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Tally tapped her foot as she waited for her sun water to boil. She had forgotten to take in last night, so now it was technically sun and moon water but it would have to do. Today was Litha and she had made the perfect plan for the day and first on her list was sun brewed tea. Tally continued tapping her foot and it wasn’t until the water stopped bobbeling in the kettle that she realized the tapping followed the rhythm of the fluttering in her chest.
Or more specifically in her heart.
Tally cherished the fluttering and it made her smile every time she felt it quicken because that meant Alder was happy. It didn’t happen often but it happened every time Alder saw her. More times than not Tally would only notice Alder was close by because it would feel like an explosion of butterflies were flapping their wings in her chest. Then Tally would look up to find Alder already glancing her way or Tally would catch her eyes just as she walked by. The feeling felt like happiness and it was so unlike anything she had ever experienced before.
Tally shook the thought from her head as she added the bag of tea leaves to her favorite cup and then poured the boiling water over them. While the tea was left to brew Tally decided to get dressed. She should be in uniform and Abigail would throw a fit when she and Raelle got back from Izadora’s lab if she wasn’t. But today was Litha and even though her relationship with her mother was difficult then Tally still wanted to wear the white dress with yellow and green hand embroidered flowers and leaves her mother had sewn for her to wear at last year’s Litha celebration at the compound.
Seeing as Tally’s standard black hot pants and sports bra didn’t go well with a white spaghetti strapped dress then she would need to wear something else. She reached to the back of her top drawer and dug out the white set of underwear she had hidden there. She quickly undressed and then put the white underwear on. Again Abigail would throw a fit if she knew Tally was planning to wear it around Fort Salem. But she really didn’t care and it wasn’t like her sisters were around much at the time anyway. Tally didn’t even know if she would see them tonight. They had promised they would try and make it back for the bonfire after dinner, but tests had run late the last few days so nothing was certain and she wasn’t very optimistic.
Suddenly realizing she had forgotten about her tea Tally leapt across the room and lifted the tea bag from the cup. She made a face. The tea was very dark and she just knew it had gotten too strong, but she didn’t have time to make a new cup because she was meeting Glory on the front steps of the dormitory. They had planned to bake cookies together, but they needed flowers to decorate them with.
Tally added a scoop of honey to the tea and quickly drank it. She cursed as the hot liquid burned her tongue, making a few droplets trickle down her chin. When the cup was finally empty Tally placed it on her desk and wiped the tea off her chin with the back of her hand. Then she raced to her closet and got out her dress. It was just as beautiful as she remembered it to be. For a second the dress made her miss her mother and she felt tears beginning to fill her eyes but she wouldn’t let them fall. Today was not about that. Tally took a deep breath and then pulled the dress over her head. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.
It was perfect.
Tally didn’t have time for some big, fancy hair do, so she simply braided a string of golden ribbon into her hair on each side of her head and then gathered the two braids in the middle with the ends of the ribbons and tried them together in a small bow. With that done Tally quickly put on her green sandals and then she was out the door. But she hadn’t made it more than a few steps from her room before she felt the fluttering in her chest pick up. It made her stop in her tracks and turn to look over her shoulder, and right behind her stood General Alder. Tally tried not to smile but when she noticed the corners of Alder’s lips moved up ever so slightly then a full blown smile broke out on her face.
Still smiling Tally said, “General,” as she turned around fully and paced her hands behind her back and lifted her chin high, so she stood at attention.
“At ease, Craven,” Alder said and if Tally wasn’t mistaken then the general’s eyes were working their way down her body. Was General Alder checking her out?!
Tally looked down at herself and suddenly her cheeks reddened. Her dress. She wasn’t in uniform like she was supposed to. She let her arms fall to her side and bit the inside of her lip for a second before saying, “I know I’m not dressed properly, but it’s just-”
“It’s quite already,” Alder said, interrupting Tally. “It is Litha after all.”
Tally raised her face to meet Alder’s glance. The expression on her face was so soft and the fluttering in her heart picked up so much speed that Tally had put her right hand on her chest. Was this because of Alder or simply Tally reacting to the way Alder was looking at her.
Would she ever know?
“Thank you,” she said, suddenly feeling breathless. “I should go.”
Alder nodded. “Of course. Don’t let me keep you.”
“You aren’t! I’m, um, I’m making cookies this afternoon and, um, if they don’t turn out too badly then I could come by your office with some for you and the biddies,” Tally said, looking around Alder at the biddies standing at perfect attention.
“We will look forward to seeing you.”
Tally nodded and gave them a small smile and a wave as she turned on her heel and walked down the hallway, feeling like her chest might burst from happiness.
When she reached the doors she saw Glory already waiting for her and if possible her smile grew bigger. They hadn’t been able to spend much time together since the beginning of basic. Everything was done by units and while she loved her sisters, Glory was a piece of home. Tally hadn’t seen her since that disappointing moment at graduation so when the doors opened she practically threw her arms around her friend and hugged her close.
“That’s some greeting,” Glory laughed into Tally’s hair as she squeezed her right back before letting go and bending down to pick up the small woven basket she had dropped. “Ready to go?”
Tally rolled on the soles of her feet, too giddy to stand still. “I’m so ready!”
“Then let’s go!” Glory laughed and grabbed Tally’s hand, and together they walked down the stairs and towards the forest, both of them talking a mile a minute.
They walked hand in hand till they reached the clearing where a field was in full blown. Tally’s herbology skills weren’t the best so she let Glory do the flower picking and instead went over to the big and gorgeous Alder tree where she knew a cluster of forest strawberries grew. She had taken Glory’s basket with her and when it was filled nicely with small bright red strawberries she went back to her friend and sat down in the grass.
Glory was quiet as she went about picking the flowers and after a while Tally realized she was too quiet. She picked a Daisy as she stood and walked over to where Glory was kneeling. “What’s the matter?” Tally asked as she sat down and placed the flower in Glory’s hair.
Glory looked up at her. “What do you mean?”
“You went quiet,” Tally said, tilting her head. “And I know that means you’re thinking too much, so with it.”
“Oh,” Glory said, looking down at her hands.
Tally smiled and notched Glory’s knee with her foot, making her tumble over and dropping the flowers she had picked. “Whatever it is you can tell me,” Tally assured her friend as she helped her gather the flowers and lay them in the basket.
“I’m really sorry I missed your birthday and that I wasn’t there for you when you got biddied and then debiddied again,” Glory said hurriedly, looking at Tally with eyes full of tears.
“Oh Glory,” Tally said with a small laugh and then she hugged her. “You were home visiting your family as you should! And no one could have predicted the craziness I was going to get myself into. Not that it matters because it all got sorted out in the end.”
Glory sniffled. “But I still missed your birthday. We have never missed each other’s birthdays before.”
“Will you stop that!” Tally said, leaning back and holding Glory by her shoulders. “You had to stay, your mother got sick! And for the record, I pretty much missed my own birthday because I was unconscious in a hospital bed.”
What Tally didn’t say was that she had barely noticed Glory's absence because she had simply been so relieved to find out her sisters were alive. And then the debidding had happened and everything else was kind of a blur until the moment with Alder in the infirmary.
And what a moment that had been.
“I know, but still.” Glory said, wiping a tear from her cheek, but then she narrowed her eyes. “Why are you blushing?”
Tally quickly let go of Glory’s shoulders and put her hands against her cheeks. They felt warm but still she said, “I’m not blushing.”
"You so are!”
“No, I’m not!” Tally protested, even as she felt her cheeks start to become hotter and she could only imagine how red they were now.
Luckily Glory seemed to understand that this wasn’t something Tally was ready to talk about so instead of pressing her further then she just pulled a small wrapped box from her pocket. “Happy belated birthday!”
Tally smiled and let her hands drop from her cheeks. “You got me a present?”
“Of course I did,” Glory said, handing her the small box.
Tally unwrapped it quickly and on a bed of cotton she found a golden sun ring. “It’s beautiful!” She exclaimed as she held it towards the sun so the tiny yellow stones shimmered in the light.
“It goes with your moon ring,” Glory said and motioned for Tally to take off the ring she already had on her left ring finger - the ring Tally had bought herself the day she had left for Fort Salem.
Tally took off her ring and put the two together, and just like Glory had said the circle of the sun fit perfectly into the shape of the moon. “Thank you so much!” she said as she put both rings back on her finger; first the sun and then the moon. With a smile Tally held out her hand for Glory to see. “I love it.”
“I’m so glad, but now that that is done with, then let’s go back so we can get started on the cookies,” Glory said, jumping to her feet. Tally nodded in agreement and took the basket from the ground as she stood.
Their walk back was filled with as much heartfelt conversation as the trip out had been and they didn’t stop talking for a second either as they baked the round vanilla cookies. Each cookie was decorated with colorful flowers and tiny strawberries sliced in half. Tally made sure to save the prettiest cookies for Alder and the biddies, and as soon as the kitchen was cleaned and she had said goodbye to Glory - and once again had thanked her for the ring - then Tally ran off in the direction of the administration building.
When she reached Alder’s office she was out of breath and the sergeant stepping out the door looked at her with a funny expression. “Can I?” Tally asked breathlessly as she tried to walk around her so she could step inside the office, but the sergeant held out her arm, blocking the way. Before Tally could tell the sergeant that Alder was expecting her, then the fluttering in her heart got more intense and a voice sounded from inside the office. “Sergeant Maybelle, you can let Private Craven inside.”
Maybelle frowned, but did as she was told and when Tally had stepped inside she closed the door loudly behind her. Tally jumped slightly at the sudden noise, but quickly straightened and turned towards Alder. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting.”
Alder smiled silently. “You aren’t. I don’t have any meetings today. Sergeant Maybelle was simply here to give me an update on tonight’s celebration.”
Tally stepped closer until she reached the chairs in front of Alder’s desk, but she didn’t sit. After her time as a biddy she knew how much it annoyed Alder when people sat without an invitation because who knew if she actually wanted them to stay. “I’m really looking forward to the bonfire,” Tally said, hugging the jar of cookies to her chest. “Will you be there?”
Alder smiled softly at her and motioned for her to take a seat. Tally did and once again she didn’t know if the happy fluttering in her chest was her own heart going wild or if it was Alder that made it that way.
But to be honest both were Alder’s doing so what did it really matter?
“The biddies and I will be there. I am giving the Litha blessing after all,” Alder said very matter of factly and it made Tally pull a face. “Of course! I knew that.”
“How did the baking go?” Alder asked, looking down at the jar Tally still held close to her chest.
Tally loosened her grip on the jar and took the lid off. “It went really well,” she said as she reached in for a cookie to show Alder. When she pulled it out she noticed the biddies had gathered around them to get a look as well. Tally held out the single cookie for all of them to see. Alder stood to take the cookie from Tally’s hand and when their fingers brushed Tally almost gasped. It was like the fluttering ran from her heart down her arm and out through her fingers. Tally looked up to see if Alder had felt the same but her face didn’t show any evidence of that being the case.
“It’s beautiful,” Alder said. “Like a small piece of art.”
“No, it’s not,” Tally said, but as soon as the words had left her mouth all the biddies hissed at her. She looked confused at Alder. “What did I do?”
Alder looked at Tally with a smile. “They simply don’t like when you speak so dismissively about yourself or your talents.”
“Oh,” Tally simply said, embarrassed, and looked down at the jar she now had resting in her lap. The cookies were pretty, but were they really something special? Well the biddies clearly thought so. Tally felt her cheeks redden so she bent her head further down hoping Alder wouldn’t notice it as she put the lid back on the jar and handed it to Devon, who was standing right beside her. “These are all for you. I hope you like them and have a happy Litha.”
Devon took the jar in one hand and then placed the other on Tally's cheek, making her lift her face so they looked eyes. An echo of “Thank you” filled the room and Tally couldn’t help the small smile that crawled over her lips. “You’re welcome.”
Devon took the jar with her as she followed the other biddies back to where they had been preoccupied by other activists before.
Tally glanced back at Alder when they were once again alone by the desk. “I better get going. I know you said I wasn’t interrupting anything but I really only came here to give you the cookies and wish you a blessed Litha,” she said, standing from her seat.
“Wait,” Alder said, standing as well and reaching over the desk to grab Tally’s right hand with her left. She turned it over and grabbed a black pen off her desk with her right hand and then Alder slowly drew a simple ziczac shape on the inside of Tally’s wrist while still cradling her hand in her own. Alder put the pen down, but she didn’t let go of Tally’s hand as she looked into her eyes and said, “May you have a blessed Litha as well.”
Tally opened her mouth to say something but no words came out, and really, what could she say? Alder was holding her hand after she had just drawn Sowilo - the rune for ‘Sun’ - on the day of the summer solstice. Tally could practically feel its power run through her whole body. She opened and closed her mouth a few more times, knowing full well she looked like a confused goldfish before stammering out, “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” Alder said, running her thumb over the skin of Tally’s wrist just under the rune before letting go. “I will see you at the blessing tonight.”
Tally cleared her throat. “Yes, see you then.” And with that she stepped back and walked out of the office feeling like her whole body was on fire.
After leaving Alder’s office Tally headed for the dining hall. She looked everywhere for Abigail and Raelle, but when she didn’t find them then she simply took a trey and sat down by an empty table. She picked at the food on her plate as she scanned the room every other second for any sign of her sisters. They could still be on their way, right?
But they weren’t.
Even with her slow eating then Tally still was able to finish off her plate before either of them arrived. Disappointed, but not surprised she sighed and stood with her trey. She would have to attend the bonfire by herself. After cleaning up Tally walked through the grounds of Fort Salem to the dormitory. She wanted to get her copy of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. If she had to spend the night without her unit then at least she would spend it in good company. And rereading the book - or at least some of it - was on her list so it wasn’t like it would be a waste.
On the door to her dorm room hang a note.
We won’t make it tonight. Sorry! Love you. - R
Tally huffed as she pulled off the sticky note and walked into the room. She wanted to crumble it in her fist, but she didn’t. Instead she reached for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and flipped the book open and stuck the note between the pages at a random place. Tally knew it wasn’t their fault. Okay, maybe Izadora would have ended the tests earlier tonight if they had asked, but Tally knew that there was no way in hell that Abigail would ever ask for something like that. So she was thankful for the note so she at least could stop hoping for them to show up.
And Tally would be fine. It wasn’t like she was there all alone. Glory would be there - with her unit, but still. And Alder and the biddies would be there as well - at least for the time it took Alder to give the blessing. But maybe she would stay a little and keep Tally company when she realized her unit was still busy with Izadora. That was never going to happen and even if it did then she would just get all nervous and flustered. She could hardly imagine anything more embarrassing than that.
Tally rolled her eyes at herself and then got moving again. She grabbed her handbag and stuck her book and a towel in it before leaving the room. The hall was busy now with everyone meeting up and hurrying out the door so they wouldn’t miss the ignition of the bonfire. Tally pushed her way through the mass of people and made her way to the courtyard with enough time to get a sitting spot on the steps of the administration building. That way she wouldn’t miss seeing Alder when she arrived.
When that would be, Tally didn’t know because the note on the bulletin board hadn’t said. She could have just asked earlier but she had gotten too distracted with everything else happening. It turned out Tally didn’t have to wait long. She had only just gotten her book out and read the first few pages when the fluttering in her heart made her look up and over her shoulder. She could barely breathe. Alder was there at the top of the stairs; hair down and dressed in her uniform, and she was looking straight at Tally.
Tally tried to mask her stunness with a smile and small wave but judging by the grins several of the biddies sent her as they walked passed on their way down the stairs then Tally hadn’t done a very good job at hiding it. How embarrassing, but it really wasn’t her fault. Alder had her hair!
Tally couldn’t take her eyes off Alder and if Abigail decided to ask her later tonight what Alder’s Litha blessing had contained then she wouldn’t even be able to tell her how it started. Tally literally hadn’t heard a single word. She had been too focused on the fluttering in her chest growing more intense as Alder spoke. And the way Alder moved her hands as she talked and the way her lips formed a small and almost unnoticeable smile every time she paused and looked out at all the witches gathered in the courtyard for the celebration.
In this moment Alder was genuinely happy.
Tally felt tears pricking behind her eyelids and no matter how hard she tried to hold them back she couldn’t. First one tear slid down her cheek and then another. She hurriedly wiped them away before anyone would notice, but as if Alder had read her mind then she picked that exact moment to look at Tally. Tally quickly ducked her head and kept it down even as Alder finished her blessing, and started to make her way back up the stairs.
The book had laid open in Tally’s lap the whole time and she made sure to bury her head in so Alder couldn’t see that the tears kept falling. But as Alder passed Tally on the steps she let her fingertips trail over Tally’s bare shoulder. She tried but she couldn’t suppress the shiver, running through her body. How could such a simple touch create that big of a reaction in her?
Tally refused to let her mind wander on the topic. Instead she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and then began to actually read as soon as she was certain Alder and the biddies were gone.
Tally sat there reading until the roaring fire had become smoldering embers and the sun sat low in the sky. Then she stood with her book in hand and swung her bag over her shoulder. She needed to get to the lake before the sun set completely. Tally walked with quick steps and made sure no one was paying her any attention. She didn’t want an audience for this next part.
When Tally reached the shore she dropped her bag in the grass and toed of her sandals. Then she took a deep breath; gathering a bit of courage as she lifted her dress up and over her head. She let it fall on top of her bag and before she could change her mind Tally walked into the lake.
Even though it was June then the water felt freezing as it touched her body, but Tally kept walking. She walked till the water covered her chest and then she took in a ragged breath and dug under the surface.
“Shit!” Tally exclaimed as she rose and wiped the water from her face. Her body was shivering, but she still dug down a second time and began to swim. With each stroke Tally took through the water, it seemed like her body began to relax and after a few moments she didn’t feel cold at all. She swam underwater for a while, only coming up for air when it was absolutely necessary. The fluttering in her heart became more present but Tally didn’t think anything of it. She was underwater after all. She was happy and relaxed. This was perfect.
When Tally broke the surface this time she was closer to shore and the water only reached her navel, but she didn’t take notice of that or anything else around her.. All she saw was the sky. Where the sun had been setting when she had walked to the lake was now a darkeing blue sky coded in the most beautiful pink and purple clouds.
It was truly magical.
Tally gasped and clutched her chest. It felt like an explosion of emotions had gone off in her heart. What was happening? She had never felt anything close to this before, and definitely not without Alder being close by.
Realization washed over Tally. Alder was there on the shore and she could see her. Tally was only in her underwear. Her white underwear that was probably completely transparent now because of the water. “She can’t know that I know she’s there!” Tally mumbled to herself as embarrassment filled her. And instead of facing Alder, then Tally took a deep breath and dug under the water again, hoping Alder would just leave.
Tally swam down so her hands touched the seabed. The water was too dark for her to see what was down there, and suddenly she felt something twist its way around her wrist. Tally tried to pull at her arm free, but when it wouldn’t give and her lungs began screaming for air then panic rose in her body.
“Sarah!” Tally begged loudly in her mind over and over again, and just as she was about to give up fighting a pair of strong arms pulled her up and out of the water.
Tally coughed and clung to Sarah’s body as she was carried to the shore, and before she could even begin to worry about her state of undress then her towel and Sarah’s jacket were wrapped around her by two of her biddies.
“What happened?” Sarah asked as she held onto Tally’s shoulders, steading her as she continued coughing.
“My arm got tangled in something,” Tally said, shivering. She didn’t know if it was from the cold or the adrenaline rushing through her body. She also wasn’t sure if the wetness she felt on her cheeks was simply water from the lake or if she had started crying. “I couldn’t get up.”
“You’re okay. I got you up,” Sarah said, sliding her arms from Tally’s shoulders, pulling her into an embrace. “Nothing is going to happen now. You're safe.”
“Okay,” Tally whispered and then without thinking she tightened her arms around Sarah, bringing her flushed against her own body. There was no danger and there never really had been to begin with, but it wasn’t until now that she really felt safe. Until she was here in Sarah’s arms. Tally let out a ragged breath as she realized what she had done.
“Sorry,” she mumbled as she started to pull away, but Sarah simply pulled Tally back against her.
“Stay?”
Tally knew it was a question and not a statement. “Stay,” she said and as soon as the words had left Tally’s mouth then Sarah leaned into the embrace once again, holding Tally close in her arms.
They stood like that for a long moment, just hugging with the biddies a few feet away, but then Devon tapped Sarah on the shoulder and they pulled apart.
“You’re shivering,” Sarah said, and with the adrenaline gone Tally suddenly realized she was freezing. “We should go back.”
“You must be cold, too,” Tally said as she put her shoes on and tucked her dress into her shoulder bag.
“No.”
Tally narrowed eyes as she looked at her. “I don’t believe you.”
Sarah let out a small laugh. “Let’s go.” And with that she put her hand on Tally’s lower back and started guiding her back up the pathway leading to the main grounds of Fort Salem.
They walked in silence and as the dormitory came into view Tally wondered if it would be too childish of her if she started dragging her feet just to prolong their time together. She knew it would, but as she was preparing herself for the goodbye Sarah changed direction and led them past the front doors and instead headed straight for the administration building.
When they reached Sarah’s office they went inside, but the biddies didn’t follow. They simply closed the door behind them and Tally suddenly felt nervous. She had never been alone with Sarah before. What was she supposed to do? Sarah was heading to the door on the left side of her desk that Tally only knew was the door to Sarah’s bedroom because of her days as a biddy. Did Sarah want her to follow her in? Tally had never been before and it somehow felt inappropriate to walk in without a direct invitation, so she stayed in the office as Sarah disappeared into the other room.
A short time later Sarah stepped back into the office. “I figured you could use a hot shower to warm up and some dry clothes,” Sarah said, handing Tally a towel and something that looked like a nightgown. She looked down at the items in her hands and when she didn’t immediately reply then Sarah started shifting from foot to foot. “If you would rather have some of your own clothes then I can get one of the biddies to bring it here. Or I can just walk you back to your room if that’s better.”
Was Sarah rambling? Was she nervous? Tally couldn’t quite believe it, but then a blush started spreading on her cheeks. This was the most adorable thing she had seen in a very long time. “This is fine,” Tally said with a soft laugh and a bright smile.
“Okay, good,” Sarah said, taking a step back, seeming ready to show Tally to the bathroom, but then she stopped and brought her right hand up and pressed it to her chest just over her heart.
Tally’s eyes got wide. It couldn’t be, could it? She brought her own hand to her heart. The constant fluttering was strong now, and if Sarah’s emotions were this present in Tally then it would be logical to assume the same was true for Sarah. But the thought that it might be so had never even crossed Tally’s mind. And was she brave enough to ask now?
Mind made up, Tally took a deep breath which made Sarah turn to look at her. “Do you feel me, too?” She asked as she lifted her hand from her chest and brought it down on Sarah’s .
“Too?” Sarah looked at her inquiringly. “You mean…?”
Tally nodded and tapped her fingers lightly against the back of Sarah’s hand. “I feel you right here all the time. It’s like this comforting flutter. Well most of the time. Sometimes it can feel very intense. Almost like an explosion.” She laughed and looked down nervously. “That mostly happens when I see you looking at me.”
Sarah gently touched Tally’s chin and lifted it up till their eyes locked. She opened her mouth to say something, but then Tally suddenly felt cold and Sarah’s gaze dropped past her face. Ever the gentlewoman she quickly turned away when she realized the towel that had been wrapped around Tally’s chest had slipped from its knot. Luckily Tally was still wearing Sarah’s jacket, leaving her mostly covered. But still she blushed as she bent to pick up the towel and then she hurried off to Sarah’s bedroom.
Tally didn’t take in much of the room, she just ran for the nearest door and hoped it would be the bathroom. Thankfully it was because how embarrassing wouldn’t it have been if she had ended up in the hallway wearing only her underwear and Sarah’s jacket. Tally shook her head, trying to ease every thought of that as she undressed and jumped in the shower.
After warming up and quickly washing the lake water from her hair and body then Tally got out of the shower and dried off with the clean towel Sarah had gotten her. With it had been a light blue, long sleeved nightgown with an open neck and a pair of hot pants, but no kind of bra. As Tally dressed in the underwear she debated with herself if she should just put on her wet bra, but when she picked it off the floor and it started dripping then she knew it was a no go. But it would be fine, right? It wasn’t like the fabric of the nightgown was thin.
Tally dried her hair the best she could and then she slipped on the nightgown. It was actually pretty cute and not transparent at all, but the neck was big and kept sliding off her left shoulder. After a few failed attempts at getting it to stay up Tally just let it be and gathered all her things before hurrying back to the office.
At first glance Tally couldn’t see Sarah anywhere, but then she saw movement by the fireplace. She stepped closer and peaked around the armchair to see a newly showered Sarah sitting on the floor, brushing her hair. She was wearing a nightgown much like Tally’s. It was cute and something about the whole scene in front of her made Tally feel at home. But when did Sarah shower? It’s not like she would have missed her in the bathroom.
“You showered?” Tally asked, confused as she put her things down on the seat of the chair.
Sarah put her brush down and began to braid her hair in a loose braid as she said, “Yes, I borrowed the biddies while you were in mine.”
“Oh no, you shouldn’t have,” Tally said, sitting down next to Sarah. It hadn’t even occurred to her that she could have used a different bathroom. “I didn’t want to put you out.”
Sarah smiles. “It made no difference to me.”
And Tally knew she meant it because the happy fluttering was taking up pace and she couldn’t help but smile. “Well, okay then.”
“Would you like for me to do yours?” Sarah asked, awkwardly waving the brush between them.
Tally’s smile grew bigger. “I would love that!”
Sarah sat up on her knees and motioned for Tally to come sit in front of her. She scooted closer and sat with her back to Sarah and her eyes fixed on the roaring fire as the brush started to gently run through her hair. It was extremely relaxing and if it wasn’t because Tally was so hyper focused on how Sarah’s fingertips would sometimes brush against the side of her neck then she might have fallen asleep. But as long as Sarah sat right behind her then there was no chance of that.
Sarah brushed her hair much longer than what was clearly necessary, but Tally was not about to complain. Though she almost did whine when Alder put the brush down and started with the braiding. But then she did something Tally hadn’t expected. After tying the end with a hairband, Sarah pushed the braid to this side and gently kissed Tally’s bare shoulder.
Tally shivered and with wide eyes she turned to look at Sarah, who looked startled by her own actions. “I’m sorry, I don’t know-”
But Tally didn’t let her finish. She didn’t want to hear her apology, she just wanted to kiss her, so that was what she did. Tally grabbed Sarah’s face and pulled her in for a long kiss that had them both gasping for air when the pull part. “Are you still sorry?” Tally asked.
Sarah smiled. “No, I’m not.”
“Good,” Tally said with a grin, but then she noticed the sowilo rune on the inside of her wrist. Sarah had given her the sun. Tally quickly took her hands from Sarah’s cheeks and pulled the top ring from her finger. She could give Sarah the moon. “Happy Litha.”
“Tally…” Sarah looked down at the ring held out between them. “I can’t take this.”
“But it was meant for you,” Tally said, smiling. She didn’t know how to explain it, but this ring was everything Sarah was. She was the moon to her sun. “See.” Tally took the other ring off and placed the sun in the crook of the moon. “They go together like us.”
Sarah nodded and took the ring from Tally’s fingers, sliding it onto her own. “I do see.”
And with that she leaned in and kissed Tally again. Tally smiled against Sarah’s lips and deepened the kiss as Sarah pulled her closer. So close that they were heart by heart and that was when Tally realized the ever present fluttering in chest was Sarah’s heartbeat.
And in that moment their hearts beat as one.
Like the sun and the moon sharing the sky.