The first few days of their courtship had flowed like a summer stream. Sometimes it carved a wide, slow path through the land, and other times it raced through narrow, exciting channels. Sometimes it even hesitated at a pond or puddle when the way grew less obvious, but it always found a way onward to the ocean. Or it had at least, until they'd reach this conversation that had transformed into a dam without her realizing.

Fell's behavior continued to soften and shift from ferocious horse-beast into the gentler, sweeter stallion she had come to love in their short time together, but she did not relax her body. Not at his head shake, nor the uncertain flicker of his ears, nor even the apologetic dip of his head.

None of it would mean anything if he had come here to hurt her family.

His seemingly guilty flinch made her throat constrict in fear, and she sucked in a shocked breath, unwilling to believe it. Thankfully, he clarified before the assumption could fully form in her mind and she watched silently as he shook his head in denial. Kohelet knew distantly that if her father had watched such a conflicting answer, he might draw a different conclusion than she did, but she couldn't deny her gut instinct, nor the pull of her heart. She knew she would pay for this dearly if she was wrong, but she also knew in her heart that Fell wasn't here to hurt her.

Kohelet's tension melted away with a soft sigh and she leaned automatically forward again, reaching to try and brush her lips across his cheek in reassurance. She'd wanted to touch him at the first sign of his uncertainty, but had stopped herself to wait for the answer she needed.

"Then it doesn't matter where you're from," she said to herself as much to him. She didn't need to tell her father unless it became an issue, and if he wasn't here to hurt her family, it simply wouldn't be an issue.

The guilt nibbling at her heart suggested otherwise, but she tucked that away for later.

"You belong here now." Kohelet said softly, moving to stand next to him again. "And I belong with you."