tear away the love he had felt for his wife, and even though her physical beauty hadn’t compared to this kheshlar before him, in his eyes Victoria was absolute perfection.
He became lost in thought, and her body faded out of existence, replaced with memories.
* * *
Victoria clutched at his waist as he rode off into the sunset to begin his life anew with her in it. There was something about the way she clutched at him as they rode into the sunset atop his brown mare. She seemed to want the closeness with him but was still afraid of what kind of person he was. He knew he would have to prove himself to her before she fully trusted him. She had accepted his proposal, but she was still reticent about accepting him as a husband.
When they arrived at his small gray slate home, he noticed her anticipation. Worry stained her face at what his intentions were, and he had to prove himself to her that he was kind. After dismounting, he gracefully lifted her into his arms and pushed open his front door. Inside, candlelight lit the room, and it was larger than it appeared from the outside. He strode into the bedroom with her still in his arms before he rested her on his bed. She looked up at him with concern on her face, and he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
“Rest well, my darling fiancée.”
Without pausing to see her reaction, he left the bedroom to rest in his chair in the front room. He pulled out his pipe and lit it carefully, pondering the events of the day. In his room rested the most beautiful woman he had ever come across. It wasn’t only that, but she glowed unlike any other as if the heavens were making her known to him. He rested his pipe on the small table and shut his eyes to patiently wait for the next morning.
The next morning, he awoke to the smell of fresh porridge lingering under his nose. He opened his eyes to see Victoria dressed in loose cotton clothes of his, setting two bowls of porridge on his cedar table with two cups of fresh squeezed orange juice. His eyebrows rose as he got to his feet and approached her.
A smile brightened her face when he secured his arms around her and relaxed his jaw on her shoulder. She motioned for him to sit, but instead he pulled out her chair for her and set her down properly before relaxing in his own. The soothing smell of cinnamon, brown sugar, and oats relaxed Searon.
“This is a surprise,” Searon grinned.
“It is gratitude, for not pressing consummation last night.”
“We have not made our vows for each other yet; my fiancée and I have no interest in consummation until after our marriage. It will not be until you are ready.”
An exhale of relief spread across her face, and a slight smile appeared. Searon nodded and silently ate his scrumptious porridge before directing his attention back to Victoria. He chuckled as he glanced back over his loose clothing she was wearing.
“It seems I must take you shopping today; besides, you must pick out a dress to marry in.”
A smile lit her face, and she swiftly washed the few dishes before sliding back into her freshly washed black silk dress. She strode forward into Searon’s arms, who took her wholeheartedly. Looking into his eyes, her face lit up, and she bit her lip. Her freckles glimmered in the candlelight, and he fought the urge to kiss her. There was nothing more that he wanted at the moment than to feel her soft lips upon his, but he held his desires back. It would not prove to her to act hastily with her. He knew waiting for marriage for his first kiss would be the hardest thing he would have to do, but somehow in his heart he knew that it would be worth it. For the moment, he was at his happiest with only her in his arms. He felt complete, which was something he had never known before.
* * *
“Searon?” a familiar voice whispered unseen.
His memories swirled back into nonexistence, and reality consumed him. Looking down, he saw Starlyn at his back on his horse, staring at him with
He became lost in thought, and her body faded out of existence, replaced with memories.
* * *
Victoria clutched at his waist as he rode off into the sunset to begin his life anew with her in it. There was something about the way she clutched at him as they rode into the sunset atop his brown mare. She seemed to want the closeness with him but was still afraid of what kind of person he was. He knew he would have to prove himself to her before she fully trusted him. She had accepted his proposal, but she was still reticent about accepting him as a husband.
When they arrived at his small gray slate home, he noticed her anticipation. Worry stained her face at what his intentions were, and he had to prove himself to her that he was kind. After dismounting, he gracefully lifted her into his arms and pushed open his front door. Inside, candlelight lit the room, and it was larger than it appeared from the outside. He strode into the bedroom with her still in his arms before he rested her on his bed. She looked up at him with concern on her face, and he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
“Rest well, my darling fiancée.”
Without pausing to see her reaction, he left the bedroom to rest in his chair in the front room. He pulled out his pipe and lit it carefully, pondering the events of the day. In his room rested the most beautiful woman he had ever come across. It wasn’t only that, but she glowed unlike any other as if the heavens were making her known to him. He rested his pipe on the small table and shut his eyes to patiently wait for the next morning.
The next morning, he awoke to the smell of fresh porridge lingering under his nose. He opened his eyes to see Victoria dressed in loose cotton clothes of his, setting two bowls of porridge on his cedar table with two cups of fresh squeezed orange juice. His eyebrows rose as he got to his feet and approached her.
A smile brightened her face when he secured his arms around her and relaxed his jaw on her shoulder. She motioned for him to sit, but instead he pulled out her chair for her and set her down properly before relaxing in his own. The soothing smell of cinnamon, brown sugar, and oats relaxed Searon.
“This is a surprise,” Searon grinned.
“It is gratitude, for not pressing consummation last night.”
“We have not made our vows for each other yet; my fiancée and I have no interest in consummation until after our marriage. It will not be until you are ready.”
An exhale of relief spread across her face, and a slight smile appeared. Searon nodded and silently ate his scrumptious porridge before directing his attention back to Victoria. He chuckled as he glanced back over his loose clothing she was wearing.
“It seems I must take you shopping today; besides, you must pick out a dress to marry in.”
A smile lit her face, and she swiftly washed the few dishes before sliding back into her freshly washed black silk dress. She strode forward into Searon’s arms, who took her wholeheartedly. Looking into his eyes, her face lit up, and she bit her lip. Her freckles glimmered in the candlelight, and he fought the urge to kiss her. There was nothing more that he wanted at the moment than to feel her soft lips upon his, but he held his desires back. It would not prove to her to act hastily with her. He knew waiting for marriage for his first kiss would be the hardest thing he would have to do, but somehow in his heart he knew that it would be worth it. For the moment, he was at his happiest with only her in his arms. He felt complete, which was something he had never known before.
* * *
“Searon?” a familiar voice whispered unseen.
His memories swirled back into nonexistence, and reality consumed him. Looking down, he saw Starlyn at his back on his horse, staring at him with
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