these were his moments of peace, of that rowan couldn't doubt, even if the comfortable stillness of their chambers lacked eliar's laughter or garyce's babbles of contentment. laenys was his peace, and without her, he certainly would know none otherwise. his love for his wife was as boundless as the sunset sea, and to have such warmth and light in his life — it would be enough to bring any man to his knees. ❝ a need, you say ? well, i can't leave you when you need me most, now can i ? hm, yes, i can't begin to imagine where they learned such feistiness from, my love, ❞ smile widened as nose brushed along her jaw, lips pressed against her neck as familiar laugh filled him with warmth. it was a sound he could never dream of tiring of, nor did he want to. habitually, instinctively, fingers trail along her spine, brushing through the end of silver locks as brown hues shifted to meet violet and exhaustion tugged at his very being. he wanted nothing more to alleviate her worries, to answer the questions he found there, but with so few answers of his own, it felt impossible. with a small sigh, rowan tugged her closer still, willing the jumbled mess of thoughts to string together. ❝ those are always my most pressing worries, you know that. though i worry for vaelyx, too, and what such an attack might mean for his safety, considering i do not think the princess to be the target of choice. ❞ young, and sweet, seemingly removed from the politics of it all. ❝ i am grateful we're not further from home, though it seems unlikely we'll return any time soon. ❞
