~ where innocences burn in flames.
Could she see the emotions that war beneath his smoky hide? The pain that hides itself deep within his soul? He can feel the anger as it twists and knots itself tightly around his soul. It chokes the air from his lungs and breathes its hatred into his every breath. He feels weak. He feels pathetic. Even as she speaks words of love and reassurance, it falls on deaf ears as he wars within himself.
No love I don't blame you. These words would of sent a myriad of chills down his spine just days before now just cause his heart to toil more. He shifts his gaze to take in her chocolate gaze and his heart clenches in his chest. "I blame myself," he muses aloud, his words barely audible above the gurgle of the creek just inches away.
His ears rotate atop his crown as she speaks, her words full of emotion and regret. "Min sást stelpa it is not your fault," he whispers into the cradle of her nape. "They would of hurt you or worse if you tried to stop them," he says aloud as he pulls his crown back so that he can look upon her face.
War demands a price and it will always be paid. He knows what would of happened to her if she would of been taken to the Lagoon. She would of been a prisoner of war, and he knows the price a prisoner pays. They would of tortured her, raped her or even killed her to get their point across. He can feel the anger boil beneath his smoky hide even at the thought of them putting any part of their body on his precious sást stelpa.
"They are ruthless and would of done horrendous things to you my love, " he says as he tries to comfort the feelings of regret that cloud her mind. He steps closer to her until there is just a sliver of space between them. He lets his lips caress her withers where her nape curves from her shoulders. Her scent wafts into his flaring nostrils and his breath is hot on her neck. His glacial eyes run the length of her spine and settle on the curve of her belly. Their child grows just beneath her ribs and it causes a momentary smile to tug his lips upward. He traces the line of her spotted belly until his lips are close to where their child grows. He lets his lips linger on her belly as he begins to speak words to their child.
"Vaxa sterk og stolt, einn daginn þessi heimur verður þinn."
Translation:
sást stelpa: spotted girl
vaxa sterk og stolt, einn daginn þessi heimur verður þinn: grow strong and proud, and one day this world will be yours.
Björn - Icelandic mutt - 10 years old - Grullo Sabino
Bera Konung of the Ridge