26 Saun 716
They stopped at the end of the road and Malcolm got down from his horse, handing the reins over to Godric, who was happy to tow the animal back to Lysoria. "You sure you don't mind?" "Malcolm, it's fine, go say hello to your old friend, I'll stop for a drink at the tavern and meet you back here later."
The knight nodded and stepped through the gate that led up to the small cottage beside the lake, and as he turned back to thank his comrade, Godric was already disappearing down the road.
There was light beyond the door, it glowed below the ends of the curtains used to dressed the windows, and lit up the crack below the base of the door. He had opened this door a thousand times before, yet as he balled his fist, ready to knock, hesitation struck. How many years had it been? How many times had be promised to return in letters and failed to come back? Malcolm emptied his lungs silently, and with the gesture, cast out his doubt.
Knock, knock, knock.
Now his heart was pounding, he didn't know where to look, and nerves saw his fingers stitched together behind his back. Night had fallen and the closed flower petals had forgotten the last of the sun's rays. The lakeside played host to a symphony of small tree frogs, and crickets, their song echoing all around him. The door opened following a drumming of light footfalls, and Malcolm glanced up from his feet to look at the woman who stood beyond the wooden divide. He let his hands fall at his sides and rocked back on his feet.
The two of them stared at each other for a spell before Avari finally opened her mouth to speak, only for the words to escape her. Slender fingers tightened against the bronze knob, the door creaked, and the flesh around the woman's knuckles lightened a shade or two. As she looked up into familiar green eyes, Avari shook with disbelief, eyes watering as the tip of her nose took on a rosy hue under the pressure of as hand raised to mask her shock. Malcolm blinked away the burning sensation that spread up through his nose to fan out under his eyes, and combed his hair back from his face, ready to say something. Avari sprung forwards then, throwing her arms around the man while his guard was down, and slowly, he lowered the raised limb to close it around her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her right check pressed to his chest.
Malcolm lifted his free hand to stroke the woman's hair. "It's okay."
"Are you real?" She spluttered, not sure if she should laugh or cry.
The knight's made an amused sound and tightened his arms around the woman. "I'm real, I'm here," he cooed.
