Disclaimer: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce. I do not own the lyrics.

Set After Lioness Rampant, before the Thom is born

"Time is the anchor, change is the constant, love is the trigger."

- Time is the Anchor by Chris Pureka

George Cooper opened his eyes against the sharp light of the rising sun. He rolled over to find the other side of the bed cold. He was expecting it. However, every morning he still woke up wishing he would turn and feel her warmth there next to him. These days, his wishing was usually a futile effort. She wasn't due home until Midwinter at the least. After all, she was a knight, and her duty was to the crown first and her husband second. It was expected. Everything was expected.

He didn't resent it and he didn't regret his choice to marry her. He always knew that falling in love with Alanna meant dealing with certain things. He knew by now how to tame her anger, yet he still loved the way her eyes flashed and sparked when she was in a temper. He learned to respect her stubbornness, because frankly, she never would have gotten where she was without it. Her sharp tongue never ceased to amaze him, but it never cut him. The one thing he couldn't come to terms with was her roaming spirit.

He had allowed himself the daydream of Alanna one day settling down and having kids. They had talked about kids, and while she still wore the pregnancy charm around her neck, he was hopeful one day it would find it's way into storage. On the other hand, he knew she would never be content to waste days sitting around as a baroness. She would wander and when war called she would answer. When the king needed her, she would be there. She had sworn an oath and she believed in the crown. His Alanna was nothing if not loyal.

In the end, he would always love her. Even if she left to wander and never returned, he would harbor his feelings for her until the day the Black God claimed him. His sight brought him to her and his heart kept him there.

As lost in thought as he was, George Cooper never heard the door to his chambers open. In fact, he never registered another person's presence until he felt the weight shift the bed. Before he could grab the knife he kept nearby, arms wrapped around his bare waist and he turned to face a pair of violet eyes. The only thing he could say before his lips found hers was, "You're early."

Maybe everything wasn't expected after all.