Chapter 4:

  It was their first night on the road to Vandera, the holy capital city of Corvallia. Just as they did most nights during their travels, Colt and Sonya camped a good distance from the road amongst a small grove of trees. They sat silently around a fire, enjoying a rabbit Sonya had trapped, its meat lightly seasoned with a touch of salt Colt had purchased from the general store.

  “So, are we going to keep any of it this time?” Sonya asked as she finished a leg and tossed the bone into the embers.

  “Why do you ask me something you already know the answer to?” Colt grumbled. “Every coin we take from those royal bastards is not to be touched by the likes of us. It’s all for a better cause. Don’t ask again.”

  “Aww, come on, Colt,” Sonya whined. "Not even a single coin?”

  Colt bore into her without a word and took a bite of his rabbit. Silence was her answer. Sonya crossed her arms and pouted.

  “Look at you.” He gestured at her with both hands, an unfinished rabbit leg in one of them. “You’re nearly upon your twentieth year, you’ve killed more men than most whores have fucked, and you’re sitting on your ass bitching no less than you did ten years ago.” His tone didn’t rise, and his face didn’t change. There was truth and harshness to his words but not in the way he said them. “When is the little girl in you going to die?” This last part hit Sonya hard.

  “What if I don’t want her to die?” Her hands had dropped to her hips. “What if I don’t want to be as unfeeling as you?” She didn’t mean for those words to come out, let alone sound as poisonous as they did. As usual, though, the man seemed unscathed. Silence followed, only disturbed by a knot popping in the small fire between them.

  Colt tossed the bone he had been picking at into the fire with the others and leaned back into the dirt with his hands behind his head. His view of the starry sky overhead was partially obscured by a web of branches as their leaves gently played with a light breeze. The fire danced.

  “I’m sorry. That was horrible of me.” Sonya felt guilty, and Colt’s usual silence made it worse.

  There was a drawn-out stillness between them as the man seemed to gather his thoughts. “I know you’ve seen your fair amount of shit, girl. The fact you aren’t insane yet means something.” He shifted his weight and made himself more comfortable. “Like me, you’re bound to endure far worse than you already have before you die and go to Ovaro, but until then, you’re just a stupid girl. After you grow up some more you can judge me all you want until the end of days. As we wait for that day to come, though, learn to respect me.”

  He was right and she knew it. Sonya was aware of the things this life had thrown at Colt and the choices he had made through it. The horrors this man had seen were heartbreaking.

  “You’re right,” she admitted, losing herself in the rising swirls of flame, “I’m just a stupid girl.”

  “Yes, indeed you are.”

  Silence.

  They both started to chuckle, which soon became hearty laughter.

  “You don’t laugh enough. It’s good to hear it for a change,” she pointed out.

  “Few reasons to laugh anymore,” Colt replied. His joy had died out.

  “I still manage to have a good time.”

  “Yeah, but you’re a stupid girl, remember?” Colt was poking fun at her, a rarity, but he was also being honest.

  “Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. I’ve got much to learn and all that. Blah, blah,” Sonya mocked.

  “By the Gods, woman. The whores I send home sore and shaking at the knees have more respect for me than you.”

  Sonya laughed at that. “Yeah, because you paid them. Anyone gives respect when enough coin is involved, especially whores.”

  Colt arched his head up to look at her across the mellow glow of the fire. “First things first. I didn’t teach you to steal for ten years so you could sit on your pretty ass and take my coin. Go out and find your own.” He rested his head back down into his hands.

  “At least you think my ass is pretty.” Sonya couldn’t help but throw a little sass his way. She had been waiting for an opportunity all day.

  Colt just sighed. It was deep and clearly showed how done he was with this conversation. “And another thing. Not all whores need coin in exchange for their respect.”

  “What do you mean? Since when?”

  “The redhead the other night. She refused every single copper I offered.”

  Sonya could hardly believe it. Was he being serious? A free whore? The next thing she knew, Ovaro himself would come down and dance for them. Incredible.

  "What was her name?” Sonya was genuinely curious.

  “Molly.” The sound of his voice had a hint of longing hidden within it.

  Sonya couldn’t see the man’s face, but she bet he was smiling. She knew better than to tease Colt when it came to matters of the heart, so she decided to tread lightly. “She must have been something special, boss.”

  “Aye, she was. A woman of silver worth.”

  “Whoa, whoa. I thought you said no woman was worth a silver lying on their back.”

  “You’re damn right. That’s why I slipped her two silvers when she wasn’t looking.” Colt did smile this time and Sonya could sense it.

  Every time I think I have the big guy figured out, he goes and does something to surprise me, Sonya said to herself. She was honestly stunned. Maybe Ovaro would grace them with a jig after all.

  “What about you and your fun? Anything come of that?”

  Sonya chuckled. “Oh, believe me, I tried. Found a real cutie and laid it on thick.” Now she had fallen back with her head in her hands too, sharing Colt’s view of the dark sky.

  “What happened? You scare him off?” Colt was joking but he had no idea how right he was.

  “Actually, yeah. I think I did.” She laughed at herself regardless of the defeat she felt deep inside. “It was almost like he had never spoken to a woman before. It was cute how choked up he got before he ran away, though.”

  Colt raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re a strange one,” he finally said after a moment.

  “Maybe, but it was kind of nice not having a hungry guy drool over me for once.”

  Colt’s paternal instincts took hold and he frowned. “Next time a man drools over you will be the last time he drools over anything,” he grumbled.

  Sonya rolled her eyes. “My knight in shining armor,” she said, dripping with sarcasm. An awkward quiet followed. Neither said a word for what seemed like a long time. “You know you can’t protect me forever…” she added. Sonya almost sounded sad.

  There was an even longer pause, the night’s silence took over and became their world.

  “……I know,” he replied.

  That was it. They both threw their cloaks over themselves to ward off the bite from the chilly night air and, eventually, sleep took them. The fire soon died, leaving them both in shadow.

. . .

  Thomas closed the door to his room and crossed over to his bed with nothing but sleep on his mind. Aimee was there too, floating around in his head as she always did. Ever since the other day, he’d felt like a different person around her, for the most part anyway. He still flushed and froze on occasion, but not nearly as often as before. Thomas felt so much more confident around her now that the first steps had been taken. He stripped off his shirt and threw it somewhere off into the darkness of his room where the glow of his oil lamp couldn’t reach and crawled into bed.

  I love you. The words spoken by one another repeated themselves time and time again in his mind, causing his skin to rise with goosebumps and his hair to stand erect. He thought how lovely Aimee’s dancing was, her spinning and graceful movements picking up with the ever-increasing intensity of the gorgeous music. He remembered how she had cried tears of relief. A release from the pressure she felt lifting as they embraced one another and submitted to the truth that had been hanging over them for years.

  Thomas let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. The stillness of the room threw him into a comfort that began to wash him with sleep.

  Tink

  He opened his eyes again and waited, positive he had heard something.

  Tink

  He tossed aside his covers and sat up, the drowsiness leaving him and replaced by a sense of curiosity and caution.

  Tink…tink

  It was coming from his window. Thomas swung his legs out of bed and crossed the room with mild hesitation, grabbing the oil lamp from his bedside table to light his way as he went. He held it up before him and approached the dirty glass, squinting his eyes to see through the glare cast by his light. As he neared, a face appeared from the depths of the gloom at the furthest reaches of the lamp's glow.

  It was Aimee.

  Overwhelming joy and elation overcame him, and he rushed to throw open the window and leaned out with a hand extended.

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  “What are you doing here so late and without a lamp to see by?” he asked her as she grabbed his offered hand. He gripped firmly and pulled her up and through the opening. When her feet were firmly planted, they stood silently and reveled in each other’s presence before their lips met in a passionate kiss, the fingers of their hands becoming entangled.

  “I wanted to see you,” she answered to his first question. “And I’m a silly woman.” That to the second one.

  “I’m happy you came. I missed you.” He brushed the hair from her face with a hand as he cradled her head with the other, gingerly brushing her cheek with a thumb. “And you are a very silly woman,” he chuckled. “Why didn’t you come through the front door?” he added.

  “I thought it would be more romantic,” she pointed out. “And we’re both silly,” she laughed. “We saw each other not even a couple of hours ago. We spent the whole day together.”

  “It wasn’t enough.” He kissed her again then scooped her up in his arms. She let out a startled gasp and a laugh as he carried her over to the bed.

  “Oh, Thomas! The window, the window!” She tried to say it quietly as she kicked her legs and laughed, wanting to be put down. He lowered her to the creaking wood floor, and she silently rushed over to shut it and grab the lamp, giggling the whole way.

  She wasted no time setting the lamp down on the nightstand, ripping off her shoes, and hurling herself into Thomas’s arms. They fell together onto the mattress in a mixed tangle of limbs, laughter, and love. Aimee looked down at him from above, her hair spilling all around them. Thomas grabbed her face with both hands and drew her in, their lips met and parted repeatedly without pause. She sat up straight, pulled her dress off over her head, and tossed it to the floor. Now down to her undergarments, she crawled under the covers and snuggled up tight against him.

  “What do you want to do tomorrow?” She asked wrapping an arm around him and burying her face in his soft skin.

  “I don’t see how anything different than this would be a problem,” he replied with a smile after feeling her lift a leg to curl it around and trap his own two.

  She exhaled against him and his comfort. “Good, I was hoping so.” She kissed twice where her head rested.

  He grabbed her hand in his, placed the pairing upon his chest, and applied slight pressure to her fingers. She returned the same. “I can’t believe it took us this long. I feel so…stupid.”

  “Well, I had an equal part in all the waiting so I’m just as stupid, I guess,” she admitted.

  “Just a couple of fools,” Thomas laughed.

  “So, you acknowledge the fact that we are now a couple?” She settled on the quip casually with a smirk.

  “Well, after your birthday, I only assumed.” He rubbed a thumb into her palm.

  “You’re in the right to assume.” Aimee nuzzled his chest.

  “Do you think our parents will finally leave us alone?” Thomas asked.

  “Oh heavens, no. Honestly, I think it’ll only get worse.” She said this with absolute certainty.

  “Worse?” He felt a lurking doom loom over him. “Worse how?” He could only guess.

  “Well, think about it. Next, they’ll ask about marriage.”

  “Marriage? So soon?” He was shocked.

  Aimee blushed a little at this. Her grip on him tightened and she forged ahead. “Well, yes. I think they would bother us with that. I wouldn’t put it past them.”

  “Honestly, neither would I, now that I think about it.”

  Aimee cleared her throat for what was about to come. “Then…eventually,” she started as she averted her eyes and nervously rubbed her thumb into his knuckles, “they’ll want to know if we’ve had…sex.” She grew red as an apple. They both did.

  Thomas gave an anxious chuckle. “My mother has already brought that up. She told me she wanted grandchildren. I can only assume she’d want us to get on with it.”

  Aimee gasped and looked up at him. “No! Your mother? But she’s such a sweet woman. Who knew she would be so bold?” Aimee was only half-joking. She knew Dorothy could be slightly devious at times.

  “You don’t know the half of it. She’s been berating me mercilessly for a good year about you.”

  “I had no idea I was such a valuable topic of discussion. I feel so special.” She reached up to touch the side of his face and turned his head so their eyes met.

  “You don’t know the half of it,” he repeated with a smile. They kissed again.

  There was a period where they just rested, completely absorbed in the feel of one another. They kissed, held each other, breathed the same air, and shared the same heartbeat. Eventually, they both slept, dreaming of many things together. Of their love, of wedding one another, of having children, of growing old together, and of dying together.

  Sharp rays of morning sunlight pierced the bedroom window’s cloudy surface which made the backs of Thomas’s eyelids glow slightly as he woke. He tried to roll away from it and felt a weight on his side. The memory of last night came flooding back. Looking down, he saw Aimee fast asleep.

  He kissed her forehead, but she didn’t stir. Then he kissed her nose and the rest of her face. After the peck on her nose, she had begun to rouse and each one after that drew her further and further out of her slumber.

  “Thomas…” She sounded groggy. “Alright, Thomas, alright. I’m up, I’m up,” she giggled sleepily while trying to paw him off her and fight her drowsiness at the same time. It was a losing battle.

  Thomas ripped off the covers and started kissing her stomach as she yawned and stretched, causing her to panic and flail at him with laughter.

  “No, no! For Ovaro’s sake, Thomas!” She couldn’t control herself through the barrage of lightly tickling kisses. Her squirming caused them both to fall off the side of the bed in a heap. They stayed there for a while, laughing and holding each other. They heard staggered footsteps coming down the hall and before they could collect themselves the door inched open.

  “Thomas?” His mother’s voice sounded through the crack. “Thomas? Everything alright?” Then she saw them. She threw the door open with a look of pure delight on her face.

  “Mother, I…” Thomas didn’t get the chance to finish.

  “Oh, thank Ovaro! Finally, you two are getting somewhere.” She seemed much more relieved than anything.

  “Mother!” He couldn’t hide his embarrassment.

  Aimee sat there on the floor and waved at Thomas’s mother. “Good morning, Mrs. Pruel,” Aimee greeted, a massive grin adorned her face.

  “Good morning to you too, dear.” She smiled back. “Will you be joining us for breakfast?”

  “That’s too kind of you, but I really must go soon and help my father with the shop.”

  Thomas looked disappointed.

  “I understand, sweetheart.” She locked eyes with her son. “Thomas. Walk her home like a gentleman.”

  “Of course, mother. I had already planned on it.” He reached over and grabbed Aimee’s hand in his.

  “That’s a good boy,” she said, pleased. “Aimee, thank you for making a man of my son.” She closed the door on them and left the comment lingering in the room.

  Aimee failed to contain a rolling fit of laughter and she clenched her sides with the bout. Thomas’s mouth hung open in disbelief.

  “That’s what I’ve been dealing with all this time,” he exclaimed with a gesture to the door.

  “I wonder if we should tell her nothing happened last night,” Aimee ventured once she had recovered.

  “Honestly, I’d rather her think something had,” Thomas said, a little frustrated. “Maybe then she’d give us some peace.” He stood and helped Aimee to her feet.

  “Well…” she started and began to flush, “we don’t have to lie to your mother.” She was looking down at her hands which had joined to tangle their fingers together nervously. Her hips clenched together, and she swayed slightly from side to side, a steady heat rising within her. Am I really going to do this? The urge was overwhelming. She couldn’t think straight. Aimee’s head swam but she braved the storm.

  Thomas, being a man of such innocence, looked only confused. "What do you mean?”

  Aimee didn’t offer an explanation. She stepped closer to him and gently pushed him back to sit on the mattress. He looked up at her with a look of anxious realization, Aimee's hands cradled his face lovingly. She straddled him and kissed him deeply and Thomas’s hands found their way to her rear. They fell onto the soft, inviting bed and abandoned all thought as they drifted in a sea of hot emotions and stimulated senses.

  Thomas opened his eyes to emerge from the realm of sleep for the second time that day. Being so thoroughly exhausted, they had passed out immediately following their first time embroiled in the throes of mindless passion, still within each other’s loving embrace.

  He stared down at her again and watched her breathe softly as she dreamt, delicately tracing the features of her face with a finger. Her cheeks, nose, lips, eyes, chin. They all got this treatment. He drew her in closer, buried his face in her hair, and kissed the top of her head. He felt her hand come up and wrap itself around his back.

  “Good morning again, Thomas.” It came out in the middle of a large yawn. She brushed her fingertips up and down his back affectionately and ran a foot along the length of his calf under the covers.

  “Good morning.” He paused. “That was…”

  Aimee didn’t let him finish. She pressed a grouping of fingers against his lips to silence his next words.

  “Hush, now.” She smiled at him. “Don’t put words to what happened. Whatever you or I could say wouldn’t do that magic any justice.”

  Thomas kissed the fingers that pressed against his lips and remained silent. She was right. She usually was.

  Aimee’s eyes widened and she suddenly burst into a frantic struggle to free herself from the tangle of sheets they were under, almost falling off the edge of the bed in the process.

  “What’s the matter, Aimee?” Thomas asked, startled. He was already sitting upright.

  Aimee finally got loose and was searching for her clothes. “The shop! Father is going to have a fit!”

  Thomas chuckled; glad it wasn’t something more serious. “Calm down. Everything will be alright,” he assured her.

  “Whether it will or won’t be doesn’t matter. I’m always there to help him.” She found her dress and was wiggling into it.

  Thomas got up to help her pull it down over her head. “I’m sure he’ll understand, Aimee.” He went and found her shoes too.

  When she was dressed, she stood silent for a moment. “How do I look?” She finally asked.

  Thomas thought she looked tired. Her hair was askew and stuck out at every angle but the right ones and he didn’t think a brush alone would fix it. Looking down at her wrinkled dress, he noticed the two layers of her shin-length outfit no longer lined up properly. Even with all this, Thomas thought she was a force of beauty.

  “Still the most gorgeous woman in Corvallia,” he said with a chuckle, despite his honesty.

  She gave him a flat, no-nonsense stare. “Well, I can see you’re going to be no help in this matter.” She headed for the door. “I’ll have to go ask your mother for help.”

  “Probably a smart decision, honestly. I don’t know the first thing when it comes to…” he paused, letting his words trail off as he gestured at her disheveled state.

  Aimee looked down at herself then back up to Thomas. “When it comes to what?” She asked, sounding a little concerned.

  Thomas shrugged. “Any of it. This sort of thing is my mother’s specialty. You know you look amazing anyway, right?”

  Aimee sighed but was smiling at him. “While that’s sweet of you, dear, I can’t very well be out in this dreadful state now, can I?” She walked back over to him and took his hands in hers as she said it.

  Thomas almost didn’t catch what she had said. It was so sudden and brief that it nearly slipped by him. “You just called me dear, didn’t you?” His smirk was plain as day. He placed a hand on her hip and began to rock her side to side with him.

  Aimee had said it without noticing, but now that it had been pointed out she grew crimson with embarrassment. She stared into his eyes for a moment, kissed him on the lips, then shoved him to the bed.

  “Get dressed. You’re walking me home,” she said looking down at him. She attempted to hide a smile but did a horrible job of it. It shone through at the corners of her mouth.

  “Right away, milady.” He bowed slightly from where he sat, a stupid grin on his face.

  “You’re such a silly fool, Thomas.” She walked to the door and opened it, then looked back with a sweet smile. “But I’m absolutely crazy about you. I love you.”

  He smiled back at her. “I love you too, Aimee. I always have.” It was the most sincere thing he had said to anyone.

  She held his gaze for a short while and then, satisfied, closed the door behind her.

  And I always will, Thomas thought. He rubbed the sleep from his face and got up from the bed.