Donna Fletcher Short Story Collection Read Free Page B

glowed green and he was made of dirt, a creature of
the earth.”
    Faith stopped cleansing his wounds with the
wet cloth. “This is not good, stubborn husband of mine.”
    Eric grinned. She was even more beautiful
when she got angry, not that she got angry often. She would raise
her soft voice, though truthfully the difference was barely
detectable, and her cheeks would flush, like now, as if the heat
from the hearth had singed them. Then she would say her piece, he
would smile then kiss her and then they would...
    He leaned down and cooled her heated cheek
with his cold one and whispered, “Tonight I make love to you and
nothing on this earth or from the Other World will stop me.”
    She sighed heavily and he knew it signaled
her resignation of the matter, though that did not always settle
it. He eyed her cautiously as she finished cleaning his wound
before applying comfrey paste. He didn’t know much about her
healing herbs, only the ones she used often. She had made it known
to the clan that all wounds were to be treated immediately and no
one had objected. But then no one denied his wife anything and it
wasn’t because he was her husband, it was simply because they loved
and admired her good and generous nature.
    Of course few realized that she possessed a
stubborn streak as mulish as his, at least when it came to
protecting him.
    When she finished she turned a dazzling smile
on him. “Time we make a plan to catch the hobgoblin.”
    “ We can make a plan,” Eric said
standing, “but you will not be accompanying me to see it
done.”
    “We’ll see about that,” she said returning
her healing items to one of many baskets she kept ready throughout
the keep.
    Eric looked to Borg for help in convincing
her, but the mile-wide grin he wore told Eric he’d be of no
help.
    Faith confirmed his suspicion. “Your brother
will not help you with this. Besides Borg fears Other World
creatures whereas I have herbs that offer at least a modicum of
protection from them.”
    Borg nodded. “Faith is right.”
    “Will you never disagree with my wife?” Eric
asked frustrated.
    “I will when she’s wrong,” Borg said, his
grin growing ever wider if that was possible.
    “I will not permit you to go with me,” Eric
ordered his wife with the firmness of a chieftain setting a
decree.
    Faith stepped close to her husband and laid a
firm hand to his chest. “You are my heart. It beats as one with
mine. If anything happens to you, it happens to me. If you die, I
die, though I may still walk this earth, I would be dead without
you.”
    Eric spoke more profoundly with action than
he did with words and so he took hold of his wife and kissed her.
It was a lingering kiss that spoke softly of his love for her
before turning firm to let her feel the power of his love, and that
it was forever, not only here on this earth, but beyond.
    Her head rested to his chest when it ended
and Eric laid his cheek to the top of her head. Their son woke with
a start at that moment and Eric, keeping one arm around his wife,
spread his other arm out to take his son.
    Borg placed the crying babe in Eric’s arm. As
soon as he brought his son to rest to his chest to cuddle with
Faith, the child instantly settled and once again slept.
    Eric kept firm, protective arms around his
family. He would do anything to keep them safe as would Faith. And
he knew there and then she would not let him go after the Hobgoblin
alone.
    “You will follow me even if I order you to
stay,” he said clarifying what he already surmised.
    “I will,” she said in a firm whisper and
looked up at him. “I would follow you to hell and take on the devil
himself to keep you safe.”
    “I have no doubt you would be the victor in a
match with the devil.”
    Faith smiled. “I always am.”
    ~~~
    The clouds had thickened and a fine mist
fell, though no doubt heavier rain would follow. Eric wanted this
over and done before the brewing storm broke. He hadn’t liked
Faith’s suggestion