Dragoncrest Cliffs this is a modern fairy tale

Like a lightning strike, their tiff was fierce but short-lived. Meerkat accepted her husband’s touch and the pair turned towards each other to share the fear they both felt in their marrow.

She cried and Njord held his wife fast. Dread dammed any tears from falling, but a painful stinging made his eyes bloodshot and red. It was horrible to imagine Swordfish being scarred for life, physically and emotionally, by this one nightmarish encounter.

The lad’s too young for it, Njord thought to himself as he hoped and prayed for their son’s recovery. Meerkat reassurance meant everything to her husband, who would dwell for far too long on the many things he could have done to prevent this scenario from happening in the first place.

Yet at the end of the day, their son had come home alive.

Alive.

A father had to be grateful for that.

Meerkat took a brief moment to regard one another. Maybe it was her gentle nature or the way she held him… but in the many strands of whisky, pumpkin, and copper of her irises Njord could have sworn he saw faint images of her life before they had ever met. A deepness in her gaze.

His posture softened – relaxed. When all the anger and panic drained away he could look upon his actions with clarity.

“I’m sorry I went out alone and left ye,” Njord apologized from the heart. He pressed his forehead against hers. “An’ for raisin’ my voice.” 

Fear could make a man do ugly things.