“Alright, I’ll sleep in the corner there. I’ve a bedroll.”

Yophel nodded warmly, but suggested Lohmen sleep in the bed. Their eyes locked and then faint matching smirks crept across their faces.

“I…um. ahem. I can’t, I…”

“I don’t mean like that.” She replied with a soft laugh then her face turned more solemn. “I want to feel close to someone. Varga is here so infrequently, and he falls asleep at the table with his notes when he is. I miss-”

“Ok.” Lohmen finally said, he hadn’t been close to another human being in years. She had hit a soft spot, no question, and he nodded in response. He’d be so consumed with his masterpieces and his tether and his grief that he hadn’t really thought of being close to someone. He hadn’t thought of it until she brought it up, and now missed it terribly.

“You take this side.” She said pointing, “I don’t want to bump that hand in the night.” Lohmen nodded in appreciation of the considerate demand.

Lohmen took off his robe and boots and lay down on the bed, she walked around, took off her apron and tunic. The candle on her side, illuminated her silhouette through the linen chainse. Lohmen found himself staring as she let down her hair before climbing in beside him. They had both lay there for a time, Lohmen listening to her soft breathing, and Yophel basking in the warmth of another body. After several minutes had passed, Lohmen adjusted his arm up, and Yophel instinctively scooched beneath it, her head on his chest and her arm over his stomach.

He was worried the beating in his chest might not let her sleep, but after some time had passed he felt her tears wet his shirt where she lay on his chest. He ran his fingers along her arm and when he began to stroke her hair, he could feel her soft sobs. Eventually both of them fell asleep in each others arms.

Lohmen woke in the morning, well before dawn, Yophel still in his arm. In those first moments, between sleep and wake, he was just a man in bed with a woman. He’d been too tired to notice the smell of her hair the night before, but it was brimming with, wood, fire, berries, and cooking. The story of her days, told in a breath of her hair. He started running his fingers through her hair again, letting himself get lost in the sensation of olfactory nostalgia. He thought she was asleep but, Yophel started rubbing Lohmen’s chest and he stroked her hair in response. After a few minutes, she rose and stood at the side of the bed. Lohmen and Yophel’s eye’s were locked when she pulled at the strings of her chainse and let it fall to floor. She sat at the side of the bed and began with the strings on Lohmen’s trousers. He sat up and let her pull the shirt over his head, they lay back and shimmied off the loosened trousers. She leaned in, cupped the unscarred side of his face and kissed him.

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Lohmen or Yophel’s intimacy hadn’t lasted very long. Still, they lay naked in each others arms as dawn crept in the window, a reminder inching toward the rest of their lives and away from their one night of respite.

“I missed that,” she said, running her fingers along his chest and neck.

“Me too.”

They kissed once more before Yophel rolled over and began to dress. They both made their way to the kitchen and she began to prepare food for the two of them, and provisions for Lohmen to take with him.

“How did you sleep?” She asked, turning and letting her hair sway to the side. Lohmen caught himself staring, and eventually joined the conversation.

“Really well. Thank you. I…” He wasn’t sure what to say but finally landed on something. “I haven’t been with anyone since Kahriah.” a hint of guilt in his voice.

“Varga and I haven’t…in years,” she explained, then trailed off.

She gestured for him to sit and they ate breakfast together, while she told him how to get to the maze. Despite the duty of the conversation, they each smiled between bites. He’d need to head due west from here and when he hit the beginnings of the escarpment, to look for a giant milk-pine. The entrance to the maze would be right around there, but she impressed upon him that he must wait for Varga to lead him in, otherwise he might get lost.

“Just holler at the entrance. The maze is complex, but it’s not big. He’ll hear you and come.”

Lohmen packed the rest of items, and stowed the food Yophel had prepared in the saddle bags. He stood beside his readied horse, then walked back and gave Yophel a long firm hug before pulling back so he could see her face.

“I don’t imagine we’ll be seeing each other again. I wish you well, Lohmen. Find what little scraps of happiness you can and cherish them.”