The days grew shorter and the sun was soon to set. The brisk autumn air cut right to the bone and the fields were colored with yellows and browns. A stout youth swung his axe down and cut the last of his logs in two and scooped up an armful in either hand as he made his way inside a humble little home. He carried the logs to the fireplace and began striking a flame when a silky voice called out to him.
"Tsk, tsk, you are absolutely filthy, Warin."
Warin Eyvindr shifted his gaze upwards towards a woman with dark black hair and striking violet eyes. Her lips were turned up amorously and her brow was raised inquisitively. Every time he gazed upon her, Warin somehow always forgot how to blink.
"It could be worse," he shrugged, stoking the sparks of flame that burst to life. "What about the kids, Atrina?"
"They've been outside playing in the dirt," Atrina said, disgruntled. "At least you won't have to worry about tilling the fields."
Warin smiled. "Ah, so that's the source of all that screaming and shrieking I was hearing. I thought it might have been a banshee."
"If only." Atrina's footsteps echoed loudly on the wood floor as she made her way to the foyer. She called back, "The mail came in today."
"Anything interesting?" Warin asked, shifting the log with a poker to give it more air.
"Warin, you have post from your... sister?" Atrina asked incredulously. She scrutinized the envelope front to back. "You never told me you had a sister."
"Sisters," Warin clarified as he continued to feed the fire with another log. He brushed the sawdust off his hands and wiped his brow. A pregnant pause filled the air before he added, "I've never even met half of them. Who's it from?"
"Umm... Ezra? The seal is marked urgent," Atrina added.
"Let me see," Warin said, outstretching his hand for the letter. Atrina raised an eyebrow but gradually relinquished the envelope to him. He gave it a quick glance, just long enough to recognize the name, and tossed it into the kindling flames.
Atrina sighed. "Damn. I should've snooped if I knew you were going to tease me."
"They weren't much of a family before; they don't get to come in and try to be one now." Warin stood with his hands on hips and shifted his gaze out the dining room window. The late afternoon sun created a canvas of pink, yellow, and blue in the sky and the wind rustled throughout the grain crops and kitchen curtains. Warin's eyes traveled to the two armchairs sitting near the foyer, which opened up beneath a small staircase that lead to the bedrooms upon the second floor. Then, he observed the long wooden table surrounded by six weathered dining chairs as they sat opposite the cooking area.
Warin returned his gaze back towards Atrina and felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. "I want to be there and provide for my family. That's all I could ever ask for."
Atrina smiled in return. "I beg to differ; there is plenty you ask for when we're in bed together."
Warin rolled his eyes and let out a chuckle. "Yes, well, as of late it's mostly been 'could you please get the children to sleep in their own beds?'"
Just then, the back door swung open followed by an explosion of shrieking, child-like laughter. A little girl hurled herself at her father, wrapping her arms around his legs and giggling. Warin laughed out a breath and pried the child's hands loose as he kneeled down to her level. Her raven black hair was caked with dirt and her auburn eyes stood out amongst a mask of mud.
"Well, well... and who's this little goblin?" Warin teased, his hands on either of the little girl's arms. "Did you claw your way out of the corn fields, Little Goblin?"
"It's me, Daddy!" the child giggled with the hugest smile on her face.
"Who's 'me'?"
"Nimmie!"
"Oh, Nimueh! I hardly recognized you," laughed Warin.
"Giving your brothers a hard time, are you?" Atrina chimed, her arms crossed and her brow drawn coyly.
"Hehe, maybe..." Nimueh replied as she bit her lower lip.
"Just because it's your birthday, Nimmie, doesn't mean you can torture your siblings," Warin lectured.
"Hush, dear, torturing the people you love is the whole point of birthdays," Atrina countered. "I'm sure your father will agree, Nimueh," she added followed by a wink.
Warin averted his gaze and tilted his head to the side as he fought back a smirk. With a light shake of his head, he returned his attention back to his daughter as he asked, "I trust you've kept that doll your mother and I made in a safe place?"
"Yea, it's in my room," Nimueh confirmed and nodded. "I put it under my pillow. I made sure the others didn't see so they wouldn't find it and play with it."
"Well, I'll tell you what," her father said. "If you can clean yourself up really fast, mommy and I will let you play with your present before dinner tonight, alright?"
"Okay!" Nimueh exclaimed and raced out the door as quickly as she could.
Warin ascended to his feet and his eyes were immediately set on Atrina. She gave him a cocky half-smile as he walked up to her. His hands rested lightly on her hips while she placed her hands gently on his shoulders. Their foreheads touched, their breaths mingled, and both of their eyes met half-lidded.
"You're impossible sometimes, you know that?" Warin exhaled.
"What do you mean 'sometimes'?" Atrina reproached, her eyebrow arched and her lips forming into a small smile.
Warin chuckled and leaned in until their lips closed the distance. She wasn't receptive at first, she never was, but she warmed up almost instantly. Her hands moved to his neck and she slowly arched her back. His own grip tugged her hips snugly against him and his lips fully consumed the taste of Atrina.
He broke away, his breathing labored, and he gasped softly, "I love you."
Atrina hummed accordingly. "I know... what's not to love?"
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