AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She was asking him for a response. Words. He needed words. She had talked. Hugged him. And he had yet to even indicate that he appreciated what she was doing.
Drawing in a shaky breath, he reached with trembling fingers and, feeling bold, he clasped her hand. When she did not pull away, he met her gaze. “Do not leave.”
For a moment, she blinked at him. Then her smile lit her face as she squeezed his hand. “Why don’t we go to the main room and just talk for a while?”
That sounded all right by him. He managed another nod, and then he let Essie tug him down his stairs and into the main room.
When they entered the room, Essie let go of his hand and bustled toward the cold cupboard, navigating the room confidently even in the dark. “Would you like a drink? Water? Juice?”
“Water.” His throat scratched after his screams in his nightmare.
While Essie moved about the kitchen, he settled onto the lounging cushions on the floor, leaning against the wall and drawing his knees up. Just the walk from his room to here felt exhausting. Not physically, yet a heavy weariness pressed down on him.
She crossed the room and held out a cup of water. As soon as he took it, she hurried across the room and pulled out two blankets. When she returned to his side, she set one blanket next to him and kept the other for herself. She settled onto a cushion next to him. Not touching, but close enough for him to still sense her warmth and presence.
He sipped the cold water, trying to gather the shreds of his composure. Would she ask about his nightmare? What would he say if she did?
Instead, she began talking about dining with his family, spending time with Machasheni Leyleira and Illyna, and ideas for the future. Her chatter relaxed his muscles even more until he found himself responding and asking questions.
At some point, Essie’s words trailed off, and she curled on the cushions underneath her blanket. Her breathing deepened, and soon she was making soft whuffling sounds in her sleep.
Farrendel set his cup aside, spread out the blanket she had given him, and curled on the cushions within arm’s reach of Essie. When he fell asleep this time, he did not dream.
* * *
When he woke,Essie still slept on her pile of cushions, her breathing deep and even.
He smiled and let his eyes fall closed again, enjoying the feeling of restfulness on a night when he had expected nothing but nightmares.
She had not flinched away from him last night. Despite his nightmares, his silence, his tension, she had stuck by him. There was just something about her chatter and her smiles that was strangely restful and calmed him in a way that none of his family members had ever managed to do. Their anxious worry for him just added to his own tension instead of diffusing it the way Essie did with her calm acceptance.
It was probably a little soon to be falling in love with her. And he did not know exactly what falling in love felt like.
But this feeling in his chest—the warmth, the draw to Essie, the need to spend time with her and care for her—seemed a lot like love to him.
ChapterThirteen
Dinner with his family had gone as well as could be expected. They had been surprised that Farrendel had shown up. Even more surprised that he and Essie were dressed up and wearing crowns, making a statement that they were united.
But dinner had reminded him that Essie had only limited knowledge of elvish. It was time he started teaching her, if she wished to learn. He did not mind translating for her, but he would be called away to war again before long.
After exercising, he hurried through his shower and reached the main room. As he heard noise from Essie’s room, he began to set out the plates, bread, cheese, and cold meat for breakfast.
Essie entered, dressed in one of the sets of tunics and trousers, these ones in a deep green. As soon as her gaze landed on the table, she smiled, the expression lighting her face and sparkling in her eyes.
A smile twitched at his own mouth at the sight. “Renatir.”
Her forehead scrunched, telling him she did not recognize the word.
“That meansgood morningin elvish.” Farrendel waited for her to take a seat before he sat across from her. This was only the third morning that they had eaten breakfast together, and only the second one here in the privacy of their rooms. It felt intimate, sharing a meal with her like this, and he wanted to treasure it.
Essie attempted to repeat the word, but it sounded nothing like it.
Farrendel tried to stuff his smile back as he repeated it again for her, slower.
She tried again, and if anything she butchered the word even worse.
He tried to hold back his grimace. He really did.
