“It is not that,” I said as I shyly turned my head back to the bound leather. I unwrapped it, reached in, and brought out the saddle blanket I had made. “I…um…this was some of the cloth you bought for me. It is actually for Romero, I suppose.
I decided to just hand it to him before I lost my nerve altogether. Branford took the bundle of cloth from me and examined it.
“I have been learning to embroider,” I explained, abruptly feeling foolish.
“You embroidered the Sterling coat of arms?”
“Yes,” I replied. “It does not look as good as the queen’s work, but I am getting better.”
“You have done a fine job,” he said. He opened up the cloth and examined the whole piece. “It is a saddle blanket, yes? The embroidery will rest right near Romero’s left shoulder.”
“Yes, it will.” I smiled, glad it was obvious.
Branford’s gaze met mine, and he leaned forward to kiss me lightly on my lips.
“Thank you, my wife.”
“I have one more thing for you,” I said quietly. I wasn’t sure why I felt nervous giving a gift to him directly even though he had accepted the one for Romero gracefully enough.
“What do you have?” Branford’s half smile appeared, making his eyes twinkle with playfulness. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I realized he might think I was offering something else. I blushed readily, and he laughed. “Go on—tell me.”
“It is just a little thing,” I said with a shrug as I brought out the green silk and held it to him. Branford took it in his hands, turning it over and over.
“Is it a scarf?” he asked.
“Not exactly,” I said. “You are to wear it round your neck, though. It is supposed to be worn under your armor to bring you luck.”
“Luck?”
“And keep you safe,” I added softly. “Sunniva told me if I made you something to wear near your heart, it would bring you luck.”
“It is like a baldric, then?” he asked as he raised his arms and positioned the cloth over one shoulder and across his heart. I nodded, glad he understood. “You made this for me?”
“Yes.” I stepped from one foot to the other, and my voice dropped in volume. “When you wear it, the embroidery goes, um, it goes over your heart.”
“I will wear it with the utmost pride,” he said as he adjusted it until the embroidery was in just the right place. He reached out and touched the edge of my jaw, turning my face to look at him.
“I was going to save it for your birth celebration,” I said quietly. I tried to hold in the tears I could feel in my eyes. I wanted to be strong for him. I didn’t want him to see me upset. “Perhaps it will keep you safe in the days to come.”
“Thank you,” he said quietly, his eyes intense. He looked at me for a long moment before he lowered his gaze, took a deep breath, and looked at me again. “Alexandra, I know we have not been in each other’s company for so very long, but…”
He paused a moment and smiled broadly, his fingers still tracing my cheek. His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and he took a deep breath before he spoke again.
“I will be eternally grateful that you caught my eye that day,” he finally said. “So much has changed since then though it has not even been a month. I have longed for war with Edgar for years, and now that it has come, all I can think of is the dread I feel when faced with leaving you here. I expected to be eager for war, but now…”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and brought me to him.
“What is different?” I asked.
“I do not know if I can bear being away from you,” Branford murmured into my neck.
Later that evening, after Branford had filled me with his child-giving seed, he held my body close, and he found that spot on my neck, right underneath my ear, to kiss and suck. With his face still in the space between my head and shoulder, he drifted quickly into sleep. This did not surprise me, for I knew he had not slept much these past few nights.
My mind could not rest even though my body desired it. I felt as though I was trying to memorize the feel of his warm body against me, his hands in my hair, and the slow, steady rhythm of his slumbered breaths. I reached up to touch the side of his rough face and wondered if I should have shaved him the night before since it would be some time before I would have another opportunity.
Some time.
But how long?