In his dream, it felt as if his face was being caressed by angel's wings. He felt himself smiling as he let his face press into the soft, comforting warmth of the delicate strokes. When the feeling suddenly stopped, he frowned with a moan of protest. He tried to seek out the comfort again but to no avail. He then thought he heard someone softly sniffle as if they were crying. His eyelids fluttered open and in the darkness of his tent he felt the form of his lover.
When his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he could just make out her heart-shaped face, framed by the beautiful auburn silkiness he loved to run his fingers through. As her features slowly came into view, he saw a shimmering set of doe eyes studying his face. Recognizing his lover, he inhaled the cool night air and closed his eyes. But something compelled him to open them again.
They were both lying on their sides facing one another, his arm casually drapped over her hip. Her naked body was snuggled close to his, the quilt just covering their legs. She was resting her cheek on her hands as she looked into the piercing blue eyes of the man she had dedicated her life to serve, and love. He saw a tear gather in the corner of her sad eyes and trickle across the bridge of her nose. He frowned as he lifted his fingers to touch the crystal droplet, realizing this was not the first one.
His eyes searched her face for the meaning of these silent tears. He caressed her damp cheek, letting his thumb brush away the sparkling moisture that clung to her long lashes. He felt her lips tremble against the palm of his hand, and he reached down to gently run his thumb across her mouth.
Why was she crying, he wondered. Things were going perfectly, from a military standpoint. It seemed they had control of the enemy and were within reach of his goal. Their goal. Why this sudden melancholy? Why this private display of weakness from his best soldier? He tilted his head as he tried to understand the tear's meaning.
His hand wandered to the side of her face, running his fingers through her hair, his thumb rubbing her earlobe. Did he catch the slightest of smiles from her lips as he continued to caress her soft skin? He remembered something his mother had done for him when he would wake, crying in the night, reliving some horrible prejudice they had experienced when visiting town or going to the trading stalls. He placed his fingers against her eyebrow and gently stroked the thin auburn line. His lover closed her eyes with a soft sigh. He alternated between kissing the damp lids and stroking the fine hair until he felt her body begin to mold into his. He lightly ran his fingers over her lips, then leaned forward and kissed her.
He pulled his sleeping lover against his body, feeling her sweet breath dance across his throat. He wrapped his strong arms around her slender body, the warmth enveloping him. He rested his chin gently against her forehead, weaving his fingers through her hair. He gathered up a handful of the auburn tresses and closed his eyes, as he inhaled the scent of his lover. He wondered if he'd ever know the cause of his lover's silent tears as he felt himself drift back to sleep.
The End
Copyright 1998 Julie Farel