"You should have a celebration," Daemon said hours later, and Dirdos lit up.
"Yes, you should. A royal ball to celebrate the queen!" the dragon said eagerly.
She shivered as his magic washed over her, and she moved back slightly to look up at him.
"What did you do?" she demanded, but he was unrepentant.
"Invited everyone," he said innocently.
She growled.
"Go get the children from Ayathian," Dirdos said to Daemon, who looked like he'd rather chew nails, but left anyway.
Looking up at Dirdos, he watched the demon leaving and then turned on her, grinning wickedly.
"We have ten minutes," he growled, and she yelped as he caught her.
Before she knew what was happening, he had her on her back on the bed.
She didn't know what to expect from the dragon, but it wasn't his hand sliding up under her dress and his mouth coming down hard on hers.
The kiss was heavy, and it had a purpose other than to simply kiss her, it muffled her gasp as his fingers slid up between her legs and the heat of him was a delicious counterpart to her cold. Her fingers curled around his wrist, nails digging into his skin as his lips moved over hers, and his fingers moved against her, stroking, and teasing her until she could barely think through the pleasure.
He didn't stop even after she reached the crystalline pleasure of orgasm and he smiled against her mouth, her breath coming out in quivering gasps.
Without a word, he moved over her, and she parted her legs for him, his growl pleased as she offered him what he wanted. He was quick to push down his pants, and he bit down on her lower lip to make her gasp.
They froze in place as a knock came at the door, and Dirdos growled angrily, so close to what he wanted, and yet it seemed destined never to happen.
"Ignore it," he growled, and she gasped as she felt him against her, pushing against her insistently.
The knock came again, and he sighed, resting his head against the bed before he rolled off her and she shoved down her dress, frustrated and embarrassed. Glaring at him until he put himself away, she looked at the door and called out for them to come in, crossing her legs to make it seem like they had simply been talking and not mere seconds from sex.
The door opened and a guard peeked in, looking confused at there only being one man in the room when two had come in.
"Maybe we can sneak off during the party…" Dirdos growled, and she snorted her amusement as the guard stepped into the room and bowed to her, he was talking, but her mind had gone to their hiding out in the bathroom, his fingers around her throat as he took her from behind while she was bent over the basin, their eyes locked in the mirror.
Glancing at Dirdos, she found him grinning at her evilly. She threw a pillow at him, realising he had put the idea in her head, trying to hide her own embarrassment and arousal at the thought.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, but guests have started piling in, and the palace isn't really equipped to deal with this many people."
"Might have to be behind a tree instead of a bathroom…" she muttered to Dirdos.
He laughed gently, watching her as she slid off the bed and hoped it wasn't obvious what they had been doing.
"We might have to take this outside," she murmured.
The guard's face lit up. "The gardens would be perfect, Your Majesty," he said.
"Let's go have a look," she said, and he led her out, Dirdos following after her quickly.
No one paid much attention to her as she swept through the halls. What little decoration that had already been applied in the five minutes being taken down and people were moving it outside.
Stepping down the main stairs to the palace, she started along the swept stone path and she tilted her head slightly to hear what Dirdos was saying only to blush as she realised, he was naming places that would be suitable for them to get back to what they were doing before being interrupted, twice.
The garden was truly magical, and she turned slowly at the flowers that were all deep reds, blues, purples, and greys that bloomed even there in Winter. The snow was being swept away to reveal a large stone area that would make for a great dance floor, with a small balcony that would make for the usual introductions that people seemed to demand.
Looking up at Dirdos as he approached her, he grinned as he offered her his hand. "Let's see how suitable this area is," he said playfully.
A thrill of excitement filled her as she accepted his hand, and he pulled her into the dance.
Her simple enjoyment of the touch and being near him felt as though it was radiating off her, and Dirdos glanced around, smiling triumphantly.
There was silence in the garden as staff, servants and courtiers stopped to watch them, but as she turned and he pulled her back against him, she realised they were watching what was happening around her.
Winter was responding to her happiness, the trees had begun to grow, stretching their limbs out over the dancefloor, and small balls of ice bloomed, hollow and tempting to the pixies as nectar filled them and when the pixies entered the little half globes, they lit up the balls to make shifting balls of glowing colour.
The floor had been brushed clean under a gentle breeze and tables made of ice grew up out of the ground, the staff placing chairs around them with their eyes dancing with the show of power. Vines had started to grow along the trees, and they bloomed white and pink above them, adding to the beauty of the scene.
Dirdos took her hand and her dress swirled around her as she spun out, the tight black fabric changing mid spin. Silvery grey spilled out around her, soft and heavy, tight to her waist before spilling out in a soft wave from her hips. Darker grey embroidery of flowers and vines covered the bodice and down over the skirt, changing to silvery metal as it crawled down her arm to her wrists, parting at the elbow. Her hair tumbled free of the tight braids, and instead, it pulled up into a lesser twist, leaving most of it down around her. Long strings of black pearls decorated the silvery strands, and dark-grey flowers bloomed. Two long braids running down her front, twisted with grey strings of pearls. She felt the heavy weight of a crown atop her head, though she could not see it.
The dragon drew her back to him, and he dipped her backwards, bending himself forward over her. Her eyes slid shut, her arms stretching out as his hot arm under her was the only thing keeping her from falling. She felt like she was a Goddess in that instant, his hungry crimson eyes raking up the length of her throat, his breath hot on her skin; and as he lifted her back up, his hand trailed down along her shoulder to interlock his fingers with hers. As the dance ended, he caught her hand behind her back, looking down at her with a heavy stare she had never seen before, and his free hand curled around the back of her neck, drawing her up as his lips came down on hers.
The fire that burned through his lips into hers was enough to scold her, but she didn't pull away from him, allowing him to dip her backwards, his grip tight around her, squeezing her fingers.
She had never felt like a woman before until that moment, she felt beautiful and graceful, something to be admired and desired. But as his lips met hers, she realised she was a woman, and he did desire her, not because she was a Goddess, or a Creator, or anything else; but because he was a man, and he desired her.
His lips left hers a moment later and her eyes opened, looking up at him and that wonder confused her.
A cough had them both looking up, and she found the rather large group of those she knew standing on the balcony: a furious-looking Daemon, and Jaia standing in the front; Kai's eyes were huge in wonder, Epharis looked ready to set fire to everything, while Letari was grinning, her eyes alight.
Lifting her up slowly, she sighed as she magic of the moment ended, and she tumbled back into herself, the feeling of being a beautiful ethereal creature popping like a soap bubble.
Releasing her reluctantly, she turned to the group and her cheeks were a delicate shade of pink as they took her in, in her full Winter Queen glory, though it was somewhat marred for her by their interruption.
Letari leapt over the balustrade and approached her, her arms stretched wide as Etani pulled her into a tight embrace, her head resting on the soft, spiky hair. She made a mental note to make Letari her body as soon as they got back, Kai approaching her, though he had taken the stairs.
"Etani, look at you…" he breathed as he embraced her, and his lips were against her ear when he whispered, "You are so incredibly beautiful," kissing her ear.
She smiled slightly, looking up at him.
Bast pushed them all aside and embraced her hard, the soft warmth of her more than welcome. "You are truly a Queen," the woman purred, delighting in the sight of her.
Daemon glared at Dirdos, but his eyes softened as they found her, taking her in. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a rough embrace, his lips hard on her forehead. The rest of the group dispersed without approaching her, Gods taking up chairs and positions against the walls as they waited, while Jagum leant against the stairs, his eyes locked on her in his defensive position.
"What's going on?" she asked, taking in the scene, and realising many of the positions were defensive.
"Rumour is, Alez has learnt of your being alive and is coming back to try again," Daemon said, looking up as Dirdos stepped forward, his eyes scanning the area.
"It is a good place to flush him out," she said after a brief pause and their eyes found her, curious. "If he is trying to get to me, he will come."
Daemon nodded and he sighed, looking around at the group as people moved around them, setting up the decorations and large plates of cold foods were being set out.
Her chin lifted and she looked up at the sky as the clouds began to darken. Her eyes closed, a slight smile pulling at her lips as it began to snow lightly, the brushes of flakes against her skin like tiny kisses from Winter, while the darkness gave more life to the lights above them.
Opening her eyes, she lowered her eyes and found Daemon staring at her, his eyes burning a steady gold.
"What?" she asked gently, distracted by Letari as she tried to catch snow on her tongue.
"You are so beautiful it hurts…" he breathed in her ear.
She shivered, turning her head to his, and Dirdos growled softly at their closeness.
She didn't know what to say, or if there was anything to be said and her cheeks flamed pink, that little spark of feeling desirable starting up inside her heart once more.