Raven Barely reacted in time to catch Branwyn when she fainted. Wryly he smiled at himself this was not the reaction he had expected when he had thought about proposing to a lady. It was humbling that his Little Raven had fainted at the thought of marriage to him. Carefully he laid her prone body on the bed and covered her with the bedclothes smoothing them over her. He brushed her hair away from her face. Protectiveness filled him. She was so small and delicate. He would stand between her and the world and Gods Help any man who tried to hurt her.
He had to drag himself away from her to fetch her gown and some damp cloths. He knew he had to dress her again before the servants returned – to save her reputation. A small part of himself wanted to compromise her to ensure she would marry him but the rest of him knew he could not bear to see her suffer the gossip. Gently he dressed her in the discarded nightgown and put her back in the bed.
He was worried when he saw how pale she was. This was definitely not the reaction he had expected to a proposal. Looking down at himself he realised he was still hanging out if his trousers. He had not even managed to get his trousers off in his madness to plunder Branwyn. He laughed quietly at himself. No other woman had managed to make him forget himself like his Little Raven. Thoughts of her passion made his blood rush south, enough to make the fit of his trousers uncomfortable.
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Branwyn fought the vision but it had already taken control of her. Until the visions end she was an unwilling spectator in the drama unfolding before her. Detachedly she noticed she was in a chapel. The isle was filled with flowers but there was no scent of them in the vision. There were a few people in the pews some she recognised as Raven's friends but most were strangers to her She faced the alter it was strewn with flowers but there was no priest and none of the people in the hall seemed to be looking at the alter they were all staring at something behind her. Then she heard it, the clash of metal on metal and her eyes widened in dread. She spun around and screamed but no sound came out of her mouth; her breath stuck in her throat chocking her on her own scream.
She saw her brother's sword descend over Raven's head. At the last minute Raven blocked the blow and kicked her brother thrusting him away. She moved to run forward and tripped over the hem of her dress. Looking down she realised distantly she was wearing a wedding dress and that it was her wedding day. The sight of her brother attacking Raven again froze her to the spot She watched in horror as her brother attacked relentlessly screaming his anger at Raven.
Raven dodged a particularly vicious swing and his own blade flickered in the light moving to strike before his opponent recovered. Blood appeared on her brother's cheek and he swung wildly in retaliation swearing revenge. His mad attack broke through Raven's defence and blood spilled down Raven's arm, red against the white of his shirt, but he made the injury count as her brother backed away bleeding freshly from his hip. The momentary paralysis wore off and Branwyn picked up her skirts and ran forward determined to stop the fight somehow...
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Raven froze at the sound of a choked scream from the bed turning he rushed across the room in a few quick strides but Branwyn did not move or show any further signs of awakening. She lay on the bed motionless and pale. Even her breathing was shallow. It was as if she had retreated from the world. Gently he brushed his fingers over her cheeks and lips. He lent down and brushed his lips against hers but there was no response.
"Where are you my Little One? Where have you gone?" he whispered inches from her skin. Closing his eyes he pressed his thumb gently against her lips. "Where ever you are come back to me. You are mine now, I'm not going to let you go!" Pushing away from the bed he paced around the room stopping occasionally to stare helplessly at the motionless figure. As she continued to show no signs of waking his helplessness grew and so did a tiny seed of anger.
He had only asked her to marry him; a simple no would have sufficed. Not that he would have accepted it – he would have tied her up again and teased her with pleasure till she could not say no to him. He smiled at the memory of Branwyn tied underneath him as he thrust into her hard and fast till they both shattered explosively. His smile faded as he glanced over at the bed. Surely this was a little extreme. He hadn't thought his Little Raven was prone to dramatics, in fact he had thought the opposite.
She had taken the changes and in her life with dignity and courage that had made him admire her. Distracted by his thoughts he stubbed his toe against a stool in his pacing and frustrated he kicked it across the room. It gave a satisfying crack as it hit the wall he stared at it for a moment as it landed broken on the floor then continued to pace around the room in frustration.
Branwyn began to thrash on the bed and Ravens hands curled into fists as he stared helplessly at her. Servants and society be damned he was going to kiss her till she came back to him and overwhelm her with passion till she submitted to him. Striding purposefully towards the bed he was relieved and disappointed when Branwyn sat up on the bed suddenly, her hands flailed for a moment, fighting with the bedding before her eyes flew open.
"No!" the frantic denial spilled from her throat as she came back to herself with a crash the vision shattering around her and throwing her out.
Her eyes immediately searched for Raven, spying him hovering by the bed she threw the covers off and flung herself into his arms. Startled he had to take two steps backward as he caught her to brace them both. Desperately she wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him sobbing into his shoulder and running her hands over his body trying to reassure herself that he was unhurt.
Raven was baffled, one minute Branwyn had been unconscious on the bed, pale as death, and he had been debating between fucking her and calling a medic, and now she was wrapped around him as if she could not get close enough and sobbing into his shoulder. Awkwardly he stroked her back and hair unsure of how to comfort her but desperate to stop her tears.
"Shhhh, Little One. It is okay, there is nothing here to hurt you." When her tears only intensified he stopped trying to comfort her with words and restricted himself to making comforting noises and stroking her back. Moving Carefully he took both of them to the bed and sat down with Branwyn in his lap her legs still wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck. Softly he kissed her hair. "Shhhh, Little Raven, Shhhh." He whispered against the top of her head.
Branwyn felt Raven move but she didn't care where he was taking her as long as he didn't try to leave her. She needed to hold him to reassure herself that he was hers. She sought his lips with her own, kissing her way up his shoulder seeking a connection between them. Her lips stroked along his neck and over the join between throat and jaw. She could not resist setting her teeth against the strong flesh she found there and testing it. Raven's helpless groan vibrated against her, but her lips continued their journey till the reached his mouth. She attacked his mouth with every bit of passion, need and fear she felt. She ran her tongue over his lips tasting him and her own tears. She moaned against him at the combination of his skin and salt from her sorrow.
His lips were hot against hers and his cheeks were rough against the skin of her face. His slight stubble was prickly against her cheek when she moved one way, scratching her slightly as she kissed him and velvet soft when she moved back. The contrast intrigued her so she contented herself for a moment experimenting with the feeling of his cheeks against. She ran her tongue over his lips, and when he parted his lips she slipped her tongue between them, she did not try to prevent the groan that spilled from her mouth into his as the taste of him flooded her senses.
With a sigh Raven gave himself to the kiss as lust overwhelmed him and drowned his concern and need for answers; there was nothing left but the taste of his Little One filling him and the feeling of her wrapped around him. He revelled in her passion lifting his hands from the bed to frame her face he tangled his tongue with hers.
Branwyn poured herself into the kiss till she was writhing with desire in Ravens lap. Groaning Raven dropped his hands to her hips and pulled her more firmly against his turgid cock so she ground her heat directly over his erection
