This is just the first part of a longer story I have plotted out. Hope you enjoy.
Spoiler!
*Thump*
With a soft grunt, the aged clerk slid the stamped piece of paper across the wooden table, replacing the stamp on a velvet inkpad.
“There you are.” He mumbled, already looking down at the next license application, “All taken care of.”
Sieg blinked in surprise, his large ears twitching slightly as he looked down at the paper, his heart racing, “So… that’s it?”
“Your application is approved. This is your final authorization certificate, as well as your mating and conception of offspring license.”
Sieg felt Marien stiffen a little beside him, her tail twitching nervously and bumping up against his chair. For a few moments the two simply sat there, Marien staring down at the table and Sieg nervously clenching and unclenched his paws against the rough cotton of his pants.
With a heavy sigh the clerk looked up at the two young Basitins sitting across from him, peering at them over the rims of his half moon spectacles, “Was there something else?”
“Well…” Sieg’s throat was very dry as he turned and looked at Marien, his face burning with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, “I… suppose not.”
“Good,” again the clerk looked down at the next form in front of him, jsut one of a titanic stack upon his desk, “You have one week to complete your mating, and to confirm conception of offspring. As this is your first mate, if no child is conceived within the allotted time, you may return here and fill out a special extension and exemption form.” Leaning over his desk the clerk called out, “Next!”
For a moment, Sieg and Marien didn’t move and simply looked to one another. As their eyes met, both began to blush.
With the law allowing for only one week per year for couples to live together and enjoy one another, the normally deserted “Relations and Reproduction Authorization Bureau’ application office was packed. Sieg and Marien had joined the line just before sunrise, and now administrative aides were walking up and down the hallway, lighting torches as the sun began to slip below the horizon.
Before Sieg could ask anything more, there was a gentle, “Ahem” from behind him. Another couple was standing a few paces away, their tails twitching in impatience at the sudden slowdown of the line. The pair was several years older than Sieg and Marien, likely trying for their second or even third child. Many many more couples stood in a line that snaked out of the small office of the , and into the cavernous hallway of the Civilian Administration building.
Hurriedly getting up from their wooden chairs, both Marien and Sieg bowed in apology to the couple behind them.
“Best of luck, long live the king.” the clerk said, his tone so dull and bored, Sieg found it unlikely that the old Basitin even knew or cared about what he was saying anymore.
Her face glowing with anxious embarrassment, Marien hurriedly exited the office. As Sieg started to leave as well, he felt a hand grip his shoulder.
“Hey, hold up a second.”
Sieg turned to see the older male standing behind him, Sieg’s license in his hand.
“You forgot this.” the man said, waving the papers gently, “Wouldn’t want to go ahead without the paperwork, would you?”
“O-of course not.” Sieg stammered, taking the license from the man's hand and gently folding it into a pocket of his tunic, “Th-thank you sir.”
“First time?”
Despite the immense indecency of such a question, Sieg nodded quickly, “Y-yes.”
“Good for you.” The male leaned forward and spoke quietly in Sieg’s ear. “Forgive me, but may I offer a small piece of advice to you son?”
“Kent, leave the poor boy alone.” the man’s wife scoffed.
Judging by his stature and physique, Sieg could tell that the man was obviously a soldier, likely an officer judging by the quality of his clothes. Swallowing hard, and not wishing to be rude, Sieg nodded, “I suppose so.”
“You have the pamphlet I assume.”
Again, Sieg’s heart felt like it would leap from his chest. He had, of course, been given the government issued pamphlet regarding mating when he and Marien had first started the process of applying to become mates. Though the material within had been extremely light on details, and had been little more than suggestive text, Sieg had found the feelings it aroused in him to be distinctly uncomfortable. Still… from time to time he had dug it out from under his mattress and flipped through it, his thoughts drifting to his beloved Marien as he did.
“Yes sir.” he answered at last.
The male smiled warmly, patting Sieg on the shoulder as he whispered, “Good. Throw it out.”
Sieg’s eyes grew wide, “Throw it out?”
“You can focus on ‘efficiency’ later. Take the time to get to really know one another. It’s your first time, you only get one of those in your entire life, so enjoy it. ”
“But...”
The male smiled and stepped away, “Just my advice young one, do with it as you will.”
With a bewildered, slightly shell-shocked nod, Sieg turned and walked away.
“What was that about?” the female asked as Kent took his seat beside her, raising an eyebrow at the mischievous smile on her mate’s face.
“Nothing dearest.” He replied, taking her hand, “Just giving him the same advice your father gave me.”
“Oh Kent… you didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Oh that poor girl… that poor boy…”
“They’ll be fine.” Kent replied, his face cracking into a grin, “Who knows, they might even have some fun.”
****
By the time Sieg arrived back at his apartment, the sun had slipped below the horizon, and thick dark clouds had blown up from the sea and over the city.
As he stood at the doorway into his room, Sieg felt his knees wobble a little. His apartment was small, but a single room with a fireplace against one wall, a small desk against another, and a tiny table and chair in the center. What few personal items he possessed sat upon a few small shelves, and on a hook beside the door was his helmet. What truly made him gulp was the sight of his bed.
With a deep breath to calm his nerves, Sieg stepped inside, hung up his cloak, and set to work. Vibrating with nervous excitement he began rushing around, getting a fire lit and tidying things he had tidied many many times over the past few days. He was a hurricane, sweeping and scrubbing, making certain that everything was perfectly straight and neat.
As he finished tucking in the sheets of his bed for the fourth time, Sieg paused. Slowly, he reached under his mattress and withdrew the dark blue pamphlet. On the front, in small, unassuming letters, were written the words: “Procreation for the Continuation of the Basitin Species: An Overview.”
“Procreation is a necessary act in order to facilitate the continuation of the Basitin Species.” Sieg read to himself, flipping the pamphlet open and peering at the first page, “Unlike both humans and Keidran, the Basitin Kingdom considers these carnal realities to be an essential part of service to the nation, rather than self indulgent pleasure. With this in mind… a mating pair should strive for the greatest possible efficiency when...” Sieg gulped, “When conducting physical intercourse.”
***
Even through her heavy oilskin cloak, Marien still felt a chill as cold, heavy rain poured down from the sky. She moved as quickly as she could without running, making her way through the twisting city streets towards the male quarter.
Despite the dark and the rain, the city was still very much alive. During the one week per year when mating was legal, the city became a very different place. Males and females mingled together, walking down the streets together, some even going as far as to hold hands. Even through the sound of the rain, Marien’s sensitive ears could hear the voices and moans of other couples in the buildings around her.
While Sieg had his own apartment, Marien lived with four other females, so having him come to her place was out of the question. Though technically she and Sieg had been married for several months, they had been unable to spend more than a few hours together at a time.
When the topic of Sieg came up, her housemates had been eager to tease her.
“Bring him over.” they had teased, “We want to see what he looks like.”
“He must be handsome, the way you blush when you talk about him.”
“Is it true he’s part Keidran?”
“You haven’t seen him since your marriage? You mean you haven’t done anything yet? How conservative of you.”
As she turned onto the street where Sieg lived and caught sight of the window of his apartment, Marien paused for a moment. Her heart beat fast, her stomach did flip flops, but… there was something else as well, something deeper down.
Her whole life, Marien had had to fight against what others thought of her. Her grandmother had been a Western Basitin, and while her mother had managed to pass as normal, Marien had been cursed with telltale dark fur and soft aqua eyes. Unlike the Eastern Basitins, the Westerners were an open, sensuous people, who cared little for the puritanical values of the East. As a result, Marien had been scorned and looked down on, whispers and accusations had followed her throughout her entire life. She’d even been called a whore more than once, and though she had made short work of her accusers in the resulting duels, the suggestion that she was some sort of harlot had haunted her. So while some of her schoolmates and housemates had snuck out at night, engaging in risky and indecent escapades, Marien had never allowed herself to take part.
But as she stood on the street corner, catching the off glimpse of her beloved Sieg as he rushed around, making certain that his apartment was perfect, she felt a powerful warmth rising up within her.
She loved him, and dammit, tonight that was all that mattered. Tradition, laws, the judgements of others, they could all jump in the sea for all she cared. She was going to enjoy herself dammit, and there was nothing wrong with that.
“All right.” She whispered to herself, squaring her shoulders, “I am Marien Kolvest” she muttered to herself, “I am a Basitin, I am a soldier, and I am the wife of Sieg Kolvest, and tonight is the night. Let's do this.”
With a deep breath, she marched across the street.
***
The sound of a gentle knock on Sieg’s door made him jump, the pamphlet flying out of his hands and dropping to the floor.
“W-who is it?” Sieg called out, hurriedly rushing over to pick up the pamphlet.
“It’s me.” Marien’s gentle voice replied, “May I come in?”
As Sieg bent down and retrieved the pamphlet from the ground, he paused.
“Sieg?”
With a deep breath, Sieg picked up the pamphlet and flung it into the fire. As the pages crinkled and vanished into flames, he turned towards the door, “Come in.”
With a low creak the door opened, and Marien stepped inside, shaking droplets of rain from the long cloak she wore. As she reached up and pulled the hood back, Sieg’s breath caught in his chest.
Marien’s fur was darker than most other Basitins, the result of some western blood somewhere in her lineage. While Marien’s impure heritage led many other Basitins to turn up their noses at her, Sieg had always found it alluring.
But it wasn’t her fur, or her eyes, or her beautiful chestnut hair that made Sieg pause. Standing there, in his doorway, was the woman he loved, the woman who had chosen him, that he had fallen for, that he had married despite the vocal opposition of his father and his mother. There were no more rules standing between them, no more paperwork, no more anything… it was just them, together, in that moment.
In a flash all of the words they’d prepared, all of the gestures they’d intended to make, simply vanished. The piece of beef that Sieg had saved up for weeks to buy for their first meal together, sat completely forgotten on the counter. The special bottle of wine he had bribed his neighbor for sat on the table, utterly unnoticed. The two simply stared, their eyes locked on one another.
Their movements were stiff, almost mechanical, their eyes never once leaving on another. Before either of them knew it, they were both kneeling on Sieg’s bed, their faces mere inches apart. The Rest of the world faded away, nothing else mattered in the slightest.
Sieg’s heart thumped against his ribs as he spoke, “I… uh…”
Marien nodded quickly, “Yes… me too.”
“S-so this is it?”
“Marien nodded, her tail thumping rhythmically against the mattress as her chest rose and fell quickly, “I think so.”
“So uh…. What do we do now?”
Marien gulped, “I was hoping you’d tell me.”
“Y-you don’t know?”
“I mean…. I never really… asked.” The redness of her face was visible even through her dark fur.
“M-me neither.”
“D-don’t you have the pamphlet they gave us?”
Sieg froze, “I uh… No... I…. I burned it.”
Marien blinked in surprise, “You what?!”
“I burned it.”
“W-why would you do that?!”
“I don’t know…” Sieg moaned. With a heavy sigh he looked down at his hands, “I’m sorry… This is just so… I don’t know. I wanted it to be special...”
“Oh Sieg...” With a sigh and a warm smile, Marien reached out and gently lifted Sieg’s chin so that he met her eyes. As they met, she leaned in and kissed him.
“It is special.” Marien said, breaking off the kiss and smiling at Sieg, “Because it is with you.”
“I love you Marien.”
“I love you Sieg.”
“So… what should we do?”
“Well… I suppose… these clothes are going to… get in the way.” Marien reached down and undid the clasp holding her ankle bindings.
Sieg felt as if his heart was going to break his ribs as he nodded quickly, "Right." Hurriedly he pulled his shirt over his head.
Marien felt a rush as she looked at Sieg's bare chest. She had never told him, but she had seen him shirtless once before, while he was swimming with some of the soldiers in his unit. Now, as then, the sight of his muscles created a warm tingling feeling in her belly.
Bracing herself, she reached up and began releasing the clasps of her tunic.
“Wait, I think I should…” Imitating a move he had witnessed once before, Sieg reached out his hands and touched Marien’s ear.
With a gasp Marien pulled back, the sudden rush of sensation flooding through her body startling her. Sieg, equally surprised, instinctually tightened his grip. With a loud yelp of pain, Marien reared back, dragging Sieg with her, her tunic tearing open. In an almighty tangle of limbs and sheets, the two tumbled off Sieg’s bed and crashed to the floor.
Frantically pulling his head free of a sheet, Sieg cupped Marien’s face in his hands, “Are you okay?”
“Ow…” Marien groaned, “That hurt.”
Sieg pushed his forehead against Marien’s. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Oh I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay Sieg, it’s okay, I’m fine.”
With a relieved sigh, Sieg lowered his head, resting his forehead against Marien’s bare chest, “Thank goodness.”
They lay together on the floor, their bodies not so much intertwined as much as they were bound together by a mass of blankets and sheets. After a moment, as the sheer ridiculousness of their situation set in, they both began to laugh. Soon both were unable to breath, each holding the other and laughing.
Eventually the laughing faded, tuning to gentle, tender chuckles
As she fought to catch her breath, all of a sudden Marien’s eyes widened, “Uh… Sieg…”
“Yeah?”
“What… what is that I feel.”
Sieg froze, his face turning red again as he looked down, “I… um…well...”
Again, the two met each other's gaze. Then, as if on a signal, the two pulled each other close. The next few moments were frantic, garments torn off and flung aside. Doubt, embarrassment, unease, all were tossed aside.
***
“So?”
“Hmmm?”
“How was it?”
Marien smiled and planted a kiss on Sieg’s nose, “It was nice.”
“Yeah… it was.”
Sieg and Marien lay in front of the fire, nothing but a sheet covering them. Sieg lay on his back, while Marien lay on top of him, her chin resting on his chest. The candle on the table had long since burned down to nothing but a stump. The fire was little more than coals now, casting a warm glow across the room.
“So what should we do now?” Sieg asked, gently stroking Marien’s ears.
“Mmmmmm… Sleep.”
“You wanna… you know, again?”
Marien chuckled, tracing patterns in the fur of Sieg’s chest with her finger, “Three times wasn’t isn’t enough for you?”
“Yes… No… I don’t know.”
“We have a week love, no need to hurry.”
“I don’t want to do anything else for the rest of my life.” Sieg wrapped his arms around Marien and held her close, “I don’t want you to go… I can't imagine not seeing you for most of the year.”
“We’ll have our chances.”
For a long time the two simply lay together, each listening to the heart beat of the other.
“I can’t believe you burned the pamphlet.” Marien chuckled to herself as her eyes started to drift closed.
“I think it went alright.” Sieg muttered, his eyes also sliding closed.
“Yeah…”
“Think we’ll have a child.”
Marien smiled to herself, “I hope so…”
“Me too…”
And as the world turned, as wars were fought, plans were hatched, lives were saved and hearts were broken, in one small apartment, on an island in the sea, in the light of a dying fire, two young lovers fell asleep, dreaming of what might come next.
With a soft grunt, the aged clerk slid the stamped piece of paper across the wooden table, replacing the stamp on a velvet inkpad.
“There you are.” He mumbled, already looking down at the next license application, “All taken care of.”
Sieg blinked in surprise, his large ears twitching slightly as he looked down at the paper, his heart racing, “So… that’s it?”
“Your application is approved. This is your final authorization certificate, as well as your mating and conception of offspring license.”
Sieg felt Marien stiffen a little beside him, her tail twitching nervously and bumping up against his chair. For a few moments the two simply sat there, Marien staring down at the table and Sieg nervously clenching and unclenched his paws against the rough cotton of his pants.
With a heavy sigh the clerk looked up at the two young Basitins sitting across from him, peering at them over the rims of his half moon spectacles, “Was there something else?”
“Well…” Sieg’s throat was very dry as he turned and looked at Marien, his face burning with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, “I… suppose not.”
“Good,” again the clerk looked down at the next form in front of him, jsut one of a titanic stack upon his desk, “You have one week to complete your mating, and to confirm conception of offspring. As this is your first mate, if no child is conceived within the allotted time, you may return here and fill out a special extension and exemption form.” Leaning over his desk the clerk called out, “Next!”
For a moment, Sieg and Marien didn’t move and simply looked to one another. As their eyes met, both began to blush.
With the law allowing for only one week per year for couples to live together and enjoy one another, the normally deserted “Relations and Reproduction Authorization Bureau’ application office was packed. Sieg and Marien had joined the line just before sunrise, and now administrative aides were walking up and down the hallway, lighting torches as the sun began to slip below the horizon.
Before Sieg could ask anything more, there was a gentle, “Ahem” from behind him. Another couple was standing a few paces away, their tails twitching in impatience at the sudden slowdown of the line. The pair was several years older than Sieg and Marien, likely trying for their second or even third child. Many many more couples stood in a line that snaked out of the small office of the , and into the cavernous hallway of the Civilian Administration building.
Hurriedly getting up from their wooden chairs, both Marien and Sieg bowed in apology to the couple behind them.
“Best of luck, long live the king.” the clerk said, his tone so dull and bored, Sieg found it unlikely that the old Basitin even knew or cared about what he was saying anymore.
Her face glowing with anxious embarrassment, Marien hurriedly exited the office. As Sieg started to leave as well, he felt a hand grip his shoulder.
“Hey, hold up a second.”
Sieg turned to see the older male standing behind him, Sieg’s license in his hand.
“You forgot this.” the man said, waving the papers gently, “Wouldn’t want to go ahead without the paperwork, would you?”
“O-of course not.” Sieg stammered, taking the license from the man's hand and gently folding it into a pocket of his tunic, “Th-thank you sir.”
“First time?”
Despite the immense indecency of such a question, Sieg nodded quickly, “Y-yes.”
“Good for you.” The male leaned forward and spoke quietly in Sieg’s ear. “Forgive me, but may I offer a small piece of advice to you son?”
“Kent, leave the poor boy alone.” the man’s wife scoffed.
Judging by his stature and physique, Sieg could tell that the man was obviously a soldier, likely an officer judging by the quality of his clothes. Swallowing hard, and not wishing to be rude, Sieg nodded, “I suppose so.”
“You have the pamphlet I assume.”
Again, Sieg’s heart felt like it would leap from his chest. He had, of course, been given the government issued pamphlet regarding mating when he and Marien had first started the process of applying to become mates. Though the material within had been extremely light on details, and had been little more than suggestive text, Sieg had found the feelings it aroused in him to be distinctly uncomfortable. Still… from time to time he had dug it out from under his mattress and flipped through it, his thoughts drifting to his beloved Marien as he did.
“Yes sir.” he answered at last.
The male smiled warmly, patting Sieg on the shoulder as he whispered, “Good. Throw it out.”
Sieg’s eyes grew wide, “Throw it out?”
“You can focus on ‘efficiency’ later. Take the time to get to really know one another. It’s your first time, you only get one of those in your entire life, so enjoy it. ”
“But...”
The male smiled and stepped away, “Just my advice young one, do with it as you will.”
With a bewildered, slightly shell-shocked nod, Sieg turned and walked away.
“What was that about?” the female asked as Kent took his seat beside her, raising an eyebrow at the mischievous smile on her mate’s face.
“Nothing dearest.” He replied, taking her hand, “Just giving him the same advice your father gave me.”
“Oh Kent… you didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Oh that poor girl… that poor boy…”
“They’ll be fine.” Kent replied, his face cracking into a grin, “Who knows, they might even have some fun.”
****
By the time Sieg arrived back at his apartment, the sun had slipped below the horizon, and thick dark clouds had blown up from the sea and over the city.
As he stood at the doorway into his room, Sieg felt his knees wobble a little. His apartment was small, but a single room with a fireplace against one wall, a small desk against another, and a tiny table and chair in the center. What few personal items he possessed sat upon a few small shelves, and on a hook beside the door was his helmet. What truly made him gulp was the sight of his bed.
With a deep breath to calm his nerves, Sieg stepped inside, hung up his cloak, and set to work. Vibrating with nervous excitement he began rushing around, getting a fire lit and tidying things he had tidied many many times over the past few days. He was a hurricane, sweeping and scrubbing, making certain that everything was perfectly straight and neat.
As he finished tucking in the sheets of his bed for the fourth time, Sieg paused. Slowly, he reached under his mattress and withdrew the dark blue pamphlet. On the front, in small, unassuming letters, were written the words: “Procreation for the Continuation of the Basitin Species: An Overview.”
“Procreation is a necessary act in order to facilitate the continuation of the Basitin Species.” Sieg read to himself, flipping the pamphlet open and peering at the first page, “Unlike both humans and Keidran, the Basitin Kingdom considers these carnal realities to be an essential part of service to the nation, rather than self indulgent pleasure. With this in mind… a mating pair should strive for the greatest possible efficiency when...” Sieg gulped, “When conducting physical intercourse.”
***
Even through her heavy oilskin cloak, Marien still felt a chill as cold, heavy rain poured down from the sky. She moved as quickly as she could without running, making her way through the twisting city streets towards the male quarter.
Despite the dark and the rain, the city was still very much alive. During the one week per year when mating was legal, the city became a very different place. Males and females mingled together, walking down the streets together, some even going as far as to hold hands. Even through the sound of the rain, Marien’s sensitive ears could hear the voices and moans of other couples in the buildings around her.
While Sieg had his own apartment, Marien lived with four other females, so having him come to her place was out of the question. Though technically she and Sieg had been married for several months, they had been unable to spend more than a few hours together at a time.
When the topic of Sieg came up, her housemates had been eager to tease her.
“Bring him over.” they had teased, “We want to see what he looks like.”
“He must be handsome, the way you blush when you talk about him.”
“Is it true he’s part Keidran?”
“You haven’t seen him since your marriage? You mean you haven’t done anything yet? How conservative of you.”
As she turned onto the street where Sieg lived and caught sight of the window of his apartment, Marien paused for a moment. Her heart beat fast, her stomach did flip flops, but… there was something else as well, something deeper down.
Her whole life, Marien had had to fight against what others thought of her. Her grandmother had been a Western Basitin, and while her mother had managed to pass as normal, Marien had been cursed with telltale dark fur and soft aqua eyes. Unlike the Eastern Basitins, the Westerners were an open, sensuous people, who cared little for the puritanical values of the East. As a result, Marien had been scorned and looked down on, whispers and accusations had followed her throughout her entire life. She’d even been called a whore more than once, and though she had made short work of her accusers in the resulting duels, the suggestion that she was some sort of harlot had haunted her. So while some of her schoolmates and housemates had snuck out at night, engaging in risky and indecent escapades, Marien had never allowed herself to take part.
But as she stood on the street corner, catching the off glimpse of her beloved Sieg as he rushed around, making certain that his apartment was perfect, she felt a powerful warmth rising up within her.
She loved him, and dammit, tonight that was all that mattered. Tradition, laws, the judgements of others, they could all jump in the sea for all she cared. She was going to enjoy herself dammit, and there was nothing wrong with that.
“All right.” She whispered to herself, squaring her shoulders, “I am Marien Kolvest” she muttered to herself, “I am a Basitin, I am a soldier, and I am the wife of Sieg Kolvest, and tonight is the night. Let's do this.”
With a deep breath, she marched across the street.
***
The sound of a gentle knock on Sieg’s door made him jump, the pamphlet flying out of his hands and dropping to the floor.
“W-who is it?” Sieg called out, hurriedly rushing over to pick up the pamphlet.
“It’s me.” Marien’s gentle voice replied, “May I come in?”
As Sieg bent down and retrieved the pamphlet from the ground, he paused.
“Sieg?”
With a deep breath, Sieg picked up the pamphlet and flung it into the fire. As the pages crinkled and vanished into flames, he turned towards the door, “Come in.”
With a low creak the door opened, and Marien stepped inside, shaking droplets of rain from the long cloak she wore. As she reached up and pulled the hood back, Sieg’s breath caught in his chest.
Marien’s fur was darker than most other Basitins, the result of some western blood somewhere in her lineage. While Marien’s impure heritage led many other Basitins to turn up their noses at her, Sieg had always found it alluring.
But it wasn’t her fur, or her eyes, or her beautiful chestnut hair that made Sieg pause. Standing there, in his doorway, was the woman he loved, the woman who had chosen him, that he had fallen for, that he had married despite the vocal opposition of his father and his mother. There were no more rules standing between them, no more paperwork, no more anything… it was just them, together, in that moment.
In a flash all of the words they’d prepared, all of the gestures they’d intended to make, simply vanished. The piece of beef that Sieg had saved up for weeks to buy for their first meal together, sat completely forgotten on the counter. The special bottle of wine he had bribed his neighbor for sat on the table, utterly unnoticed. The two simply stared, their eyes locked on one another.
Their movements were stiff, almost mechanical, their eyes never once leaving on another. Before either of them knew it, they were both kneeling on Sieg’s bed, their faces mere inches apart. The Rest of the world faded away, nothing else mattered in the slightest.
Sieg’s heart thumped against his ribs as he spoke, “I… uh…”
Marien nodded quickly, “Yes… me too.”
“S-so this is it?”
“Marien nodded, her tail thumping rhythmically against the mattress as her chest rose and fell quickly, “I think so.”
“So uh…. What do we do now?”
Marien gulped, “I was hoping you’d tell me.”
“Y-you don’t know?”
“I mean…. I never really… asked.” The redness of her face was visible even through her dark fur.
“M-me neither.”
“D-don’t you have the pamphlet they gave us?”
Sieg froze, “I uh… No... I…. I burned it.”
Marien blinked in surprise, “You what?!”
“I burned it.”
“W-why would you do that?!”
“I don’t know…” Sieg moaned. With a heavy sigh he looked down at his hands, “I’m sorry… This is just so… I don’t know. I wanted it to be special...”
“Oh Sieg...” With a sigh and a warm smile, Marien reached out and gently lifted Sieg’s chin so that he met her eyes. As they met, she leaned in and kissed him.
“It is special.” Marien said, breaking off the kiss and smiling at Sieg, “Because it is with you.”
“I love you Marien.”
“I love you Sieg.”
“So… what should we do?”
“Well… I suppose… these clothes are going to… get in the way.” Marien reached down and undid the clasp holding her ankle bindings.
Sieg felt as if his heart was going to break his ribs as he nodded quickly, "Right." Hurriedly he pulled his shirt over his head.
Marien felt a rush as she looked at Sieg's bare chest. She had never told him, but she had seen him shirtless once before, while he was swimming with some of the soldiers in his unit. Now, as then, the sight of his muscles created a warm tingling feeling in her belly.
Bracing herself, she reached up and began releasing the clasps of her tunic.
“Wait, I think I should…” Imitating a move he had witnessed once before, Sieg reached out his hands and touched Marien’s ear.
With a gasp Marien pulled back, the sudden rush of sensation flooding through her body startling her. Sieg, equally surprised, instinctually tightened his grip. With a loud yelp of pain, Marien reared back, dragging Sieg with her, her tunic tearing open. In an almighty tangle of limbs and sheets, the two tumbled off Sieg’s bed and crashed to the floor.
Frantically pulling his head free of a sheet, Sieg cupped Marien’s face in his hands, “Are you okay?”
“Ow…” Marien groaned, “That hurt.”
Sieg pushed his forehead against Marien’s. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Oh I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay Sieg, it’s okay, I’m fine.”
With a relieved sigh, Sieg lowered his head, resting his forehead against Marien’s bare chest, “Thank goodness.”
They lay together on the floor, their bodies not so much intertwined as much as they were bound together by a mass of blankets and sheets. After a moment, as the sheer ridiculousness of their situation set in, they both began to laugh. Soon both were unable to breath, each holding the other and laughing.
Eventually the laughing faded, tuning to gentle, tender chuckles
As she fought to catch her breath, all of a sudden Marien’s eyes widened, “Uh… Sieg…”
“Yeah?”
“What… what is that I feel.”
Sieg froze, his face turning red again as he looked down, “I… um…well...”
Again, the two met each other's gaze. Then, as if on a signal, the two pulled each other close. The next few moments were frantic, garments torn off and flung aside. Doubt, embarrassment, unease, all were tossed aside.
***
“So?”
“Hmmm?”
“How was it?”
Marien smiled and planted a kiss on Sieg’s nose, “It was nice.”
“Yeah… it was.”
Sieg and Marien lay in front of the fire, nothing but a sheet covering them. Sieg lay on his back, while Marien lay on top of him, her chin resting on his chest. The candle on the table had long since burned down to nothing but a stump. The fire was little more than coals now, casting a warm glow across the room.
“So what should we do now?” Sieg asked, gently stroking Marien’s ears.
“Mmmmmm… Sleep.”
“You wanna… you know, again?”
Marien chuckled, tracing patterns in the fur of Sieg’s chest with her finger, “Three times wasn’t isn’t enough for you?”
“Yes… No… I don’t know.”
“We have a week love, no need to hurry.”
“I don’t want to do anything else for the rest of my life.” Sieg wrapped his arms around Marien and held her close, “I don’t want you to go… I can't imagine not seeing you for most of the year.”
“We’ll have our chances.”
For a long time the two simply lay together, each listening to the heart beat of the other.
“I can’t believe you burned the pamphlet.” Marien chuckled to herself as her eyes started to drift closed.
“I think it went alright.” Sieg muttered, his eyes also sliding closed.
“Yeah…”
“Think we’ll have a child.”
Marien smiled to herself, “I hope so…”
“Me too…”
And as the world turned, as wars were fought, plans were hatched, lives were saved and hearts were broken, in one small apartment, on an island in the sea, in the light of a dying fire, two young lovers fell asleep, dreaming of what might come next.