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He gave Tora a suspicious look before nodding and heading to the breakfast trays.
“Leave some for the women,” Tora admonished him as he grabbed three pastries, “you’ve already had breakfast.”
“Don’t worry about it. He can have my share. I’m not very hungry. I will have a bowl of gautr,” I assured Tora.
“Nervous?” she asked knowingly.
“Mmm, not about marrying Agnarr. He’s mine for keeps already. I don’t think I am nervous about becoming jarlin. I think I am most worried about having to be social for an entire day. It’s exhausting.”
“Take breaks. You know anyone in this room would manage things if you stepped out of the longhouse to get some fresh air. Just don’t go running off to the woods again?” she teased.
“I have no reason to run off to the woods. Everything I want is right here,” I said, welling up at the enormity of acknowledging it.
Everything I wanted was here.
AGNARR
I tried not to feel awkward as I stood alone next to a very significant tree stump. Piper asked me to meet her here before the ceremony. It felt like I had been waiting for ages, but it was just nerves. I’d been there mere moments when Piper appeared, heading for me. She was a vision in her finery. Her long cream-colored gown looked buttery soft and had embroidery that matched my own. She wore a deep blue cloak and had her hair intricately braided with winter greenery woven throughout. There was something different about her face that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. As she got closer, I realized her eyelids had a sparkle to them, and her lips were a much richer shade of pink than I was used to. She must have read the puzzled look on my face.
“It’s just makeup.”
“Makeup?”
“Paint that humans sometimes put on their faces? I used to wear it back on Earth. I usually wore some for special occasions. Today counts as a special occasion. Tora said that sometimes orkin women line their eyes for special ceremonies.”
“Does it come off?”
“Yes, it comes off. Do you not like it?” She looked concerned.
“You look stunning, but I prefer your face without paint.” Apparently, this was the right thing to say because it earned me a giant smile.
“Would you like to see the dress?”
“It is amazing,” I responded, admiring the detail up close. It hugged Piper’s curves beautifully. She unclasped her cloak and laid it on the stump, turning her back to me.
I knew nothing about female clothing, but the back of Piper’s dress was more than I was ready for. It wasn’t a back as much as it was alackof a back. It cut in such a deep v that it stopped just above the swell of her ass. The back of the dress perfectly highlighted the mating marks etched down Piper’s spine. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even breathe as I traced the patterns with one gentle finger.
“I’ll take it you like it?” Piper looked over her shoulder at me.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against my chest, pressing kisses down her exposed neck. “Hey, hey, careful of the hair,” she pulled away and turned to face me.
“It is perfect. No one will doubt our status as a mated pair, human or orkin. Is this why you wanted to see me before the ceremony?”
“Yes. You won’t see the back as I walk down the aisle to you. I wanted you to be the first to see it.”
I tried to pull her in for a kiss, but she stopped me, pushing against my chest with her hands. “Ah, not before the ceremony. And you’ll ruin my lipstick.”
“You show up here in that dress, and I’m not allowed to kiss you?” I exclaimed.
“Sorry, not sorry?” was all she said as she gathered her cloak and left me alone again at the edge of the tribe.
PIPER
I was outside the longhouse doing breathing exercises less than an hour after meeting Agnarr at our tree. I was glad I decided to see him before the ceremony. I wanted him to be the first to see the dress. The look on his face was enough to tell me how much he liked it. I couldn’t smell his arousal the way he could mine, but I could tell it was costing him everything not to pull the dress off of me. I smiled to myself.All in good time.Billie, Odin, and Brandr stood with me, waiting for the sign it was time to enter. I couldn’t bring myself to make Odin carry the rings on a weird pillow so he would carry the beautiful box Osif made for my ring open and out in front of him. He took his job very seriously.
The double doors were flung wide and music floated out to where we were huddled. Billie gave me a crushing hug before linking arms with a very confused Brandr and heading toward the doors at a distinctly measured pace. Billie, having been a bridesmaid before, reminded me of the importance of walking slowly. I watched them disappear into the longhouse and then looked down at Odin.
“Are you ready?” I kneeled to his level, so we were eye-to-eye, reminding me of our first meeting. It was only fitting to be here with Odin, the first orc I met.
