“Ah, Master Bastian has returned,” Kiki turned her head in the direction of the gate.

  I put down the two long bows I’d been studying, trying to figure out if I wanted to keep only one, or both. The piles were much depleted, and there were only three chairs, a side table, two bows, eight broken arrows (I’d told myself I would fix someday), and a large green carpet remaining. All of which I was tempted to just have disposed of in whatever Peldeep fashion was most appropriate.

  Now, I abandoned it all to head to the main entry, standing in the gathering room doorway when Bastian walked in.

  “Welcome home,” I said, smiling at my fiancé. Bastian stopped and stared at me intently, so intently that I resisted the urge to step back. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing–” Bastian gripped the doorway so hard a crack ran through the edge of the trim, snatched his hand back and stared at me like he was caught in the middle of picking the neighbours honeysuckle. “Actually, there is something.”

  I raised an eyebrow, quietly staring at him like my mother used to when Father didn’t answer her questions. It was almost fun, if not for the worry.

  “I have something you should hear - I should tell you… I have something we should talk about.” The drakin rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Alright.” I stepped back and waved him into the gathering room. Bastian unequipped his boots and slipped into a pair of slippers, but hesitated before passing me.

  “Why don’t you go sit down first? Actually,” Bastian noticed Kiki standing there looking at him with an amused intrigue. “Let’s move to the back porch.”

  “Alright,” I said a second time, doing as he requested. I plopped down on the edge of the porch, patting the spot beside me.

  Bastian looked like that was exactly where he wanted to be, but hesitated again.

  “I won't bite?” I said, patting the space again. If my delightful drakin fiancé wanted to start putting some distance between us now, he had bad news coming.

  “I might,” He sighed, but sat where I directed. The second he was within arm’s length, his hand reached out and held mine. The familiar contact settled whatever worry was growing inside me, despite his open threat.

  “Tell me about it.” I ordered. He looked like he needed the push.

  “I’ve been suffering from… something. Ever since we met.” He stated, then stopped, then dropped his face into his free hand and looked away, his ears red. “I can’t say it.”

  “Are you sick?”

  “Yes? No…” He groaned, squeezing my hand for reassurance. My Perception was high enough that I caught Kiki snort from inside. The fae was listening to us. I shot a look over my shoulder at her, and she jumped, waved, and ducked off.

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  When I was sure she was gone, I turned back to Bastian, “You can just say it Bastian. We might be a contract marriage, but I’m here to support you in any way I can. I’m happy to.”

  Bastian finally looked up at me, his chin firm and his purple eyes staring at me. Then he released my gaze and looked up at the apple tree overhead. He let go of my hand and gripped both of his in his lap.

  Finally, he asked, “What do you know about drakin?”

  “That you are dragon born,” I said, bringing up what everybody knew, “You will eventually turn into a dragon, but that’s fine by me. You keep a hoard - which I’ve already seen - and you, specifically, are an Ice Dragon. So probably immune to cold damage and the like.”

  “And do you know why a dragon usually gets married?” He asked quietly.

  “Aside from political misadventure?” I joked, then thought back on his own father’s escapades, “They go looking for a mate… are you suddenly going to leave me and look for a mate?! Can’t you wait a year?”

  Or never. But I didn’t say that part out loud.

  Whatever I was expecting, this wasn’t it. It was my turn to reach out and grab his arm. He flinched, which felt like an arrow to my stomach, but he didn’t pull away. The conviction in his words helped, “NO… No, I’m not going anywhere. Probably. Unless you kick me out.”

  “Why would I kick you out?” The relief had me laughing, “It’s your house.”

  He hesitated again.

  “You found out that I was being ordered to seduce you, and you gave me the benefit of the doubt,” I reminded the drakin. “Whatever it is, you can tell me and we’ll work it out. Promise.”

  I probably shouldn’t have promised, but honestly Bastian was the best thing that had ever happened to me. He was kind, considerate, and safe to talk to. He’d arranged to see my family, and had been nothing but honest about even the state of his hoard - which he’d obviously been embarrassed to bring up. I really really liked him - and if he was having pre-nerve wedding jitters I wanted to convince him otherwise.

  There wasn’t anyone else I wanted to marry.

  “Peregrine,” He coughed. “I, for lack of a better word… desire you.”

  I stared at him.

  He stared at me.

  “You–” I couldn’t say it, but I ran my eyes down the large, attractive drakin who looked wound up so tight he could fall apart or pounce at any minute.

  “I want you.” He said, simply.

  “Do you love me?” I asked, curious. I didn’t know how I felt, and worried how I should respond if he did.

  “I just met you,” he said. I nodded, it was a little soon to jump into something that heavy. Then he added, “But I like you. A lot. Which is why I don’t want to hurt you.”

  We sat there for a few minutes while he waited for me to finish processing that. I took a deep breath. “So you’re saying you want to consummate the marriage?”

  He choked on air. “Peregrine!”

  “What?” I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “Isn’t that what you’re asking me? Or do you actually want to run off and find a different partner–”

  “Never!” He reacted so viscerally it made me smile even harder.

  “Then I accept.” I told the drakin, who froze.

  “What?!”

  “I accept,” I leaned against Bastian, who was still stiff as an ice block. I looked up at the apple tree, and appreciated the breeze and the calm in the back yard of my new home.

  “I think it would be nice to have a real marriage with you.” I explained honestly. “I’m happy to live here from now on. We can clean up the place, set up the nursery, and travel back home to see my family sometimes. Grow old together. Nothing says we have to break up after the year and a day.”

  “I will do my best to be a good husband.” He promised, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in close, his face buried in my hair. “I just don’t think you know how much I need you. And how hard that’s going to be.”

  “We’ll figure it out.” I said, wondering if he knew how much I felt the same.