The dancing grew wilder, and Jerrold was pleased to see that Cirda was being tossed the highest.Yfin and Leeda were watching, their mouths hanging open.It was quite a sight.
Then the drums crashed again, and the dancers ran to the front of the building.As a long horn sounded with the drums, they swarmed over the building, straight up the front wall, and disappeared over the roof just as the music ended.
After a silent beat, heads popped up along the roofline, then they each aided the others to slide and climb back down to the square.
Over the cheering and the exclamations of praise, Roth gave Jerrold a hard look.“There are stories told of the Black Hills that say that the warriors washed over the Keep walls like an ocean wave swamps a ship.”
“Never seen the ocean,” Jerrold said.“Heard wild tales, tho.Hard to know what is true and what is not.”
“I’m starting to think there might be more truth in those stories than I knew,” Roth said.
Jerrold smiled into his mug.
Eventually, Halithe madeher way back to where Amari was sitting.She felt tired and worn out in a good way.Cirda and Dayva stayed behind, watching the grappling.They’d tried to explain the moves and rules to Halithe, but it all moved so fast.It also made her oddly anxious, watching men and women trying to throw each other to the ground with a crowd cheering them on.It was all friendly enough, but the rivalries seemed strong.
She tucked herself in between Rosalind and Amari, who seemed to be arguing with the locals over the best methods of salting beans.Which was fine.Halithe sat and let the words flow over her, and felt at peace.
The sun was just touching the tops of the trees and lanterns were being lit.The whole square seemed to glow.
The music stopped and the leader called out, “A luring dance.Come, gather your bowls and spoons, young and old.”He took a deep breath and went on, “Life is short and full of bitter, so lure your love with a bit of sweet.”
The crowd rustled as many stepped forward with bowls in one hand and spoons in the other.Someone took a stick of chalk and drew circles for all to stand in, scattered close to the center of the square.
The music started.Halithe craned her neck, searching for Dayva’s brother, whom she’d met once when he came to give Dayva a ride home at day’s end, wondering if he was in this first dance.
Amari’s breath caught.
Halithe followed her gaze to see Orval standing in a chalked circle, a teasing smile on his face and a bowl in his hands.
Once he had Amari’s attention, he started tapping the side of his bowl with his spoon.All around, others were tapping their bowls in the same way.
With much laughter, some of those watching moved closer and started dancing, teasing their interest with their steps.
“Would you?”Amari asked, and handed a sleeping Lara off to Halithe before she could answer.The Lady stood, brushed down her skirts as if considering her choices, lifting her chin and giving Orval a look.
Then she joined the dance.
Those being lured twirled and danced, men and women, stomping their feet and clapping their hands, approaching their loved ones and darting away, with much laughter and cajoling.
Amari made the full round of the circle, skipping back when Orval extended the spoon, laughing and spinning away.She was clearly teasing him, and he clearly had no doubts that she’d come to him eventually.
They were each so lost in the other, as if in their own world.Halithe wondered if that was truly possible, to feel that way with another person.To share something so…wonderful.
Finally Orval was the last waiting and Amari the last resisting.The crowd around them clapped, and stomped their feet, sharing their joy.With a final twirl, Amari drew closer, her eyes never leaving Orval’s face.
Orval held out the spoon, close to her lips, and she took it in her mouth.
Then she jerked back, sputtering, her hand over her mouth, laughing and gasping.
“Pease?”she choked out.
Orval used Amari’s confusion to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her close, covering her face with pease-y kisses, getting it all over both their faces as the crowd cheered.
“Is that pease porridge?”Mother Berice asked.
Halithe and Rosalind laughed, though some of the people around them looked confused.Roth looked at Dalan in his lap.“Your Da has a strange sense of humor,” he said to the sleeping child.
“And a strange sense of taste,” Berice said drily.
