The rosy golden glow of sunset lit the city below, lighting everything with a warm hue and casting long shadows as the sun sank down in the west. The sky was so many shades of petal soft colour - the halo of gold around the sun blended into pink, which turned into lavender before fading to a gentle blue. It was a magnificent end to a glorious fall day.
"Can you help me with the clasp? It's sticking." Millona clear voice made him turn around. The orange-tinted sunlight caused her light brown hair to look almost copper, and the little iridescent flecks in the string of amber beads she held up around her neck flashed like fire when she moved. Ocato lingered a moment just to look at her, marvelling at the radiant sight. He still found it remarkable how much he'd come to love her.
"Of course." As he answered he walked over to her seat in front of the dressing table. His quarters not only had a much sturdier and much larger new bed, but for some reason he'd also been given a second wardrobe, a dressing table with matching padded bench, and a velvet covered sofa. The extra furnishing had come in handy as sometime over the course of the summer Millona had come to take up residence with him, the move happening so gradually that he'd barely noticed it.
The Emperor didn't seem to have noticed it, though he suspected that the Empress had. The royal family was back in the Imperial City for the winter season. Ocato had noticed that Lilia seemed to be grinning at him in a delighted way every now and again, and he had a suspicion that she'd had a hand in the sudden influx of furniture in his suite.
"Thank you. I'll get Hamlof to fix it on Mondas." Millona adjusted the pieces of amber, twisting them into place with her delicate hands while checking her reflection in the mirror. The necklace was a gift from Ocato. When he'd seen the flashes of gold inside the honey coloured beads in Red Diamond Jewellery he couldn't resist picking it up for her. It reminded him so much of her enchanting eyes.
Standing behind her he watched as she smoothed her gown, patted her hair, and held her face at various angles. The protruding lower lip led him to believe she wasn't entirely satisfied with what she saw.
"You don't think I should have straightened my hair, do you?" Her inquiry caused him to shake his head.
"Absolutely not. I've never seen such glorious curls before." Reaching his hand up to touch the soft mass of hair, carefully pinned up into place, he felt a soft sting as she batted his fingers away.
"Do you know how long it took me to do that? Don't touch." Her scolding words were softened by her smile. The curl of her lips faded as she twisted her upper body to the side and ran her hands down the front of her dress. "Maybe I shouldn't have gone with a corset. Perhaps I should be trying to minimize things."
"That is ridiculous. You look absolutely luscious." Leaning forward he ran his hands down to follow the path that hers had taken. Bringing his head down, careful not to get too close to the carefully groomed hair, he rested his chin on her shoulder while looking in the mirror to see just what it was that his fingers were currently finding so delightful to the touch. "What man could possibly resist your ample charms?"
The merest flicker of her eyes as she quickly glanced away from the glass gave him his answer. Crouching down beside her he grabbed her closest hand and pressed it to his lips. He could feel the small calluses on her sewing fingers against his skin.
"We don't need to attend if you don't want to. I've heard that the collywobbles are going around." Millona shifted around on the bench and looked down at him, her mouth slightly open as he gently nibbled on the tips of her fingers.
"We must go. You're the High Chancellor, you can't miss the festivities. And I will not hide in here just because Corvus will be present." The determination in her voice contrasted with the heavy exhalations of breath she released as he teased the sensitive soft flesh between her fingers with the point of his tongue.
"Ocato." Millona stood up from the bench and he rose with her, refusing to give back her hand. As he nipped the mounds of her palm, his teeth gently grazing the skin, she feebly tried to tug her arm away. "We'll be late."
"The Empire survived for a year without an Emperor. I don't think it will suddenly collapse if the High Chancellor is a few minutes late to yet another party." Resting a knee on the cushioned bench he answered in between carefully placed kisses to her neck. His hands were busy tugging up the soft velvet of her skirt, gathering it up into a cloud of fabric around her waist.
"A few minutes? Do you know how long it takes me to get dressed?" Millona answered in between heavy breaths. Ocato's hands were removing the silken garments that prevented access to her warm skin.
"Who said anything about getting undressed?" He asked, but his question remained unanswered. Millona was far too occupied with clutching the dressing table in front of her for support as she made small whimpers of pleasure.
She was always telling him how she found his long fingers so very fascinating.
Every one of his senses was currently satisfied. The soft crackling of the fire, occasional pops and hisses signalling the departure of a torrent of sparks from the burning logs, was music to his ears. The slight scent of wood smoke, combined with the aroma of the fine wine in his glass, evoked memories of warm quiet evenings from years gone by.
He sank back into the soft cushions of the sofa, his tired legs stretched out along its length, and admired the sight of Millona as she sat on the rug beside him. Her dressing gown puddled out around her, a tantalizing glimpse of thigh peeking out from where the fabric had fallen away.
The only thing that marred the scene was the stern expression on her face as she stared at the fireplace. She'd been rather subdued since they'd returned from the dance being held to celebrate the Warrior's Festival.
"Did you enjoy yourself?" he inquired while reaching out to touch her loose curls. Freed from their bonds they were once more his to safely play with.
"It was a nice evening. The company was generally pleasant," She replied softly. "It was good to see Commander Lex again. His fiancée is rather charming."
"They're engaged already?"
"Already? Time really is different for mer, isn't it? They met in Bruma almost a year and a half ago," Millona answered with a small frown.
Murmuring a noncommittal noise he traced his finger down the curve of her neck, over the amber beads, heated by the warmth of her body, and on to her shoulder. Idly drawing invisible circles he waited for her to speak, used to her quiet periods of contemplation by now. Whenever his fingertip ran over the edge of her dressing gown he tugged it ever so slightly to the side, wondering if he could get it to slip off her shoulder.
She shifted position, leaning her back further against the sofa, one hand unconsciously tugging up the gown towards her neck, oblivious to the expanse of leg now visible thanks to her movement.
"Did it bother you that I danced with him?" Millona asked quietly. Ocato sighed. He hadn't been pleased to see her waltzing around with Corvus, but the stiff way she'd held herself, and the small pout she'd worn the entire time, had calmed him.
"Do you want me to say yes?" he answered her question with one of his own. To his surprise she stood up and stalked over towards the armchair beside the fire, her gown flowing out behind her as she went.
"I don't know," she replied as she turned around to face him and he noticed her hand at her neck, absently twirling the amber pieces against her skin. He sat up while watching her, curious as to her sudden agitation.
"Do you know what he told me?" Her words were quick and clearly rhetorical. He shook his head softly as she continued on. "He told me that it broke his heart when I left him. His heart!" She punctuated the loud exclamation by pointing her free hand at Ocato in an emphatic manner.
"The only thing it shattered was his ego," she muttered, shaking her head at the thought. "And I wasn't the one that left. He left me all those years ago. He's just mad that I'm the one who made it final."
"Millona, don't let it bother you. That was the past," Ocato tried to soothe her while gesturing for her to join him on the sofa. She didn't seem interested in the offer.
"The arrogance of that man!" Her words were perhaps a touch too loud as she walked over towards the padded bench. Sitting heavily on it she grabbed her hairbrush and ran it through her curls, the quick, angry, strokes turning her hair into a mass of frizz.
"To come back after all those years and expect me to go back to being the quiet devoted wife! As if I could return to the woman I used to be. As if I'd go back to turning a blind eye to his Bosmeri mistresses, his guild connections, his little comments that made me feel too Imperial. As if not being merish enough was my fault, making me think that if I was only more compliant, if only I was slimmer, if only I were more accepting he'd somehow love me more. Being left to rule his town on my own taught me that I wasn't as weak as I thought. Do you know how often I used to complain to him?"
The hairbrush stopped abruptly in its almost violent motion and she sighed deeply. Ocato stood and made his way over to join her.
"Never. I never once complained." The hairbrush was placed idly on the dressing table and he smoothed her hair gently with his hands, kissing the top of her head as he did. "But I should have. I can't blame him for everything. I'm sure it wasn't easy living with me, with my sullen glares and long suffering silences. I know I made him feel judged and unworthy as I propped myself up with my goodness and sweetness, wrapping myself up with my martyrdom, ever widening the gulf between us.
"I think there was love between us once, but we both let it die out as we waited for the other to say the things we left unsaid." She turned around on the bench, the gown sliding to the side to reveal an entire leg and generous curve of hip.
Looking up at him she clasped his hands in her own. He noted the way she squared her shoulders and tilted her chin up stiffly, the regal effect somewhat lessened by the halo of bushy hair around her face.
"I've come to a decision. You made it for me tonight. I will not wait around for you to realize that I'm no longer content to live my life on hold."
"Millona, what are you saying?" Panic caused his stomach to drop. He'd never seen her look so serious before.
"That I don't have the patience of a timeless mer. It's been seven months already. Why should I wait for you to notice that we're both happy?" The curl of her lip caused relief to course through him, though it didn't clear away the confusion her answer caused.
"What are you saying?"
"Marry me." The two words were so many things. A command, a plea, a question, and a declaration of love. Time-- a mere moment, a slow eternity-- passed between them as he looked down into her amber eyes. Ocato had no doubt she wouldn't wait a minute longer if he failed to answer.
Tugging her up she stood. His hand slipped around her neck as he bent his head down to hers, pressing his forehead against her own. The curl was on both sides of her smile as he spoke.
"Do you think I'd let a vibrant, inspiring woman such as yourself slip through my grasp? When would you like to have the ceremony?"
As he kissed her, pressing her decadent soft body against him, he was aware of shimmering colours outside the window. Millona's lips slid away and he found his mouth against her cheek.
"Ocato, why are there three sheep, an eyeball, and a heart sparkling outside?"
With a laugh he tugged her along as he slowly walked back towards the bed.
"Generally I find it best not to ask. Though in my experience it tends to mean the Emperor is due for a new sofa."
Pulling her onto the bed he smiled to see her laughing, the small wrinkles crinkling around the corners of her amber eyes. While she may not be a timeless mer, she was something he'd cherish for as many seasons as he could.
But in the meantime there was only the present, and her inspirational bounty of charms.