“Right…start planning…” Lewis stared at everyone for a moment, and then smirked. “It’s going to be perfect…”

—

The next few weeks were a lot of work for the two. The traditions that the ancient ceremony called for required a ton of research, which Xeik and Llywellyn were more than capable of handling with Simone at the helm. That left the current ceremony to Lewis. A glorious wedding dress was a must. If he was to be crowned King, then the Queen would need to stand out just as much.

That left what he was going to wear. Traditionally, it was to be a dark suit, but Lewis went with white as well, something to usher in a new age of night phoenixes. A symbol of light.

Which was a bit of an ironic considering who he was…

It turned out, though, that working with Lewis was a nightmare. He was okay with most things the way they were, but when it came to something for Simone, he suddenly became a monster. It required perfection or it wasn’t good enough. The dress that Simone had chosen for the public ceremony had been fitted just slightly off, and that was unacceptable. So he had it remade from scratch.

“Isn’t that just a little much?” Xeik asked.

“No,” Lewis responded almost immediately. “Nothing is too much.”

Rhenakos sighed, “You could just have it adjusted.”

“No. It needs to be perfect the first time, or not at all.”

This trend continued right up through all of the planning, right up until the last few things were planned. Now, it was just a waiting game.

Lewis was relaxing in the room that he had been granted, and he found himself staring at the ceiling, thinking of what his future would hold. “…We’ll even sleep together soon.” His face flushed at the thought. They had barely spent any time alone together since the planning began, and he wondered what it would be like to just relax with her….

The plans kept Lewis and Simone from having the time to build something more alone. It was clear from watching them that it was frustrating but also that they didn’t have much of a choice. The little time that they did have was precious but they spent it learning more about each other considering they hadn’t really had that much time at all for that.

They were getting antsy about it though and Xeik could see that it was almost changing the atmosphere in the room when the two were staring at each other. The lovelorn looks. It was only a matter of time before they cracked so Xeik had taken it upon himself to keep the two busy. After all, the ritual ceremony required no sex on their behalf. It wasn’t that odd for a mating pair to be the only ones they had.

Simone was over it though and while she was sure that Xeik had his reasons… She just wanted time alone with Lewis. Time to do more than just talk with him. She wanted to touch him and she was sure that she wouldn’t take it too far.

Climbing out of her window she climbed alongside the edge of the castle until she found Lewis’s window. She started to knock on his window once she found out what one was his, she had scouted earlier in the day. Once Lewis opened the curtains his eyes got big and he opened it letting her in. She immediately covered his mouth, shut the window, and closed the curtains.

“Shut up and kiss me already before Xeik storms in here,” Simone chuckled a bit and jumped on him. They were mostly too embarrassed to do it in public yet. They hadn’t done any of it privately so it was awkward in front of people. Lewis carried her over to the bed so they could sit down. It was cuddling at first but… their feelings started to get the better of them.

At first it was cute, tender little nuzzles, but it soon evolved into light kisses on the cheek or forehead. Neither one of them really knew what to do with each other as this was all so new. Without alcohol, it was almost like they were dancing around the whole thing until finally…

It was a cute first kiss. It evolved, though, slowly, and soon they couldn’t stop.

Except the door opened, and Xeik walked in.

“Surprise,” Xeik said with a glare.

“Xeik…could you give us five more minutes?” Lewis asked, giving a glare back.

“No. You both should be busy working…” Xeik walked over to them and crossed his arms. “Lewis, you have invitations to arrange. Simone, you have to go rearrange the seating for Lewis. Since he’s so far behind on his part…”

Lewis gave Simone a guilty look, which to most looked like a normal look. “In my defense…”

“You have no defense,” Xeik responded. “Back to work…”

Simone started to grumble and look at Xeik. “How much longer until we’re done?”

“A month maximum.” Xeik sighed at the pair.

Together both of them yelled at Xeik startling him, “Give us a week to get done!”

The hardest part was getting the gift to give to the goddess. The elusive rainbow rose would get her attention so they gave the job to Rhenakos since he kept on making comments about letting the two of them be alone.

“I still don’t understand why it’s so bad for them to have sex before the ceremony,” Rhenakos did a finger twirl. “My fiance and I have sex all the time.”

“You are getting married?” Lewis and Simone said as they looked up at Rhenakos.

“Yeah? Everyone our age has a fiance now.”

“Wait…” Lewis looked at Xeik. “You too?”

“I’ve told you about Mia five thousand times.”

“No you haven’t.”

“I most definitely have… You just chose not to listen to me,” Xeik finally rolled his eyes.

“Yeah… That sounds like me.”

“So, am I going to get to meet the other fiances?” Simone seemed to perk up after being the only girl for a few months.

“Yeah, Os is coming with me to get the rose and Mia is on her way here,” Rhenakos smirked. “Os isn’t a very proper princess though so just watch out for tables. Mia shoves food at Xeik.” Mone was just happy to have other females around to distract her from wanting to jump down Lewis’s pants.

A flying party had Simone and Lewis nervous but Rhenakos ran out to meet them. “OS!” Once they noticed the wings were red they calmed down and went out only to see the dark-haired girl punching Rhenakos in the face.

“Where the fuck have you been?! I’ve been waiting for your god damn letters for a month you bastard! I ALMOST CALLED OFF OUR ENGAGEMENT!”

Xeik had his arms crossed as he watched Osiria punch Rhenakos. “It’s like this every single time they get together. Rhenakos is the most forgetful person I’ve ever met, yet for some reason she puts up with this idiot.”

“It’s the sex,” Rhenakos said. That earned him another punch. “IT WAS A JOKE!”

Lewis blinked, “Oh. You’re his fiance. I always wondered why you were hanging around us.”

“Did it really just click for you?” Rhenakos asked. Osiria had him in a headlock.

“To be honest, I don’t care,” Lewis responded. Which was mostly true. “So when is this Mia showing up? I feel like I haven’t met her…”

“That’s because she and I haven’t really met too consistently. Once a month for the past year and a half. She’s an excellent writer though, and absolutely adorable She’ll be here within the next few weeks…” The Prince of Wolves was absolutely beaming. “My moon goddess…”

“So anyway, what’s this about a rainbow rose?” Lewis asked, trying to steer the subject back.

“Right! The ritual!” Xeik looked over to the group. “Rhenakos! Osiria! I have a task for you two lovebirds….”

“The rainbow rose is something that is beloved to the goddess but its rare as hell. It was cultivated back in the day but that was before the practice was put in the past,” Simone educated Lewis easily enough. “So now we have to find ones that were left in the wild.”

Osiria put her hands on her hips, “Luckily, in my nation there is a spring where they grow wild. I know where to get them. We can get a dozen or so.”

“A dozen would be a great gift to her!” Simone was excited now as she looked at Lewis. “Soon.” The two were nuzzling softly in front of others.

“They are so fucking cute! You didn’t tell me they were cute!” Osiria smacked Rhenakos.

–

They got the roses without a problem and the couple was dressed up in the tribal dresses for the ceremony. Simone had a beautifully made tribal headpiece that held nice colors against her black hair. The dress was less of a dress and more like lingerie but the type of ceremony this was… was more along the lines of a fertility ritual than anything else. It was a thin piece of black silk that wrapped around her chest just barely hiding her assets and a short skirt of the same material hiding her bottom. Azure blue paint was used to make a bunch of ritual marks across her skin. The paint glowed with magic that seemed to resonate with her own.

Lewis’s attire was barely any attire at all as it was a black silk loincloth. His body had several different paintings of the same tribal marks as Simone. It hummed softly with a light glow but not as intense as Simone’s.

Simone had a blush on her face as the two came out and face each other. Luckily it was a warm night for the ritual. The same night that his father was going to marry the two of them. “Are you ready Lewis?”

The cavern has been one used in previous ritual;s before, set up with a circular array of stone pillars with lit braziers. Normally, the flames would be roaring, illuminating the room with warmth, but tonight they were an eerie blue. Despite this, though, it was still warm, but the intent behind it felt more animalistic. At the center of this altar was an intricate design of gold and silver roses atop a large metal plate, with archaic runes etched on the outer ring.

The cave had been dug out deep, and angled to align with several window-like structures that aligned with various phases of the moon. In this instance, the middle ‘window’ was being used, and as such the ceremony was facing the celestial body in its entirety.

Lewis looked at Simone, and smirked. It was the best he could do with the way he felt. He had never been more exposed in his entire life, and dealing with the now breezy cave was something entirely new and unwanted. But, this was what the goddess wanted for the whole ceremony. All he had to do was focus on Simone, and he could do this.

Of course, he didn’t want to focus on her too much. With the only piece of clothing he had being this stupid loincloth… excitement was not something he needed to show off to the whole audience.

“HEY LEWIS!” Rhenakos said, getting the young prince’s attention. “Just look at Simone’s brea-” There was a resounding smack as Ositia lopped him up side the head with her hand.

“Just relax!” Xeik said with a smile. “You both can do this! It won’t take long!” He walked up and handed Lewis the bouquet of rainbow roses. In the blue light, they seemed to shimmer with an ethereal glow. “Just offer them to the goddess, and say the lines…”

Everyone left the altar, leaving Simone and Lewis to turn towards the moon. Lewis took the first step forward, and offered a half bow.

“In the name of the Goddess of Life and Love, I offer you this tribute…” He raised the bouquet, letting it bask in the moonlight for a moment before turning around and placing it at the center of the altar. Lewis could have sworn he noticed the roses glow for a moment.

“I vow to protect this woman, my chosen partner through this life. I vow to cherish my time with her, through life and death, for all of eternity…” His words seemed heavy in the air, almost as if they were resounding with some deep magic. “My dearest Simone, I love you with everything I have…” He turned to her. “I offer to you my body and soul…”

Simone was blushing as Rhenakos was taking in everything about her. Even Lewis had a hard time focusing but he was forcing himself to look elsewhere. This ritual was the one they needed so they could start sleeping together. This was what they were working towards and it could not be rushed or ruined.

Simone took the step with him and gave a bow of her own. “We offer these roses for love and prosperity. We understand that our kind has forsaken you but we recognize you as our true goddess. With you, by our sides, we can revitalize our civilization and end the centuries of abuse.” Simone offered up an explanation as soon as the roses let loose their glow.

Now it was time for their vows as Simone turned to Lewis and gave him a smile. “I vow to protect this man with everything I am. He is my chosen mate with who I have caused a war to be with. I vow to cherish all of our time together from now until we die and even after our death. Forever together through the sands of time.” She took a deep breath as she took his hands. “My most precious Lewis, I love you with everything I have and am… I offer to you my body and soul.”

There was a thick feeling in the air as the mana around them became visible. It floated from the ground and well up into the sky. It became noticeable all over from the skies. The flames of the night phoenix kingdom exploded in black and blue flames symbolizing a chosen pair.

“So they aren’t dead…” The king looked pissed as he stared at the fire. The council seemed terrified of all of this. They had their first chosen pair in five hundred years and they were sure the goddess was pissed.

“I, the goddess, recognize this pairing.” Her words were clear as bells as Simone’s eyes got large as the statue came to life and became real. “Lewis Terrowin and Simone Auclair. I bless this pairing in the name of Love and Life. May your ambitions become reality and your promise to me come true. I bind you in the most sacred of ways and in a way I’ve never done for your kind before.” Magic swarmed them both.

“May you be together forever in happiness or torment.” Simone was overwhelmed by this new feeling of rushed emotions coming from Lewis. She was sure they could feel each other. The tattoos on Lewis were a bright azure now as they shared the deep magic that Simone had. The statue returned to where she was and Simone held onto Lewis before passing out.

So much was racing through Lewis’ mind and body. He caught Simone purely out of instinct, but collapsed immediately under the pressure of everything. First and foremost, mana was flooding his veins, filling him. It was painful, even, as his body had never experienced anything like this before. Second, and almost as equally excruciating, was the sudden flood of overwhelming information.

It was almost like being in two places at once. He could feel that he was holding Simone, but he could also feel that Simone was holding him. No, that wasn’t quite right. It was like he was holding himself. No, even that barely made sense. The cool air was refreshing against his sweat soaked skin, yet to Simone, he could feel that it was almost chilling. Or was that what he was feeling, and that Simone was enjoying the cool air?

“What…what the hell is happening?” He said. Or did Simone say that? No, Simone was passed out. But he felt her…so much of her. It was like he was in two bodies at once, body and mind.

At once, Xeik, Llywellyn, and Rhenakos were around them, helping as best they could. Rhenakos had volunteered to take Simone, but it was Osiria who ended up carrying her, while Rhenakos lifted the woozy Lewis.

“Don’t get any ideas,” Rhenakos said with a glare as he got lustful stares from the women who were attending the ceremony.

Lewis and Simone were brought to the room they were originally supposed to consummate their ‘marriage’ in, but everyone had a feeling that it wasn’t going to really be happening tonight. It was determined that both of them were in fine health. If anything, it was eerily perfect health…

“It’s probably just exhaustion,” Xeik said as he shut the door on them. “We’ll…leave them alone for now.”

That left Lewis and Simone alone…for the first time in a long time. But Simone had passed out, and Lewis wasn’t far behind. The last thing he remembered doing was wrapping his arms around his mate, feeling the warmth of her skin against his own…or was it the other way around? The information overload was too much, and Lewis lost consciousness, drifting into vivid dreams…

When Simone woke up she was awake by herself. She could hear Lewis’s soft breathing… Or was that her breathing? She moved her hand up and she winced. They were together in the most intimate of ways, in her heart she knew this. She felt him to the depth of his core. His want for her, his love for her… His ambitions. Everything.

She pulled herself up and pulled herself out of bed. It was like the world was woozy. This just wouldn’t do. The sexual desire from both of them was driving her absolutely mad but that wasn’t the most important thing.

She fell out of bed and tried to move herself. The door opened and Xeik ran in. She held up her hand. “Please, don’t help me?” She couldn’t tell who was talking. “Xeik? Who is talking?”

“You Simone?” Xeik gave her a weird look.

“Who is breathing softly?”

“Probably Lewis… Simone are you okay?”

Simone put her hand to her head, “Just… take me outside real quick.”

It took her an hour to sort who was who by asking Xeik questions but once she had a good baseline she closed her hands and moved her mana creating walls. She slowly started to not feel dizzy as she separated the two of them on the most basic of levels. The only thing she left opened was how they were feeling, their thoughts, and of course if they were hurt and her magic. She took a deep breath. “This is so fucking intense,” she held her head.

“What’s going on?” Xeik was not only confused but worried.

“I can feel everything about Lewis. EVERYTHING. I can even feel how his skin is feeling right now. I’m working on separating the two of us and I’m almost done but… It’s so overwhelming. I can even taste him right now.”

“I don’t need details on what you did last night,” Xeik was putting up his hands.

“Not what I meant,” Simone was bright red. “I can literally tell you what he’s eaten and what seasoning was in it. Right now from where I am.”