Wedded Bliss (Closed)

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

After a routine patrol with Ser Markus, Ben returned to a summons from his wife. She was found in their bedroom, lying on her front across the bed, with his anniversary present from a year ago, a scandalous book called 'The Dornish Art Of Love', open in front of her. Her bare feet dangled in the air, ankles crossed, her expression one of concentration. Beside her was a leather scroll capsule from a raven.

She glanced up when she heard the door open.

"Welcome back. I've received a message that I want to talk with you about. Privately. Will you sit with me?"

She rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow, and patted the spot on the bed next to her.

[Benedict Marsten]

Entering their chamber a puzzled look of unease on his face he crosses to the bed. One look at that book and all puzzlement is gone. Oh, he liked when that book came out. It often resulted in decadent nights and sore mornings. His eyes drift to her bare ankles with wicked thoughts of their hopefully soon to be placement.

Easing onto the soft bed he begins to tug on his boot as he responds with a playful and childish smile. "My Lady has demanded my presence in her chambers?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She chuckled.

"I did not demand. I just... strongly recommended. You can spank me for it later if you are affronted," she teased.

[Benedict Marsten]

"Careful with the permissions you give. People may be concerned when you sit for court upon a heap of cushions." He snickered at the thought of Corrine shifting uncomfortably upon her high seat due to a sore bottom. Pulling his self back from more extended carnal thoughts, he leans in to kiss her tenderly on the neck. "What is it that has you musing over our favorite tome?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She tilted her head to give his kiss better access, and reached for the scroll capsule, holding it up to him.

"This. It's an invitation from Nathan. To a party. A Bartheld party. You know, the kind with wine waterfalls, abundant nudity, and wanton fornication. I'm giving some thought to it. But it would mean we'd need to talk about what that could mean... for us."

She sat up, blushing, her eyes a little anxious.

"We both have some... unusual proclivities, and some curiosities that we keep locked away because of our love for eachother. But the book sees such things in a different way, and I'm warring with myself over it. After the whole thing with Marei, I have been wondering if I am too possessive of you."

She caught herself starting to over-explain, and forced herself to be quiet, nervously watching his face as she awaited a response.

[Benedict Marsten]

Drawing back from her neck he eyed the scroll and took in her words. Trying to camouflage his apprehension, he smiles widely, until mention of Marei. That feeling of mistrust that had collapsed him in the woods came scouring up his bowels racing to his heart. Those things in the book illicited excitement and desire, but sharing was not something Ben knew if he could deal with. To hide his growing discomfort he reapplied his lips to her neck. The growth of his new beard tickling her soft white skin.

What if they were to set limits or agree to a shared companion. It all gave Ben a sense of fear. His thoughts flicker back to the coarse Coldbrook bastard. To his looks and words. To the pleasing feeling of Ben's fist smashing his face. Another flicker: to small inn in the Riverlands. Again: to a back room at his last Bartheld ball and his beautiful, sensual wife writhing on a table.

"It could be done." he whispers into her ear.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine felt Ben's fear as much as her own, and she stroked his face, for her own comfort as much as his.

"We could attend and stay away from the more intimate things, or just be with eachother," she added, hastily.

"But, I keep thinking about it. When those rumours were going around, I asked my mother if my father had ever been unfaithful. She said he may have known other women while he was away, but that he was never unfaithful in his heart. I didn't understand the difference, and I didn't want to. But I remembered this book, and how it says that people, even a man and wife, do not - should not - possess eachother. That real love comes with an open palm, not a closed fist. It makes a kind of sense, that indulging in pleasure with another might not necessarily be wrong. The Dornish have spouses and paramours, and share themselves freely, and they have strong women and a strong nation. Does that tell us something about their society? And I am not so naive as to miss that your gaze lingers on others occasionally. I confess I do the same. Do you ever wonder what being with someone else is like? Are we unrealistic to expect eachother to be enough for the rest of our lives?"

She shook her head, getting tangled in her own thoughts.

"Sorry, I don't want you to think I'm not happy with you. I adore you, and I love being with you. I will never love anyone as much as you, and I'd never let anyone break us apart. I'm just thinking about how we would behave at such a thing. I feel this sort of... hunger. It's a bit like how I felt a few years ago, before we were married. Only just getting to know what the world had to offer, but no freedom to explore it. And you had something similar, but your duty was what kept you from it. You're not like most men. Most men have known lots of women before they marry. Or women and men," she added, with a shrug.

[Benedict Marsten]

Ben listens intensely pausing his minstrations to lean back and take in Corrine's face along with her words. He nodded affirmation and some relief at her first words. Then came the but, as they always do.

Apology or not the final words do sting some. Would they be enough for each other?Wasn't that the faith of marriage, that they each believed the other to be their counterpart. A feeling that this conversation may be turning the wrong way sinks into his shoulders. It weighs on him. He is torn between capitulating to please his wife and screaming "I need no other." Settling for a middle ground he reponds softly.

"There are only three people I have ever truly desired. One fleeting and unknowing, the other a youthful adoration, with no chance at fruition and you. Of course carnal thoughts are of mind now and again, but they are fleeting fancy, no true desire. I will admit it is all enticing. Until I envision another in ... possesion of you." He is visible shaken by a grimace of pain. "It sears the air from my lungs. It shreds my bowels. It ... crushes my heart." Now the capitulating. "That said, I can not see the harm in a playful kiss or lingering hand at such an event. I have faith and trust in our love."

Ever the dutiful husband, knight, brother, bending. Perhaps that was the reason for Gywn's nickname for him. Bendy. He laughs a bit, inappropriate for the moment.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She took in his words, and understood him fully. He was right. Of course he was right. What she was awkwardly babbling about went against everything they both believed in. She was being capricious again. It was dangerous. The incident with Marei, and the ensuing fight with her mother had made her even more willful than before. But that was not her better self. She took his hand firmly.

"You are right. I've been thinking so selfishly. I never want to hurt you, my love. I have let doubt into my heart and it festers there, tarnishing this beautiful thing we have. I won't throw it away for the sake of curiosity."

She closed the book and moved to sit in his lap.

"I have an idea. One that will let us have some fun without harming eachother. Why don't we attend separately, keep our costumes secret from one another, and try to find eachother? We can pretend to be strangers, and be drawn together anew."

[Benedict Marsten]

With a reassured smile. he squeezes her tightly. "That sounds like a fantastic idea, love."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She grinned, glad to have rescued the situation.

"Then we'll do that. We can have our own little game to ourselves. No need to lie with anyone else. Forget I brought all that nonsense up."

[Benedict Marsten]

"Ah, I think it best that we had this discussion. It is not nonsense. We have pushed the boundaries of Westerosi norms in and out of our bed chamber. It was only a matter of time till we found that boundary line."

I only hope the line does not make you feel confined. It is the chained dog that grows angry and longs to be free.

He pulls her acrossed his lap with a crooked smile. "Now I do believe someone mentioned a spanking." His callused hand striking her covered bottom. Playful laughter erupts from him.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Ah no! No! I thought you'd forgotten!" she squealed and giggled in mock horror, kicking her legs and playfully biting him.

"Meanie! Blackguard! Striking a lady! I am your liege lady! How dare you, Ser! How very dare you!"

She was helpless with laughter, though also bristling with excitement.

[Benedict Marsten]

Her fake protest and bite simply spurred him on. With some force he held her wriggling form still, hiking her skirt. Then applies one smart tap to her exsposed flesh. He still chortles playfully, but his body has taken on a more ... rigidness, displaying his nature.

"I am a lucky man."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She grinned, twisting her neck and torso to look at him.

"I feel the same about you, my love. Now, put me down and go fetch the rope."

[Benedict Marsten]

(ooc: perhaps a good place to end?? Or not. )

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[ooc: I think it's the right point to stop, or at least skip to the pillow talk afterwards, as it likely gets pretty smutty from here. ]

[Benedict Marsten]

Ben cautiously slides the silk scarf over her dark hair, before his hands busy with the taught knots. With her bright blue eyes now visible he gazes into them with flushed affection. "The boys are almost walking now. Perhaps it is time for another?" Freeing her left hand he massages her wrist lovingly. "But I would understand if you would like a ... break."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She blinked a little in the sudden light, but met Ben's gaze with her usual adoring smile. His gentle, attentive care soothed her racing heart, and the slight burn of the rope knots on her wrists. At least he was no longer alologising profusely every time he saw a red mark afterwards. That had been rather sweet, but it had taken time for him to fully learn her resilience.

She stroked the bit of his forearm that her fingers could reach.

"It's funny that you mention that. I might be a little ahead of you there. No moon last month," she replied, tentatively. "And we definitely haven't been avoiding eachother or taking preventative measures. So, in short, yes, another would be wonderful, and may already be on the way."

[Benedict Marsten]

A brief pause is topped by a look of shock. This instantly melts to wonder and joy. No matter how many times she told him or how she did it, it was like the first time. Dropping her hand, his fly to her bare belly. With joyous laughter he bends his lips to it and plants small kisses in a circle. No victorious battle or jousting prize could ever compare. And she gave him these gifts. His wet eyes draw up to hers from her mid-section. "You are my finest prize."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She wriggled and laughed at how his beard tickled her.

"I wasn't going to say anything until I was sure. I haven't spoken to Maester Ronnel yet. I wouldn't want to get anyone's hopes up. But, I think it is the case. I sort of... this will sound ridiculous... I think I feel it, in some way I cannot describe. Now, free my other hand so I can hold you, you silly, wonderful man."

[Benedict Marsten]

He reaches across her to free her other arm. "Ridiculous, no. I learned a long time ago that women have an intuition about these things. Like a warrior's."

The Rivers girl comes to Ben's mind. Her prophetic words echoed to the young lovers.

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine wrapped her arms around her husband, pulling him down next to her.

"Hopefully you will get to be home for this one then. I missed you so much when the boys were born."

[Benedict Marsten]

Nuzzling his nose into her neck he replies. "I wish I had been there and I will do all I can to be present this time and make sure you have the best care. I want no more scares."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Me neither. I think if things had gone more smoothly last time, Jaime wouldn't be so weak and sickly. We can only hope he grows out of it. And, well, we can also hope that the coming war won't last long."

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