The dinner had finished hours ago, but they had spent a lot of time talking before Dawn decided to retire. All the words she had to exchange were already too much for her introverted self, but she did return with a smile on her lips.
"Hey, can any of you sing?" Gale asked. "The night looks lonely without some songs..."
"I have not practised for decades," June said, clinging to his shoulders.
"I have never even tried," Agnes intoned. "But I remember you are great at musical instruments."
"Are you?" June shot him a quizzical look.
"Well, I wouldn't say great, but I do have some expertise." He brought out a lute from his spirit domain that he had bought not too long ago, though he had forgotten to even play it once. "Forgive me if it sounds dull or without rhythm."
He began to play slowly, before diving into a more soulful rhythm, which required nimble fingers to work perfectly.
"That was perfect," June said when he finished.
He smiled and kissed her hand.
"Anyway, I should retire too," Agnes said, standing up. "While you two lovebirds can mingle freely..."
"Already?" Gale said. "Well, that's fine too, I guess I can let you see the stuff tomorrow morning."
"Fine by me," Agnes said as she crept back to the guest house.
"Oh, we don't have many empty rooms in the house," Gale said after her. "You are welcome to use my room..."
Agnes turned to shoot a questioning look. "Where would you two be staying?"
Gale grinned.
You're too much! her voice transmitted into his mind as she formed a telepathic link.
You haven't seen enough, he grinned. Or felt it.
He moved down on her, kissing his way to her nether region. The water muffled her moans, but it hardly stopped the juice from coming out of her quim.
June's head came out of the water surface, while she muffled her moans. She was completely naked by now, unaware of where her clothing was.
Please~ she cried into the telepathic link. I don't think~ Please! I cannot stop myself~ Slow down!
Gale took mercy on her and eased his intensity, though his head was still lodged between her thighs. He continued until he felt her orgasm to finally climb up to kiss her on the lips.
"You're hard," she cried, feeling the hot member on her ass cheeks. "I'm sorry... because of my traditions we cannot..."
"It's fine," he said, embracing her from behind, feeling the entirety of her soft body against him. "You mentioned the traditional ceremony elves go through. Is it just a couple taking oaths before the tree of life, or is there anything more to it..."
"Of course, there's more to it," June said, turning to face him. "After the ceremony, the couple's souls become one... Well, it's more like their souls bond together and they share a deep connection far more intimate than bonding a beast companion."
"I see," Gale muttered. "Do you agree to bind your pure soul to my cracked one?"
"Yours is not cracked," June kissed him. "You have a heart bigger than most people I know."
Gale couldn't help but smile. "That doesn't say it isn't broken," he muttered. After all, he had seen it. It was only a matter of time before she would see it too.
"You're not broken," she whispered into his ear, and he decided to believe her for the night.
"June," he caught her beautiful face within his palms, staring into her. "Before we go through any of the ceremonies or bonding, I want you to see more of myself..."
I don't want you to regret it later, he didn't say the last part out loud. With the path Ariha lay ahead for him, Gale was not sure what fate had in store for him.
June nodded. As though recognising his mood, she took the initiative to kiss him.