Chapter 24

She had never been more nervous collecting herbs in her life. He walked right beside her, unlike in the south were she would flank or follow him and it was unnerving that he could and was constantly watching her. She bent to sever some sage, which she tucked in the basket next to the other herbs. She still didn't know how much he had heard of the earlier conversation that morning. It had not left her alone that he might know what she had said while talking to Tanielle, or what Tanielle had said to her.

"You're not scared of me are you?" She jumped about a foot into the air and snapped about to face him. He was staring straight at her so acutely she had to look away.

Scared of him? Of course not. Well not really, he hadn't hurt her at all, or done anything. He was a hunter sure, but there were hunters in the south as well. They carried bows and knives and fought just as fiercely, she was sure. He hadn't done anything wrong really, he had comforted her and helped her heal, and kidnapped me from our journey north… Threatened her father, sent men after her, placed spells on her.

"Not really, no." She replied. Putting as much calmness in it as she could muster.

"You're a very bad liar." He commented sadly.

"I haven't had much practice." She answered. Then bluntly. "I'm sorry."

He looked up curiously. "Whatever for?"

She slid the herb knife back into the sheath woven into the basket so she didn't kill herself fidgeting with it. "Well I know you must be unhappy that you're stuck with me and all. I don't know any of the traditions and there'll probably be issues between our regions because it's not a tradition we uphold. You'd probably be much happier with a northern elf…I saw how quickly Tanielle accepted it and she and Iiten are…"

"Iiten's not exactly a normal elf." He was smirking. "I can't say he's the only one who's gotten so far so quickly with their lady but it's not normal or anything."

She quickly searched the ground for more herbs so he couldn't see her embarrassment. "Oh."

Almost immediately she was pulled backward and held against him, his head was bent so his cheek was pressed against her hair. "Lilluil, you mean much more to me than anyone else ever could. I wouldn't choose anyone else if I could because I know you're perfect for me. The fact that it's divine means that it's supposed to work both ways as well. If I would be happier with someone else I wouldn't confront a whole party of south elves and chase you all the way to the southern boarder just to keep you with me."

"But…"

She didn't get the chance to continue though because he spun her around and the rest of her protest was lost in the sensation of his kiss.

It was oddly similar to the first. The predusk light causing everything to seem a shade grayer and unreal compared to the two of them, the seclusion in a grove of taller trees. But the kiss was different.

Not like the first chaste one at all. His encompassing arms enclosed her while he manipulated her senses. It was satisfyingly long, softly caressing her lips, although she didn't respond to it. It was gentle without demanding anything in return and she relaxed into his embrace as it continued. When it finally ended, he pulled back, opening his eyes slightly to gaze down at her intimately.

She searched his face for signs of anything. His relentless patience with her combined with all the care and understanding that she had felt through his touch was ground shaking. She had never witnessed, never heard of such blind devotion in the south. He really did believe it with all of his being, not questioning it in the least, not even with her who came from a society believing it was a fool's rumor. All her life she had prepared for a beneficial marriage in the south, where things like this were only in the lore books. Here in the north happily ever after really did exist.

She had denied it to him for a month of what must have been agony. She felt like apologizing again, but what would another 'I'm sorry' mean when she used it so often. His face wavered as she tried to suppress tears she had always hidden. She dropped the basket and wrapped her arms up around him.