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[last_adam]

Stopping for a quick breath, Adam wipes his forehead with his sleeve.


It's not as though this is strictly necessary, winter is still a bit off. It's not even as if he needed have done it, ther are certainly servants enough willing to do so. But there's something reassuring about the heft of the axe in his hands, the solid thwack it makes when it meets the wood. About the calluses he can feel forming on his hands. And when fall turns colder and fires are lit, there'll be a warm comfort to the knowledge that it's because of the work of his hands.

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[the_lioness]

Alanna nods, but there's a new, resigned look in her eyes when she meets his.

"Eventually." She exhales slowly, and it's like it releases a tidal wave of words. "I think I knew, deep down, that if I brought him back to life, it would be goodbye. I wanted it for him. I wanted it for me.

"He promised a week a year, and every now and then he'll remember, but I think it's really over. He's gone. ...I let him go. It just hurts so much sometimes."

[last_adam]

"I think..."


his voice trails off, just a bit.

"I think that's the hard thing about life."



Real life.

[the_lioness]

She doesn't answer. There's nothing else to say, and she's already embarrassed by her unexpected outburst of emotion.

Relaxing, she turns toward him and throws both arms around his neck to hold him close.

"If we don't go to London," she mumbles into his shoulder, "how would you feel about a trip to visit my tribe sometime this winter?"

[last_adam]

It could be that Adam sometimes wished that she wasn't so embarrassed by her emotional side, but he's certainly not brave enough to say that out loud. He turns his face into her neck, breathing softly under her ear.

"I think that would be amazing."

[the_lioness]

The resulting smile is very bright, and she makes a happy noise as she wriggles sideways to kiss along his jaw.

"Thank you." And then there's a proper kiss. "Do you want to get back to work?"

[last_adam]

Adam's sigh at the kiss is considerably more relaxed than the last few, and he makes a contented sound.

"I think that's enough for today. I don't want to get bored next week, after all."

[the_lioness]

She laughs.

"No, we can't have that. I've already considered rationing the books in Father's library."

After rolling to her feet with as little grace as she exhibited flopping down, Alanna starts to pull him up.

[last_adam]

Adam manages to keep from sticking his tongue out, but only just.

"Well, Mrs. Young, in an attempt to keep me from getting bored, you could always take me out for an afternoon on the town."

[the_lioness]

Head tilt.

"The village? I suppose we could pay a visit. I did promise I would check on Ranulf's sister this week."

[last_adam]

"Or... you know."

His cheeks turn a faint pink, and it's not from any of the labor he was doing half an hour or so ago.

[the_lioness]

Sadly, Alanna never mastered the art of reading minds. She gives him a questioning look as they walk.

"...do I?"

A faint suspicion begins to take hold, and she tries not to look hopeful.

[last_adam]

This is obviously something she should work on. It would save Adam significant embarrassment.

"Just, what you said earlier. And we don't have the kids, and we still have a room..."

[the_lioness]

She can't keep the satisfaction off her face, both at his decision and her obviously very convincing argument.

"We do, at that." With a smile firmly planted on her face, she starts lengthening her stride. "I'll race you there."

[last_adam]

Adam laughs, and lengthens his own, catching up with her easily and taking her hand.

"Or we could go together."

[the_lioness]

"I like that, too."

Squeezing his hand, she smiles and bumps her shoulder against his, thinking it doesn't really matter how they get there. It's enough that they're going.