The Look

a Tiny Kingdom musing

She was lying on my lap,
chewing my fingers gently,
as if it eased her aching teeth.

I rubbed her belly.

She grew still
and looked at me intently.

I looked back,
curious, wondering.

I didn’t know what she meant.
I still don’t.

But I knew what I felt:

Yes.

I will protect you.
I will keep you safe.
I will love you, always.

Something passed between us, and for a moment I thought of Donder.

Of all the years I had looked into his eyes and known, without needing words, what lived between us.

Now Guusje was looking at me in her own way.

I held her a little closer and she settled back against me, my fingers still between her teeth.

For a while, neither of us moved.

I still didn’t know exactly what she had been trying to tell me.

But I heard everything.

the Royal Library