Arranged (34 page)

Suddenly, his look turned questioning. Was she showing her thoughts on her face? She quickly turned and stuffed her mouth full of meat to bay off any questions. Thankfully, Adalia began a discussion about what to do about the Torin. Rumor had it; they had been spotted lurking in the Forest a few nights ago.

The subject pulled Qwinn's attention away from Alison. He growled low in his throat. "The council will not allow an attack to their village with the eclipse so close."

"They should all be destroyed," Vin said quietly. "Before they strike again."

Qwinn nodded his head in agreement, a look of surprise flashing over his face. Perhaps he was surprised that he agreed with anything Vin said. "If only it were as easy as speaking about it. Many of my warriors have fallen because of those beasts, not to mention the women they've taken," he frowned deeply. "By killing their king, it seems that I have only caused more attacks by them."

"We don't want to make any rash moves," Adalia said, starring at her brother. Alison wondered what mood she was sensing from him.

"You mentioned training?" Alison interrupted. "What will you be teaching?"

Qwinn adjusted his position on the pillow. "I have new strategies to practice, for the day we face the Torin army."

Alison shivered, but Vin suddenly looked up from his food in interest. "May I watch the training?"

Qwinn's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Adalia jumped in before anything could be said. "Dancers are practicing for the festival. We need you there," she said, her eyes pleading with him. Vin remained silent for a moment, contemplating.

Alison got a good look at him. He didn't seem the type to be a fighter with his lithe body and grace, but she had seen the obvious interest in his eyes.

"I can miss the beginning. You will be busy training the children and Alison," he said, turning to Adalia. "I merely want to observe."

Alison blushed at the thought of being grouped with the children. Adalia pouted slightly, then cupped his cheek, studying his eyes. It seemed that a silent message was passing between them.

Alison looked away at the almost intimate display. She caught the glare Qwinn was shooting at Vin and placed her hand gently over his, trying to comfort him. It was obvious that he was protective of Adalia. Her touch seemed to break his trance as he looked down at their hands.

"Will you tell me why the Eclipse is so important?" she asked, ignoring the uncertainty building inside of her. Was he looking at their hands because he didn't want her to touch him? She hated that her mind was warring with itself. She kept imagining him in the market or the grove, kissing her hand. He made no move to take her hand now.

Qwinn seemed thankful for the change of subject, then he tensed again, but did not pull his hand away. "The Eclipse is very important to my people. With it comes extraordinary power. The Earth hums with it. We celebrate creation and life with a festival. Children are brought before and blessed by the elders and…important weddings take place," he grabbed some bread with his free hand and pulled off a chunk to eat. She wondered what made him so uneasy.

Adalia was now paying attention to them. Her eyes moved from Qwinn to Alison and back with a curious gaze. Alison ignored how tense everyone suddenly was. "Does the entire city go to the festival?"

Qwinn nodded.

Adalia laughed at her thought. "If there is one thing Vidarian's love more than dancing, it's eating!"

Qwinn smiled fondly as he kept his eyes on his food. "Every time it comes around, venders try to outdo each other by making delicious foods to sell."

"The festival begins as soon as the sun sets the night before and continues until the next day's sun set!" Adalia added excitedly.

"Twenty four hours of darkness," Vin added.

Alison shivered at the thought and instantly Qwinn shot a glare full of daggers his way. She curled her fingers around his hand on the pillow between them where her hand still covered his. After a moment, he relaxed slightly and turned his attention to something across the room.

"I almost forgot, I bought you something." He stood from the pillows and walked across the room.

A frown grew on Alison's face. She had told him not to waste his money on her. He grabbed something out of a large box and came back with his arms full of stuff.

"Qwinn…" she began to protest.

He sat beside her on the pillow, smiling gently. "I know what you said, but in my defense, I bought this before you told me not to buy anything for you."

Adalia shifted so she could see over his shoulder at what he was presenting.

He looked at Alison with a hopeful gaze as he held out a beautiful scarf as if it were an offering to appease her. "It reminded me of you."

Alison tried to control the huge grin that threatened to grow on her face. She managed to control it to a thankful smile. She carefully took the scarf from his fingers, not wanting to tarnish something so beautiful. The fabric felt buttery beneath her fingers, Qwinn smiled at the soft gasp that escaped her.

"I can't take this…" she murmured, trying to hand it back to him. She watched his smile lose its light until it was no longer there.

"Why not?"

How could she tell him that she had never had anything so nice and that she felt she wasn't…worth something this beautiful. All her life she had been unloved, uncared for, how could a nobody own a beautiful scarf that rivaled all others? She couldn't answer him, so instead she shook her head and tried to give it back. A look of hurt flashed before his eyes that was replaced instantly by stone; his face emotionless.

Alison's heart dropped. She didn't want to hurt him, but how could she make him understand? Adalia stood from her pillow and knelt before Alison, taking the scarf into her hands. "This is a rare beauty," she said gently as she wrapped the scarf around Alison's shoulders. "Just like you. Take it, it is a gift." She smiled encouragingly then returned to her seat beside Vin. "And what did you buy me?" she teased Qwinn, cutting through the silence in a way only she could.

Alison gently wrapped her fingers around the scarf, still afraid to ruin it as Qwinn grabbed a small bundle of cloth and held it out to Adalia, still emotionless. She snatched it up excitedly and opened it. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the beads and feathers. "These are perfect!" she exclaimed, holding them up to the light of the lantern.

Qwinn nodded, but the smile had not returned to his face. Alison didn't know what to say to ease him.

QWINN NOTICED THAT VIN SEEMED very tense. He probably felt like a fool to have nothing to offer in the way of gifts. Qwinn reveled in his uncomfortable state for a moment before his mood sunk even lower. Alison had rejected his gift. The scarf was beautiful and it had reminded him of her as soon as he'd laid eyes on it. He bought it because he wanted to see her wearing it. He knew she didn't want him to spend money on her, but he didn't understand why. Most women loved to be spoiled by a man with gifts and attention.

He studied her carefully out of the corner of his eye. She held the scarf as if it were a sacred item. Her eyes kept nervously flitting to him and she looked stressed. Why would a gift worry her?

Adalia seemed as content as a cat while she fingered the feathers. Qwinn picked at his food, his appetite gone as a sudden doubt loudly made its way into his mind. Maybe her reaction to the gift was her way of telling him that she didn't like him?

His heart ached at the thought. The rest of dinner passed much the same.

Vin hardly spoke but every once in a while he would look at Adalia with a fondness, which sparked anger in Qwinn. Adalia seemed oblivious to the entire situation as she told Alison stories about her first solar eclipse festival.

Alison hardly responded and didn't touch another bite, but continued to look as if she were in a daze. After Adalia was full and the conversation started to lull, she stood, Vin immediately standing beside her. "It grows late. Thank you for dinner brother and the gift. I will see you tomorrow Alison," with that, she turned and headed for the door.

"You're leaving?" Alison blurted before she could stop herself.

Adalia smiled. "We need to return to the market before the last of the vendors close down. Now is the best time to buy fabric for costumes," as she let herself out the door, Qwinn noticed her take Vin's hand in hers. Anger filled him. He was about to stand and march after them, demanding that he take his filthy Yorath hands off of her when Alison spoke.

"They make a lovely couple," she said gently.

His anger grew as he balled his hands into fists. She must have noticed his reaction because she tried to take back her comment. "I mean…"

She opened and closed her mouth, looking for words to say and eventually decided that changing the subject was the safer path; smart girl. Qwinn wasn't mad that his sister was being courted by a man. He was, however, very upset that he seemed to be the last one to know about it and that the one courting her happened to be a Yorath.

That family was nothing but trouble. Shea Yorath had used him and when she was done, broken his heart. Sedarr Yorath, their father, often spoke against the decisions of the king and the council, however, had enough social standing that many wanted him to join the council. As long as Qwinn had a breath in his body, he would see to it that Sedarr Yorath never saw the inside of the council chamber.

Vin Yorath was the oldest son and twin to Shea. Qwinn was certain that he was no different from his father. He had noticed how Vin's eyes lit up at the mention of the soldiers training, a reaction he would have to ponder later, when Alison wasn't around.

He glanced at her. She hadn't said a word since Adalia had gone, instead she was fingering her scarf, carefully studying the elaborate patterns and designs.

He cleared his throat. "If you do not like it, I can take it back." At that very moment, he couldn't help but feel like a fool and a failure. The scarf, he had thought, would surely impress her. He was wrong.

She looked up at him in surprise, a blush creeping into her smooth cheeks. Her emerald green eyes cautiously met his. "I do like it...it's just..."

Qwinn couldn't help the jump of his ego. So she did like it. "What?" he encouraged her.

She studied his eyes, as if gauging if he could handle the truth. "It's too nice for me..."

A frown took over his face before he could stop it. "Too nice?" he asked in confusion.

Now she down cast her eyes in shame. He had the sudden urge to gather her into his arms. Why was she ashamed of a scarf?

"I've never had anything this...nice before. I'm afraid I'll ruin it..."

A laugh bubbled up his throat. He quickly staunched it as he saw the look on her face. He scooted slightly closer, completely aware of the few inches between them. "I can think of no one better to give such a beautiful gift." he told her.

She studied him again, this time in surprise. "My uncle said that I would never know the value of anything and that it'd be better for me to just keep my hands to myself,"

Anger burned in him again, this time at such a ridiculous notion. It was hard to realize just how vulnerable Alison was. Most of the time she seemed to be so strong, but she had been alone all her life. Now more than ever, their union made sense.

"Because your uncle says it doesn't mean it's true." He gently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "It would mean… a lot to me if you would keep the scarf. It's a gift. You do not have to pay me back. You don't have to buy me anything in return. Just keep it, is all I ask."

She was quiet for a long moment. He was wondering if he had gone too far, but then a shy smile broke out and she nodded. "Thank you."

Pride filled Qwinn. "Does this mean I can buy you things now?" he teased.

"No," she laughed. "I still don't want you wasting your money on me."

He stared her straight in the eye. "It's not a waste. I want to get you things."

"Why?" she asked softly.

It was the question that he had known was coming and he had been dreading. How could he explain that he wanted to get her beautiful things so that she would possess something that was from him? So that she could wear something that he had chosen? A strong possessiveness came over him. He wanted everyone to know that she was his and that he cared for her. But how could he explain that without scaring her away?

Instead, he answered her. "Because, I...want to take care of you."

HER HEART WAS HAMMERING IN her ears. She was trying desperately to soak in what he had just said. He wanted to take care of her? Immediately her mind started to doubt the statement. He merely felt obligated to take care of her. Strangely, the thought held no merit. The sincerity in his voice had been as clear as day. Did he mean it in more than just a friendly way? She hoped he did.

She took a deep breath before her mind started wandering down that familiar path. She dared to meet his eyes again. "May I return to my room?"

Instantly a frown grew on his mouth. "What did I say?" he asked.

She shook her head, placing a gentle hand on his arm. She hoped he didn't see how she was trembling. "Nothing. I'm just...tired."

He studied her and she immediately dropped her eyes. This was one time where she didn't want him to peer into her soul with those deep dark eyes. She needed to register what was said and done today and why she was acting the way she was. She couldn't think straight with his presence suddenly so strong beside her.