Here is chapter two! Thank you to those who reviewed the last one hope you enjoy this one as much as the last. Disclaimer: I only own Hadda and her family.

Hadda stood in front of the fireplace. She stirred the stew that was in the pot as she stared idly into the flames. The house was quiet inside while the children of the town laughed and played outside. She was cooking this stew for her brother and his pregnant wife who was now bedridden by order of the midwife.

Theon her brother was a carpenter here in their small town. He made a decent living to help support his growing family as well as his sister. Hadda had taken over her fathers duties as the local grocer and earned her living by delivering groceries to those who couldn't get them on their own.

"Keep sulking like that and the food will burn." Came the sound of her brother's voice as he returned home for the evening.

"Huh?" She asked as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh," she took the stew off of the fire and set it on the table.

"Your mind is in the clouds my dear sister." He came up behind her and embraced her shoulders with his arms. He held a smile as his lips pressed to his baby sisters temple. "Tell me Hadda what is on your mind? You have been this way since you came home."

"I just have a lot on my mind is all." She tried to convince him, but, Theon knew his sister better than that.

"Come now Hadda, talk with me."

She opened her mouth to try and convince him again that she was alright, but when she saw the look in his eyes she sighed. "Alright its just..." Another sigh "You will think me stupid."

Theon smiled "Now when have I ever thought that?" Hadda shifted on her feet feeling her brother's arms tighten around her shoulders. She placed her hands on his forearms giving them a slight grip. She felt his chest rise against her back as he took a deep breath. "Its Beorn isn't it?"

She turned and stared at him "How?"

"Oh come now sister. You think me daft?" He smiled teasingly "For the seven months you have had a twinkle in your eyes every time you returned from delivering his groceries. I have heard you talk with Gerda. You think his voice is like gentle thunder rolling through the meadow."

Hadda blushed redder than the flames in the fireplace as she abruptly turned away from her brother. "You care for him so deeply even having never seen him before." His hands now lay against the curve of her shoulders. "You love him, don't you?"

"What if I do? Then again, what does it matter?" She started to ladle the stew into bowls. "He will never let me see his face." She whispered sadly feeling her brother's hands hug her shoulders tighter.

"You don't know that."

"Everytime I ask him he changes subject. Does he still not trust me?"

Theon sighed "Sadly I cannot speak for his mind. But," He kissed her head once again "I can only hope that he comes around. For your sake my dearest sister." He smiled as she hugged him around his middle.

"What did I ever do to earn a brother who was so understanding of me?"

"Thank our mother." The two siblings shared a smile before they sat down to their daily meal.

The day soon faded into the night as it always did. Hadda sat on her bed staring out at the stars. Her mind drifted to Beorn just as a deep sigh escaped her lungs. How was he? Did he think about her the way she thought of him?

She continued thinking about him as her fingers began to braid her hair. She started to hum softly once the braid was finished, but soon sighed heavily again. Perhaps her brother was right, what if she was in love with Beorn. But, how could she love a man without ever seeing his face? Was it merely when ever she was around him, she felt comfortable and safe? She loved their conversations. She enjoyed baking for him and bringing him food.

Another sigh escaped her.

She was in love.

Her eyes gazed back up at the stars. Gazing at the constellations as her she immediately saw the dippers. The bears. They were always her favorite as a child. The ones she always knew where they were no matter the time of the year.

She finally closed the window followed leaving the curtains open so she could see the stars. Her head now being cradled by the pillow offered her no comfort tonight. Her heart ached and her head was restless.

Elsewhere Beorn wandered around in the dark. His form had changed to that of the massive black bear. He was once more on patrol around his home. Taking a moment to sit and rest his large head tilted upwards. His amber eyes looking up at the stars. His barreled chest expanded as a deep breath filled his lungs.

Hadda.

His mind was plagued by her for days now. Had he turned her away from him? He feared that thought more than he ever did at the thought of being returned to the imprisonment he had experienced. His heart yearned for her. As a man he wanted to hold her, embrace her in the night as they lay in front of his fireplace. He wanted to curl her small body to his chest and smell her scent all night.

As the bear, he wanted to feel her fingers run through his fur. Lay his head upon her lap as she hummed and sang to him. He wanted to walk with her beside him through the meadows and flowers.

Oh gods... He thought as his head lowered from the heavens. His chest expanded as a deep and resonating sigh escaped his large form. Oh Hadda... he thought mournfully.