Stavanger Bay Rose

She flinched a little when he cursed at her, but did not pull away from his touch. When he released her she buried her face in the fur at his neck, wishing very much that he would simply hold her and tell her that he would be there to the end. There was a part of her that doubted not at all that he would be — but another, louder part of her remembered the shattering feeling of Lestan breaking every promise he'd made that he would never leave her.
There are islands - by the beach where we stayed, She said quietly, muffled by his fur. That's where she went, weeks ago. Where she would still be, Reverie hoped, remembering how she'd been weakened and heavy with children. The more she thought about it, the more she found that she did not want to go.