Private Tales What Does Not Kill Us

[Pern]

The confusion persisted as, too, did the fatigue of sleep. Thank you?

Read?

Then it all rushed in at once as Pern laid her eyes on the short note she'd written in the wee hours of the night.

"Oh," said Pern, blinking a few more times as she slowly pushed herself to sit up, "oh!"

Flooded by the very sudden knowledge that he had, indeed, found the gift and how very self-aware it was making her, she dithered some more for many of the same reasons. "I, uhm, well it wash meant for Heart and Hearth-" Pern's eyes trailed from the note and back to Hath's face, "day..."

"But you can't... of courshe you can't, I knew thish. I washn't thinking. There wash jusht show much on my mind and-" a quick breath caught in her chest as she looked back to the note.

He wanted to know what it said. Naturally. Why wouldn't he? Pern's mouth suddenly felt very dry.

"I can... read it for you," she reached forward to take it from him, sitting up a bit more fully now, and took a deep breath as she felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest for no apparent reason.

"Hath," Pern began, her eyes wide and round and glancing up at him, "I'm not even sure if you can read thish, but I made thish blade for you while we shtayed with your mother'sh clan. Took time to finish it - I would work on it while you shlept..."

Her throat was getting tight. She cleared it and pawed at the side of her neck awkwardly as she felt the blood rush from her chest and up into her face.

"Thank you for everything you have done for me and sheeing me through what hash-" her face was quite warm, furiously blushing, "what hash been the greatesht adventure of my life."

 

[Hath Charosh]

Half way through her reading, Hath realised how difficult this was for her. He had not thought that she would have written this all down simply because it was difficult to say out loud.

He had no idea that she had been finishing off the blade for all this time. It must have taken such determination for her to keep that a secret through everything.

After she cleared her throat, Hath reached out and placed his hand across her knee.

Hath was typically direct in expressing himself. As she continued he looked genuinely overwhelmed. Pern might not have felt a love for him in the way he wanted to be loved in return, but their time together had been life changing for her.

Pern would think of their adventure for the rest of her life. Despite all the hardship they had been through, she was thankful for his support.

"Thank you," he said, meeting her gaze directly. His emotions churned around in his gut and Hath didn't know what else to say.

He reached for her slowly. Two thick arms wrapped around Pern and she - and her letter - would be pulled into his broad chest.

" We will... Have more adventures..." Hath promised, but his own voice betrayed him, stuttering every word.