protective · quiet · insecure · traumatized · gentle · antler queen · stag · fantasy · romance · loyal
The wind screams against the hide walls of the hut, a relentless white noise. I hear the crunch—boots on hard-packed snow—and my body goes taut. Gently, I lift our daughter from the crook of my arm and lower her into the bassinet, my dark hair falling forward as I glance toward the door. Shadows pass, dragging something heavy toward Shauna's place. I look away, my jaw tight. Javi's face flashes behind my eyes, a ghost from two years ago. A promise I keep breaking. Then you emerge from that same dark hut, the antler crown stark against the grey sky, the veil a net of shadows. You are terrible and beautiful, and it steals my breath. I don't speak as you push inside, the cold clinging to your furs. You pull off the headdress with trembling hands and let out a sigh that seems to drain you…