FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 3: A (Fisher)Man's Trials

"Poached, you say?"

The expression on the older man's face told Marc everything he needed to know, though the young researcher didn't let his relief show on his face. Instead he only gave a curt nod, keeping his arms folded sternly over his chest.

"I've reported this to the AAPS, they'll be here in a few hours to start asking you questions," Marc spoke calmly, still watching the older man.

"In a few..." the older man trailed off, "When did you known that it was poached?"

"The day after you left," Marc cringed slightly at the man's impersonal speech, "But I felt that you at least deserved to be able to defend yourself. It seems like I was right."

"The business plan fell through, we lost a massive contract to a smaller firm and now I've bought a poached orca," the man sighed, slumping forwards in his chair, "Is there no good news for me at all?"

"Well," Marc mumbled, starting slightly as the man's head shot up, staring at him, "Both of the girls are pregnant, and I'm...I'm now engaged to your daughter."

The two men stared at each other for a while, the older of the two seeming to be trying to process what the younger had just said. After what felt like an eternity he slowly sat up, straightening himself up as he gave Marc a stern look.

"You're what?!"

The shout echoed out through the hallway, surprising several of the staff as they worked nearby, all staring in horror at the door to their employer's private study. Marc simply lifted his left hand up, showing off the old looking ring on his ring finger, the older man staring in shock.

"Th-that's my father's...my father's ring!" he sputtered, struggling to his feet as Marc blushed slightly.

"Yeah, Anne pretty much forced it on me," he mumbled, looking back when he heard the chair creak, Andrew Silverton slumped forwards dejectedly.

"Leave," the older man spoke forcefully, his eyes staring blankly at the floor, "I need to think."

---

"So I take it my dad was upset?"

Marc sighed as he sat down heavily on his bed, leaning back against the wall as his new fiancé slid into his lap, the sixteen year old, giving a contented sigh as she snuggled against him.

"You heard him, did you?" Marc chuckled, rubbing his still ringing ears, "That man has a set of lungs on him!"

"Tell me about it," Anne chuckled nervously, fidgeting slightly in Marc's lap, the older male not letting this go unnoticed, "Hey, Marc-uhmph!"

Marc cut her off as he slipped his arms around Anne's waste, flipping the teen off of his lap and onto the mattress, quickly shifting himself over her as he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her passionately, the teen slipping an arm around his neck as she pressed back into the kiss. Marc felt her free hand begin to wonder as they made out, letting her slip it under his t-shirt and up to his chest, even shivering slightly as she slipped it around to his back. He broke the kiss as he felt the errant appendage slip into the back of his shorts, pulling it out and giving Anne a stern look.

"Not yet, kiddo," he half teased the frustrated looking girl, chuckling to himself when she twisted away from him, not responding when he slipped his arms back around her, drawing her into a gentle hug, "Come on, you know why."

"I don't care," Anne huffed, turning to bury her face in his pillow as she tried to hide from him, "You're an ass."

Marc gave a quiet sigh as he let the sulking girl go, sitting up slowly as he watched her shift about slightly on his bed. Something suddenly struck him as he looked down at the small gold ring on his left hand. He smiled as the still fresh memory replayed in his head.

=======================================

"Here," Anne held out a small tarnished ring, her face bright red as she kept looking everywhere but Marc's face.

The two of them were sitting on a small blanket out in the mansion's expansive garden's, somewhere that Marc had seldom gone as most of his work meant he never had to leave the main house. He had been surprised when Anne had suggested that they go on a picnic that weekend instead of just hanging around in the tank like he normally would. Having seen no reason not to, Marc had accepted, the girl seeming over-joyed at the time, and this seemed to be the reason why.

"So what's this?" Marc asked as he picked up the ring, his cheeks flushing slightly as he already had an idea, "Family heirloom?"

"My granddad's wedding ring," Anne blurted, making them both blush as they stared at each other, Marc suddenly spluttering as he almost dropped the gold band.

"Wh-what are you giving it to me for then?" he stammered, staring at Anne in shock, "You should keep it somewhere safe!"

"I am!" Anne shouted back, her face bright red as she snatched the ring from his palm, grabbing his left hand and forcing it onto his finger, momentarily surprised by how well it fit, "There. Right where it belongs."

"Anne," the teen looked up at Marc's shocked face, worry suddenly flooding her mind as she realised what she'd just done, the girl starting to try apologise before she was pulled into a soft kiss, the feeling of his lips against hers draining her worry away.

"I...I'm sorry," she mumbled as she let herself be pulled into his lap, pressing her head against his chest as she listened to his heart.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Marc sighed, shifting slightly beneath her before he brought a closed fist around in front of the confused girl, "Open your hand."

Anne stared in amazement at the small gold band in her palm, the small crystal set in the top shining a deep ocean blue. Stunned, she looked up at Marc, the older male blushing slightly as he looked away, the girl fighting back the tears as she slipped the ring onto her finger, shivering slightly when it fit perfectly.

"Marc..."

"Will you marry me?"

The question hung in the air for a moment, Anne staring at him as he fought back his blush, still unable to look her in the eyes.

"Are you an idiot?"

Marc started at the deadpan question, staring at Anne in shock as she gave him a slightly disappointed look.

"You really didn't need to ask that, did you?" she sighed as she slipped back into his lap, a comfortable sigh escaping her lips as she flopped back against him.

"Well, you kind of pressured me into doing this now, I was planning on asking after your dad got back," Marc tried to explained, trailing off as Anne pressed a finger to his lips.

"Well, you have your answer don't you?" the teen smirked as he gave a defeated sigh, slipping his arms around her and pressing his face into the back of her neck.

"But no sex until you're legal,"

"What!" the teen shouted as she leapt out of his lap, shouting arguments at him as Marc fell back laughing.

=============================================

Marc looked down at Anne's still form, her chest moving rhythmically as she lay on his bed. Reaching over, he carefully brushed a lock of hair away from her face, smiling at her peaceful expression.

The moment was interrupted when his cell phone buzzed noisily in his pocket, the young man jumping slightly before struggling to pull out the vibrating object. He glared at the piece of technology, glancing over to Anne, glad to see that she was still asleep, before checking the message he'd just received.

"What?" he muttered as he reread the text, his eyes going wide as he realised what it meant, "Why are they sending her?!"

---

The atmosphere in the viewing room was tense as the two figures stood in front of the massive glass wall, watching the three orca's playing in the waters beyond. Marc gave a nervous shuffle as the woman remained perfectly still, staring intently at the male as he spun through the water. Swallowing nervously, Marc opened his mouth to speak.

"So, that's him, is it?" he was cut off as the woman mused, rubbing her chin slightly.

"Yeah,"

"And you discovered he was poached by...?"

"The tracking chip in his left shoulder," Marc explained, slightly surprised by the professional tone of the conversation.

"Hmm, and you suspect that-,"

"He's been trained to perform sexual acts," Marc cut in, a slight blush forming on his face, "Primarily on males. He'll need professional rehabilitation."

"Hmm, and that ring?"

There it is, Marc thought, a slight smile inching across his face as he glanced over at the woman, only noticing now that she seemed to be desperately holding something back, "What ring?"

"This one!" the older female shouted as she grabbed his left hand excitedly, pointing to the slightly tarnished gold ring on his finger, "Who, where and when? Now!"

"Ow! Hey, calm down Aunt Becky, you're going to break my arm off!" the young man laughed as his aunt continued to bombard him with questions, neither noticing the small female walking into the room, giving them both a confused stare.

"Marc?"

The pair froze at the quiet voice, the woman quickly straightening herself out as Marc gave a quiet chuckle, moving to stand beside Anne. The teen stared at the older woman standing in front of her, somewhat amazed at her. She stood only slightly taller than Anne, but had a more mature air about her, her long dark brown hair flowing elegantly down her shoulders as she turned to face the astonished teen, her body by all accounts average, yet strangely sexual.

"Rebecca Myres, this is Antoinette Siverton, Heir to Silverton Industries, and my fiancé," Anne could feel a blush burning on her face at being introduced so formally by her lover, swallowing nervously as she looked back up at the older woman, "Antoinette Silverton, this is Professor Rebecca Myres, a leading expert in Anthro psychology and a board member of the AAPS. And my aunt."

Anne stood nervously as the older woman inspected the her, making strange growling and humming noises as she lent right up into Anne's face, the teen blushing uncontrollably under the scrutiny. After a moment she pulled back, seeming to think for a moment before suddenly grabbing Marc by the neck and yanking him to the side, pulling him down into a crouch as she hissed at him.

"Didn't take you for a cradle snatcher, Marky boy," Anne almost choked at the words, half tempted to tell the older woman she could still hear everything perfectly, "Not that I'm going to complain, but you haven't gotten her knocked up or anything, have you?"

"Not her, per se," the male mumbled, half-jokingly, the older woman suddenly releasing him, her eyes narrowing as she glared at her nephew.

"You shagged the orcas, didn't you?"

The three stood in silence as Marc and Anne blushed deeply, the older woman giving a tired sigh as she walked over to one of the sofas that lined the room, flopping down dramatically.

"It was only a matter of time, I guess," she sighed, staring back out into the tank, "Didn't you have some bet about that with that bird-brain friend of yours? Jack? Zeech? Something like that?"

"Zach?" Marc blurted, as if suddenly remembering something, "Shit, I have to call him!"

---

The water splashed quietly against the shore as the two anthro orcas paused at the surface for a moment to breath, Tamara immediately shooting straight down into the bottom of the tank, flipping onto her back to stare at the moon through the surface of the water. Yuki quickly joined her, half tackling the more serious of the pair as she snuggled against her sister's chest, playfully squeezing the other female's waist. Tamara petted her sister's head gently as she rubbed her own stomach, knowing even without all the tests that she now held a new life in her, as did her sister. With a quiet click, she gazed back up at the surface, the moon rippling slightly through the small waves.

A familiar sound echoed through the water as the two girls suddenly perked up, not used to hearing it so late. The soft clank of the metal door that lead onto the beach-like upper area of their tank making them look at each other with a mixture of confusion and excitement. They quickly swam to the surface, sticking just enough of their heads out to see what was going on, Tamara having to place a calming hand on Yuki's shoulder as the excitable cetacean almost shot out of the water towards the two humans.

Neither Marc nor Anne seemed to notice the two girls watching as they sat on the artificial beach, Anne digging her toes into the imported sand as she gazed wistfully up at the moon.

"Well, she seems like a nice person,"

The statement hung in the air for a moment, as if time had stopped for the pair, both staring absentmindedly at the sky.

"You've never seen her angry," Marc chuckled after what felt like an eternity, flopping back into the sand as he continued to stare at the sky, unconsciously playing with the ring on his finger.

Anne glanced over at him, giving a quiet sigh as she shifted in the sand, moving to lie beside him, resting her head on his chest as she slipped an arm around his waist, closing her eyes as his heart beat in her ears. The couple stayed like that for a while, Tamara watching intently as Yuki quickly got bored, dipping back under the water to continue playing by herself, at least knowing enough to leave the two humans alone for a while.

"When do you want to have the wedding?" Anne jumped at the question, looking up at his face, the moon reflecting off his sharp features, giving him an unearthly look.

"Don't know, spring?" she sighed, pressing closer to him as a cool breeze brushed against her skin, "How about you? Any ideas for where?"

"On a beach," Marc replied without hesitation, making Anne giggle at his decisiveness, "Semi-formal dress, maybe some fireworks."

"I wonder if you could train the girls to do flips in the background while the ceremony is happening," Anne joked, watching the smile spread across Marc's lips, "That would make for some interesting wedding photos."

"Maybe we should just hire SeaWorld," Marc laughed, the pair sitting up as they joked.

"Oh please, if you said that to my dad he'd just buy SeaWorld!"

The two paused for a moment, giving each other knowing looks before bursting into laughter once again, Anne slipping comfortably into Marc's lap as they laughed. The pair gave a satisfied sigh as their laughter started to die down, one or the other occasionally giving a slight chuckle as they looked at one another.

Marc pressed his lips softly against Anne's mouth, the delicate kiss making her giggle slightly as the blush spread across her face, before returning the kiss more deeply, slipping her arms around his waist, lifting his t-shirt up over his back.

"Anne," Marc gave a breathy warning, the girl returning a cheeky sigh.

"I know, but I just want to...feel you, okay? We don't have to do anything, I just..."

Marc let out a quiet laugh as the girl in his arms trailed off, releasing her momentarily to pull his shirt off the rest of the way, Anne's eyes lighting up as she ran her hands down his lightly muscled chest. Inquisitive, the male slipped his hands under Anne's shirt, slowly slipping the garment up as he ran his own hands up her stomach, pausing when the teen gave a slight shiver, his fingers trailing over the edges of her ribs. He barely had time to react as the girl tossed her shirt off and tackled him to the ground, pressing her lips feverishly against his as she pressed her body against him.

"Woah," he gasped as they broke the kiss, "Slow down, I'm not going anywhere!"

"Sorry," Anne panted as she shifted around on his chest, "It's just...We haven't done anything like this is a while."

"In a while...? Anne it's been less than a day since we last kissed, what are you talking about?" The confused male sighed as he watched the girl sit up on his lap, blushing slightly as the moon reflected off her pale skin, making her seem to glow from within.

"Not that," the teen sighed, slipping her hands behind her back and undoing her bra, a tingle sparking in her crotch as she watched Marc's eyes widen as she threw the item to the side, shivering as she lay back down against him, her voice a whisper as she pressed her lips back against his, "This."

Marc swallowed as she pressed her breasts against him, pressing back into the heated kiss as he slipped his hands around her waist, Anne moaning quietly into the kiss. Her tongue danced around his mouth as the young man slowly rubbed her back, his hands instinctively moving lower and lower as her back began to arch beneath his touch. Anne gave a pleased groan as he slipped his hands inside her shorts, giggling as he squeezed her rear playfully, breaking the kiss to sit back up and undoing the button on her pants to give him better access. Marc immediately taking advantage of this change in position to flip her over, the girl squealing in delight as he suddenly loomed over her, pulling her shorts off and discarding them to the side. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Anne hooked her feet into the back of his trunks, tugging on them as she tried to force them down, losing her grip as Marc suddenly fell on her, pressing his body firmly against hers, the girl shivering through the sudden kiss as she felt the hot pressure against her crotch.

A slight tug on his swimsuit distracted Marc for a moment, his eyes suddenly going wide as the garment was yanked from his waist, pulling his knees out from under him as he half collapsed on top of Anne, the girl on giving a slight shudder as she pressed her lips against his, her legs snaking back around his waist as the male felt his hips buck instinctively, Anne letting out a throaty moan at the action. He was about to break the kiss when he felt the cool damp skin press against his back, a webbed hand forcing his head deeper into the kiss. Anne gave a gasp of astonishment as the hands slipped under her, the cool palms touching her back forcing her out of the kiss, both humans blinking in confusion as they were suddenly hoisted into the air, crying out as Tamara unceremoniously dumped them in the shallows of the tank.

"What the hell?" Anne spluttered as she sat up in Marc's lap, the young researched suddenly laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh gods..." he gasped between bouts, "She thought...she thought we were mating...anthro orcas usually...usually only mate in the shallows...she was trying to make it easier for us!"

Anne blushed as she watched the young man continue to laugh, looking away as he fell back into the water, allowing his face to float on the surface as he slowly calmed down.

"Why can't we?" Anne muttered, drawing a concerned look from her fiancé, the older male sitting up and wrapping his arms around her, making the teen gasp.

"Because I don't want you to ruin your life for me," he sighed, making the girl look at him in confusion, the researcher blushing slightly as he continued in a mumble, "You know...a teen pregnancy."

Anne stared at the blushing man for a moment before bursting into laughter, splashing the confused male as he spluttered through the sudden attack.

"Wha...what the hell?!" Marc gasped as he tried to block the water from his face, "What's so fucking funny?!"

"You!" Anne gasped as she fell forwards, landing heavily against his chest, grinning up at him as he gave her a confused look, "You are. You seriously didn't think that I would be on contraceptives? I've been taking the pill since before you even got here!"

Marc stared down at the laughing girl, his mind suddenly going blank as he realised what she meant, the blush burning on his cheeks as she wrapped his arms tightly around the teen, surprising the girl slightly as he pressed his face into the back of her neck, peppering it with kisses as he moved up the side of her neck, eliciting a pleasured moan from the girl. Slipping a hand down, he pressed his hand against her crotch, Anne giving a low gasp as she pressed back, her hips moving forwards against his touch, inviting the action. Both of them jumped when a small splash was accompanied by a smooth body suddenly sliding up in front of Anne, Tamara pressing her mouth against the stunned teen's as she kissed the girl deeply, Anne only taking a moment to press back, giggling into the kiss as Marc continued to nuzzle the side of her neck.

Both females gave a quiet gasp as Tamara broke the kiss, Anne making surprised noise as the orca suddenly grabbed her hips, sliding the teen up Marc's chest, the girl looking down in shock, her eyes going wide as she suddenly realised Marc had been naked the whole time, his shaft sticking out just above the water, the moonlight reflecting off of it. Anne barely had time to process what was happening when Tamara pulled her panties off, throwing the water soaked underwear away, the older female pressing up against the teen, carefully pressing her hands down o Anne's hips, slowly forcing her down onto Marc's crotch.

"Wha...what is she d-doing?" Anne panted as Tamara began to nuzzle the other side of her neck.

"I think she's trying to teach you how to have sex," Marc's reply was strangely calm, almost factual despite the situation, "She knows you're a virgin, so maybe she thinks you don't know how to have sex. Could also be because of the whole confusion of the beach make out session."

"Wha-why...How does she know I'm a virgin?!" Anne spluttered, the blush burning into her cheeks as she struggled against the stronger female, Tamara giving her a confused look.

"They can smell it," Marc hissed jokingly in her ear, planting a gentle kiss just under her jaw, the young man giving her neck a gentle nibble that made Anne gasp in pleasure, her legs suddenly giving way under Tamara's weight, forcing her down on top of Marc's shaft.

The teen gave a gasp as she felt the head of his member press against her crotch, the weight suddenly disappearing from her hips as she looked at Tamara in confusion, the orca giving her a knowing nod. Anne blushed slightly as she realised what the other female was doing, even if she had been trying to direct Anne's actions to this point, she was going to let the teen do it at her own pace, the human pressing a soft kiss against the orca's lips in thanks.

"Marc," Anne half-whispered, the male almost not hearing her, stopping his ministrations on her neck as he rested his head gently on her shoulder, "I'm going to do it now."

The male gave a silent nod, planting a reassuring kiss on her shoulder as he slipped his hands around her waist, supporting the girl against his chest as she took a slow, deep breath, whispering quietly in her ear, "Take it slow, no need to rush."

Anne nodded at the words, reaching down between her legs to carefully grip the shaft, making Marc moan quietly behind her, the sound sending a thrill up her spine. Nervously, she lined his head up to her crotch, carefully lowering herself onto him, her body shuddering uncontrollably as his head pressed into her folds, making her lose her grip, the penis slipping out from between her legs as she fell into his lap. Giving a determined gasp, Anne tried to lift herself again, surprised to find that her legs felt like jelly, unable to lift the teen. A pair of cool soft hands wrapped themselves around her hips again as the orca pressed close against the girl, slipping an arm behind her for support as she gave the human a short reassuring kiss before lifting her back up, her other hand reaching between the teen's legs and rubbing her aching slit, carefully spreading it open as the girl gasped.

Warm arms slid up her front as Anne shivered, Marc gently squeezing one of her breasts as Anne gave a needy moan, one of her hands grabbing onto one of Tamara's larger breasts for support, making the orca give a surprised trill as she helped lower the girl again. Anne reached back down between her thighs, gripping Marc's shaft a little more tightly this time, again making the male moan, determined that she would succeed this time. The pleasure shot through her as she felt the tip of his flesh press into her, Anne almost losing her grip on the member again, a cool hand closing around hers as Tamara reached behind the girl, keeping her steady as she slid down onto the shaft.

Anne let out a long, loud moan as she sank onto Marc's rod, her body shivering uncontrollably as she felt it spreading her apart inside. A brief flash of discomfort seemed to pass across her mind, but it was quickly swallowed up by the pleasure that flooded her senses as she settled on his lap, only able to sit there as the sensations flooded her thoughts. Marc and Tamara watched, half-amused by Anne's reaction, the teen letting out a series of small cute noises as she sat almost motionless on Marc's lap, and half expectant of her first words.

The moan came suddenly, Marc gasping as he felt Anne tense around him, her body already trying to milk his shaft for its seed, the male watching as Anne gave a slow shudder that started in her hips and moved its way almost lazily up to her shoulders. Tamara gave a confused trill as she pressed her cool hands against Anne's hips, wondering why the young female wasn't moving yet, chirping in surprise when she toppled forwards, Anne pressing her tongue into the orca's mouth as the teen moaned loudly again, her hips twitching against Marc's crotch.

"Anne?" Marc groaned as she broke the kiss, pulling the surprised Tamara with her as she fell back against Marc's chest, "You okay?"

"Never better," the teen moaned haughtily, shifting against his chest as she shuddered again, holding Tamara's head against her chest, "It didn't even hurt."

"That's probably because you were more than sufficiently aroused," Marc half chuckled, drawing a look from the human, "Well, a vagina can stretch to accommodate a baby exiting it, so it's not like a penis would be able to do anything to it..."

"Shush," Anne scolded as she pressed a finger against his lips, "No theory, only-."

"Practical?" he cut her off, drawing an annoyed smirk from her, the teen giving a low moan as she shifted in his lap, pulling Tamara back up to face level, the orca happily resting between her legs. Marc grinned to himself as he watched his fiancé passionately kiss the eager cetacean, shifting his legs as he whispered in Anne's ear, "Well than hold on."

Anne wasn't even given time to process the words, the pleasure shooting through her body as Marc thrust into her, her vision blurring as she broke the kiss, unable to hold back the scream, her back arching as she was wracked with pleasure. Barely having recovered from the first thrust, Anne shrieked again as she was thrust into once more, her mind going blank as she shuddered uncontrollably in his arms, a concerned noise from Tamara barely managing to drag her out of her daze before the third thrust dropped her straight back in, the teen barely able to keep up as her body howled in pleasure. Marc was unrelenting, each thrust making him moan and gasp as Anne's wall's clamped down on him hungrily, the young male feeling his own orgasm coming quickly.

Taking a moment, he glanced over Anne's shoulder and spotted the worried looking Tamara, an equally concerned Yuki just behind her. The young man couldn't help the smile that broke out across his face, so happy that these two were concerned for Anne, even though she wasn't even the same species as them, treating her like a member of their pod. Marc blinked as he felt a cool body press against his back, Yuki suddenly behind him making frustrated noises as she gripped his hips, slowing his thrusts as Tamara slipped her head between Anne's legs, Marc moaning as he felt her thick cool tongue lapping against the base of his shaft. A moment of clarity darted through the young scientist's, wondering if their behaviour was as a result of them wanting Anne to have a more pleasurable experience, Yuki's obvious annoyance probably directed at him as she thought he may have been hurting Anne.

The thought was cut off as he felt the teen tighten around his shaft again, drawing a loud moan from the male as he thrust, more gently, into her again, his body pressing back against Yuki's cool chest as Tamara gave an excited trill, her mouth wrapping around his balls. The sensations too much for the male to handle, Marc let out a final moan as he pressed up against Anne's back, pressing a passionate kiss against her open mouth, the teen unconsciously retuning it as she continued to twitch in his arms. Marc tensed as he felt himself cum inside the teen, his body giving a momentary shudder as he held Anne tightly against him, the teen seeming strangely unresponsive in his arms.

Allowing himself a few moments rest, Marc lay back against a now excited Yuki's chest, the orca already snaking her arms around his chest, rubbing against his twitching stomach. Chuckling to himself, Marc wondered if he was going to get a moment of rest tonight, if how the two orcas were now acting was any indication. Carefully, he sat up, shifting Anne in his lap, a moment of worry flashing through his mind when she hung limply in his arms, the young man spinning her around roughly to stare at her face, relief flooding over him at the look of pure contentment that showed in her expression.

"Hmm," Anne moaned quietly in her sleep, Marc barely holding back a snigger as she pulled herself closer to him, a horny expression plastered over her face as she continued to mumble, "More...want more...love you...so much..."

"Love you too," Marc chuckled quietly as he pressed a delicate kiss against her forehead, before looking up at the two expectant orca girls, "What? Oh, alright, just give me minute to recover, would you?"

---

Several years later

The waves lapped at the shore, the wind picking up slightly as the sun moved lower in the sky, Marc standing nervously at the end of the small pier, a heavily tanned young man placing a hand on his shoulder, grinning at his friend from under a wide scar on his temple. The music rang out softly against the wind, Marc immediately stiffening as he stared straight ahead, unable to look up the beach, between the aisle of chairs neatly arranged in the sand as he heard the rest of the guests rise out of their seats, gasps and murmurs coming from them as they stared at the bride.

"Marc," he heard his best man hiss behind him, "Look now, or I'm going to break your legs."

"Shut up," Marc hissed back, snapping his head round, his words trailing off as he saw Anne, her cheeks bright red as she walked slowly down the aisle, her father stern faced beside her, "I was just mentally prepar...ing..my..."

Marc barely heard the rest of the ceremony as he stared at Anne, the young woman biting her lip nervously as she glanced up at him, letting out a slight giggle at his dumfounded expression.

"Calm down," She whispered, still laughing, "It'll be fine."

"I am calm," Marc whispered back, feeling his worries begin to vanish.

"And if there are any who protest this union, speak now or fore-," the priest grinned at the young couple, already stepping back.

"I protest," the voice rang out, cutting the priest off halfway, the shocked couple spinning to stare as Andrew Silverton got heavily to his feet. The older man striding confidently up to Marc, holding out a hand for silence as Anne tried to hiss at him. He roughly grabbed the young man's hand, surprising Marc as the older gentleman pressed something into the pal of his hand, the tears already welling up in his eyes as he suddenly gave a barking order, "No daughter of mine is getting married with anything other than her mother's ring! And that's final!"

The wedding remained deathly quiet for what felt like an eternity, Marc staring at the older man as he fought back his tears, a slight smile twitching across his wrinkled face as he let the young man's hand go, the simple gold band left in his hand glowing softly in the evening light.

"Well?" the gentleman sniffed, "Don't you have something to say?"

Marc Stared at him for a moment, before suddenly seeming to remember where he was, giving the older man an enthusiastic nod. Turning back to Anne, he grinned uncontrollably as his fiancé wiped away a tear, the priest finishing the service as the two stared happily into each other's eyes.

"I do!"