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“Tis a thing people in yer time do, they divorce? Tis regular tae dissolve yer unions?”

“No, it’s more common but it’s not regular.”

He looked shocked.

I put my hand over his where it rested on my knee. “It’s not something we will ever do, don’t think about it, we won’t.”

He nodded and looked down on the ground. “I made a vow tae ye, mo leannan, ye ken it. And ye made a vow tae me, ye promised tae love me for all yer days, ye ken tis true.”

I nodded.

He nodded, a look in his eyes like his wheels were turning. Then he shook his head. “I knew I ought tae marry ye in a church. It went against all my inclinations tae do it in yer kitchen.” He chuckled slightly. “Yet ye wanted me tae bed ye, twas hard tae talk sense intae ye.”

I said, haughtily, “There has been an awful lot of talking about how I have no sense. Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Stupid, like witless?”

I nodded.

“Ye arna witless, ye hae plenty of wit, ye just negotiated with the king of Scots and we kept a gun, all our gold, and gained a horse. I daena find yer wit lackin’ at all, Princess, tis yer sense that is at issue.”

I scoffed and batted his shoulder.

He stared quietly, looking off into the trees, while I tried to think of anything to say.

Then Dude bounded back carrying a limp mouse in his mouth. He brought it right between Torin’s feet and spit it out on the ground, like a gift.

Torin was too upset though to really notice. He said, “I beg of ye, please, mo leannan, daena think it of me. I love ye, ye are my wife, I daena regret it.”

“Okay, fine, I am sorry. I’m really sorry, my love — I don’t know, I just… we are new and that was a lot.”

“Aye, we went tae war and negotiated with a king.”

“…and I thought you were going to die, we got into our first fight. I don’t even know what this is…”

“This is where ye are trying tae kill me.”

“Och nae, Albannach, don’t be overdramatic.”

He made his voice higher. “Och, mo leannan, ye called me Albannach, dost ye not love me anymore?”

I said, “Very funny.”

Torin looked down at Dude who had just eaten the tiny mouse whole.

“Och, ye ate it fur and all, Dude? That is disgustin’.” He scooped Dude up and held him in the crook of his arm.

Watching him with our cat melted my heart. “I promise this is different from asking ‘do you still love me,’ which was a mistake and out of nowhere, I get that, but do you forgive me? I truly have been an ass and I would like to know if you forgive me, Torin. Please do.”

“Aye, of course I do, I canna even remember what twas about.”

“That’s nice.”

He cocked his head. “Ye ken that is what this is, we are tied, mo leannan, we canna part from each other, tis for our whole lives. That is the promise ye made. We may argue but ye canna think we are going tae stop being one, ye promised ye were a part of me.”

“I think maybe I got overwhelmed by all of this, I just⁠—”

“Ye grew senseless.”