Her Graceful War Song

In the bathing chamber, Rafael's nightwear had already been laid out. It was blue, made from a comfortable fabric with only subtle cloud patterns, matching the nightwear Carissa was about to change into in both color and style.

It wasn't entirely without embroidery, though. The cuffs featured some stitching: one sleeve bore the words "eternal harmony," while the other sleeve had "blessing of a child," symbolizing good wishes. Rafael had bathed and groomed himself the previous night, knowing that this evening might extend late into the night.

When he emerged from the bathing chamber, dressed in the blue nightwear, he looked both clean and handsome. After spending some time in the capital, his complexion had become notably fairer. Carissa remembered meeting him on the battlefield. Back then, his face had been covered in a rugged beard, and he looked as unkempt as one could possibly be. It was hard to imagine that the man before her now was the same person.

The candles cast a warm glow on the white wedding quilt, and the draped curtains added to the cozy atmosphere.

As Rafael gently led Carissa by the hand toward the big bed, her heart raced and her palms grew sweaty. She had never been so nervous around anyone in her life.

What she didn't know was that Rafael was even more anxious.

He felt an overwhelming urge to grab everyone by the collar and shout, "Have you ever waited years to marry the girl of your dreams, only to have her marry someone else? And just when you're about to give up hope, she gets a divorce and comes back to you, and tonight, you finally get to marry her?"

Was there anyone who could truly understand his excitement and joy?

Anyone at all?!

In his overwhelming emotion, he accidentally stepped on the long hem of her gown. Carissa stumbled forward, but he quickly caught her.

"I'm sorry!"

Holding her soft, fragrant form in his arms, Rafael felt his mind go blank.

The sensation of dizziness struck him again, as if lightning was crashing through his chest again and again. Everything around him seemed to fade into nothingness. He was barely aware of what was happening.

When Rafael's awareness slowly returned, he found himself already on the bed, with Carissa's trembling, awkward hands trying to undress him.

She was half-propped on the bed, her face flushed bright red. The front of his nightwear was partially open, exposing his chest. Her nervousness was clear as her hands fumbled, unsure where to place them. Carissa's heart raced uncontrollably when Rafael suddenly pulled her onto the bed.

Was he taking the lead?

If he made the first move, shouldn't she at least show some interest and take a bit of initiative herself? So, the usual sequence would be for him to initiate the embrace, then for her to undress him, rather than waiting for him to undress her.

Right?

Now that she had removed his clothing, what should she do next?

She felt a flush spread over her entire body, and her ears burned. She even imagined that her hair was turning red.

Carissa's delicate eyelashes fluttered as she slowly moved her gaze to his face, tilting her head slightly as if to ask, "What comes next?"

That adorable, innocent expression...

Rafael couldn't tell if it was the effect of the alcohol or his emotions, but he could barely think straight.

As their lips touched, any remaining shred of rationality dissolved, and the spinning sensation returned, overtaking him once again.

Carissa found herself pressed against his chest, his strong arms encircling her with such force that his solid, iron-like chest made it almost impossible for her to catch her breath. But perhaps the real reason she was gasping for air was because his lips were firmly pressed against hers.

Was he acting like a puppy, just nuzzling indiscriminately?

If he knew his wife's thoughts, Rafael would swear he wasn't just clumsily nuzzling her. He had spent considerable time studying the "sacred texts" on this subject before their wedding, thoroughly analyzing everything from written guides and illustrations to Jacob's advice.

He knew exactly how to handle this moment skillfully. But he was currently feeling overwhelmingly dizzy and his head was somewhat blank. He needed a moment to recover.

Tonight was their first night together, a moment of deep connection between him and Carissa. He wanted to make sure it was perfect.

Long ago, as a young man, he had cherished thoughts of her, waiting for the day he could finally marry her. He had never been with another woman, as he believed the act to be sacred and only wanted to share those intimate experiences with Carissa.

Because he hadn't accumulated any experience, Rafael was clumsy and disorganized, struggling to perform as he hoped. But fortunately, the night was long, wasn't it?

Both of them stumbled through the experience, clumsy and inexperienced.

The candles were meant to burn all night long. And they had a whole lifetime ahead of them, with countless opportunities to connect and explore together.

Before falling into a deep sleep, Carissa had only one thought flashing through her mind.NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

Was this what sex was supposed to be like? It seemed that she was better at it than Rafael. Her guild junior didn't seem very skilled at this!