“Are you feeling better my love?” he asked.
Aileana looked into his eyes; he had cared for her tirelessly these past months. He loved her so much.
She had no memory of anything before the accident. Gawain had told her of their courtship and how, because of her uncle’s greed, she was to be married off to a vicious chief. He said their love for one another prompted them to run away and live here in the forest, far away from her uncle’s clutches.
“I’m well. Thank you.”
She sat up to see if the throbbing had passed. It had. Gawain watched her before moving away to the table to continue going through some papers he had stacked there.
“I wonder—”
“Aileana, I’ve told you it’s not safe for you to go back there.” He cut her off like so many times before. “I know you want to remember, but I fear, even if we were careful, someone would recognize us and you would be forced into the hands of that beast. I simply couldn’t bear the thought of him touching you.”
The more she recovered, the more determined she was to return to her home and her uncle to gain back her memory. Gawain was ever patient, yet deterred her from it every time.
“I know, I know. I just can’t help but think there must be a better way for you to live than stuck here with me all the time. You must love me a great deal to give up all your wealth to live here with me living on so little.”
Gawain gave her his best attempt at a smile.
“My dearest, I couldn’t imagine anywhere else I would rather be than here with you. Please don’t distress yourself as I’m truly content.” Gawain moved toward her and patted the top of her head. “I need to replenish our stores. Rest up. We can gather more fruit tomorrow.” He gave her one last smile and left the cottage.
Nothing was too much for him. She drew the thick patchwork quilt up to her chin. Her anxiety must be due to her loss of memory and nothing more, for if something were wrong, Gawain would come and discuss it with her and they would work it out together.
She thought of how strained his face looked when his smiled. Damn her uncle for beating him so savagely and fracturing his jaw. He’d endured much and the last thing he needed was her nagging at him.
She took in her surroundings. Their home was small, everything contained in one room with a privy outside behind the weathered structure. It wasn’t much, but she tried to improve the gloomy space by adding fresh flowers as often as possible. He must find it hard to cope with his change in fortune so she tried her best to keep him happy. On one point she would be forever guilty. Aileana was incapable of intimacy with him and feared something from the accident had changed in her. He said they had their whole lives to wait and that she should be sure before they were intimate again. Still, it was unfair to him.
A bairn grew in her womb, so it was obvious they’d mated, but she couldn’t for the life of her imagine being with him in that way. Though there was no doubt of his kind nature, she questioned her attraction to him. Oddly enough, she couldn’t justify her aversion either. Soon, she would see the deed done. He deserved better than that from her.
The sunset cast a red hue inside the small cottage. The light danced on the walls while she settled down to rest up some more. He was right, she could collect fruit tomorrow. Perhaps she would give him more than a pie for dessert. An odd unease crept over her at the thought. She shook it away.
As she drew the quilts around her, all noise passed out of her consciousness except for the babbling stream running behind the cottage. She focused on it and fell into a deep sleep.
Aileana strolled through a meadow coloured by splashes of heather and bluebells. The warm air enveloped her, spreading happiness through her. She heard peals of laughter behind her and turned to see a beautiful little girl running from a handsome man. They were like nothing she had seen before—so perfect.
They ran toward her, laughing, and calling her name. The wee lass’s giggle sounded like perfect ringing bells. Her golden hair fell to her waist and danced all around like imaginary playmates.
When they reached Aileana, the little girl jumped into her arms and they swung round and round. She put the little beauty down just as the man pulled her against his hard chest and gave her the most passionate kiss. They joined hands with the little girl and walked together down a stone path toward a beautiful castle surrounded by the loveliest flowers.
The three walked and laughed together as the sky grew gloomy and thunder rumbled in the distance. They ran hard toward the castle, but couldn’t get closer. Before long, a downpour caused her grip to loosen on the little girl’s hand. Aileana blinked away heavy raindrops, but lost sight of the man and the girl and ran alone. She searched through the driving rain, but couldn’t find them anywhere.