I thought for a moment. What were my objections to marriage? I felt that most people married too quickly. They came to market, and they found someone there. Their marriages were based upon convenience and location. Statistically, a lot of those marriages lasted. Whether they were built on love or convenience, they lasted because they’d gone in with the same idea of a future. They took lovers to liven up their marriage or to fill a void left by their partner.
“If we survive a year,” I started slowly, an idea forming in my head, “then we will return to Everend Market next midsummer, and I will propose to you here on this very riverbank.”
He kissed me softly on the lips. “I agree.”
“Then you are mine?”
“I am yours.”
We kissed longer, laying along the grassy riverbank, until the dew soaked through our clothing. When we parted, it was only long enough to go to his tent so he could pack a bag and make our way back to my cabin. Once we reached it, we did not part again for the rest of the night.
Chapter Eleven
Oleander
The following morning, we woke to a knock on the cabin door.
We quickly pulled on fresh clothing and shimmied down the ladder. Castien reached the front door first and pulled it open. Acantha stood on the porch, a smile on their face when they saw me. “Good morning, lovers,” they trilled as they stepped inside. “I was coming to ask my brother how it went last night, but I see it went well.” They looked at me. “Did you talk to him?”
My face flushed. Had I not had the conversation the night before, there would be no avoiding it now.
“Acantha…”
I could hear the warning in Castien’s voice, but his sibling ignored it.
“Do notAcanthame. I am merely doing my sibling duty, which is to make sure that my older brother is not too much of an idiot to hold onto a good thing when it lands literally upon his doorstep. More than that, I do not want to hear you whine and moan about him for the remainder of our days, which as you know, will be a very long time.”
I laughed at the dramaticism behind their words. I could not imagine Castien whining about the loss of anything. I could not imagine him moaning in the way they meant it either. But Castien,myCastien, looked unnerved and uncomfortable by their words. I did not like it.
“We’ve spoken,” I assured them. “Not only have we spoken, but the conversation went very well.”
Acantha’s eyes brightened, and I could see so much of their brother in the look in their eyes. “Good,” they declared, clapping their hands together. “How much longer do you have at market?”
“I leave tomorrow morning.”
The reality settled over me. I wished I could stay longer, but I could not stretch the coin nor could I abandon my duties in Emberleigh for that long. I was to return to the shops in a few days’ time, and if the journey to market was any indication, I could not shorten my travel window.
“Then you have today off,” Acantha declared, their eyes landing on Castien. “Do not argue with me. I had yesterday off, and you need to spend whatever time you can with Oleander before he leaves.” Castien’s lips parted, and I had no doubt that it was to protest. Acantha clapped their hand over his mouth. “I said do not argue with me. I am more than capable of running the stall, and you can check in on me at lunch. Bring me food.”
They did not leave any opportunity for Castien to attempt another argument. The moment their hand fell away, they turned on their heel and left through the cabin door.
Castien blinked slowly, once, then twice, and a third time. “It appears we have the entire day to spend together.”
“It appears we do.”
I kissed him softly, a kiss that soon heated and had us tumbling over the back of the sofa. I landed on top of him, and we spent the morning making love before our stomachs grew too loud for us to ignore.
When we finally left the cabin, it was already mid-morning. I was wearing the tunic he’d gifted me, and he’d chosen a nicer shirt than I’d ever seen him wearing. It was a soft green that drew the color from his eyes. We walked toward the market, hand in hand. We stopped by his stall, just long enough to see that Acantha was doing well on their own. There were two elves behind the counter with them, and the three of them were sharing laughs as they worked.
“Who are they?” I questioned, indicating Acantha’s friends.
“I have no idea, but if Acantha trusts them…” His words trailed off, and I took his hand to lead him away from the stall. I knew that if he allowed himself to linger, he would only interfere. The way Acantha and their friends moved about the stall spoke of experience. I doubted this was the first time they’d assisted Acantha.
We walked the stalls for a while, browsing the wares on offer. I spent a little of my coin to purchase him a small token of my affection. It was a pin made of gold gears, arranged into a flower. I passed the pin to him after we left, and he immediately put it on his tunic. His smile made the lightening of my pockets worth it.
At lunchtime, we made our way to the prepared food stalls. “I want you to choose me your favorite food from Gearwick,” I instructed. “I will choose something from Emberleigh for you.”
“What if you do not like my selection or I don’t like yours?”
