Nothing seemed out of place in the nightscape around them. There were a few trees and bushes, but nothing peered out from behind them, and the clearing on either side of the road seemed unthreatening as well.
\u201cWhat was that?\u201d Aislyn asked. Aaron could feel her heart beating so quickly it reverberated in his own chest.
\u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d he managed. \u201cHopefully, whatever it was, it keeps its distance.\u201d
\u201cDo you think it was a\u2026\u201d
He cut her off, \u201cDon\u2019t say it, Aislyn,\u201d he warned her, looking into her green eyes, which were narrowed in fright.
She nodded in understanding, fully aware that many believed speaking of them aloud would bring them in. \u201cWe should go.\u201d
Aaron agreed, and as wonderful as the evening had been, he would feel much better once Aislyn was in her home where at least she would be indoors and probably safer. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and with another glance behind them, began to hasten their steps toward the little hut where her mother likely waited for her anxiously.
He realized he should have brought some sort of weapon. Though he had no idea if anything at all might be capable of stopping a Dark One once it had chosen its victim, at least a sword or knife would have made him feel more confident in his ability to protect Aislyn. His mother claimed that he was no longer safe either, that they were now choosing members of the Order as victims, which made Aaron ponder why they should continue to keep their agreement, but as he led the diminutive damsel to her home, his thoughts were only of protecting her, never of himself.
Within a few minutes, the shape of Aislyn\u2019s home became apparent in front of them. The sheep were in the pen, bleating nearby, clearly a bit frightened by the sound they must have heard as well. Aislyn called out to calm them as she walked up the path that led to the front door.
Aaron noticed a horseshoe hung over the entryway, and he realized it must be there for luck and to ward off evil, since as far as he knew the O\u2019Malley\u2019s had never owned a horse. While he couldn\u2019t fault them for trying, he suspected a horseshoe would do little against a Dark One.
\u201cThank you for walking me home,\u201d Aislyn said, glancing over each shoulder as she turned to face him, \u201cand for a lovely evening.\u201d
\u201cAislyn,\u201d Aaron began, his hands now pressed on her shoulders, \u201cI\u2019m not sure what that sound was, but it was\u2026 frightening at best.\u201d He could hear the sense of urgency in his own voice and tried to calm his nerves. If he was going to say what he needed to say (though he certainly hadn\u2019t planned to when he\u2019d left home earlier that evening) he wanted her to understand that he was doing so out of love for her, not fear or anxiety. \u201cI can\u2019t bear the thought of knowing you might be at risk.\u201d
A small smile spread the corners of her mouth, but he could tell it was forced. She was fearful for her own safety; he could see it in her eyes. \u201cI\u2019m fine, Aaron. I\u2019ll be just fine.\u201d
\u201cTonight, I believe so,\u201d he assured her, taking a glimpse over her shoulder as he said so to make sure nothing out of the ordinary lingered there, \u201cbut things are beginning to grow out of hand, and I\u2019m honestly not sure of anyone\u2019s safety.\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019re a member of the Order,\u201d she reminded him, her voice a whisper. \u201cYour family will be safe.\u201d
\u201cPerhaps,\u201d he nodded, \u201cbut things seem to be changing. I\u2019m not certain, Aislyn. I\u2019m not certain of much of anything, except that,\u201d he took a deep breath, \u201cever since the day I first laid eyes on you, more years ago than I can count, I\u2019ve known I love you. You and I are meant to be together; of that I am certain.\u201d
He waited for her response, and while she said nothing, the fear in her face melted away and was replaced by a radiating sense of hope and contentment. Her eyes brightened, and the forced smile was replaced by a genuine one.
\u201cI don\u2019t know if my being a member of the Order will keep us safe, but I do know I will do everything within my power to protect you until the day I die. Of that, you can be certain, if you will become my wife.\u201d Unplanned, unrehearsed, and undoubtedly the most important plea he\u2019d ever made, he waited for her to respond.
He did not have to wait long. \u201cYes, of course I will,\u201d Aislyn said, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She withdrew her hands from where they\u2019d rested on his chest to cover her face.
\u201cYou will?\u201d he asked, unable to believe his ears. \u201cYou\u2019ll be mine, forever?\u201d
\u201cForever and always,\u201d Aislyn nodded, the tears flowing freely now.
Aaron couldn\u2019t control his happiness any longer. He grasped her small waist and lifted her into the air, swinging her around in a large circle as he did so, both of their laughter ringing out through the night sky.
Setting her feet back on the ground, Aaron released her waist and cupped her face in his hands. This time he did not need to wait for permission as she stood up on tiptoe to press her lips to his. Her mouth was warm and welcoming, and the feel of her body pressed against him aroused feelings he\u2019d never known before. She pulled her lips away to lean into his ear, whispering, \u201cI love you, Aaron,\u201d and in response he left a trail of kisses down her neck before she twisted her face back toward him and found his mouth with hers.
Realizing he needed to find a way to pull himself away from her before he was unable to, Aaron took a step back, pressing gently against her shoulders as he did so. \u201cAislyn,\u201d he said softly, once he\u2019d freed himself from those honey lips. \u201cI love you, too. With all my heart. I must go now. I will call on you tomorrow to speak with your mother.\u201d
By now, there was a foot or more of forced space between them. She nodded, her lips swollen and her face flushed. \u201cGood night, my love,\u201d she replied.
\u201cGood night,\u201d he smiled, and before he could be tempted to take her in his arms again, he began to walk back down the lane toward the road that led home. Once he was a safe distance from her, he turned to watch her slide safely inside the house, overjoyed that she flashed him one last sweet smile before she disappeared.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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