Stone Circle may these words be the first to find your ears

They were beautiful. They may not have known it yet, but she would speak these things to them every chance she had, that they would know that they were beautiful, and that they would believe it true.

They would raise them to have hearts that were beautiful, that their beauty would adorn them, inside and out.

And when she looked up and saw Gunnar cut through the dim light of the den mouth —

Well, he was beautiful, too.

In his gentleness as he drew near them. In the quiet word he whispered in place of her name. She didn’t know what it meant, but she felt the weight of it, the love. She could only laugh, and smile back, heart too full to speak.

She told him their names, and he kissed each one, and she rested in his tenderness.

I love them, too, she said softly when he had finished, and paused for a breath. Gunnar… Was she wise to ask him…? She hadn’t been so sure before, but seeing their children now… we came together with no strings, but I have been thinking. Of their future — our future, and I… I believe they will need father and mother who are bound by strings… willingly, of course. They will look to us as an example. And I realize, she pays sed again, it has grown on me, this care that is deeper than words can really express. Or maybe I have been afraid. But — would you stay with me, Gunnar? Not only as father to our children, but as husband to me, until the end comes?

Her heart quickened and she glanced away, not sure she could handle seeing his face before hearing his rejection.