The cave was still cool, the candle nearly at the end, a quarter inch lay between its burning glow and its final flicker. Erik's eyes opened. He blinked several times, not wanting to spoil this wonderful dream. He turned his head ever so slightly to look at the mountain of curls that lay on his chest. It had not been a dream, he smiled to himself, and then a pained expression overtook his face. "How could this have all come to pass…?" His mind working feverishly retracing each step of the night before. It had all happened so fast. The whirlwind of the escape, the fight, the return….the vows.
In spite of himself, the blissful smile returned to his face, his eyes glowing now. He reached out and pulled the sheet over Christine's bare shoulder. She was in his arms, no longer was it a vision, a distant dream, an unfulfilled yearning. She belonged to him…and he to her. There was something graceful about the way Christine breathed in and out, in and out. Her lips pink and puffy as she lay on his chest, eyes closed, in a peaceful sleep.
She was as beautiful a creature as he had ever laid eyes on, and she was his…wife. He stroked the side of her cheek with the back of his index finger, tracing the curves of her face with his hand, gently pushing the long brown curls away from her eyes. Erik closed his eyes, "thank you… for bringing her to me…for letting her save me from my solitude. Please give me the strength and the courage to provide for her all that she needs and….deserves. If in your infinite wisdom you bless us with children…." Erik choked back a sob, "please let them be as beautiful as this creature." Erik wrapped his arms around her shoulders, caressing her back.
Christine felt the warm sensation of a hand running like a feather up and down her skin. She was so warm, so relaxed….so happy. Slowly waking from her sleepy slumber, she felt her hand on Erik's chest. She let her hand wander up to his shoulder, and across his chest and back down to her face. She ran her hand down along his waist and curled it around his side, using the embrace to pull herself up closer to his shoulders.
Erik could feel her movement beneath his arms. Suddenly he wasn't sure what he would say to her. The night before no words were needed, the love was evident in their embrace. But he had never greeted a "wife" in the morning and knew not how it should be done.
Christine took care of that for him as she reached up to his face and caressed it. Then sliding up and propping herself on one elbow, she saw that Erik's eyes were open too. Smiling at him, she ran her fingers through the curls of his hair. Looking down into his eyes, she spoke volumes. Erik just looked at her. His eyes roaming each inch of her face, the frame of brown tendrils, the curve of her neck. She caressed his cheeks, and let her hands wander his neck and shoulder.
He reached out and touched the curls hanging down onto his chest, following them up to her face. They sat staring into one another's eyes for a long, long, while. Then, Erik gently put his hand behind her neck and pulled her down into a warm embrace. Their lips met, reigniting the passions from the night before. Neither had been so happy, perhaps ever in their lifetimes. Neither had felt so close to anyone. Neither had been so content to stay in one place as they were now. Neither had reason to leave, or want to turn from the feelings they now shared. Morning would wait, the night was still theirs to love.
Somewhere…in the darkness….a swirl of balance traversed the distance between the new love in the caverns deep beneath the earth…and the ashen reality that lay on its crust…two hearts beating in love…many hearts filled with anguish….one heart splayed open…bleeding…thirsting for resolution…for vengeance…that of the lone wolf…that hunts until satisfied or vanquished……