I’m stunned. Even my own father and brother never spoke openly with me about my monthly courses. My father wouldsimply send for the healer to tend me when I was in such pain it was difficult to leave my chambers.
I shift slightly on the blankets, uncomfortable and desperate for a warm bath and a change of clothes. “I need to clean up, Auren.”
“Of course,” he replies as he reaches for his cloak, draping it around my shoulders. The heavy fabric is warm and comforting against my skin. “Can you stand?”
I nod, though the cramping has begun to worsen.
He rises first and offers his hand. When I take it, his grip is firm and steady.
We step outside into the pale gray of approaching dawn. The forest is quiet, mist hanging low among the trees. With his hand still in mine, he positions himself slightly ahead of me, scanning the woods for any signs of danger.
When we reach the edge of the riverbank, I study the water warily. "Are you certain there are no Kelpies here?” Now that I know such monsters exist, I’m hesitant to simply walk in. “Won't the blood attract them?"
He whistles, and Vaelen emerges from the shadows. "Dire wolves have highly attuned senses. Vaelen would sense such a predator if one were nearby," Auren reassures me.
The wolf nudges me as if in agreement.
“I’ll remain here, but I’ll stand with my back to you to give you some privacy,” Auren says. “Alright?”
I nod, and he turns away from me. Hesitantly, I remove his cloak and step into the cool, clear stream, water swirling around my legs. Embarrassment is still hot beneath my skin, but the water feels lovely.
When I’m finished, he makes sure to avert his gaze as he wraps me carefully in a thick fur blanket, helping me dry off before he guides me back to our camp.
Without a word, he takes one of his tunics and begins to tear it into strips. “You can use these for the bleeding,” he murmurs.
My heart squeezes at the quiet practicality of his actions, his gaze focused entirely on his work. No one has ever taken care of me like this.
Auren stokes the fire, and the heat chases away some of the night chill as I curl into myself, discomfort blooming again as my cramps return with a vengeance. He kneels before me, his expression soft as he gently tucks a stray tendril of hair behind my ear. "I’ll make you some tea.”
When the tea is ready, he presses the cup into my hands. I sip slowly, warmth spreading through my body, easing some of the ache. He hands me a pair of his pants. They are far too large, so he tears them at the ankles to shorten them and then gives me one of his tunics and a belt.
After I’m finished changing, he instructs Vaelen to remain at my side before he turns back to me. “I’m going to the river to wash your clothing and the bedding. I’ll return shortly.”
Embarrassment scorches through me. “You—you don’t have to do that. I can—”
“I am your husband.” He cups my cheek as his blue eyes stare deep into mine. “Allow me to take care of you.”
My heart squeezes in my chest as I give him a slight nod.
While he’s gone, I curl into a ball beside the fire as the pain tugs sharply at my abdomen. Although the cramps have improved, they’re still agonizing.
Auren kneels beside when he returns. His touch is achingly tender as he brushes the hair back from my face. "I may be able to ease your pain with my magic, if you’ll allow me.”
I nod weakly, desperate for relief. His palm settles on my abdomen. Warmth radiates from his fingers, easing the sharpest edges of the pain.
“Is that better?”
“Yes,” I breathe out a small sigh as some of the ache subsides.
“When we reach my home, I’ll have the royal healer assess you… see what she can do about lessening the pain you experience with your courses. Perhaps she knows of an herb or some sort of potion that might help for next time.”
I frown. “The royal healer treats others besides the king and his family?”
“Yes. She is the most skilled in all the kingdom. The king gave her a place in the castle so she could be available to tend to any who come to her, including the families of those who serve the crown.”
“That’s very kind of him to share his personal healer,” I muse. Back home, the royal healer would tend only to my father, my brother, and me.
Another cramp knots my lower abdomen, and I grit my teeth against the pain. “How far must we go today?”
