Battle-Hardened, War Weary Ch. 08B

Judge Goode proceeded on with a sermon about the responsibilities of marriage and about loving another person. Even though Ryan and Kali didn't want a religion-based wedding ceremony, Ryan felt like he was involved in one. His father's godfather sounded as if he was preaching from a pulpit instead of standing at an altar. He was uncomfortable and started to become impatient. To keep from speaking out of turn, he focused his attention on his soon-to be-wife, who stood eight inches in front of him. Her eyes were focused on him. There was smile on her lips. A thin blanket of sweat covered her face. She was hot and that tidbit of knowledge caused his impatience to rise. He remembered reading from one of Kali's self-help books about pregnancy that expecting moms should never stay out in hot weather for long periods of time.

'She needs to get out of this heat,' he concluded.

He was about to speak up, when the judge ended his sermon. He looked towards Ryan. "Ryan, would you like to say something to your bride?"

'Yes, it is about-fucking-time!' he mentally cheered.

"Yes, I would like to say something," Ryan announced, with a voice that was hoarse. His throat had become suddenly itchy. He swallowed a few mouthful of saliva, in hope that the sensation would ease up. Then he let out a series of coughs.

"Son, are you alright?" Judge Goode asked in a soft voice.

Ryan glanced at Kali. Her brow was wrinkled as she stared at him. Then he glanced at the judge. He nodded his head. He coughed one final time. He gazed at his soon-to be-wife. "When I stare at you and I look into your eyes, I see some things that I've never experienced before. I see love. I see warmth and I see my source of sanctuary. They are three things that I've never experienced before you came into my life. Even though we were kids when we met, I was drawn to you. You..." Ryan turned his head to the right. He glimpsed at Mare and at Jack. He saw Mare's smile and then he spoken "...and your family had shown me more love and respect that I've ever experience. And for that, I thank you. You're a wonderful woman. You're beautiful and gorgeous and sexy—

"Hey now!" The short warning was shouted from the audience. The couple recognized Davis' voice. A few guests laughed, as well as the couple.

"Davis, will you be quiet?" his wife said to him with a tensed, low-volume voice. There was more laughter from the other guests.

"I love you..." His eyes drifted down to her bosom, in particular, to her left breast. He made a glimpse at her face. He saw the sense of acknowledgement cross her beautiful face. Her eyes briefly widened and then watered. She eyed him. Ryan's full lips morphed into a smile. "I will fight and die, in order to protect you." Her brow ridge folded while her eyes narrowed. He watched tears escape from her eyes. Her bottom lip shook. The urge to comfort her was strong. He wanted to close the space between them and console her.

And he did just that. Ryan followed his impulse.

He invaded her personal space and pulled her antenatal body into his arms. His right hand reached up to her face and molded itself against her left cheek. His left thumb wiped her right cheek dry. He reached down to her lips and gave her a kiss on her lips. His heartbeats quickened their pace while he felt light-headed as if all of the blood had drained from his skull. Then he took note that his prick was hardening at the moment.

"Aaaawww," he heard a woman from the audience whimpered, while his lips were implanted on his wife's mouth. Other women made their own swooning sound effects as they sat in the audience.

"I thought that they supposed to kiss at the end. Is this the end of the wedding? It's shorter than Auntie Luanne's wedding—

"Tristan, shush!"

There was the sound of laughter from the audience.

Ryan heard every bit of sound as he kissed his bride. Once he removed his lips, he asked her "Baby, will you be okay?" He stared at her face. She nodded her head. "Are you sure, baby?" Once again, she nodded her head. "Are the girls bothering you?" She shook her head. "Okay," he sighed. "Okay, baby." Ryan reluctantly backed away from her. He returned to his spot. He turned his attention towards the judge. "I'm sorry about that, Sir. You can continue."

Honorable Judge Goode nodded his head a few times while there was a smile on his face. He turned his attention to Kali. He asked her the same question. She gave the official a glimpse before she eyed Ryan. A smile formed on her lips. "I love you," she sighed. "You're a good man and I..." Her voice trailed off. She began to rock side-to-side. Ryan saw the look of confusion that marred her face. He knew that she didn't like to speak in front of crowds. He watched his bride stammer a few times. He felt terrible for her. "Shit, I don't know how to do this," she muttered.

"It's all right, dear" the judge softly said to her. "Would you like for me to continue?" She nodded her head while he stared at the judge with an expression that conveyed her nervousness. Judge Goode handed Kali a look of sympathy before he resumed with his work. He glanced down at his gray blazer and he pulled the right lapel away from his chest. The fingers from his left hand dug into the interior pocket. A few seconds later, he produced two rings. He gathered the rings into the palm of his right hand. He observed each ring to figure out which ring belong to whom. He handed Ryan the ring that belonged to Kali. "Please do not let my husband see that ring," the judge said to Ryan. "The last thing that he needs is more diamond jewelry."

Ryan chuckled and then nodded his head. "Okay," he muttered. He glanced down at the wedding band. He observed the platinum band and the twenty-two, cushioned-cut diamonds that were encrusted. Then he gazed at the woman who was going to be the recipient of the ring.

"Ryan, I need for you to place the ring on Kali's ring finger," instructed the judge.

The groom extended his right hand out in front of him. It was his way of asking Kali for her left hand. She placed her slender left hand inside of his hand. Ryan slipped the ring onto her index finger. The wedding band joined the extravagant, diamond engagement ring. He stared at the rings and then he stared at Kali's face.

"Repeat after me: I, Ryan, take you, Kali, to be my wife."

Ryan grinned before he spoke. "I, Ryan, take you, Kali, to be my wife."

"To share the good times and hard times side by side. I humbly give you my hand and my heart, as a sanctuary of warmth and peace, and pledge my faith and love to you."

Ryan repeated, "To share the good times and hard times side by side. I humbly give my hand and my heart, as a sanctuary of warmth and peace, and pledge my faith and love to you."

"Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal."

Ryan repeated the declaration to his bride.

"Just as it is made of incorruptible substance, my commitment to you will never fail. With this ring, I thee wed."

Ryan stated, "Just as it is made incorruptible substance, my commitment to you will never fail. With this ring, I thee wed." Then he mouthed the words 'I love you."

Kali smiled and blushed as she briefly stared down at the ground. The groom saw Judge Goode give his future wife his wedding band. She silently asked for his hand. He placed his left hand into her smaller hand.

"Kali, I want you..."

Ryan watched Kali stared at the judge.

"...You to place the ring on Ryan's finger and I want you to recite..." The judge recited the vows again and Kali recited them as well. Ryan watched his soon-to be-wife place a platinum wedding band on his left ring finger. Once the ring was set on his finger, her right thumb did an appreciative swipe across the metal band. There was a brief moment of silence before the judge spoke again.

"Being that it is hotter than an oven out here, let me wrap this thing up with a closing—

"HALLELUJAH!"

The declaration had come from a guest that sat in the audience. The outburst caused a few of the other guests to cheer and clap in agreement. Kali and Ryan both laughed.

The judge had taken the reins and managed to settle the crowd down. He turned his attention to Ryan and Kali. "Inasmuch as you have consented together in this ceremony to live in wedlock and have sealed your vows in the presence of this company and by giving of these rings, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are Husband and Wife..."

The courtyard was filled with the noise of raucous cheers and applause.

"Congratulations, you may kiss!" Judge Thurston Goode announced.

The volume in the applause and the cheers had increased. Ryan and Kali filled up the space that was in between them. His hands reached up to her face and he cradled her face. Her soft-textured hands rested on his broad shoulders. When their lips touched, there was a gentle collide with a powerful impact. The kiss was conservative at first. Then Ryan felt Kali discreetly slip her tongue past the fleshy barrier that was his lips. The tip of her tongue ran across the bottom row of his teeth before slipping deeper into his mouth. His tongue felt her give a swipe before it withdrawn. She slipped her tongue back into her mouth. She gave Ryan another peck before removing her lips. Then, they pressed their foreheads against each other. Ryan and Kali exchanged stares.

"Please, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome Mister and Missus Orion Octavius Whittler!" the judge announced before the audience.

The spacious courtyard was soon filled with a mixture of different sounds. There was the sounds of their family and friends cheering for them and applauding. There was the music that was played by the string quartet. But underneath those layers of noise, the most important sounds were spoken. It were the sounds of Ryan and Kali declaring their love for each other.

********

"Oh, oh... Aaah, oh...Mmmm, fuck Ryan... Mmmm, right there...Ah..." Kali screamed into the air as the left side of her face rested on the rose petal-strewn mattress. Her facial features were contorted in a mask of pleasure. Her hands fisted the thick comforter that the side of her face rested on.

"Uh-huh, mmm-hmm," he groaned as his cock plunged deep into her hot pussy.

"Oh God... F-f-f-fuck Ryan," she growled from the pleasure that she felt.

"Mmmm," he groaned. The steady, mid-tempo pace that his hips were performing caused his member to plunge deeper into his wife's cunt. He listened to her cries of desire while he felt her inner walls tighten its hold on his prick. He let out a series of grunts. "Tell me how much you love this dick," he demanded. He glanced down at her bare, curvy back and then at the area where their bodies were joined. He viewed his pale colored cock being swallowed up by her juicy cunt. A pulse of pleasure erupted in his cock.

'Fuck,' his brain murmured.

He realized that she didn't answer him. He lifted his right hand and then slapped her right ass cheek. The cracking sound of skin striking skin echoed in the bedroom. His eyes widened in delight as he watched her lower cheek jiggle after the impact. His ears picked up one of Kali's moans. Then he felt her pussy squeeze his member tighter. He gave her ass another smack. She presented Ryan with the same reaction.

"Tell me that you love this dick!" he growled.

Kali lifted her face off of the bed and she glanced over her right shoulder. "Oh God," she moaned loudly. She squealed. "Oh God, I love this dick! Oooh..." She proceeded to spew more moans.

"Uuuuggghh," he grunted. "I fucking love you," he declared.

"I-I-I-I love you too," she whimpered.

His right hand caressed her back and then traveled up to her coiffed hair. He grabbed a handful of her hair. With a gentle tug, he pulled her head back. Then he guided her upper body to become erect. He pressed his front against her back while he continued to pleasure her dripping cunt with his prick. His left hand left her left hip, which was its resting place and traveled down to the apex of her thighs. His thick and long fingers rubbed at her wet slit.

"AAAAAHHHH, UUUGHH, GGGGAAAHH..." she screamed as a strong amount of pleasure landed in her clit. Her body released a series of spasms.

"You like that?" Ryan whispered in her right ear.

"Yes," she gasped.

His fingers split apart her gash and revealed her pearl to his fingertips. His callused tips made frantic rubs against her clit, which caused her body to tremble.

"Ryan," she whimpered.

His fingers caressed her knot of nerves for a few more rubs before he removed his entire hand from that vicinity. He pressed his hand against the curve of her belly. His right hand de-tangled itself from her hair. He reached down and grabbed her hip. He gave her side a tight squeeze and then he released her hip, only to have his hand travel up to her right breast. He cupped her tit in his hand. Ryan listened to the sounds that poured from his wife's mouth. He detected how every moan was quickly formed and how frequent they were. Then, his cock felt her aroused walls close in on him in a wild and erratic fashion. He knew that his woman was about to reach her breaking point.

Ryan growled. "You're about to cum, aren't you?" he moaned. His right hand released her tit and then drifted down to her right buttock. His meaty hand gripped onto the ample mass of flesh and then he released only to slap the skin. His ears listened to his wife's cry.

"Y-Y-Y-Yeah... Yeah, yeah, yeah..." she moaned.

"Mmm..." he groaned as he felt the thin line of pressure travel up and into his shaft. His mind managed to form a 'Fuck' before going dysfunctional. His mouth let out a strangled cry as the first tremor afflicted his body. A bright red light clouded his vision and then everything had gone dark. His sheathed cock jerked three streams of his seed as his hips continued to slam against her ample bottom. The speed in his hips' movement slowed down and gradually came to a halt. He felt the strength in his legs decreased in one swoop. His tall and built body lightly shook. His left hand clasped onto her left hip while his right hand reached down in between their bodies. His fingers grabbed at the base of his spent sex and then gingerly withdrew from her sex-battered pussy. He heard her whimper. Ryan sank down onto his haunches and sat in a kneeling pose on their bed. Then, he sank his body down onto the mattress. Despite his befuddled state, he was mindful of landing his body on his pregnant wife. "Fuck" he growled into his right, sculpted bicep as his arm was draped across his face.

Ryan felt the mattress trembled. He peeked from under his arm and saw that his wife was crawling up the bed. A few seconds later, her heated and sated body was pressed against his own. The front of her body was lightly brushing against his right side. He felt her stomach grazed against his right flank while her head rested on his chest and her right arm was draped over the chiseled planes of his stomach. Her thick, right leg was slung over his right thigh.

"Mmmm," she purred in contentment.

"I..." sighed Ryan before his voice trailed off. There were several pants that escaped his mouth. His lungs held a slight burn as if he had just ran a few miles. The shaking sensation had lessened. His green eyes focused on the bedroom's ceiling. "Do we really have to go to the thing that's downstairs?" he asked, breaking the line of silence.

Kali giggled. "Yes," she had spoken in a soft voice. "We have to go to our wedding reception. Our family and friends are waiting for us to return from our trip to Central Park with the photographer, remember?"

"By the way that was one good ass lie!" commented Ryan. "Give me a high-five for that one!" Ryan held up his left hand. Kali slapped his palm with her right hand as she laughed. A shudder tickled at his spine and the muscles in his stomach convulsed, at the sound of her laughter. He loved the sound of her laughter. He loved that he was responsible for giving her joy.

Her laughter stopped and the master bedroom was filled with silence. The sounds from the outside world provided a soundtrack for the couple during their moment of calmness. The bedroom was subjected to the sounds of traffic, the voices of random passersby who walked pass the mansion and other normal sounds. Then, there was the sounds of music and chatter that occurred inside of the house.

Ryan's eyelids felt heavy and they fluttered, a result from making the effort to try to stay awake.

"I keep thinking that I am going to wake up and discover that all of this is a dream."

His eyelids lifted and then his green eyes stared down at the top of Kali's head. A few seconds later, she lifted her head off of his chest and gazed at him. He stared at her beautiful, heart-shaped face and he focused on her wide eyes. He saw how vibrant and warm the violet color looked.

"Why do you feel this way?" asked Ryan.

"Cause..." She let out a sigh. "...I'm so used to good things turning into shit for me. I am the type of person who always see the 'glass as being as half-empty'. I wish I could be a 'Suzy Sunshine' type of person. But I know the truth about life."

A strong wave of sadness crashed against Ryan's soul, once he heard Kali's testament. A thick mass of distraught developed in his throat. His left hand sought out her right cheek. His thumb caressed the full skin. "Things are going to be better for us..." He smiled. "...For the four of us." He gave the tip of her nose a gentle squeeze. "And they will be great for our other six—

The left eyebrow lifted up as she stared at him. "Six, what?" she questioned. "I hope that you really meant 'six dogs' or 'six pets'. I am not going to push out six more babies," she informed him.

"Why not?" asked Ryan with an amused expression on her face. "Athena and Baby Girl need more siblings to play with—

"They have each other," she stated with a smirk, which earned a guffaw from her husband.

"But we'll have fun making them though!" he reasoned.

"Yeah of course, you would say that! I can see us having four more and we can have our own Brady Bunch. But buddy..." Kali shook her head. "...We are not drifting into the 'Yours, Mines and Ours' territory. No way, nah-ah, no, nope, no and hell no is my answer. It is not going down at all!"

Ryan's laughter filled the bedroom. It was as loud as the music that was playing throughout the house. His good mood was contagious because Kali followed suit by having a fit of giggles, a few seconds later. After a two-minute time span, he was able to speak again.

"I love you," he declared while she gazed down at his wife.

Kali's laughter ceased and she glimpsed at her husband with eyes that were shining due to unshed tears. She smiled and then she sucked on her bottom lip. She was silent for a few seconds.

Ryan stared at her and wondered about his wife's thoughts.

"Ryan..." Her eyes blinked a few times. After her lids moved for the final time, a pair of tears dripped out of the corners of her eyes. "I love you so much," she whimpered out with a raspy voice. "You're my constant reminder that tells me that anything can happen. That even sinners can reform and eventually become saints. You are a great man. I will admit to you that I did hate you at one point in time. But you have shown me the man that was hiding beneath the layers of hatred and anger that you had worn. My soul feel at ease when I am with you now. You are the only person that doesn't make me feel like I am a scarred-up, emotional leper."

"Maybe it is because we are both fucked up," he suggested.

The left side of her lips frowned. "Maybe baby, maybe." She reached down and kissed his chest. Then she sat up on the mattress. She crawled over to the edge of the mattress. She gave Ryan's left calf a swat with her left hand. "Alright Mr. Whittler, we need to get dress and head on downstairs to our reception."