Vevina had reached the staircase when Astrid caught up with her, grabbed her by the arm turned her around. Her long dark hair swung around her face as she gazed up at her. Those piercing violet eyes entwined with Astrid's golden ones. She reached out and gently touched Vevina's blushed cheek. Vevina stood still, unsure of what to do. Astrid touched her other cheek, cupping her face, and leaned down until her nose almost touched hers.
"You are my wife," she declared, her voice soft.
"I have been telling you that, too." Vevina said. Her violet eyes, which always managed to stir Astrid's soul, filled with sadness and hurt.
"I'm sorry," Astrid said.
"It's not your fault," Vevina said.
"I spoke with my father," she said. "He was not pleased that we have not..."
Astrid stopped and looked into Vevina's eyes. Her look told the dark-haired woman enough.
"Do you want to?" Vevina said softly.
"Do I?" Astrid said and then let go of her with a laugh. "You tell me."
Vevina frowned in response. Astrid's words confused her.
"I don't know what you want," she admitted. "It has been confusing to me. And I'm sure everyone else in the keep can see that."
"I know," Astrid sighed. "That is why I wanted to talk to you. I want us to be able to behave like a real spouse."
"A real spouse?"
"Yes, I'm willing to give it a try," Astrid said with a nod.
~*~
Vevina lost track of time and her worries while picking the last of the heather before winter turned it dormant. There were several uses for the fragrant flower, but at the moment she intended to scent her bedchamber with it. She was trying everything she could to get her wife's attention.
Her basket was full when she entered the village, though it grew lighter after she shared a few sprigs with the women she stopped to speak with along the way. She was nearing the keep when she heard her name shouted, and she cringed before daring to turn and face her stepfather, his face splotched red, a sure sign of his anger.
He grabbed her arm so tightly she winced.
"You embarrass me," he said in a harsh whisper, and dragged her around to the side of the keep where no one could see them. "People are saying you are no fit to be a wife to the Chieftain."
"I am doing my best." She knew nothing she might say would please him, not when gossip told him otherwise.
He shook her. "It isn't good enough."
"I will try harder," she said, only to appease him so he would leave her be and she would suffer no more than a sore arm.
"Try harder?" he said, enraged, spittle spraying her cheek. "You should have done your duty from the start. I warned you, and you foolishly ignored me."
"I did not, I did my best," she said, trying to free herself from her vicious grip.
"Liar!" He yanked her arm hard and she stumbled, which dislodged his grip.
She staggered away from him, but not far enough. He delivered a stinging blow to her face that sent her sprawling to the ground, her basket of heather spilling out around her. Then grabbing her arm, he yanked her up before she had a chance to catch her breath. Instinctively she braced herself for another blow.
"Tend to your duties, daughter, or you will know real pain," he said roughly, and shoved her to the ground once again.
She remained there watching him march off, still feeling the sting to her cheek and the ache to her heart. She had never understood why her stepfather hated her so much.
Her real father had died when she was a baby and all she knew of him had been from the stories her mother had told her. He smiled often, and walked the moors with her. She thought her new father might do the same, and at first when her mother married Robert, she was happy. But it hadn't taken long for him to show his true nature.
Now, in the keep, when he disappeared from sight, Vevina stood up, brushed the dirt from her garments, and picked up the scattered heather. She had not seen her stepfather of late and assumed he was busy enjoying the honor and privileges her marriage had afford him. He had to have been aware of the gossip, and yet hadn't approached her until now.
She adjusted her cloak, hooked the basket on her arm and, before turning the corner of the keep, placed her cool hand to her cheek. the heat near stung her palm, and she realized that her cheek must be bright red. Would people assume Astrid had struck her? And what would Astrid do when she saw her flaming cheek?
A bit of time and the heat would fade and no one would be the wiser, she told herself. She just needed to get to her bedchamber before anyone noticed. She bowed her head and draped her long black hair around her face. People would think she was busy watching her step or deep in thought and leave her be. Or so she hoped. Keeping her head bent, she hurried away.
~*~
Astrid sat at the table in front of the fireplace talking with her mother. Her father was right, she'd ignored her mother since her return. Her mother listened more than she spoke, and when she did speak, you heard more than you realized.
Astrid reached out, took her hand, and noticed that though she had aged since her absence, it was not with lines and wrinkles, but wisdom.
"I'm glad to be home, mother."
She squeezed her hand back. "I am so relieved to have you home. I have missed our talks."
Astrid could not help but ask, "Do you miss Rohan?"
Her smile faded and she nodded slowly. "As much as I missed you. " Her smiled returned. "He will return as you did, I am certain of it."
Astrid caught a rush of someone entering the great hall from the corner of her eye and turned to find her wife, her steps hasty and her head down, her long dark hair obscuring her face. Astrid had seen her many times walking while deep in thought, noticing no one around her, but never had she appeared to be hiding.
But what did she hide?
Astrid stood and called out, "Vevina."
She acknowledged Astrid with a wave and kept going.
"Vevina," Astrid shouted again, and her mother quietly urged her to follow Vevina.
Astrid was surprised and annoyed when she simply ignored her. It wasn't like Vevina, she had been a dutiful wife even though Astrid's paid her little heed, especially since she had kissed her. It had affected her more than she was willing to acknowledge.
Vevina came up to her bedchamber when Astrid followed behind. She closed the door behind them and grabbed Vevina by the hand, and when the silky strands settled, she saw what Vevina'd been hiding.
She reached out and gently touched the red welt on her cheek, unmistakably made by a rough hand. Fury mounted inside Astrid's chest, that anyone would dare touch her wife. "Who did this?"
Vevina placed her hand over hers on her cheek. Her touch was tender, her flesh cool, and the combination ran a shiver through her.
"It is nothing."
"No one - no one - touches you, but me."
Vevina's violet eyes pleaded Astrid to let it be, but that was not possible.
"Answer me, Vevina." Astrid was surprised how calmly she spoke, for within her she boiled with anger.
Vevina hesitated several times before she finally answered. "I angered my stepfather."
Astrid felt her gut tighten. "Go to bed now and wait for me."
Vevina grabbed hold her hand as she turned to leave. "It was not his fault."
"It does not matter. He raised his hand to you, he disrespects me."
Vevina gripped her hand tighter. "But I was at fault."
"Then he should have come to me with his grievance. He dishonors me by raising his hand against you. Now do as I say. Wait for me in our chamber."
Astrid turned and left the keep, and with each step, her fury mounted.
Astrid found her prey not far from the keep. Robert looked to be sweet-talking a young woman, plying her, most likely, with falsehoods of his importance. Astrid hadn't liked the man from the very first time they approached him years ago about a union with Vevina to her family. It seemed he wished to sell his only child, and he only spoke about how obedient she was and would be to a husband. Astrid hadn't wanted strict obedience in a wife, she wanted a woman who would stand by her side equal in the strength and intelligence, just like her mother to her father.
Her thoughts fueled her already raging temper, by the time she reached Robert, she descended upon him with fury. Grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, she tossed him to the ground and planted her foot firmly against Robert's throat.
The man wiggled beneath her heel like a squealing pig, his hands frantically trying to push Astrid's foot off while he grasped for air.
"You dare strike my wife?"
Robert's eyes bugged wide and he choked, trying to speak.
"Do not bother to try to offer an explanation, for there is none. You have no right. Vevina belongs to me."
Robert nodded as best as he could while his hands clutched Astrid's ankle, still trying to break free.
"Strike her again, and I will end you. Mark my words."
Robert gagged on what little breath he had left when Astrid freed him, and he crawled off choking and coughing, no one daring to help him.
Astrid returned to the keep, gossip already spreading about how she protected her wife, and the people taking it as a good sign. She went straight to her bedchamber, her wife jumping out of the chair she sat near the hearth.
"How often has your stepfather raised his hand to you?" Astrid asked, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice. "And don't hesitate or make excuses for him. I want the truth."
"As often as pleased him."
"Since you were young?" she asked again.
"From the day my other married him," she confirmed.
This knowledge brought Astrid a bit more understanding of Vevina, and while she sympathized with her plight, she also grew annoyed with her. What if she wasn't around to protect her like today? Would she shrink and wail in fear?
"You never attempted to protect yourself?"
"Submitting was my only choice," she confessed.
"Not anymore."
Vevina looked relieved, and Astrid knew she thought that she meant Astrid would now protect her. While she indeed would let no harm befall her wife, Astrid was wise enough to realize that she might not always be there when Vevina needed protecting.
"Thank you, Astrid," she said softly.
"Don't thank me yet."
Vevina blinked, showing her confusion.
Astrid put her hand Vevina's shoulder. "I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself."