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Micah was meant to be studying. He had made a plan, set a time, and even found a quiet place where he could study uninterrupted. Unfortunately those were also very good conditions for taking a nap. Sitting rooms were unsurprisingly very comfortable and a cozy, comfortable Micah was a sleepy Micah. The more he read and concentrated, the more his mind tried to wander away into the gentle embrace of Alhazin. How unfortunate for him that, in reality, it was nowhere near the actual evening!

For the dozenth time Micah rubbed his eyes and finally closed the book he had been reading. It was his third time going over that last section and he still had not understood it. It was not a failing of his intelligence, but rather he just could not focus enough to absorb the words. There was just no helping it; he was in desperate need of a nap. Maybe he would have a good dream and that would inspire him anew.

The prince turned around to drape his long legs over the arm of his seat and leaned to rest his head as his eyes drifted shut. His arms were crossed loosely over his abdomen and despite the awkward position he was soon drawing the deep, even breaths of sleep. Micah was an expert at sleeping in unusual places as he was a serial napper. Had been from birth, to hear his mother tell it.

Micah did dream and it was a dream full of color, laughter, and dance as it often was. He could almost smell the incense and the light perspiration of the dancer he had managed to capture in his arms. Her dark eyes flashed with merriment and her laughter tinkled like bells from pretty painted lips.

"Lord Micah, are you in a deep sleep or light sleep?" she asked and Micah’s mind somehow made sense of this, in the way that strange dreams often seemed to make perfect sense until the dreamer awoke. ”If I say a deep sleep, will you join me?”

In the waking world where Micah was draped over a chair and it was Elara who had truly spoken those words, the man only shifted a bit in his sleep with an incoherent murmur. It was only when Elara’s hand reached out to almost touch him that the prince cracked open his sleepy golden eyes. He beamed at Elara and reached out toward her. ”Ah, so far away. How is a man to give into temptation when she dances out of reach?”

He was still dreaming, though he was starting to slowly realize the reality of the sitting room that had replaced the outdoor pavilion and strewn cushions. The raven haired beauty who had danced into his arms now sported a mess of curls he wanted to tangle his fingers in. Micah blinked, but the pretty girl who had appeared before him with bright eyes and bountiful curls had not disappeared. She at least was not a dream. Micah groaned softly as he sat up, drawing his hand back to rub at his eyes.

”Not a dream, then?” he asked softly, as though he was still not certain. Why was Elara here? They had not planned to meet. Had they? The better question was did it matter? Why would he be anything but happy to see his fiance under any circumstances? Even if he did have to drag his mind back from thoughts of kissing her and holding her to him. ”Ah, I hope you did not have to watch me sleep for long! How boring for you. Did you come to see me or is this happy happenstance, hmn?”

Micah chuckled at the response and nodded his agreement. ”Of course, you are too right! Then keep dancing for me, my lovely Elara, so that I might chase you to the ends of the earth.” The prince grinned; some prizes were entirely worth the chase. A sweet, beautiful bride with bountiful curls and endless smiles was surely such a prize. Of course they were already engaged, whether he would chase or not, but where was the fun in letting that be that? Elara was a beautiful girl; she deserved to be courted and pursued properly. It was truly a shame that he had not yet made time to begin doing so!

Elara extended a hand and Micah rolled from the chair to his feet, stepping closer and taking hold of that offered appendage in both of his. He pressed Elara’s palm to his stubbled cheek with a pleased smile on his face. ”Mmm, yes. Very real and pleasantly soft and warm.” He turned his head to kiss her palm affectionately. Ah, but perhaps he should have first made certain she knew that she was his bride to be? After all, kissing a girl out of the blue could earn him a slap even if it was just her hand.

”I was. It was a wonderful dream. I feel refreshed!” Micah leaned in with a grin, laying his arms loosely on the back of the chair as well so that they hung a bit to either side of Elara. ”And now I wake to an even better reality. Who could ask for more?”

So Elara was looking for him. He supposed that was to be expected, it would be passing strange if they kept meeting by pure chance, but it still pleased him to hear it. ”Why would that be silly? I assume you have been sent word as well that we are to be wed. You are well within your rights to know the man who will be your husband. And I will be just as glad to know more about you, little Elara. I want to know all of the things that make you smile so that you never want for a single one of them as my bride. I do not think it is silly at all.”

She was worried about him! Perhaps he should have been more worried, but he was alive. It likely had helped some that he should have died more than once before now, but he always lived. The demonstration in history class had felt so real, so very like the first time little Zahra had cried over him, but he had woken in the classroom as though it had not occurred at all.

”I regret that you had to see that. I regret that I failed to protect you. My regret only grew upon learning that you will be mine to protect for all time. I will not fail you again, Elara. You have my word. You need not worry for me; I am well. I am here, and alive. You can touch and feel for yourself.” Micah smiled as he repeated her words and took her hand to place it over his heart. ”If you still see what happened when you close your eyes, think instead of this moment here and now. Think of my heart beating strongly and my pledge to you that I will not leave you so easily. Let this be the light of truth that burns away the lingering shadow of doubt.”

Micah laughed happily, the sound deep and rich and completely unfettered. ”Why both, of course! We will dance until we can dance no more and then we will somehow dance still until we fall into one another. I would have it no other way.” Maybe the metaphor was getting away from him by this point, but Micah did not care. He was still genuinely very pleased by it. How could he not enjoy the thought of collapsing, exhausted, with his bride in his arms after long nights of revelry? What wedding celebration was complete without it?

Fortune had favored Micah this day; not only did Elara not slap him silly, but her face warmed with a soft blush at his antics. She really was a lovely girl, he thought. He had not looked at her quite so closely before, when they were navigating the dream of war. Of course he had noticed that she was pretty, he was not blind, but many girls were pretty. Many, many girls were pretty. And many pretty girls could be forgotten after a night of pleasures and a gift of jewelry. But Elara was his bride to be; her tawny eyes, carmel skin, button nose, and soft plush lips were worthy of etching onto his memory for the rest of his days. Her bright smile and tinkling laughter would be his to cherish.

Another laugh spilled past Micah’s lips when Elara termed their meeting a pleasant surprise and he nodded. She was not entirely wrong, but it was rather strange to think of that experience as pleasant. They had both died rather violently, after all. But they had recovered, so it was… how did that phrase go? Water under the bridge? He did not fully understand that one, but he was sure he had the use of it right.

All that remained now was to soothe the fears that lingered like shadows in Elara’s heart. He did not want her to worry for him. Not like this, at every waking moment when he was not in her sight. He was in no imminent danger. He was alive and well and much more survivable in reality than he was in the dream. He wondered how he might fare if he faced the war-painted barbarian again, but he would not risk it. There was no telling what a man with so much pent up violence might do in retaliation and he could not bear it if Elara or one of his siblings became a target in his stead.

Micah just gave an understanding smile and listened as Elara insisted that the entire situation was the barbarian’s fault. It was a nice enough thought, that if everyone just behaved rationally there would be no need for fighting, but there was no reasoning with some people. That man wanted to hurt them, to hurt anyone it seemed, and nothing was going to stop him short of a greater force pushing back. Perhaps if Micah had been just a little quicker… He did not doubt that he was strong enough and skilled enough; he had held his ground remarkably well. But in the end he was the one who had fallen. Had he at least succeeded in overpowering his opponent, then perhaps he could have reasoned with him. Though Micah thought it more likely that he would have had to render the man unconscious or even kill him. Perhaps he should be grateful that was not the image waiting on the backside of Elara’s eyelids every night.

”Ah, you should not feel guilty for running into me. I am quite sturdy; you did me no harm and I was glad for the company. Besides, I am glad that we met before we received notice from our parents. I have always known that my first wife would be arranged for me by them and that has never troubled me. I always imagined I would learn to appreciate any woman of fine enough quality to pass their rigorous inspection. But it is so much easier this way; I do not have to learn to like you because I already do. How much easier then will it be to learn to love you? I look forward to it.”

Did he have any questions for Elara? Micah hummed softly as he thought about it. For all that he had known this day would come, he had never thought to be curious about his future bride. He had no list of questions, no demands that other parties would not have already made her aware of, most likely. He really should have questions, he thought, but just trying to come up with any was making him feel a little sleepy again.

”Do you really like to dance? Metaphors aside. I think everyone should dance; I would love to see you dance someday.” Hmn, that was probably not the kind of question that Elara was expecting. Oh! He did have one! ”And how many children do you think we should have? At least one son, I know, but how many others?”

Micah smiled when Elara mentioned his beloved kingdom, but lifted a finger to his lips and winked at her. They each knew from what kingdom the other hailed and they were alone, but he would not risk that the faculty might learn of their rulebreaking through some magical means. Better to just abide by the rules, even when they seemed utterly pointless. He dropped his arm over the back of the chair once more before replying.

”It is among the more powerful and elite families, yes. I will be expected to father many children, many more than any one woman should have to bear and rear alone. But the first wife is truly first among them; it is a title that will give you the greatest power in my household beneath my own.” Micah watched Elara’s face as he spoke, wondering how she would take this information. It was all very normal to him and he had not really considered that it might be surprising to his bride to be. Perhaps her mother should have explained this to her? Surely she knew? But if it fell to Micah to do, then he would do his best. ”As my first wife, you will of course have a say in any other women I marry in the future. They will be not only mine, but your sisters as well.”

At least his fiance did not seem overly troubled by this new information. That was good; they were getting along so well and both looking forward to knowing one another even better. He would hate for that to be ruined just because they came from very different cultures.

Elara’s face lit up and she sat straighter in her chair when Micah asked her more directly about dancing. A wide grin split his features as he listened to her eager response. Ah, he was glad to hear it! Many of his people loved to dance, but few had the passion for it that he did. It was the only thing he never got tired of. Would Elara be able to keep up? Perhaps, and perhaps not, but it pleased him to think that she would certainly try to. They would dance their nights away. ”Oh ho? Naughty, naughty Elara. But there will be no need to sneak away from me; we will dance together. Perhaps you might even teach me a few new dances.” With the war raging on for the entirety of his life, Micah could not say that he had the opportunity to learn very many foreign dances, but he was certainly open to the experience.

There was silence for a bit and Micah began to wonder if he should repeat his second question. Or maybe it was rude to speak of children before the wedding in Mercury? He could not say that he was very familiar with their customs at all. But finally Elara responded, though she sounded rather nervous about it. Her face was as red as a ripe berry and he lifted a hand to gently stroke a warm cheek with a smile. She had no need to be so shy around him; she would be his bride! Then again, it was rather appealing and he did hope she was as blushingly beautiful for their wedding night.

”Mmm, three is a good number. I do hope at least one is a girl as lovely as her mother.” Micah murmured dreamily through smiling lips as he continued to stroke Elara’s cheek with his thumb. Then his fingers trailed down her neck slowly before he seemed to remember himself and redirected to playing with her curls. But he did not apologize; would it not be more strange if he did not want to touch the woman that would someday be his?

”You will have servants to help with the children, of course. And later your sister wives. My own mother only nursed me for a short time before a nursemaid was found for me. Not that I am asking you to bear more than three children; that is a fine number.”

“Now, do I have more questions…? Ah! Yes, though it might be too vague. As I said before, I want to know everything that makes you smile so you long for nothing. Tell me, what hobbies and activities do you enjoy outside of dancing?” He wanted to give his wife the world, but that only mattered if he gave her a world full of the things she enjoyed, after all.