George wriggled in his sleeping roll and gazed out at the darkness of the forest surrounding them. He could just make out the silhouettes of their two horses tethered on the far side of the fading fire, and Alanna just a few paces away from him.
He sighed. Although she was as close to the fire as was possibly safe, and she was so bundled up in layers she could barely move, he could still see her shivering from the cold in the faint glow. If only she wasn't so stubborn, he thought. If she wasn't so proud we'd both be sleepin' away like babes. Although she didn't know it, he always made sure that she was happily asleep before he let himself drift into slumber. This is ridiculous. He steeled himself and began to sit up when her voice cut through the air.
"George?"
Finally. "Yes darlin'?"
"I…I can't sleep."
He grinned in spite of himself. "Cold?"
His eyes strained to make out her small nod as her only reply.
"It's nothin' to be ashamed of, lass." He climbed out of his sleeping roll and crept over to her, gently helping her out of her sleeping roll. "You're half frozen, lass. You should have told me sooner." She managed a wry half-smile, knowing full well that he knew that it was her stubborn pride that had kept her silent. He rubbed her arms and legs to give her some warmth, and wrapped his cloak around her before putting his blanket on top for added warmth. Then he dragged his own sleeping roll over to hers, nearer the fire. He unfastened his slightly to make it marginally larger, and went back to Alanna.
"Come along lass." He helped her shed the blanket and cloak, and climb into his sleeping roll, before opening up her sleeping roll to spread it out on top. Next, he piled on all the blankets she had been using, along with his own cloak and blanket. Finally he managed to wriggle into the small space next to her. "Well it's a bit crowded lass, but surely it's a little better at least." He spread one arm out on the ground, allowing her to use his shoulder as a pillow, and wrapped the other around her middle, drawing her close to him to share his heat.
She blinked up drowsily at him. "Thank you George," she whispered.
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, lass."
Without his cloak or blanket, the bitter cold wind now tore at George's back through the gap in the bed roll, but he never even noticed. After all this time he was used to this exact procedure. He smiled into the darkness and gazed back down at Alanna. No matter how icy the wind, the peaceful smile on his wife's sleeping face was always enough to warm his heart.