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She smiled at him. “That pleases me very much.”
Bhric grinned. “And I will please you very often.”
“I would like that very much as well,” she said, her smile spreading. “I would not mind spending the rest of the day here with you.”
“We think alike, wife,” he said, pleased she said what he was about to suggest.
“Can we have food brought here? I am starving.”
“Again, we think alike. We shall feast and couple until we stuff ourselves with both,” he said.
“A perfect plan.” She snuggled against him, thinking that there was no denying what she felt, in her heart and even deeper down to her soul. She had fallen in love with her husband, and she wondered, hoped, her love alone could sustain them.
Bhric lay there more content than he had been in a while, looking forward to the rest of the day with his wife and even looking forward to a future with her. Things were different now. He even had noticed that the unrest that had plagued him had dissipated since spending more time with his wife. She was good for him. His mother had been right in her choice. All would go well now. He would see that he planted many seeds inside his wife for one to take root and grow and fulfill the promise he had made to his grandfather.
Aye, things would go well, and life would be good.
CHAPTER 18
Tavia walked beside her husband through the village, his hand solid around hers and a smile on her face. It had been a week since they had sealed their vows and she had never known such bliss. It was as if Bhric had become a different man, pleasant, thoughtful, and attentive to her. Each morning she woke, she looked at her husband sleeping beside her and touched him gently making sure it was not a dream that her life actually had turned pleasant. They spent much time together talking and surprisingly at times laughing.
She hugged his hand checking again that this moment was real and not a dream. He acknowledged with a squeeze of his own. It had become a habit between them as if they needed to confirm it was real and all was well.
People stared and whispered and Tavia wondered if the whispers were about her and Bhric or Fen, who had become her constant companion. But she did not linger on the thought, she was far too happy to let it worry her. Bhric’s word was law and he had allowed Fen to remain with her and that was all that mattered.
“I will see you to the keep before I speak with Sven,” Bhric said, feeling a tug in his chest at the thought of leaving her. He knew not what had taken hold of him, he only knew that he did not like time away from his wife. He had grown to enjoy her company. She was wiser than he had first thought and inquisitive as well, which in turn made him question himself. She had made him see that some decisions he had made had not worked well in bringing his tribe and clan together. He had changed that, assigning members of his tribe and clan to work on tasks together. Not everyone was pleased, but his word was obeyed.
“That is not necessary, my lord,” she said. “I wish to visit with Lath and see Hertha if she is not busy.
“Greta has been keeping her busy, allowing her to tend the tribe,” he said, pleased that the healer had shown her support of his decision to have the tribe and clan share tasks by trusting Hertha to treat the tribe.
“I would like to see how that goes for her, since I do not believe all are happy with it,” Tavia said, having spoken briefly with Hertha yesterday and learning that some Northwomen would not allow her to tend them. It was the same with the clan, preferring Hertha to Greta.
“They will all learn,” Bhric said confident with his decision. “I will walk you to the cottage.”
“It is not necessary, my lord, and Sven appears impatient to talk with you,” she said with a nod behind him.
Bhric turned to see Sven waiting a short distance away. He was about to ask his wife about her leg but held his tongue. Having seen the scar on her leg more closely, he knew she had to have suffered greatly, but he had seen for himself how she did not let her limp stop her. She rested when necessary and saw that she did not tax the leg too much. The limp was part of her, and she had learned to adapt to it as he was presently attempting to do.
He leaned down and kissed her rosy cheek. “I will see you later, wife.”
“I look forward to it, Bhric,” she whispered.
Her warm breath fanned his cheek, and the gentle whisper of his name sent a ripple of desire through him. He took a step away from her concerned that if he lingered beside her, he would snatch her up and carry her off to their bedchamber.
“Behave, wife,” he scolded with a scowl that more teased than warned.
Tavia stepped toward him, keeping her voice low. “You must tell me, Bhric, if I demand too much of you…” She glanced around to make certain no one was close and though no one lingered nearby she still lowered her voice even more. “In bed.”
He chuckled. “That, wife, will never happen.” He gave her cheek a quick kiss again and turned shaking his head and smiling. “Fen, guard Tavia.”
The hound hurried to her side and took a protective stance.
“Come, Fen, we visit Hertha,” Tavia said, and the hound gladly followed along with her.
Snow had fallen on and off over the last couple of days. Thankfully, it was not enough to hamper her from walking. She had made sure to pay heed to her leg and she was pleased that her efforts had kept her leg doing well.
“You will find Hertha at Greta’s cottage, my lady,” Hume said when she asked after greeting him.
