Dark strings

Concerned

I hope you are enjoying the story.
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It was two days after Crowe's parents were supposed to be back. We weren't worried, just concerned. They could have run into a group of rouges or wolves. Who knows. I just hope they didn't get hurt. It was ten o'clock when I left for the market in the main square. I was going to pick up a small duck for me and Crowe to have for lunch. The market was as busy as usual. While I was waiting for the butcher to get my duck Willow came up beside me. "Good morning Salina. Picking up anything special today?"
"Morning Willow. I'm just getting a small duck for when Crowe's parents return."
"Weren't they supposed to be back already?"
"Two days ago. They may have gotten hung up on something. They should be back soon."

Willow ordered a pack of bacon from the apprentice and paid him when he handed her the package. "That's a shame. Well I'll see you later."   Shortly  after she left I received my my duck, paid the man and thanked him for his service. The market was full of traders from Ormkirk in the east and Caelkirk in the west. We don't get a lot of tradesmen from Bradford. For one they don't like to travel the mountain pass and secondly they don't like to deal with the rouges that occupy the town.

When I got to Crowe's house it was about eleven thirty as I walked through the door I say "Crowe, I got a good deal on the duck."  I walk into the kitchen and see Crowe preparing the fire. "Could you set it on the counter and rub the herb mix on the skin? I'll be done in just a minute."
"Sure thing."  I rub the mix all over the duck and when I finished we shoved it onto the roasting rod and set it to cook over the fire. Crowe hands me a glass of wine and says "Here beautiful. Drink up."   I take the glass and say " Little early for a drink don't you think?"   After taking a drink he says "Nonsense. It's plenty late for a drink."

I shrug my shoulders and take a drink. It has an oaky flavor and satisfied my thirst. He set his glass down a poured more wine into it. He took another drink as he sat down in one of the chairs. He had a worried look on his face. I've noticed he likes to have wine when he's worried. I've seen him do it before when his parents were late. I put my glass down and sat on his lap and gave him a deep kiss. I could taste the remnants of the wine on his soft lips. This seemed to lift his spirit a little.

All of a sudden were heard the sound of horses outside. We ran towards the door and when we opened it we saw his parents. They look a little rough but mostly safe. Crowe goes down the steps and says "Mother, father. You've made it home safely."  His parents climb down from the carriage and hug Crowe. His mother was very happy to see Crowe. She almost cried when she spoke "My son. I missed you so much. Im sorry we were late. We ran into some trouble."
"It's alright mom. I know you could handle it." Crowe's father undoes the tarp that was covering the materials and says "Well,son, are you going to help me with all this stuff or not?"

Crowe and his parents are unloading the carriage and I go to check on the duck. It seems to be cooking quite well. Maybe another fifty minutes until it's done. After taking another sip of wine I head back out to the front. Crowe and his dad are unloading the last piece and his mother comes up the stairs. We embrace in a hug and she says "Salina, it's so good to see you my darling. Have you been keeping my son out of trouble?"
"Hello Abigail. It good to see you too. Yes. I've been keeping Crowe out of trouble."  She goes inside to sit down, no doubt to rest from the trip. Crowe and his father walk up the steps.  "Lucious," I say as I hug him "it's been a while since I last saw you."   He gives me a big squeeze and looks me over. "My Salina, you've hardly changed at all."   He then goes inside and I whisper to Crowe "We still need to tell them at sometime.Maybe after some wine." Crowe nods in agreement and goes to get them some wine.

He hands them each a glass of wine and I go to stand by him. "Mother, father" he takes my hand "there's something we need to talk about."   Lucious takes a drink and says "Well son, what do you need to talk to us about."
"Well. It's about a relationship. " he takes my waist and continues "me and Salina. "  His father sits up and looks at his wife.  "Son. You mean to tell me that you and this nice young lady are romantically involved?"  Crowe nods his head and his mother stands up exclaiming "Lucious. Our son has found himself a women! Oh! I couldn't hope for someone other than Salina!"    His father scratches his brow, looks up at us and says " You're sure she's the one?"
" Yes father, I love her with all my existence."  Hearing those words made me weak in the knees and feel all warm on the inside. "We are going to have to go see Aggie about this you know. "   We nodded and Abigail gave us a big hug. They were happy for us. Even if Lucious didn't show it. He took Crowe into the kitchen to tend to the duck. Abagail had sat with me and asked      "So when did all this happen?"
"Well it started about a week before the summer solstice. We started spending more time together and we really just were drawn together. I'm not sure if you remember but me and Crowe danced at the solstice."
"Yes. I remember. You two looked lovely while dancing. It was the night before we left. Crowe didn't come home until late. I assume he was with you?"
"Yes. Well we shared our fist kiss that night. Since then our relationship has grown more powerful and more passionate. We are supposed to see Aggie tomorrow morning if you would like to come. "
"Of course. We wouldn't miss it for the world." She got up and gave me a big hug. She was going to be a great mother in law. After she let go of me we walked into the kitchen. The duck was apparently done because Lucious was carving it up. We sat and ate together. Lucious had told us about how he killed five wolves that had attacked them on the pass. He killed them with two hits. We had finished our meal so I gathered the plates and ran dish water. Crowe left to help his parents bring in their bags and put the horses away.

I was finishing the dishes when Crowe came up behind me and gave me a tight close hug. I grabbed his had that was around my stomach and said "Be careful what you do my little Crowe. Your parents are here."  He kissed my ear and said "Would it bother you if I stayed at your house tonight?"   I shake my head no and from the living room I hear his father say "Son you better not be doing anything that would make your mother blush." Crowe calls back "Don't worry dad. I wouldn't do anything like that in the kitchen."
I drain the water and grab my cloak to leave when his mother yells " I'm to young to be a grandmother! So don't even think about attempting to become a father!"

We walk to to my house hand in hand. When we make it my house I could tell Alastair had been hunting because he tracked mud into the front room.   "Alastair." I call out "we're home." I hang our cloaks by the door and Alastair appears in the stairwell. " I see you will be sharing a night tonight." He points his finger and looks at us "Listen you two. I don't want to hear any funny business coming from that room. I don't want the images of you two in my head again." We walk past Alastair and Crowe pays him on the shoulder   "Don't worry. No funny business tonight. We're going to see Madame VonStein in the morning. You should come."

We head into my room and the fire has gone out completely. Crowe starts a new one and I change into my short night gown. While changing I see him staring at me. "See something you like?"  I say a small smirk on my face.
"Of course I see something I like. "
I take my hair out of its braid and walk over to him. "And when I do I usually take it."  He bends down a little, picking me up and starts kissing me. He takes me over to the bed and sets me down. " No funny business remember." 

"I remember. But last time I checked kissing you wasn't funny business." The only light now coming from the fire place I crawl under the blankets. Crowe takes off all of his clothes and crawls into bed with me. He gives me more kisses before we just lay there. Sleep comes and we fall asleep in each other's arms.