Work Text:
The roar of the fireplace kept the small living room warm. Winter struck the cabin harder than usual this year, and days of laboring to keep the animals comfortable wiped Shadowheart out. It was only mid-afternoon, but she was already dead asleep on the couch with a wool blanket around her.
She dreamt of a calmer cold day, one where the light of the full moon would illuminate the whole plot of land she and Karlach bought for themselves. There was peace here as the wind rustled the forest trees to sway and dance in a mesmerizing rhythm. Even as the wolves howled and shadows stalked the night, she sat comfortably on the front porch, watching the frost form on the ground and turn icy crystals into mirrors reflecting the moonlight back into the frozen air. Images of assassins once haunted her nightmares, but here, as some of them threatened her in the distance, Shadowheart remained still. None will harm her here.
She sat in the dream for a little longer, relishing in the undisturbed tranquility. Then she felt her right arm get a tinge warmer than usual. Curious, she touched it, and she awoke with her feet in the air and her head tucked into Karlach's chest. The pair traveled up the stairs and into their bedroom, where the tiefling gently placed Shadowheart down on the bed and covered her in the thick sheets. When Karlach kissed her cheek goodnight, a smile creased on the corners of her mouth. She kept her eyes closed even as light of the full moon shone through the window and drifted back to the safety of sleep—this time, with her beloved beside her.