Belford's Heart

Chapter 3: A Servant of Gwarth

The morning rose overtop the village as it had every day before. The light, however, met many more bodies than it usually had. The makeshift festival Evelyn had started for the village ended in many of the Aukan people gazing at the stars until sleep caught up with them. Horford had retreated inside early to assure that Belford's food was ready for him at dawn.

Evelyn cheerily welcomed everyone to the new day as she and Belford made way to bring Grifford his breakfast. Thu'laag and Bearis were still sleeping soundly in each other's arms as Helga woke. She shot a smile to Evelyn as she passed before shaking her head at the imbeciles of which one of whom she was betrothed to. All in all, she was thankful for the night. Perhaps her initial judgment of the girl was made in haste.

The walk to Grifford felt much faster that morning for Evelyn. Whether it was the night of revelry distracting her mind from the cold piercing into her gown or the smile Belford couldn't rid himself of making it happen, she didn't mind one bit. The quickly-made boots given to her made by Belford helped as well, perhaps the most.

Grifford joined them as Belford presented him his breakfast. It seemed as though he made sure to not scare Evelyn this time, even offering his head for her to pat before he began eating his breakfast. Evelyn laughed and accepted, running her hands along his neck as he purred.

"Looks like I'm growing on you." Grifford shook his head and licked her along the length of her face. She scrunched her nose and bellowed laughter that echoed into the mountains surrounding them. She looked to Belford to have another look at the boyish smile he'd worn since he joined her and the village in dance. Instead, she found that it faded as he watched Grifford eagerly enjoying his breakfast. "Everything okay up there?"

Belford was pulled from his thoughts of the coming day—a day that would bring the final moon of Evelyn's visit. He looked down to her and tried to form the same smile he wore on their walk to Grifford, but somehow, he knew it wasn't quite as wide.

"Yeah, everything's just fine up here." His forced smile began to fade. "I was just thinking of tonight."

"Oh, right." Evelyn looked down to Grifford's now finished breakfast and her frozen boots. She wiggled her toes within them to help herself think for a moment before looking back to him. "Well, it was lovely to get to know you, big guy. Even for only a couple days."

"What do you mean?" Belford turned his head. "You don't think I'm going to let you travel down the mountain path all by yourself, do you?"

Evelyn's eyes opened wide. What she thought was to be her final day among the Aukan people suddenly grew the possibility of one of their newly marked joining her on her way to the lands below. "It's not like you can come with me, Belford. That All-Knower of yours doesn't seem too fond of me. My theatrics last night probably didn't help matters any."

"No, I think that's exactly what I need to do," Belford said. "I saw something in my sleep last night."

"What did you see?"

"I heard the stomping of hooves and laughter from voices I've not met before. The world was so bright and green around me that I nearly started sobbing. I was taken back to the village, to the gates before the stable. You were riding off as tears streamed from your eyes until you vanished into the night." Belford met her eyes, switching from left to right in his focus. "I woke this morning a few hours earlier than normal, and only now do I realize what the night will bring for me."

"Belford, I would never ask for you to abandon your people. If this was some strange test Maligwa made for me then so be it, you do not have to give away your life for a girl you just met."

"I want to." Belford's smile grew on his face just as it had been before. "Like I've never wanted anything before."

Evelyn's gaze grew stronger toward him. "You're being silly, Belford."