?”

“No, I wouldn’t say that.   I’m just resting.   It was very overwhelming.   I didn’t mean to shout like that, I’m surprised the guards haven’t come running.    How embarrassing!   Ladies shouldn’t shout… in times like that.”

Aedric grinned, “I didn’t mind it - it encouraged me that I was doing the right thing."

“Oh, you did it right.” She sighed, shivering at the wonderful memory.

“I guess we are now completely married.”

“I guess so… you know, it’s going to be hard to leave everyone here and go back to Tarmard.”

“Yeah, it’s hard for me too… we’ve not been there enough to consider it home.”

“I asked Carn and Amala to come and teach the Bardic arts in Tarmard like we’d talked about, but I’m wondering if maybe we could speak to Master Muld about teleportation relays between Tarmard and Westmark.    Years ago, Mom tells me, they had teleportation relays between Dullerm, Westmark and King’s Reach, but a drunk wizard in King’s Reach dispelled the one there, and as it was a three way relay system, it neutralized the other two.”

“And they never redid them?”

“No, I don’t know why, either.   But maybe we could do something like that, to travel quickly between Westmark, Tarmard, King’s Reach and other places where the family is scattered.   Family is really important to me, Aedric.”

“Yeah, it is to me as well.    It’s funny, actually, because now I actually have Mattleos, Mathlyn and Nansea as actual family by blood, and you as my wife, with your brother and sister both married, your parents, Alleania, your Aunt Zeatt, Uncle Alvis and Allea, not to forget Aaron; it is quite wonderful.    So I think your idea is excellent, my love.    Airships are fast, but teleportation is far quicker.”

“I’m just glad that we are together and that the war is over.    Now we can enjoy our large extended family.   But for right now, I think I just want to enjoy you… again.” 

Snoe rolled on top of him and Aedric happily cast thoughts of sleep out of his mind as he embraced his wife.

 

***

 

“Amala, for heaven’s sake, surely you’re tired.”   Carn gasped, where he lay sprawled out on their bed.    He felt as if he’d just fought a bear for several hours, but though he was absolutely exhausted, he was also exhilarated.    Amala did not yield but kept him pinned down beneath her sweaty body.   Her eyes gleamed as red as the candles in the room, and the more he looked at her, the more intoxicatingly beautiful she seemed to him.   

He felt desire stir for her again - to his amazement- and she gave a pleased sigh as she felt it.    For the fourth time they made love, this time more peacefully than the other three.    Nearly half an hour later she rolled over to his side.

“Alright, I think that will do for tonight.”   She said as she nestled into his arms.

“What do you mean ‘tonight’?   It’s probably noon by now!”

She kissed his neck, “You didn’t seem to mind.”

“No, but I don’t think I’ll be able to move for a few days.”

“I’m sure I could move you.”   She purred, but didn’t try anything more, for the Ssinssrigg-Chath was fading for a while, “I wonder what everyone else is doing right now?”

“Sleeping or listening to us, I would imagine.”

She hit him playfully, “You know what I mean.   I wonder what they thought of all that transpired today.”

“I guess they will remember it for a long time.”

“How do you think my parents will do as King and Queen?”

“They’ll do very well.   But they’ll require all of us to help them make Marksylvania a success.   I’m not sure what our part will be exactly, but we’re willing to help, so that is all that matters.”

 

“We need to write a ballad about them - about today.”

“Yes, you’re right - that is a great way to preserve the importance of the day.    But not right now… tomorrow is a holiday and another time of feasting, but after that we’ll have to get busy ‘doing our part’.   So let’s just get some sleep… you are ready for sleep, aren’t you?”

Amala laughed, “Don’t worry, I’m okay now.   Let’s go to sleep.”

“Excellent!” He kissed his wife, “Goodnight my love.”

“Goodnight.” She replied, returning the kiss.

 

For a long time there was silence.

“Carn?” Her voice finally said.

“Huh?” He responded from his near slumber.

“You know, I was thinking, I really like children… especially babies-“

“Go to sleep, Amala, we’ve got all the time in the world to think about things like that!”

“Oh, alright.    Goodnight.”

 

As the snow covered the city with a smooth soft blanket of snow, they drifted off into pleasant shared dreams of peaceful, happy days.

 

The End

Author's Note

Thanks to all who have read the second trilogy. There will be more stories in this series, but they will (for now) be short stories. Be sure to read 'St. Keaven and the Witch" and watch for 'Talminor' which I am currently writing.