The sailors cheered and ran to the starboard of the ship. The captain wrapped his arm around Mira’s shoulder and led her towards the side of the boat. Red painted barrels fell off the side of the ship and plunged into the water. Mira looked between the water and Bobabano in confusion. As the barrels drifted further into the dark water away from the lights of the ship. Bobabano pointed to the one furthest away and grinned mischievously.
“They’re full of powder,” He shrugged, “Should make a fun explosion.”
Mira’s eyes grew wide despite her words, “That seems wasteful.”
“They’re wet from when the boat tipped over. I can’t depend on them if we get in a battle. So, instead of tossing them…” He shrugged, “Happy birthday.”
“I wonder how big the explosion will be,” The whimsy in her whisper made him smile, “Am I really allowed to?”
“Huh, I don’t know,” He teased as he scratched his chin, “Wouldn’t it be dangerous if—”
The explosion rocked the ship. Mira dug her fingernails into the railing as she cackled madly. She flung another ball of flame at the next barrel and the burst sparkled out over the water.
“That one must have been damper.”
“I’m having so much fun,” She tucked a stray curl behind her ear, “Thank you, Bobabano.”
“Anything for you, my queen. Do you want tomorrow to be your birthday as well?”
“That’s not how birthdays work, silly,” She playfully bumped her hip against him, “I don’t know how you’ll top this next year.”
“The whole country will celebrate you then,” He held onto his cap as another explosion sent a blast of air towards them, “I’m sure it’ll be even better once I’m your primary.”
“Is that how you want me to thank you?”
Bobabano blinked, “What?”
“You want me to claim you as my primary, right?” She shyly looked away from him, “Is that how you want me to thank you for tonight?”
“You’d make that type of decision based on—”
Mira grabbed his face in her hands and held his gaze on her. Her normally cold eyes were warm and glossy from the alcohol. She burped a bit and both of them laughed. His hands held her wrist in place as she stared into his dark eyes.
“You are my closest friend, Bo. I care about you. I know it’s something you want,” She blushed and looked away, “If that would make you happy, then… then I will do it.”
“Really?” He hesitated for a moment, “Or are you saying that because you’re drunk?”
“I wouldn’t joke about something like that,” Mira snorted and patted his face, “It means too much to you.”
“You’d truly claim me?”
“You want me to save your people, right? If it would make you happy, then… yes.”
Bobabano pulled her face to his and kissed her. She deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He lifted her onto the railing and held her against him to negotiate their awkward height difference. When he pulled away from their embrace, she rested her head against his chest.
“Let’s just get married, then.”
“What?” Mira barked in laughter before she realized he was serious, “Why would we do that? We don’t even love each other.”
He winced but tried to hide it, “It would translate over as a claim. My aunt couldn’t deny—”
“Bobabano Cauldronbone,” She shook her head, “Are you telling me you’re scared that your aunt will try something? Even if we got married, your own people would be angry that you took the cowardly way to a claim instead of stepping up to champion it yourself.”
“I’m not scared of that,” He laughed wryly at the truth she spat at him, “I’m worried… about something else.”
“What could possibly scare you so much?” She worriedly furrowed her brow, “Tell me.”
He frowned, “Your fr—”
“Mira!” Ravenna giggled as she slashed towards them, “Blow up the next one!”
“Right!” She twisted without hesitation to throw another fireball.
Mira squealed as she lost her balance from the railing. Bobabano tried to grab her as she toppled over the railing with a flaming hand. It singed his fingers and, without a moment of hesitation, jumped in after her. People rushed to the side of the deck with torches to light his descent into darkness. As the icy water collided against him, he felt a source of warmth in the water. He heard a girlish giggle in the water as he swam closer to her. They met under the water. He wrapped an arm around her waist and swam them to the surface.
“You know I can fly now, right?” Mira teased, “That’s okay. I forget sometimes too.”
“You fell off my ship, you drunk.”
Black wings stretched out from her as she scooped him from the water. She slowly flapped upwards until the soaked pair stepped onto the deck again. She laid against the floor dramatically and yawned.
“Ravenna, there weren’t any barrels left!” Mira said in a singsongy voice, “I got wet for no reason.”
“You could’ve just looked!” The woman clutched her chest, “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
Mira stretched against the deck and covered her mouth as she yawned. After a fit of coughing, the wings fizzled away. She pulled her hands back from her mouth to check for the black sludge. When it wasn’t there, she sighed happily.
Bobabano knelt next to her, “Are you ready for bed?”
“Yes,” She said softly as he picked her up, “Should I have not drank as much? I can burn it from—”
“No, you’re fine. I just forget you’re not used to liquor like some of us,” He wiped wet hair from her face, “It’ll be sunrise in a few hours, anyway.”
“Can we sleep on the boat?” She whispered.
“Why?”
“Can I tell you later?”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Bobabano nodded and looked up at the skeletal ship crew, “Alright, our fun’s over. Back to dock. Ravenna will need an escort back to the palace. Lady Mira and I will be here tonight.”
Tiero furrowed his brow in confusion before he shook his head. Bo carried Mira towards the captain’s quarters of the ship. Once he opened the door and stepped in, he let her feet touch the ground again.
“You like carrying me, don’t you?” She grabbed a towel and rang the water out of her hair.
“You are so light. It’s hardly different from holding my arms in place,” He grinned, “Besides, why did you want to stay here?”
“The bed is… smaller.”
“Oh, you just want to cuddle up to me?”
She snorted, “The room is… it’s too big. I wanted a smaller one.”
“I see. We don’t have any clothes here, though. All of them were moved to the palace.”
“Can they not bring us more in the morning?”
“Do you plan to heat up our clothes until then?”
Mira shrugged.
“Is there… another reason you wanted to stay here?”
She looked at the floor and turned away from him, “It feels safer here.”
“Safer?”
“I don’t know how to explain it,” She crossed her arms, “I think better when there’s just… less. My entire existence fits in a small bag. My rooms were barely large enough to fit a bed. Having so much space is—”
“Overstimulating? I see,” Bobabano walked over and hugged her, “You don’t have somewhere you can hide anymore.”
She shyly looked away from him and nodded.
“Well, you can use my room as much as you want.”
“Really?”
“As your primary, whatever is mine is yours,” He rubbed her back, “Come here to escape if you need to. I’m sure nobody will notice.”
“Thank you, Bobabano,” Mira rested the back of her head against his chest, “For everything.”
Her sleepy amber eyes blinked up at him. It felt effortless to lean down and kiss her again. He didn’t know when she stopped stiffening to him, but he happily took the affection she gave him. When Mira met his kiss with her own hunger, he turned her to face him. His mind wandered to his own desires as her hand slid down his chest.
“You’re a phenomenal kisser,” She whispered with a small chuckle, “But you know that, don’t you?”
“I’ve been told,” He nuzzled his face into her neck, “You’re not so bad yourself.”
“Now I feel like you’re lying,” Her airless laugh pulled him in closer.
“I can hardly keep myself off you, you know,” Bobabano’s hands gripped her hips and pulled her closer, “You’re intoxicating and delicious.”
Mira kissed him again and stood on her toes to reach him. He gripped her hair and pulled only enough to separate their mouths so he could trail down her neck. She squeaked lightly as he licked across her collarbone. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as he lifted her up. Their eyes met for only a moment before she kissed him again. Bobabano did not expect her to initiate so enthusiastically.
His hands found the edges of her shirt and ripped it open. He cupped her small breasts over the lacy bra she wore.
“I see you’re putting my gifts to good use,” He whispered in her ear as his hand slid down her body, “Is it a matching pair?”
Mira’s furious blush couldn’t be hidden from him. He slid the wet shirt from her torso kissed down her. She tugged at his shirt and he quickly ripped it off.
“We may need to undress. Our clothes are drenched, after all,” He purred in her ear, “We wouldn’t want to catch a cold, would we?”
“That would be a shame,” She nodded as he slid her pants down.
The pair stumbled towards the bed as their lips continued to meet. She clawed his back as he bit into her neck. Mira fought against going limp in his arms when he carried her. He worked the lacy contraption away from her breasts and threw her on the bed. Bobabano pulled his own pants down and position himself on top of her. He cupped her head in one hand as the other traveled down her naked body.
“Goddess, Mira,” He kissed her again, “I never imagined that—”
Bobabano paused and looked into her eyes. She blankly stared back at him. The stoic, unemotional face despite his efforts was the exact opposite of what he expected. He sighed and nuzzled his face into her hair. She tensed against him once more and he knew he couldn’t. He stopped completely and put a bit of space between them.
“Sober yourself, please.”
Bo sat beside her and grabbed her hand. He felt a flare of her heat as she burned the alcohol from her system. Her confusion showed as she sat up and titled her head.
“Mira,” He took a deep breath and sighed, “Do… do you even want this?”
“I don’t understand the question.”
“Sex? Mira, we were literally moments away from it and you just… disappeared from me,” He pursed his lips and squeezed her hand, “It seems your mind is elsewhere. Is something wrong?”
“I thought you—” She blushed and covered her face, “Earlier you said you wanted—wanted to—”
“Mira,” He pulled her head to his chest, “Are you doing this because you think it’s what I want?”
When she didn’t respond, he sighed and pulled a blanket over her.
“My mermiana. My sweet queen,” He kissed the top of her head, “Of course I want to make love to you.”
“Then why did you stop? I thought—”
“I don’t want to just use your body like that, Mira,” He shook his head, “Silly woman, I want you to want to make love to me.”
“I just—”
“Thought getting drunk and throwing yourself at me would make me feel better?” He laughed coldly, “I wouldn’t take advantage of you like that. I’m offended you think so poorly of me.”
“That’s not what I meant, Bo,” She met his gaze, “I know you want more from me. I want you to be happy. Even tonight, you asked me to marry you right after I agreed to claim you.”
“If I knew asking you that could scare you so badly, I wouldn’t have said anything,” He rubbed a thumb against her cheek, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s just… a lot for me to process. I’m trying to be more open about my feelings. Right now,” She the mark on his chest, “I am trying to give you what I know I can.”
“I don’t want you to just give yourself away in pity.”
“It’s not pity,” Mira frowned, “How can I explain?”
She grabbed both of his hands and held them.
“I wasn’t allowed anything close to friends as a thrall. I haven’t experienced what the ‘normal’ is. I don’t know what this is. I have no reference for what this should look like,” She closed her eyes, “I just want my friends to be safe and happy.”
“Mira, we do not act like friends,” He whispered.
She furrowed her brow.
“Friends, especially between men and women, do not share a bed and act as physically affectionate as we do,” He chuckled, “That’s what lovers do.”
“Lovers?” She blinked as if she hadn’t had the thought before.
“Yes,” Ignoring the hit to his pride, he looked into her confused amber eyes, “Normally when a man and woman act as we do, they are lovers or quickly turn into them. Is that really that surprising?”
“I… guess not,” Mira looked away from his gaze, “I have not had enough experience to understand this. I apologize.”
He chuckled at her quick apology, “Am I pushing you too much?”
“I don’t know when I’ll be ready to do something like this,” She motioned between them, “I tried to be ready because I know it’s something you want. I didn’t know that you would feel this way. I’m sorry.”
“Mira, we can wait,” He smiled softly to reassure her, “Even if it’s until the night we consummate your claim, I’ll wait.”
Bobabano wanted her to speak again. She just placed a hand on his mark. He felt her tremble against him as her own swirling mind tried to comprehend what she wanted.
“I see that you’re trying to be more comfortable with me,” His hand covered hers, “I know it’s hard. Thank you for trying.”
Her fingers intertwined with his, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have drank so much. I thought it would help with my hesitations.”
“Why?”
“I… like how you make me feel but—” She pursed her lips before she shook her head, “I thought the alcohol might relax me enough.”
“Don’t drink yourself stupid just to sleep with me,” He laughed and squeezed her against him, “From now on, I won’t entertain the idea unless we’re both sober. Is that a fair deal?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” He brushed the hair from her face and winked, “When you claim me as your primary, I’m sure you won’t be able to keep your hands off me anyway.”
Mira snorted at his wink, “You act as if you’re so sure you’d visit between your travels.”
“I would retire and take my place at the side of your throne,” He chuckled, “How else would I support my queen?”
“Really? You’d give up sailing?”
“I will be at your side. You need only look to see me. To the point I will you annoy more than now,” He cupped her face in his hands and smiled, “I will always be here for you. I promise.”
“Good,” She grabbed his wrists and smiled naturally, “Thank you.”
Bobabano laid in the small bed so she could curl up beside him. Mira placed her wet head in his chest and soaked up his warmth like a reptile in the sun. One of his hands lightly scratched her back as she relaxed.
“Can I…” He cleared his throat, “Can I try to read you another poem tonight?”
“Another one? You wrote a second?”
“I think of bits of them when I wake up and you’re gone from our bed,” He patted her back, “In fact, I would love to watch you next to a sunrise just to compare how terribly nature missed the beauty it could’ve had.”
She blushed, “Fine. Let’s watch the next sunrise.”
“No, you need to sleep. We both do,” He chuckled, “We can always find another.”
After a few minutes, Mira’s hand rested on his chest. She swirled light circles on his skin as she thought of what to say. She looked up with a small smile and spoken genuinely.
“Thank you for giving me a birthday,” She said in a hushed voice, “I will treasure tonight forever.”
He blushed and brushed the hair from her face.
“It is only natural I decided it when I knew you wouldn’t,” He kissed the top of her head, “Now, goodnight, my queen.”
“Goodnight, my Obsidian.”