Wren
The first warning was Berta's laugh, booming up from the courtyard like a festival starting.
The second was the voice underneath it, loud and bright and impossible, declaring that no, he had not sent word ahead, because surprise was the highest form of affection, and yes, he would absolutely take a plate of whatever smelled like that.
I was down the stairs before I finished deciding to move, sprained ankle and all.
"Caius?"
He stood in the middle of the entrance hall with a travel bag over his shoulder, road dust on his boots, and three days of beard he would definitely claim had admirers. When he saw me on the stairs, his whole face did the thing it does, the grin arriving like sunrise, and he spread his arms wide.
"There she is. I was just passing by, thought I'd..."
"Passing
