Se connecterKaelor POV:The following morning, I woke before sunrise. Habit. Years of military campaigns had taught me to wake with the first light, no matter how tired I was.Outside, the village still slept peacefully. Mist drifted lazily over the fields. I crossed the square quietly. Almost without thinking...My feet carried me toward Eirlys' cottage.I stopped well before reaching the gate. Far enough that I wouldn't disturb them or make them feel watched.The kitchen window glowed softly with warm light. She was already awake. She always rose early to bake bread before seeing patients. Some things hadn't changed at all.A small smile found its way onto my face. Then...The front door opened. Auren stumbled out, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. His hair pointed in every direction like he'd been fighting his pillow all night.He yawned so widely I thought his tiny jaw might fall off.Eirlys followed carrying his little jacket. "You'll catch cold out here like that.""I'm not cold," he protest
Eirlys POV:The blue ribbon stayed in my apron pocket all morning. I told myself I should throw it away. I didn't. Every time my fingers brushed against the worn fabric, I remembered tying it around Kael's wrist years ago."There. Now you'll always find your way home," I had said with a laugh.How foolish I'd been. Or perhaps... Not foolish enough."Mama?"Auren tugged lightly on my sleeve. "You've been staring at the carrots for a really long time now."I blinked. Sure enough, I'd peeled the same carrot into something so thin it was almost transparent."I have," I admitted with a sigh."You made it skinny," he pointed out."I certainly did."He giggled. "I think it looks funny. Like a really long worm or something.""I think I wasn't paying attention at all."He climbed onto the little stool beside the table and rested his chin in his hands. "You've been doing that a lot lately.""Doing what?" I asked."Thinking," he said simply. "You get this faraway look in your eyes."I smiled fai
Kaelor POV: "Daddy!"A small body slammed into my legs so hard I nearly lost my balance. I laughed as I looked down. Dark curls. Silver-gray eyes just like mine. A grin missing one front tooth.Auren.He couldn't have been older than five."There you are," I said warmly, scooping him effortlessly into my arms. He wrapped his little arms tightly around my neck like he'd done it a thousand times before."You were gone forever," he complained, burying his face in my shoulder. "I kept waiting and waiting for you to come back. It felt like you were gone the whole day.""I was gone an hour," I replied with a chuckle, holding him close and rubbing his back.He pulled back just enough to look at me with all the seriousness a child could muster. "It was a very long hour. I missed you the whole time. I didn't know what to do without you here."I chuckled softly. "I see. I missed you too, more than you know. I thought about you the entire time I was away."He nodded firmly. "I had to protect Ma
Eirlys POV: Warm. The first thing I noticed was warmth. Not the soft heat from the dying fire in the hearth. Not the heavy quilt tucked around me.A different kind of warmth. Strong arms circled my waist from behind, pulling me snug against a broad, solid chest. A slow, steady heartbeat thumped gently against my back, and I could feel the heat of his body pressing into every inch of mine.I smiled before I even opened my eyes. "You'll make us late," I murmured sleepily, my voice still thick with sleep.A sleepy hum answered me. "Mmm..." The sound vibrated against the back of my neck, sending little shivers down my spine. "Five more minutes, Little Wildflower."My smile grew wider. "You said that yesterday.""And it worked yesterday.""It didn't.""It almost did."I laughed quietly. "You burned breakfast.""I only burned the eggs.""You burned the pan.""It was an enthusiastic fire I must say."I shook my head, still smiling. "You also nearly burned my cottage down.""Our cottage," he
Eirlys POV:Something was wrong with me. I caught myself looking toward the mill way too often. Not once. Not twice. Far too many times throughout the day.I blamed it on the noise. The steady rhythm of hammers hitting wood and metal. The occasional laughter from the soldiers as they worked. The horses moving around and snorting in their temporary pens. Anything except the truth.The truth was that a part of me had started wondering what he was doing over there. What he was thinking about. Whether he was resting his injured shoulder or pushing himself too hard again. I hated that part of myself for it."Mama!" Auren came barreling through the garden carrying a big bundle of dandelions in both hands. "They're flowers!""They're weeds," I said, but I could not help smiling at his excitement."They're beautiful weeds," he insisted, holding them up higher for me to see.I accepted the little bouquet with a smile. "They're the prettiest weeds I've ever received. Thank you."He puffed out
Kaelor POV: The ride back to the mill took less than two minutes but it felt much longer. Every few steps, I found myself looking over my shoulder, hoping for one last glimpse of them.Eirlys had already disappeared down the village road with Auren, his small hand tucked safely into hers. The sight of them walking together like that made something in my chest tighten with a mix of warmth and deep regret.He looked back only once. The moment our eyes met, he threw both arms into the air with pure excitement."I'll practice whistling!" he shouted happily.A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "I'll be listening for it! Keep practicing and we can whistle together next time!"Then they were gone, turning a corner and disappearing from view.Rhydian waited until they were completely out of sight before speaking."You have smiled more in the past week than you have in four years," he observed.I untied my horse's reins slowly. "He whistles like an injured goose.""A duck," Rhydian cor







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