Vevina heard her name and the word love...someone loved her and watched over her, cared for her. That thought brought memories of her mother, and she suddenly felt the pain of her absence, a single tear trickling from the corner of her eyes.
"She's crying," Astrid said, clearly upset.
Vevina felt a tender touch on her cheek where the tear had traveled, and then a warm yet firm hand took hold of hers.
"I am here, Vevina, I will let nothing happen to you. I will keep you safe always."
She squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek, kissing away her tear, and she shivered from Astrid's tenderness. She wanted to say something to her, to tell Astrid how she felt, that she would be there for her as well. Vevina would let nothing happen to her. She would keep Astrid safe, and not out of duty but because she was a good person, a good wife. She would do it because she cared.
Vevina wanted to tell her she cared for Astrid and that one day perhaps soon she might discover she loved Astrid too. But her eyes were too heavy to open, she was unable to speak, she could barely move her lips, and the next thing she knew it turned dark and there was no more thought.
~*~
Astrid watched her wife run around the moor with Marley nipping at her heels. Her cheeks were stung red from the cold wind that swept across the land since early morning and her long dark hair whipped around her smiling face. Vevina looked very happy and it brought joy to Astrid's heart.
She had been worried about her when she'd taken ill and insisted she remain abed a full day even though she claimed she was feeling fine. This morning, Astrid' d caught her before she could sneak past where she slept on the floor. Astrid didn't intend to let her go off on her own until she knew that she was fully recovered.
After they both ate a full breakfast, she had told Astrid she was ready to resume her lessons, but she suggested a walk on the moor. Vevina wanted to let Marley tag along. Astrid intended that she rest for a day or two more, though Vevina disagreed. Naturally, Astrid got her way. Lessons wouldn't continue until tomorrow.
Her own stomach wrenched when she recalled how Vevina called out to her in distress. She had been so enraged with her brother that her first though was to dismiss her, but when she saw Vevina clutching her stomach and watched her collapse to the ground, it felt as if her heart had stopped beating. It was even worse, though, when she wiped the tear off her cheek. Astrid didn't know what caused her to cry, which disturbed her more than anything. Had she been in pain or was she unhappy being her wife? Did she fear Astrid? Hate her? Not trust her? Did she feel lonely even while surrounded by her new family?
Vevina looked happy enough now, though she'd been quiet that morning while they ate and she'd wondered if Vevina still didn't feel well, but her appetite was ravenous. At times they could converse so easily, as if they were old friends, and other times...
Astrid shook her head. She didn't know what to make of her wife and wanted to learn more about her. Vevina stumbled toward her, Marley tripping her. Astrid caught her and was stunned when she kissed her cheek and laughed softly.
"That's twice you've saved me now," she said, holding onto her arms. "You truly are a hero."
Astrid let her go and stepped away. "I'm no hero."
"You're my hero," she insisted, and Marley gave a yap, too young to produce a full-fledged bark. "The pup agrees."
Astrid was no hero and she didn't want to be thought one. Heroes were remarkable people who performed remarkable feats. Astrid had no such feats to her name. She was surprised when Vevina took her arm and tugged her along until their steps evolved into a casual stroll, Marley happily bouncing along beside them.
"What else do you intend to teach me?" Vevina asked. Astrid smiled. She couldn't help herself. Vevina looked so lovely, with rosy red cheeks and her dark hair blowing wildly around her face, and she was smiling, and had been from her first step on the moor. She was a carefree lass, more herself there than anywhere else. But then, it had been her place to escape to, a place where she could be herself, let her guard down, feel safe as she did now.
She felt safe with her?
The thought jarred her heart, and she almost shook her head denying the notion. It was pure nonsense and she was a fool for even giving it thought. What did it matter if she felt safe with her or not? She was her wife and that was that.
Then why had the thought that she trusted her enough to feel safe with Astrid nudge at her heart?
"You do intend to teach more, don't you?" she asked hopefully.
Astrid leaned closer to her. "What do you want to learn?"
"You mentioned riding, and I'd like to become proficient with weapons."
Astrid coughed a laugh. "Weapons?"
Vevina nodded vigorously.
"Any weapon in particular?"
"A dagger and perhaps a bow and arrow. I don't know about a sword."
Astrid laughed out loud. "And here I thought I had wed a mousy woman with not an ounce of courage. You do surprise me to no end."
"I surprise myself, too," Vevina admitted with a bit of reluctance. "You have shown me I am capable like any man and more than I believed and I am grateful to you for that. I look forward to learning more."
"Careful, I may teach you more than you want to know."
"More than I want to know? Like what?" Vevina asked with a frown. Seeing her innocent face, Astrid blushed and averted her eyes.
"Nothing to worry," she said.
"I have tasted knowledge and wish to gain more of it, everything I can actually."
"Everything requires an awful long time."
"We are wives," Vevina said. "We have our entire lives together."
It sounded as if she looked forward to life with Astrid, and she suddenly grew disturbed and walked a few feed away from her. She rubbed her neck, staring over the empty moor spreading out before her, and settled her glance on the keep resting high on the hill in the distance. She could not allow her wife, an actual stranger to her, to interfere with her plans.
First and foremost she had to find her brother. She could not live, laugh and enjoy life to the fullest until he was safe.
"We should return," Astrid said, swerving around back to the direction of the keep. Vevina was busy bouncing around happily with the yapping little pup, paying her no heed. Astrid almost gave a second thought to depriving her of her joy, but then the image of her brother reaching out to her with fear in his eyes assaulted her, and she walked over to Vevina and grabbed her arm.
"Time to go," she said, dragging her along with her while the pup nipped at her heels.
"Is something wrong?" Vevina asked, her steps finally matching hers.
"There are things I need to attend to."
"I thought we might spend more time here together."
"Tomorrow we will resume your lessons," Astrid said, and scooped up the pup shoving him into her arms. "Take him to our bedchamber and rest."
"I don't want to rest."
"Regardless, you will," she said sternly.
They didn't exchange another word on the remainder of their walk, and then, after ordering her once again to their bedchamber, Astrid left her side in search of her father. Vevina didn't understand what had happened. They were having a good time together, talking and playing with the pup. They had seemed a pair, two people who cared for each other. Especially after yesterday, when Astrid' d gotten so upset over her taking ill and remained with her even when her mother urged her to leave.
Vevina sighed in disappointment. Astrid still remained an enigma to her.