"You go, I go. You bleed, I bleed"
Manon was absolutely livid. She gets that maybe there are some Ironteeth clans that don’t like her, but after 7 years of peace, you would expect them to keep the peace. Manon opened the King of Adarlan’s bedroom with one hand as she undid her braid. Her Princeling was sitting on the bed reading in what Manon thought may be the funniest reading position ever. His head snapped up as she entered, cracking a smile that made Manon’s heart flutter. He uncurled his legs from against his chest and stood, stretching to reveal a line of skin on his midriff. He padded over, leaning to kiss her. It made Manon feel so much better. Dorian fiddled with the shoulder straps of her armour gently.
“What’s wrong, witchling?” Manon sighed.
“Rogue witches again” She paused to look around. “The twins?”
“With Chaol.” Nyx and Helion, the Haviliard twins were both six and were both trying to master swords already. Manon laughs as Dorian begins to work on the other shoulder.
“Manon” she nods and sighs as Dorian takes off the second shoulder plate and leads her to sit her on the bed and crouches between her knees, beginning to fiddle with the chest plate of her armour. “I need to ask you something” Manon nods for him to continue.
“We’ve been together since you kissed me on the battlefield at the end of the war. You’ve stood by me through taking back Adarlan and the meetings and coronation and you’ve given me two beautiful children and heirs and … shit this is hard” Manon watches him as he reaches across and opens the bedside drawer, pulling out a small box.
“I know you’re already a queen in your own right, but would you like to become my countries queen? Manon Blackbeak, will you marry me?” He opens the box to reveal a ring as gold as Manon’s eyes. It had a giant diamond surrounded by sapphires like Dorian’s eyes. Manon wiped away her tears, nodding frantically as she tried to calm down. For Dorian, Manon was completely open in her emotions and she didn’t even care. He hugged her and she hugged back as he slipped the ring on her finger.
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6 months later, Manon and Dorian stood under an archway in the Adarlan palaces courtyard. Manon’s bridesmaids, Asterin, Aelin and Elide stood beside her and Chaol, Aedion and Rowan stood beside Dorian. The twins sat with Lysandra in the front row. It was the middle of spring and the flowers around them were in perfect colourful bloom. Asterin had even braided some into Manon’s hair, making a crown of roses stark against the silver in her hair.
Dorian spoke his vows first. “I met you in the darkest part of my life and Manon, you were the light. You cared for me when I needed it, but you were always the fiercest warrior I had ever known. I fell in love with the women you were, and even deeper in love when I saw you grow into the ever-fierce, caring, loyal and brave women you are today. You’ve blessed me with a family, and I’m forever grateful. I vow to you today. Where you go, I go. If you bleed, I bleed. My queen, now and forever.” Manon has to fight to keep the tears back and she can see most of the Thirteen trying as well. So she speaks instead.
“When I met you the first time, I thought you were some arrogant prick who I shouldn’t bother time with” Dorian laughs, shaking his head. “But yet I still felt myself drawn to you. Since then, I’ve found myself my friends and my family. But the thing I found in you was so much better. In you, I found home.” Dorians eyes water at her words. “You are the father of my two beautiful children and my saving grace when I get a little crazy. You are the calm in my storm and I love you for being that and more. I vow to you today. Where you go, I go. If you bleed, I bleed. My King, now and forever.” Manon hears her bridesmaids basically burst into tears and so does Dorian. She reaches up and brushes the tears away, smiling gently.
The rings come next. Bands of gold and sapphire twined together, presented by Helion. After this, nothing else matters until the celebrant said “I now present you King Dorian and Queen Manon Blackbeak-Haviliard, as man and wife. You may now kiss the bride” Dorian started to lean in but Manon got there first, pulling her husband (she would never get used to that) in to connect their lips. Wolf-whistles sounded from the Thirteen for some reason but nothing else mattered but Dorian. Manon Blackbeak-Haviliard echoed in her mind as Dorian pressed his hands into her sides, holding her firmly but gently at the same time, their lips working in perfect sync as their tongues explored each others mouths for the millionth time.
Their moment was interrupted as their children barrelled into them, hugging them both. Dorian pulled away to pick up his little girl, as she giggled in her pink dress. Nyx was a female replica of Dorian with messy black curls and sapphire blue puppy dog eyes. Manon smiled as she picked up her tiny male twin, Helion with his shoulder-length silver hair and gold eyes. He giggled at them both.
“You look so pwetty, mummy” Nyx exclaimed, reaching her hand out to see Manon’s rings. Manon held her hand gently as Nyx turned it over to look.
“So do you, darling” Nyx giggled again, dropping Manon’s hand. “Daddy, put me down. I want to go play with Charlie” Dorian let the little girl down and she ran down to Charlisa, Lysandra and Aedion’s girl, skipping off holding hands. Turning to her boy and kissing his forehead, she put him down so he could follow his sister. Dorian softly pulled her in, placing a kiss in her hair.
“Thank you” he murmured softly. “For this. For caring” Manon turned to him, wrapping her arms around him. “I lied. In my vows. About you being the father to two children” He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.
“You’re going to be the father of three children pretty soon” Manon smirks at him as his face changes into one of absolute awe.
“No way” Dorian whispers and Manon nods. Dorian pulls her in and kisses her passionately, before picking her up and spinning her, kissing her again as he let her down.
“Thank you, Manon. Thank you witchling. Thank you Queen. Thank you wife.”
The Blackbeak-Haviliard couple dance all night. Asterin caught the bouquet and the children played and giggled. Manon and Dorian left the twins with Chaol and Nesryn and left for their well-deserved honeymoon. They spent the whole two weeks wrapped up in each other’s bodies and they loved every second of it.