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The question took Mara by surprise. She had been dozing with her head on Lucanis' lap. Cool fingers traced the intricate branches of her vallaslin. Spite was fascinated by the markings. The cold touch of the Demon helped ease the tight headache she had been nursing. Melted away like snow under the gentle kiss of the sun.
It had been a long and tedious day of wedding planning. Caterina and Teia seemed to have very strong opinions about every tiny detail including the exact colour of napkins and whether the seats should be cushioned.
That would be one thing but they seemed to expect that Mara would also have strong opinions on the matter. She had dared to admit that she did not particularly mind which kind of glasses were used at the reception and they both acted as though she had suggested a naked blood sacrifice in the Chantry.
Now though she was alone with her fiancé (both of them depending on how you counted). Warm from the fireplace and Lucanis' lap as her pillow. The chill of Spite's touch eased away the day.
At least until Lucanis spoke. "How would you like to celebrate the new year Preciosa?"
She let out a noise that was half growl, half sob.
"The wedding planning is going well I take it?" He laughed.
"Four hours talking about bowls and plates and glasses. I had no idea there were so many different kinds! Do you know what I grew up with? A wooden bowl and a spoon!"
"Uphill in the snow both ways I take it?" He teased.
"Part of me worries though. You are First Talon, wealth, privilege, influence. What if I humiliate you? Like we will be at some fancy dinner or our wedding even and I use the wrong fork or even my hands? I don't know all of these rules of etiquette and what have you, not like Caterina does."
Lucanis shifted so that they were both lying down together. Twined up on the sofa that Lucanis had clutched when he had taken his first steps. He rubbed his hands over her back.
"First of all First Talon is my job title. Who I am is your Luca. Second of all, and most importantly I am not marrying Caterina thankfully." He made an exaggerated shudder of horror. "I was offered up to every noble lady and merchant Princes and Princesses in Antiva. Not one of them made me feel even a flicker of what I feel for you. Even if you don't know all of the different kinds of forks."
"Promise?" She asked him.
"Promise. Now, New Years?"
"I want a day. A whole day where I don't have to make any decisions. No having to choose between a dozen identical shades of purple or meet yet another wealthy influential person who has been allied to House Dellamorte for a century. I want to sleep until I wake up. I want to read for hours by the fireplace in our room. Naked."
Lucanis felt himself fall even more in love with her.
"I like this plan. Do I also get to hide in our room?"
"That depends entirely on if you obey the very strict no clothes dress code." Mara replied with a soft kiss to his jawline.
"Oh absolutely agreed. One small query? What will we do about food?"
"Alright you can wear clothes long enough to forage for food but the second you are back in our room the clothes come off."
"Deal." He kissed her forehead, already planning the feast he would make them for their own private New Years.