Wolves Bane

The Forest

 It had been a few years since I had told Fáel about how I felt about him. We had been a couple for those few years, both my parents had sadly passed away, and my belly was slowly growing bigger. I gently rubbed my belly and walked through the cabin, looking for Fáel. As I walked, I heard his footsteps in the kitchen.

"Sounds like daddy's in the kitchen cooking again."

As I walked to the kitchen, I saw Fáel standing before a large caldron. He was humming a song while stirring a lovely stew, scooping up a little in the spoon and sipping while humming. Like something was missing. He then added some herbs and spices, mixed it a bit more and then sipped it again.

"That's more like it!"

"And what are you making tonight my love?"

He almost jumped out of his skin and swiftly turned around. I started chuckling while he clasped his chest. He let out a slow breath and smiled. I walked over to his side and sniffed the amazing stew. I saw cubes of meat, some vegetables and a few herbs floating freely in the broth. I grabbed a nearby ladle and dipped it into the stew, lifted it up to my lips and carefully blew on it.

"Smells delicious."

As I took a sip, I hummed and danced around. I then offered a sip to Fáel but he politely declined. I shrugged and drank the rest from the ladle. I then set it down and felt our little angel start kicking. I looked at Fáel before grabbing his hand and placing it on my belly. He knelt down before my belly and smiled before kissing it gently. He then looked up at me when the baby stopped kicking and smiled. I smiled back at him and ruffled his curly brown hair. He chuckled and scooped me up and carried me to the couch.

"I'll be right back with your bowl of soup, my queen."

I nodded and smiled. He walked off and came back a few minutes later with two bowls of stemming stew in both hands with beautifully carved wooden spoons.I smiled and thanked him when he handed me my bowl and sat down next to me. We both snuggled up together and started eating the fresh stew. Fáel was proud of his work, I claimed that he wasn't a good cook but the stew that he had made was extremely flavorful and savory. The vegetables were soft and the mead was so tender that I could cut it with the wooden spoon. Fáel looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you think?"

"Honey, it's so flavorful and the meat is so tender! How did you manage this?"

"I've been studying Ulf's recipe books. I've learnt a lot from him, and when I saw the recipe for this stew, I knew I had to attempt to make it. This is the only time I actually got it right."

"Well, it's perfect. And I think our child agrees."

"Speaking of our child, what shall we name them?"

"I was thinking Zephyr for it's a boy."

"And if it's a girl?"

"Elena."

 He looked at me and smiled brightly before gently kissing my cheek. Even if I never have a baby girl, I would always keep Elena's name in my heart. She did, after all, help raise me and did everything she would to protect me. Once the stew was finished I yawned and stretched before struggling to get up off the couch. Fáel chuckled before getting up and pulling me up off the couch.

"Go and rest my dear, I will come straight to bed once everything is cleaned up."

I smiled and nodded. While walking to our room I thought I saw something in the forest. I brushed it off and walked into our room and changed into my nightgown. When I turned around, I could've sworn I saw two beady red eyes staring at me from the blackest part of the forest.