How long had she been here?

Lorelei could no longer remember. At first she had counted the time; one week, two weeks, three weeks…but after a while she just gave up. Nothing much in her new life had improved, she was still as unhappy as the first day she had arrived and been married. Little things had improved however, she had learned much more Rime and could communicate better, though it did no good. The Rivenese hated her. The women ignored her and gave her a hard time whenever they could, Israel said they were testing her but Lorelei felt with all the time she had been here it was just pure revulsion and no longer testing if she should belong. Things between her and Israel were good however, she had come to rely heavily on the woman for companionship and comfort when no one else would give it to her, especially her husband. She had grown to love Israel, but she couldn’t say the same for Noel. Her hatred for him stood strong.

Not much had improved between them. Lorelei tried a few times to speak to him, to get him to talk about himself and to talk about herself, but other than a few curt answers she never got much out of her stone cold husband. Every day he went off to do what he did and she did the chores of a wife, he’d come home, they’d eat and if he wished it he bedded her then went to sleep. It was still as horrible as the first time, though she had stopped sobbing by the fortieth time but his roughness never seemed to ease. Now she had learned to just numb herself and let him do what he wanted before curling up away from him on the bed. Israel tried to give her advice but Lorelei had not taken it. She wanted nothing to do with Noel and had gotten into the habit of keeping her mouth shut and avoiding him as much as possible and he didn’t seem to mind this routine. When he wanted her to do something he asked and when he wanted sex he undressed her and took it, and that was all, she complied too it all and enjoyed her time away from him.

Like today. An exceptionally extra hot afternoon and she was hanging wet clothes on the pole infront of Noel’s home, wiping sweat from her brow, still not used to the heat and humidity of Riven when she heard the voice “Lady Lorelei” She turned to see one of the council members standing a foot behind her. What was his name? “Fenris” She had met him once or twice before, a man in his thirties and a well-respected member of the council. She had heard his wife died in child birth and that Noel greatly respected him, but that was all she knew. He glanced around looking nervous then approached her “I wish to help you lady. I wish to take you home” He whispered. She frowned and glanced around herself before turning to face him “What?” She gasped and he nodded “I never think it was your people who steal from us. Bringing you here was not right. I wish to return you. I know you are unhappy”

She felt her heart start pounding in her chest with adrenaline “But…they’ll know I ran. It will cause problems. It will cause war” She said fearfully but he shook his head “I am trusted lady. I will take you home, then I will say you were attacked in the jungle by panther. It will work lady.” Something in the pit of Lorelei’s stomach told her to not do this. She was afraid of being caught and afraid of it causing issues with J’nanin, but Fenris looked worried for her and was so certain his plan would work that one moment she was feeling sick for nerves and the neck she was nodding and following him into the jungle. He told her he knew the path and he’d get her safely through, that she’d be gone before Noel or anyone else noticed. The whole way she felt jittery and excited, smiling to herself. She’d be back home! She’d be away from this miserable place and be home with no one in Riven knowing wiser!

They stopped at a stream and Lorelei went to the water’s edge and kneeled down, scooping up some water to drink. “Our leader is fond of you, lady” She heard Fenris say and she turned to look at him. He was carrying a large machete to clear a way for them in the thick brush and was admiring it now. She frowned “I do not mean to insult the Rivenese, but fondness here seems quite like hatred in J’nanin”. He chuckled and looked to her “You do not belong, lady Lorelei. You…you could change things here. Things do not need to change in Riven.” He started to step towards her and Lorelei found her body freezing. Something was wrong…in Fenris’s eyes…something was wrong. “Your filthy people steal from us. Our leader should have started war! He should have killed them to make them pay! Instead he takes a J’nanin whore and now he refuses to get revenge. Refuses to make your people pay!”

She stumbled back, though behind her was only water “F-Fenris…w-what…please-“ Her voice trembled but he pointed the machete at her “You do not speak!” He shouted and she whimpered, tears starting to fall. He got close and pressed the machete to her neck, her body going rigid as she felt the sting of the blade against her skin “I said I would help you escape…this is your escape, lady. Death. I cannot say an animal killed you if there is no blood and parts to prove it” This made her cry more and she closed her eyes, waiting for it to be finished. He lowered the machete however and dropped it, smirking at her “But first, I want to see what it is about a J’nanin woman that has our leader so fascinated” She opened her eyes in enough time for him to grab her and shove her to the ground, climbing ontop of her and began pushing up her dress and forcing her legs apart. She screamed and tried to push him off but he punched her across the face, making her head swarm painfully.

It was hot. Too damn hot to hold council meetings and dwell
over petty things he did not care for today. For once in a great while Noel Louvel had called the meeting of the council members off and had gone to the market instead. He led his horse through the market until the great beast began
to sweat and he turned to go home; but at the end of the market something set him off.

Israel was in the market alone. She was buying fruits and
speaking to a council member who said his goodbye to her as he saw Noel coming. The leader stared at Israel, cold as always though she knew he wasn’t an entirely cold man. “Where is Lorelei?” He asked her, looking her over. “Lady Lorelei wished to be alone today, so I gave her time… Though it is strange, my
Lord, Lord Gavin told me that he believes Lord Fenris went to pay her a visit.”

This did not settle well with the young leader. Something
crawled under his skin about another council member, or any other man going to visit his wife when he knew Noel wasn’t home. It wasn’t long before Noel and his stallion returned him, only to find Lorelei gone.

With an even more stern expression than before Noel set off
towards the jungle. His sword and knives tucked into his belt as he followed the cut path, silent like a jungle cat. The scream shot fear through his spine and he hurried closer, only to have the strange feeling of fear burst and course through his entire body. Since terror was an unwelcome emotion Noel quickly turned to anger and felt all he could see was red. It was not like the young leader to lose his head so easily, but before he could think he was tearing Fenris off of his wife and holding him up by his throat. “[i]Please, Noel…” Fenris begged through a gasp, his eyes bulging a little as Noel squeezed his throat. Rage coursed through Noel’s veins and he threw the man against a tree, knocking him unconscious instantly, though Noel wasn’t sure if he was dead or knocked out.

It didn’t matter. He didn’t care about the man if he was
struggling on the thin line of life or death. The only thing he cared about was Lorelei, and he quickly turned to her and rushed to her, dropping to his knees in front of her. “My queen,” The people of Riven did not call their leaders by kings and queens, so the term was something affectionate from Noel. She was not queen of the Riven people, but she was his queen. His worried eyes rushed to look over her body and he pulled her dress down back to cover her thighs and took her hands, kissing them graciously. “Are you hurt? Did he …” A growl rumbled in his chest and a sneer curled his face as he glanced back over his shoulder, but fought his anger and stayed at her side. He then pulled her in close to his chest and kissed the top of her head then down to her cheek and touched her chin gently. “He will pay for this.”

This couldn’t be happening to her. Why did these horrible things happen to her?! She was glad he planned to kill her, because she did not want to be alive when he was done. He had just started to enter her and she cried out again in fright when suddenly Fenris was off of her and she opened her eyes in alarm to see Noel there. Her body was in shock and she lay there frozen, gasping in breaths as her body shook. She stared up at the dark sky, not even seeming to register as Noel pulled down her dress and spoke to her. Her body could only take so much stress and it was like her mind shut down to have tried to not feel what Fenris had been about to do. However when he pulled her close against him something in her snapped.

She made a frightened sound and pushed on his chest to get away from him. With the adrenaline rushing through her body she was like a terrified animal that couldn’t differentiate between friend or foe. All she could think of was Noel forcing himself on her and she didn’t want him near her after Fenris had tried to do the same. Noel had not shown her this kind of affection and it didn’t even register in her head. She only frantically pushed away from him and scooted back “No! No! No, no, no, don’t touch me!” She cried, shaking her head and she hung her head and sobbed, bringing her hands up to cover her face. She just wanted to go home…why couldn’t she just go home?!

The man should have known better than to corner a frightened
creature. He had seen many men snap at friends or saviors after battle, and many creatures attacked when they were hurt even if it was someone helping them. Inwardly he scolded himself for letting his emotions get the better of him, it wasn’t something that often happened to him but Lorelei brought out something different in Noel.

“Lorelei calm yourself.” He said smoothly and in a softer
tone than he normally spoke. “I am not hurting you. I will not harm you.” He let go of her enough for her to gasp and throw her fit, and then leaned in closer after a few moments. “I protect you.” He lowered himself down a little to try and meet her gaze and touched her chin gently. “Are you hurt?”

Just as Noel’s blood was cooling from a boil there was a
groan from behind and he heard Fenris stir. Noel stood and growled, reaching behind him to pull out his the sharpest knife he had on him and went forward to the council member. “Traitor.” He growled with venom in his voice and kicked the rapist in the ribs as hard as he could, hearing a bone crack on impact.

She couldn’t calm down. This was the end of her rope; too much for her too take. For months she had kept her mouth shut and did her duty as a wife, had been compliment to her husband and ignored the glares, whispers and poor treatment from the other people in the village. She had dealt with it all and had been seconds away from just lying on the ground and allowing herself to be raped and murdered. She had never been seen or saw herself as a true J’nanin woman, she never had enough nerve and never felt comfortable being bold and brash like Nanite women were, but she was still from J’nanin and there was a piece of Nanite woman in her that in that moment reached up and exploded. She was sick of being calm. If it hadn’t been for the fear and adrenaline she would have collapsed in his arms, but her body was too charged.

“You’re no different than him!” She shouted and pointed in Fenris’s direction and as soon as the words left, she felt the guilt drop in her stomach. She froze, breathing hard as she stared at him wide eyes at what she had just said to him and realized in that moment how wrong her words were. Noel was rough and he had bedded her when she didn’t wish it, but never had he hit her or pinned her down like an animal. He had not treated her like a whore, not like Fenris who had wanted to harm her and degrade her by raping her, while Noel had simply bedded her because she was his wife. As her words hung in the air her left side of her face throbbed, becoming swollen and bruised from where Fenris had hit her.

She lowered her gaze shamefully as Noel went to Fenris. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see whatever Noel would do to Fenris for what he did. She owed Noel her life and her mental state for stopping Fenris and yet…she had shouted at him so unfairly and the guilt made her clear headed once again. She shouldn't have said such a thing to him, but it was already done.

No different than him. He was no different than a traitor, a rapist, a murderer. The words caused Noel to turn to stone, to freeze in place and stare at her with a dead expression on his face. Words had never hurt him before, but that particular statement sunk in like a knife. He stood still for a moment, just staring, before he blinked and went on his way to punish the man.

After a swift kick, then another kick to the head Fenris was unconscious once again. Noel stood still, the knife in his hand twisting in a circle as he mulled over his thoughts. “Can you walk?” He asked, barely turning his head over his shoulder so that Lorelei could hear him. “Go home, Lorelei.” After the words left him he went to her and removed the sheath of the knife from his belt, put the knife in it, then handed it to her. It was his best small blade, the sheath painted gold and had an emblem of the beetle that shone in the sun. “Keep this with you.”

The look on his face…she had affected him, she could see it and it shocked her because nothing she had ever done so far seemed to affect her statue of a husband. She would have thought causing him pain would have made her feel better since he had caused her pain, but it felt miserable. She wished she could take the words back, but it was too late. Now she was in for it…he would surely punish her for this. He had rescued her from harm only for her to put herself in danger again with the very man that had rescued her. When he spoke to her she nodded and slowly stood, though kept her gaze down. Her head swam from the pain of the punch but she gritted her teeth through it. When he removed the knife her stomach clenched, but when he simply handed it to her she shakily raised her hand and took it. She nodded, glancing up to him for a moment then to Fenris before walking away.

Once he was out of sight she instead ran, running through the jungle and pack over the bridge to the village. She didn’t stop running, ignoring the faces of people turning to look at her curiously as she rushed to Noel’s hut and went inside. Once in she stopped, panting and trying to catch her breath before setting the knife on the table and then sitting on the bed and stared at the wall. All she could do know was wait for Noel to return…and take punishment. She had not only tried to run away but had shouted at him. She was in far more trouble than she ever thought she could be in.

Noel watched as Lorelei walked away, pain in his heart and guilt in his stomach. He would later turn it on the man that hurt her, but wondered if he deserved his own punishment.

Once Lorelei was gone and out of sight Noel dragged the traitor back to the village. He wanted to kill him in the forest, oh God how he wanted to kill him, but he wanted the people of Riven to know. It would be a few hours before he was home to take care of his wife. He had to see justice through, and make sure everyone know what Fenris had done to the beautiful Lady of the Leader before he would die.

It was late into the night by the time Noel came home. By then he was exhausted though adrenaline kicked through his body like a drug to keep him going. Once he stepped inside he looked to Lorelei and stared for what felt like forever, then broke the gaze and walked to the table. He removed his belt and set it down, leaving the weapons aside. There had been enough violence that night, and all he cared about was Lorelei’s safety. After a few moments he went to her, silent as always, but much more gentle than before. He stopped just in front of her and reached up, looking at her bruises with pain and worry in his serious eyes. “He will never hurt you again.”

As she sat there she heard jeering and other ruckus in the village but she tried to drown it out, knowing what was going on and she didn’t want to think about it. She wanted Fenris to get what he deserved but she hated violence and did not relish it like the Rivenese did. She closed her eyes and drowned out the sounds of blood thirst, when suddenly she heard someone come inside and she turned her head, still sitting perfectly where she had for the past several hours. She stared back at him as he did to her, searching his face for any signs of anger but she did not see any that was for her. She watched him quietly as he set his things on the table, then looked away as he walked over to her and waited for…something. For him to yell, to hit her, to push her on the bed and force himself on her….she didn’t know, but she figured it would be bad.

She looked up at him as he spoke, her expression timid. Her face was horribly bruised and swollen and it hurt so badly but she had not bothered to tend to it or pay it much mind. She gazed at him for a few moments with a frown before speaking “I am sorry” She whispered, lowering her gaze to look at his chest instead “I…did not mean…what I said” Though a part of her still wondered if she did even though she had realized how wrong she had been to say it. She swallowed hard and clasped her hands tightly on her lap “I will accept any punishment you-you…” She let out a breath and couldn’t continue.

The words would sting in Noel for days, but he was unaware how long it would affect him. He was also unaware why it affected him as much as it did. What people said normally didn’t matter, but he wanted Lorelei’s acceptance and had yet to receive it. She would hardly ever look at him, and she almost never looked him in the eye for long. Could he really be that terrifying? Could he really care about her as much as it would seem he did?

He stood still while watching her, listening to her apologize and look away from his gaze. All the while he felt like a monster, and had never been bothered to care about it. He let her finish speaking and get to the point of being unable to finish her sentences before he would speak. Not even then would he open his mouth. At first all he did was reach up and touch her jaw to turn her head gently so he could see her bruise better in the light. “You should put a cool cloth over this. It will ease the pain.” The strong silent type let go of her jaw and stepped back to remove his boots and get ready for bed, though not in an intimate way. “Wine will help, too.” Wine would make her forget tonight. The idea made him go and pour himself a glass, then one for her as well and he walked it over to her. "Do you need anything?" He touched her chin and looked her over sadly, the stress from seeing such a thing happen to her still hung around him like a dark cloud. "I would do anything for you."

She expected something, anything. She had lived here now long enough to see how men disciplined their wives, either verbally or with their hands and while some were kinder then others there were a few who left marks on their wives for displeasing them. Noel had never shown her this aggression but she had been careful this entire time, now that she had slipped she expected the see the fury erupt from him. But he just did not do anything and this threw her off. He stayed silent and collected and although she flinched when he touched her all he did was look at her bruise. She frowned and kept glancing to him then away, not used to this side of him. So gentle and worried…she did not know that he was capable of such emotions, all he had done so far was grunt out a few words with the same stern facial expression every day.

She took the cup of wine and although she typically hated the stuff she took a couple sips anyway. Her eyes then went back to him and instead of flitting away quickly they stayed on his face and look in his eyes, seeing the emotion there that she had never seen before. Gently she shook her head no, gazing at him for a while longer and suddenly felt some odd comfort in speaking up around him “Why are you not angry with me?” Perhaps it was stupid to ask such a thing but she was intrigued “I shouted at you. I tried to run away” She then realized that the last part he may not have realized, that Fenris had told her he would help her flee. She made a face at letting it slip and her gaze dropped again like usual.

This whole ‘trying to be sweet’ thing was not working very well for Noel. Lorelei was not having any of it, and kept asking questions as though she still thought he was a monster. The damage had already been done and he knew she only looked to him as a beast rather than a husband. With all the events of the day his blood was still hot and coursing through his veins as his heart pounded a little faster than normal. He wanted it to be over.

“You ran away?” He asked slowly, his voice low as usual though his face went unmoved. His hand twisted the glass of wine beneath his fingers and he took a long, drawn out sip before speaking. “You are not a slave, Lorelei.” He didn’t exactly want to say she was free to come and go as she pleased, because she obviously wasn’t planning on coming back. The idea of that churned his stomach and made him wish he hadn’t eaten dinner. “You are… my wife… My queen.” He said the words slowly in his own idle thoughts before he finished his glass of wine and went to sit on the bed. “I want to make you happy.” Slowly the words came out and it was his turn to be unable to look at her. Sharing emotions wasn’t his strongest point.

All she could see him was a monster, what else had he given her? He treated her roughly in bed and barely spoke to her and left all day long, what else was she too assume other than the fact he was a brute who was disgusted with her presence? Any little sign of affection he may have thought he was showing her never registered in her mind. All she was able to see every day was how other Riven men treated their wives and had tried everything to keep Noel content so he would not treat her in the same fashion. But Fenris had said that Noel was fond of her and Israel had said once along the same lines…what were they seeing that she did not? When he questioned her running away she felt her heart drop. So Fenris hadn’t said anything…of course not, he had been too busy begging for his life to worry about still ruining hers further.

She didn’t say anything further and just avoided looking at him, but her reaction was obvious. Once again she waited for something in him to finally snap, and once again it didn’t happen. All that happened was that strange thing called emotion in his eyes when she looked at him and watched him sit on the bed with her. He wanted to make her happy? He said he would do anything for her…but she had been unaware. After a few minutes passed the guilt was too heavy in her and she turned to look at him and watch him, for the first time feeling bad for him. They had never truly spoken to one another other than idle surface chatter. It was time perhaps that was changed “I-I feel like a slave. Your slave” She started softly, nervous to speak up but felt it needed to be done. They were two strangers living in one house but on opposite ends. They’d both be miserable if things didn’t change.

“You are a stone, Noel. I see nothing” This was the first time she saw any spark of life in him, and it wasn’t the emotion she expected to see if she ever were to see him express himself. She looked down to her lap “This is not the life I wanted. I miss home. I miss my family. I feel frightened here and alone. I…am frightened of you” Her voice trembled a bit and she took in a deep breath before looking back to him “I did not know you wanted to make me happy. I thought you hated me. That is why I ran”

This was why he never bothered growing too attached to women. They were complicated, devious creatures who made strong men weak. He had fallen for Lorelei the moment he met her. Her timid and gentle heart, and her beauty had won him over like some foolish boy and now here he was confessing how he felt to her and she said she was a slave! The leader of Riven sat silent, stoic, as though he was waiting for his council members to finish their words.

After a few moments he rose from the bed to pour himself more wine. If they were going to open up to each other he was going to need it. As he was pouring he glanced over to her, then put the bottle away. “I do not hate you.” But it was obvious she hated him. “I could never hurt you.” Sex was different. It was between a man and his wife, and Noel had never stopped to think about how it hurt her. He stared past her, then looked down to his cup of wine before he lifted it to his mouth and downed the entire glass.

This was awkward. Other than a few questions and statements she had not had a true conversation with Noel, and she wasn’t sure how to go about it. Rivenese men were blunt and forward, they got to the point, but Lorelei did not know how to be that way and address her husband the way he was accustomed. When he rose she frowned, wondering what he was thinking. She had never seen Noel move so much and she figured she had to be making him uncomfortable with this talk. He didn’t hate her…it was a hard thing to believe when she had been so convinced all this time. When he said he wouldn’t hurt her she grimaced, staring down. He wasn’t angry…it was safe to speak, for now.

“You do” She murmured, looking to him then back to the bed before her eyes lowered, still avoiding too much eye contact with him “You are too rough…you do hurt me” Her heart pounded madly to be telling him this, like standing at the edge of a cliff and trusting your enemy to not push you over. He was so strong, this impenetrable steel force. The emotion she saw before she could no longer see and it made her sigh “You did not choose me. I was given as a peace offering…you must hold some disgust for me. I must make you unhappy” Because he made her unhappy, she only assumed she did the same for him.

The more she spoke the harder things got. At least with council meetings the more words that were said usually resulted in a resolution, but where was this going? What did she want for the outcome of this? These thoughts muddled in his mind as he watched her speak freely for the first time.

He hurt her? Why had she never spoken up? Why had she never grabbed hold of him and told him to take it easy? He had thought J’nanin women were rulers of men. The sort of women who would turn and put a man back in his place just as easily as she breathed air. Where was this inside Lorelei? He looked her over, looking down to her cup of wine then back up to her face. “Sorry.” It was a once in a life time occasion for most to hear the Riven ruler apologize, and his words were genuine. A short time after she spoke again he shook his head slowly. “No. You do not disgust me. You are beautiful.” As much as he wanted the conversation to be over he took his time with it, reaching forward to touch her face after he spoke. “What do you want from me?”

Why did he think she was chosen to come to Riven? Yes she had given the idea and had had the most knowledge of Riven, but that wasn’t all. Lorelei had been the black sheep of J’nanin, with a personality much more suited to the men in their village than the woman. She was a pushover and naïve, she had let boys bully her as a child and let her siblings and friends walk all over her. She had been ultimately chosen because deep down the elders had known Lorelei would not say no, and that unlike the other brutish woman she would not cause trouble while she stayed in Riven. Men in J’nanin would have never wanted her because she was meek and spineless like they were, not a woman who took charge. She didn’t stand up to Noel because she was afraid. She didn’t want to be harmed. He was used to women who obliged and were willing, she did not think he wanted her to speak up.

When he said sorry she looked to him, searching his face to see if he truly meant it. It was so…curt and she didn’t think it was enough to merely say sorry for traumatizing her when they were intimate but she felt for him to say sorry was huge so she would take it. “Thank you” She murmured, fiddling with the cup “And thank you for, for saving my life…” When he called her beautiful her brow furrowed. She just didn’t see herself that way and couldn’t understand why he thought she was beautiful when she was so different. This time when he touched her face she didn’t flinch and allowed her eyes to meet his gaze without looking away. What did she want? Many things. To be home with her family, to have her freedom again, but she knew she could not have these things. What she needed now was to try and improve her situation. “I do not know…” She took in a breath and carefully raised her hand and placed it over his “You. I want to know you. I know nothing of you. You are a statue I sleep next to every night. It disturbs me”

It was very difficult for Noel to tell any man he was sorry, but it came out a little easier when telling his wife. He had no idea how truly disgusted by him she was and even as she complained he ran ideas through his head of how to make himself better for her. How did men ever please women? They were such strange, fickle creatures.

“Welcome.” Was his short but honest reply to her thanking him on both accounts. He wasn’t a man of many words, he did what he felt and he didn’t dwell on the words to express it. When she raised her hand and placed it over his he looked down to her petite, soft hand and stared. It wasn’t a bad stare, and it was not quite as dead and stoic as the others. He sat still for a moment before his gaze traveled from her thighs all the way up to her expressive (and normally nervous) face. “I am not good with words.” He shrugged and adjusted his hand so his large thumb could run over her soft skin. “I am a man of few words.” With that he lifted his hand and gently touched her face, looking into her beautiful eyes with his own dark pair as though he was reading her soul like a book. “I will be gentle.” Gentle in all aspects of their life, not just in bed where she thought he was a savage. He paused, still examining her expression, then leaned in and kissed her cheek in a rare show of affection.

She didn’t mean to complain or to make him uncomfortable or upset, but she had been holding in these thoughts and feelings since day one and it felt good to finally just communicate with the man. Who knew if she’d ever get such an opportunity again to feel comfortable enough to open up to him, so she wanted to take advantage. But his expression was so hard to read and he said so little that she had no idea if her words were making any sense, or if he even cared. For all she knew it was going in one ear and out the other, and nothing would change. But at least she tried…it’s all she could do. At least if she was going to continue to be miserable, she could tell herself she had tried to improve their relationship.

His responses continued to be curt, but it appeared he was listening and taking in what she was saying. She could see something in his stoic face however, she wasn’t sure what but there was something…gentle about it. It appeared that he did care and perhaps he did want to truly make her happy and all this time he thought he had been. Had she misjudged the man? Was there more to Noel than the stern leader and hunter? Her expression softened and she gently shook her head “It does not always have to be words” Expression could be brought out in other ways, he didn’t have to speak, but she needed something “Like now. I see some of you now” She could see the effort in him, see the kindness and affection, it was all she wanted was to not be treated like some animal he possessed.

She smiled when he said he’d be gentle and stared back at him, never having looked at him for this long. He had a handsome face…strong and wise, and now finally, some warmth in his dark eyes. She closed her eyes when he kissed her cheek, for once feeling relaxed around him and not frightened like a creature ready to bolt from violence. “Thank you, Noel” She said softly, feeling relief. She raised a hand and softly put it against his chest “My husband” If he was so easily willing to improve, then she knew she had too as well “I will, be a better wife. I will not try to run again” Things between them may never be perfect or true happiness perhaps but, it seemed in this moment there was a good shot it could get very close at least. She felt hope for them, that maybe things could turn around and not be so bad.