Chapter Six

In the darkness of his tent, hand draped over her waist, fingers glancing over the firm skin of her belly, Seth could feel the steady rhythm of Eirika's breathing as they lay together beneath his blankets. Her skin, pressed against his chest, was delightfully smooth, and pale even in the darkness. He titled his head to brush a kiss over her shoulder. She was so beautiful... But gods! If he hadn't sinned before, he certainly had now.

He only realized she was awake when she shifted, turning over to face him and curl up against his chest, head tucked under his chin. "Do you really know everything that goes on at camp?" she murmured.

"Not everything. I've tried to leave people their secrets... when I can."

"Tell me," she whispered.

"Mmm?"

"Tell me something I didn't know. It won't matter tomorrow, anyway," she said, embracing him fiercely.

"Eirika..." He stroked her hair and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"We still have some time, don't we?"

"A few hours at least," he replied.

"Then talk to me."

He paused to mull things over for a moment. After all this time he had amassed a jumble of useless information about his comrades and their activities. "Prince Joshua intends to wed Natasha when the war is at an end," he told her finally.

She raised her head to look at him as he said this and the surprise on her features made him chuckle. "Truly? He's in earnest? I'd noticed some flirtation on his part, but..."

"He is in earnest, so far as I know. He's given her his ring as his pledge."

"I thought the clerics of her order weren't allowed to marry."

"They aren't."

She smiled, one eyebrow raised. "I see." And then, her lips trailing over the line of his jaw, "Forbidden love. How romantic."

Her closeness was becoming distracting, and to keep himself from dwelling on other ways to pass a few hours, he continued to confess secrets that, in truth, were hardly his to share. "Lute has been shadowing Knoll. She's convinced that because he's a dark mage, he must be 'sneaky'. Knoll seems simply puzzled by her."

"Aren't we all?" Eirika quipped.

"And Kyle is courting Commander Syrene."

"Is he?" Eirika considered this a moment. "How will they manage it? I can't see either of them leaving their commands."

"Perhaps, but... right now I think everyone's thoughts are too focussed on ending the war to consider much beyond that. Everyone is worried about what will happen tomorrow." A mirthless laugh tumbled from his lips.

"Seth..."

"I would do anything to feel the morning sun on my face just once more."

Eirika's arms tightened around him once again. "I wish I could do something..."

"I know."

She stroked his hair and the look on her face and the caress of her hands made even the heaviness of his predicament ebb away. He smiled at her. "So... what else?" she asked.

"Apparently I have admirers among the rank and file," he offered.

"Female ones?" she said with an arched eyebrow.

"Well yes."

"Ah. I'm not surprised," she said, curling in closer to him and pressing kisses against his neck and collar bone, drawing a groan from him. "And you're too much of a gentleman to take advantage of it."

"But not too much of one to avoid taking advantage of you, it seems," he said gravely.

She rolled back a bit so she could meet his eyes in the darkness. "Seth," she said, looking suddenly abashed, "I think it might have been the other way around. I suppose," she went on, glancing away now, "that you think the less of me for–"

"Never." He held her face in his hands and stared into her eyes in the dimness. "I could never."

She blinked away tears. "I was afraid you saw me only as the princess. I think maybe I... tumbled off my throne tonight."

He wrapped her in his arms, pressing her as close as he could. "I love you, Eirika. I love you," he repeated with all the fervency he had restrained for so long. "And it's I who's fallen. I can't imagine that all this is anything other than some form of penance."

The muffled laugh against his chest startled him. "Very fine penance indeed," she murmured.

"I had meant–"

"I know what you meant," she cut in, smiling fondly at him. "But why should what we feel be any more a crime than Joshua and Natasha's alliance?"

"I'm a knight..."

"And she is a cleric," Eirika retorted. "I don't believe you ever took any vows not to marry. I've not seen the gods strike them down. There must be more to this. I'm certain of it."

"But, Eirika, I'm a knight and your retainer. I ought never to have–"

"Seth, listen to me," she said very firmly. "I don't expect you to be perfect. The Silver Knight may be perfect, but he's what everyone else sees. I see past that. I know you, Seth."

Heaving a sigh, Seth reached out to stroke the length of her hair. "You deserve more than a roll in the blankets in a war tent. You deserve a proper marriage bed."

"In that case," she said, her lips quirked, "you should hurry and fix this mess so that you can court me and we can be married after the war."

"After the war..." he murmured. He had heard that phrase on her lips so many times now. "You've tried to tell me something when we speak this day but every time, we've been interrupted. You keep beginning by saying 'after the war...'"

For a moment she was silent and he began to wonder if she'd drifted to sleep. "You said you know most of what happens at camp," she began finally.

"Most, but not everything."

"Do you know what I did after the briefing today?"

"Most days," he replied, "you hold private conference with Lord Ephraim."

"Do you know what we talked about?"

He shook his head. "No. I would not stoop to eavesdropping on my liege, even now."

"I think you should."

"Wha–"

She pressed her fingers against his lips. "I think you might understand then. I give you my leave to spy on us."

"My lady–"

"Seth."

"Yes?"

"Did you just call me 'my lady'?"

He cleared his throat. "Well..."

"Don't you think that might be just a tad formal... considering the circumstances?" she said with a quirked eyebrow as her glance slid downwards a moment over their naked bodies.

He could not help but laugh at this. "Perhaps a little, my darling."

"Better," she said, nuzzling against him. For a few minutes they remained pressed close together and he basked in the warmth of her body, the softness of her skin. When Eirika did speak once more, her tone was grave. "There's something I need to know."

"Hmm?"

"You said that the first day, the gwyllgi singed you and then you lost consciousness."

"No... not precisely."

"Seth?"

"The burn was... I think... I think I was dead." She went rigid and her arms clenched spasmodically around him.

She drew in several deep breaths before she spoke once more. "Has anyone else... died... on this day?"

"No. The battle always has wounded, but with our healers' aid none of the injuries have yet proved fatal."

"Then maybe that's why you're different. That first day, if you were... dead," she managed, her voice faltering on the word, "then perhaps whatever dark magic is causing this didn't fully affect you. And I'm certain it has to be magic. We're near the resting place of the Demon King and Riev is out there and the Dark Stone as well. And that staff that vanishes... It can't all be a coincidence. It must tie together somehow."

He sighed. "I've tried all I can think of. I've raced back to the clearing the moment after I've secured your safety– I've fled in the midst of battle to do so– but even so I've never discovered what becomes of the accursed staff."

"Then maybe you need to... just let it happen," she whispered.

He glanced down at her, distressed by what he thought she might be saying. "Eirika, surely you can't mean..."

"Listen to me, Seth. You said the day goes on for some six hours after the gwyllgis come. You know everything going on in camp at every moment before and after, but because you've been saving me, that one moment remains veiled. You don't really know what's happening then. But if..." Her voice grew tremulous as she went on. "If you stand by and watch what happens instead and just leave me to–"

"Eirika!" He held her by the shoulders, feeling ill at the very thought of what she was saying. The memory of her wounds that one time, of her blood on his hands and her cries of pain, flashed before his mind's eye. "I can't let you– And what if I did and the day didn't begin again? What if you remained..."

She reached out to touch his face, her eyes locked with his in the dimness. "Don't you know I would give my life for you just as readily as you would for me?"

"You're the princess of Renais," he protested.

"Yes," she stated. "I'm the princess of Renais. But even so, I love you, Seth."

He cradled her against him. If he could just stop time completely and remain like this, he would ask for no more. "A life without you in it," he whispered hoarsely, "would be worse torment than this existence."

"There's everyone else to consider," she said, though he could feel her trembling against him. "You can't leave us all like this forever. Just once," she breathed. "Once is all it would take and then you would know. You said you would do anything to see the sun rise again..."

"Not this."

"Please, Seth. You've risked your life so many times to protect me. Just this once, let me do the same for you."

"Eirika, please don't ask this of me."

"You said you've tried everything else. Just once. Please, Seth, promise me."

He could not look at her, but finally he nodded.

She kissed him then, hard. Her hands were bolder now and what else could he do but make love to her until his worries washed away in the sweetness of her body. The way she called his name, the way she murmured that she loved him, it was more than he could have hoped for.

When they lay still in the darkness, their pulses slowing even as they clung together, Seth tried to resist the comfortable lethargy that settled over him and beckoned him to shut his eyes and drift to sleep. Eirika's fingers trailed over his cheek. "Go to sleep," she said and kissed his lips. "When you wake this will all be like a beautiful dream."

He wanted to protest, but a luxuriant weariness washed over him and he drifted into dreaming.

ooo

"Maybe archery just isn't our thing. We should try something else." Dozla's bass rumble was unmistakable.

As the sounds of camp battered his senses, Seth closed his eyes, shutting out the familiar scene, and inhaled deeply of the evening air. The scent of her skin seemed to cling to him even now, and he thought he could taste her lips still on his. Her voice, whispering his name in the darkness, flitted through his thoughts like distant wind chimes.

"Hello there, general!" Seth opened his eyes as Forde hailed him. "You're looking well this evening. In fact," he continued, brow crinkled. "You're looking very well." He cocked his head and peered at Seth for a moment. "Did you get laid?"

Seth spun on his heel and turned towards the pavilion. "Come. Let's not be late for the briefing."

"Hey! Wait a minute!"