Chapter Text
Josephine’s eyes drifted open, taking in the sight of their quarters drenched in the soft warm light of morning.
This morning came far too quickly after the event of last night, as Josephine suspected it would. She had planned somewhat ahead, the opera ended early enough that she had at least a decent amount of time to spend the rest of her evening with S’vari, time that would no doubt be a luxury as the Exalted Council negotiations took place. That had gone all according to plan. Josephine just hadn’t accounted for also getting married that evening.
The ceremony had been wonderful, but a whirlwind. Throwing something as significant as a wedding together while having to keep the ceremony completely secret was an entirely new challenge that Josephine took on head first. To her delight and surprise, it had gone off without a hitch. The amount of effort it took however, was completely and utterly exhausting. As soon as the two had made their way back to their quarters, they had practically collapsed onto their bed and fallen asleep.
Quickly enough that Josephine didn’t recall actually getting out of the wedding dress that she had managed to procure on short notice. A quick glance down as herself confirmed that she had in fact failed to get undressed entirely. S’vari had done the same with her own wedding attire, but at least her girlfriend had managed to get out of her boots and partially out of her suit jacket before falling asleep.
No. Not girlfriend now. Her wife.
Her wife.
A smile spread over Josephine’s face as her heart filled with warmth, too bright and too grand to give proper words too.
There had been a small voice in her head screaming that this had been a bad idea, that they should at the very least wait for the Exalted Council to come to a close, how it was completely and utterly unseemly to elope with the subject of this very Council.
That voice had fallen silent as the ceremony began. As Josephine said her vows, and S’vari said hers in turn. The doubt had vanished in the feeling of how utterly and completely right it had felt. How it felt now. With her wife tangled up in their bed.
”What are you smiling about, vhenan?” S’vari’s voice sounded thick with sleep as she looked over at Josephine, hand coming up to trace down Josephine’s cheek.
Josephine leaned into the touch happily.
”You, Lady S’vari Lavellan Montilyet.”
S’vari’s eyes widened at the addition of a new surname, shock flickering over her face.
Which was not quite the reaction Josephine had hoped for.
”Of course, you don’t need to take the name Montilyet” Josephine backtracked hastily “I only meant that you are now part of my house and-“
S’vari surged up and kissed Josephine sweetly, cutting off the stream of words. Josephine was not typically fond of being cut off while speaking, but she’d make an exception in this case.
Josephine returned the kiss in kind, reaching up to curl into the raven locks of hair to hold S’vari closer to her.
Eventually the kiss broke. As Josephine found herself beaming again, S’vari grinned back at her.
“I love it, vhenan. I just hadn’t completely realized that I could now take on your surname.”
Josephine chuckled. “There are many perks to being wed to the Montilyet estate. You have a legal claim to all manner of things for one, you are officially a noble within the Antivan court, there is likely a dowry that you could bargain for access too.”
“I don’t want any of those things.” S’vari got out quickly. “I’ve got you, vhenan. That’s all I want. All I have ever wanted.”
The sweetness in that sentiment almost made Josephine’s heart ache. And cemented the rightness of her decision. With anyone else, the act of marriage was a complex negotiation, ripe with possibilities for abuse and misuse.
But S’vari just wanted her. With no strings, no pitfalls or conditions. Just her.
”You have me, my lady. For the rest of my days. I am yours.”
S’vari beamed at her, bringing Josephine’s hand to her lips to press a kiss to her palm.
”And I am yours, vhenan. Bellanaris.”
What a wonderful morning this was. A start of what would surely be many more to come.