AtR - Epilogue
#6 of After the Rain
A/N: Just the end to wrap things up nicely. Wanted to close it on my birthday.
Epilogue
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           Jason's smile faded as his mouth dropped in pure shock and eye ridges rose in disbelief; his breath came out in several small huffs as he tried to kick start his voice. An'karra's lips began to tremble as she saw the eye ridges furrowing; look shadowing Jason's face; her breath fighting to be released as her eyes began to tear up; she saw no smile, no brightness in his eyesâ€"could that be the look of resentment that she feared? Jason's mind, though shocked, could easily dissect the look on his beloved's countenance was of distress and it only took him a fraction of a moment to realize that her stare indicated that she had no idea how to interpret his reaction. Her hands felt cold and clammy around his; she was genuinely fearful of his reaction! Jason punched himself out of his stupor, bringing up his other hand to put over An'karra's as he forced his lips up in a wide-open-tinged-with-joyous-disbelief smile; mouth still gaping.
"Whaâ€"are you serious?" he practically wheezed the question. An'karra didn't make a move and only emitted the barest of uncertain squeaks in response as she tried to swallow; reinforcing that she was being deadly serious and truthfully afraid of somethingâ€"begging the question: would he abandon her because of this. "Oh my God." Was all he could genuinely manage, to shocked for anything else to come to mind. A ludicrously wide and expressive smile lined his maw and left nothing to guess as he wrapped his arms around his mate's upper half and pulled her as close a physically possible to him; repeating the oath several times.
He felt her apprehension melt immediately in his embrace. She started to weep as his jubilation became crystal clear to her. He felt her muscles ease their tension and her heart slow; hands warming back up as her circulation normalized. He leaned back and kissed herâ€"then again and again; successively getting longer and all the more spirited. He felt her start to spasm as her crying turned to blissful in his arms and he just pulled her closer, wrapping her in all the appendages he had at his command; wings encasing them both as his tail came in from behind her, laid across and up her back. She wrapped her head over his shoulder and saw Livianna smiling at them from where she leaned on the counter. She managed a sheepish smile at her lifelong friend to which Livianna replied with a simple air toast with her mug and a return expression of encouragement.
An'karra leaned back and kissed her soul mate again. She felt his grip shift and watched as his left hand glided down to rest atop her abdomen to where their love had created new life. Simultaneously they looked up at one another with bold smiles and leaned heads together; reveling in the bond between them that had now been strengthened in that ultimate act. No one spoke for several minutes as An'karra started to calm down, she and Jason just sharing laughs, nuzzles, happy chirps and other gestures of joy as they held onto one another and basked in the other's actions of endearment. When her emotional torrent had subsided, Jason' took his wife's chin in his hands and directed her gaze directly into his eyes.
"Were you seriously afraid to tell me?" he asked as straightforward as one could possibly do.
"Yes," came the whispered reply. She tried to avert her gaze for the shame she felt, but his hand held fast. "I was afraid that you'd think that I was springing this on you; trying to trap you into staying with me." Jason couldn't stifle the bark of laughter that involuntarily escaped his maw.
"Silly girl," he cooed as he pulled her close to him once more. "How could you ever think that this wouldn't be a joyous thing for me as much as it is for you? You've told me how low the birthrate for dragons is. I never thought that I'd ever find love; let alone someone I love enough to have a child with. This just show's how truly blessed we are." He rubbed her soothingly before continuing. "Plus, two other things you forgot. One: we're already married." He stated with a chuckle. "Two: I couldn't think of anyone that I would want to be ‘trapped' with more; I should think that you would know that by now."
"But it's not trapping, nothing has to change." She started abruptly; as if he were still in danger of changing his mind and she was trying to stop him. She backed her head away from him and looked desperately into his eyes. "We can still lead the life that you were just getting used to with Rhi'hilan and meâ€"."
"Dear," Jason stopped her monolog before it escalated into full babbling. "It's okay; let it go, you already bought me." He kissed her again. "Bought and paid for. Even before we met, I was all yours. Always and forever. You best believe it, I'm yours."
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We hope that you've enjoyed this presentation of: After the Rain 1rst ed., by Alcyeragraeth Raltharn. Copyright 2006-2009 by Alcyeragraeth Raltharn. Published & Displayed by FurAffinity and Yiffstar and read by you.
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