Story Code: [M/F, Rom]

“So, how do you like it?” Tanis asked Laurana. They were standing on the small private road that led up to their new house. Mansion, really, Tanis thought to himself. It had been a gift from Lord Amothus of Palanthas for services rendered during the War of the Lance. He had been to the house several times since the end of the war, but Laurana had never had the time until now, one day before their wedding.

“It’s...nice,” she finally said.

“You don’t like it?” Tanis said, feeling his heart beating a little faster with nervousness.

“No, no, it’s not that. I guess I’m just not quite used to the idea of living in a Palanthian style house,” she said as she patted him on the arm. “But it does look very nice.”

“Oh, good,” Tanis said and let out a relieved breath. “Why don’t I show you around the place?”

The mansion wasn’t remarkable for its architecture, it looked similar to most of the mansions that were built in and around Palanthas. It had been built by the same architect who had built Lord Amothus’s mansion and the shared heritage could easily be seen. The house was smaller than Lord Amothus’s although it was generally a bit taller.

The house had two wings extending to either side of the main entry hall. The wings were two stories high while the center portion of the building was three stories high with a small tower rising another thirty feet above it. Unlike Lord Amothus’s mansion, the center portion of the house had a balcony that extended fully across the front.

“The kitchen and servant’s quarters are behind the house, along with a workshop, greenhouse, and the stables,” Tanis said as they walked up the road to the main entrance.

“Workshop?” Laurana asked as she took in the house. She was glad to see that the architect had been reserved enough not to make the entire house out of the white marble that Lord Amothus’s mansion had been made of.

“Um, yes,” Tanis said. Laurana was surprised to see him blushing under his beard. “Ah, apparently Tas told Lord Amothus that I was interested in stonecarving.”

“Stonecarving? Since when have you been interested in stonecarving?”

“Well, I did some during the five years before the war. It wasn’t very good.” Tanis paused as they reached the front door. “Am I supposed to carry you over the threshold?”
“I think that’s only after we’re married,” Laurana said with a smile and kissed him. Tanis returned the kiss eagerly and wrapped his arms around Laurana’s waist.

“We could skip the rest of the tour and head straight to the bedroom,” he whispered.

“Not until we’re married!” Laurana said as she playfully swatted his arm and slide lithely out of his arms.

“Yes, dear,” Tanis said with an exaggerated look of disappointment on his face.

“You’re not supposed to act like that till we’re married either,” Laurana said as she kissed him again. “Now, show me this grand mansion where we’re expected to live.”
 
 

The cow had seen a lot in its life. It had seen dragons fighting overhead and draconians and humans fighting in front of it. For a cow it was smart. Which meant it was the only cow out of the entire herd smart enough to start moving away from the old man in the floppy hat and the kender walking beside him.

“Where are we going?” the old man said crankily.

“We’re going to Tanis and Laurana’s wedding, Fizban,” Tasslehoff said wearily. A week on the road with Fizban was making even him tired. Sometimes he really wondered why Paladine would act this way but then he remembered how his grandfather Burrspringer would suddenly lose his memory and hearing whenever someone came around asking for help with building a house or digging a well.

“Who are they?” Fizban asked.

“They’re friends, remember? Tanis Half-Elven and Laurana the elven princess?”

“Oh, them. I thought they were married already.”

“No, Fizban.”

“Well, what took them so long?”

“I think they were busy with the war.”

“War? What war? Are we fighting someone again?” Fizban jammed his hand into a dusty sack hanging at his side and pulled out his spellbook. “Fireball, fireball,” he was mumbling to himself as he flipped through the pages.

The cow was about two fields away from the old man and his kender friend. Whatever passed for thought in its cow brain told it that it would be a good idea to lie down behind that very stout looking oak tree.

“Fizban! No!” Tasslehoff yelled and tried to pull the spellbook out of the wizard’s hand. It was too late though, Fizban triumphantly closed the book and shouted the words to the spell as he pointed his finger at another unfortunate cow that had strayed from the rest of its herd grazing among a field of chilies.

When the smoke and dirt and bits of cow had settled there was a large crater and several large hunks of smoldering steak. Amazingly they had been cooked to perfection by the blast and were nicely seasoned from the chilies it had been standing in.
 
 

“And this,” Tanis said as he swept open the door, “is the bedroom!” Laurana sighed at the sight of the bedroom. It bore all the signs of being occupied by a certain bachelor named Tanis Half-Elven. The bed was made, but sloppily. It looked as if someone had remembered to make it just as they were on their way out the door to pick up their fiance from town. At least his clothes were hung in the wardrobe, although there was a shirt hung over the inside doorknob of the bedroom door.

“It’s very nice,” Laurana said and to her surprise she actually meant it. The bedroom had a beautiful view of the plains rolling out to the horizon and the sea. The spring sun shining outside had made it pleasantly warm and it was brightly lit.

“The bed’s very nice too,” Tanis said as he closed the door behind them. “Want to try it out?”

“Tanis,” Laurana said sternly, “we’ve waited for at least fifty years, you can wait another day.”

“But-” he began, only to be silenced by her kiss.

“Believe me,” she said softly, “it will be worth it.” Tanis gulped and smiled broadly.

“You know, I could just throw you down on the bed and have my way with you,” he said as he ran his hand down her back and lightly stroked her bottom.

“You could, but I don’t think now is the time to play ‘Humans and Elves’,” Laurana said with a smile. “Come on, you said you had some sites for the wedding picked out. I want to see them.”
 
 

Tasslehoff was fascinated. He had never seen Fizban’s face that particular color or expression. Usually the wizard was befuddled or cross. Tas had never seen absolute terror on his face, much less accompanied by that particular shade of green. What made it more interesting was the reason for the old man’s terror. All the woman had said was, “So there you are.”

“Ah, hello dear,” Fizban managed to finally say. “What a surprise to see you here.”

“Really? I should think so, especially since you told me you were off to put in some personal appearances at your temples,” the woman said. She was extraordinarily beautiful, Tasslehoff thought. He didn’t think he’d be able to decide whether Laurana or this woman was more beautiful, even if they stood next to each other. In fact, he was hard pressed to even describe the woman. He couldn’t tell what color her eyes or hair was, just that she was beautiful and kind.

“I-I was taking a break,” Fizban mumbled.

“And I suppose he’s a cleric?” the woman said with a nod towards Tas.

“Oh, no,” Tas said, “I’m not a cmmphhh-”

“What he meant to say is that he isn’t a cleric yet,” Fizban said as he kept his hand firmly over Tas’s mouth.

The woman sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Come on, we’ve got to get home,” she said.

“But I can’t! I’m going to a wedding!”

“How did you get invited to a wedding?” the woman asked. “This isn’t one of those new rules you thought up for your clerics, is it? That you have to be invited to every wedding that one of your clerics presides over?”

“Not at all.”

“This isn’t like that rule for female clerics stating that they had to pray in the nude for, what was it, purifying the soul?”
Fizban blanched and his eyes widened. “You knew about that?” he asked.

“I found out about it when my clerics started praying in the nude. Apparently they learned it from your clerics. Someone named Crysania was very enthusiastic about spreading your
word.”

“I just wanted to see if they’d do it,” Fizban mumbled.

“You know, I actually believe you,” the woman said. “Now, let’s get going-”

“Hold on! One of your clerics is performing the wedding, your first one actually.”

“Who, Goldmoon?”

“Yes, it’s going to be great. Why don’t you come with me? It’s been so long since you’ve really taken an avatar.”

The woman sighed. “I don’t know-”

“Oh, come now,” Fizban said, “it’s important that we understand our people, right? So we have to act like them once in a while.” The woman still looked hesitant. “There will be dancing,” Fizban wheedled. “It’s been ages since we danced.”

This seemed to make up the woman’s mind. “I guess it won’t hurt for a couple of days,” she said dubiously. Tas couldn’t quite make out what happened next, but he thought he saw the woman become as bright as the sun for a second and then in place of the woman was another woman whom Tas could describe.

She was still very beautiful, although now it was a more worldly beauty. She was slender and tall with a body that spoke of untold grace and dexterity. She wore a blue dress that set off her incredibly blue eyes. Her hair was a rich, deep gold similar to Laurana’s and it fell down to her shoulders. “Well, let’s go,” she finally said after taking a few steps around the road and swirling her dress around her ankles.

Fizban mumbled an apology as he let go of Tas’s mouth and set him on the road. Tas would have asked the woman some questions as he tagged along after her and Fizban, but they had already started to argue, although not with any vehemence. It seemed that they had had the same argument many times and were just going through the motions for something to do.
Tasslehoff made a mental note to ask Fizban why he and the woman were arguing over Takhisis as they continued down the road.
 
 

“Oh,” was all Laurana could say as she saw the hill. It was a small grassy hill on the back of the property. A large aspen grew at the peak and cast its shade over the hill, throwing a delicate latticework of light and shadow across the velvet grass. “It’s beautiful.”

It really was, Tanis thought. Nothing extravagant or flashy, just the amazing natural beauty of the plains stretching beyond the hill, the sun, the brilliant blue sky, and the green of the tree’s leaves and the grass. Tanis placed one arm around Laurana’s waist and rested his head on her’s as they watched the wind blow over the plains. For a moment they had an instant of pure and sublime peace and contentment. Then they heard the explosion.

“What in the name of the gods was that?” Tanis said, his hand reflexively going to the sword that no longer hung at his belt.

They could see a small mushroom cloud of smoke rising from the south on the other side of the house. Tanis yelped as a rain of steaks began to fall and one smacked into his head. Laurana was giggling uncontrollably as they ran into the house. From the tower at the top of the house they could see the smoke was coming from a field about a mile to the south.

“I should ride out there and find what happened,” Tanis said.

“No need,” Laurana said as her keen elven eyesight picked out the small shapes of a man, a woman, and a kender walking up the road near the explosion. “I think it’s Fizban and Tasslehoff.”

Tanis sighed. “We could just run off now and get married, I’m sure there would be a cleric in Solanthus,” he said.

Laurana laughed and kissed him on the cheek. “It won’t be that bad, admit it, you like having him and Tas around. It makes life more interesting,” she said.

“Hah, interesting is right. Any more interesting and I’d go back to a nice quiet life of fighting dragons.”

“Quit complaining and come help me get the carriage ready, we can’t let them walk all the way here in the heat, can we?”
 
 

“Where are we going?” Fizban asked grouchily. “And where’s that damned dragon?”

“We’re going to Tanis and Laurana’s house for their wedding,” Tas said again. “And Pyrite is taking a nap in my pouch.”

“And what are you doing with him? You stole my dragon you kender, you-” Fizban trailed off into silence. Tas looked curiously over at him and saw that the woman who had joined them had a faint smile on her face.

“So this is what you do with your time on Krynn,” she said as her smile grew. “I thought you were wandering around being a great strapping warrior or at least an incredibly powerful
archmage.”

“That got boring after the first thousand years,” Fizban mumbled as he slowly blushed. “Where’s my hat?” he said rather lamely. “You know, this was a lot more fun before you showed up,” he said to the woman.

Tas began to get a sneaking suspicion of who the woman was. The way she and Fizban were acting reminded him a lot of how Tika and Caramon acted, or how he had seen his parents act the last time he was in Kendermore.

Before he could ask them anything he heard the sound of a carriage approaching from the direction where Tanis and Laurana’s house could be seen on the horizon. “Hey, look!” he yelled.
“There’s a carriage! I’ll bet it’s Tanis and Laurana!”

They watched as the carriage bumped and weaved its way over the road. When it finally arrived, Tanis was at the reins with a slightly green looking Laurana sitting next to him. They both hopped down from the coach and ran over to Tas with smiles on their faces.

“It’s great to see you again,” Tanis said as he slapped Tas’s shoulder.

“I’m glad to see you so well,” Laurana said with a restrained hug. Tas noticed that she immediately checked her belt to see if her pouch was still there. It was.

“It’s great to see you too, Tanis, Laurana,” Tas said. “I brought Fizban, I hope you don’t mind. We ran into a friend of his and we brought her along too.”

“A friend?” Tanis asked as he looked over to where Fizban and the woman were standing awkwardly. “Who?”

“I think she’s his wife,” Tas whispered.

“His wife?” Laurana said incredulously. “But that would mean-” She broke off and looked more closely at the woman standing next to Fizban then paled. She began her most elegant and elaborate court bow, tugging at Tanis’s sleeve for him to do the same.

“No, no, no!” Fizban growled as he stomped over waving his arms. “That’s not how you look for wildflowers! You have to be off the road for one thing.” He stepped over to Tanis and Laurana and took them both by a shoulder. “Now listen, just act normally,” he whispered. “None of that worship stuff.” He smiled and winked. “I know neither of you actually pray to me and that’s fine. That’s what clerics are for.”

“My lord,” Tanis started, his face already pale.

“Shush,” Fizban said with a flap of his arms. “I told you, none of that. As far as you’re concerned, I’m Fizban the powerful and,” he raised his voice, “breathtakingly handsome wizard and that is my lovely wife. So let’s get going, I need a drink.”
 
 

“This is just what I need,” Tanis growled as he snapped the reins and sent the horses galloping back down the road towards the house. “Two gods showing up, what next?”

Laurana smiled soothingly as she took the reins from his hands. He may have been an excellent rider but he couldn’t steer a coach for all the steel on Ansalon. “Don’t worry dear, I’m sure they’ll be much less of a problem than some of the nobles who will be coming,” she said.

Tanis groaned and leaned back. “The nobles,” he said. “I’d managed to forget them.”

“I imagine you’ll have to give a wedding speech,” Laurana said with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

“Do you think Fizban would just throw a fireball at me and put me out of my misery?” Tanis said. “Or better yet, throw a fireball at the nobles?”

“I think he’ll have his hands full showing his wife around.”

“Gods, do you really think that she’s-”

“Probably. Why would he lie?” Laurana smiled and looked over at Tanis. “Besides, how can things get any worse?”
 
 

The road ran for about a mile from the house to the main road that led from Solanthus to Palanthas. About ten miles back towards Solanthus on the main road there sat someone who appeared to be the most beautiful Silvanesti elf to ever walk on Krynn.

Her hair was as dark as Nuitari, the unseen moon so dark it was only a hole piercing the night. Her hair seemed to be cut from the fabric of a moonless night sky with the stars shining as the sunlight played off her hair. Her face was a face that men killed, or died, for. Almond shaped eyes with irises the color of pure, dark amethyst looked out on the dusty road with contempt tempered with the occasional flicker of amusement at the man who sat next to her.

Despite the heat of the day she wore black clothes cut from the finest silk. Her dress seemed modest and demure at first glance, but if one looked at it longer, one would see that it clung to her figure in such a way as to outline and highlight the exquisite body beneath without revealing anything. The one exception was a small slit up the right side of the dress that would float aside to reveal a delicate ankle and calf, both perfectly shaped.

“I don’t see why we just don’t teleport there,” the man sitting next to her said sullenly. He was dressed stylishly as well, also in black and trimmed with red, although his clothes were much more flashy than the woman’s and screamed rich nobility. He also looked like a Silvanesti.

“We’re here as visitors,” the woman said with a voice that could make anyone’s heart beat faster at the sound of it. “We’ll play by their rules.”

“We should be trying to rally the armies.”

“Tsk,” the woman said, “if I did that then I’d be headed straight back to the Abyss. I’m only allowed out to act as an observer in world affairs. I can’t affect things as a goddess.” She stretched her long legs out in front of her and crossed them slowly. “Besides, I need a vacation.”

“Then why don’t we go to Sanction?” the man said. “I like Sanction. We could watch the volcanoes and...” he trailed off suggestively.

“Volcanoes,” the woman said, “is that all you can think about? We’re going to the wedding and that is that.”

“But-”

“No buts, dear. We’re going and that’s final. Besides, I’m sure we’ll both find plenty to distract ourselves with there. Remember that delicious little blonde elf?”

“Laurana,” the man called Sargonnas said with a smile. “What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on her.”

“Careful, I’m still technically your wife,” the woman said. “But while you endeavor to win your way into her bed, I’ll be trapping a certain half-elf in mine.” Takhisis smiled to herself and stood as a carriage began to approach from the direction of Palanthas. After Raistlin, the half-elf was perhaps the mortal she found most intriguing. Well, she corrected herself, maybe his soon to be wife was more intriguing than him. How she’d love to sample the elf’s charms. Hmm, she thought and wondered if she could win her way into both Tanis’s and Laurana’s bed. Of course she could, she laughed to herself, she was a goddess, one of the creators of the world.

Idly dreaming of hoped for conquests, Takhisis walked to the middle of the road and waved her arm while letting a sudden gust of wind blow her dress up around her knees. She could see the coachman’s eyes nearly popping out of his head as he drew up to her. Yes, she thought, this vacation would be fun indeed.
 
 

It was around noon when they arrived back at the house. Fizban and Tas immediately set out for the kitchen while Laurana went to show Fizban’s wife around the house which she had only recently toured herself. Tanis was left to drive the carriage back around to the stables where he left it with the elderly groom and walked over to the kitchen.

Fizban was hunched over a platter of sandwiches that the cook had made for lunch. He was endeavoring to eat as many as possible, reminding Tanis of a starving wolf hunched over a freshly killed deer.

“It’s nice to see you again, Fizban,” Tanis said as he sat down next to Tas and across from Fizban at the kitchen table.

“Yes, nice to see you again too, Tanis,” Fizban said in an uncharacteristically straightforward manner.

“So, how have-”

“Listen, Tanis, I know you mean well and want to be polite,” Fizban said, “but just leave me alone and let me eat. And get me some more of these barbecued ribs, will you?” Fizban glared at Tas as the kender stared at him. “Oh, be off with you, so I eat to feel better, so do a lot of people. Shoo!”

“Come on Tas, let me show you your room,” Tanis said diplomatically as he led the confused kender out of the kitchen and back towards the main wing of the house.

“What’s wrong with him? Gods can’t get sick, can they?” Tas asked.

“I don’t really know,” Tanis said, “maybe you can ask Goldmoon when she get’s here.”

“It’s just that he hasn’t been acting like Fizban since his wife showed up.”

“Well, being married can change people. Caramon acts differently now that he’s married to Tika.”

“You’re right,” Tas said. “He doesn’t steal food off other people’s plates or ogle the barmaids. Not that he ever did that as much as you. What was it he said? ‘Tanis can get a barmaid out of her clothes faster than-”

“Hsst!” Tanis whispered and made frantic cutting gestures at his throat.

“Faster than what, Tas?” Laurana said as she walked up with Fizban’s wife.

“I, uh,” Tas stammered as he looked up at the faces around him. Tanis was smiling that peculiar smile he reserved for times when he got claustrophobic. Like that time in Thorbardin when he couldn’t leave because the thane was making a long speech. Laurana was smiling rather like a dragon that had its prey in its claws and was just playing around with it. Fizban’s wife was smiling the blank smile of someone who has no idea what is going on but just wants to be polite. “I don’t really remember,” Tas said to Tanis’s relieved sigh.
 
 

“So, you’re headed to the wedding as well,” Lord Amothus said genially to the woman seated across from him. She was enchanting and he found himself unable to keep his gaze from drifting across her body and then back to her exquisite face. He flushed as he remembered his wife sitting next to him although from the look of things, she was just as fascinated with the elf sitting across from her.

“Yes, Lord Amothus,” the woman said with a faint smile that made Lord Amothus’ blood race. He shifted uncomfortably as he felt himself more aroused than he could remember.
How did she know who I was? he wondered as his gaze strayed down to the enticing rise and fall of her breasts as she breathed. I wonder what they look like?

“Your crest is on the coach’s door,” the woman said, as if she could read his mind. “And they are beautiful.”

Lord Amothus flushed and forced himself to look at her face, although it didn’t help much. He felt tiny beads of sweat popping up on his forehead as he watched her run a delicate pink tongue over her crimson lips.

“Errr...oh!” he said. “I haven’t introduced you to my daughter, have I?”

Takhisis raised one eyebrow as she looked over to the sleeping baby nestled in Lady Amothus’ arms. “How...charming,” she said as she leaned over.

“Her name is Sylara,” Lady Amothus said with a proud smile.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Lord Amothus said.

“I don’t like-” Sargonnas started until Takhisis rammed her elbow into his ribs.

“She is beautiful, may I?” she asked. Lady Amothus smiled and carefully handed the baby to Takhisis. The goddess kept a smile on her face as she studied the sleeping baby. She didn’t really have any use for children. The result of any of her dalliances with other gods or mortals generally sprang into being fully developed or were taken care of by human parents.
“Sylara...” she said quietly. “I think you have a bright future ahead of you,” Takhisis said and kissed the baby on the forehead. “If she ever needs a job, she can always come to me,” she said as she handed Sylara back to her mother.

“Oh?” Lord Amothus said, glad to for anything to take his mind off the way the woman’s hair slid across the nape of her neck. “What do you do?”

“Let’s just say I work in...politics,” Takhisis said with a smile.
 
 

Tanis was hiding in the root cellar with a bottle of beer imported all the way from Mount Nevermind at great expense. The nobles had started arriving already, each with their own retinue and list of needs. He knew he was being a coward and would pay for it later when he left Laurana to handle them on her own. She had given him a very dirty look as he had ducked out the door to ‘see to the horses’.

“What are you doing, Tanis?” Tas said from behind him, causing him to jump up and hit his head against a low beam.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Tanis growled as he held his head and took another swig from his beer.

“Sorry, Tanis,” Tas said as he crawled out from behind a wine rack. The kender was covered with cobwebs and dust and his pouches were bulging with the fruits of his explorations. “But why are you down here?”

“The nobles,” Tanis said wearily as he sat back down. Tas nodded. That was all Tanis needed to say, really.
 
 

Fizban tipped back yet another bottle of beer and finished off its contents. He looked as if he was going to go for a world-shattering belch but then caught the eye of the woman sitting across from him and settled for a polite burp.

“’scuse me,” he muttered darkly and reached for another rib. He sighed in disappointment when he saw that there was nothing left but the picked over bones.

“These are quite good,” Mishakal said from across the kitchen table. She delicately licked the sauce from her fingers and wiped them with a napkin. “What do you call these?”

“Ribs, barbecued ribs,” Fizban said sadly. His wife had started off slower than he had but had rapidly gained momentum.

“This is pleasant,” Mishakal said as she leaned back in her chair and beamed. She was feeling the effects of a pleasant meal for the first time in, well, ages. She hoped that dinner would also be as enjoyable.

“So what’s our room like?” Fizban asked.

“It’s very nice,” Mishakal said. “I’m glad I listened to you, this does look to be a very pleasant experience.”

“It’d be the first time,” Fizban mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Nothing dear.”
 
 

“What a beautiful child,” Laurana said as she smiled at Sylara. “She has her mother’s eyes.”

“Thank you,” beamed Lady Amothus. “Oh, be careful,” she said as Sylara reached up and grabbed a lock of Laurana’s hair.

“She certainly is strong,” Laurana said, wincing as the baby tugged on her hair. “Thank you for letting me hold her.” Laurana winced as the baby clutched at her breasts, squeezing painfully hard.

“Oh dear, she must be hungry. She gets so fussy when she’s hungry, let me take her,” Lady Amothus said. “It’s amazing, I’ve never seen her so taken by someone.” After a few moments struggle to retrieve her hair, Laurana handed the baby back to her mother. “Is there somewhere where I can-” Lady Amothus said with a meaningful tilt of her head.

“Yes, I suppose the study or the library would be fine. Or your bedroom,” Laurana said, feeling herself blush for some reason.

“Thank you,” Lady Amothus said and walked off. Laurana sighed and looked around the foyer. The newly arrived nobles had been shown to their separate rooms over in the guest wing and no more guests were likely to arrive today. Porthios and Alhana should would most likely be arriving tomorrow along with the bulk of the guests, many of whom were staying in Solanthus.

“Whew, that was really a chore, wasn’t it?” Tanis said as he walked over and wiped his forehead theatrically. His smile faded and he backed away a few steps when he saw Laurana’s expression.

“You abandoned me,” she said as she advanced on him, her finger pointing at him with all the veiled threat of a unsheathed sword. “You just took off.” She paused and sniffed. “You’ve been drinking! Where were you? I checked the cellars!”

“Hiding behind the beer,” Tanis mumbled as jabbed him in the chest with her finger. She made disgusted sound and began to brush dust off his coat.

“You got your clothes dirty. Again, I might add,” she said tiredly and sighed. “What I am ever going to do with you?”
 
 

Mishakal bounced experimentally on the bed and laughed. “So, this is what a bed is,” she said. “How delightful! What do you do with it?”

“You haven’t been paying much attention to things on Krynn, have you?” Fizban said as he sat down next to his wife.

“I never thought I should interfere, unlike some others who go gallivanting around the countryside.”

“I think I can manage a demonstration of what you do in a bed,” Fizban said as he leaned over towards Mishakal. She giggled in delight as he nibbled at her earlobe and breathed into her ear.

“So that’s what you do in bed,” Mishakal breathed as she fell backward onto the covers with Fizban on top of her.
 
 

“It is good to see you again, my friend,” Riverwind said as he swept Tanis up in a ribcracking bear hug.

“It’s good to see you too,” Tanis wheezed after Riverwind set him down again. “I’m glad you could make it. How are you and Goldmoon doing?”

“We’re doing wonderfully, old friend,” Riverwind said happily with a nod to his wife. She and Laurana were down the dining table chatting. Riverwind and Laurana had arrived just as dinner was being served and space had been made for them at the head table. “And guess what?” Riverwind said with an uncharacteristically broad grin on his face.

Tanis stared at the man’s beaming face for a moment and immediately knew. “How many children?” he said with a smile of his own.

“Twins! We just found out,” Riverwind said and shook Tanis’s shoulder companionably. Amid the toasts and congratulations following the dinner Tanis managed to ask Riverwind about Caramon and Tika.

“Do you know why they aren’t coming? We received a letter about a week back but no explanation,” he asked.
Riverwind’s face darkened. “Caramon is ill, that’s what Tika told us. He’s been working himself too hard, rebuilding Solace and helping out around the town,” he said. “It’s a shame, Tika told us she had to make him go back to bed instead of coming. He’s so sick he can barely move.”

“He’s not in any danger, is he?” Tanis asked worriedly and then felt foolish. If there had been any danger Goldmoon would have healed him. “Never mind, of course there isn’t. Do you know how long it will be until he’s well enough to travel?”

“Tika says a few weeks.”

“Maybe we’ll go visit him then. Laurana says she’d like to travel a bit for the honeymoon, not too far though. Solace and Que-shu sounds good to me.”

“That would be wonderful, you’ll always be welcome at our house.” They talked for a while longer until a series of jaw creaking yawns forced Riverwind to excuse himself for bed. Tanis felt the yawns spreading and excused himself as well after saying goodnight to Laurana and Goldmoon who were still deep in conversation.
 
 

“I’m glad I could talk to you about this,” Laurana said somewhat sheepishly. “I know I sound silly, I should know about this but-”

“I understand,” Goldmoon said. “Tika was just the same way.”

Laurana smiled and sipped at her wine. “That makes me feel better,” she said as she glanced around the lanternlit library on the second floor of the house. She and Goldmoon had retreated here to talk in quiet and privacy away from the hubbub of the party still going on below. “So, ahhh,” Laurana said, “does it, um, hurt?”

Goldmoon pondered the question for a moment. “It can the first time,” she finally said. “But for me and Riverwind, well, let’s just say I was too eager to care.”

“That’s a relief,” Laurana said. “Gods, I must sound like a little girl. I mean, my parents never really told me anything about-” she trailed off with a blush.

“I understand,” Goldmoon said. “But forgive me for saying this, but I had always assumed that you and Tanis had,” she paused, “made love before.”

Laurana felt her blush deepen. “No, I mean we kissed and cuddled when we were back in Qualinesti. But never anything more.” She sighed. “Not that we didn’t want to,” she said with a faraway look as she remembered some of the hot and heavy cuddling she and Tanis had engaged in back in the royal residence. Nights that had ended with her pleasuring herself over and over as she thought of him...

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I didn’t hear what you just said.”

“I was just congratulating you again,” Goldmoon said. “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful wedding and marriage. I feel the presence of the gods blessing this house.”

Laurana laughed a bit nervously. “I don’t know if they’re blessing the house,” she said to Goldmoon’s puzzlement.
 
 

“That was fun,” Mishakal said as Fizban worked his way out from under her and reached for a glass of water. His hair was a mess and his neck was covered with love bites. “Let’s do it again.”

“Please, dear, I’m too tired. Men can’t just do it over and over,” he said. As much as we’d like to, he added to himself.

“Well that’s a design flaw,” Mishakal said with a pout as she stretched luxuriously and lay down on the bed beside Fizban. “I guess I am tired. But we can do it tomorrow?”

“Sure, sure,” Fizban said as he waved his hand and extinguished the lamp, asleep before his head hit the pillow.
 
 

Tanis stared up at the ceiling and felt his stomach churn. It was nervousness, he couldn’t lie to himself about that. He had never even come close to getting married before, even with Kitiara it had been more of a mutually fun relationship than anything serious.

He sighed and tried to rearrange the lumpy pillow into a more comfortable shape. His bedroom- their bedroom had been taken over by maids and seamstresses and turned into a fitting room for Laurana. Neither one of them was supposed to stay in the room the night before the wedding so he was relegated to one of the last vacant guest rooms while Laurana was across the hall in the last guest room.

He began to unconsciously tug on his beard as he thought about her. He loved her, he knew that, he didn’t doubt that at all. Then why was he nervous about the wedding? He grinned bitterly. Because nothing had gone wrong yet, he thought. Even Tas and Fizban showing up couldn’t really count as something bad, even after Fizban had eaten the plate of ribs that he had been saving for a late night snack.

No, the way things always went, something was going to go wrong and go wrong horribly. Maybe the Dragonarmies would decide to attack. That might actually be preferable to having to meet Laurana’s relatives again. Tanis couldn’t imagine that Porthios would be too happy with having his little sister marrying a half-breed.

Yes, that was it, Tanis thought with a sigh half relief and half resignation. Porthios will get drunk and cause a scene. There’ll probably be a big fight and I’ll get in trouble for breaking his nose. With the worst possible scenario finally thought of, Tanis closed his eyes and managed to fall asleep.
 
 

Tas hummed to himself as he kicked a pebble along the road, occasionally glancing up at Pyrite as the dragon made arthritic circles in the dawn sky. The wedding was set to begin in a couple hours and the last of the guests were arriving. Tas had watched their coaches driving up the road for a while until he tired of the show and had wandered away.

He stopped his observation of Pyrite’s slow flight at the sound of hissing and whistling coming from up the road. He squinted and could make out a strange shape jerking and lurching it’s way down the road. Plumes of steam puffed from a pipe mounted towards the front of the thing. It reminded him of a centaur made out of ovens and stovepipes.

“I...say...there,” someone on the back of the metal centaur said as the thing lurched to a halt in front of Tas. “Is...this...the...estate...of...Tanis...and...Laurana?”

“Yes, it is,” Tas said to the rider. The rider removed a heavy leather helmet that had covered most of its face and wiped sweat from its brow. Bushy white hair stuck up like a dandelion from the gnome’s head as he reached down into a saddlebag and pulled out a large giftwrapped package.

“Do...be...a...good...man...and...deliver...this...to...them...won’t...you?” he said.

“You can speak a little faster,” Tas said as he took the gnome’s gift.

“Oh good, it was so tiring. I would have been here earlier but the Ironhorse sprang a leak,” the gnome said. “The gift is from Mount Nevermind, it’s a combination bath salt, food additive, food preservative, and pest control substance. Just a little in a drink before bed will ensure lot’s of fun,” he said with a wink.

“Oh, ok,” Tas said. “Um, what is that you’re riding?”

“The Ironhorse? It’s a steam powered horse. Much more efficient than a real horse, it needs no food. Just about a hundred gallons of water and ten pounds of coal.”

“Really? How far does it go?”

“About fifty miles if you have a day.” The gnome glanced up at the sky. “I really must be going know, I’m due in Solanthus tomorrow and I’ll have to find the time to chop wood for the Ironhorse. My apologies to the couple, I do wish I could have given them their gift in person.”

Tas waved goodbye as the gnome flipped switches and turned valves until the Ironhorse creakily began to walk down the road, bits of flaming cinders occasionally bouncing off the gnome’s helmet.
 
 

Tanis tied his headband around his forehead with as much dignity that he could muster. He was wearing a steel breastplate polished to a mirror like sheen along with all the formal and fancy clothes that he usually avoided.

“I do look good,” he muttered as he studied himself in the mirror. At least he had it easier than Laurana, she had woken up an hour earlier than he had just to get into her dress. For a moment he wondered if it would take that long to get her out of it. “Focus, focus,” he said and straightened his cloak. “Gotta remember the vows.” It really wouldn’t do to forget the vows, especially after he had spent so long writing them out.

Tanis took a deep breath and one last look before he headed out the door, his stomach churning as much as when he had gone to kill Ariakas.
 
 

“I can’t move,” Laurana said. “Or breathe.”

“But you look wonderful,” Goldmoon said with a barely hidden grin.

“This is ridiculous,” Laurana said. “I can’t believe anyone could do anything in this.” She sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror and tried to loosen a few ties, only to have her hand slapped by Goldmoon.

“No you don’t, start loosening one tie and soon you’ll be walking around in your shift,” she said.

“It’d be more comfortable.”

“And I’m sure the men would like that.”

Laurana blushed and sighed again. She wondered if Tanis was as nervous as she was. I shouldn’t have had that wine last night, she thought to herself.
 
 

Tas was fidgeting gently in his seat next to Fizban and his wife. The chairs were arranged in a semicircle around the base of the small hill in the back of the mansion with Pyrite slumped in a pile of arthritic bones behind. Tas was reasonably sure that the dragon had fallen asleep in the morning sun. Goldmoon stood under the aspen that grew at the top of the hill in the finery of a priestess of Mishakal and leader of the Que-shu. Serving as her second was a young priest from Astinus’s library in Palanthas. He looked vaguely elvish to Tas and was definitely very nervous. He kept brushing his black hair back from his face and pushing his spectacles up his nose until Goldmoon finally told him to stop. Silvanesti, maybe, Tas thought idly.

As beautiful as the morning was, Tas still was getting restless. He really didn’t want to spoil the wedding for Laurana and Tanis but it was getting very hard. He was extremely relieved when a hush fell over the crowd and people began to turn to look towards the house.

Tanis was walking from the house with Riverwind at his side, both of them looking serious and a bit nervous in their expensive clothes. They walked slowly up the aisle between the chairs and then to the top of the hill where they bowed to Goldmoon and moved off to the left.

Laurana came next, her soft white gown billowing in the slight breeze of the morning. Everyone in the audience went absolutely silent as they stared in awe at her beauty. Her golden hair was tied back loosely and woven with strands of sparkling diamonds and emeralds. The sun shone off her hair with a warmth so intense it seemed that Laurana glowed with light. A step behind and to her right followed Alhana, her beauty also enough to make hearts skip beats and throats dry.

The guests’ eyes followed Laurana as she walked slowly up the aisle to the top of the hill and stopped in front of Goldmoon. They embraced for a moment and then Laurana stepped to the other side of Goldmoon facing Tanis.

Tas listened intently for a moment as they extended their hands and Goldmoon wrapped them together with a silken cloth while reciting the ceremony of marriage. He heard Fizban’s wife sigh appreciatively and saw her nudge Fizban with her elbow.

Tas turned his head back to Tanis and Laurana as the half-elf began to recite his vows. He stumbled and stuttered at the beginning but he soon regained his stride. The emotion was evident in the half-elf’s voice as he declared his eternal love and devotion to Laurana, swearing on his blood and breath that he would remain forever by her side.

Despite himself Tas felt his attention drifting as Tanis’ vows went on. While keeping his eyes on Tanis and Laurana he began to feel the package that the gnome had given him. His nimble fingers explored every surface of the wrapping and began to sneak under the seams to feel the box inside.

Laurana was starting her vows as Tas slid his fingers under the wrapping and felt the smooth wooden box inside. He would swear later that his fingers had opened the box and felt the contents all on their own with no prompting from him.
 
 

Tanis’ hand was shaking visibly as he reached to refill his wine glass. He smiled gratefully at Riverwind when the tall plainsman took the bottle and refilled his glass for him. Tanis took a long sip of his wine and exhaled deeply.

“Well,” he said airily. “Well.”

“Well,” Laurana said from beside him. They were holding hands under the table, more to hide how they were both trembling than from anything else. “Well.”

“Well.”

“Well.”

Laurana looked over at Tanis and smiled, her face still flushed from their dance. He looked back and smiled broadly with a half-crazed look in his eyes. She looked back at him and giggled. So did he. Soon they were clutching each other for support as they laughed hysterically.

“Ahhh, wedding day jitters,” Fizban said knowingly from across the pavilion set up behind the house. A group of musicians from the Solamnic Knights marching band was playing a lively dance number from a small stage set up at the front of the pavilion. Most of the guests were dancing although that would change as soon as the cooks brought out the food.

“Aren’t they supposed to get over it after they get married?” Tas said from beside Fizban.

“They’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I imagine it will be a while before they feel normal again,” Mishakal said. She smiled at Fizban and wrapped her arm around his waist.

“Hey, look, they’re bringing out the punch,” Tas said, pointing to the cook’s assistants wrestling the punch bowl from a dolly onto the table.

“Get us some, will you?” Fizban asked.

“Sure thing, Fizban,” Tas said as he skipped over to the punch bowl, the gnome’s gift for Tanis and Laurana still in his hands. He couldn’t resist peeking and set the box down besides the punch to open it. Inside he found it full of pink powder about the same texture as sand. He had lifted the box to take a better look at the powder when Fizban bumped into him from behind and sent a large cloud of the powder into the punch.

“Where’s that punch, Burrfoot?” he asked and took filled two cups himself. “Oh, head on back behind the stage, there are some people who want to see you.”

“People? Really? They want to see me?” Tas said, the box forgotten and set down besides the punch bowl.

“Yes, you’d better hurry because they can’t stay long.”

“Oh, alright,” Tas said as he skipped off out of the pavilion and behind the stage. He saw a tall man dressed like a Solamnic knight and a dwarf peering through a hole in the tent at the wedding party.

“Beautiful,” the dwarf sniffed, obviously having trouble controlling his emotions. “Ah, the lad looks handsome, doesn’t he?”

“It truly is a beautiful sight,” the knight said solemnly. “I hope they will be happy together.”

“I’m sure they will be, my boy,” the dwarf said and blew his nose loudly. “I’m sure they will be.”

“Hello? Fizban said you wanted to see me-” Tas started to say and stopped, his mouth hanging open when the dwarf and knight turned to face him.

“Hello, you doorknob,” Flint said warmly.
 
 

“I never thought this would happen,” Tanis whispered in Laurana’s ear as they slowly danced across the pavilion floor. “I mean, there was so much that happened...” He sighed and nuzzled her hair, kissing her cheek lightly. “I’m glad I’m alive,” he said simply.

“It’s funny how love works,” Laurana said as she stepped back, Tanis’s right hand on her hip and the other holding her hand. They swirled around the dancefloor, Laurana’s dress billowing softly and the jewels in her golden hair sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. The smell of grass and earth filtered up from the ground, mixing with the delicate scents of the food laid out on long, linen covered, banquet tables. “I loved you, then I thought I hated you, then I loved you again.”

Tanis smiled at her, relishing the feel of her warm body under his hand as they slowly spun around the dancefloor, alone for the moment and blissfully unaware of the admiring eyes of the guests. “I love you so much,” he said softly, his voice cracking. “Gods, I’ve waited so long for this.” She is so beautiful, he thought as the sun cast a soft and warm glow over Laurana’s face, her green eyes sparkling to outshine the jewels in her hair. How could I ever have thought of leaving her?

“I love you too,” Laurana said, smiling when she felt her voice trembling as well. How her father would have been disappointed to see her composure slipping. But the moment was too much for her and she felt a single tear of joy slipping down her cheek, a companion to the one sliding down Tanis’s face. “I love you,” she said again and leaned forward to kiss him. For that kiss there was nothing else in the world. They seemed to be floating above the clouds alone but for each other, the entirety of their world encompassed by each other’s arms and there was no where else they would rather be.
 
 

“Ah, don’t cry you doorknob!” Flint said, his voice husky as he slapped Tas on the back, trying to comfort the sobbing kender. “I can’t stand your bawling!” he said and wiped furiously at his eyes.

“But you were dead! I saw you, and you were buried, and we were all crying and-” Tas gulped hysterically. “And you too, Sturm! We saw you and you were in the High Clerist’s Tower-”

“Don’t be sad,” Sturm said softly. “We are dead, we’re just-” he paused and smiled, “visiting.”

“But you’re here! You’re alive!” Tas sobbed.

“No, lad, you know that’s not how it works,” Flint said kindly. “We badgered Fizban so much that he had to promise to let us come here.” Flint smiled and pulled out of Tas’s arms to blow his nose loudly. “Afterall, we did enough to help him out.”

“But- How long can you stay? Tanis and Laurana will want to see you, and Goldmoon and Riverwind, and Caramon and Tika, but they’re not here right now. But I’m sure they’d-”

“We can’t even stay that long, Tas,” Sturm said, ruffling Tas’s hair in a way that shocked the kender. The dour knight had never shown any sort of affection for him. “But we brought wedding gifts.”

“What kind of friends would we be if we didn’t?” Flint said as he reached into a belt pouch and brought out two marvelous wooden statuettes. Carved from the deep, rich golden-brown wood of the vallenwood, one statuette was a likeness of Laurana and the other of Tanis. “They’re for when they have to be apart,” Flint said. “This way they’ll never be without each other.”

“They’re wonderful,” Tas breathed as he carefully took the statuettes from Flint. He marveled at the detail of the carving, it seemed as Laurana and Tanis had been taken from the dance floor and placed in his hands. Everything, down the the locks of Laurana’s hair and the folds of Tanis’s cloak was present.

“And this is from me,” Sturm said as he walked back to a large, thin object leaning against the rear of the tent. He brought it over to Tas and set it down before the kender. “I hope they like it.”

Tas knelt down to trace his fingers over the painting. Like the statuettes it seemed as if someone had taken a pair of scissors and cut a scene from life before placing it in the frame. There was Flint’s rock from outside Solace and something new, a large tree with spreading, leafy branches that cast pleasant shade over the soft green grass around its base. “That’s you, Flint!
And you too, Sturm!” Tas breathed as he traced his fingers over the two figures sitting under the tree. Beyond the tree lay a town built in the trees, Solace before the attack by the Dragonarmy and looking more magnificent and beautiful than Tas could remember. Smoke curled from the Inn of the Last Home’s chimney.

There, leaning against the railing of the ramp that wound around the vallenwood’s trunk was another familiar figure. “Berem,” Tas said, “and his sister?”

“Yes,” Sturm said simply although Tas could see a smile of pride creeping up underneath the knight’s long mustaches.

“And there’s Fizban and his wife,” Tas said, pointing to another couple standing outside the door to the inn. “This is amazing!”

“Thank you,” Sturm said. Amazingly, Tas thought he saw a blush creeping up the knight’s cheeks. “We should be going now.”

“But, you just got here!” Tas pleaded, clinging to the knight’s belt.

“Oh, you doorknob,” Flint huffed. “I know you’re tired of having us old grouches around.”

“But, I’m not...” Tas said and smiled when he saw Flint’s grin.

“Don’t worry, sooner or later, we’ll all be together again,” Flint said. “But not too soon, doorknob! You’d better have a lot of good stories to tell us when you finally show up!”

“I-” Tas started and smiled impishly at Flint. “I sure will!”

“That’s a good lad,” Flint said and reached out to ruffle Tas’s hair again. “Now, you be sure and tell Tanis and Laurana who these gifts are from.”

“I will, Flint,” Tas said as the dwarf and knight stepped back from him, seeming to grow brighter as they slowly began to fade from view. “We’ll see each other again!”

“But not too soon,” Sturm said with a wave and bow as they faded and vanished, leaving only a warm breeze carrying with it the faint smell of Otik’s spiced fried potatoes.

“But not too soon,” Tas said as waved back and sighed.
 
 

“Damn him,” Takhisis snarled as she glared at where Fizban and Mishakal sat across the pavilion. “I had so many wonderful plans for those two!” She turned and stared daggers at Laurana and Tanis. They were laughing together at one of Goldmoon’s jokes as they ate the dinner prepared by the finest Palanthian chefs. They had been acting like that all day, even as night was slowly falling across the plains they hadn’t had even the slightest tiff.

Takhisis’s eyes narrowed when she remembered all the other disasters that had occurred at weddings without her slightest intervention. She had been sure that a fight was going to start when Porthios and Alhana had given the half-elf’s sword back to him. The presumption of giving it as if it wasn’t rightfully his should have made him take a swing at Porthios. But all the half-elf had done was smile and shake Porthios’s hand in high spirits. “Damn them.”

“I told you we should have gone to see the volcanoes,” Sargonnas said from across the table. “Here, have some punch. It’s actually good, at least these mortals are good for something.”

Takhisis snorted as she snatched the cup from her consort’s hand and gulped down the contents. “Not bad,” she said and sighed. Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was seeing that delectable elf again, but she had a certain...itch she wanted to scratch. Badly. Looking across the table she saw that her consort was smiling and waggling his eyebrows in a way that made it crystal clear he was thinking the same thoughts.
 
 

“What was it you wanted, dear?” Fizban asked as Mishakal tugged him along a hallway and shoved open a storage closet door. “I haven’t even tasted my punch.”

“What I want,” Mishakal said as she yanked Fizban into the closet and kicked the door shut behind him. “Is you.”

“Err,” Fizban said in the warm darkness as he felt her hands pulling his robes up above his waist, his punch spilled and forgotten.
 
 

“Everyone sure seemed to be in a hurry to get away from here, didn’t they?” Tanis asked as he and Laurana slowly walked from the dance pavilion to the house. It seemed as if everyone had drained the punch bowl and then taken off for the house. Above them, the stars twinkled like dew at sunrise. “Huh,” Tanis said as he craned his neck back. “There seem to be a few constellations missing.”

“Really?” Laurana said as she leaned against him and looked up. “Fizban and Mishakal make sense, but why aren’t Takhisis and Sargonnas there?” There was a moment of silence as they pondered the new development.

“No one seemed to know who those two Silvanesti were,” Tanis said slowly.

“And she kept staring at us,” Laurana said as they continued their walk back towards the house.

“It’s probably nothing,” Tanis said. “I’m sure Fizban would have told us if there was anything to worry about.”
 
 

Fizban panted for breath as he leaned back in a pile of towels. He groaned in protest as Mishakal continued to run her warm tongue over his cock, giggling all the while as he slowly returned to full hardness.

“Can’t we take a break?” he moaned plaintively as slid up his body, her breasts and hard nipples rubbing against his legs and chest.

“But we have to take advantage of these bodies while we have them,” Mishakal breathed in his ear as she straddled him and reached down to take his cock in one of her delicate hands. Fizban whimpered when she placed him at the soaking entrance to her quim and rubbed the head of his cock over her clit before lowering herself down onto him.

“-here, I can’t wait any longer!” a woman’s voice said from just outside the door. Fizban tried futilely to cover himself while Mishakal pinned his wrists to the floor and began energetically ride him.

“But this is a closet!” another voice, male this time, said as the door was pushed open.

“Hello,” Fizban said weakly as Takhisis and Sargonnas stumbled into the closet, their clothes already half off.

“Hmmph,” Takhisis said, her almond shaped eyes narrowing as she glared at Mishakal. “So it’s the slut, I should have figured you’d be in here. It reeked of your perfume. Haven’t you learned that subtlety is what works?”

“Your nose always was better,” Mishakal said icily, ignoring Fizban’s attempts to push her off him. “After all, it is the size of an mammoth’s.”

“Blonde idiot,” Takhisis said, light flashing in her eyes.

“Lizard-fucking slut,” Mishakal shot back. Takhisis was about to lunge for her when Sargonnas caught her around the waist and began to drag her out of the closet. His eyes caught
Fizban’s and they shared a moment of complete understanding before Mishakal slammed the door and leaned against it, a lascivious grin settling on her face as her eyes raked over Fizban’s body. Fizban gulped and tried to cover himself with a towel as she threw herself onto him.
 
 

“Sorry, sorry,” mumbled Sargonnas as he dragged a furious Takhisis past Laurana and Tanis.

“That was her,” Tanis said slowly. That had been the face he had seen when Takhisis had manifested in Neraka, the Temptress.

“But what were they doing in there?” Laurana said as she reached for the closet door and suddenly stopped when she heard the noises coming from within. Her face flushed prettily as she pressed her hand to her mouth in shock.

Both she and Tanis stared at Fizban’s sweaty face when the door opened a crack. He was still wearing his hat. “Help me,” he croaked before a woman’s hand dragged him back in and slammed the door noisily.

“Let’s just head upstairs before anything else happens,” Laurana said quickly as they hurriedly began walking towards the stairs.

“This day has certainly turned out...interestingly,” Tanis said as they reached the bedroom door. He stopped and stared at the door as if seeing it for the first time. Gods, he thought, here it is. We’re really married and we’re-

His thoughts were interrupted by the dizzying touch of Laurana’s lips on his. Her hands touched his and reached to open the door as she drew back and smiled softly at him. He smiled back and swept her up in his arms, grinning at her shriek of delight.

“Have I said how much I love you?” he said as he pushed the door open with his foot and stepped into the moonlit darkness of the bedroom.

“Not in the last ten minutes,” Laurana replied, her arms draped around his neck. Her heart was pounding, faster even than when she had first flown dragonback.

“I love you more than I can say in words,” Tanis said with a kiss as he shut the door behind them and turned the key in the lock. “I...I finally feel whole. It’s like something was missing before and now I’ve found her at last.”

“Gods, I’m so happy I feel like giggling like a little girl,” Laurana said as Tanis set her down and went to light the lamps. She smoothed her wedding dress down on her legs with trembling hands. “Wait, where’s Tas?” she said suddenly.

“Don’t worry,” Tanis said with a smile as the lamps cast a gentle glow over the room. “I locked all the maps and sweets in a chest. Then I wrapped it in ship anchor chain and locked it with one of those dwarvish locks that, supposedly, can’t be picked by anyone. He’ll be at it all night.”

“Good,” Laurana said with an impish grin as she slowly walked over to Tanis. “I don’t want anything to disturb us. After all, we were up so early and I want to get as much sleep as possible,” she said and laughed at Tanis’s expression of mixed shock and disappointment. “Oh, did you want to stay up late?” she said with an ingenuous look and her eyes wide.

“I-I well, I mean if you’re that tired,” Tanis said, blinking rapidly for a second and wringing his hands together nervously.

“I’m joking!” Laurana cried out as she threw her arms around Tanis’s neck and kissed him soundly, her body pressed tightly against him. “I think I’ll read a bit before I go to sleep.”

“You little minx!” Tanis shouted in mock outrage as he lifted Laurana into his arms and carried her over to the bed in a rush. He paused to kiss her tenderly and pull back the covers before he set her down. Laurana let her hands slide lingeringly across his neck and chest as he pulled off his cloak and jacket and threw them across the room. Her eyes were wide when he kicked off his boots and socks and sat down next to her on the bed. “What’s wrong?” he said worriedly when he saw the look on her face.

“N-nothing,” Laurana said as she sat up. “I’m just a little...nervous.”

“Nervous?” Tanis said as he set one hand on her shoulder. “Why?”

Laurana looked up at him in surprise. “Don’t you know? This is my first time,” she said in a rush, her face reddening as she said the words.

“I-oh, gods,” Tanis said, flushing as well when he realized how insensitive he had acted. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her softly and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “I guess I didn’t think.”

“I know, I know what you thought,” Laurana said softly as she slid down the bed and leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. “There were all those horrible stories about-”

“I know, I never believed them,” Tanis said. I didn’t want to, he thought to himself. What type of person would say those things about someone? And such horrible things, he knew the
Dragonarmies were evil but he wondered if even they would do such things. “Are you alright?” he asked tenderly. “There’s no rush, we can wait as long as you want.”

“No, I want to,” Laurana said. She looked up at him with eyes that surprised him with their hunger. “I’ve been fantasizing about this night for years,” she said in a softer voice as she rested her hand on his thigh. “But now that it’s here, I just worry. Am I beautiful enough? Will I do everything right?”

“Shh,” Tanis said, his finger pressed against her lips. Gods, how I love her, he thought to himself as he gazed into Laurana’s eyes and he saw the love reflected in them. Is there anything I wouldn’t sacrifice for her? “You are the most beautiful woman in the world,” he said simply, knowing that he meant every word. “No one, not even Fizban’s wife is as beautiful as you.”
He smiled. “And I thank the gods that I’m the one lucky enough to be your husband. Nothing would ever make me give this up. Nothing.”

“Tanis,” Laurana said, feeling her eyes filling with tears of happiness. “Oh, Tanis,” she said and threw her arms around him, feeling his heart beating in his chest as she kissed him with a fierce passion that surprised her. How many years spent alone in bed, wanting him there next to her, and now...he was here, next to her.

She moaned softly, her lips still pressed to his as she felt his strong and sure hands undoing the ties of her dress. The work that had taken so long in the morning was undone quickly and she soon felt the cool air of the bedroom on her bare shoulders. She reluctantly broke the kiss and half stood to slip the white lace and silk of her wedding dress down her legs, leaving her clad only in her half-shift and underwear.

Tanis stopped and stared at her in awe. Her body was more beautiful than he could have imagined. The glow of her skin in the lamplight, the soft and gentle curve of her waist and hips, her slender and deliciously long legs. He felt his mouth go dry at the sight of her lacy underwear clinging to her hips and waist, doing almost nothing to hide and accentuating her already incredible beauty. His cock was straining at his breeches as his gaze traveled back up her body, lingering on the soft swell of her breasts and curve of her neck before settling on her face. Gods, her face, he thought to himself. He could lose himself forever in those eyes and could spend an eternity kissing those lips...

Laurana blushed and crossed her arms over herself out of habit at the look on Tanis’s face. He stood in front of her and gently uncrossed her arms as he bent his head and trailed a line of soft kisses across her neck and down her throat. She shuddered at the exquisite pleasure of feeling his mouth on her body, her eyes closed and head thrown back, gasping when he kissed the tops of her perfect, rounded breasts. She felt his hands reach up and gently slide the straps of her shift off her shoulders, letting the flimsy piece of cloth waft to the floor.

Laurana blinked slowly, her bosom rising and falling slowly from her panting breaths, and looked down as Tanis bent his head to her breasts. She moaned in pleasure at the first startling
touch of his beard on the skin, never before touched by anyone but her, and moaned softly when he kissed her breasts. His tongue lapped over her breasts, traveling in slow circles around her tumescent nipples as she clutched at his head.

“Oh gods, oh gods,” she whispered softly as Tanis lifted her in his arms and set her back on the bed, kneeling beside her as he continued to slowly drive her out of her mind with pleasure.
“Please,” she moaned as his tongue traveled teasingly around her nipples, never quite making contact, his breath washing over them and sending tingling waves of pleasure through her body.

“You’re so beautiful,” Tanis said quietly, his hands roving over her body. “Your skin is so soft.” Tanis’s hands gently held her to the bed, one on the smooth plane of her belly, the other on her shoulder, as he finally took her right nipple into his mouth and flicked it lightly with his tongue. Laurana shuddered and arched her back towards him, her legs scrabbling over the sheets as she pressed his head to her breast. She moaned softly, her entire body limp, as Tanis pulled slowly away from her and kissed her. She watched with heavy eyes as he removed his clothes, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of his stiff manhood jutting from his body as he slid onto the bed next to her.

He smiled at her as he moved down to her legs and slid his fingers under the waistband of her underwear, slowly pulling the bit of lacy nothing down her slim thighs and off her legs. Laurana felt more heat rising in her face when she realized that she was utterly naked in front of a man for the first time in her adult life.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a voice tremulous with desire as Tanis gently parted her legs and moved in between them, his mouth kissing her stomach. She groaned in deep pleasure as his tongue slid around her navel before moving ever so slowly down her body. She cried out, her voice high and surprised, when Tanis lightly slid his tongue over her quim. Laurana gasped for breath as he continued to lick at her, his tongue flicking light over her clit before returning to her quim, his mustache brushing her clit and sending spikes of almost unbearable pleasure through her. She had never even imagined that this was possible, not even in her most fevered dreams. Laurana cried out again, her thighs squeezing Tanis’s head as she buried her hands in his hair.

Laurana’s eyes shot open as she gasped for breath, her body shivering in pleasure as Tanis began to lavish exquisite attention on her clit, his tongue working furiously over her. She wanted to tell him to slow down, her heart was beating too fast and the pleasure was too intense for her to stand. But all she could do was gasp and writhe under his tongue, her legs locked behind his back as she thrust her hips at him madly.

Laurana squeezed her eyes shut and threw her head back again as she felt the roaring surge of pleasure sweeping over her. For a moment the pleasure was so intense that she was sure she was going to burst into flame. She could barely hear the pleasured screams from her mouth as the pleasure tossed her like a leaf in a storm. There was a brilliant flash behind her eyelids and she felt herself drifting away on the tide.

When her eyes finally opened she saw Tanis smiling down on her. “Oh, gods,” she whispered as he ran his hand in slow circles over her stomach. “Oh gods.” She kissed him hungrily as his hand slid up to cup her breast. Her eyes widened when he moved between her legs, his cock brushing against her thigh as he raised himself above her on his elbows, all the while still kissing her.

“I love you,” he said softly as his cock brushed against her entrance. Laurana looked up into his eyes and saw only complete and total love in them. She smiled at him and draped her arms over his back, her hands savoring the feel of hard muscle and warm skin.

“I love you,” she said and cried out as he moved into her. There was a flash of pain so mixed with pleasure that it passed in an instant and then he was in her. Laurana’s eyes half-closed as she concentrated on the delicious feeling of Tanis’s cock gently moving in her. She spread her thighs slightly and pushed back as he thrust forward, whimpering in pleasure when he hilted himself in her.

Tanis looked down at Laurana, forcing himself to make love to her in slow, controlled movements though all he wanted to do was make love with in an animalistic frenzy. He nearly lost control of himself at the sight of Laurana’s face, her emerald eyes half-open with pleasure, her full pink lips moist as she licked them. She moaned and he thrust into her again, eliciting another cry of pleasure from her. He leaned down and kissed her again, savoring the feel of her lips on his as their bodies moved together on the sheets.

It was too much for Laurana, her body was on fire and she could feel another orgasm swelling within her even as the echoes of the last one faded. Her nails dug into Tanis’s back as she began thrust her hips back at him with an intensity that surprised both of them. Her cries became high and frantic as he speeded his motions within her, kissing her in time with his thrusts.

“Tanis, Tanis, Tanis!” Laurana cried out as she lifted one leg and wrapped it around his waist, her body gleaming with sweat in the lamplight. She felt the first trembling of another orgasm and then she was lost, her body shuddering as she ground her hips against Tanis in a wild frenzy of ecstatic lust.

Tanis looked down at Laurana and watched as she lost herself in the intensity of her climax, her body surrendering to the feelings washing over it. The feeling of her around him was too much for him to handle and he felt himself climaxing as well, groaning loudly as he gave one last thrust into her.

The only sound for a moment was their panting for breath. Laurana looked over to the side at Tanis as he sprawled next to her. He rolled to face her and she cuddled up against him, her head nestling in the crook of his shoulder. His hand softly stroked the sweaty skin of her back as she pulled the covers up over them. She was already half asleep when she heard him blow out the lamp and settled back onto the bed with her head resting on his chest. Their hands seemed to find each other of their own accord, clasping softly as they drifted to sleep.

“I love you,” they both whispered in the soft, moonlit darkness.
 
 

Epilogue:

“These statues are amazing,” Tanis said softly as he held up the miniature version of himself up to catch the morning sun.

“So we’ll never be apart...” Laurana said quietly as she snuggled against him.

“That Tas, I wonder where he got these.”

“You heard him, Flint and Sturm gave them to him.”

“But they’re-” Tanis started to say and stopped, thinking of the presence of at least four gods in the house. “I’m glad they could at least visit,” he said with a smile. He held the statue of
Laurana up and traced his finger over its face. “Never apart,” he said softly and smiled at Laurana.

“Never apart,” she replied softly and kissed him tenderly as the sun shone through the window, for a moment illuminating them in a warm, gentle golden halo.