“And now he’s made a grand return to market?”
I nudged my sibling, almost knocking them from the path we walked. They steadied themself and shoved me back. I was not so quick to steady myself and would have crashed to the ground had they not possessed quick enough reflexes to grab my wrist to steady me. We laughed, and I tossed a heavy arm over their shoulders. “Do not fill your mind with romantic fantasy,” I scolded them.
They angled their head up to face me, and I could see that it was too late. They were already dreaming of some grand romance for me. My sibling had their share of lovers already; three regular partners they shared a home with. They had not gone through a marriage ceremony, but I knew negotiations had been mentioned over the course of the last year. It would only be a matter of time, and their greatest ambition seemed to be finding me a lover as well.
As if I had interest in that.
“But it is written in the stars,” they teased. “You bury yourself in work. Papa has always said this, has always said you’re too serious. Pari and Mama agreed.”
“Baba thinks I have my head on straight, focusing on my shop instead of dreaming of romance.”
“You are too much like Baba,” Acantha grumbled.
“And you are too much like Papa and Pari and Mama. Hopeless romantics, all of you. Do you not have other siblings to try to marry off or find partners for?”
“None of our other siblings are as misanthropic as you are. They will find partners. You, my dear brother, will grow old and gray surrounded by cogs and pleasure toys and the smell of the forge. Our children will question if there is something wrong with you.”
“That sounds like a good life,” I mused, if only to annoy my sibling the way they were annoying me. But at least they had allowed the topic of Oleander to drop for the time being,choosing instead to discuss my absent love life and then the events of the market.
Sounds filled the air the closer we got to the village. “Are you going to see him again?”
I should have known better than to believe they’d allow it to drop so easily. They’d simply lulled me into a false sense of security. It was a hopeless dream, letting myself believe that Acantha would ever allow anything to drop. “Yes. He’ll be coming to the stall tomorrow morning.” Acantha raised a brow at me. “I’m going to help him find a marriage.”
I did not like the knowing look in Acantha’s eyes.
Chapter Three
Oleander
First light filtered through the fabric sides of my tent. The smells of breakfast being cooked around fires struck me as I opened my eyes, followed close behind by the low hum of conversation. I stretched and rolled off the pallet onto the floor. The change in texture against my bare skin shocked all the sleep from my system. My eyes jolted open, and I scrambled to my feet. I had plans for that day. I was going to meet with Castien, and he would help me find my future spouse among everyone searching for a love of their own.
Today would be the day my future began.
I had to find the perfect outfit. I wanted to make the right impression when I first met the person I would marry. I pulledall my clothes from my pack and laid them out along my pallet, weighing my options carefully. None of them compared to the clothing I’d seen at market. The colors weren’t as vibrant. The shirts that had stitching were nowhere near as intricate. I had never found myself despising my clothing until just this moment.
Unfortunately, despite suddenly hating every piece of clothing I’d broughtandevery garment I’d left behind, I could hardly go to the market naked. I would have to choose something. I settled on a pair of dark trousers that fit very well and a pale blue tunic with white stitching along the sleeves. Upon second thought, I swapped out the trousers for a pair made of white linen to match the stitching on my shirt. I dressed carefully and found the vial of oil Mother had given me for my last Naming Day. It was not meant only for the smell; it had been created by a local perfumer who used their magic to enchant the herbs to draw love and enhance attraction.
If yesterday was any indication, I would need all the help I could get.
Once I’d dressed, I rummaged through my food supplies for some bread, nuts, and berries to fuel me until lunch.
Soon, I was walking the paths to the market proper. There were already crowds, mingling and conversing and speaking of the breakfast offerings at the prepared food stalls. I was grateful that I did not care for heavy breakfasts or else I may have been stricken with envy that so many had the coin (or the lack of care about how they spent what coin they had) to eat at the prepared food stalls for every meal. As I passed the path to the Glaesflod Bridge, a shock of fur rushed past my ankles, scurrying after some smaller animal.
I stopped myself from tripping over the critter and kept walking, making my way to Castien’s booth.
It was less crowded than it had been the day before, but there were already people milling around. Castien and his sibling were standing behind the wooden counter, attempting to give directions to an exasperated elf who was demanding socks despite the fact that they were clearly not among clothing vendors. I wondered if they were still intoxicated from all of the liquors consumed at the market. The elf seemed even more exasperated as they wandered off in the opposite direction of the clothing vendors.
“I don’t think that elf knows east from west,” Acantha muttered before noticing me. They smiled and nudged their brother. “Oleander, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. I looked around at the people in the stall and then back at Castien. “If it’s too busy, I will not hold you to your offer from yesterday.” It was better to give him an out. He may not have meant his offer, and I could not hold him to an empty promise. He may have just felt pity for my hopeless nature.
Castien studied me, his lips flattening to a straight line. “I would not have offered to help if I did not mean it.”
“He wouldn’t have. Castien doesn’t like people enough to be soothing.”
Castien nudged his sibling with his elbow, and they shoved his elbow away. I noticed the way their combined laughter formed a beautiful melody. His voice was a low baritone, and theirs was slightly higher, almost as if it was designed specifically to harmonize with his. The part of me that had always been curious about sibling relationships almost wished to call our plans off, simply so I could watch them.
The part of me that wanted to get married and begin my life, the much louder part of me, was keen to start our search.
