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“Sounds familiar…” her dad murmured.
“Nobility?” Mum guessed.
“Emberleigh royalty,” Darra filled in, grinning.
“Cousins only,” Brook added with a little bow of her head to indicate humility or some other such nonsense. “But your daughter will be in the best company, I assure you.”
“You must have resources,” her mum said.
Aisling rolled her eyes.
“Mum…” Darra laughed, though.
“Indeed, and the Fyreham-Graymalkin resources will proudly support Aisling’s brilliant innovations, both in baked goods and technology. You’ve seen her oven? I wouldn’t be surprised if she swept the food competition and the Innovation Awards,” Brook said confidentially.
“Really?” asked her mum.
Aisling was turning an alarming shade of pink, which rather clashed with the green and bronze of her dress. Brook took pity on her. “Aisling, sweetness, would you get me another drink while I assure your family that you’re in good hands?”
Aisling shot her another grateful look and slipped away.
“Now, about those resources…” Brook began, leading the conversation onward.
As they chatted, Brook decided Aisling’s parents weren’t greedy. The way they asked about Brook’s intentions felt rather businesslike—which was to be expected at a marriage market, after all. But then Darra said, “I know it sounds like we’re worried about money—the truth is, though, she’ll never be happy if she doesn’t have someone supportive of her work. She’d wither away without it, so we just want to make certain…” and then trailed off.
“Well, the good news is I’ve done more work in the last three days with Aisling than I’ve done my whole life, and I’ve never been happier,” Brook admitted.
And then realized the truth of it. The actual truth, that she’d had somewhere to be, someone to help, something to do, and she’d enjoyed it
“Oh, that’s lovely!” said her mum.
“It is, isn’t it?” Brook murmured, rolling the idea over in her mind, mapping the shape and feel of it.
“I always thought she’d be lucky to find someone who’d tolerate her—ah, single-mindedness,” her dad said with a chuckle. “Like Darra here did.”
“Not that Minala doesn’t care about the work! She’s just got her own,” Darra interrupted.
“Yes, of course, lovely girl. Good connections, very supportive,” Dad agreed. “I only mean that there are different ways of supporting someone with a brilliant mind, and the hands-on method is harder to find.”
“Is it?” Brook wondered. “Harder than finding someone with good metal or magic sourcing, for example?”
“That was my experience,” Darra admitted.
“Of course, we found each other,” Mum said, patting Dad on the shoulder affectionately. “But it’s a very developed field—there are lots of us who work with engines in Copperford.”
“Huh.” Of all the things Mama had claimed would recommend Brook as a wife, being actually hands-on useful to another elf’s life goals had never been mentioned.
What an idea.
The conversation turned to marketplace gossip—yesterday’s caber toss was apparently quite the event. After some time, though, Brook glanced around to see where Aisling had gotten to. Her heart soared when she saw her, beautiful dark red hair against expensive silk, talking to a stranger in the crowd.
And then she realized that was no stranger. Not to Brook, anyhow.
It was Sunny, and he was handing Aisling something.
“Excuse me, I have to, uh—” Brook moved quickly, darting through the knots of people watching the dancers whirl about the pavilion. Whatever was happening, she needed to stop it. And now.
Chapter 6: Aisling
