Soon

“No,” Fayline gritted her teeth and set her jaw stubbornly. “You are not hunting with a fever. You, are, not!”

“But-“ Lupe started, eyes pleading, gently clasping his wife’s small hands in his larger ones.

“But nothing!” she snarled. He mentally smiled. His Fayline was as feisty as they came and he took pride in her… except when she wanted him to miss the hunt before fall equinox. Every family had a man to represent them at the hunt to honor the gods. How could she even think that he would shirk his duties for a simple fever!

Lupe’s mind wandered, only vaguely sensing Fayline’s longwinded rant forbidding him to go. He knew that she was well aware that there was nothing she could do or say that would hinder him from leaving. She just needed some time to acknowledge that she knew. He sighed, wistfully staring past her words and at her face. He loved her long chestnut brown hair. It fell in waves around her shoulders and back, reaching down to her waist. Normally, she fashioned it in a tasseled braid that she would whip furiously about, but he liked it better as it was now. Natural.

Her eyes were a cool blue, vying with her fiery spirit. Her nose, proud and straight, wasn’t small, but wasn’t as big as his. Silently, he ardently hoped (as he always did when he thought of it) that when they had children, they would have her nose, not his. Her cheeks were rosy, full lips, a dark pink. For a brief moment, he considered trying to shut her up with a kiss or two. He brushed this thought off, not wanting his love to share his illness though they shared everything else. He gave an inward shudder at the idea of his mate feeling pain, suffering- anything untoward happening to her.

Wait, no. He had no sickness! None at all! Lupe wasn’t a pansy man to be coddled and babied over trivialities!

Still… he wouldn’t risk kissing her. Gods knew his little wife was much weaker than he and would more easily succumb to any human disease. He had to stop thinking about it. There was nothing wrong with him! Not in the least!

Unconsciously, he crossed his bare, heavily muscled arms across his chest and drifted. The game was always plentiful this time of year. Lupe mentally went over the list of supplies he would need. It was only two nights in the forest so the mental recitation was short. Tinder box, bow, quiver, knife. What else could he need?

Honestly he didn’t know why Fayline was so worried. There had been times where she didn’t bat an eye to his sojourning in the wild for a week at a time.

Fayline bared her teeth and growled in frustration. Her idiot husband would get himself killed. Yes, she had gone to the women of the tribe and asked them to tell their men to keep an eye on him, but it didn’t matter! What mattered was that she wouldn’t be there to look after him. Gods all knew he needed all the looking after he could get! That reckless man would rage her nerves and be the death of her! She didn’t care that every other family had a man going on this fool hunt. Lupe had a fever and he was not going.

How was she to stay at home and be a good little wife and keep the house when her life partner was at risk? Fayline shuddered convulsively at the horrific pictures already dancing through her mind. There was Lupe running away from an angry bear, or trying to. Red liquid was spreading across his buckskin jerkin by his ribs and he stumbled. The bear was on him, tearing and ripping. There was another vision, this one with him delirious from fever, on his back, staring up at a coyote’s muzzle, not even aware enough to attempt to flee. She shivered and flinched away from these possibilities.

“If it was me wanting to go to a mere dance, you wouldn’t let me if I had so much as a sniffle! I don’t care if everyone else is going. We aren’t five anymore. We aren’t going to go off and use that stupid excuse! You hear me? You’re sick for Cizin’s sake! You’ll stumble around and an animal will eat you up as easily as a babe! Than what will become of me?! How can you stand there like a boulder...” she eyed him up and down. He was like a boulder she thought amused. His arms were crossed, showing off his strength. Her man was one of the brawniest and heartiest men in their tribe. That was one thing she loved about him.

Outwardly, he was like most other men. Proud. And worse, always wanting to prove themselves. Lupe had to be the best at everything. If he was not, the whole subject would be skirted or completely overlooked, if not forgotten. Inwardly, he was like all other men. Soft and gentle as a baby. Of course he only showed that side of him when it suited him. And mostly around her. She still didn’t understand why men were so stupid enough to believe that it was bad to have feelings and show them so openly. But maybe that’s why the creator made women. To make up for men’s lack of mental functions.

Then there was his black hair tied back in a pony tail. Fayline loved to stroke that soft hair while he lay on her lap dozing. There was his dominant nose and mouth always ready for a smile. A very contagious smile, too. His shoulders and chest were wide and showed off his great physical power. He had calloused hands, telling of the hard work he did everyday. And it was all for her. She was lucky to have such a man as he. Lucky that he loved her. Lucky that they had met at the gathering of the five tribes in the east coast at summer solstice six years ago. Lucky that their parents approved of the union and lucky that they had worked out so well.

She shredded those positive thoughts contemptuously and returned to her earlier ponderings. ‘Looks like a boulder and thinks like one too!’

Her thoughts snapped back to her errant husband’s harebrained notions of going out in the cooling air to indulge in some stupid attempt to prove himself as a man. How many times does one have to do so until they finally convince themselves it’s enough?! ‘He’s hard headed enough to be a rock!’ She admired his stubbornness- that is, as long as it went along with what she wanted.

Abruptly she realized that she had stopped talking and also that he wasn’t listening to her- seeing as he hadn’t even noticed. That man-

“Lupe!” she snapped sharply, cutting through his inattention, “Are you even listening?!” she all but shrieked.

“No.” he replied calmly.

She hated that calm, resolute tone. Hated it with every fiber of her being.

Suddenly tears welled up. Fayline knew he had to go. The gods had ordained it. She was just miffed that he wanted to. He knew that she knew it as well as he did. Lupe knew her. He was simply waiting for her to scream out her fears in a semblance of anger then fall prey to tears as she was prone to do. Well, she would show him! She wasn’t going to cry! She would stand her ground. Akna help her!

Fayline swallowed her tears (she could always weep later- when he was gone), but a dejected sigh did rush out.

Lupe, recognizing that reluctant acceptance in her eyes and posture gently embraced her.

“I will be careful.” he whispered reassuringly in her ear.

She clutched at him, “If you die out there,” her voice hitched, but she went on, “I’ll kill you.”

He ignored the threat and drank in the picture of beauty in his arms with his eyes. There was deep rotted concern in those blue orbs. A worried crease was fixed on her forehead. He traced it with a finger, trying to will it away and said, “Fayline. Fay, my dearest, it is two nights. I will be fine.”

She buried her face in his burly chest and mumbled, “I know.” Fervently she wished she did know.

Kissing the top of her head, he hugged her tightly. They stood there, content to remain in each other’s arms forever. However, after a minute or two, he softly extracted himself from her arms. “You know I have to go, sweet thing,” he intoned, a bit of reluctance sneaking into his own voice.

Fayline’s lower lip curled into her mouth. Biting down hard, she grabbed his shirt front. “You listen to me well and hard, Lupe. Be careful out there.” Softer she continued, “Come back to me quickly, my love.” Rising to her toes, she entwined her fingers behind his neck and pulled herself up for a kiss.

Forgetting about his earlier doubts, he kissed her, holding her tenderly once again. Her lips were warm, her body pressed up against his invitingly. It was almost enough to keep him home.

He picked his little woman up so as not to strain his neck and back bending down to meet her short stature. Their kisses became more passionate and he found himself…

This would not do. The men of the tribe were waiting for him. He had to go now!

Breathless, he disengaged and set her down on the floor right in time to a knock on the door.

It went ignored.

Fayline’s cheeks were flushed and she looked a little dizzy, but he didn’t miss that shadow behind her eyes. A few kisses weren’t enough to dispel her worry over him, he knew that, but he had hoped... He gave her one last, sweet fleeting kiss.

“Soon.”

With that one, final word, he turned away and walked out the door.

Fayline stood transfixed, staring at the tiny grains of oak on door of their cabin. Their cabin. Lupe had built it during their long months of betrothal with his own two hands and alone. It had taken months. She had tried to help, but he would only shake his head and say, “I’ll build it for us, you take care of it for us.” When it was finished, that’s what she had done. She knew every inch of the small, two room house. After all, she had cleaned and maintained it, telling him if anything had to be fixed. It was very small compared to some of the other dwellings around them, yet it was home. Their home. Fayline and Lupe’s. If anything happened to him… A tear trickled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

What was she doing? Her husband was strong. The strongest. She had faith in him. She had to have faith in him. Glancing about, Fayline made a rapid resolution. She would believe in her man, in her love, and await him patiently at home. When he returned, she would hear his fanciful tales of the hunt and serve him dinner, and put him to bed. She would take care of him as she always did, as she always wanted to.

An echo of his confidence creeping into her own voice, she whispered, “Soon.”