Ranger's Apprentice: The Tantalizing Tales

As long as you come home to me

In which Halt and Pauline share a lingering kiss before a long trip apart. Requested by anonymous. 

~~~

Halt had been packing. And while had been doing so, he had felt Pauline's eyes following his every move. Somehow, he knew that it had nothing to do with the box of, well, crafting supplies. Nor did it have anything to do with the amount of rations - read: coffee and honey - that he was attempting to stash into one of the saddle bags. So then what could it be?

Finally, when he had turned his mind over and over trying to figure out what it could be that kept his wife so on edge as he was packing for nothing but a routine mission, without figuring it out, Halt turned around.

"What?"

It wasn't the most eloquent of his sentences, but Halt was a big fan of using as little words as possible to get his message across. Pauline knew. And she wasn't a fan. Still looking at him, now right in the eye, she raised a single, elegant eyebrow.

Whole sentences, dear, the movement said.

Halt sighed, gave in, and forced himself to form a whole sentence that conveyed exactly the same question.

"Why are you so uneasy about me packing? It's not like I've never gone on a mission before."

Pauline nodded, appreciative of the gesture and the communication. She had her own answer ready.

"If I'm not mistaken-"

This time, there were words in abundance. They both knew that Pauline was never mistaken. But Halt rightly felt that this wasn't the time to comment on his wife's choice of words.

She continued.

"Last time you left this fief - you almost died. Last time you left this country - you almost died. Last time you visited Hibernia - you, almost unsurprisingly, almost died. And now you're going to leave this fief, leave this country, and visit Hibernia. Forgive me, if I'm a little tense."

That got his attention. Carefully, Halt put down the papers that he had been holding on the bed, next to his bags. He now walked over from the bedroom to the couch that Pauline was sitting on. Sitting down next to her, he took her hands.

"I hadn't realised," he admitted.

Pauline sighed and squeezed his hands thankfully - and a little nervously.

"I know that you're not as reckless and impulsive as you once were, and I know that you won't put your life in danger if you don't absolutely have to, but..."

She hesitated. The squeeze became a little tighter.

"I just do not want you to die."

He smiled softly.

"Neither do I, Pauline."

Putting deeds to words, Halt leaned forward, and kissed her. It was a lingering kiss, long and sweet and simple and soft and full of promises.

After a while - a faithful, peaceful, delightful while - Halt broke the touch between their lips. But he didn't break all the contact between them entirely. He continued to lean forward, his forehead resting against hers. It was a lingering touch, long and comforting and satisfying and pleasant and full of promises.

"And I won't."

Promises that could never be kept. Never be guaranteed. Never be assured.

Pauline didn't blame him. It was his job, after all. His life's mission. And it was part of why she loved him.

But it didn't make her feel any better.

"I believe you."

She broke contact at last. Moved back her head a little, so she could look her husband straight in the eye one last time.

"As long as you come back to me."