Burning Flames

Nathaniel followed Katherine at a slower pace, his dark cloak billowing out behind him. Only now did Lady Brandon notice that he was the only one in camp who still wore long sleeves all day, and even dark leather gloves that covered his hands completely. She found it somewhat... strange. But since nobody else seemed bothered, she shrugged her shoulders and continued to chew the salty meat.

Hopefully, the married couple could work out their differences and maybe even decide on a name for their child. Somehow, she could not imagine Katherine losing this fight or any marriage fight at all. Her friend sure was... dedicated. The bout of pity she suddenly felt for Nathaniel brought a small smile to her face.

Silence reigned inside the tent after Nathaniel entered. Katherine stood with her back to him, her head lowered. Her anger seemed gone, but he couldn't fathom her mood right now. With the intention of seeing her face, he stepped forward, but he didn't come far.

"I... I need to apologize." Her voice was quiet and a bit rough. "I know this is hard for you and that you always try to do what you think is best. I just think that you do what is best for me, and... and not for you."

Now she faced him, and he saw the tears on her face before she removed them with an impatient stroke of her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit whiny today it seems."

She laughed - a short and bitter sound. Then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I know that you can't change your beliefs so fast, and I know that you had a life that... kind of justifies your pessimism. But that does not mean every and all things have to go wrong. Sometimes something good happens. Like our meeting. Like our baby."

With a step forward, she took his stiff hand in hers and placed it on her still-flat belly. "I wish you could just... believe in the future for once."

Her eyes searched his, saw the complicated emotions hidden under the furrowed brows, and felt the coldness that he used to distance his heart. In his twenty-five years of life, this coldness must have protected his heart from many wounds, but it also stopped him from fully trusting in anyone. She knew that she herself had already overcome this hurdle and reached his heart, but could their baby do the same? Would he allow himself another weakness, another love?

His red eyes anchored to her violet ones, Nathaniel raised a hand to brush a stray black strand behind her ear. "My brave wife. Would you despise me if I said I'm afraid?"

She snuggled into his hand and placed a kiss against the leather. "Who is not afraid when they get a child? I always wonder if I will be a good mother. I just want you to give it a chance, to try to believe. In life, anything can happen. We could live happily for decades or maybe I will collapse and die tomorrow. Nobody knows the future. But is there a reason to fret over it now, when everything is alright? It will only make you unhappy, and I don't like to see you unhappy."

"Hmm." The sound was somewhere between agreement and unwillingness while his thumb removed the last tear stains from her cheeks. "Do you know what I might do if I lose you? You know that my power is not always... controllable."

"I know", she smiled, her arms rising to rest on his shoulders before her glowing hands cupped his face in a resolute grip. "But I trust you. You are much too chivalrous to set the world aflame."

His bows shot up as his lips curved into an amused smile. "Chivalrous? Do you really think so?"

"Absolutely!"

"Even when I do this?" He just waited for her power to coat her head before he swept her away in a rough kiss. "Or this?"

She didn't know when his hand found the way below her shirt, but now it pinched her nipple. She yelped. The only thing that made his grip bearable was the cushioning of the glove but somehow the slight pain was also... kind of exciting.

"You bad, bad man!" She laughed and bit his lower lip when he bend for another kiss. Under her mouth, she felt him smiling, then one arm around her waist lifted her to twirl her around. Her feet nearly touched the tent's cloth.

She laughed, happier than she was for days, and saw him grinning back at her. His red eyes were squinted, the brows relaxed, and there was still a bit of mischievousness in the corners of his mouth before it descended for another kiss.

Drunken with euphory, their lips pressed against each other, nibbling and rubbing. Unknowingly, the twirling came to a stop and their bodies pressed closely together. Laugher still bubbled in Katherine's stomach until she heard Nathaniel groan and deepen the kiss. His tongue filled her mouth, and only now did she notice that he'd held back ever since her condition deteriorated. It was the first time since then that they shared more than a peck or an embrace.

Her own passion was reared by his caresses, and she met his tongue with hers. For a while, the world and all troubles sank into the background.

Then Katherine pulled away with a teasing smirk. "You are not just distracting me again, are you? Will you try to think a bit more positively about our baby?"

"Hmm." He placed another peck on the tip of her nose, then leaned back to show her his sincere eyes. "I promise I will try."

"That's all I asked for. Now, should we think about a name?" She said it lightly, more as a test than an inquisition, and watched his reaction closely.

For the fraction of a second, Nathaniel stiffened, his face turning expressionless. Then he sighed and ruffled his hair. "I... never thought about which names I like or not. You are probably much better prepared for such a task than me."

Relieved, she smiled. "I would like it if you helped, though. But we don't need to start right now if you don't like it. Just maybe think about it once in a while when you have time. On this journey, we seem to have nothing but time... I just hope the leader of the organization doesn't change location until we are there."

"There are indications that he won't. But of course, we can never be sure."

.

Finally, half a week later, Nathaniel and company reached the foot of two mountains that towered over the forest. Right between the mountains, seeming somewhat unnatural, was a deep rift, almost a canyon, that parted the land in two. The inner walls of the canyon were black as if a strong fire had burned it into the land not too long ago.

Nathaniel's face darkened when he saw the surroundings. Then he narrowed his eyes at the flank of the left mountain where several inconspicuous buildings pressed against the rough grey stones. Despite these marks of civilization, there was nobody in the vicinity. Not even a mountain goat searching for fresh grass between the stones.