At first, Halithe was sure she would find it annoying.But it wasn’t; Dayva’s observations just washed over her as she sewed.It was restful, in an odd way.Halithe didn’t have to think or respond, or fear any harsh gossip.Just listen to Dayva’s voice and the occasional distant clatter of wooden swords from outside.
It didn’t seem to bother Amari or Rosalind either, since while Dayva’s babble never stopped, neither did her hands.She was a hard worker, and good with the twins, who were currently chasing each other around the sewing circle, grabbing chairs and skirts and trous and chortling.Dalan clearly thought this was great fun, grinning madly.
Lara was scowling, trying to catch and wrestle him to the floor.
Lady Amari had been quick to start cutting and sewing for their growing bodies.But one of the first items on her list was making a new tunic and trous for Rye, in grey and brown.
Not that Halithe thought those colors would make him look any less scary, at least, when he wanted to be.
“Done?”Ritathan asked in a voice that made it clear he was.
“Yes,” Rosalind stepped back, marking her twine.“With your arms.Legs now.”
Halithe suppressed a laugh as Ritathan heaved a much put upon sigh and allowed Rosalind to finish her work.
“If I can now be excused,” Ritathan asked as he reached for his old, black, silken robes.
Dayva watched him with open envy.“Such cloth,” she said with reverence.“I’ll never be able to weave such cloth.”
“Nonsense,” Rosalind said.“All you need is the right loom and materials.Although silk thread will be hard to come by,” she conceded.
“You never know,” Amari said.“But for now, I’ll take good, useful, woven cloth over fancy silks.”She looked at Ritathan pointedly.“Orval is at his sword lesson, so if you have nothing else to do, there are beans waiting to be snapped there in the kitchen.”
“Ah,” Ritathan said.
She fixed him with a look.“Unless you’d like to sew?”
“Beans it is.”Ritathan sighed, and retreated with his dignity mostly intact and his silks wrapped around him.
Amari chuckled, then tried to stifle a yawn that caught her unaware.
“You should rest,” Rosalind said, starting to measure out a length of cloth.
“We need to get this done,” Amari said.“I’ll nap with the children.”
“It would be lovely to have this all done by the Summer Solstice Festival,” Dayva chirped.“My brother is planning to make my Da’s salted caramel cream for the Luring Dance.”
“What is—” Rosalind started, but she didn’t get far.Dayva laughed.
“Oh, you wouldn’t know what that is!”Her dimples got even deeper.“It’s a dance, where those that wish to show their willingness to be courted stand in a circle with a treat in a small bowl with a very long-handled spoon.They can’t move from the circle, they can only call and cajole those who dance around them, and entice them with a bit of sweet on the spoon, and try to lure them into reach.If you get a sweet, you are supposed to offer a kiss in exchange.”Dayva blushed.“Before sunset, it’s for the older folks and young kids.But later, after dark, I guess it’s a bit more serious.
“What else goes on?”Amari asked.
“The entire town gathers in the square.”Dayva chirped.“There’s music and talk and feasting and…dancing.”She tripped over her words.“People come from the outlying farms and join in.It’s so much fun.”She looked up, smiling happily.“You will come, won’t you?”
“We’ll see,” Amari said gently.“We may not be welcome.”
Dayva’s face fell, and she squirmed in her chair, clearly not comfortable with that truth.
“You should,” she said stoutly, then perked up.“My Da makes the best salted caramel cream, but my brother just burns his.”
“How many brothers do you have?”Amari asked, and Dayva was off and running.
To Halithe’s joy,the days that followed piled on one another, passing swiftly.There was work, lots of work.Her hands blistered and her nails grew rough, and her skin hadn’t been creamed and perfumed in ages.But no one cared, least of all her.
Instead, she was proud of the pantry, starting to fill with stores for the winter, and proud that manor grew more comfortable as the days passed, as they created cushions and drapes and other homey touches.Proud of her progress in all her lessons.Even if they were hard or frustrating.
“You have proven you can light a candle,” Ritathan said.“Try to put one out.”
