The Bridge and Rabbit (Patreon)

It would be an overstatement to say 'I'm back!' but I have been to the doctor and I am on the mend.

In celebration, please enjoy this Fantasy Heroine snippet from after the wedding. (Names may be subject to change but I have a theme going so work with me :D)

*

Mother Marian declined their kind invitation to the Bridge and Rabbit for the celebrations, but Gretel carefully adjusted her iron-grey bun and declared herself in urgent need of a sherry. She and Robin followed the newlyweds outside, and then, arm-in-arm and swapping stories about their families, the witnesses started down the street.

The newly married couple began to walk after them, side by side but not touching.

Rosamund drew a breath. Better to get the awkward conversations out of the way now.

‘I know it’s not the done thing for newlyweds to discuss,’ she began, ‘but if you absolutely can’t bear to be married to me, you can just divorce me as soon as Edmund comes of age. I won’t fight you.’ She tried to smile.

Leo didn’t answer for a moment. ‘Why wouldn’t you just divorce me when Edmund comes of age?’

Rosamund blinked, confused. ‘But I...I just made you a promise...I wouldn’t...I-’

‘So,’ Leo continued, and Rosamund wondered if he was angry, ‘you intended to keep your wedding vows but didn’t expect me to keep mine?’

She bridled, glaring at him. ‘I didn’t mean it like that, I...’ she bit the words off, and drew a hard breath. 

No. No no no. This was not the time to start a fight. She needed Leo to get her home, it was imperative that they didn’t get into an argument right now. ‘I’m sorry.’ She drew another deep breath. ‘I really appreciate you doing this for me, and...’ she looked up into his face, ‘I don’t want to be a burden to you.’ He frowned more deeply, and opened his mouth-

‘WHO WANTS A DRINK TO CELEBRATE THE HAPPY COUPLE?’ Robin yelled into the tavern, and Rosamund pulled her veil back over her face with a heavy sigh.

‘We should...I’m sorry, we should probably...’ Rosamund smiled, embarrassed, ‘act a little more like traditional newlyweds? Behold your wife, Rosy Collins, definitely not in any way similar to Lady Rosamund Hawkhurst.’

‘Of course, my...Mrs Collins.’ He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he was a different person. His eyes were fond and playful and excited, his whole manner solicitous, and Rosamund let herself be swept along in the emotions, smiling and taking his arm, swallowing down a pang of heartache.

Maybe it wasn’t real, but it could be. And for the sake of her children, right now she would make herself believe it.

After all, people fell in love every day, didn’t they?

He jumped a little as their bodies made contact, and she chided him fondly, as a new wife might. ‘You mustn’t be afraid to touch me, Captain Collins,’ she murmured playfully, tapping him on the end of the nose with her free hand, ‘or I might think you don’t want to.’

He caught her hand as it dropped away from his face, and kissed it for the second time that day. But this time, he didn’t let go.

The door burst open, and Robin, together with half a dozen patrons of the Bridge and Rabbit tavern, witnessed Captain and Mrs. Collins in tableau; him kissing her hand, her blushing behind her veil.

‘I thought they’d never get here, they were so busy mooning over each other!’ Robin shouted, and everyone laughed. ‘Come on, Rosy Collins, you need something to eat!’

‘Keep your strength up for tonight!’ cackled a woman walking past, and Rosamund blushed again. Robin couldn’t have asked for better acting, she thought absently, and let herself be led inside.

She and Leo were presented with a trencher of bread to share, and shoved onto a curved bench that put them elbow to elbow. She started to pick at it, mindful that she really did need to keep up her strength, if not for the reasons previously mentioned.

And she was definitely not thinking about those right now. It was just the sleep deprivation. That was all.

After a moment, she felt Leo’s hand on hers, his thumb stroking her palm. She tried to relax.

‘I would guess,’ Leo murmured, as Rosamund attempted to navigate eating in a veil, ‘that we need to stay for at least three rounds of drinks before we can go.’

Rosamund tried not to groan. ‘All right.’

‘Maybe you should pretend to fall asleep,’ he continued. ‘The guards will be less likely to question you if I show up with a bunch of rowdy drunks trying to shush each other so you don’t wake up.’ His thumb was still stroking her palm, and she shivered in spite of herself.

‘Are you cold?’ She shook her head.

‘No. Just...tired, I think.’ She covered their joined hands with her free one. ‘Ca-Leo, I mean...thank you.’ He shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable.

‘We need to get you home, my Lady. This seems like the best way to do it.’

‘I still appreciate it.’

He smiled, looking for all the world like a lovestruck groom, and Rosamund closed her eyes against another pang of loss.

‘Finish your food,’ he said softly, ‘and that’s an order. Then you can pretend to fall asleep on me, and perhaps we can get out of here quicker.’

‘An order, Captain?’

‘If it makes you eat faster, consider it more of a...suggestion.’ They smiled at each other again, and it was probably the haze of perpetual exhaustion that was giving her the warm fuzzy feeling. But it was nice, nonetheless.

It took her some time to eat her fill, but when she was finished Rosamund sighed in a way that wasn’t feigned at all and leaned on her new husband, closing her eyes.

It was some time later when she felt warm breath on her cheek as Leo ‘attempted’ to wake her by saying, ‘Mrs Collins?’ in her ear. Rosamund felt air as a hand was waved in front of her face. There followed a loud discussion of how worn out she was by the events of the day, and then a certain amount of speculation about whether she would be too worn out for the events of the night. She heard the swish of wool as he put his cloak on, and her stomach lurched as she was hoisted into his arms. He carried her bridal style to the waiting horse, where she was unceremoniously slung into the saddle.

‘I mean you’re so close together in the saddle that you’re practically sitting in his lap.’ said Caroline, who had been oddly silent during the entire performance.

‘Fascinating.’ Rosamund mumbled.