I wake, still lying on Anders’ chest. His grip on me loosens but his arms are still around me and I find that he’s still inside me, though it doesn’t feel quite the same. Still, it’s comforting. I try to remove myself from him, but it’s impossible to do without waking him.
He looks up at me through groggy eyes and smiles. “I could stay inside you forever, Ost Minn.”
“We’ll starve if you do that,” I tell him with a small giggle.
He moves his arms, allowing me to climb off him. I throw my dress back over my head and lean down to kiss his forehead. “Go back to sleep. You need your rest.”
He nods and smiles at me weakly, but he rolls onto his side and pulls the blanket over him.
I pull my hair back, secure it with my beloved hairpin, and go to the fire to check on my stew. I h
