The firewood crackled underneath the faded brick fireplace, casting the dark cottage in a warm orange glow. Shadows stretched out from the grails that protected any curious hand from reaching too far into the fire. The soft clinking of metal resounded into the comfortable silence as a disgruntled knight removed her armor. Her deft hands gently detached the layer of chainmail on top of multiple layers of clothing and haphazardly placed it atop the kitchen counter.
A sigh escaped the tired woman’s lips, her hands reaching out to fill her cup with water from the tap. Her eyes fluttered to a close as the liquid eventually overflowed past her fingers—the sound of the water bouncing off the steel surface was like harsh rain that broke her out of her sleepy state.
“Good morning to you, Nora.” A dulcet voice greeted the redhead—manicured nails reaching out to close the tap for the knight.
“Thanks, Venna,” Leonora said with gratitude, kissing the blonde on her forehead and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “And good morning to you too, my eden.”
Giggles bubble up from Venna at the term of endearment. Her cheeks flushed red at how sweet it sounded coming from Leonora. She watched the other woman drink her overfilled cup, fully enveloping the fighter’s battle-worn body in an embrace and burying her face in the crook of her scarred neck—visibly relaxing in the familiar scent of her significant other.
”I was worried about you, you know?”
“Of course, you were. You’re always worried about me, Venna,” answered the redhead as she put the cup down, giving her undivided attention to the smaller woman. “I think I’d be concerned if you weren’t.”
”I can’t help it—you are a knight protecting the kingdom, and your duties remain with the rulers and whatnot,” mused Venna, earning a groan from Leonora and causing the knight to roll her eyes. “Hey, don’t brush off my worries. You should be car—“
”—Caring for yourself too. Yes, I know, my eden.”
A “hmph” left the younger woman’s lips as she frowned. Her lover finished her sentence for her while imitating the blonde’s worried tone. Yet, as soon as Leonora noticed Venna’s expression shift, she became doting again. Her scarred fingers gently trail over the other’s chin, raising it so their eyes would meet. “Darling, you know I can handle myself. It’s been years of being part of the knighthood and even more of being with you.”
Leonora looked into icy blue eyes before pressing another kiss to the wrinkle between her light eyebrows—as if to will her to cease worrying. “I’ve come home every time, haven’t I?”
Venna nodded as she let out a shaky breath, mustering a timid smile to appear somewhat comforted. “Oh, all right. I believe you, Nora.”
“You’re still going to worry, aren’t you?” Leonora asked her, an amused gleam in her eyes as she admired the woman before her. The comforting glow of the fire illuminated the softness of her lover’s face, bringing her back to the first time they had met in the tavern. Not much had changed since then—a few fine lines etched onto their faces from the years of shared laughter, some gray hairs here and there, a litter of scars from the battlefield, or an angry burn mark from a kettle left burning for too long. Even then she knew that their love had only grown stronger.
A mischievous smile tugged at the blonde’s lips, lithe hands reaching up to hold the knight’s face—she and the redhead already knew the answer to that question. ”Perhaps. I have to keep you on your toes. After all, got to keep things exciting.” Laughter filled the serene space. Their smiles glowed like the embers of the burnt wood, and their hearts were as warm as the hearth of their little cottage.
“Will you dance with me then, Venna? Maybe it could ease up your busy little mind?” The older woman, already starting to sway with the younger one in her arms.
Her smile grew fond and her gaze softer, as if looking at moonlight incarnate. Their hands settled into each other like constellations connected by whispered nothings and pure adoration. Their unspoken words seeped through their fingertips and filled the room as they moved side to side like sweet-tempered waves brushing against grains of sand—beckoning the other to come home.
“I love you, Leonora,” Venna whispered, eyes fluttering closed as she basked in the intimacy of having her tired spouse in her arms—safe and alive.
Leonora pressed a tender kiss to the blonde’s lips, taking her rest in the steady heartbeat of the other. ”I love you too, Venna,” she uttered.
As the lovers danced, the older woman started to hum a soft tune, not one that everyone knew but one that was solely theirs. One that she could sing even when her memory would fade. For this was their heaven, their eden—to truly and only be devoted to each other in this moment and forever more.
