I was visited everyday by Alex, Gretchen and Nox, the latter continuing our lessons and I found I was getting better at casting magic, though when my hands get sweaty, the color turned from the reddish orange to the familiar blue Gretchen showed me. I wonder if the special ore they used to keep the fire burning in the rain was salt. The stitches were removed by Gretchen but she still put on the salve that Vervain had and wrapped my leg. I could manage to stand for a few minutes but someone had fashioned a set of crutches for me, bathing was sitting on the edge of a tub and rubbing myself with a piece of soapy cloth.

The festival was soon, and I finally made an appearance to the rest of the village, getting pointed stares that made me want to hide despite Teague saying that a lot of villagers had lost family to the beast. It was easier for me to reside at Teague’s for the time being until the festival was over and my leg healed a bit more.

Margret gave me a hug when she showed up one night with dinner in hand and I watched Teague attempt to talk despite developing a stammer quickly, his cheeks as bright red as Gretchen’s hair. They chatted about the upcoming festival, the news that the village can finally expand trade with the others using that bridge rather attempting to cross the river when it gets hot enough that the bed dries up enough to safely wade through shallows. More often getting caught in mud and injuring their animals.

I thought about the dangers trolls posed, though some media growing up showed them in a lighter view but throughout the recorded history told of claims that only the gods could kill them and it was usually Thor, seeing as trolls more often than not came from the same region he became affluent in.

Gods, Vervain was considered a god. Almost.

And he hasn’t been around to visit. I spent half my nights writing out and slashing words in annoyance in my journal, trying to organize my thoughts every time. I tried to remove the necklace only for it to find it’s way back to my neck by way of that strange being that popped up every night. I was powerless to stop them, trapped in a motionless body each time. I sketched the face out one night while Nox was lecturing about intent for the fifth night in the row and Nox did a double take, snatching the paper from me.

“Where, where did you see this woman?” They asked, they were a girl.

“Sleep paralysis demon, she keeps putting the necklace back on my neck.” I wrote out on a new sheet. They sighed, setting it face down.

“This is Aoife, she’s probably checking in on you while doing her duties. But keep that bit on you, don’t need another incident or you might be actually dead-dead.” I attempted to bite them when they came close but Nox evaded my teeth.

“Save it for the Highkin, knowing him he might just take you as soon as the festival ends and we won’t see you until next winter almost ends and a babe’s hanging off you.” I gaped at them and started whacking them with a pillow in response.

“OW, stop, ow!” My wrists were caught and I was yanked out of my seat, dangling. “Enough!” Nox huffed, breathing heavy. I glared at them and the door opened. Vervain ducked to avoid hitting his antlers and paused at the sight before him, I was held up towards him by Nox.

“Here, a humble offering.” I attempted a kick with my good leg and was nearly dropped before Vervain caught me. He sidestepped Nox and gently placed me on the bed.

“Have fun, don’t make me a great uncle just yet.” Nox slipped out the door, it shutting behind them with a thud. I avoided Vervain’s gaze for a few minutes and he merely looked around, gently touching the paper that had Aoife sketched on it but didn’t turn it over.

“So, how are you?”  My fists clenched.

“Who’s Aoife to you?” His eyes widened. “Ah, they finally got to talking about her, huh.” He took over the stool Nox abandoned. “She was, a good friend.”

“But Nox calls her your lover.”

“A joke, I consider her no more than a friend. She rarely interacted with other men that they believed she was my lover but I knew she was not to be mine in that way.”

“’Cause she switched her fate?” He stared. “No, even if she kept her original fate, she would merely have been a passing acquaintance as we would have worked in similar circles.”

“That thing you did, to Edgren what was it?”

“I read his soul. I try not to do it without permission as it’s incredibly invasive but he’s a pest so I see less of a reason to be polite to him.” He answered so easily. I studied him. “She, helped my mother give birth to me.”

“I saw, and know this. You are not Aoife, you are-”

“Tara.” I spelled it out, Vervain leaned back. “Your old name.” I nodded. “It’s beautiful and very much resembles you.”

“How?” He tapped his chin, choosing his words carefully. “People are drawn to you, whether you bear a likeness to the general queen, your divine marks,” He paused to kiss my ring finger. “Or just how much kindness you have in you despite the hardships you suffered.” I flinched, remembering the summers spent at the barn, hands wandering under my shirt despite my pleas of no, Boyd trying to protect me, even the horses causing a commotion at times. Vervain gave a gentle squeeze on my fingers, drawing my attention back to him.

“Did you…”

“I did, and if you would like to talk to me about it, my lips will be sealed.”

“I’ve had therapy.” I interjected, my dad placing me with a different therapist who helped despite the gaslighting assholes back home. So many had been angry because that monster ‘had his dreams dashed’ and ‘boys will be boys’. They stopped when he got out and proceeded to go after three other girls but never apologized to my father or me for that matter.

“Still, if you ever feel uncomfortable with me in any way, let me know.”

“The only unease I feel is that you might compare me to Aoife.” I stated. “How, even your souls are different. And I never had, certain dreams about her.” He added, stiffly. It took me a few seconds before clicking.

“You had, sex dreams. About me?”

“Yes and they are torturous.” He groaned out the last part. I almost started giggling. “Deal with it.” I wrote out, he looked heartbroken.

“Ah, the woman I plan to marry is a cruel brat.” There was a hint of a smile on his face.

“No one can tame my brattiness.” I grinned, the smile became a chesire grin across his face. “I like brats.” He answered. My cheeks warmed and I quickly grabbed a pillow, holding it out threateningly.

“So a pillow princess.” I started smacking him with it, hearing him chuckle as he managed to get ahold of me in a bear hug, but gentle with where he touched and his strength.

“Too much? You can tell me to stop if you like.” He asked, nuzzling my temple, it wasn’t setting off alarms in my head, it was nice he was backing up a bit. “How do you know those terms?” I asked.

“How do you know those words?” He asked right back at me.

“Internet, when it existed.” He was careful in turning us, the bed creaking softly as he settled with me half laying on him. “Hmm, so you watched porn?” I flushed but shook my head. “I read articles. And…stuff.” He nodded sagely.

“I imagine a lot of stuff got stuffed in those…articles.” There was a big grin on his dorky face, I covered it with a pillow. “Not the kind I wanted.” His voice was muffled, I lifted the pillow up so he could see me speak.

“I haven’t even agreed to marry you yet, are you normally this perverted?”

“I’ve been in stuffy meetings with dull nobles for almost a week, tortured by dreams of you in ways so primal I’m more than ready to just sink my teeth into you already and haven’t been given a clear answer yet to my question.” I thought for a bit.

“Pose it like a proper question.” He took my hand in his, staring into my eyes with hope in his pupilless gaze.

“Rán, will you marry me?” He asked softly. “You said the engagement can be a while, right?” Vervain nodded. “Court me, get to know me and let me get to know you. I’m not, good at sex and I don’t have much experience with a decent partner.” I hope he was decent, I only really read about that stuff if I was being honest.

“You not being good just means you haven’t been learned what your body enjoys and apparently your partner-” He thought for a bit. “Man or woman?”

“I explored my sexuality while in college and found that both kinda sucked but I did enjoy the romantic part of a relationship." He looked horrified. "Though my partners seemed keener on getting themselves off then exploring our bodies and what we liked.”

“Have you?” I flushed. “A, few times by myself, but nothing really made me enjoy it.” He shook his head.

“The absolute irony, the priestess of a goddess of love and she hasn’t been taught pleasure of flesh.”

“How very poetic of you.” I placed the pillow back on his face. “Once you feel comfortable with me, may I teach you?” He asked, voice muffled yet undeterred. I lift the pillow.

“I’ll marry you if you teach me how my body can find pleasure from sex.” There was a glimmer of something in his eyes and I quickly shoved the pillow back onto his face.

“Please remove the pillow, I would like to kiss you, my bride to be.” I trace my words along his skin at his collar, watching goosebumps rise on the exposed flesh as he shivered.

“How will I know it won’t lead to you getting too eager?” I felt something stirring near my hip and did my best to ignore it.

“I swear on my status that nothing more shall happen than a kiss. Besides, you are injured and I don’t want to re-break your thigh bone, Jules had a hard enough time resetting it without having to cut into your flesh.” I pulled the pillow away and he sat up, being gentle with me as I kindly hid his problem with the pillow. I nodded my approval and Vervain rubbed my lower lip with his thumb before he lowered his head, eyes drifting shut as he paused, veered up and kissed the freckle near my right eye rather than my lips.

“I’d kiss you properly but we have an audience.” He breathed into my ear. He sighed and leaned back.

“Teague, you can come in now-” The door smacked open and he squinted at the two of us, looking annoyed.

“Apart, now.” Vervain carefully pulled away. “She agreed to be my wife.”

“Don’t care. I made a promise to her pa that I’d protect her when I found her.” Vervain stared at him coolly. “She lived nearby under your nose for nearly a year.” He only recognized the raven, which apparently my father owned.

“You do realize how many Northern girls wind up down here in the smaller villages, right?” Teague snapped back. “Yes, and some are driven to the courts, the amount of issues popping up with unbound and common Fae-kin wishing to marry them is frustrating the nobles.” I tugged at his shirt, asking why.

“The blood that runs through your veins from your father has strong affinity for magic, the fae like having that around to help with their own bloodlines. When the North is finally dealt with, it is going to be a mess. I just know it.” He sighed. “And I don’t know if you’d be wanting to attempt to rule.” I stared at him.

“I don’t think I have the strength to do that.” I admitted. “And the Northern people won’t be keen on having someone so close to the God of Fae as their ruler.” Vervain grumbled, pulling me into his arms. I didn’t mind, even as Teague’s eye twitched at the sight of him being affectionate.

“We’ll find someone willing, and work on fixing the empire while we train them to take up the mantle.” Teague answered, he clicked his tongue. “Again, apart.” He insisted.

“Rán, do you wish to be parted from me?” Vervain asked. He was comfy to be honest, I could probably sleep on him if I was really tired.

“Comfy.” I answered. Teague just looked so done. “No children-making under this roof, gods are scarily fertile and you are barely coming into your powers.” I snuck a peek at Vervain. “Good thing I don’t plan to sire children for a long time.” He snapped. Did he want children anyway? Vervain paused and nosed my hair.

“A conversation saved for later.” He breathed, pressing a kiss to the freckle at the edge of my hairline. It felt nice, his soft affection was pleasant to experience, Teague sighed and left, keeping the door open just in case.