Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“What if—”
She put her hands to her ears. “No more. What is done cannot be undone. We meet our fate together.”
He grabbed hold of her hands. “Together. Always together.” He handed her another piece of cheese. “Eat, you have the time.”
Aliss took the cheese, noticing his eyes narrow in concern. “Do you think me too thin?”
He leaned over and nibbled along her ear. “I think you are a perfect morsel that I cannot get enough of.”
She giggled and scrunched her shoulder. “That tickles.”
“Aha, I have found a weak spot.” He grabbed her around the waist and tossed her back on the blanket to attack her ear and neck.
They laughed, ate, talked, and walked the day away.
Aliss learned a lot about her new husband, even the hurt he had suffered when he lost his first wife, Kendra. What surprised her was that their love was the catalyst that made him realize he wished to love again.
In so doing, he claimed, his love for Kendra would always remain strong, and strange as it seemed, Aliss understood his reasoning. If he could not love again or refused to love again, it spoke poorly of his first love.
If he loved with his heart and soul, then he honored his first love. Aliss respected and admired his convictions; they made her care for him even more.
By late afternoon Aliss’s thoughts drifted to Daniel and she had a hard time focusing on their conversation.
“You have had enough of me, haven’t you?” Rogan asked, sitting beside her on the blanket.
She rested her palm to his cheek. “No, I feel as if I can never get enough of you. However, I cannot help but think of how Daniel is doing.”
“You lasted much longer than I had expected, so that tells me something.”
“What does it tell you?”
“That you really do love me,” he said, kissed her quickly, stood and held out his hand to her. “Come, it is time to visit with Daniel.”
She grabbed his hand and jumped to her feet. “I really do love you and I am grateful you understand my need to see how the lad fares.”
“Daniel gets to have you for a while.” He nibbled at her neck. “I get to have you all night.”
She giggled. “I look forward to it.”
They packed the basket with the food that was left, folded the blanket on top, and strolled back to the village arm in arm.
“Go see to the lad,” Rogan ordered with a smile once they reached the cottage.
“I won’t be long,” Aliss said, already hurrying off.
“If you are, I will come and get you.”
She laughed and ran off.
She noticed a rushed scurrying around the village as if the people seemed unsettled, nervous. She slowed her pace and turned to see Derek hurrying over to Rogan. The two men quickly disappeared inside the cottage with two more men entering after them; the basket lay forgotten on the ground.
Anna and Tara both jumped when she entered.
“Is something wrong?” Aliss asked. “Everyone in the village seems upset.”
“A ship approaches shore,” Tara said.
“An attack?” Aliss was quick to ask.
“It is not certain, but preparations are being made either way.”
“What can I do?”
“Pray,” Anna and Tara said in unison.
Aliss could focus on nothing but her husband. She worried for his safety and their future. It was strange thinking of something other than her healing work. She normally thought of nothing but that. Rarely did her mind wander to anything else and here she was unable to think about anything but her husband.
She wanted to run to him and beg him to be cautious now that he had a wife who loved him to consider. And what of children?
Her hand rested on her stomach as she walked out of the cottage, needing fresh air, needing to see her husband. She could be with child and not know it. Lord, how her life had changed in such a short time.
A change she welcomed?
Her heart raced and her stomach fluttered, signs that while pleased she was also anxious. There were no guarantees that the decision she had made had been a good one, but with their love declared she now felt it had been the right one. She would not betray her own faith, she would honor that which was joined before God and witnessed by man and sealed with love.
Her pace turned rapid as she approached the cottage, and she was disappointed to see that Rogan was not inside. Her heart kept pace with her frantic steps as she made her way through the village. All the men were gone and the women with children in tow were headed to the woods.
Battle preparations.
Anna followed behind Tara, who held a sleeping Daniel cradled in her arms.
“Join us,” Anna said.
Aliss shook her head. “I cannot. There may be wounded.”
“Then I will join you,” Anna said.