All that Glitters (Stavin DragonBlessed Book 1) (5 page)

"No one." Stavin looked at her from across the room, knowing she couldn't see his eyes but not caring. "I will go to the lowlands and seek an outlander bride, for no other girl of our people draws me."

Sharindis let the silence grow for a moment, then said, "I do not refuse you, Stavin."

Stavin let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding and heard two other sighs of relief as well. "I greet you, wife, and give to you my name, and with my name all that I possess."

Sharindis completed the ceremony in a voice that was strangely muffled. "I greet you, husband, and receive from you your name, returning my father's name to him as a woman must. My dowry is modest, but I do not come empty-handed."

That caught Stavin off-guard and he looked at Barvil and Charvil, but neither man seemed fazed in the least. Taking a breath, he answered, "Your dowry is yours to do with as you wish."

Sharindis suddenly giggled. "That's good, since it's mostly bedclothes and a goose-down comforter. There is some coin, though not much, and a few knick-knacks as well." She transferred her attention to the third shadow. "Who is there?"

"Barvil," he answered, then added, "Mistress Sharindis," after a brief pause.

"It's true, then?" she asked in a breathy voice. "I heard people talking—"

"It is true, Mistress Sharindis," he assured her.

"Shari, take the rest of today and the next two off to settle your household," a voice said from the doorway, and the men turned to find the Master Scribe behind them. "Allow me to be the first to offer you my congratulations on your marriage."

"Thank you, Master Kel'Zorgan," Sharindis replied in a bright, happy tone.

Stavin bowed and said, "I also thank you, Master Kel'Zorgan. Since I have others to see to my needs, I will not be depriving you of your assistant."

"I wouldn't have allowed you to, Stavin. Shari is much too valuable to me to allow that." Glancing at Barvil, he nodded once, sharply. "You'll see to it that I'm not deprived of my assistant, won't you?"

"As my master and mistress command, Master Scribe," Barvil said. His voice was properly respectful, but there was a gleam in his eyes.

"Considering how hard I had to lobby the Elders to get her, I find that comforting." Turning his attention back to Sharindis, he let his smile show. "Run along now, Shari, and tend to your household."

Sharindis had been putting away the tools of her trade while the others were talking, taking extra care to put her crystal in its box and latch the lid. Her hand reached out unerringly to grasp her staff as she stood, but she didn't use it as she threaded her way confidently through the cluttered office to Stavin's side. She reached out to grasp his arm, but stopped when her hand encountered his mail. Her fingertips explored it lightly, running up his arm and across his breast plate. "Armor?" she asked.

"He can explain when you get home, Shari," her father said. "It's a good tale, one I'm sure you're going to be writing several times."

Turning her head toward Stavin, she grasped his arm firmly now. "I shall be most interested to hear it."

S
TAVIN AND
S
HARINDIS DIDN'T SPEAK AS
they walked out of the town hall. They didn't need to. The news of their marriage had spread quickly. A large crowd had formed, but they were silent until a female voice shouted, "Good catch, Shari!" Then everyone started shouting their congratulations and good wishes to the young couple.

They walked back to their home amid continued shouts, and Sharindis held Stavin's arm possessively the whole way. Sahrena met them on the porch and bowed deeply.

She said, "Welcome home, Mistress Shari," her barely controlled joy bubbling in her voice.

Sharindis smiled and walked up the stairs on her own. "Sahrena, I—"

"You will grow accustomed to it, as will we."

"Perhaps," Sharindis agreed, "but it will take time. If you would be so kind, please send Dorvina and Karvik to my parents' house for my things. Mother will have them ready soon if I know her."

Sahrena nodded then said, "As you command, Mistress. With your permission, I would like to go as well. There are some things I would like to discuss with your mother."

Sharindis said, "Of course," immediately. The idea of Sahrena asking her for permission to do anything was more than enough to put her off-balance after all the other things that had happened in the last three spans. "I know this house, so long as you haven't moved the furniture again."

That made everyone laugh, including Stavin. "Let me show you to our suite, Shari."

Sharindis turned toward the sound of his voice and smiled. "Yes, and you can tell me the full tale of how you came to be master of this house."

Stavin took Sharindis' elbow and led her through the house to their suite. "This is our—"

"—Library. I know this house very well, Stavin. Next is the bedroom, and to the left the armory."

"You probably know it better than I do," he agreed. "Can you help me take off my armor?"

"Yes, and while I do you can tell me this tale. Don't leave out any detail. I want to hear it all."

A short time later, when Stavin's armor was safely stored and he was dressed in normal clothes, they went and sat on the edge of the bed together while Stavin finished the tale. "So that's how I became the master of this house and the Kel'Carins. Sora is going to be insufferably smug about this."

"Sora is already insufferably smug about this. Didn't you recognize her voice when she congratulated me?"

"You could tell that was her?" Stavin asked, mystified.

"I know your sister's voice very well. I know everyone's voices, even if I don't know their faces."

Stavin was looking at her with renewed respect. "I didn't know you could hear that well."

Sharindis smiled impishly at that. "A lot of people don't. It makes them say things they don't think I can hear."

Stavin muttered, "I'll have to remember that."

"You certainly will. Stavin, I want you to know that I—I've liked you for a long time. I understand about Dorvi, about how you felt about her. I even understand a little about why. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm happy that you chose me, but I still have to wonder why you did."

Stavin thought for a moment before he answered. "Shari, I've known you for as long as I can remember, and I've always looked up to you." He paused and chuckled. "Considering that you're older and have always been at least two hands taller than me, that's literally true. You've always been nice to me. You never called me names like the other kids did. After your accident, I remember being very upset and telling Sora that I hoped you'd choose to live and not walk into the forest. Even then I considered you to be as much my friend as Sora's."

"I came close, Stavin," Sharindis almost whispered. "When the Healer said he couldn't fix my eyes, my first thought was to run away, out into the forest, and let the Gods take me as they chose. Uncle Arlen came and talked me out of it. He remembered that I was good with numbers and had mastered reading glyphs, even at just twelve, and he asked me to be his helper. I didn't know that he hadn't acquired the Elders' permission. Mom and Dad allowed it, and I think Dad and Barvil did some favor-trading to get it approved."

"Sahrena was probably behind that," Stavin suggested and she nodded.

"Sahrena is behind a lot of things. She's the one who got me my crystal. She would never tell anyone how much it cost, but mother says that since then she hasn't seen the diamond and emerald brooch that was Sahrena's favorite."

They were both quiet for a moment, then Stavin reached over and touched her hand. "I have dreamed of this moment, but now that it's here I don't know what to do."

Sharindis smiled gently at that admission. "Mothers teach their daughters the bedroom mysteries. I'll show you tonight."

Stavin blushed bright red and was both relieved and disappointed that she couldn't see it. "I—I didn't mean
that
, Shari," he stammered. "I meant I dreamed of the day when the past didn't matter and I was accepted as a man and—"

"The past always matters, Stavin. Who you are today is a reflection of who you were yesterday and all of the days that went before, just as who you will become tomorrow will be a reflection of who you are today."

A knock at the bedroom door interrupted their conversation. Stavin said, "Come in." Dorvina led the way with a large basket of clothes in her arms, and Sahrena was close on her heels with another. Karvik and Zahrinis brought up the rear with a large wooden trunk.

"We brought all of your things, Mistress Shari," Dorvina said as she moved toward the wardrobe next to the dressing table.

"Your mother is in a dither," Sahrena continued as she set her burden down beside Dorvina's. "Your father had just told her when we arrived. She's laughing and crying at the same time, and your little brother wanted to come with us to try out his new brother-in-law's golden Dragon's Tongue. I convinced him to give you a day or two."

"Where do you want your trunk, Mistress Shari?" Karvik asked.

"At the end of the bed, please," Shari replied, standing and using her staff to feel her way toward where she could hear Sahrena and Dorvina. "I'll put my own clothes away, Mi—Sahrena. That way I'll know where everything is."

"As you wish, Mistress Sharindis," Sahrena said with a hint of humor. "While you do, the girls and I will prepare the evening meal."

Sharindis nodded, and began sorting her clothes. When the door closed, she paused and said, "Stavin, will you help me, please?"

Stavin was up and at her side in an instant. "What do you need me to do?" he asked.

Sharindis was holding up a blouse and asked, "What color is this?"

The two continued sorting and storing Sharindis' clothes. It took a long time and they were not quite done when there was another knock at the door.

"Yes?" Sharindis answered loudly.

"The evening meal awaits you, Master and Mistress," Zahrinis' voice called through the wood.

Stavin's stomach answered with a growl that made Sharindis laugh. "We'll be right there, Zahri," she shouted and they headed for the door.

They arrived at the table to find the chairs rearranged. The three children were on one side and Barvil and Sahrena were on the other. This put Barvil at Stavin's right hand, but kept Dorvina at Sharindis' right, which meant that she still had to serve.

After the blessing, Sharindis felt Sahrena's toe nudge her foot and remembered her duty. "Dorvina, you may begin."

The meal was special and Sahrena had outdone herself—and Stavin could hardly have cared less. The true meaning of the day's events was finally becoming real to him and he was completely stunned. All he could do was look at the woman at the other end of the table with wonder and awe.

It was late by the time they had finished eating, and he led Sharindis back to their suite. Zahrinis brought two pitchers of hot water from the kitchen, and they both washed thoroughly before they went to bed. They had their backs to one another, and Stavin was continually being distracted by the little sounds that Sharindis was making, and especially by her occasional giggles. For reasons that he didn't want to examine too closely, he dawdled until he heard her get into bed. Then he extinguished the lamp on his bedside table and hurried into bed.

The only light came from the fire in the stove that warmed the room, and in that light Stavin saw the promises of a lifetime glittering in the eyes of his wife.

Sharindis smiled softly. She couldn't see him in this light, but she felt him staying back. “Come here, Stavin,” she whispered. “Let me hold you, and teach you the mysteries of man and wife.”

S
TAVIN AWOKE TO A STRANGE SENSATION
and froze while his senses probed the darkness for what had disturbed him. After a few seconds he identified what it was: there was something in his bed! Ancestral instincts flared to life as he prepared to attack the intruder. Then a high-pitched voice cried out, "Who's there?"

Memories flooded into Stavin's conscious mind and he simply said, "Stavin."

Sharindis struggled to a sitting position with the blankets pulled up to her chin. "Stavin! What are you—Oh, Gods, I forgot!" She was silent for a moment, then she began to laugh. "Oh, Stavi, I'm sorry. I forgot! I almost stabbed you! I always keep a knife in my bedside table. I didn't think of it last night, but Mom didn't send it with my other things. I wonder—?"

Stavin had to laugh at that. "You said your mother taught you the bedroom mysteries. I'll bet that's one of them: No weapons near the marriage bed. Our people are predictable. I was about to attack you when you asked who I was. Gods Above, I haven't shared a bed with anyone since Sora moved out of the nursery fourteen years ago."

"That's comforting to know. What hour is it?"

Stavin thought, but his time-sense had never been very good. "Let me look," he said as he got out of bed and shivered his way across the room to a window. It was pitch-black outside, but he could see the outline of Hyvalin's Peak against the stars. There was no hint of dawn around the mountain and he hurried back to bed. "It's still a long time 'till dawn." He climbed under the covers and Sharindis hugged him close.

"Oh, you're frozen!"

Stavin wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her hair. "I'm warming up now."

That made her giggle, then she sighed when his hands rubbed her back. "Stavin, that feels wonderful." They hugged and kissed, continuing last evening's explorations of one another until Stavin's hand slid between her legs and she gave a little cry of pain. He instantly backed away and looked into her eyes.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"Shhh, it's all right. I'm just a little sore there right now. I expected it."

"Why?"

Sharindis was quiet for a moment, then pulled him close. "The first time always hurts for a girl," she whispered. "There is something inside that gets torn. That's part of the reason a man who rapes a virgin is emasculated before he's beheaded."