When you feel sad and tired, remember that I always love you. This vibrating heart, even my lips can vibrate too. -- Anon Guest
Cordelia could read her husband the Earl Kormwind like a book. More accurately, she could read him like a street pamphlet handed out by any group with an agenda. One made to reach the most people with the simplest message.
It was in the lashing of his tail, the angle he held his head, and the way his hands flexed into fists and shook loose. He never wanted to bring his anger into any room he shared with her.
After a day full of dealing with assholes, her beloved had his anger rising off of him like steam from a puddle in summer.
It was moments like this that he felt like nobody in the world could love him or want him. It was an old feeling, and kept coming to roost in his poor heart. He was too well used to it, and having it there. He had yet to get used to the idea that he deserved love. Which was almost natural for a Hellkin like himself.
Cordelia got herself between his flexing fists, right into his arms, and raised his glowing eyes to meet hers. "Time to relax," she said, and added his favoured nickname, "Kosh." She could put a lot of meaning into that single syllable.
This time, she said, Kosh and meant, The one person in all the world I would fight through the Plane of Torment to have in my arms, and he heard as much.
"Haschen," he sighed, leaning into her embrace.
Born a Human, Cordelia could not normally purr. However, as a Druid, she could alter herself to suit the occasion. Therefore, to give him the comfort he regularly gave her. In brief, she purred for him. Something he could not do in this foul mood.
She added a couple of kisses for good measure, enjoying the feel of his tension draining away.
"Bad day at the office, my love?" she asked.
"...mmmmmh," he managed. "My birthday's approaching again. It gets to me."
And the management of everything got to him too. "You have good reason to celebrate this year. Shall I help you remember?"
He was already putty in her hands. "Do as you wish, mein liebchen. I am now and always will be yours."
Instead of leading him to their marital bed, she took his hand and lead him to the nursery, where the twins slept. Two tiny Hellkin, their new horns just beginning to emerge on their brows. The very image of their father.
Her Kosh rested his hands on the edge of their shared crib and sighed out the last of his anger.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I keep forgetting why I'm fighting so hard. They need a better world."
"No argument," said Cordelia. "Just remember that you don't have to fight alone."
"Never again," he agreed.
[Photo by Marko Blažević on Unsplash]
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