DONE FINALLY

AT LEAST UNTIL I START WORKING ON STAR OF BERN

The fluffy useless chapter to end all fluffy useless chapters. At least by Lyn’s standards of fluffy.

 

Marry Me

Safety! Bless Eliwood for existing. Everyone in the group was exhausted, even Milton, whom Ceniro decided to rescue for whatever reason. That man of mine was crazy sometimes… And he’d suffered the most on the way back, dealing with his nerveless arm and recovering from everything he’d spent in the battle. But we had made it safely out of Bern, away from King Desmond’s wrath and to Pherae, and now we could relax and sleep for a couple days, safe at Eliwood’s castle. We were so fortunate to have generous friends.

The castle staff wanted to give me a room of my own, a lady’s apartment, but I refused. Some might call it scandalous, but I’d been sleeping at Ceniro’s side for a year and a half, and we liked it that way, to know that the other was near. I was going to keep it that way, no matter what anyone said. Eliwood would understand.

Ceniro was sprawled on his bed, eyes closed, but as I shut the door behind me, he opened his eyes and held out his good arm to me. I tackled him with a bounce, careful of the other arm still in the sling, and kicked off my boots, and he wrapped me in his embrace. We lay still together, my head on his shoulder with my arms around his waist. After a moment, he shifted his injured arm – it was getting better, gradually – and stroked my hair with his good hand, very slowly.

Idly, I wondered: was this what it was like for Florina and Wil? Or Pent and Louise? Was there really a huge difference between being married, and being as close as we were? Oh, I fully intended to marry him someday, but we were already most of the way there, weren’t we? We held each other’s lives in our hands. We understood each other as equals, and maybe we didn’t always agree exactly, but by now we knew how to solve our problems like adults. Mostly. When I’d already vowed to myself to share my life with him, and he’d clearly done the same, what could be stronger?

I’d probably feel differently once I’d crossed the same bridge that so many of my friends and companions had. To make a ceremony of it, to repeat these oaths in public, there must be some change. And the only way to find out for sure would be to do it.

“We should get married,” he said, voice thick and slow with impending sleep, as if he had read my mind. “Then you can be in here without worrying what people think.”

“I already don’t worry about what people think,” I answered, casually, pretending his suggestion hadn’t made my heart jump. We’d talked about it before, but it was always more exciting to think about than it should have been, considering the length of time we’d been together. “But sure, let’s get married. Tomorrow?”

He apparently thought I was joking, as he chuckled. “I don’t think my mother will forgive me if she isn’t present.” Ah yes, his mother, who wasn’t sure if she was in awe of me for being the granddaughter of Marquess Caelin, or if she didn’t want her son consorting with some dirty savage Sacaean. I wasn’t too fond of her, and I knew Ceniro wasn’t either, although things might have been changing. Since I didn’t know her, I’d trust him with it – not something I’d do for just anyone. I liked the rest of his family, though, and I think they liked me, as well.

Ceniro was still talking. “And what about your grandfather? He missed his daughter’s wedding, I don’t think he’ll want to miss his granddaughter’s. He doesn’t disapprove of me, right?”

“Florina and Fiora and Kent and Wil didn’t worry about that last year,” I pointed out. They’d had Farina present, and that was all for family, and whatever friends were around at the time. But Ceniro had a point. And we did have friends nearby to draw on, at this point in time. “Well… maybe my grandfather should come. I’m sure he approves of you. I love you, after all, so he should too. And Eliwood’s right here, we can invite him and Ninian and a few other people.”

“Like who?” he said, shifting his head towards me. The hand stroking my hair stilled. “Hector and Pent and Louise?” Mayyyybe? “I think we’re getting too many people involved. We just wanted something quiet, remember? After what Hector and Louise did with the wedding last year… We’ll just convince my mother to leave Santaruz temporarily,” – ha, easier said than done, I knew that – “bring your grandfather, and go to Sacae where no one will bother us.”

“You’re right,” I said, smiling. As usual, he was right. We had agreed on not too many people after the wedding last year. “I’ve always wanted to show my grandfather the plains.”

“I know you have,” he said. “Show him the land you love so much.”

My eyes drifted up towards his chin, which was as close to eye contact as I was getting without moving, which I didn’t feel like doing. “What about you?”

“I love it, but I love all of Elibe, you know that.”

“Mm.” So how would we go about this, then? It didn’t sound too complicated… “Well, we can pass through Dunborough on our way back to Sacae. You can convince her then. I hope it doesn’t take too much doing.”

“Anlie will help. She’s good at it. So I guess we’ll set a date for a few months from now. Just whenever we get back.”

“Sounds good,” I said, and couldn’t hold back a yawn. Definitely time to sleep. I didn’t feel like moving, even though I was still wearing my regular clothes, and we were lying on top of the blankets… Eh, it didn’t matter. I’d worked hard these last two weeks. Sleep was more important right now.

I closed my eyes, adjusted my head on his shoulder, and quickly fell asleep, lulled by his breathing and his heartbeat.

 

We made it to Dunborough without incident, although we bickered over whether we should approach his family as a group, or if it should just be Ceniro, or Ceniro and me… Ceniro himself was in favour of a smaller group, and he didn’t say it outright, but I think he was afraid that Milton would frighten his family.

Which was a valid point; the former knight was a silent, glowering presence wherever we went, since he was our… not a prisoner… how should I put it? We were babysitting him, until such time as Ceniro felt he wouldn’t try to take over the world again. He hadn’t told Milton yet, but he’d told me: I’d been a bit snippish at the thought that we’d have to keep dragging him along with us now that we were out of Bern, just because Ceniro didn’t want him killed, but he didn’t trust anyone else to take care of him. So we were stuck with him for the time being.

Ceniro didn’t trust anyone else with Milton? Hah. I didn’t trust Milton. Actually, neither did Ceniro. But he didn’t want him dead. I was ambivalent on the matter. If he snapped, and Ceniro had to order me to kill the bastard, I could do it.

Anyway, he was pretty terrifying to normal people, even if we had two of our company watching him at all times. But Ceniro’s family was going to have to get used to him on our journey to Sacae, and dragging it out wouldn’t make it easier.

“But we can at least warn them before they meet him,” Ceniro said, and I sighed and gave up. It wasn’t a terrible idea, and Ceniro knew his family better than I did. I’d follow his lead.

So here we were, in front of their house, sans Kent, Fiora, and Milton. Ceniro had steeled himself for this, and there was only the barest hesitation before he knocked.

Anlie answered the door again, and she lit up upon seeing the two of us, and then her eyes widened in awe at the rest of the group, although it was only Florina, Wil, Renee, and Rigel. Florina had left her pegasus with her sister. “So many of you! Come in, I think we have enough chairs! Mom, Ceniro’s come home, and brought friends again!”

His mother came bustling forward, as expected. “Well… look at that. I declare… Anlie, get drinks, girl!” She was trying, she really was, although her face betrayed her struggle. Her previous encounter with us had left a… good impression? I was almost shocked.

Ceniro didn’t sit, although the rest of us did. “Um… Mom…”

“Sit! Sit! What’s the matter? We have seats enough.”

He rubbed his injured arm awkwardly. He no longer kept it in the sling, and Eliwood had given him a new tunic to replace the tattered deel, but it still looked off… if you knew how to look. “I know you hate going outside of the village…”

His mother froze and stared at him. “But…? Oh, Saint Elimine, you’re not proposing we all go traipsing off into the wilderness like- like you adventurous people, are you? What on earth has gotten into you? It’s shocking!”

Ceniro frowned, looking more awkward than ever. I glanced meaningfully at Wil. Save the day with your patented foot in mouth technique.

Really? Wil mouthed to me. I nodded.

“They’re getting married – finally – and you’re invited!” Wil burst out, full volume, and Florina giggled, startled.

“Oh!” Anlie squealed, piercing and gleeful, and his mother dropped the empty jug that had been previously full of beer on the floor with a smash.

“What!?” And then both his sister and mother began to talk at once.

Ceniro was looking more flustered than ever and not sure how to deal with it. They were his family, weren’t they? Ah well, I could help him out. I stood and gently pushed him to sit. “Yes, we’re getting married. We’re returning to Sacae, the land of my birth, as we both think it would be the perfect place for it. I know it’s a very long way away, but it is a very special occasion and we’d be honoured if you would join us.” Well, perhaps elocution lessons during my time in Caelin hadn’t been completely wasted.

His mother gaped like a fish; Anlie was doing a little jig to herself.

“Of course, you’ll probably wish to consult with Master Caro and Drew before making a definite decision,” I said.

“I’m so happy for you!” Anlie exclaimed, looking like she was trying not to violently hug everyone in the room. “I do wish to go. Hopefully everyone else will, too!”

“I… ah… that’s…” Ceniro’s mother stammered breathlessly. Anlie took charge of the room, leading her stunned mother to a seat and serving everyone deftly.

“Why is everyone so loud?” Ceniro muttered to me after a minute as I sat back down beside him.

“Aren’t they usually?” I asked.

“Only my mother. And now she’s stunned into silence and Anlie’s chirping away, as noisy as Serra or Salir, when normally she’s quiet like me. And the others… usually Rigel’s pretty quiet, and Florina, but today everyone’s noisy.”

“That’s what exciting news does to people,” I told him cheerfully.

He still looked miffed. “I wish it didn’t.”

His father came home after an hour or so, and was surprised in his turn. He didn’t say anything definite in response to being asked to come all the way to Sacae, but he did look happy.

“We should let them have some time to talk it over together before expecting a decision,” Ceniro told me quietly, rubbing his arm again.

“Of course,” I said. “Is your arm bothering you?”

“A bit, but at least it’s not cramping…”

“What’s wrong with your arm?” Patsi called over the conversation, and Ceniro froze in place.

“It’s fine,” he said with a not-quite-sincere smile, after a moment to breathe. “I got a little banged up on our last mission, and it’s still recovering.”

“You were hurt!? Who hurt you? What were you doing? I thought you were supposed to be safe at all times!” His mother shot off one question after another.

“Those aren’t bad points,” I teased him, poking him in the shoulder, and he brushed me off with an expression somewhere between a grimace and a smirk, although it was aimed at the floor.

“Yes, it was insane,” Wil said, and I shot a look at him. This was not the time for the foot in mouth technique. “You should have seen-” He caught my look and shut up. He wasn’t one to talk, he’d had a limp for five days after we left Armica.

“I think it better that we didn’t,” Caro said calmly. “It’s frightening enough to know that he was in enough danger to be injured.” At least Wil hadn’t brought up the scars spiraling around Ceniro’s arm, showing very clearly how it had been detached at one point. If they came along, would he have to hide his arm from them always? Well, it wouldn’t be impossible.

Ceniro nodded. “Thanks, Dad.”

“But-” Patsi began shrilly.

“No,” Caro said, and Patsi acquiesced.

We left them not long after, and Anlie promised to come tell us what was decided by lunchtime tomorrow.

“You didn’t warn them about Milton,” I said to him as we made our way back to the little inn.

“No, if they decide not to come, then they don’t need to know,” he said. “I’ll let them know before we all set off together, don’t worry.”

Well, they decided to come, though not without very vocal concerns from Patsi, who, even though Ceniro assured her she’d be as safe as if she stayed at home, was worried we’d all be murdered on the road. Possibly by Milton. But she came anyway, and Caro and Anlie, and we obtained special permission for Ceniro’s brother Drew to leave his post at Castle Santaruz and come with us as well. We set our course for Caelin and prayed we didn’t all go mad.

 

After dinner at Castle Caelin, I met with my grandfather alone. He was standing in his study, looking at the portrait of my mother which he had gotten out of storage and put up after I met him for the first time. It was so strange to see my mother looking the same age as me, but her eyes were the same as I had known, and her soft smile. It brought back a rush of feelings and memories, as it always did, and I focused on my grandfather with an effort.

Even though he was retired and Reissmann was running the place, he still lived here and probably would until he died. As I came in, he turned to me and smiled. “So, there’s a feeling of excitement in the air, Lord Pent and Lady Louise are no longer in your mercenaries, and that lad has his family along. Something is about to happen, isn’t it?”

Grandfather wasn’t blind, that was for sure. “It certainly is.” Best not to drag it out. “I am going to marry Ceniro.”

“And how many of your friends have told you it’s about time?” Grandfather said, teasing.

I grinned back. “All of them. But I’d like you to come too. We’re going to Sacae to be married there, and I thought perhaps I could show you the plains as I have been promising.”

“And I’ve promised to come see them.” Grandfather stroked his chin thoughtfully, exhaled firmly. “Yes, very well, I have nothing better to do these days.” He glanced at the portrait again, and back to me. “It pleases me that I will see you married. Your eyes are so like to Madelyn’s… and I never saw hers illuminated in love. She taught me much with her elopement, and now I can be a better man for you, my dear granddaughter. Now I can just be happy that you are happy with the man you have chosen.”

I stepped forward and hugged him. “And I’m grateful to you as well, Grandfather, for supporting me in everything that I do, even when it takes me far away from you for a long time.”

“Ah well.” He disengaged from my hug and sat in his favourite leather chair. “Now, weren’t you going to tell me what else has been happening since I saw you last?”

“Most definitely!” I said, and began.

 

The ger was a little warm, or maybe my nerves made it so. Even with the fringe of the walls tucked up to let a breeze through the bottom, it seemed too warm. I was trying to breathe evenly, but I couldn’t stop the rhythmic prickles of sweat from rushing across my body from head to foot.

Everything would be fine, I don’t know what I was worried about. Perhaps it was the formal deel I’d bought in Bulgar? Would I look nice in it? Would the headdress get in my way and be annoying? But I wanted to dress up for this occasion, even if it was just our companions and families. Actually, Fiora was missing, gone off on her own for some reason. I hoped she’d be back by dinner, because we weren’t waiting forever for her. Meanwhile, Ceniro and Kent were off in one of the other tents, getting ready in their own fashion. But I needed more space, so I was in the ger, behind a curtain, while my grandfather waited on the other side of it.

“I’m so excited,” Florina said softly, helping me tie the ties and loops and sashes of my robe over my light kimono. “You’ve waited so long for this, haven’t you?”

“Maybe a bit long,” I said. “But we’ve been busy!”

“That’s not an excuse!” she scolded me, making me kneel beside her so she could brush my long, long hair. “I married Wil a year ago! There’ve been opportunities!”

“Hmm.” Maybe she was right about that, but still… “I guess we’re both slow-moving awkward people when it comes to life-long commitments – and we’ve been so sure, that actually getting married wasn’t a big deal. Anyway, we’re getting married now, what’s your problem?”

Florina giggled. “Sorry, Lyn. But it is really exciting.”

“Definitely,” I said. “You know, when I was growing up, I always thought I’d marry a Sacaean man, a strong, stoic man with green hair and dark eyes. But then Ceniro came into my life, and yes, at first he was kind of pathetic.”

“Like me!”

“Hahaha! Maybe a little. But like you, he’s grown so much since then, and he’s really a wonderful person, so patient and gentle and brilliant. I do love him very much, and I’m secure in the knowledge that he loves me. So yes, I’m happy to be marrying him.”

“Is that all?” Florina asked earnestly, getting the headdress and setting it on my head. The golden beads tinkled softly as I stood, my preparations complete.

“Well, he’s pretty sexy with a katana, even if he’s not as good as me. And of course there’s always the new opportunity to compare scars,” I teased with a saucy wink and a blush, and my friend dissolved in giggles, turning red in her turn.

“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard so much giggling in my life,” Grandfather said, as I emerged from behind the curtain. “Well, now, you look lovely. Rather strange, perhaps, but very beautiful. I’m sure your parents are as happy for you as I am.”

I hugged him and he hugged me back. “Thank you, Grandfather. I know they are happy for me, too.”

“Are you sure you have everything you need?” Grandfather asked, a bit anxiously. “I would have given you a rich dowry, but you’ve refused most of the things normally given in Lycia. If there’s anything else I can do…”

“Grandfather, you provided for me to buy these clothes, new horses, new furniture for the gers… I know it doesn’t seem like much to a noble Lycian, but to a Sacaean mercenary, it’s incredibly generous. This is a rich dowry. And I am – we are very grateful.”

He smiled. “As long as you’re happy, my dear Lyndis. Shall we meet the groom?”

I nodded, my heart beginning to beat faster again, and I followed him out, Florina behind me, just as Ceniro gave a surprised, indignant shout. What? What was going on?

But as I came into the light, everyone turned to look at me, and I was gratified by the reactions – a huge grin from Wil, a soft smile from Kent, a squeal from Renee and a gasp from Rigel, and Anlie clapped quietly.

Ceniro stared, his mouth hanging open, and he looked like he’d forgotten to breathe. I had to pause and stare a bit myself. He looked very handsome in his formal Lycian tunic, in the same burgundy that his deel had been coloured, and a fine green cloak, fastened at the shoulder with a golden brooch. He looked well in Sacaean clothes, but Lycian clothes suited him even better, I had to admit. He almost looked like a young lord in his finery, standing straight with the unconscious, serene confidence he’d grown over the last three years, that boyish mop of brown hair neatly combed, but his grey eyes – beneath the awe-struck look they held right now – were the eyes I knew so well.

His mouth twitched, and words began to come out. “Where – how – when-”

I guessed he was asking about the clothes. “In Bulgar, when we stopped in a couple days ago. My grandfather gave me the money.” I made a show of looking him up and down with approval. “You’re not so bad-looking yourself.”

“Th-thanks.” Aww, the stammer was back today. I hadn’t heard that in a while – not out of bashfulness, at least. It made me smile.

But there was the other matter, and it seemed to be related to the distant figure of Fiora, a steadily growing white speck in the western sky. “Now, what was all the yelling about?” Wait, there were… people marching behind her? So many people! Crowds of people! “What is that?”

“That’s what I said,” Ceniro said, coming to stand next to me and holding my hand. Ah, he was lovely. “I think we have some mutineers in our group. Just look how disgustingly smug they are.” He mock-pouted at Kent, who was laughing outright. If Fiora were here, she would have gotten a dose of that as well.

I sighed and shook my head in mock despair. “There’s nothing for it. We’ll have to have a big party. They have come all this way.”

Ceniro was jolted out of his teasing. “Do we have enough food?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Kent said, his laughter under control again. “Just go welcome your unexpected guests.”

Fiora touched down as the horde of familiar faces began to arrive at our camp. “Sir Ceniro, Lady Lyn, it gives me great pleasure to present to you…” She paused, apparently trying to decide who to name first, and quickly gave that idea up as impossible. “…a great many of your friends.”

“Every friend,” Ceniro muttered to me, and I squeezed his hand as I tried not to laugh. “Every single one of them.” It certainly looked like it.

There was an extremely loud, confused chorus of “CONGRATULATIONS!” from the crowd of people, and I blushed at the vehemence of their enthusiasm. I caught a glimpse of Ceniro’s family, and they looked quite stunned at the number and variety of people who had just arrived.

“You really shouldn’t have,” I began, Ceniro stammering along with me.

“Nonsense,” Eliwood said, stepping forward from the group with Ninian, the first to greet us personally.

It took what seemed a long time to greet everyone, to hug and exclaim and get over our shock, but in the end I was glad of everyone we loved being here. To have Eliwood and Ninian here, and Pent and Louise back, and Hector and his new wife Freya, all here to celebrate our union, it made me so happy I could have run around the camp twelve times and sang like a little girl. And a bit humbled, too, that they would come all this way for us. How many lives Ceniro had touched! And me, too, I suppose.

Eliwood and my grandfather eventually took charge and got everyone settled in a circle a little way away from camp, sitting or standing among the tall golden grasses of the plains, and Ceniro and I were in the centre. The gentle wind blew at my hair, smelling freshly of grass and flowers and freedom. Ceniro’s eyes were shining as he reached out to take the hands I extended towards him eagerly.

“We met by chance,” he said.

“By fate,” I answered. We’d written these vows together – he’d helped me when I got stuck on my half – but we’d never said them aloud to each other before. I hoped I remembered all of my lines. I thought they were very fitting, but the way my heart was beating, the way Ceniro was so distractingly handsome, the way everything just seemed to be passing by me far too quickly, without me really registering it, I was a little nervous about saying it all right. I wondered if he was, too.

“And together, we overcame many obstacles,” he was saying, and that helped.

“And together, we’ll overcome many more.”

“So with Saint Elimine’s blessing, I will be your husband.” He couldn’t hold back his sweet smile.

“And as Mother Earth lives in the embrace of Father Sky, I will be your wife.” I almost couldn’t say the last part from smiling back at him.

He leaned forward, and I leaned forward, and we kissed. There was a muffled noise in the background – our friends cheering – but all I could focus on was the pounding of my heart and the warmth of his mouth.

 

The celebration lasted all night, from what I could tell, with everyone eating and drinking and catching up and remembering stories from when we all went about together. My grandfather was beside Eliwood and Hector, and he looked very happy, although he spent most of his time listening. That was what had made him a good Marquess, and a good grandfather, at least as long as I’d known him, I reflected. He was always listening. He looked at me often, and I’d smile at him each time.

Ceniro’s family looked a little more awkward at first, but Anlie and Andy were completely absorbed in each other from the start. Then Drew and Lowen bumped into each other and managed to start a conversation, and Caro and Dorcas began talking. That left only Patsi, who still looked uncomfortable in the middle of all these people, whom I understood she’d spent most of her life convincing herself that she wasn’t worth being spoken to by them. She looked positively terrified when Louise, the beautiful and deadly and sweet Lady Louise, Countess of Reglay, wife of the former Mage General of Etruria, began engaging her in conversation, but with little Klein beginning to string words together, soon the two women had more than enough to talk about.

Thank goodness. I looked at Ceniro, and he looked at me, and there was a relief there that I hadn’t quite expected but was glad to see. I leaned over and kissed him, and random people cheered again. I had to roll my eyes. They could stop with that now.

And then the music and dancing started. Kent and Renee had been trying to coach us for a week, but we were still awkward as we stood up for the first dance. It didn’t matter, because soon enough half our friends were also dancing.

Ceniro looked around at them all in the light of the campfires, an arm around my shoulders. “You think we’ve entertained them enough? Not that I’m not glad to see them. But I – I want to show you something.”

“I’m sure you do,” I teased. Oops, maybe I’d had a little too much to drink.

He blushed but shook his head. “Something else.”

“Well, I’m curious. Shall we?”

“We’ll see them again in the morning, anyway,” he said, and led me by the hand back to the ger.

I was confused; we’d actually set up a tent a long way outside of camp, to have some space truly to ourselves this night – and tomorrow morning. I wanted it to be morning to make love to him for the first time, with the sun creeping over the distant hills and shining golden across us, with the wind of the plains caressing us… That was my ideal.

But he was only in the ger a moment, and then we were off to the horses, riding quietly off to our destination. I lit the lamp once we were in the tent, so we could see each other and talk a bit before we slept. Tomorrow, once we returned, we could go back to being the leaders of the Wind Warriors – our new mercenary group name. But tonight we would have nothing to do with work.

He took off his cloak, undid the top few hooks of the collar of his tunic, and laughed. “I did feel kind of funny wearing this, like I was in someone else’s place all day. I know Eliwood and Pent are used to wearing clothes this nice, but I wonder how it feels to be comfortable in it…”

“Maybe you should accept that knighthood that’s been offered to you by multiple people, and find out,” I teased him.

He laughed, but was distracted, reaching for the small bag he’d brought from the ger. “I… um. Well, here.”

“What is it?” I asked, confused. Inside were a notebook, and a small wooden case. I flipped through the notebook and saw… myself.

He covered his eyes with a hand. “Oh, Saint Elimine’s eyes, the early stuff is bad.”

“I don’t understand.” I tilted my head at him. “Try again?”

“Well, when we came to Sacae the first time, I needed to do something to occupy all the time that I normally spent walking. So… I tried drawing.”

Realization dawned on me. “So that’s why you spent so much time with the notebook! I thought you were writing down campaign notes!”

“Some of that, too, but that’s in a different notebook. Anyway… so those are all the drawings I’ve done of you over the last two years. Most of my other drawings are in another other notebook.”

I went through again, more slowly, amazed. “You did all this… I never knew. You’re so good at this now!” There were all kinds of pictures, of me laughing, wielding my swords, looking furious, looking confused, looking distant, brushing my hair, or sleeping – I blushed at those ones. There were some other sketches thrown in, too, of mountains and valleys, rivers and forests, of other people we traveled with, but most of it was of me. Yes, the early pictures looked strange and off and distorted, and some of them were scribbled out in frustration, but the more recent ones were really nice to look at.

He was blushing, fiddling with the hem of his tunic. “So I was wondering… while you’re all dressed up… if I could draw you?”

“Yes please!” I eagerly pushed the book at him. “But you have to draw yourself, too.”

“Me? I don’t usually draw me… I’ve done it maybe three times, ever…”

“I insist,” I said. “How should I…?”

“Just be comfortable,” he said, and began to sketch with charcoal from the wooden case. I felt tingles running up and down my back, not sure whether I should make eye contact when he glanced up at me, holding in nervous giggles. How strange that I should feel so awkward when he’d just become my husband.

He didn’t take long, it seemed, but the lamp was beginning to fade when he sat back. “I think that’s the gist of it. I’ll finish it tomorrow.” He showed me, and I gasped.

“That’s amazing,” I said. “I don’t know what to say, it’s so good!”

He looked bashful. “It’s not that great.”

“It really is.”

“Well, maybe you should stop being so beautiful,” he teased.

I laughed. “Give it thirty years and your wish will come true.”

He snorted. “It’s going to take longer than thirty years to make you un-beautiful. More like forever.”

“You’re such a romantic,” I told him, and he reached out to help take my headdress off.

“You like it,” he retorted in such a soft voice, and I shivered in delight.

“I most certainly do,” I whispered back, and kissed him, his arms around my waist, my hands in his hair.