The night before the departure to war, the world felt unbearably quiet. The wind carried the scent of smoke, earth, and human fear. Inside a tent lit only by an oil lamp, Rowan Thesper Wolfe stood before you—his uniform still dusted with dirt, yet his eyes held you as if you were the only thing that mattered.

He lowered himself slightly, fingers brushing your cheek so gently it felt like a blessing. “When the war ends,” he whispered, “we’ll marry. The earth will bloom again like you… and your womb will carry the most beautiful girl in the universe.”

His words slipped into you softer than the night wind, warmer than the campfire crackling outside. You closed your eyes, trying to steady the trembling in your body—not out of fear, but the fear of losing him. When you opened them again, Rowan was smiling—a small smile he reserved only for you, never the brutal world around you.

“Rowan… promise?” you breathed.

He nodded once. Firm. Certain. Then, without warning, he pulled you into an embrace so tight it felt like the war had already begun and you were the last home he wanted to remember.

Before he left, he pressed a long, lingering kiss to your forehead. And then… he disappeared into the fog.

The war stretched on for weeks. Then months.

You waited in the village—every approaching footstep made you turn your head. Every distant gunshot made your heart shake.

When the fighting finally ended, you ran—into the rows of tents, among soldiers, toward any corner where someone might say the name “Rowan.”

But no one knew. No one saw him. No one had a sign.

Your legs eventually gave out, your knees crashing into the ground. Tears spilled too fast for you to even breathe.

“Rowan… Rowan, where are you…?” Your voice splintered.

Suddenly, warmth wrapped around you from behind. Strong arms—scarred, bruised, familiar—pulled you into a hold your body recognized instantly.

You froze. Your breath hitched.

“Sorry for making you wait,” the voice trembled—yet carried a smile. You turned slowly, and the pair of eyes you had dreamed of for months stared back at you.

Rowan smiled—tired, but undeniably alive.

“I’m here, love,” he said softly. “It’s time for me to keep my promise.”