Arranged Marriages

Rosemary, Princess of Harrow

The velvet nose of the horse slid easily beneath my fingers, the creature breathing heavily as its dark eyes watched me carefully in the dim light. The shift in light caught both of our attentions and we both turned to look at our intruder. I squinted my eyes to make out the shape of the man standing in front of the light, but it took me only a moment to recognize him.

“Briac!” I cried, surprised that he came rather than sending a message. To think, the two of us alone, and so late this time! 

He responded not, rather marched right up to me and looked down at me. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes dark with pain, his forehead creased and jaw tending.

“Briac?” I said again, his expression and the way he towered over me worrying me. 

Much to my suprise, he dropped to my knees in front of me, wrapping his arm easily around me and burying his face against me. With my surprise and his weight I would have toppled over if it weren't for the way he held me.

“I am so sorry Rosemary,” He remarked, his entire body trembling as he held me closer to him, his height allowing him to rest his head against my breast. “ God Rosie, If I could live that day over I would have let him strike me down... I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you so. It was a battlefield, and I only sought to defend myself- please believe me I didn't seek to kill Tristan.” 

Words escaped me entirely, and I looked down to watch him, his eyes closed tightly and his hold on me leaving no room between us. Hesitantly, I reached my hands up towards his blonde curls, sifting them through my fingers, my unexpected touch causing him to jump slightly.

“Briac...” I whispered, pulling the tie from his hair and running my hand through his curls. Tugging his hair back from his forehead, I leaned down and placed a soft kiss upon it, mumbling, "Would you like for me to have lost you, too?"

His eyes snapped open, and I placed a kiss at the corner of his left eye, "Don't you believe in fate? A chain reaction, perhaps?" Placing a kiss on his cheek, I continued, "You see, none of this would have happened. We would still be at war, don't you see? We would have lost more people. Everything would be different." Kissing the line of his jaw, I finished, "And I would not know you. He's gone, Briac. You're not."

I traced the outline of his mouth gentley, looking at him with affection. He closed his eyes again, whispering, "Rosie, don't."

Disregarding what he said, I cupped his face and placed a soft kiss on his lips, then pulled back and whispered, "It's okay, Briac. It's okay."

Looking him over, I realized the mess I had left behind, my blood staining his shoulders and neck, lacing his hair, and smudged across his face. "I'm afraid I've made made a mess of you Briac."

"A little more blood won't hurt." He smiled, taking my hand and placing it against his side. 

"Briac," I whispered with a smile, "You're not wearing a shirt, do you know that?"

Looking up at me with a smile in his eyes, he replied, "Do you know you're dressed only in a slip?"

I couldn't help but laugh.