A/N: Thank-you to the few of you who are reading this fic. Sorry for the delay. This month has been pretty hectic for me in the worst possible way. Hopefully I can get back to updating regularly. I appreciate your patience.

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

…

Chapter 3—Special Delivery

It was after dark when he finally wandered back into town. The company had brought tents to set up, just as they did in every town they passed through, but the townspeople – seeing Henry – and remembering all that had happened, put them all up in the inn close to the center of town.

"How's your girl?" The Captain teased when Henry walked into his assigned room, only to find his superior sitting in a chair beside the window.

Henry's deer-caught-in-the-headlights look could not have been more obvious if he had tried. He wondered if he had stopped breathing.

The Captain smirked and got to his feet, walking towards the young man he'd grown close to in recent months.

"Valerie, right?"

Henry shook himself out of his reverie.

"I apologize for returning so late, Captain."

"I assume you've had dinner," The Captain continued.

Henry glanced down at the mug of ale in his The Captain's hand.

"I'm not hungry," Henry said, ignoring the question.

The Captain's smile spread wide across his face.

"You know, there's no rule against romantic entanglements in our company. It's just frowned upon simply because we are always moving." He paused a moment and then grew serious. "Leads to lots of heartbreak."

"Valerie is not—"

"Ah." The Captain smirked again, thoroughly satisfied by his little victory. "So it is Valerie."

Henry's mouth shut, then opened, then shut again.

The Captain smiled and walked around him, heading for the open door. He stopped and turned to look at Henry just before stepping out into the hall.

"Henry."

The young man turned to look at his superior.

"There is no wolf in your hometown. We are only passing through to be certain. Shouldn't take more than a couple days."

Henry nodded. "Yes, sir."

"However…"

Henry looked at him hopefully.

"It looks as if one of our men has come down with a sickness of some sort."

There was silence.

"A disease of some sort," The Captain repeated, louder this time.

There was a sound of forced coughing and heaving in the hall.

Henry's eyes widened when he realized the implications of what his captain was saying.

"Might take a week or more for him to fully heal. We can't be traveling with a sick man in our company and we can't leave him behind. Code of honor and loyalty and all that."

Henry said nothing, just stared, still in shock.

"Goodnight, Henry," The Captain said, and then he went out, shutting the door behind him.

…

That night Henry couldn't sleep. He wondered if he'd be able to the whole time he was there.

A whole week?

He had told Valerie a week might be possible but he knew he'd been pushing his luck. It hadn't been more than a week any place the company had traveled to unless there had been a wolf or some threat from the wild. Having confirmation of a solid week filled him with a surprising wonder and happiness he was afraid to embrace.

He'd expected to try and squeeze in one visit, maybe two to Valerie before he had to leave again. Seven days offered a lot more opportunities. It confused him a little because in one conversation The Captain had both discouraged his visits with Valerie and encouraged them. Still, it wasn't something he was going to waste. He'd waited too long all throughout his childhood letting Valerie and Peter develop something special while he was cooped up in his father's shop working from an early age. There'd been no chance for so much as a friendship to evolve, let alone romance. By the time he was available to start something it was too late. It was only through the arranging of their parents that an engagement had tied them together.

But how could he think of a future with Valerie now? Regardless if Peter came back or not, Valerie still had no feelings for him. The love she held for Peter wouldn't just evaporate now that he wasn't physically present. He doubted even after how long he'd been away they had dimmed in the slightest. Valerie's love ran deep and strong.

But she was an allure to him, calling to him just by existing, just by being in his head and him longing for her.

He wanted to see her again. He knew there would be work to do, but he wanted to make the time. He was mostly sure The Captain would cast a blind eye to him scurrying away for a few hours of the day. There was no knowing at one point the company return to his little village. Aside from the men, he had no real bond with anyone. It would be nice to have something with Valerie, even if it was only born out of her being polite. She seemed to enjoy his company well enough, and he enjoyed her without question. Just the thought of seeing her made his heart race.

"Sir?"

A knock at the door followed the small voice.

Henry resurfaced to reality and crossed the room to answer the door. A boy no more than eight stood there, a small towel-wrapped item in his hand. The boy's face was downcast, looking as shy as he had been at that age.

"What is it?" he asked.

The boy looked up at him, half-daunted the man had responded and half-relieved that he hadn't done so harshly.

"This was left for you." He raised his hands high to offer him the item in his hand.

Henry took it and looked at it curiously.

"Thank-you," he said, and the boy scampered off.

Henry turned back inside his room and closed the door behind him. He sat down on his bed and unfolded the red plaid towel. He smiled when he saw what it revealed.

Half a loaf of Valerie's specialty cinnamon bread and a note tucked beneath it.

Until we meet again

-Valerie