From The Inside

16

It was a lot later when Ylva reappeared out of the bedroom, Beorn sat at the table minding his own business. He had thought about going in to see her, but he could already tell that wouldn't have achieved anything but annoyance from her. Looking up when hands placed themselves on either side of his face, he sighed. "You're hurt." Ylva said simply while stepping away and taking to finding something to tend to the wound he didn't even know he had.

Returning back, she placed a bowl of water down and dipped a cloth into it before pulling it back out and wringing the water. Leaning down she placed it against his cheek, he hadn't realised that he had been nicked with a blade until she pointed it out to him. Removing the cloth, she folded it carefully and placed it back against him. "Thank you," she said quietly, he raised his eyes up to look at her. Ylva smiled faintly before it dropped and disappeared as she dumped the cloth into the bowl. She flinched slightly when she felt a finger skim across her neck. She was lost in her own thoughts to not register his movements.

"I am not alone," he said slowly while she turned and looked to him.

"The burns will fade within a week. They're not bad. Sure, they look it, but they're not." She reassured him while leaning her forehead against his.

"If you go out, be more on guard."

"I don't think I'm going to be going out any time soon." Ylva replied with a quiet chuckle. "Soon I'll be a recluse."

"It's less dangerous."

"Beorn!" She laughed and moved away from him. "I'm all for being safe. But being bored while being safe? No, thank you." She said while cupping his face again and smiling. He just looked at her with a blank expression. Though his eyes did dim over the sheer resilience he received from her. Rolling her eyes, she put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him gently against the chair, with simplicity she sat on his lap and put her arms around his neck. "If I choose to go out, I will insist on you coming too. We shall go together, agreed?" She whispered while feeling his hands run down her sides and stop on her waist.

"I think I can live with that." He said with a thoughtful nod. Ylva smiled and leaned forwards to press her lips against his. She just didn't expect to have him hold onto her tightly so she couldn't escape his grasp. Not that she wholly wished to. She threaded her hands through his hair as he wrapped his arms around her. Feeling him shift to stand, she wrapped her arms around him again as he simply carried her away from the table. The two weren't exactly ignorant to the fact that their moment was escalating by the second. The only time that the two parted was for her to lay on the bed, but even then she promptly reached up and pulled him down too.

—

Waking up to a dull ache and bleating were certainly an interesting mixture. One could be easily explained away whereas the other couldn't. It did not surprise Ylva one bit to open her eyes and see that she was alone. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, she winced; everywhere ached. With a frown, she pushed her mane of black unruly hair over her shoulder before fully sitting up. Stretching her arms and back she had the satisfaction of popping her joints and instantly feeling a little less achy.

Pushing the cover off of herself she stood on stiff legs and shuffled around towards the door. She plucked a patchwork throw off of the end of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. She could tell even before walking outside, that it was not early morning. More like late morning moving into early afternoon. The warmth of the cover just kept a part of her content and still slightly sleepy.

Reaching the back door, she opened it and double took. "Cow." Ylva's eyes looked to the animal which was grazing around the steps. The grass sprouting here was seemingly tastier than what was actually growing in the meadow. Looking out and around the corner, Ylva's eyes widened, "Sheep?" She looked around truly confused. One cow, four sheep and a roaming goat greeted her fully when she finally left the sanctuary of the house. Tilting her head to the side she watched as a few more sheep appeared and joined the already existing herd, the same went for the lone goat. "What? What?! Sir, you are not meant to be up there." She said while pointing a finger to a goose who had somehow rather contently taken to riding around on the cow's back. The cow didn't seem to care, and the goose was apparently enjoying the free lift around its new surroundings.