Disclaimer: Alison Croggon owns the characters, not me.
A/N: This is a oneshot I decided to write about when Maerad is reunited with Cadvan in 'The Riddle'.
Excerpt:
Be Maerad, she thought. Be me.
Next came the moment of awful pain, the feeling of being thrown into a fire, and then Maerad was sitting on the ground in front of Cadvan, looking up into his astonished face, her eyes shining with tears.
"I suppose," said Cadvan after a long silence, "that you would still like some stew?"
Maerad laughed. She threw her pack on the ground, scrambled to her feet, and flung her arms around him. He rocked back on his heels as they embraced for a long moment, and in that embrace much was healed: long weeks of loneliness and grief, endurance and suffering. Maerad had never been so purely happy.
"Maerad," Cadvan breathed. "I am so glad you are alright."
Unable to speak, Maerad kept her face buried in his chest and only nodded. She clung to him as though she would never let go. It was so wonderful to have him there—with her—to feel him so solidly dependable and alive in her arms.
"Maerad?" Cadvan inquired, attempting to pull back slightly and look at her. She instinctively tightened her arms around him and refused to relinquish her hold. Maerad could hear and feel his light chuckle as he tilted his head to one side to look down at her.
"I thought you were dead," she whispered, her lips brushing against his collarbone. She heard him sigh and felt him lean down to kiss her hair and hold her head against him comfortingly. "I looked for you…and Darsor but—"she choked off and began to tremble.
"Shh, Maerad. We are fine now. I'm here," Cadvan whispered against her hair reassuringly. She continued to tremble and whimper and he began to place feather-light kisses all over her face. "Shh…it's alright."
Gradually her tense body began to loosen and her suppressed sobs subsided. She peered tearfully up at him. "I'm sorry I said you didn't care about me," she told him softly, regret evident in her voice.
"I am sorry too," Cadvan said, looking tenderly down at her. "I am glad that you no longer believe I am only using you. I care for you greatly."
"I know," Maerad said, meeting his gaze with her own. There was a fiery glint in her eyes when she looked at him.
Cadvan leaned down closer to her slightly and paused, searching her face for any sign of fear or reluctance. He saw nothing but complete trust in Maerad's watery blue eyes and he smiled as she saw her gaze flicker suddenly to his lips. He brushed a strand of her long black hair back from her eyes and cradled her pale face in his two large hands.
Slowly Cadvan leaned towards her and Maerad's eyes fluttered closed. His lips were surprisingly soft and gentle against hers and she tentatively returned the kiss and brought her hands up to curl her fingers in his hair.
A blissful moment past and then Maerad broke away with a small gasp.
"Maerad?" Cadvan asked with concern.
"I just thought I should tell you…"she began, trailing off.
"Yes," he encouraged, placing kisses along her jaw line.
"I love you."
Cadvan smiled and drew her towards him for another long kiss. "I love you too," he whispered.