Chapter 23

 

Sabina felt the bed shift and heard Rohan cross the room, heading in the direction of the bathroom. She turned over to look at the clock and saw that dawn was just upon them. Pulling the covers aside, she slowly left the warmth of the bed and padded towards her husband.

He was just coming back as Sabina entered the bathroom and he playfully swept her up in his arms.

“Where are you going?” he growled teasingly, lifting her higher so he could kiss her lips.

“The same place you are returning from,” she played back, snuggling her nose into his neck.

He set her back on her feet then, and told her he would see her in a minute. Sabina chuckled over his words as she took several minutes to refresh herself. She stepped over to the large window, set in the bathroom’s outermost wall, once her hands and face were washed. She rested her arms on the windowsill, folding them one over the other, and then leaned forward to settle her chin on her stacked hands.

Her eyes roamed over the back of the estate she had always called home, looking first at the gardens, then to the vineyards, and finally to the mountains and valleys beyond. Sabina silently thought of how different her life was in that one moment, than it had been just a week earlier, and felt a smile settle gently across her lips. There was so much to be thankful for, and she was just beginning to see the possibilities.

Sabina felt Rohan’s aura as he returned to the bathroom, and her smile grew as he bent and encircled her body with his arms. He rested his head beside hers and drew in a deep, contented breath.

“What are you doing?” he whispered, kissing her ear lightly.

“Thinking,” she said softly.

“About?” he played, sweeping her hair to the side to reach her neck a bit better.

“Our new life together, and our home. I have looked out over this landscape for hundreds and hundreds of years, Rohan, and I have never felt so much promise or hope in this place and in my heart, ever before. I think I just realized that it never felt like home in the way that it does right now, though I thought it did,” she said, sighing lightly as he continued to explore and tease her neck and shoulder with his lips.

“Hmmm, and you see it differently this morning?” he asked, moving his hands to the flat of her stomach and letting his aura warm her.

“So differently. I always took refuge here, and I think, if I am really honest, I was hiding. I had my things around me, but they did not fill my heart. I was fooling myself for so long that I was whole. Sure, I played in the dirt in my garden and helped to bring in the harvest from the vines, but I never really had another to share it all with. Not until this moment,” Sabina admitted, sniffling slightly.

“No, liebling, don’t cry,” Rohan intoned, and turned her gently in his arms, settling her against his heart. “I am going nowhere, and you never have to do this alone again, I swear. Hey, look at me.”

Rohan tucked his fingers under her chin and guided her eyes up to meet his. He shook his head slightly and winked at her, while he slowly caressed her face.

“My beautiful, sentimental wife.” He smiled, watching her eyes soften a bit at his words and his touch. “There is no hiding for either of us, anymore. And whether we’re here, Africa, or some small village in an impoverished nation, you and I will always be at home. You’re my home, Sabina, and I’m yours,” he vowed, leaning in to gently touch his lips to hers.

When Rohan lifted his head, Sabina could see such a look of devilment in his eyes, that she pressed her lips together to hide her wide smile in anticipation of what he might say.

“But if you were to really force the truth out of me, I love that I’ll be able to tell people I have a wealthy older wife who just moved me into her Italian estate,” he laughed, watching her eyes narrow.

“You scoundrel!” she gasped, trying to free her arms so she could swat him, yet she was also laughing with him as she attempted to look stern.

Full scale laughter bellowed from his lungs as he lifted her in his arms again. Rohan turned with her against his chest and made his way back to the bed, placing Sabina at its center. He immediately stretched out and gathered her in his arms, still keeping her near his heart.

“You know I’m only teasing you, don’t you?” he chuckled, running his palms up and down her back. “You look younger than me, so no one would believe me, even if I did utter such a ridiculous statement.”

“But I won’t,” Rohan said a bit more seriously, leaning away and looking directly into her eyes. “I will never say anything to embarrass you or cause you unease in front of the others, Sabina. I will protect you and safeguard you in all ways, including your feelings. I’ll only play with you like this when we’re alone.”

“Rohan, I know that you would never hurt me, in any way. But I do so love this playful side of you, and I expect you to always let your guard down with me. Always, darling.” She nodded and saw him nod in return.

“And since I am thinking about home this morning, I have something I want to give you,” Sabina smiled, and then worked her way out of his hold briefly.

She rolled away to lift a small wooden box off of her bedside table and then crawled back in his direction. Sabina read the look on his face clearly as his eyes roamed over her unclothed body. She chuckled, smoothing her hand through his hair, finding that she was already comfortable under his gaze.

“What is this?” he asked softly, sitting up a little more on the bed.

“This is my gift to you, Rohan. Will you open it, and then let me tell you a story?” she asked, still caressing his hair and face with her aura and palm.

“Of course,” he said tenderly. Rohan pulled the single, thin strip of rose-colored ribbon free, which she had tied around the package, and then slowly lifted the top of the hand-carved box. Inside, he found a piece of pink satin with something hard hidden inside it.

Rohan propped his body up on his right elbow and began to unroll the fabric on the bed, until he found a very old, gold-toned key within. It was much larger than most standard keys used for door locks or vehicles, and it had an intricate design at the head that formed three distinct loops, almost as if they were flower petals just unfurling in his hand. He held the key in his palm, feeling the soft, worn contours of the metal, then he looked up into her eyes.

“This key was first given to my mother, Delicia, by my father on their wedding day. When Selaphiel first met and then courted my mother, he promised her father that she would always have a home. That she would be loved and well cared for, throughout all her days and nights. He vowed to never leave her, never put her to the side, and never to betray her. In the society that led to what people now call ancient Rome, that was a grand promise to make,” Sabina smiled wistfully, and touched the key in his hand.

“But my mother was different from most born in that age. She already secretly believed that there was more to the world and the stars she saw at night, than just the frivolous and petty gods she had been taught to worship as a child. Night after night, Delicia would sit in the courtyard of her family’s villa, which lay outside of Rome in the countryside, and she would look up and ponder those stars. She told me later, when I was an adolescent, that she always wondered who her true maker was, and that she had asked Him many times to please show Himself to her.”

“One night, as she was sitting and dreaming of such matters, which she never spoke aloud to her family, a man came to their home and asked if he might seek lodging there for a brief time. He said he was traveling to his villa from Rome, and was willing to pay handsomely for a safe place where he could rest his head. That visitor was my father, and from that day until the day Selaphiel carried my mother to her new home, he courted her and told her of the one true God that her heart had always sought,” Sabina recounted, feeling slight tears gather in her eyes as she remembered the two of them together.

“When they did marry, he took her to a villa which stood near the place where my home, and now our home, stands today. It was much, much smaller, but beautiful all the same. Selaphiel presented her with this key, telling her that the design would always remind her of the Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit which would one day come to pass. And he pledged to her that she would never know loneliness, sorrow, or heartache within their marriage.”

“Selaphiel was true to his word, for Delicia was always his love, his partner, and his best friend while he walked this earth for a time. They were the best of parents too, showing me what home was really supposed to feel like. When my mother passed over to the Lord, my father gave this key to me. He fashioned the lock on the front of my villa to open only to this key, and he gave me the same promise. That I would always have a home, and that I would always have his love.”

“For me, Rohan, this key represents everlasting and unending love, the kind of love that can see two people through a lifetime and beyond. It represents home, hearth, and the security that comes from knowing you are not alone in this world. I have never gifted it to another, because the previous two souls I shared my days and nights with wanted their homes to be mine. They wanted their own traditions and customs to lead our marriages, and so I held my home, my hearth, and my key to myself,” she said, crying a little bit more as she spoke.

“When I agreed at Aeoferth to be your wife, I knew in that moment, with a clarity I had never really allowed myself to focus on, that I had held this key because I knew I would lose the others so soon and I would still be here, alone. But I have finally faced my fears, my insecurities, and my worry, and found that it was all for naught. There was another this whole time, right before me, who wanted and needed what I had to offer. You want my heart, my days, my nights, and me – all of me – and so I am finally at home and at peace.”

“So, as simple an object as it may look, I give you this key. And I give you the same pledge that my father gave my mother thousands of years ago: Rohan, you will be loved and well cared for, throughout all your days and nights. I vow to never leave you, never put you to the side, and never betray you. I give you my heart, which is my true home and now yours,” Sabina smiled, trying to see him through the cloud of tears that obscured her view.

She heard him pull a tissue from the box on his bedside table, and then he moved closer to her, cleaning her face with the lightest of touches. Sabina chuckled despite herself, and blinked as she cleared her vision. She lifted a hand and caressed his palm while he tended her.

Rohan pulled her down so that she was stretched out on her side, facing him, and she saw that his eyes looked just as moist as hers. He took an extra minute to trail his fingers across her face and breathe through his emotion before he tried to speak to her. Finally, he softly cleared his throat and leaned in a little closer.

“Sabina, I will accept this key with open arms and an open heart. I accept your offering of home, hearth, and unending love. I accept you just as you are, and I accept your gift of your heart, mind, soul, and body, which you have shared with me without reservation or hesitation since you pledged to be my wife,” he said solemnly, smiling so tenderly at her.

“I…” He broke off for a moment and shook his head slightly.

Sabina furrowed her brow as she saw him struggling, and she moved closer, settling her palm on Rohan’s cheek and kissing his lips lightly. They remained in one another’s embrace until she could feel the turbulence in his aura begin to subside. But she held to him, sending her love and devotion through her aura, until he leaned back a bit to look into her eyes.

“I am not as eloquent or poetic as you, liebling, but I also have a gift for you,” Rohan said, leaning away to retrieve a rectangular wrapped box from his bedside table, and placing it on the bed in the small space between their bodies. He chuckled at himself slightly, and she smiled as she watched his face and eyes closely.

“Gaius asked me, while we were in Rome to retrieve all the flowers you ordered, if I had considered giving you a wedding gift. And I had to admit to him, that I had not. I felt very lost in that moment, because I wondered again if I would be the kind of man you needed to care for you in the way in which you deserve.” Rohan watched Sabina shake her head in denial as he cupped her face, gently trailing his thumb across her skin.

“He and I broke away from the others for a while, and we talked about what I might gift you with that would be appropriate. And in all the things we saw, nothing moved me at all. You already had enough of what I saw around me. So he asked what might symbolize you and me, and the change that came about, when I finally woke up and realized what I might have lost a week ago. And I knew then, that there was only one thing that I truly had to offer you that you did not already have, and that you greatly wanted,” he said, lifting the box and placing it in her hand.

Sabina watched his eyes carefully for a moment, then she lowered her gaze to the package. She knew from the shape that it contained a piece of jewelry, most likely a bracelet or necklace. Slowly, she sat up a little, tucking her legs under her body. Her fingers slid under the edge of the paper, and she unwrapped Rohan’s gift to see Cartier’s familiar emblem.

Her brow furrowed slightly as she slipped the top of the box off, then she gasped as she beheld what was inside. Her eyes immediately traveled back to Rohan’s and she saw the love and honesty radiating there for her. Sabina lifted a hand and cupped his face again, trailing her fingers over his skin.

“Sabina, just as your key represents what you are gifting me with in this marriage, so too does this bracelet symbolize what I am offering you. I don’t have a grand estate, any vehicles that I call just mine, or even one horse that I claim as my own. But what I do have is my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul. I give all that I have, and all that I will ever have, to you, my love.”

“When you wear this, I hope that the pink diamond charm in the shape of the heart will remind you that I gave you all I had, and that I will continue to do so until we no longer draw breath. I love you, Sabina, with all of my heart and for all of my days,” Rohan said tenderly, leaning into her palm.

“Oh, Rohan,” she breathed, bending slightly and touching her lips to his.

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her a little closer. Somehow, Sabina managed to place the box at her side so she could completely lean into his hold. She rested her hands on his chest, just as Rohan lifted her and settled her atop his body.

She chuckled before she could stop herself, and heard him begin to laugh with her as his palms started making slow, sweeping trails across her back. Her hands cupped his face and she kissed him deeply, letting her aura surge of its own accord. Rohan groaned loudly when her power touched his very heart and Sabina laughed a little louder, feeling his touch become a bit more concentrated.

As they let their hearts and bodies lead them, both whispered their love and thankfulness for the other in their life. When they slowly become one, Sabina lifted her head to stare into Rohan’s eyes. He cupped her face with his palms, not taking his eyes from hers. And he watched as her tears formed, all while her passion and desire steadily grew from their embrace.

“Let go, liebling,” he finally whispered, and smiled in wonder as she truly gave him all she had.

Her surrender called to his and he completely gave himself over in a way he never had before, feeling his aura combine with hers forcefully. Their bedroom briefly lit up from the power surging throughout the space, and Sabina gasped. Rohan moved a hand back to her face, holding and supporting her as she yielded again. He pulled her lips back to his, and slowly savored Sabina while they tried to calm the power still undulating around their bodies and the room.

When at last Sabina lowered her head to his chest, she settled herself under his chin and closed her eyes. She could feel Rohan’s arms possessively wrapped around her, as if he could not bear the thought of her moving even an inch away from his body in that moment. Ever so slowly, she lifted a hand to lightly trace the skin and soft hair nearest her face. Sabina pressed her lips to his chest just once, and then let a contented sigh escape her.

Neither said anything for quite a while. They just lay in the comfortable and effortless silence that followed their shared love. Sabina thought of their previous hours together through the night, and all the love they had already shared as they came to know one another. She marveled that there could be so much desire still running through her, but she thought that perhaps the influence of their auras pulling them towards one another was inflaming their need to be one.

A yawn escaped her and Rohan’s chest rumbled with his laughter under her, slightly lifting her whole body up. Sabina smiled and turned her head to look into his eyes. There was such a lazy, slumberous haze to his stare, and she could not help but reach up and trail her fingers through his hair.

“Are you a little tired, liebling?” Rohan played, grinning like a scoundrel again.

“Not terribly so. Why? Are you?” she teased back, kissing his chin.

“Absolutely, I am. I need more sleep,” he groaned through his soft laughter, lifting his hands to caress and knead the skin on her back.

She groaned in return, as his aura and touch made every muscle in her back relax further. Rohan continued his massage, until Sabina was squirming slightly in his hold. She looked back into his eyes, and saw him shake his head faintly.

“Ah, I know that look now,” he sighed in mock exasperation. “And believe me, Sabina, I feel it too. But I am a bit tired and hungry. Can I coax you to breakfast and a little more sleep before we…,” Rohan tried to say, but Sabina lifted her head to match her lips to his.

When at last she drew away, she smoothed both of her palms over the new growth of stubble shadowing his face. She smiled slowly and kissed his chin again. Then, she gently moved away from his body and in the direction of the bathroom.

Once there, Sabina started a warm, foaming bath running, and went about preparing for a soak before she walked downstairs to cook breakfast. She decided not to tie her hair up, instead wanting to wash it while she was in the water. As soon as she saw enough water in the immense, stone and tiled bath to cover most of her body, she leisurely walked down the steps and glided along.

She paused and turned over to tilt her head back, soaking her long raven locks through and through. Sabina registered Rohan’s aura near, and she gradually lifted her head to see him leaning against the door watching her. She smiled and held his gaze for an unbroken minute.

He straightened away from the wood and walked to the bath’s edge, then traversed each step very deliberately as he continued to stare at her. Sabina had a difficult time pulling a full breath as she felt the intensity of love and desire rolling away from his aura in thick, engulfing waves. When he was before her, Rohan bent his knees and sunk lower in the water, so he was no longer towering over her.

He gently pulled Sabina into his arms, settling her on his lap. Rohan moved them to the bath’s ledge closest to where they were, and then held her waist as he angled his head at her. She watched as a smile gradually worked its way across his handsome face.

“What are you doing?” he asked softly.

“Sitting on my husband’s lap,” she smiled, smoothing her fingers across his chest.

“And where would you happen to be doing this?” he smirked.

“In our bath. Which, luckily, is large enough to hold us both,” Sabina answered, sounding like such an innocent to Rohan.

“Hmmm,” he murmured, narrowing his eyes at her. “I distinctly remember saying I needed sleep and food, not a bath.” Rohan waited anxiously to see how she would respond, loving the banter between the two of them.

“And you could have slept while I bathed. I was going to cook breakfast after I relaxed here for a time. But you chose to rise and join me, so…,” she trailed off, shrugging her shoulders.

“So I have only myself to blame, is that the way of it?” he asked, smiling broadly now and leaning his face a little closer to hers.

“There is no blame,” Sabina chuckled softly. “But a shared bath can be very relaxing, so why don’t you let me tend to you for a while. You will feel very much so at peace, as though you might have slept for a little longer this morning. And after breakfast, I promise you, we’ll sleep for a time.”

Now it was Rohan who could not draw in a full breath as he listened to her words. He just shook his head, in absolute wonder that she was willingly his. His lips lightly brushed across hers, with no hurry to end the tender contact.

“I am all yours, wife,” he smiled, and dipped his head to kiss the column of her throat.

Sabina sighed heavily while he teased her skin, but eventually she moved back a little in his arms. She kissed the tip of his nose, and then glided through the water to retrieve a sponge and liquid soap. She returned to the ledge next to where Rohan still sat and she moved beside him.

Tucking her legs under her body, Sabina asked Rohan to look away from her so that she could better reach his back. He wasted no time complying, having never shared a bath with another and looking forward to the new experience. Sabina first kissed his neck and shoulders, letting her aura travel into him with the gentle contact.

When she heard a slight sigh escape his lips, she placed a bit of the soap on her palms and used it to help her hands glide effortlessly across his skin. Her aura poured over him as she lovingly bathed and caressed his body. She lifted each of his arms, continuing there with the sponge and then retracing her path so that the sponge moved over his back as well.

She glided to his side and turned Rohan back to his original position on the ledge. Then, she sat on his lap facing him. She smiled as she lathered the sponge again, and then methodically began to clean his face, neck, and chest. Sabina could sense Rohan’s eyes on her the entire time, and she felt her smile grow in response.

There was a large glass behind him which she used for rinsing, and Sabina leaned into Rohan so she could better reach it. His hands settled on her back and he pulled her completely into his chest, nuzzling her neck with his nose. She shivered, but retrieved the glass and pulled back just a bit.

“Close your eyes,” she whispered, and he winked at her, then complied.

She filled the glass in the bath and then tilted his head back, letting the water pour over his hair. She used just a bit to rinse the soap away from his face and neck, before she refilled it and cleaned the lather from his chest. When she was finished with that task, she placed the glass on the tiled bath’s edge and then retrieved a little more soap.

With deft and skilled fingers, Sabina tenderly massaged the liquid into Rohan’s hair. Her aura and touch completely relaxed him, and she watched as his lips parted slightly while he succumbed to the bliss she was instilling. She washed his thick, brown hair and let her eyes roam over his beautiful face while she saw to his needs.

After rinsing his hair several times, she retrieved a cloth and lathered it as well. She then saw to his lower body, cleaning every part of her husband as she lovingly caressed and soothed him. When at last she was done, she gently stroked his face and then leaned in for a soft kiss.

“Sabina,” he sighed, and she drew back to look into his eyes.

“I have never in my life,” Rohan said, searching for more words. “Never,” he could only repeat, while he gazed into her eyes. Rohan pulled her back to sit on his lap and he cupped her face, tracing her lips with his thumbs.

“Well, let us change that from, ‘never’, to, ‘forever’. For that is how long you shall have such love from me,” she smiled, and nodded slightly against his palms.

“I want to bathe you, but I don’t know if I can do the same…” Rohan paused, as she put her finger over his lips to silence him.

“No, Rohan. Your touch and love does not have to be the same as mine. It comes from you, so therefore it should be whatever flows from your heart and mind. I am also yours, and that means all of me. So, there is a sponge and cloth behind you, as well as soap. Try, and see where your hands lead you,” she grinned mischievously.

He laughed at her play, and directed her lips back to his for a long and leisurely kiss. Eventually Rohan made himself drag his mouth away and over to her ear, where he whispered his love. Sabina shivered and held on to his upper arms, causing him to repeat his words so she would react again.

When he released her face, he turned slightly to lift the sponge and soap. Sabina suppressed her wide grin, not wanting Rohan to think she was laughing at his effort to try something new. But she was so very touched by his effort and his desire to take care of her, that it made the effort easier.

He used the bit of liquid soap still on his fingers to lightly caress her face and ears, cleaning her with the gentlest touch he could manage. She continued to shiver as he played with her earlobe, and they both smiled tenderly at one another over her reaction from his attention to the sensitive area.

Rohan then moved the sponge to her neck, still lightly grazing her skin, and he continued down until he had lathered her arms, chest, and shoulders. His eyes watched hers as he cleaned her, gauging Sabina’s reaction to his touch and pressure he was using with each trail he made across her body. When he rinsed her, she finally closed her eyes and sighed.

He placed a hand on her lower back and then used his other to cup her neck, so that he could tilt her back and soak her hair in the water again. Rohan moved his hands to her shoulder blades and gradually pulled her upright again before him. Her eyes unhurriedly opened and immediately settled on his. And though he could see the desire clearly swimming in her gaze, he tried to finish what he had begun so Sabina experienced the same care she had bestowed upon him.

Rohan retrieved the soap and began to lather her hair, taking his time to work it throughout the entire length of her raven locks. He marveled over the silky texture, even when the mass was saturated with water. Sabina’s fingers were tracing little patterns across his chest while he lovingly tended her, and he smiled at the gesture she seemed unaware of.

When her hair was completely lathered, he turned her, placing Sabina on his lap with her legs and feet partially supported by the ledge he still rested on. He cradled his left arm around her back and, ever so slowly, lowered her and rinsed her hair in the water without using the glass. Rohan wove his right hand through the tresses until he had all of the soap removed. He gently sat her back upright, and then began to wash her lower body with the cloth.

Sabina laughed lightly as he touched ticklish places, and she cupped his face with her hand hearing him echo her. She whispered her love, sweeping her thumb across his cheek while he finished with the task. His eyes returned to hers and he told her he loved her that much and more. When she thought him finished, he turned her in his arms one last time.

Rohan positioned Sabina to face away from him, and he reclaimed the sponge. Once it was warm and full of soap, he began to clean and massage her back. He swept her wet hair over her shoulder so that he could reach all of her skin, and she let her head fall forward under his ministrations. She sighed heavily again and again, but still he continued until she straightened a bit on his lap.

Sabina leaned back and let her head fall against his shoulder and neck. Rohan released the sponge, letting it drift away in the water, so he could encircle her with his arms and pull her closer. He rested his head next to hers and just breathed in time with Sabina for a few peaceful minutes. She lightly caressed his arms around her and nuzzled him slightly with her head.

“That was divine,” she breathed, and he could hear the lazy smile in her voice.

“I thought so, too,” he said softly, pressing his lips to her temple. “Thank you, Sabina.”

“For what?” she asked, smiling still.

“For being mine,” he said sincerely. “I’ve never felt so content, in all my many days.”

“And to think we were by one another for so long, and never once reached out to the other,” she marveled, slightly shaking her head.

“Well, we have now. And I’m just focusing on this moment in time, not what came before. I want this, with you,” Rohan said, squeezing her gently with his arms.

“So do I, Rohan. So do I,” Sabina admitted quietly.

After a few more silent minutes she broke through their reverie. “Rohan, would you like breakfast now? We can go to the kitchen, and I can cook something for us both,” she offered.

Rohan lessened his hold and turned her so she sat on his lap facing him again. He took her face in his palms once more, and pulled her slightly closer. She smiled as she watched the playfulness flit through his eyes, and she chuckled before she could stop herself.

“I am hungry,” he said, smirking just a bit. “But we’ll go to the kitchen in a little while, alright?”

“Alright,” she giggled and gave in, leaning forward to close the distance between them.

Sabina settled her lips fully on his and she heard Rohan growl in response. She wrapped her arms around his neck while his hands traveled across and down her body. She moaned softly as he coaxed and caressed her, still with such gentleness that she felt as if she were flying. He whispered and told her how very much he wanted to bring her fulfillment, and then reclaimed her lips.

As they gradually became one, her eyes clouded and she willed the moisture to recede, so she could see her husband. But he knew what to expect, and he gently smoothed the tears away as they loved one another. Sabina ran her hands into his wet hair and clung to him while he held her and guided the love they shared.

They found fulfillment together and she called out to him just as he did to her, while he cradled her against his chest. Rohan lifted a palm and cupped the back of her head, keeping her close to him. He could feel her breath against his neck, and he nuzzled his head against hers wanting the moment to last.

“My beautiful wife,” he whispered in wonder. “Are you really here with me?”

“If you are not sure after that, we do need to work on a few things together,” Sabina chuckled, as he bellowed loudly.

“Hmmm, I can tell,” he smiled, and turned his head to match his lips to hers.

He held her gently to him until she raised her hand and showed him how wrinkled her fingertips had become. Rohan only nuzzled her neck in answer, lightly teasing the skin there as well. Sabina began to giggle and finally she was able to move away from him a bit. She glided over in the direction of the steps, and began to slowly walk up them, headed for the towels.

Rohan only lingered long enough to release the water and then he walked out of the bath to her side. Sabina turned and began to dry his body, but he playfully took the towel from her and insisted that he dry her first. She relented and smiled as he tended to her needs before his. She alternated between sighs and laughter while he deliberately drew the task out, tickling her a bit as he went along.

When at last they were both dry and dressed, Rohan gathered her hand in his and walked by her side downstairs to the estate’s kitchen. Sabina reached out to touch floral arrangements as they passed them by, and she paused at one particularly large bouquet of pink and white roses to inhale their fragrance. Rohan never tried to hurry her along, rather he watched every minute movement she made, marveling over her effortless grace.

She smiled up at Rohan and then continued with him by her side towards their destination. They came to a stop by the island, finding a card standing upright against a bottle of wine from Santorini, with both of their names written across the front in script. They knew the handwriting to be Alexandria’s instantly, and Sabina reached out for the card to see what words their friend had left for them.

Rohan draped an arm around Sabina’s shoulders as she leaned into his side and opened the card. Together they read the message, and smiled over the care and support that flowed from their loved ones.

 

Dear Sabina and Rohan,

We hope that this new day finds you both happy, content, and at peace. Though we are not physically with you, we are carrying you in our hearts as you begin your new life together. Know that we shall pray for your continued happiness, as you grow within your marriage as true partners and best friends. Heath and Tomoko prepared several meals for you and placed it all in marked containers in the refrigerator, so you could enjoy the offerings at your leisure. May you cherish each new moment throughout your honeymoon and beyond.

Until we see you again,

Alexandria & Gaius

 

“This is so sweet,” said Sabina softly. “I’m so glad she’s back with us.”

“So am I, liebling,” Rohan said, lightly kissing the top of her head. “Shall we see what they left for us?”

“Yes,” she chuckled, moving forward to the refrigerator. Sabina let out a surprised gasp when she opened the door to see it completely stocked with containers of already prepared food. Her eyes turned upwards towards Rohan and she saw his surprised expression that she knew mirrored her own.

“Did Alex’s note say several meals?” he laughed. “I’m thinking we won’t have to cook for at least a week, maybe more.”

“Gracious!” she softly exclaimed, shaking her head. “I had no idea that Heath and Tomoko did this.”

“I suppose they wanted to take the chore away from you, because they both know I never sign up for kitchen duty,” he smirked, bending to kiss her forehead. “And since it’s all so nicely packaged and labeled, I can prepare something for you. Will you let me?” Rohan gave her the devilish grin that she so loved for him to wear in his unguarded moments with her. She melted under his playful stare and began to nod her head in agreement.

“Of course. Surprise me, husband,” she played, and laughed a bit more when he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Sabina settled herself in a chair by the island and watched him bring out sliced fruit, a breakfast casserole, bread, jam, and prosciutto. She said nothing as Rohan searched briefly for plates and utensils, but he soon found what he was looking for. He asked her where she kept her tea bags, knowing from his many years around her that she preferred that to coffee in the morning. Sabina guided him in the right direction, and soon he had water boiling for her and coffee brewing for himself.

Rohan had to pause briefly to ask her how long he should reheat their portions, having no idea about the casserole. Sabina gave him instructions, but remained in her seat. She could sense how important this was to Rohan, and she did not want to detract from his need to provide for her in some way.

When he had it all plated and ready, Rohan brought their food and beverages to where she sat. He moved into the chair to her right and gathered her hand in his to bless their meal and day together. Sabina leaned into his side, listening to the words that flowed easily from Rohan’s heart when his guard was down. She only straightened away when he concluded his remarks and kissed her hair.

Throughout the meal, they held hands and talked about their wedding day. Both were still in awe of the sheer number of their brethren who had made their way to Italy with so little advance notice. And they relived some of the more meaningful conversations they had felt moved by, as their loved ones celebrated their union with them.

After their portions were consumed and their place settings secured in a dishwasher, Sabina found herself swept up into Rohan’s arms without delay. She laughed loudly, as did he, and he began to walk back upstairs with her held securely against his heart. They were still laughing when he playfully pretended to drop her on the bed, but he kept her firmly in his arms despite the sudden movement.

Rohan kissed her soundly, and then placed Sabina gently in the center of the large bed. She heard his shoes clatter to the floor a scant second before he stretched out beside her and drew her against his chest. Sabina could not curtail her laughter as he began to remove their clothing with a decidedly mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“I thought you said you needed food and rest,” she teased, trying to focus on his face as he had her disrobed in record time.

“I did,” he grinned cheekily, removing his garments with the same speed.

“Well, we’ve had breakfast…,” she said, pausing to take in the beautiful sight next to her.

“After,” Rohan breathed, leaning in to kiss her forehead and then her cheek.

“After?” Sabina asked, sighing loudly from his aura and lips trailing down her neck.

“Yes, liebling. We’ll nap after I love my wife,” he smiled, matching his lips to hers.

“I like after,” she grinned, and deepened their kiss a little more.

Rohan chuckled deep in his throat as he held his beautiful wife and gave her all of himself - body, heart, mind, and soul. He had never been so happy or so content in all his many days.