Honey Sweet
The clouds hung low over the valley, obscuring the view of the hillside and brushing along the tip of the trees as they scudded across the sky. Everything was grey in grey. The only glimpse of the sun had been right after dawn. It had painted the strip of horizon under the clouds golden before disappearing for the rest of the day.
The drizzling rain put a chill in the air that crept inside the house, under Tav's clothes and into her bones despite the fire in the hearth. She had avoided going out as much as possible, waiting for a break in the rain to get some milk and a pot of honey from the village. On the way back, it had started to rain again, soaking her to the skin even through her cloak, and she hadn't managed to warm up since.
It didn't help that Halsin had been out of the house since before dawn and wouldn't return until after nightfall, visiting a settlement a few hours' walk away. Some of the orphans had found a home there and he wanted to see how they were doing.
Wrapping herself in a blanket, Tav moved her chair closer to the fire and ate a bowl of the barley stew she had made. It warmed her up enough that she shed the blanket but the cold crept back in. The sun hadn't even set, yet Tav lit a lamp to do the dishes and write some letters, huddling under a blanket once more.
The bed held no great attraction for her, not on nights she had to spend alone. Left to her own devices, Tav always reverted to staying up late or even getting up in the middle of the night to read or take a walk. With Halsin around, it was easier to go to bed at a reasonable hour and sleep through the night. She did draw the line at getting up before dawn. Not even Halsin could convince her of the virtues of doing that every day. Sometimes, yes, to accompany him to watch the sunrise and spend time together, but most of the time Tav preferred to get up with the sun already properly risen.
She should probably go and put a bedwarmer between the sheets, but that would mean leaving the reasonably warm kitchen and going upstairs. Tav decides against it in favour of stoking the fire and heating up some milk, wearing the blanket around her shoulders like the most fashionable cloak.
The sun had set and it was pitch dark outside, the rain drumming on the windows. Tav made a face at her reflection in the glass, grumbling to herself about the cold and the weather. Without meaning to, she gave a huge yawn, but she refused to surrender to sleep.
She was just stirring a spoonful of honey into her milk when she heard Halsin at the door. Abandoning her mug and her blanket, she bounded out of the kitchen and into the hallway, just in time to see him hang up his cloak. It dripped water on the floor, and his boots and pants were spattered with mud. But he still was less wet than she had been earlier, despite having been out in the rain so much longer. The benefit of turning into a bear for most of the way, she supposed. Fur beat even the best coat.
"Did you wait up for me, love?" Halsin caught her in an embrace, and he was so wonderfully warm despite having just walked in the rain for hours, Tav didn't want to let go.
"I did. It's cold." She spoke right into his chest. "There's hot milk if you want some. And pine honey."
"Pine honey? If that is what being away for a day gets me, I should maybe go on a longer journey, simply to see how you would greet me." Halsin sounded pleased, his smile loud in his voice. Tav couldn't see it because she still had her face buried in his shirt, soaking up his warmth.
"You would find me frozen, halfway to the bedroom. It would be such a pitiful sight." Taking him by the hand, Tav led the way to the kitchen. She went to pour the rest of the milk into another mug, adding two dollops of honey, and handed it to Halsin. He had made himself comfortable on the corner bench already, legs stretched out under the table. Tav nestled into his side, cradling her own mug in her hands after taking a first sip of the sweet milk.
"It would upset me greatly, I am sure. There is only one solution: the next time I have to travel, you will have to accompany me. We will get up early, walk all day and sleep in the woods. You will enjoy yourself, you will see." Hiding his grin behind his mug, Halsin pulled her closer with one arm around her. Between the fire, Halsin's warmth and the blanket draped across her lap, Tav could almost forget about the steady rain and miserable cold.
"I just might, with you. But you will have to make breakfast." Surfacing from the hug and her blanket, Tav sought out Halsin's mouth for a kiss that tasted of honey.
"I promise." Halsin sunk a little lower on the bench, blinking slowly. He was dead tired, Tav realised, and the thought was immediately followed by another loud yawn from herself.
They stayed up a little longer, talking about the children and how well they had settled. Their foster parents had lived here at the village for a time and Halsin trusted them. Tav was happy to hear things were working out. She never stopped to marvel at the community they had built here, and how at home she felt. It was nice to see other people attempt the same and succeed.
With the milk all gone and the fire burning low, Halsin finally pushed himself up. Tav grabbed the blanket and followed him, taking his hand and letting him lead her up to the bedroom. The heat from the fire downstairs had risen and it was much less cold than Tav had feared. But she still undressed as quickly as she could and dove under the covers, pulling them up to her nose. Halsin followed a little slower, giving her time to watch him undress and then amble up to the bed. She would never get tired of admiring his easy grace, or that crooked smile that made an appearance when he was pleased with himself. As he should be, the hero who had saved her from freezing.
The mattress dipped when he sat and then rolled himself under the blanket she was holding up for him. Nestling as close as she could into his arms, Tav buried her face against his chest and shoved her feet between his legs. Halsin made a startled noise at how cold they were but settled down and wrapped her in an embrace that chased away the last of the chill better than any fire ever could.
With Halsin drawing lazy shapes on her back, ever slower, Tav fell asleep with no more thought for the rain beating hard on the window or the cold prowling around the house.