A/N: Slight NSFW/M Content to kick us off :-)

If Hal thought her need was bad before, it was incomparable to how she felt now.

Fingers gripping the side of her bed, she had to turn her head to the side to try and attempt to bury her face in her pillow. She exhaled sharply, her eyes rolling as her stomach clenched in delight. Her skirt was warped around her hips, her legs hanging over the side of her bed. Murtagh kneeled before her, his mouth pressed to her center, his lips and tongue slowly working her into a frenzy. His hands held the inside of her thighs, pushing her legs open to grant him access. The act, even though she was very much still fully clothed, made her feel more vulnerable than if she had been naked. But she was floating somewhere between content and ecstasy, her body fluctuating between relaxed and tensed depending on how much pressure Murtagh put on her.

She grinned, snorting as she tried not to laugh when Murtagh tickled the soles of her feet, toying with her. "Stop!" she shrieked, her laugh airy and playful as he increased his efforts, a spasm running up her leg. "Hurry up, before Denu comes back," she reminded him, keeping her voice low, anxious the old man would come home at any time or turn around, having forgotten something.

"He left twenty minutes ago for dinner with Tengene and his family which, as you so quickly informed me before dragging me in here, would take hours." He tickled her sides this time and Hal rolled over his hand with laughter, trying to pin it down. He climbed up on the bed. "So I," he said slowly, kissing up the length of her stomach, "am going," he continued, kissing her chest, "to take," then he kissed her chin, "my time." He kissed her full on the mouth, slow and relaxed.

"You are cruel if you leave me like this," Hal panted, breaking the kiss to glare at him. But already, his hand was stroking the inside of her thighs, teasing her by drifting close to her center, then drifting away. The more they continued the exploration of each other's bodies, the more he seemed to discover all of the ways in which to make Hal tick and sing and shake and moan at the slightest touch, look, or kiss. Moments were stolen when time and privacy permitted, which wasn't often unless they carved the time out for themselves. But they were blissful all the same. And passionate.

"If you continue to hurt my feelings I may be tempted to."

But he ran his thumb gently between her legs and Hal arched her back, groaning at the sensation of his padded finger on her slick folds. He did this for several moments, Hal shuddering deliriously. She grinned at him. "Come now, Shur'tugal. Do not leave a woman waiting."

He slipped a finger inside her and Hal arched with delight as his thumb continued to gently press and rub against her. She ground her hips into her cot, moaning his name teasingly, watching the flush rise up from his neck and spill over into his cheeks. But he never tore his eyes away from her face, and she smiled at him affectionately.

He leaned down and kissed her, stretching his body out beside hers so that they were lying together, his hand working her into a calculated state of lust. His kiss was hard and deep, as if his tongue was currently seeking to mimic what his fingers were doing. Hal had to admit that the feeling was rather exciting, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him in closer.

She could feel her body shiver and tighten around his fingers. His movements were damn-near perfect, and after a few more moments, Hal felt her body coil reflexively. She cried out, breaking the kiss to breathe as a shudder rippled through her body. She had to fight to remind herself to let Murtagh see her all the way through, the pressure being released feeling almost too much to bear even though she had been anticipating it. The feeling of falling that she had been so afraid of for so long now became something she constantly craved.

She gave a final shudder and Murtagh's movements began to slow, then stopped altogether. She could feel her heart racing under her top, her breathing labored as if she had just been running. Her skin was flushed as her body began to relax, her toes uncurling and her back settling down on her cot. She could feel Murtagh's breath on her cheek and turned towards him just as his lips captured hers. He hissed against her mouth when her hands went between his legs, gripping his length gently through his trousers.

For Hal, there was something immensely thrilling about pleasuring him. She imagined he got the same excitement when he did it for her. But Hal could bring herself to new heights on her own just thinking about the way his face would redden when she touched him, his eyes shining and anticipatory. His throat would bob as if nervous and eager, as if he were fighting with himself. He would start off tense, as if he didn't want to admit how much pleasure he felt when she touched him. Sometimes he would watch the ceiling, sometimes his eyes would never leave her, predatorial and hungry. That look alone would send chills down her spine.

And then, when she was done teasing and toying with him, she would slowly take his length in her mouth. And all of the tension would immediately leave him. He would make these throaty groans that she felt all the way down to her toes, her name breathless. His hands would push her hair from her face, caress her cheeks with such tenderness and affection that Hal longed to do whatever it took to make sure it felt as good for him as it always did for her.

She worked him over slowly, her hands stroking and massaging what her mouth couldn't reach. She could feel her own arousal building in response to his, fighting not to move her hand to put it between her own legs. It was moments like this she couldn't help but wonder about what it would be like if they both gave in to temptation and actually went all the way, how his length would feel between her legs. Both simultaneously being satisfied by the other, their bodies pressed tightly against each other, feeling the friction against their skin until —

Murtagh threw his head back and swore as he came and Hal smiled in delight, watching his chest rise and fall rapidly. She let him rest for a few moments, her hand slipping under the material of his tunic to gently stroke his stomach. He breathed her name and she smiled, moving towards him. Keeping her hand on his chest, her fingers wanting the warmth of his skin on hers, she tucked herself under his arm. He kissed her slowly, groaning into her mouth as he rolled over, trapping her under his body. It drove her crazy, the weight of him pressing down on her.

As if reading her mind, Murtagh's hand slipped under the material of her skirt one more time. She came quickly, to Murtagh's surprise and delight, and she finally felt her body begin to settle down. At least for a little while.

"We should get cleaned up," Murtagh suggested, pulling away but otherwise making no move to leave her side.

Hal looked at him, her eyes holding his. She ran her other hand through his hair, her smile growing impossibly wider for no reason except him.

"What does 'iet dunei' mean?" she asked him.

"I told you, I'm not telling," he said flatly, lying down beside her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Sweetheart?"

"No."

"Dear?"

"I think you would hit me if I called you 'dear,'" he challenged.

"Right you are." She thought carefully. "Little troublemaker."

"Now that would be highly appropriate," he laughed. "But no."

"If I do guess it, will you actually tell me if I'm right or not?"

"Perhaps."

She looked at him suspiciously before settling back on her cot once more. Staring up at the ceiling in concentration, she tried to run through the possibilities that would make the most sense.

"My…" She felt his grip on her tighten, but ignored it. "Darling."

"Also no."

"Dammit." She turned to face him, her expression stern. "You're not making fun of me, are you?"

"And if I was?"

But she knew he wasn't. She reckoned it had to be some kind of endearment. It was simply the way he said it. His voice was always soft, his gaze breathtaking. He only ever whispered it to her, slipping it in randomly in the most benign conversations, or when he thought she couldn't hear, like when he kissed her cheek when he slipped out of her bed in the morning before they were caught.

"Why use it if you won't tell me what it means?" she pouted.

"Because it is fitting. And I also like hearing your guesses."

"Goddess divine?" He laughed and she grinned at the sound. "You said it was fitting. I will no longer accept the term if it means anything less than 'goddess divine.'"

"Of course you won't," he teased, leaning forward and kissing her once, twice, three times before he sat up. "Come on, I'll run you a bath."

By the time Denu returned, Hal and Murtagh had washed away any evidence of their time together. Smelling once more of her usual lavender and chamomile, Hal had situated herself between Murtagh's legs on the floor of his room, her back to his chest as she read to him from one of her books. They kept the door open so Denu would not get suspicious, but she felt very little inclination to move when she heard the front door open. Although it was probably closer than they should have been, she doubted Denu would suspect much considering she had, for a while now, been a tad bit more affectionate with Murtagh.

"Did I miss the story?" Denu asked, strolling into the room with a hesitant smile, as if he feared he was intruding.

Hal grinned. "Perfect timing, old man. We're only just getting to your favorite part. Come. Sit."

Denu sat on the bench against the wall, and Hal moved so that she could rest her head against his legs, her body still situated in the rider's lap. She took Denu's hand in hers, kissing the wrinkled skin lovingly and holding on to it tightly as she continued reading. Tears of happiness began to fill her eyes and fall down her cheeks, but her voice remained steady. But she felt Denu's hand tighten over hers, and Murtagh's hands tighten around her waist, both knowing. Even though neither could see her face, they knew. And as she continued reading, her heart felt so full she thought it might burst from her chest.

…

Murtagh gently pulled Hal's bedroom door closed, taking one final, longing look at her sleeping figure before shutting it behind him. Behind him, Denu was shaking his head with an amused smile. "She always falls asleep at the good part."

"At least you've heard the story before. I suppose now I will never know how it ends."

Both men were grinning.

"She hasn't read aloud in quite some time. Used to do it a lot when she was younger, since I could not read the text myself."

"Well I'm glad you came home when you did. I think she was even happier with you there."

Denu gave him a curious look. "May you and I talk in private for moment, Murtagh?"

Murtagh's eyes went wide at the seriousness in Denu's tone, but he kept his voice neutral. "Of course. What about?"

Murtagh followed the old man in his room, a place Murtagh did not frequent as often. It was rather barren compared to Hal's, which was littered with her dozens of sketchbooks, regular books, unfinished arrowheads and her clothes, all neatly stacked but she had a lot of items. Denu's was much simpler, his clothes carefully folded, a new set that Hal had already picked out for him sitting out on a small chest made of wood at the foot of his bed.

Denu sat down on the edge of his cot and gestured for Murtagh to do the same. Heart pounding in his chest, he went through flimsy excuse after flimsy excuse to try and explain away any suspicions Denu may have about he and Hal. He didn't want Hal to get into any trouble. Although they had not consummated anything, Murtagh doubted what they had been doing would be any more positively received.

"I do not mean to pry," the old man began, "but I could not help but notice that you seem rather anxious as of late."

Murtagh blinked in surprise. "Have I?"

Denu chuckled with amusement. "You have. I can hear it in your voice — as though something heavy is weighing on you. I know Hal sometimes gets irritated when I read her emotions without giving her a moment to process them. But you have sounded like this since the day of your welcoming party. Did something about that night bother you? Was it too much?"

"No, not at all," Murtagh said quickly. "No, everything about that night was perfect." He swallowed, feelings of that night returning and making his stomach flip anxiously.

Denu's hand reached out carefully, placing Murtagh before finding his shoulder and gripping it tightly. "You know I think of you as my son, don't you?"

Murtagh smiled, cheeks burning with humble gratitude. "I know."

Denu beamed. "Then you know that, just like Halen, you are welcome to talk with me about whatever is bothering you. I do not want anyone I care about feeling as though they can't talk to me or that they must go through something on their own."

Murtagh looked at the man, debating how much to reveal to him. He had more or less come to terms with what made him so uneasy. Thorn had tried to help him sort through his feelings but, lacking in experience, could only offer so much insight before feeling rather lost himself.

He leaned forward, his forearms on his knees as he glanced down at the ground, trying to find the words to say, and his voice to speak. He swallowed nervously.

"Take your time," Denu offered kindly.

Murtagh nodded, even though the man couldn't see. His palms were sweaty and he rubbed them on his trousers.

He took a slow breath, inhaling through his nose, exhaling through his mouth.

"I'm —" Dammit. He couldn't say it. He immediately got choked up, his eyes brimming with tears. "Denu, I'm…"

The words got stuck in his throat again. He could not tell Denu, just as he could not tell Hal, but he could show him. He felt ridiculous and cowardly, but his mind was still processing the truth of his emotions. Sniffing, he took the old man's hands in one of his, gripping it firmly while the other went to the man's head. Gently touching Denu's mind, he released just some of what he was feeling. He could hear the man gasp quietly, understanding and surprise washing over him. Murtagh realized, as he shared some of his memories with Denu, that the man was perhaps truly seeing for the first time, his village and Hal.

He soon pulled away, not wanting to overwhelm the man and realizing the mere act of presenting him with such imagery had perhaps been too much.

"I'm so sorry," Murtagh stumbled. "I shouldn't have done that without your permission —"

"No," Denu said, his voice cracking. He was crying quietly, but smiling all the same. "I always knew my Halen was beautiful. But to see her as you do, rider. You have perhaps given me the greatest gift of all."

Murtagh vowed to share with Denu more of the sights he had seen, of the island and the villagers. He couldn't believe he'd never thought of it before.

Clearing his throat, Denu wiped at his face and said, "But getting back to you…I'm assuming Halen does not know."

"No. No, she does not."

"And do you plan on telling her the truth?"

Murtagh leaned forward again, clasping his hand tightly together. "I want to, but I don't know how or when. It would only complicate matters."

"Will it?"

"She has so much on her plate already. So much she wants to accomplish. She's focused on giving back to this village and its people. I do not want to make her feel as though I am asking her to choose."

Denu was silent, as if surprised. "Is that what you think will happen?"

"I don't know. I don't — the last time I told someone how I felt, she rejected me."

"And you fear Halen will do the same?" Murtagh didn't respond and Denu sucked in his breath, understanding fully the depths of Murtagh's concern. "You fear she will accept you."

"All I want is for her to be happy," Murtagh whispered, his despair finally consuming him. "And I want it to be me who makes her so. But I don't know how to do that. She has never made me feel inadequate or inferior or less than and yet compared to her, it is all I feel. I want her, but I know I do not deserve her. A man like me does not deserve a woman like her. But I am too selfish to let her go. She brings me peace and she makes me feel like I am worth something. But I fear my past will not allow me to accept her as she deserves to be."

Murtagh's face fell into his hands, feeling as though his soul was being tormented by the demons he longed to rid himself of. While relieved to have told someone, he felt more self-conscious as well.

Denu's grip on his shoulder tightened as Murtagh cried, trying to stop the flow by aggressively rubbing his eyes. He took several shuddering breaths, realizing Denu had moved to rub his back to try and calm him down. When Murtagh had quieted enough, Denu spoke again.

"I wish I could tell you what to do, Murtagh," he began. "Your demons — I cannot pretend to know how to slay them. And I will not risk lying to you or giving you false hopes that you will ever feel that you are rid of them enough to deserve Halen." Murtagh nodded, squeezing his eyes shut at the painful truth. "But," Denu continued, "I do know that that fear is the very reason you should tell her how you feel."

Murtagh froze, staring at the man in surprise.

Denu chuckled. "Oh Murtagh. Even the greatest man will likely feel like he does not deserve a woman once he has vowed to make her happy. Women — the very nature of being a woman makes them stronger. How greatly men pale in comparison. We raise them to be wives and mothers, not individuals. And many carry those torches proudly, despite the burdens that come with them. I suspect, that it is one of the reasons Halen herself does not like the idea of marriage. For all of her independence, Halen loves with a deep ferocity that knows no bounds. She will fight any beast or monster to protect those she cares about. I know it scares her now, those feelings, and I believe she shies away from them to avoid the confrontation. And I think she recognizes that to fall in love with someone, to want to marry them, to want to bear his children and raise them, means a life of putting someone else first. Her husband, her children, and then, perhaps, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And when she found that someone, she would do it, no questions asked."

Murtagh was silent at the thought. He could see it. Despite Hal's hesitation to marry, based on what she had told him, Denu's observation also made sense. Hal said if she were to marry, she wanted it to be for love. And already, for those she loved, she had endured more than any person should have to bear. And yet his face softened at the thought of Hal finding someone with which she could be so utterly happy, even if it wasn't him. The thought of how beautiful she would look on her wedding night, or her stomach round with life of her unborn child. He did not know if that was necessarily the future she wanted, but if it was, she deserved it.

And Murtagh could not yet give her those things. But he did not want to let her go and risk someone else realizing she is worthy of it as he did.

"And I suspect that you find yourself confronting similar feelings. For Halen, you realize you would fight any beast or monster so that she does not have to. You would put her needs above your own, and you already do, no questions asked. It is frightening, realizing that there is someone else worth living for. Worth fighting for — and you have no damn idea of whether you are capable of the task to begin with. There will come a time when you may let her down, when she will be upset or angry or disappointed or annoyed. Heaven knows Isa would sometimes be so angry with me she'd go and stay with her parents for a little while to clear her head." Denu smiled sadly. "But I never stopped trying. And that is the key, I believe, to any strong and healthy relationship, after a foundation of respect, trust, and honesty, of course.

"Never stop trying, Murtagh. Never stop trying to be the man you believe Halen deserves. Recognize what you believe to be your shortcomings, and then strive to overcome them, even if it feels impossible. Even when things are perfect, try anyway. For it is only when you feel that you have nothing else to work towards, nothing else to fight for, that your relationship is doomed."

"But how can you say that knowing what I've done?"

"Because I honestly do not think Halen would care for you the way she does if you had led a different life," Denu responded, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "I believe your trials and tribulations, your emotions — your anger and despair and guilt and pain — are what drew her to you in the first place. Her own suffering, actually reflected in someone else. Someone who could understand these feelings. It is because of what you've done and how they made you feel that she even began to open up to you. You know things about her some of us may never know. And that's is all right, because it means she has finally found someone she can properly unburden herself to.

"It is not fair, what either of you have been through. And I'm not saying, under any circumstance, should you both feel as though the sole purpose of your suffering has been for the sake of love. That's not what I mean at all. But I do believe everything happens for a reason. Whether you believe in the heavens or fate, I believe someone puts obstacles in our path and people in our life so that, when we come together and find each other, we can appreciate those moments of happiness much more.

"You say Halen brings you joy and peace. You would not know these feelings if you did not know turmoil and war. Halen would not brim with life as she does, if she did not also know the pain of death. And we as humans would not know love, if we did not also know hate.

"Your feelings about your past are valid. But do not let them dissuade you from your future either. You are full of such compassion and strength and loyalty, and it shows in how you have lived your life thus far. I told you the day of your party, we celebrate the man you have become, not the man you once were. He is the man we love. He is the man we see. But never forget: the man you are today wouldn't be here without the man you were in the past. And you are the man who deserves to tell Halen how he truly feels."

Murtagh thought he might cry again, and Denu rose to his feet, taking his face in his hands and kissing the top of his head. "Listen to your heart, Murtagh," Denu added. "It will know when the time is right."

…

Murtagh woke up to a heavy fist on the front door. The suddenness of it made him jerk with surprise, instinctively reaching for his sword as Hal's cheery, "Just a minute!" responded from the kitchen.

Stumbling from his feet, he quickly washed his face once more. He was anxious her sharp gaze would notice his puffy eyelids from crying and he didn't want to give her any reason to worry. He heard her open the door and greet someone warmly, although he didn't recognize their voice.

He opened the door to his room, squinting as he made out someone from Berjis' village at the door. Hal was reading a letter in her hands, her eyes scanning over the note. Murtagh leaned against the frame, watching her with a mix of emotions, but he felt less anxious than he had as of late. Still nervous, still unsure. But something about Denu's confidence and kind words had put him at ease for the time being.

Speaking of, the old man opened the door to his room just as Hal finished reading her letter, looking at Murtagh with such an excited smile that he felt his heart thump madly at the sight of it. "It's a letter from Berjis," she explained, her voice brimming with eagerness. "He says the turtles are hatching!"

…

"Are you all sure this okay?" Hal asked in a low voice, eyes darting from Murtagh to Thorn to Blödhgarm to Invidia, nervous that the favor she had asked of them all was perhaps too much. Of course, if they decided to pull back now, they would leave a wake of devastated children in their midst.

"Do not fret, Halen," Invidia said with a kind smile. "We are more than happy to lend our assistance."

"I'm actually looking forward to the event," Blödhgarm added. "I think it's delightful that you all take such pride in nature."

Hal took one of their hands in each of hers, squeezing briefly, grateful. As they walked away, giving her and Murtagh a moment of privacy, she turned to him. Not expecting her gaze, he was rather late in getting the heavy expression off his face. "Is this all right with you, Rider? Please be honest."

"Yes, of course. Sorry, I know I've been out of it lately."

She took his hand in hers while they had the privacy, stepping closer. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything is fine. Just thinking."

She was unconvinced, and she knew he knew it. But he never pushed her to talk before she was ready, so she would show him the same courtesy. She leaned forward and kissed him briefly, but he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her in, deepening the kiss. There was something in his grip that made her dizzy in the best way, but he drew back, his smile gentle. "We should get moving, before we're late."

He turned on his heel then, and Hal swallowed nervously, fearing something was wrong. But she took a deep breath and followed after him, emerging from behind the hut. They had already packed their things for the overnight trip and loaded them into one of the wagons. There were four total, each pulled by two horses. One held provisions and bags, spare clothes and the like. The rest would hold the children old enough to make the trip.

Hal had almost decided to cancel the trip altogether despite it being tradition. She did not want to put the children at risk once they left the confines of the wards. But Murtagh had insisted, and he had managed to convince the elves to help. They would lend their magic to extend the wards to the group as they traveled. Because Hal had already been placed with wards of her own, she would ride ahead as a scout, communicating with the others mentally. Murtagh had insisted on someone going with her, but Hal had outright refused. No matter what happened, those children and the villagers would be everyone's priority. And she made them all swear it in the Ancient Language. She wondered if that was perhaps one of the reasons Murtagh seemed rather nervous.

But everyone was ready, the men carefully armed. Blödhgarm and Invidia would run on either side of the groups, keeping far enough out of site so as not to alert the villagers, although Amon and the rest of Hal's tightknit group would know they were there. Thorn would fly overhead, and Murtagh would remain on horseback bringing up the rear.

As the wagons pulled away, parents waved their kids goodbye, with final reminders and warnings to behave. Hal could not help but smile at the spectacle, but soon went ahead on Nani to make sure there would be no issues.

The forest was quiet, peacefully so rather than eerily. Both Murtagh's hand-and-a-half sword and her bow were strapped to her back as she observed her surroundings, making sure nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She made sure not to travel too far ahead, and every so often would glance up as Thorn's shadow passed overhead, keeping her updated on where the wagons were.

She met riders from Berjis' village more than halfway there who had been scouting on their end, a precaution Hal had sent back to the messenger who had first delivered her friend's letter. She greeted each man by name, thanking them for their help. She felt much better that they were there.

When she arrived in Berjis' village, she went straight to his hut like she always did. Bea was already waiting by her father's side, and shouted in delight when Hal rode up. Swinging her foot over the side, Hal jumped down before Nani had even come to a full stop, dropping to her knees as Bea ran into her arms. Hal feared she would hurt the child, she held on to her so tightly.

"Oh, I've missed you," Hal cooed, smoothing the girl's hair down and kissing her cheek. "Have you been on your absolute best behavior?"

"Yes!"

"No," Berjis said with a rather stern look. Hal looked at Bea who pouted but said nothing on the matter.

Shaking her head, Hal set the girl down and went to hug her friend. "How are you, Berjis?"

"Some days are harder than others, but I'm managing." He pulled back some. "I'm glad you could come. How was your trip?"

"It was fine. Thank you again for sending the group of men to help keep an eye on the wagon. You have no idea how much that means to me."

"I would not wish anything to happen to your people. I was happy to help. Ah, and here they come!"

Hal turned just as Thorn came and landed right in front of her. The wagons were coming out of the woods, and Hal felt her chest loosen at the sight. Some of the adults looked mildly annoyed, and Hal assumed it had something to do with the children who were hungry and loudly complaining. But she would take it. A few, like Layla and Eren, saw her and waved, and Hal waved back.

"How have you been?" Berjis asked as they turned away from the caravan briefly. "I didn't ask."

Hal breathed, looking over her shoulder once before back at Berjis. "Some days are harder than others, but…most have been good."

"And Denu, how is he?"

"Devastated he could not come. He loved the experience of the turtles hatching. But since his back does not respond well to the journey…"

"Ah, that is most unfortunate."

"But he sends his love all the same. Said he is more than happy to host you and your little ones when you're ready."

"He is, as always, too kind."

"I know."

Hal watched him carefully for a moment, wanting to ask but feeling slightly uncomfortable broaching the subject. "Why has Bea not been behaving?"

Berjis' head lowered some. "She is upset that her mother has not yet come home. She is growing restless. She is throwing more tantrums than she normally would."

"Why have you not said anything sooner? I would have come and help if I could."

"I know you would. But you could only do so much, Hal. She wants her mother and I —"

He buried his eyes behind his hand and Hal's chest tightened. She placed a useless hand on his shoulder, wishing she could do more for him. "Berjis, have you been getting much sleep?"

"I sleep when I can."

"Let me take Aiden and Bea for the afternoon. I can only imagine how strong you have been for them these last few weeks. But trust me when I say strength will only take you so far. Weep and scream until you are ragged and horse. Sleep. Wake up. Then come find us at the beach, okay?"

He nodded, and Hal wrapped her arms around his shoulder and pulled him in for a hug. His hands gripped her tightly as he buried his face in her neck to hide it. He sniffed, then kept his head down to wipe his eyes before lifting his head once more.

"Thank you, Hal."

"No thanks is needed. Bring me the little one, so we can get going."

With Aiden on one hip and Bea's hand in hers, Hal went to her little band of villagers. The children were eating the lunches packed by their mothers, finally quiet. The adults were lounging about, talking and laughing as they ate their own meals. Murtagh sat with Eli and Cado, and caught Hal's gaze as she walked to the wagon. She gave him a wink and he smiled, winking back before returning to his conversation.

Hal climbed into one of the wagons, Aiden in her lap and Bea close by. The children quickly made room for her. "All right," Hal said loudly, capturing their attention with ease. "Who here wants to hear a story?"

…

As the sun began to set, they relocated to the beach, the people of Berjis' village having already marked with flags of cloth the location of all the nests. The people poured out of their huts, splitting up into groups.

"How many turtles are there?" Bea asked, her hand gripping Hal's tightly.

"Hundreds and hundreds," Hal explained. "That's why we need all the help we can get. Here, no one's claimed this nest yet. We'll make it ours."

Hal got Bea and Aiden situated. The eggs were still partially covered by the sand, but she knew that Berjis' people had been doing this long enough to know where the nests were. They were soon joined by Amon and his eldest children, Eren and Layla, as well as Murtagh, Eli, and Cado. Murtagh kept his distance, his expression apologetic, but Hal only smiled. It was hard for them both to show little affection when in public. Because they were not yet ready for people to know the nature of their relationship, it was the only solution at the moment. Not that she liked it.

But to her surprise, Murtagh seemed to immediately change his mind and walked over to stand beside her. Close enough that their shoulders brushed, the back of their hands touching. And her body hummed, longing for more.

"When we get back to the village tomorrow, can you and I talk in private?"

Hal looked up at him, his expression unreadable. "Should I be concerned?"

He smiled. "I hope not, iet dunei."

"Then will you at least answer me this one question honestly?"

"I promise you, Hal, it does not mean 'goddess divine' —"

"No, not about that. Although you're wrong and I will prove it to you." He grinned, and it finally reached his eyes, which helped her relax some. She wanted so badly to take his hand, to brush his hair from his face. To hold him. And the fact that she couldn't while knowing something was bothering him upset her. She turned to face him, stepping as close as acceptable without arousing suspicion, keeping her voice low for privacy. "Are you happy?"

He jerked back slightly, caught off guard by her question. "Of course I am. Have I given you the impression I'm not?"

She bit her lip nervously. She knew just because he may have been having a bad mood in no way meant he was unhappy. Hal had bad moods all the time. But she had not seen him so withdrawn, and so much had happened that she wasn't sure if perhaps she had done something to put him on edge.

"I guess I'm just worried about you, is all. You've been so quiet these last few days. I know I've been…a bit much as of late. I know I've been rather…aggressive with my affections —" she said in a very low voice.

To her stunned surprise, Murtagh threw his head back and laughed. She flushed. She hadn't meant to be funny.

"Are you laughing at me?" she asked slowly as Murtagh placed both hands on her shoulders as if bracing himself as he chuckled.

"No, I'm not, I promise I'm not." He squeezed her shoulders lightly. "I just…I wasn't expecting you to articulate it so sweetly."

He had her there.

"Well there are children nearby," she muttered.

He sighed. "I am happy, Hal. These last few months with you have felt like a perfect dream, even if the moments have not necessarily been perfect themselves. As to my mood, I believe that will make more sense when we have time to talk. When I can properly explain."

She inhaled slowly, then exhaled. "All right. I just wanted to make sure."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of her head affectionately, sending shivers down her spine. She didn't know what it was about the gesture that just made her feel so warm and happy. But she felt slightly better as his hand rested on the back of her neck, keeping her close for the rest of the night.

…

A day.

He'd given himself a day to figure out what exactly he was going to say to Hal. He didn't know if he hated himself for it or not. He didn't want to wait too long. His feelings were consuming him every moment of the day, especially when he was with Hal. Moments like tonight, when she looked so happy and serene, the words felt like they would burst forth from his mouth and that he'd scream them at her with no warning whatsoever.

I love you.

He wanted to tell her properly and had been thinking through ideas with Thorn on how to do so. His first and last confession had been dismal at best. But for Hal, he wanted nothing short of perfection. He thought about taking her to their usual spot, with the spring and the grass and the peace and the quiet and privacy. At first, he had considered the beach, but the thought of making the trip back seemed like more of hassle than she would probably care for.

Relax, young one, Thorn said gently, nudging Murtagh with his tail. I have faith that Halen will accept you regardless of where you tell her. She is not so uptight as to worry over something like that.

I know, Murtagh argued with exasperation. I know that. But I just…I want to show her as well as tell her. I just want everything to be right.

Thorn made a low sound in the back of his throat, which sounded almost like a purr. Murtagh felt his face turn red as Thorn's barely-contained excitement for him crept over their bond. Thorn nudged Murtagh's cheek with his nose. I am happy for you, young one. She is a worthy mate.

"Oi, dragon rider and rider's dragon," Hal snapped, and they both whipped their heads around to look at her. She grinned. "You're going to miss it if you keep yapping to each other. Whatever it is, it can wait."

Murtagh doubted that, but he kneeled down beside her. Berjis had not too long joined them, and his children were situated in his lap, Layla in Amon's, everyone's eyes fixated on the sand. Hal reached for his hand without thinking, her fingers wrapping tightly around his in anticipation. And Murtagh happily tightened his fingers around hers in her return. Thorn sat behind them, his neck craning over their heads to watch.

"Look I see one!" Layla shouted, pointing.

Murtagh was holding his breath, watching as a small green head began to poke through the sand. Then another. And another. Their front flippers seemed to flail almost helplessly as they struggled to climb out.

"They're so cute!" Bea squealed.

Murtagh smiled. They were very cute. Hal tugged on his arm and he looked at her just as she leaned forward to whisper, "Look."

He glanced around them. It was like they all had the same thought, as baby turtles across the beach were emerging from the eggs, some nests further along than others. There were hundreds of tiny, little heads, fins, and shells making their way from the sand, climbing over each other as they sought their way out.

Hal reminded the children not to touch the turtles unless necessary, to give them space, as everyone climbed to their feet. The process was slow, yet Murtagh felt mesmerized by it all the same. The villagers had lined part of the beach with torches, but not many so that they did not attract too many predators.

One bird landed on the shore, eyeing the turtles more with confusion than anything. But Layla rushed towards it, shouting, "Go away!" until it flew off. Amon high-fived her when she ran back to the group, grinning proudly.

The villagers began to spread out as the number of turtles seemed to multiply into the thousands. It was almost overwhelming to behold, but Hal and the villagers carried on like this was common. The turtles wandered almost aimlessly, some just sitting there without a clue. But when Murtagh expressed his concern, Hal took his hand once more and assured him that it was quite common. Occasionally a few wandered too far in the wrong direction, and Hal would gingerly pick them up and turn them around, and they'd waddle on like nothing had happened. But sure enough, over the course of the night, the turtles made their way towards the water, the villagers cheering when the first group hit the waves.

"How do we know all the baby turtles got out?" Eren asked, coming to stand beside Hal.

She placed her hand on top of his head and the boy's eyes widened with barely contained excitement at the touch. Murtagh could certainly relate. "There may be a few stragglers. But they eventually find their way home."

"Why do the moms even bury them underground. Why not in the ocean?"

"Because the eggs are kept warm and safe when they're buried in the earth," Hal explained. "That way they can be kept away from predators and direct sunlight while still growing…"

She froze.

"Hal?" Eren asked, tugging on her sleeve.

Hal took his face in her hands and kissed his cheek. Murtagh stared in surprise, noticing how dazed Eren seemed as Hal turned around and grabbed Murtagh's hand. "We need to find Blödhgarm and Invidia. Now."

"Why —?"

But she was pulling him away from the group, the others staring with confusion as Hal led him back up the beach, mindful of the turtles before they reached the woods. They must've been keeping close, because they appeared almost immediately when Hal reached out to them with her mind.

It was only then that Murtagh noticed Hal's hand was shaking in his, but not in a pleasant way. She was afraid.

"Halen, what's wrong?" Invidia asked, her brows furrowing in concern. "Did something happen?"

"I know how the Ra'zac have been getting around the island," she said, wasting no time. Murtagh's eyes widened. "And I think I know how we can find them."