The fault is not yours...

Kiril kisses her back fervently for a good two minutes before loosening the embrace, and pulling his head back enough to say, "Spring, remember I am faster than you, You were never in any danger. I wouldn't allow them to harm you, but I will say you're a fast learner, but why did you run? Wait, you think I would fault you? No my Love. You were duped, lied to, tricked. I do not blame you, and it's in the past anyway. If you put your trust in me, I will not betray it. I would rather my own life end than that. Look at me. Really look at me, and sense the truth of this."

Tthen Kiril pulls her close, and with a steady, yet gentle strength, she feels herself lifted off her feet until her head is on level with his. His smile is full of love, eyes warm and tender. He holds her up, seemingly without any strain.

Spring realizes that he might as well be made of steel for all the give his body has, yet he is also warm and soft. What a strange dichotomy.

"Spring, if your brothers," making the word sound like a curse, "were here, they would be dead men, for what they did to you, but the fault is not yours. Please do not think that I think poorly of you for it. I don't. That I swear by any God you choose. By all the Gods, I swear this!"

She can tell he means it. Here is a man that will not play her false, ever!

Then with a devilish grin, he adroitly flips her effortlessly into the air, catching her up in his arms, and then he is off, running with her across the sands.

And he is fast. Even carrying her, he is fast. In no time they are back to where she ran from. Holding her still, though he is breathing harder than before, she realizes that he has a seemingly bottomless strength, she also realizes that he is looking intently, deeply, into her eyes.

Then, he says, "A'maelamin  (My Beloved), Antan órenyá tyenna (I give you my heart)."

And then he kisses her, still holding her in his arms, as if she were the most precious item in the world.

o0o