I do apologize for failing to capture the desired moment of your wedding. Enclosed is a photo I took at your latest construction site. No fire. No kissage, either, but close. I hope it meets with your approval.

Sincerely,
Adrian Pinxit

Well, that's close, but no cigar. Nonetheless, you are forgiven, although not rehired. (It seems you are doing quite well as freelance paparazzi, anyway.) Enclosed is an invitation to my wife's birthday bash. Do come, but try to stay out of Millerna's way. She eats photographers for breakfast.

;)
Dryden

"What are you doing, dearest sister-in-law?" I asked her.

She hid the remaining half-full bottle behind her back and shoved the empty bottles under the tablecloth with her toe. "Why, nothing at all, dearest brother-in-law. You want some punch? I made it myself."

I scooped a cup through the fizzing brew and sipped. Sweet! I said, "Wow. Can't taste the booze at all." I offered the cup to Eries. "Care to test your recipe?"

Eries took the cup from me and tossed the liquid down her throat. She grinned. "Purrrrrrrfect!"

Hmm. I guess I still know shit about women. Eries is a party girl? Oh, my...

"I can't believe you gave me a watch with a picture of yourself in it. You egotist!"

"But do you like it?"

"Yeah. It matches yours," I said.

"Well, that was the idea."

"Allen! Hi!"

"Hi, Millerna! How have you been!"

"Great! I just got back all my test scores and I had a really great year! Usually tests scare me, but I think from now on I'm actually going to be looking forward to them! What about you? I haven't seen you in forever. How are things?"

"Oh, fine. But I have been worried about you. How have you been? Are you happy?"

"What?" What a strange thing for him to say. "Yes, of course. I was just telling you how great things were going."

"You said things were going well at school, but there's other aspects of your life. How are you holding up? Really, you can tell me."

Allen took a step towards me then and I backed up a step and then another and then I ran into someone. It was Dryden.

"Hello... Allen. Whatcha all talking about?" Dryden put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. I could feel him through his coat, warm and solid, pressing against my back.

I said, "Allen wants to know if I'm really happy."

"Oh, yeah? And what did you tell him?" asked Dryden with polite interest.

"Well, I told him that I was happy, but I don't know that he believes me."

"Uh-huh. Well, Allen, if my wife says she's happy, then she means she's happy. But we thank you for your concern."

"Oh. I see. ...So, Millerna, you were saying that you now enjoy tests?"

"Yes," I said. I twined my arm back around Dryden's waist. "My husband taught me a few of his favorite studying techniques. They work really well."

"Oh. ...I see."

Dryden grinned. "Hey, Allen, I've been meaning to tell you, that advice you gave me so long ago, about proximity and stuff... That was spot on! Thanks so much!"

"Uh... you're welcome," said Allen. We talked a bit longer and then Allen excused himself and vanished into the crowd.

Dryden looked like he was trying to repress the giggles. "Proximity?" I asked him.

"I was twisting the knife a bit. Couldn't resist."

"Did you see his face when I put my arm around you?" I said.

"Yes, I did. I noted it with immense pleasure."

"How did you know to come rescue me?"

"My dear, every man here registered Allen's entrance and immediately took ten steps closer to his girl. Allen needs to go get himself married off. Preferably to a beautiful woman who wields a choke-chain."

"Mmm. Too bad I only know nice girls. And here's one now!" I said. "Look! It's my fabulous friend, Koumori! Come be delighted to see her with me!"

"Oh, I'm always delighted."

Three cups of Fanelian courage and I still hadn't managed to ask Allen to dance. Allen walked right past me, unseeing, one more time. I would have sighed in frustration, but someone standing next to me did it for me. I looked up.

It was Allen's sergeant, Gadeth. I poked him and nodded my head towards Allen's retreating figure. "You?" I said.

"Oh, shit. Is it so obvious?" said Gadeth in tones of resigned horror.

"Just to me. Same boat."

"Really?" He looked relieved.

"I wonder, Gadeth, have you ever considered..." I leaned close and whispered in his ear.

His eyes widened. "Interesting! Um... Might we take this conversation out to the garden? If anyone overhears us, I'll just die."

Gadeth grabbed my arm and we ran away from the party.

"Uh-huh," I said.

"I suppose this is kind of a long party. How are you holding up? Your leg okay? You're not in pain, are ya?"

"No, I'm fine," I said. I'd been on my feet all day, talking to everyone. I'd missed having a nap that afternoon. I really was fine, just a bit tired, but I wasn't paying attention to much, just watching the people go round and round.

"You probably don't get enough exercise," she said.

"Mmm."

"Nothing like a little dancing to get you a little exercise."

I kept on looking out over the crowd. Sometimes I can be just a tad obtuse. But, bless her little heart, Millerna is sometimes just as persistent as I am. And just as unsubtle.

"Am I going to have to ask YOU to dance, Dryden?"

"What?"

"I mean, here I am in Eileen's high heels and my birthday suit, I mean my birthday dress, and my husband isn't asking me to dance! What's with you?"

Oh! "I'm asking! I'm asking!" I said. She took my hand, walked out onto the floor with me and even let me lead. "Sorry," I said, "I was assuming you didn't much care for dancing with me."

She smiled up at me. "I've only had the opportunity once before. Not much off a sample, really."

"Yeah, I guess," I said.

"Dryden, I like dancing with you."

"Oh." Well, all right!

"You look nice, too. Your waistcoat matches my dress suspiciously well, dontcha think?" I said.

He grinned. "Funny that, huh."

"How the heck did you get my designer to make that up for you? She won't do rush jobs for love or money."

"I just asked her nicely," he said.

"Yeah, right, ya pirate."

"Let's just say that everybody's got something that they want. And I'm not a pirate."

"Uh-huh. Pirate."

He showed me his teeth, I wouldn't have called it a grin. "Call me that again and I'll board you," he said.

"...pirate?" I said.

Dryden picked me up by the elbows and swung me off my feet.

I had a sudden visceral memory of that moment during our wedding when the buildings started collapsing around us and Dryden had picked me up... and I had been wearing that enormous wedding dress, and the gold encrusted cloak, a gold headdress, and enormous scary-looking shoes. Brides walk slowly 'cause they don't have a choice. It had all been so heavy that I had barely been able to move. ...But Dryden had picked me up as if I weighed nothing and he'd run with me. And fast.

This time he put me down outside the circle of dancers and he bent down towards me. "I think I've made it quite clear that if you call me a pirate, then you'll have to pay the toll. Seems you want to pay the toll. Hold still," he said.

He's been injured for months. But there's not a thing wrong with him now. Eeek!

But Dryden was staring at me distrustfully. "What can you be thinking that you are making a face like that? Well, I'm not so stupid that I'd attempt to kiss you in public and get my sorry ass nastily repulsed again! Oh no, I've got some pride. But I'm not a pirate and you owe me one. You'll just have to pay the toll on your own time. Eventually."

Oh. Kissing was all he was thinking of. I'm the one with the dirty mind. "I'll pay the toll now," I said and I jumped a bit and pressed my lips to his.

"Hmm. Kind of short and there wasn't any tongue," Dryden said.

"You look gift horses in the mouth, don't you? Never, ever satisfied."

"That's not true. I merely haven't been satisfied YET." He bent down towards me again, and then jerked upright as the air was split by a shocking, clanging racket.

I started giggling helplessly. Eries, who always enjoys acting as Master-of-Ceremonies at a party, was banging a gong.

"Look, it's time for cake!" I said gaily.

Dryden sighed. "More sugar. Just what you need. I wonder, how jittery can you get?"

"Fire! Oh, wow!" someone squealed. It was the voice of my sister, Serena. I turned around and went to go check on her one more time. I can't help it. It's instinct. I mean, what if she was at the appetizer tables eating all the escargot? It could happen.

Serena was staring happily at a big glossy picture she held in her hands. A young boy was staring happily at her. He said, "I've got lots more, Serena. You want to come look at them with me?'

"Oh-KAY! What was your name again?" said Serena.

"Adrian."

"Adrian, Adrian, Adrian. Okay! Hi, brother! I'm going to go look at pictures with Adrian. Bye-bye."

"I'll bet. Have fun, sis. Adrian, touch my sister and you die. Slowly."

"Eeek!" said Adrian.

Serena stepped in between us. "Oh, Bruuuther. That's real sweet and all, Allen, but I'll be fine. So this time-" Her dulcet soprano voice suddenly dropped into an alto growl. "you can just take a hike! Off a cliff would be just swell!" She resumed in her previous girlish tones, "I'll be back later! Bye-bye!"

Those fencing lessons have been real good for her. Yeah, right.

I watched her walk off with Adrian and shuffle through his stack of pictures. "Ooh! Fire! Ooh! Carnage! Ooh! Alseides!!! Oh, I like you, Adrian. Ooh! More fire! Oh, wow!"

Serena says I'm annoying, but I still worry about her. Serena and her new beau walked into a lighted pavilion. I followed discreetly and stood outside listening.

"Ooh! Oreades! You were at that last battle?" she said.

"Yeah! I'm a photographer for the paper. And I'm a big fan, Dill- ...um. ...Serena."

"If you call me Dilly, you have to pay the toll." said Serena in this... hot, sultry voice. Aaaagh!

"...Uh... Dilly?" said Adrian.

*SMUK*

"Oooooh! Dilly, Dilly, Dilly!" said Adrian.

"Oh, you naughty, greedy boy! Come here and get what's coming to you."

Oh, god. Gimme strength.

I bet you thought I was gonna charge on in there, didn't you? Bet you thought I was going to go try to protect my little sister's honour? Yeah, right. I've been having nasty fights with Serena...with Dilly... for weeks. Dilly is about as much fun as a piñata filled with bees. Bleah.

I walked away, got myself a drink of punch or two and then I went and sat down at the kiddy table. Or at any rate, at a table with no kissing, with Van and Merle.

"Gosh, this party sucks. There are absolutely no beautiful single women left here," I said.

Merle's tail poofed out at that. She said, "And what am I? Chopped liver?"

Van jumped in then. "Yeah! You have insulted Merle! I challenge you to a duel!"

I said, "I don't want to have another swordfight with you, Van. You never last long enough to make it any fun." Oh my God! I can't believe I said that! What was IN that punch?

I definitely should have stayed home tonight.
I could have washed my hair.

I wonder if she's somewhere in the garden.

The few guests still partying on were playing with fireworks. Van and Allen were having a swashbuckling swordfight with sparklers. The terms seemed to be whoever got lit on fire first lost, not that they looked like they were taking it real seriously. It was swashbuckling with major emphasis on the swash.

Dad had long since gone to bed. Dryden was sitting on the steps of the dais where my Dad had spent the day. I climbed up the steps and sat down next to him. Dryden was watching Serena, some kid who had been dancing with Serena all night, and Merle, who were all shooting off bottle rockets and other assorted fireworks. I had no idea who had brought the explosives. Probably the same person who spiked the punch.

"Pretty," I said, "But it looks dangerous."

I laughed. "Only their mothers will be able to tell the difference."

Dryden put his arm around me and pulled. Oh, yes. Four minutes. I climbed into his lap. "Did you have a nice birthday?" he asked me.

"Lovely. You have fun?"

He nodded his head. "This is one of the things I missed most when I was away traveling. You all really know how to throw a party here."

"They don't throw parties in other countries?" I asked.

"Oh, they probably do. I just wasn't invited."

"They don't invite pirates to parties?"

"...I guess not," Dryden said and was silent for a while. Time passed, tick, tick, tick, tick, and then he spoke again. "What would you say if I told you that I didn't care at all for being called a pirate and that I wished you'd stop it?"

"Well, I like pirates," I said. Which is true. I've got a whole shelf full of pirate stories in my room leftover from when I was a kid. "But I don't want to make you unhappy, so I'll do as you ask. I'm darned sorry to lose an excuse to kiss you, though."

His cheek was pressed against mine. I could feel his grin appear. "You don't need an excuse, Millie," he said. He lifted his cheek from mine and turned me a little on his lap so I was facing him. He licked his lips and kissed me for a bit. He tasted of the alternative to punch, barely sweetened mint tea. He touched the tip of his tongue to my lips, through them...

I pulled back, startled.

He tilted his head back a bit and looked at me for a while, and then he smiled and leaned in again. I looked down and away from him, but he just kissed my ear, my neck, my cheek. He touched two fingers to my chin and I let him tilt my mouth up to his again.

He pressed his lips to mine and nibbled and I shut my eyes and kissed him back. I put my tongue out, as he had done, touched it to his lips and his lips parted. He met my tongue with his and then withdrew it, which somehow enticed mine to follow his all the way into his mouth.

Well, this is odd. I drew my tongue back out. He made a little noise of protest... so I put my tongue back in his mouth and kissed him some more. Or he kissed me. ...After a while I utterly lost track of whose tongue was whose and where.

When I finally pulled away, he was flushed and breathing hard. He smiled, but there were tears in his eyes. "You okay?" I asked.

"Oh, yes!" he said.

"But... .you look..."

"I've been waiting for that particular kiss for rather a long time. Forgive me if I'm a little overcome. ...um. ... Wow!"

"Yeah." I felt almost too full to speak my thoughts of the experience, but somehow, however ungracefully, I had to get some words out. "Um... I still don't feel ready to have sex yet."

"Eeengh. Eventually. Whenever." He sighed happily and squeezed me, which made me sigh happily.

I kept trying to talk. "But..." I must have spent too much time looking at all the feet under the shrubberies. "...uh...I was thinking, would you snuggle with me? Maybe sleep with me?"

Dryden raised his eyebrows at me. "Just sleep with you, you mean? And not touch you?"

"I guess. Yeah."

"I can't do it," he said, with a really odd expression on his face. Half appalled, half delighted.

Uh-oh. "Why?"

"Um... I'm married to you, I love you and I want you. There's no way I can get into a bed with you and NOT try to consummate this marriage. You're asking too much of me."

"Oh. Hmm," I said and looked down at my knees. "Maybe I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Aaaaaaaaaagh! Yes, you should have! It was wonderful! And I can keep waiting. Just... just... not IN your bed, if that's okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Sorry. I don't mean to torture you. It's only that I- I..."
I love you, too. ...I think. Aaaaaah! I can't speak!

"Just kiss me again, eh?"

So I kissed him again.

I have once or twice (okay, maybe more than that) excused myself after a kissing session to run into her bathroom with the taste of her mouth still in mine, the smell of her hair still in my nose, the clear memory of the feel of her sitting on my lap in those tight black pants she wears...

Aiiiiiii!

Thank god for these voluminous robes. I don't think she knows what I'm doing in here.

And I always remember to lock the door.

"Well, I'm ready," he said when he showed up in my sitting room.

"Oh, God," I said. Dryden looked... well, I was just glad I'd given him books for his birthday.

"What?" he said. He didn't look up.

"Those clothes look lovely and you would look lovely in them, if you didn't look so darned depressed."

"Um. I haven't dressed like this since I was 17. It's just... I feel like an Allen-wannabe. An unsuccessful one."

"Forget it then! Go change."

"...Really?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?" he asked, finally lifting his head up enough to look me in the eye.

"Aaaaagh! I can't stand seeing you look like that! I want my arrogant Dryden who walks into a room like he owns it. Take that stuff off. Now! I'm not going out with you looking like that!"

His eyes widened, then he grabbed my hand, kissed it and fled the room.

"Better?" I asked him.

"Oh, man! You have NO idea!"

"I think I do, actually." Was it only a few years ago that I gave up on being ladylike, tossed all the sidesaddles in the stable into the river and bought some riding pants? I'd expected to receive a lot more grief about it than I had. Perhaps the people who loved me were more concerned with my aspect than my attire...

Dryden tucked his dangling sleeve into his sash and his tongue into his cheek and he performed for me a splendidly pompous salute. "Is this the walk-into-a-room-like-I-own-it look that you like?" he asked.

"Great! Let's go put it into practice. If we like the restaurant, let's buy it. Frankly, I don't think they'll be good enough for us to buy. I hear they use paper napkins. Let us go now."

"And you call ME an over-actor!"

Dryden had bought tickets to the theatre for afterwards, and I almost fell over when I saw what he had chosen. A silly musical. About pirates. I giggled all the way up the steps to the box seats.

"Hey, a horse! ...Made ya look."

I suppose that you are really supposed to sit quietly before the show and laugh raucously during it, but we do everything backwards.