Stolen by the Fiery Selkie King

Days passed and Maeve now stood in a wedding dress.

Maids were busy sewing it onto her figure, a custom tailored fit for a princess. Maeve's wedding would be today, but she planned to be long gone.

She would be stealing his boat.

For days now she had gone to the window and watched as he left and returned with his catch. He hadn't allowed the selkies out of the kingdom since the arrival of Maeve. Perhaps he worried about Vali or perhaps he thought she would find a way off of the island. Either way, she was allowed to walk freely on the beach and explore the town but she had mostly stayed in the tower.

"Raise your arms now please, milady." The maid who was as adjusting her boddess said as she adjusted the a-line hem of lace at Maeve's waist. "I need to let it out a bit, so you can take it off again when the day is over."

She knew what the woman was going on about. Her face flushed as she realized that tonight was her wedding night and perhaps she was expected to do more than cuddle.

No I've been married before. I don't have to be obligated to do anything. She corrected her thoughts.

"Ok miss, now for the lace." The woman adjusted the lace at the hem so that it looked like the dress had always been that size and then she removed various pins from her work.

"Thank you." She replied to the maid as she stood with a bit of pain from her arthritis.

She had been kneeling for a long time on a stool.

Then as she left the room she looked at Maeve. "You're a lucky one, the king has been very lonely since his mother…..oh what am I saying, I'm not allowed to speak of it, oh well you will hear it soon enough, good luck milady."

Maeve was way too curious now but the woman had already gone.

In came the women who were going to do her hair. They curled and combed her long, emerald green hair and commented that it was a lovely color to accompany the king's red color. Green and red, what a lovely combination, like a parrotfish.

"Or like Algae blooms." Maeve said. And this made the women pause.

"Well….yes milady but algae blooms kill fish….we were thinking of something more….."

"Romantic." The other woman said, then she pinned a flower in her hair.

"Or a poinsettia flower." The woman said in reference to the flower she had put in her hair.

"And holly." The other woman said, because the green and white dress Lugh had commissioned for his soon to be wife had some holly embroidered onto it.

He hadn't forgotten that she loved plants in all of the times she was miffed.

"Very well." She said. "If we are talking about plants, many are red and green, but those flowers are both poisonous. In fact most red and green plants are and the red symbolizes animals to stay away.

"It seems I shouldn't be with the king afterall if he brings me a bad omen such as our contrasting hair."

The women panicked, "no princess! Your hair is wonderful together!

"Enough." Lugh suddenly said as he overheard Maeve terrorizing the maids.

But he wasn't getting after Maeve, he was telling the maids to let him alone with his bride.

"It's bad luck to be alone with the bride before the wedding." She said irritated.

Lugh smiled, "don't worry we can be alone later."

He wiggled his eyebrows.

"You won't be able to get me out of this dress." She said hotly.

"My sweet Maeve, always trying to challenge me, I accept."

"No!" She shrieked as he picked her up to bring her to the ceremony she was going to escape from, "I haven't finished having my hair put up!"

"Then have it down." He said. "Like you usually do." He added. "When you're in bed."

"Put me down, I can walk myself."

"Ok I shall put you on the bed if you insist."

"No! The ceremony is fine, there are people watching, you can't do anything to me there." She said personally offended at his teasing.

He laughed his sweet laugh, and then wrapped his white coat around his neck, buttoning it.

"Well, I shall wear my coat in case you try to escape." He said. "I wouldn't want to have to bath you on our special night, unless you want me to, in that case I will join you."

The audacity!

As they arrived at the ceremony he put her down, his personal escorting achieved.

Then he kissed her hand and began to walk away a bit disappointed that his wife still had plans to escape.

————————

Earlier that day, he had come in from the sea to notice her watching from the upper window as he had done many times as a kid.

He remembered the nightmare all too well, the day his mother and siblings were killed by a rival. His father never returned from the storm he had set out in to retrieve their souls from the other realm, the realm of death.

The mouth of Nefilheim had swallowed him up, just like any other before, never to be seen again in his attempt to rescue his loved ones — all except for Lugh who had been at sea.

He had been at a betrothal ceremony to the rival's daughter. In exchange the parents came here. In both kingdoms it was supposed to be a day where they each sent a visitor to celebrate.

But it hadn't been true.

He had never expected to marry since that day. Instead he would keep his coat. An offense against selkie custom, the selkie coat was always to be kept in possession of the lover.

So he would have no lover. Never. Until he met Maeve. As suddenly as he had been burdened to be king, he had met his wife. Still today she would not get his coat, not ever.

I cannot love her too much or I'll get hurt again. He thought as he assumed his place at the alter, awaiting his wife. Why am I lured to her so, father? He prayed. Is it because she said she didn't need it?