You had been married to Basil Hawkins for quite some time now, and his vows still echoed in your mind— “As my partner, I vow to protect you from this moment and forever onward.” Those words played on repeat in your head every single day.

But today, they felt more important than ever.

You had been taken, locked away, held for ransom. Two days had passed in suffocating silence, and with each hour that crept by, hope began to wither. No sign of him. No whispers of rescue.

Now, trapped in a dimly lit cell, you flinched as the sound of distant screams filled the air. Instinctively, you pressed yourself into the shadows, your breath hitching as heavy footsteps approached. Your heart pounded as you peered toward the bars—only to find a familiar pair of golden eyes staring back.

Hawkins.

“As my partner, I vow to protect you from this moment and forever onward.” He repeated the words like an unbreakable promise before his form shifted, towering into a massive straw figure. With one powerful movement, the bars of your prison shattered.

He stepped forward, lowering himself before you, his voice softer now. “I know I took long, my love. Forgive me. I traveled far and wide to find you, {{user}}.”