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“Yes, but you’re sure? We’ve been living in the woods, so no one could come upon us. This is in the open, Frances.”

“We can ride in all directions first to see how close anyone else is on each side, but, yes, I’m sure, my love. Look.” Frances pointed out at the field. “It’s a field of wildflowers. We can keep them there. We’d only need a small plot to farm just for us. For anything else we might need, we can ride into different villages and barter.”

“Why different?”

“That way, no one gets to know us.”

“Right,” Agnes said.

The next morning, they rode off and spent three days searching for any other evidence of a village before they returned to their future home and began the long process of building it. Frances left a few more times, searching for anyone who might be too close, but she returned each time with their horse and the knowledge that no one was near enough to cause them any problems. At least, for now.

Until their home was built, they lived in the woods in a makeshift shelter that protected them from the elements. By day, they worked together to build themselves a one-room cabin, set up their future farm, and went hunting or gathered food. By night, they cuddled together in their shelter and tried not to pay any mind to the sounds of the wolves and other animals who were out hunting for their own meals.

It took months, but finally, their small house was ready on the outside, at least. A few more months later, the insideof it started to feel like a home as well. It was their first night in that home, after considering their work done, when Agnes rolled over on their straw bed and faced Frances, who was staring up at the ceiling. She took her in and thought about how far they’d come together. In a seemingly impossible situation, they’d made it away from Agnes’s family and the man they would’ve sold her to, despite her protestations.

“What’s going through your mind?” Agnes asked, running the back of her fingers over Frances’s soft cheek.

“That we did it. I’m lying in bed next to you in a home that we share. No one can take what we’ve done from us. We have land, a farm, and everything we might need from our bartering. No one seemed to mind that I was doing the work for my sick husband that doesn’t exist. They just wanted my wares, and I wanted theirs, so now, we have a home.” Frances turned her face to her and added, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Agnes swallowed. “Frances?”

“Yes?”

“I’m ready.”

Frances rolled to her completely and asked, “You are?”

Agnes nodded and said, “I want to marry you.”

“I want to marry you, too,” Frances replied.

Frances had asked Agnes to be her wife the night they’d found this land. Agnes had told her that she wanted that, but she wanted them to have their home built first and for them to know that they were safe here. Now that they had those things, Agnes was ready to be a wife to the woman she loved, who had already been through so much with her.

“Do you… want to wear a fancy dress? We can get fabric from–”

“No, I want to marry you now,” she interrupted.

“Now? We’re in bed, about to go to sleep.”

“Now, Frances.” Agnes cupped her cheek. “Before only God, I want to marry you now.”

“All right,” Frances said. “We should at least stand up. I can go outside and make you a wreath of flowers that you can wear in your hair.” She pushed some of that hair behindAgnes’s ear. “You favor the honeysuckle.” Frances smiled at her with that same soft smile from the day they’d met.

“No, right now,” Agnes repeated, moving closer to her. “I take you to be my wife. I vow to love you and protect you for all time.”

Frances sighed, pressed her forehead to Agnes’s, and said, “I take you to be my wife. I promise to love you and protect you for all time. I–” She stopped for a moment. “I never wish to be parted from you, Agnes.”

“We won’t be anymore. We’ll never be parted again. Where you go, I go.”

“If something tries to part us, I will find you. Always remember that I will find you.”

“You don’t have to find me, my love. I’m right here. I’ll be by your side always.”

Frances then pressed her lips gently to Agnes’s and said, “You’re my wife.”

“I’m your wife,” Agnes replied with a wide smile. “And I’m ready.”

“You wanted to wait until we were married,” Frances said very softly.