The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR6/CH7- Further Reunion, and Guy's Golden Haired Son

He stayed where he was upon the ground, not wanting her hands to be taken from around him, so she moved slowly until they were looking into each other's eyes. It felt as though time stood still for an instant, but then his mouth covered hers, and the world flew away. He groaned as he kissed her, and she felt every lonely moment he had suffered, in the hard pressure of his lips on hers, and his hands clenched tightly in her hair.

They parted briefly, merely for breath, then he was on her again, a drowning man clutching at salvation in the wonder of her touch. They were so tight together, that a penny could not have passed between them, and her fingers cramped where she held fast to his linen shirt.

She broke away from him, placing her hands each side of his head, saying, "I must see your face sweet man, let me look at you, these many days have been hell on earth without you!"

He closed his eyes and felt her fingers move over his brows, then along his nose 'til she touched his mouth, as if to sere the memory of him into her heart. The pain of the joy she felt overcame her, and she cried out, "Dear God, how I love you, I cannot find the words!" Then she covered his mouth again, not caring that as she sobbed, her nose dripped,  slimy between their lips.

He stood as the long kiss ended, drawing her up with him, then he carried her and placed her neath the elm. Once there, he pressed his face into her hair, inhaling the scent of it, his hands wandering over her back, pressing her hard against him, as if he would never let her loose. He said little, but his eyes spoke of the torment he had felt in the days she had been from him. He kissed her again, a kiss so soft and long, that she thought she would die in the sweetness of it, but then she reluctantly stepped outside the circle of his arms, though he tried hard to keep her there, tight to his heart. Then he spoke.

" For twenty four years I was without your love, 'ere we met," he said," then there were the weeks it took to find the bull. These past days have been an eternity, and I regret every damned day! Say you love me, say it! Say we shall never be parted again, say it! Say it now! Child or no child, I care not. Do not take your light from me again!"

"All of it, I say all of it! " she cried, " you know what is in my heart! But my children, I must see my little ones! our longing for each other must wait. I ran to you so fast, I did not wait to see them! To  see my family complete, I can scarce believe it!"

Then she clutched tightly at his hands.

" There will be more children, " she said, " if God wills it, and our union is fruitful again."

It was a moment before the joy of the moment overtook him, and the words reached his mind.

" A child?" he asked, " I did not dare hope! Tell me it is true, have you conquered your fears, am I to know the joy of another son or daughter?"

The words would not come, so she nodded her head, then she remembered Simeon.

Your memory is short my love," she said, "or was my missive not delivered into your hands? I have brought you a son, a boy of nine summers, or so he thinks. He is desirous of a loving Papa, if you will have him, and I can think of none better than you. He has called me Mama almost from the moment of our first meeting, it felt so right, that I could not reproach him for it."

She saw in his eyes that the matter was already decided, though she had never doubted him. Guy was a man born to fatherhood, and she knew that in his heart, the boy was already his own.

The day after tomorrow, " she said, " he will come to us then. He is presently with Persephone at the Tavern in Llanlivet. Forgive me for keeping him from you, I merely wanted to savour the joy of our sweet reunion, and look again upon my children. We must speak to them together, that they not see him as a stranger."