Tom’s rough baritone shakily hummed into the night, moon beams illuminating the warmth of his breath. Regardless of its scattered pitch, Mary basked in the song her husband sang. Soft depressions formed in the grass as they danced, slowly swaying in circles throughout the clearing. They orchestrated a symphony among the glade, making musicians of the trees, the crickets and the drumming waterfall, while Mary and Thomas Gladring rode the melody of the starlight.
“Not tired yet, Mare?” Tom’s words tickled her ear as they left his smiling lips. His breath came heavy after almost an hour of dancing, but Tom’s days were spent tracking and hunting through the woods, shooting arrows and sharpening blades. He expected his new wife would need to rest far sooner than himself.
“We haven’t been husband and wife for even one full night and already you fear that I’m tired of you?” Mary’s words fought their way out between a mix of laughter and heavy breathing.
“Tired of dancing, woman!” Tom laughed as he brought them to a halt, their labored breathing seeming louder now that the sounds of his singing and the whispers of grass under their shuffling feet had died down. “Although, I give it until tomorrow, maybe, before you do actually tire of your brand new, very needy husband.” Tom removed his hands from around Mary’s waist, separating from her enough to look into her eyes. “I have a healthy pile of dirty clothing I’ve saved just for my wife. And, fear not, it includes underclothes.”
Mary’s expression began to sour as Tom quickly winked and twirled her into a less than graceful spin. The heels of Mary’s soft shoes suddenly found themselves tangled in the long grass, and she pulled Tom into her as she tumbled to the ground. They ended in a smiling, laughing, panting heap, playfully rolling over the grass, ending a few paces closer to the edge of the lake. Mary came to rest on top of him, their noses almost touching, a mischievous smile dominating Tom’s face.
“Promise me something, Thomas.” The look in Mary’s eyes suddenly shifted like the setting of the sun, from a bright and happy day to an uncertain twilight. “Promise me that no matter where life takes us, no matter what sadness or joy, we will always be together in this place. Promise me that we will always know refuge here.” She looked away from him as she spoke, taking in the serenity that surrounded them.
Tom’s brow drew down into a look of mild confusion as he watched her, slowly navigating his reply. “Of course, Mare. We made our vows less than a few hours ago. You think I’ve changed my mind in the span of one evening?” He threw in a half-hearted laugh after he spoke, trying to bring a rise back to her spirits.
Mary was staring so intently at the landscape, moving her eyes from the budding flowers that poked their heads through the grass, up to the shining stars overhead. Tom tried to follow her gaze, tried to see what she saw. He felt more comfort in the forest than anywhere else, but rarely took the time to call it beautiful. But, it was beautiful, and he watched Mary absorb every inch of it. He waited for her to come back to him, for her to shift her attention away from the lake and the flowers and explain what this mood change was all about. She let him wait.
After a few silent moments, Tom stood, his movement finally drawing Mary’s focus back to him. He reached a hand down to her and helped her to her feet. Tom led them only a few steps away, stopping just before the water. With her hand in his, he stooped down and roughly plucked a vibrantly purple flower from the damp soil. Straightening, Tom held the blossom between them by its frayed stem.
“We have made our vows and spoken the words before our loved ones, but I swear to you, our love and our lives will always be as beautiful and perfect as this glade.” The flower blurred in his vision as he looked past it, studying the soft shadows the moonlight cast on her beautiful face. “These flowers, this place…it’s yours, Mare. It’s ours, forever.”
The wetness that began to ring Mary’s eyes twinkled, her lips curling once again into the glorious, gentle smile that Tom loved so much. She bounced on to the tips of her toes, wrapped arms around his neck and brought her lips to his. He promised himself that he would never let that smile leave her face.
Uncertainly Awesome 