Page 32 of The Warlord’s Princess (Warlords of Tempest #3)

RAMSEY

“Are you sure this is what Asha would want?” I ask Nori.

Nori shrugs. “It’s hard to say, but it would be considered proper in Penticar.”

Proper in Penticar…

Not Tempest.

For long years, I valued my honor above all, doing everything I could to redeem it when I felt it lost.

Now, I seek honor in places I thought it would not be. I care not for Princess Kasmina, even if she is to come to Melgrim.

But worries of Tempest must be saved for another day.

Nori looks down at the courtship gift on my table with interest.

“Do you think Asha will like it?” I ask.

“I think she will, but I’m the last person you should ask, as I’m not like the others.”

It is true that smart Nori is different, but that does not make her less.

“I am most glad for your help.”

“Don’t thank me yet.”

My brow narrows. “What does that mean? Do you dare to trick me?”

“No, not at all. Just know that my advice comes with risk.”

“You are the most trusted of the Penticari, with more sense than the rest combined.”

She smiles. “Would you like me to send her to you?”

“Yes, it is time.”

I pull the weave back over my courtship gift for Asha and prepare for tonight, when both tribes will meet to celebrate what is to be called the Come Together Festival.

It was Elena’s suggestion that we ‘come together’ at every cycle of the moon to feast and be merry. The idea caught on with both tribes, and for the last several days, the women have been preparing as the men look on in wonder.

“Why are you not out hunting?” Grixis growls from my doorway.

“Because I have decided not to hunt.”

“It is your job.”

“Do you think I do not know that?”

“Seeing as how you have gone seven days since you last brought back game, yes.”

“I assure you, I will hunt again.”

“Yes, you will—this very day. We have festival tonight, and it would be good for you to contribute instead of acting so sullen.”

I look at my chieftain crossly. “I will hunt when I hunt, and until then, I suggest you turn your efforts elsewhere.”

“What has gotten into you? If it were a woman, I would understand, but—” His eyes scan the room, landing on my table. “What is that?” He goes to yank the weave off, but I grab his wrist.

“It is of no interest to you.”

“If it is making you lazy—it is!”

“I am not being lazy. I am simply not doing what you wish me to do.”

A shout from outside draws Grixis’s attention.

“I must go, but you have three days to continue to dishonor yourself before I come by again.”

He leaves, and Harold comes out, squeaking.

“If all goes as planned, tonight we will have strong Asha back.”

I can hardly work as my anxiety roils my gut, and I end up pacing back and forth in my small hut, speaking to Harold as though he were a man of Tempest.

A knock sounds on the door, and I open it to find Kairi.

“I have what you asked for, though it’s not as good as what Asha could make.” She holds out a small bundle of cloth.

Looking in the bundle, I breathe out a sigh of relief. “I was worried you would not have it finished.”

“I said I would get it to you on time. Now, could you tell me why you’d want this?”

“That is for me to know,” I say firmly.

She bites her lip, looking anxious. “When will you fulfill your side of the deal?”

“Give me a few days, and I will sing your praise most highly to Orvell so that he has no reason to doubt your skills.”

“I want tears.”

“I cannot?—”

She snatches the bundle back.

“That is?—”

“Tears!” she snaps. “Or this goes in the campfire tonight.”

With no other choice, I grow out, “Fine—there will be tears and shouts and much thanks from me.”

“And he’ll never know,” she says pointedly.

“On my honor, never.”

“Good.”

She leaves, and a short time later, Elena arrives.

“Nori said you wanted to see me?”

“Yes, come on in.”

She stands nervously near my door, looking at the weave-covered object on the table. “I’m busy with festival, so make it quick.”

I suck in a long breath. “I was told that it is custom in Penticar to ask a father for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Since Asha has no father, I must ask you.”

Elena blinks, looking at a loss for words.

“May I have Asha’s hand? If you say no, it will not deter me, but I would most like your blessing.”

“Yes—yes—of course!” She clasps her hands together and bounces on the balls of her feet.

I place my hand on her head, pressing down. “You are too heavy with child for that.”

She scowls for all of a second before a wide smile claims her lips.

“Tell no one!” I growl.

She nods vigorously. “No one!”

“Now leave.”

She obeys, giggling.

First, I ready myself. Then I tend to Harold, who mislikes the bath I give him. I use the Penticari’s soaps so that he does not smell offensive to the women, and then I dress him in the clothes Kairi made for him.

It is at dusk when the tribes gather outside of the longhouse, with every woman attending and nearly all of the men.

In my finest leathers, I join the festivities with Harold perched on my shoulder.

There is a large table full of food, with one side made for the Penticari, the opposite, the Tempest men, and the middle, a mix that some have grown to like.

I am pleased to see the Penticar women have taken to wearing decorative blankets Asha wove around their bodies, making them look soft and curvy.

Nori stands across the way. I give her a nod. She nods back, showing that she knows what must be done.

A biting ribbon rips through the air, causing many to yelp, but it does not stop their merriment.

Men and women chat excitedly with each other, though there are a few holdouts, such as Orvell, who is standing gloomily off to the side with a leaf full of food.

He will learn.

The longhouse door opens, and Asha joins the celebration, carrying a basket.

Her golden hair dances in the glow of the fire, like threads of sunlight, and for a long moment, all I can do is stare.

Arwin comes alongside her, whispering in her ear.

Asha giggles, searches the crowd, her eyes landing on me.

Anxiety flickers in her eyes.

“Good folk of Melgrim,” Elena’s voice booms over the bustling crowd, and I look to see her standing on a table with Grixis standing just off to the side. “Welcome to our first Come Together Festival, where tonight, we will join in feast, talk, dance, and merriment.”

The Penticari clap and cheer, and a few Tempest men join in.

Elena continues. “I would like to thank the hunters for supplying the food, Krek for the intoxicants, the Penticari for the decorations, and Grixis for allowing us to bring Penticari custom to the tribes.”

More cheers erupt, and I find myself clapping, looking at Asha, but she seems to avoid my gaze.

Grixis clears his throat, drawing our attention to him.

“From this night forward, there is not two—as we have become one. Celebrate with me on this joyous occasion. Drink intoxicant to loosen your tongue, get lost in chatter and courtship, dance the night away, as the Penticari like to say, and above all—come together!”

One tribe.

As it should be.

Two Penticari women stand behind barrels with leather stretched over them, similar to a war drum, and beat the leather with their hands, making a rhythmic sound.

Many of the men are nervous about the dancing, for on Tempest, we danced for war and not courtship, with blades, swords, and daggers.

But they do not hesitate when the women pull them onto the floor.

Amber appears before me, wearing a purple weave around her body. “Care to dance?”

“I am only meant to dance with one,” I tell her, my eyes trained on Asha.

She huffs, walking away.

“Squeak!”

“Yes, Harold. It is time.”

I walk toward the longhouse, where Asha is standing with several others.

Argen extends his hand to her, and I see her cheeks flush with color.

Rage fills me, and I quickly close the distance between us.

As Asha’s hand reaches out to accept his, I intercept, putting my body between hers and his.

Argen growls and I pivot to glare at him. “She is?—”

“Harold?” Asha gasps.

“Squeak!”

I turn back around to face the Penticari.

“Harold—what are you doing on his shoulder—wearing clothes?” Her face is twisted in fury.

“I needed to make sure he was dressed proper for the celebration?—”

“You stole Harold?”

“One cannot steal Harold,” I scoff. “We are rooming together, and?—”

“Harold—how could you?” Her face is pinched with the sting of betrayal.

I hear murmuring and see that people are gathered around us, some looking amused, others worried.

“Excuse me!” comes the harsh snappy sound of Elena’s voice as she pushes through the tribe to our side. Grixis is right behind her.

Smiling excitedly, she blurts, “Go on!”

“Elena?” Grixis says in a confused tone.

Asha points an emphatic finger at me. “He stole Harold!”

Grixis booms out a laugh along with the other Tempest men, who have just now seen the tiny vaeyark.

Elena glares at Grixis, then returns her gaze to me. “Go on…”

I clear my throat and look around at the gathered people. “I have words meant for Asha, but you may all listen in.”

“Ramsey?” Asha whispers.

“Most of you know me as Ramsey, the strong, brave, and fearless hunter. But what you might not know is that I am also weak.”

Gasps and chuckles rise from those gathers, which would have made me furious many moons ago, but my pride is not so prickly now.

I look at Asha and suck in a breath, gathering my courage. “I am weak for this small, Penticari woman named Asha, who is a princess in blood, and of my heart.”

Asha takes a step back, trembling.

I look toward my hut, seeing Nori rushing toward us, holding my courtship gift. “Let smart Nori through,” I bark as she comes up against a wall of bodies.

A hole is formed, and Nori squirms through it, handing me the gift.

I shoo people away, giving us more space, then set the gift on the floor.

“What is this?” Asha says, her eyes moving between mine and the gift.

“It is a courtship gift.”

I hear a Penticari woman gasp and whisper, “He’s giving the princess a courtship gift during festival! How romantic.”

Asha anxiously glances around at the staring people. And then, in one swift motion, she whisks the weave away.