I guide my new lover with the movements of my body and the by the sounds I make, so tender, yet firm. His hesitation has an urgency behind it. He trembles. I smile in the dark. My lover is new to this…

I keep my movements slow, it’s my turn not to spook my lover this time. The rewards for teaching one patients will be well received. We have long lost the last of our coverings, our wedding night coming fully to circle now. His hands run over my body like a gentle spring rain. I feel him press against me. I raise my hips to meet him…the fire has been lit. The oldest known earth rhythm begins.

I don’t remember where I’m at. I’m safe. I can hear him breathing and feel his heart through my chest…or is that my heart? I can’t tell.

”He’s attacking her!” Someone screeches and has joined us on the bed rather abruptly. Sean makes screeches of his own before darting off. I quickly try to take in the scene before me. The realization hits me like a unexpected horse kick…The children? OH NO…! In the dark I grab a shirt and throw it over my head and follow as quickly as possible to save Sean from further welts or bites that aren’t mine with another article of clothing in hand.

Nion is flailing and muttering incoherencies on his back. Did I see Toad on Nion? I hesitate to jump over him, but I’m already too late and the child hound has already claimed her seat upon my husband’s chest. He’s sputtering almost as bad Nion. I suppose it’s better to know about these things now, rather than later. He roars, “Agus Da Cadine!” as soon as I get past him.

Both Baine and Hadaig have rushed back in from the cave entrance. Hadaig is armed. Baine is laughing so hard I think I see tears. The child hound has shifted again. The lighter haired girl is speaking so fast it reminds me of angry squirrel. I lean against the wall holding my stomach. It’s beginning to hurt from the silent laughter I’m holding. One of the children rushes over to ask me what’s wrong, but I can’t answer her as the boy has come over to collect his wards scolding them all the way back to their makeshift beds.

I start laughing out loud unable to hold it in any longer. Hadaig rolls his eyes before leaving again. Baine wipes her eyes before attending to Nion, who has again repeated the phrase “Agus Da Cadine” dubiously. Baine assures him, he was only dreaming. I hand over the extra piece of clothing trying to soothe my angry and more than likely embarrassed husband. He crudely wraps it about his waist not meeting my eyes. I try to keep the smile from my face, but I keep failing. Sean only turns redder.

I continue my ministrations until he finally gives in and lets me lead him back to the bed that Baine had gifted to us for the night. As we pass her, she holds Toad out to me with an amused grin. I take him with my free hand, Sean’s in the other. Around the corner we go, Sean flops down on the bed lying away from me as I find a small floor indention to stow Toad and hope he stays there until morning.

I sink down next to Sean only to have him shrug me off. I’m a bit taken aback. Surely he cannot think I asked for an interruption? I try it again and he shrugs me of again. Frowning I lie away him on my back looking at the stars? There are no stars in a cave. This I know because my home was in cave before coming here. Maybe the real stars would help me next…

Sighing I begin to explain that I didn’t have anything to do with what had just happened, but I don’t think he’d be listening anyway. He’s still tense beneath my touch and not quite accepting of my caresses. If I have to keep this up all night, so be it. I can sleep in my seat tomorrow.

It seems like hours pass before he accepts me against him. I nuzzle against his neck, molding my body to his. I take his hand interlacing my fingers on the insides of his to rest my palm against his chest. To feel the beating of his heart, his young life weighed against the enchanted years of mine. Tomorrow would be better, it has to be, doesn’t it?