Highland Bear (Book 4)

Chapter 57

AN - Only a few more chapters till this book is over, but the next one is churning away in my head, with different ideas all fighting to be written down as soon as I have finished Artair's story!! enjoy, as this is slightly longer than normal as it was only a short update last time!! Az x

Chapter 57

The final length was in sight. The snow was finally melting, the sun was visible in the sky and letting off a little warmth, even if it could not really be felt by those who were under its rays. Though it was a little horrid on those of a fair complexion, which happened to be all of them. For the weak sunshine was causing a redness to the skin that glowed with a healthiness but could be regarded comic on some faces. For Artiar, he found it hilarious, that the already red haired Alfred, had been affected worse, with a large red patch over his nose and cheeks. But he kept his amusment to himself when Alfred or Rohesia was around, for he did not want to put himself any deeper onto the males bad side. Instead he kept a private jest on it with Father Thomas, whereas Rohesia was a different matter. She was glowing with a heat that was showing that her fair complexion really was not meant to be within the sun for a long enough time.

Even with her turning such a vibrant colour, she was still the most beautiful person he had ever seen. However, by laughing at Alfred it would make Rohesia feel selfconcious and he would never allow that to happen. Nor would he allow anyone else to laugh at or make a comment about her. But with Father Thomas, however, he quietly made all the comments he liked about the horrific effect that the sun had had upon his skin.

As the sun pierced down, trying to blind them at the angle they had just turned into, showed that a majority of the snow still survived still. But it was passable. It was not quite as deep, the snow a little less dense, whilst in some places the ice sparked like fire in the sunlight, causing a few hairy moments especially when they neared the rocky area before the pass. It was the sign for Artair to know that he was nearly home. After so long away a longing in his heart kicked up again, a longing he had not felt so keenly for around a year. But it was always there, beating along with his heart. Here he was, almost home, with a woman to call his own, one he knew would be there for him no matter what was said or done. A home that she could call home too, a place where she could feel that she belong, for he belong to her as much as she did to him. Therefore his home was hers.

This caused Artair to have more than a little amount of excitement over seeing his home once more. With a small part of nervousness. For what would he actually do if Rohesia did not like his home? There was little he could do that find someplace else she actually liked, but he could not imagine truly living anywhere else. Panic set in a little, but it mean the prayed more than he had in his life combined that God would grant him one more small boon, that Rohesia like his humble livings enough to want to stay with him.

Percival managed to break through his reverie, as Rohesia sat before him, quietly slumbering with the hood of her cloak pulled as far over as possible, trying to shade her face as much as possible so as not to make the burn any worse than it already was. Personally he thought it made her glow with a beauty and it brought out an army of freckles over the bridge of her nose that he was itching to tease her over. But thought better on it, not knowing how she could react, and they were still in a dangerous habitat. If she went off on her own she could be hurt. Not that he thought that was in her nature, but his biggest fear was he would hurt her in a way he had already silently vowed never to do.

"How fares she?" His nod at his daughter held a reserved air about it, as if he wanted to know so much more than her current state of being. Yet did not know quite what to ask, or how he would be received if he did. "She is well, her sleep is a little fitful at the moment, but I think that has more to do with the jolts and starts of the path we travel more than anything else." Looking solidly into Percival's eyes, he saw the longing in them to be a part of his daughters life once more, Artair could not imagine the pain this man had been through. Not seeing his daughter, yet knowing she would have been undergoing some horrific treatment in the place that she should have been able to call home. Now he had found her again, saving her in a way she still had not been told all of, he was on unsure footing as to how to proceed with the daughter he see himself as failing.