Ravensblood Forest serenity

he held her as he always had, even if his hesitation had been there.

he listened as he had always sworn to do.

but this time it hurt to listen. the pain increased by the second and he wondered if it would ever end. if the marked each other for life. not bonded by holy matrimony but burned together by hellfire. still he remained against her.

we will lead as we have. nobody is leaving. not i and i hope not you. his own humor dampened by the somberness of it all. but he had other things he must tell her. that she had asked to hear and that she had a right to know. and it is true, that i do love you. i care for you greatly, heda, but will you promise to live your life too? no matter what things i say or do? he echoed her words.

they bounced off the walls of his heart.