Cherished

Cherished
By Misha

Disclaimer- Not mine. I’m just borrowing them for a little while and will return them when I am finished.

Author’s Notes- This is a response to the “you almost died” kiss prompt though I take some liberties and instead it’s really “you could have died”. Gennesaret also asked me to write a fic where Diavolos has to fight off a dozen men single-handedly which gave me the idea for this fic and the perfect way to tie the two prompts together. This is set about a year after Livia’s birth and about 8 or so months before “Hollow” (this is kind of the lead up to the events of that story).

Pairing- Kenna/Diavolos

Rating- NSFW

Summary- After being attacked by rebels, Kenna and Diavolos remind each other how much they mean to one another.

Words- 2168

It started with the airship.

Three days before Kenna was supposed to be in Bellemere for a trade meeting, Elsa, one of the technocrats that Whitlock had assigned to help out at Stormholt, came to her with a frown. “I went to expect the airship before our journey, and it’s not working, though I can’t quite figure out why.”

Kenna frowned, “do you think it’ll be ready in time for our trip?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Elsa told her unhappily, “I’m still trying to figure out what is wrong.”

That wasn’t good. Normally Kenna would just take the other airship but it was in Lykos with Captain Magnus and Val, who were working on a joint training exercise between Abanthus and Stormholt, which was actually one of the things on the agenda to discuss with Rowan.

Kenna also knew she couldn’t miss this meeting, Rowan could be prickly, and besides, they needed to move troops through Bellemere and missing the trade summit wasn’t the way to get on Rowan’s good side. So, she proposed that she and Diavolos ride to Bellemere, though that meant leaving the children behind. Which also meant leaving Jackson behind, much to his concern, because there was no one else she’d trust to watch over her children.

“I don’t like the idea of you being unprotected,” he commented.

“It’s not like either of us are defenseless,” Kenna reminded him, “And it’s peacetime.”

After some discussion, She and Diavolos make the decision that with Val and Magnus in Lykos, Dom busy in the mountains, and Jackson and Raydan needed at Stormholt, that it would be easier for them to just go alone instead of bringing guards, trying to travel as under the radar as possible.

Besides, once the idea had been suggested, Kenna had to admit she liked the idea of alone time with her husband. No children, no guards, just the two of them for the first time in much too long. There were some misgivings from those around her, but in the end, she and Diavolos departed on horse for Thorngate.

“I haven’t really missed this,” Diavolos mused as they set up camp for the night, just passed the Bellemere border. “Sleeping on the ground, I mean.”

Kenna laughed, “me either.”

It had been a long time since she’d slept anywhere other than a bed. Sometimes, it seemed so long ago now, the days she had spent, fighting to reclaim and then defend her kingdom. After all, it’s been several years of peace, of governing and raising children and enjoying the rewards of her hard work.

“However, I never had such a beautiful tentmate before,” Diavolos commented, his hands on her waist, bending to press his lips against hers.

Kenna raised herself onto her tiptoes, kissing him back enthusiastically, her body molding into his. Several years of marriage hadn’t changed how much she wanted this man. He still had the ability to drive her crazy with a single touch.

Diavolos slipped an arm under her, lifting her off the ground and Kenna instinctively wrapped her legs around him as he carried her towards the tent, their mouths still joined. Suddenly, though, Diavolos stiffened and he quickly set her on her feet.

Kenna sent him an inquiring look, but he just cocked his head, all the heat dying from his expression and instead replaced by a look of deadly concentration. Kenna understood immediately, her hand reaching for her sword, noticing Diavolos was doing the same.

A second later, figures emerged from the shadows. There was over a dozen of them, Kenna realized, trying to see in the darkness.

“Bellemere will not bow down to the wishes of a foreign queen and her warlord husband!” One of them cried, launching himself at Kenna.

His rant surprised her, but she didn’t have time to think, just to react. She clashed her sword with his, ducking as one of his companions came to his aid. Kenna had to admit that she was a little out of practice since it had been years since she’d had to fight for her life, but she still sparred with both Diavolos and Dom and she was more than capable of holding her own.

She glanced over at Diavolos, seeing that he was fighting the majority of their attackers, and he seemed so at ease, despite being so out-numbered. But before she could spend too much time admiring him, her would-be attacker lunged at her again, forcing her to concentrate.

Kenna ran her sword through her attackers, and their back-up, and then turned to see if her husband needed help, but he was surrounded by a pile of bodies.

“I finally get to see you take on a dozen men by yourself,” she teased, remembering their wedding vows.

Diavolos laughed. “And here I thought that those days were behind me,” He commented, looking grave as they cleaned up the bodies, dragging them to the nearby woods.

“I don’t think this was a coincidence, Kenna.” He said when they were done and had returned to camp. “Or some random attack.”

Neither did she. It was too perfect. How had they known that they would be traveling by horse and taking this route? It had been a last-minute plan. Someone had sabotaged the airship, betting that they would then decide to ride to Bellemere, probably hoping that they’d only have a few guards. The fact that they’d went alone must have been a bonus or it would have been if Diavolos wasn’t so skilled with his sword.

“Someone betrayed us,” Kenna said flatly, wondering who it was and why.

They’d searched the bodies but there had been no insignia or identifying objects. The one attacker had talked about protecting Bellemere, but from what? Kenna had a strong alliance with Rowan and had for years.

There had been whispers of unhappiness here and there over the years, but nothing like this. This was an organized attack and if Kenna hadn’t married the most formidable warrior in the Five Kingdoms, there was a good chance she’d be dead right now.

Even in the dark, she could see the anger on Diavolos’s face.

“We’ll talk to Rowan when we get to Thorngate,” she assured him, stepping towards him.

He nodded, but his body was still tense. Suddenly, he pulled her against him, his mouth devouring hers. “Hells Kenna, I could have lost you,” he muttered against her lips, “they could have taken you away from me.”

“But they didn’t,” she reminded him, pressing herself against him.

“This is the second time I almost lost you,” he reminded her, “I couldn’t do anything to help you last time.” When she’d come close to bleeding to death after having Livia.

“But this time you could,” she reminded him, bringing her hand up to caress his face, “I’m right here and I’m ok, thanks to you.”

She knew they need to get to Thorngate as quickly as possible, but adrenaline was rushing through her and the image of her gorgeous husband easily fighting off all their attackers was still running through her mind. As much as she loved peace, Diavolos was a man who looked damn good when he was fighting.

“There’s no point traveling through the night,” Kenna pointed out, “though we can take turns keeping watch if it’ll make you feel better.”

“It would,” he told her, tightening his hold on her, “I refuse to take any risks with you.”

His protective tone filled her with even more warmth. She loved him so much and every day he showed her just how much he loved her in return.

“But before we do that, I think I should show you just how much I admire your bravery and skill.”

She moved out of his arms, tugging him towards the bedroll.

Diavolos grinned. “That sounds promising,” he murmured in a low voice, reaching for the straps of her armor.

As he skillfully undressed her, Kenna did the same for him until their clothing lay in a pile. Kenna stepped back, taking in the sight of her husband in all his nude glory. The years had added some grey to Diavolos’s hair and a few lines to his face, but he was still in peak physical condition and looking at him took her breath away.

He met her gaze and smirked. “See something you like?”

“Always,” Kenna assured him, running her hands down his smooth chest. She was about to drop to her knees in front of him when suddenly Diavolos grabbed her by the waist.

“I have a better idea,” he told her, turning her so her back was against him and then lifting her off the ground as he settled them both on the bedroll. Kenna frowned until he tugged her hips back towards his face and then she realized what he had in mind.

“I thought I was supposed to be showing you how much I admire you,” she teased even as she planted her legs on either side of his chest and then leaned forward, her hands rest on his muscular thighs.

“It can be a mutual admiration society,” Diavolos told her huskily, his strong hands pulling her closer so that his head rested between her legs.

Kenna sighed as he began to kiss the inside of her thighs. She took his hard length in her hands and then lowered her mouth to it, licking and kissing it before taking it completely into her mouth and sucking. She heard Diavolos groan and could feel his hips buck into her mouth. At the same time, he plunged his tongue into her causing Kenna to grip his hips for a moment and sigh around him. She continued working him with the mouth as he did the same for her, pulling back as she reached her speak and spasmed against his mouth, her hands digging into his hips.

Diavolos moved his mouth away from her and then gripped her hips and spinning her to the ground before she had a chance to realize what was happening, using his arms to position himself above her. “I want you,” he told her, looking directing into her eyes so she could see the truth of his words.

“I want you too,” she assured him, knowing that there would never be a time when she didn’t. After all these years together, she still wanted him as badly as she had that first night, was still amazed by the way he made her feel.

Diavolos didn’t need any further invitation and entered her in one swift motion, giving her a body a moment to adjust to him before he started thrusting in and out, his lips trailing over her neck and shoulder as he did. Kenna wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him as close as possible as she arched her hips to meet his every thrust.

“You feel so good,” he whispered against her throat, the words drawn out.

“So do you,” she assured him breathlessly.

Diavolos’s mouth moved to her breasts, showering kisses over her chest as he continued to move inside her, his pace slow and steady. Kenna whimpered and squeezed her legs, trying to get him to speed up.

“What do you need, baby?” Diavolos asked as he kissed his way back up, his mouth just inches from hers.

“You,” Kenna told him, “only you. Always you.”

There was an almost primal heat in his dark eyes and then he captured her lips with his, quickening his pace so that he was almost slamming in and out of her and she welcomed it.

“Like that,” she moaned, digging her nails into her back. “Ohhhh!” She couldn’t take it anymore, screaming his name as she came. “DIAVOLOS!!!!”

He continued to pump in her even as she came apart around him. “I love it when you scream my name,” he told her, grabbing a fistful of her hair and then biting down on her shoulder as he too came, spilling himself inside her.

Diavolos collapsed against her, both of them sweaty and exhausted. She held him close to her as the waves of pleasure subsided, delighting in the weight of him against her.

“I love you,” he told her as he rolled over so that he was on his back and she was lying on top of him. “So much.”

“I love you too,” Kenna assured him, moving off of his chest and snuggling into his side.

“You should rest,” Diavolos told her, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll take first watch.”

“Ok,” Kenna said, knowing that they would have a long ride ahead of them in the morning and then they would have to try and get to the bottom of what had happened here and who had sold them out. She had a feeling there wouldn’t be any easy answers.

But that was a problem for tomorrow, right now she was safe in her husband’s arms, feeling loved and cherished and knowing that she always would be.

• End