Chapter 45
Chapter Forty-Five
Auster was being a coward again. He didn’t know how to help when she woke four and five times a night in tears and gasping from the nightmares about the Mountain and her mother and whatever else she was dreaming about that was tormenting her so.
So when she’d wake, jolting him awake, to curl down into their arms to shake and try not to wake them, he would pretend to still be asleep, winding her in his arms, but say nothing.
Auster couldn’t keep doing that. Autumn needed both of them to soothe her and at least help her try to rest. He knew she would feel more guilty having woken him as well, but maybe there was something that he could do to back Boreus up.
He was the one who had been getting up with her in the night so that they didn’t wake him, and they were both starting to look a little frayed around the edges.
Gods, as a rule, didn’t need to sleep very much, but it helped them keep their heads on straight.
Plus, it was lovely to curl up with their love, who needed more sleep than they did.
The next night, the first nightmare, the one that was always the worst, Auster opened his eyes and looked at the woman he loved. She looked tormented, exhausted, and frayed, more so than she’d been letting them see.
“Autumn,” he whispered, pulling her close. “I’m here, love, it’s alright.” He wasn’t going to tell her it had only been a dream, because she knew that. “Come and sit with me, talk to me, and we’ll see if we can make a plan.”
Autumn looked startled, and then guilty; the reactions he’d known she was going to have before she sat up and gently settled his arms to the side. “I’m going to get up,” she whispered. “Both of you go back to sleep. I won’t leave the house, I promise.”
“Are you certain, Autumn?” Boreus’ voice was rough and tired.
“I’m certain, love,” she turned to kiss his forehead. “Rest and I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Boreus was asleep again before Auster could take a full breath, and Autumn scooted around him and out of their bed, padding out of their room and closing the doors behind her with a quiet click.
Now he had a decision to make. He could continue to be a coward, or he could go and see if he could help her.
He loved her, wasn’t sure if he could help, but she was struggling alone and he wasn’t going to allow that. Auster got up, tucking the blankets slightly firmer around Boreus and leaving the room to go and find her.
She was in the living room, staring out the night-black window as if it contained the answers that she needed. When he closed the door to the bedroom, she turned around, saw him, and turned back to the window, as if she were trying to hide something.
“You should sleep,” she said, voice trying to be something other than flat and exhausted. “There’s nothing I can do, so I’ll just stay awake for a while.”
“Come and sit with me,” he laid his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I have some stories you haven’t heard before, and I’d like to tell them.”
She nodded, and he led her to their sofa. Sitting and pulling her into his lap, stretching out until they were almost lying down.
He told her the stories he’d told the sphere, times from before she’d known them, failure and success, and being free to roam with the breezes. Some stories were funny, some held the edge of sorrow, but he was careful to stay away from the truly sad stories.
Auster just talked to her until she was drifting in his arms. Until she fell asleep, and then he just kept talking.
He switched gears when she fell asleep, telling her everything that he adored about her, how happy he was to be with her.
Telling her how much he looked forwards to their years together.
And maybe it was his voice, or maybe it was the sentiment, but the nightmares didn’t come back. She slept in his arms until the sun rose. His throat was dry and sore, but he kept talking until the sun was high in the sky and she stirred, waking.
She looked up at him with a soft smile. “Good morning, love.”
“It’s afternoon, love,” he kissed her forehead. “But good morning anyway.”
She giggled, and that must have woken Solace, because the fox trotted into the room with Boreus in his wake and shoved his head under Autumn’s hand.
“Good morning, Solace,” She petted his head, listening to his happy trill before she looked up at Boreus. “Good morning love.”
“Did you sleep?” He asked on a yawn. “I think I did.”
“I did,” she nodded against Auster’s chest. “I don’t know why, Auster was telling me a story and then I was waking up.”
“I think it has to do with presence.” Auster said, telling Boreus what he’d done all night. “If we’re awake together, that’s good, but if one of us is awake and talks to her while she sleeps, it might keep the nightmares away.”
“It’s better than what we’ve tried before.” Boreus nodded. “I’m starving, I think?—”
“We’ll make breakfast,” Auster and Autumn both said together. Auster wasn’t about to eat whatever came out of that kitchen with Boreus in charge.
Boreus laughed, “ It wasn’t that bad.’
“Boreus, my love, it absolutely was.” Auster said, squeezing Autumn one last time before he let her go and they all headed into the kitchen.
Boreus was good with a knife, even if he didn’t know which end of a salt box was which. So they had him chop the vegetables and the chicken to put in the soup they’d decided on.
It smelled fantastic, Auster’s belly grumbling as they finally dipped the soup into bowls and sat to eat.
“So you think she’ll sleep better if we talk to her?” Boreus looked across the table at Auster.
“I only have one night to reference, but it worked once.”
“We’ll try again tonight,” Boreus said, looking over at Autumn, who looked better in the light coming from the windows. “I have some stories you’ve never heard.”