“Thank you, Nori,” I tell her as I grab a weave from the basket. “I’d had a speech of my own prepared, but it’s not easy following grumpy Ramsey, so all I’m going to say is that despite his prickly attitude, his raw temper, and his disdain for the weak, I choose him and hope that he accepts this courtship gift.” I extend the weave toward him.
“You seek to court me?” His brow scrunches, but he takes the gift, his features softening slightly as he unfolds it, if stone can be said to soften.
I nod, bringing my blue eyes to his silver. “Yes, I am courting you.”
Looking down at the blanket, he blinks. “It is me…” he whispers, his voice wrought with emotion.
He shakes it out and holds it up for all to see. Gasps sound from all around us, followed by excited whispers.
“It’s beautiful,” Elena whispers, gazing at the enormous blanket.
The dye made from the blue-shelled grensir shells creates glistening water over the threads. Looming in the foreground is Ramsey, his silver eyes seemingly looking alive, staring intensely out from the fabric at us.
Ramsey touches the image of himself, his fingers lingering over the stitches. “Never have I seen something as exquisite as this,” he whispers, his eyes scanning up to mine, his knuckles grazing my cheek, “aside from your beautiful face.”
I feel my cheeks flush with heat. The women sigh as they look on, and I know they’ll be talking about this night endlessly.
“I love you, Ramsey.”
“As I love you, my Little Vaeyark.”
Arwin giggles. “Looks like the princess has found her prince.”
“I told you to stop calling me that!” I scoff.
Ever since they found out I was the princess they thought was dead, a few have taken to calling me Princess Asha. Not in a mean-spirited way. Still, it annoys me.
A rhythm picks up on the drums, and the maidens grab the hands of men and start twirling in circles.
“Care to dance?” I ask Ramsey.
His lips form a thin line. “Eh…”
I grab the blanket, throw it in the basket, and pull him to the center, where we spin, twirl, and move our hips to the beat. Ramsey moves awkwardly, but seems to enjoy himself, as the other men do. The ones that let themselves, anyway.
“I’m sorry I said no to you,” I finally tell him, hoping he does not get prickly.
“Apologizing is weak,” Ramsey growls.
“But I have to. It’s hurt to be away from you, but I wouldn’t allow myself to believe that you could make me happy. And I still don’t know that you will, but I’ll be miserable if we don’t give it a try.”
“My love, I swear to you, I will make it my mission to put big smiles on your face every day.”
“You’ve already done a great job by making that hut for Harold.” I look at his shoulder, where the vaeyark is perched. “And you Sir, are a traitor.”
“He agrees with me that Penticari women are nonsensical, and made his choice.”
“We’ll see if he ever gets my crumbs again.”
Ramsey looks over my shoulder and chuckles. “Looks like smart Nori moves just as awkwardly as a Tempest man.”
I twist and watch as she and Dogan sway, hoping that she realizes how crazy he is for her.
“I can’t believe how much the village has changed since we got here. How accepted we’ve become.”
“You helped with that, as no man of Tempest has ever taken down a terragulf alone.”
“But it’s not like I killed it.”
