‘I want to go outside.’ Sissa announced finally, leaning sideways across the high bench towards him.
‘Whatever you wish.’ He stood up, draining the last of the mead from the marriage horn before holding out a hand.
‘You’re leaving already?’ Hilda looked up in surprise. ‘Half the hall is still eating.’
‘Ah, but I’m not used to being indoors any more. I need air, Stepmother,’ Danr answered, ignoring Joarr’s pointed grin as he inclined his head towards Knut. ‘My thanks for the feast. We’re honoured by your hospitality.’
‘It’s our honour.’ Knut raised his own drinking horn. ‘You’re both welcome here for as long as you wish.’
‘My thanks.’ Danr put a hand on the small of Sissa’s back, guiding her beyond the doors of the hall, collecting a pair of fur cloaks on the way, then heading on through the village, out of the gates and on to the stony shore beyond. Darkness had already fallen, but the moon was high and the stars were shimmering brightly, lighting a path for them.
‘Is that better?’ He stopped halfway across the beach to face her. Some intuition told him to keep his distance and give her time to recover, though the urge to touch her was hard to resist.
‘Much.’ She looked out towards the sea and exhaled, as if she’d been holding her breath all evening.
‘Thank you, Sissa. I know that wasn’t easy for you.’
‘No. There were so many people...’ She took another deep breath and then leaned towards him, tucking her head beneath his chin. ‘But it wasn’t as bad as I’d feared.’
‘I’m glad.’ He put a tentative hand on her waist. ‘That’s always a good thing for a wedding.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘I do.’ He bent his head and pressed a kiss into her hair.
‘Will your family mind that you married without their consent? Your brothers might object.’
‘They won’t.’
‘I don’t have any dowry. No riches at all.’
‘Neither do I. In terms of wealth, we both made a bad bargain, but in the ways that really matter...’ he reached up and rubbed his thumbs gently across her cheeks, sliding his fingertips into her hair so that her face was cradled between his hands ‘...I consider myself a very rich man.’
‘A very rich mate,’ she corrected him, closing her eyes as he kissed her, first on the forehead, then on the tip of her nose, then softly and tenderly on her lips.
‘Sissa...’ He broke away after a few moments, pressing his forehead against hers. ‘You know that I still can’t lie with you until...’
‘Until you’ve fulfilled your oath, I know.’
‘Yes, but there are things I could...do for you.’ He hesitated, wondering if he ought to just suggest they go back inside and sleep instead. The last thing he wanted after such a long day was to shock her.
‘What kind of things?’
‘Well, there’s one thing I’ve wanted to do for a long time now, or what feels like a long time anyway, but it’s easier to show you. Come with me?’ He waited until she nodded before slipping a hand into hers and leading her towards the forest.
‘Where are we going?’
‘Not far.’ He stopped when they reached the trees, pulling her into his arms and letting his mouth find hers again. ‘It’s nothing to be afraid of.’
‘I’m not afraid,’ she answered breathlessly between kisses. ‘I trust you.’
‘Good.’ He tipped her backwards, lowering them gently on to a bed of pine needles. ‘And you can tell me to stop whenever you wish.’
‘Danr?’ Her expression was confused as he drew her gown up around her thighs, sliding a hand between her legs. ‘You said you couldn’t...?’
‘I know. I’m not,’ he whispered against her throat, trailing a line of kisses down her body as she sighed and stretched out beneath him. He growled with anticipation, sliding down between her thighs while his fingers played in the curls between her legs. At last his mouth found her most intimate place and touched gently, moving in small circles over her skin. She stiffened at once, though she didn’t object, relaxing after a few moments before starting to move along with him, her whole body arching and bucking and then finally stiffening again as she cried out in the darkness.
Afterwards he gathered her into his arms, holding her tight as she continued to quiver and tremble against him.