There’s a stillness in the air like a sharp intake of breath, not from fear, but from anticipation. Something is going to happen, something the world has been waiting for for a long time.
She stumbles slightly over tree roots, crashing against the bark to support herself. Her elbow scraped against it and she almost curses at the stinging sensation that erupts before she silences herself.
No one can know about what she’s doing. Not yet anyway.
Her dress is long and entirely inappropriate for her trek through the woods, she knows this, but if she is going to see the only man who has ever held her heart for the first time in over a hundred years, she wants to look nice.
Bernice cleared the trees and roots, pausing at the edge of the clearing. In the centre was Attor.
His hair the colour of purple wine, tied up in a high ponytail. His skin the colour of marble. His snake-like eyes that widened when he turned to look at her were the colour of sulphur and she adored that.
“You-” he begins before cutting himself off and returning to simply staring.
“Me,” she agrees, breathless and smiling so wide her cheeks begin to ache. “God, Attor. You dont know how much I’ve missed you.”
“I can assure you that I have missed you more,” he whispers. She still hears it.
Bernice feels a relieved laugh start to bubble in the back of her throat at the exact same time as she realises there’s tears spilling out of her eyes.
Attor’s eyes widened and, in the time it took for her to blink, he had moved across the clearing to stand in front of her. He reached his hand up to her face and brushed his thumb gently across the tears.
“Blessed one,” he whispered, dipping his head down to kiss her on the forehead. “My Bernice. Please don’t cry.”
“I can’t help it. I’m so happy to see you again,” she whispered back as she turned her head to kiss him on the side of the mouth. “My Attor.”
cheshireinunderland 