Upon hearing his mother speak, Leonard thought that she and his little wife had more in common than he'd imagined.
"Look, I have a cat as a pet too. Let me introduce you-come with me."
Approaching his son, Leonard's father said, "You'd best follow your young wife, and remember to carry a sword, just in case."
"It's just a cat we're going to see."
"Yeah, and your wife has just a puppy for a pet. Hurry up and go; I'll wait here- I don't get along very well with that damn cat."
Leonard thought his father was overreacting; no matter how fierce, a cat was hardly something that could eat him. He followed a few steps behind the women, and his mother led them to a greenhouse at the end of the garden. She had always adored flowers and made sure the house was filled with blooms even in winter. When they walked into the greenhouse, a huge tiger burst out from among the flowers and lunged at Leonard's mother. Leonard couldn't fathom where it had come from. Too far to prevent an attack, he was stunned when she tiger didn't bite or tear but instead stood on two legs and licked his mother's face.
Olivia, equally surprised upon seeing the tiger, stayed behind her mother-in-law. Leonard instinctively covered her with his arms. His mother told Olivia, "Oh, darling, don't be scared-come a bit closer."
Gripping Olivia tightly, Leonard said to his mother, "She's not going anywhere near that beast."
"What are you doing here? I didn't invite you. You're as hot-tempered as your father, and it makes my little kitty nervous."
"Mother, that's not a cat."
"Of course, it is."
"It's a tiger!"
"Yes, but I've raised him since he was tiny, so he's very tame."
Olivia shrugged off Leonard's embrace to get closer to the tiger, wishing to touch its soft, fluffy fur, but Leonard snatched her back, declaring, "I forbid you to go near that beast."
"Leonard, your mother said it's harmless."
Sarina approached them, gave Leonard a hefty slap on the back, and said, "Stop being so overprotective; you're smothering her."
"Hey! That hurts."
"if you don't quite the foolery and leave, I'll sic the cat on you."
"You know I'm your only son."
"I do, so you better let us be alone."
Leonard loosened his grip and stepped back from Olivia, fully aware his mother was mad enough to make good her threats.
Olivia neared the tiger and stroked its head. "What's its name?"
Sarina placed her hand on the tiger's back and said, "His name is Blas. Isn't he adorable?"
"Yes, his fur is so soft and fluffy; I love it."
"I got him from travelers who passed through here. They gave him to met out of gratitude for letting them spend the night. When I got him, he was merely a cub, hadn't even grown his fangs, and just look how big he's gotten."
Leonard tried to approached, but the tiger growled at him, forcing him to retreat. He stayed at a wary distance, on guard for had found a wolf instead of a tiger or jaguar in the forest.
They played with Blas for a while, then decided they were hungry and went to have tea in the garden.
Upon exiting the greenhouse, Leonard went to find his father in his study, bursting in abruptly to exclaim, "A tiger? How could you let Mother keep a tiger as a pet?"
"Leonard, you let your wife keep a wolf as a pet, and I assume you didn't just let her because you like it; my situation is the same. Your mother fell in love with that beast, and she cried when I told her she couldn't keep it, sending me to sleep in the guest room until I let her."
"But a tiger..."
"Don't worry; that damned cat doesn't harm women. However, I'd advise not getting too close to it; apparently, it dislikes men. You have no idea the scars it's given me."
"If it were me, I'd have killed it by now."
"And have your mother kick me out of the house? No, thank you."
"It seems you're afraid of Mom, you know?"
"it appears you've forgotten what she's like having been away soo long. Your mother is lovely, but when she's angry, it's better to deal with that tiger than with her. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be planning your wedding instead of interrupting my work?"
"And what the devil am I supposed to do?"
"You could start by finding a place to get married. The chapel up on the mountain is beautiful-we were married there."
The suggestion seemed sensible to Leonard, and he left to see the place. Perched atop a mountain within his family's grounds, the chapel, remembered fondly by his mother, was kept it excellent condition. The valley could be seen snaking through the mountains from that vantage point, the scenery breathtakingly beautiful. Leonard felt nearly certain Olivia would adore the place.
Leonard returned from the mountain in time for lunch, with his parents and Olivia already seated at the table awaiting him. His mother was positioned next to Olivia and his father sat opposite, so he took his place across from her. The servants dished out his meal and he mentioned to his mother, "I took a stroll up the mountain and saw the chapel where you and father married. It occurred to me that it might be a fitting location for the ceremony. What do you think?"
"I think it's a magnificent spot," she replied. "You should take Olivia up this afternoon so she can see for herself and decide if it's to her liking too."
"Yes."
After the meal, Leonard instructed a servant to pack a basket with previsions and to bring a few blankets. The servants found his request slightly odd given they were only ascending the mountain briefly, yet she held her tongue to avoid any scolding.
Leonard loaded everything onto his horse and assisted Olivia in mounting before climbing up himself and encircling her waist with his arm. Before they departed, his mother cautioned them, "Do try to return soon, the sky looks cloudy and it may rain."
"Don't worry, Mother. There's a hut near the chapel where we can take shelter if it rains," he assured her.
"Alright then, be safe. See you later."
With a nudge to the horse's flank, Leonard set off. The chapel lay a few house' ride away at the summit, and upon arrival, Olivia was utterly captivated by his beauty. Adorned in white with rose vines crawling over the walls, the place was a pocket of eternal spring even as autumn began. Trees in full splendor encircled the chapel. Inside, tears trickled down her cheeks as she soaked in the sight of massive windows framing a picturesque valley, sunlight flooding the space, dazzlingly bright. Olivia had dreamt of a grand wedding, yet this surpassed her wildest dreams. Turning to Leonard with tearful eyes, she exclaimed, "This place is perfect."
Approaching her and wiping away her tears, Leonard asked, "Why are you crying?"
"Because I never imagined I could have the wedding I always dreamed of."
He felt a pang of guilt. He had never placed much importance on such things and now realized his oversight had saddened Olivia on their wedding day.
"Hey, was our wedding day really so terrible?"
"It was like a nightmare," Olivia confessed. "The dress awful and oversized, and it was just the priest, my parents, and Alfred at the chapel. You might have fled if you'd seen me."
"Did you look that bad?"
"Yes, it's something I've tried to forget, to pretend it never happened."
"Well, I promised this time will be different.
"I'm sorry."
"Why apologize?"
I regret telling your mother the truth about our wedding. I didn't expect her to be so enraged. The memory of that humiliating, dreadful day made me want to see you face some consequences."
"And here I thought it slipped out unintentionally."
"No, I wanted to see you struggle as payback."
As Leonard tipped Olivia's chin up and embraced her, he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him, whispering, "I love you," before kissing him tenderly.
Taking her hand, Leonard led Olivia to the secluded cabin among the trees. After unloading the horse's burden, they entered the cozy space, complete with a sofa by the fireplace, a large bed for two, and another door to the bathroom. Simple though it was, Olivia was charmed.
Leonard tossed their gear aside, shrugged off his coat to hang on a nearby rack, and began to kiss Olivia fervently, guiding her towards the bed. In moments, they were entwined, clothes discarded, lost in the act of love.
With no nearby houses to heed, Olivia let her moans of pleasure ring out as Leonard moved attentively from her breasts to lavish kisses down her body. His warm tongue seemed to scorch her with each caress.
He paused, prepared in advance to spend the night there, savoring every inch of Olivia, intent on making her crave his touch, his kiss. If placating his mother failed and she forbade their union, Leonard was ready to elope. But first, he needed to ensure Olivia's desire for him matched his own inability to envision life without her.
He adored her deeply. Olivia had gradually breached the walls around his heart, expelling all loneliness, and to him, she was exquisite. Delicate, beautiful, he yearned to be with her always, until age whitened their hair and their lives became a shared history.