Chapter 286 - Eternal Mate

"Young Master, are you alright?"

Emi's soft voice called out from the closed door, and Gin pouted. He already told his girl to call him by his name, but she still wouldn't. He was not "Young Master" to her now. She's officially Homura Ryuu's sister.

"Why are you still acting like a servant?" Gin muttered and pouted as he rose from the tub. Water cascaded down in all his naked glory as he stepped out to grab the nearby towel when the door opened and Emi shrieked.

"EEEEEEEEEEEK!" Emi immediately slammed the door shut. "I'm sorry! I thought something happened you were there too long."

Gin was dumbfounded at first, but let out a chuckle in the end as he shook his head.

This girl…

He grabbed the towel and wiped himself dry. However, he didn't bother wrapping himself with it and decided to strut outside with mischief dancing in his golden pair of eyes. As soon as he was out, it was not a surprise when Emi gave out another shriek.

"Why are you squealing like you've seen a mouse or something," Gin scolded her as he marched towards his bedroll and plopped there on his stomach.  

He propped himself with his elbow as he waited for Emi to move. "Aren't you going to put medicine on me?"

"I am but…" Emi's voice trailed off as she frowned at something. "Your butt… Young Master, aren't you going to cover it?"

With a devilish grin, the golden deity slapped his butt-cheek shamelessly. "Nope. It's here to stay," he told her matter-of-factly, making the other look flustered. "You have to get used to seeing me like this, wife."

At the mention of the word, Emi inhaled sharply as her mouth opened and closed like fish.

"Why are you so surprised? Haven't I told you already? We're getting married this Friday and we'll have tons of kids."

Gin smiled warmly as he lifted himself up just enough to be able to reach out and pull Emi's hand towards him. Emi who was still in shock let herself be pulled and she was sitting stiffly on his lap in no time. Gin hugged her from behind, his head, rested on her shoulder as his nose inhaled her scent, his naked body feeling the warmth of hers from her kimono, and his embrace tightened.

"Homura Emi, I love you," Gin whispered softly, and he felt her stiff body slowly relaxing, her hands touched his arm and gave him a squeeze as she turned around, sitting sideways, so they could see each other eye to eye.

"And I love you," she whispered back words that reflected in her chocolate orbs.

Gin stared at her eyes, fascinated at how they glistened. Even if she didn't say anything, he already knew how she felt just by looking at her. He then wondered how stupid was he not to notice this look sooner? He had seen her looking at him whenever he visited the Cedar Palace, but he mistook it for guilt from hiding her identity to him.

"Why are you so beautiful?" he asked as he cradled her face.

Emi shook her head and smiled. "No. From the beginning, you're the most beautiful one. That smile you gave me at the bridge gave me the strength to stay. Even if I knew you'd hate me when you find out I was the Makura, I never gave up hope that someday… someday, I'd see you smile again."

Reminded of his unreasonable attitude towards her, Gin bit his lower lip. Now that he knew the truth, he felt so ashamed.

"I've wronged you completely," he told her, but Emi shook her head again, as she touched his hand that held her face and kissed it.

"It's alright. It's in the past now. At this moment, I'm so happy I could die," she whispered just as she felt something weird from where she sat and she blushed so hard again upon realizing what it was. "Y-your…"

Gin grinned. "Since my wife's totally forgiven me, I'd love to make her happier she would really, really die," he whispered huskily as he leaned over to kiss her passionately on the lips.

Emi, although he could feel the shyness in her actions didn't resist. She clung onto him as his tongue, hot and eager invaded the sweet caverns of her mouth and his hands started exploring the contours of her body underneath her kimono.

When kissing was not enough, he gently lifted her up and laid her on the bed as he tugged at her belt, removing her clothing, unwrapping her like a gift. Soon, Emi lay naked with her skin hot and flushed from the caresses she received.

Beautiful…

She was wrong. She was the most beautiful one, Gin thought as his golden eyes feasted on the sight of her, memorizing her shape and look at this very moment when their hearts and body would soon become one.

He descended on her – his lips, his hands, his skin paying tribute to her, and only her. He loved her with all his being, and he was rewarded by the soft sounds and the shy caresses she returned, which made him all the more insane and yearning for more.

Perun was right all along. Stribog would only truly understand what love was when he found the one – and he did.  Homura Emi, this mortal goddess who had stolen his heart, from today onwards, was his eternal mate.

=======

Ritz…

"What's happening, Young Highness?"

Fredek looked at the Ritz King with worry. Since Aurel left followed by the harpies, Alistair had stared at the portal which didn't vanish like it always did before. In fact, something strange happened and the gateway seemed to exude a totally different kind of energy now.

"I think the portal stabilized," Ivan commented with a frown.

He was not incorrect though. The gateway had lost its volatile energy that they could feel just earlier. With a frown, he stepped next to Alistair and reached out to touch the portal.

His hand went through!

He immediately retrieved his hand and turned to Alistair with eyes wide in shock. The Ritz King, on the other hand, remained calm and nodded.

"Stribog's finally back and in control."