Just a Business Transaction [M]

[DragonSong]

“Oh— yes, please.” She smiled a little bashfully as she reached up to unpin the veil from her hair, sighing quietly in relief when it finally came free. As she set it aside, the carefully braided and coiled chestnut locks tumbled down around her shoulders, loose, sleek waves rippling gently against her back.

She turned to lay the veil carefully over the back of the chair alongside his coat and absently reached up to brush her hair behind her ear. A myriad of braids still held most of it back from her face, but the lower layers that had been coifed and pinned beneath the veil now bounced cheerfully as she turned back to smile at Niran.

“Alright, ready.”

[Juno]

She surprised him, Niran had fully expected to do it for her. He watched in barely-concealed wonder as she managed it by herself, eyeing the way her hair fell and bounced against her back appreciatively as she'd turned to set it down.

He smiled warmly, nodding and looking down at her hesitantly for a moment before reaching out to take her hand in his own. "You look lovely," he complimented gently, a little worried he might be bothering her with more casual affections too quickly but still willing to take the chance. He could not help that he was already quite taken with her.

[DragonSong]

Lina tensed slightly, but she managed to smother the reaction quickly and smiled up at him in return, squeezing his fingers gently.

"Thank you," she murmured, dropping her eyes again with a soft blush. "To tell you the truth...I don't really...do this much," she laughed softly, gesturing to all her finery with a little wave of her hand. "There wasn't much need for it, back home."

The best lies were always flavored with truth, after all.

[Juno]

He'd stepped away to walk with her at a leisurely pace back towards the hall and down the stairs, shaking his head and smiling softly in disbelief. Perhaps he'd find a kindred spirit in her after all.

"Truthfully... I don't either," he admitted with a soft chuckle, giving his hair a brief shake of annoyance. He would be very happy to let it back down entirely once the day was done.

"I'd much rather not fuss with it all... Not that I didn't want to look nice for you today, just- I hope you won't be disappointed once you see how I am most of the time," he explained as he nudged through the doors to the dining hall when they'd arrived again. Enough time had passed in their absence that all the decorations were set out. It seemed that most were just settling into their meal, though he greeted the uptick of excited voices at their appearance with a small wave before moving to lead her to their empty chairs near his parents seated at the head of the table.

He recognized the men from Alinora's side of the ceremony seated across from his own siblings and bowed his head respectfully with a small smile as he moved to pull out his new wife's chair for her.

[DragonSong]

"Oh, I could never be disappointed," Lina assured him quickly.

As they entered the hall, her eyes lit immediately on Jeremiah. She went still for a moment, staring him down. Almost imperceptibly, he nodded.

She took a breath, looking up at her husband as he pulled the chair out for her. She smiled, taking her seat with a murmur of thanks. "There are so many people," she whispered without thinking. Honestly, she didn't even really have to fake it.

[Juno]

Once she was settled he got himself seated, chuckling quietly as he caught her whispered words while. "You don't feel...too crowded here, do you?" he asked quietly, eyes falling slightly in concern as he had wine poured for them.

[DragonSong]

She started slightly, not entirely expecting him to hear her, and gave him a sheepish sort of smile. "Oh, ah, no no. It's alright, really, I'm just...not used to it," she chuckled quietly, ducking her eyes again and reaching up to brush some hair back behind her ear.

Biting at her lower lip, she glanced up at Niran again after a moment and murmured, "Are there, um, rules about this?" She gestured to the festivities around them. "I mean-- should we wait? Or say something? Or..."

Lina's voice trailed off questioningly as she looked around at the assembled guests again, shifting nervously in her seat.

[Juno]

Niran hesitated at her questions, trying to remember what he'd been told about the day. "Not rules, exactly. Just...a time to meet family, get to know each other, enjoy the meal."

He watched the way she fidgeted with an understanding frown, leaning closer to whisper to her, "We can make our rounds in a bit to greet everyone if you'd be more comfortable... Was there...something you wanted to say?

[DragonSong]

Lina shook her head quickly. "Oh no, it's not that! I just...I'm not quite sure what I should be doing," she admitted with an embarrassed little chuckle. "But, um..."

She bit her lip and looked up at him plaintively through her lashes. "If you wouldn't mind staying with me, when we...make our rounds...?"

[Juno]

He smiled for what seemed like such honesty, understanding that she felt a little out of her element. His eyes widened slightly at her question, though, features faltering as he leaned closer to speak as privately as he could manage with all the prying eyes on them, "That was my intention, I wouldnt just... feed you to the wolves."

No, that was completely the wrong way to say that. "Sorry... They're not- None of them are wolves or any danger to you, I'm sorry," he chuckled nervously. "Just a poor turn of phrase."

[DragonSong]

Lina giggled a little despite herself. "No no, I understand," she murmured, lifting her head slightly to smile at him. "And I thank you."

Surreptitiously, she reached over and took his hand beneath the table, twining their fingers together and squeezing gently.

There was a long moment of silence, then she whispered, "I probably...shouldn't ask this. But— well, am I what you expected? Do you think I'm...enough?"

[Juno]

He was surprised that she was reaching out to him of her own accord already, but he welcomed the contact with a small smile. His fingers squeezed gently against her own, hoping that if nothing else he might serve as her rock if she was really so uneasy.

Niran held his wine in his free hand, sipping distractedly as he settled into the comfortable silence between them while politely observing the conversations going on around them. His nerves were too much to stomach any of the food laid out, but he was glad everyone else seemed able to partake. Her question that broke their silence surprised him though, eyes widening as he jerked his head to look down at her.

Gods he wished they had some privacy for this, he could already feel a blush creeping up his neck as he set his glass down. He angled his chair closer  to her so he might be able to look at her more directly, nervously clearing his throat and setting his other hand at her knee. He was quite certain his parents would cry "improper" if they saw, but they were married now and he wanted to comfort her if he was able to. "I don't really know what I expected," he admitted quietly.

"You're very beautiful and you seem... sweet and gentle," he added. "I'm very happy to call you my wife and I really do look forward to getting to know you and...perhaps seeing love blossom someday." Niran said the last with an anxious smile, but his eyes were bright with hope. He faltered slightly, though, as he thought on why she might have been asking.

"Are you unhappy with this? Do you feel I'm not enough?" he questioned gently.

[DragonSong]

Sweet and gentle.

She could keep being that.

Eyes glinting softly, Lina shook her head as she smiled up at him. She reached down to cover his hand with hers on her knee. "No. I'm not unhappy." She took a breath and admitted softly, "I was...nervous. Very nervous. I still am, a little, if I'm being perfectly honest," she said with a small laugh. "But you've been nothing but kind and considerate. I— I think I'm also looking forward to knowing you better."

Her cheeks flushed and she dropped her eyes as she added, "And...well. I suppose everyone would like to love the person they spend their lives with, yes?" She glanced up at him through her lashes again, a few licks of chestnut hair falling over her face as she tilted her head.

[Juno]

Niran gulped quietly for what she'd said, his eyes sparkling with unspoken hope and excitement. It would do no good to get ahead of himself so quickly, but...at least she seemed open to knowing him better if nothing else. Plenty of couples were simply good friends for life and there was nothing wrong with that, but he would be lying to himself if he didn't admit he wanted something more. If she was not drastically different away from prying eyes he suspected he might have luck with eventually wooing her.

"It's alright to be nervous. I'm nervous, too," he leaned close to whisper with a bashful little curve to his lips. Gently lifting his hand away from her knee he brushed his fingers lightly along her cheeks to smooth back the few locks of hair that had fallen forward into her face, tucking them carefully behind her ear. "If anything here is ever too much for you...I just want you to know you can talk to me without being afraid. I'll listen," he promised quietly.

[DragonSong]

Lina smiled at him and leaned into his touch for a brief moment, letting her eyes close. She nodded and once again took his hand beneath the table. "Thank you. That...means a lot."

She squeezed his fingers gently, and her smile widened a bit, eyes glinting. "I think I'm ready to meet your family, if you'd be kind enough to introduce me."

[Juno]

"Ah, sure..." Niran lifted his head to look around them at the table. His parents seemed engrossed in conversation at the moment but his sister met his gaze almost immediately, her eyes brightening with recognition as she looked between him and his bride expectantly. He could tell she was excited but he dearly hoped she wouldn't be too overbearing.

"Alinora please meet my sister, Mila," he offered, gesturing at her with his free hand and then her husband seated next to her once he'd looked up to see what had caught his wife's attention. "And her husband, Arran Klevmark."

"Hi!" she'd squeaked excitedly, lifting her hand in a small wave that left a soft, metallic jangling of bracelets in her wake.

Arran smiled warmly, offering a pleasant but brief, "Nice to meet you." He pat his wife's shoulder gently, silently warning her not to push the girl too far.

"We're so thrilled you're finally here, my brother desperately needs someone like you to set him straight," she offered with a sly little grin for her baby brother who could only blush and mutter his disagreement. He needed no such help. "Gods, you're so pretty!"

[DragonSong]

"I-oh!" She didn't have to fake the blush that rose to her cheeks, and she ducked her eyes bashfully. "Um, thank you, Lady Mila," she murmured with a small, shy smile for the other woman.

Glancing at Niran, her expression softened and she added, "I'm sure Niran doesn't need anyone to set him straight, though. Your brother has been so lovely to me— I can't help but admire how lucky I've been in this match." Her voice was quiet, but her tone was genuine, as was the smile she lifted toward Niran's sister.

"I am...very grateful to be welcomed so warmly. Thank you." She nodded to both Mila and Arran with as much grace as she could muster.

[Juno]

Mila's eyes widened a bit at her firm defense of her husband but she softened to an understanding little smile. She assumed she might find him a little less agreeable once she realized he spent most of his days among commoners, but she could not deny her brother was a sweet and caring man in adulthood. "Of course, you're family now!" she reminded her with a small giggle. "Please send for me or come visit when you're settled. We live close by and I'd love to sit down for a good chat and--"

"Thank you, Mila," Niran sighed, shooting her a weary look that she only giggled and waved him away for. He saw that their brother was watching them all, though, and smiled when their eyes met. "And this is Ioan, our brother."

"Welcome, Alinora," he greeted with a polite bow of his head, gesturing to the woman next to him with a smile who waved cheerfully down the table in turn. "This is my wife, Petra."

[DragonSong]

“Oh, I’m sure we’d be happy to—“ Before she could finish the thought the brother was being introduced, and she had to switch her attention. She smiled, shaking her head. “It’s a pleasure, truly, but just Lina is fine.” She cast a small smile toward Mila and added, “We are family now after all, yes?”

She might have said something else, but before she could a hand on her shoulder had her mouth snapping shut, body tensing.

“Forgive me,” a familiar voice playing up a foreign accent cut in, squeezing her shoulder gently. “I know it’s not very traditional, but might I borrow my daughter for a moment?” Jeremiah asked with a smile for her new husband.

[Juno]

Niran's cheeks became a touch red as he realized that even he hadn't been using her preferred name. Lina. He'd have to remember that.

Her sudden silence and the shadow at her side drew his attention, though, and he turned his head to see her father standing over her as an unfamiliar voice spoke up. Ack. Maybe he should have made an effort to speak with him sooner.

"Of course," Niran murmured politely, assuming his reasoning was entirely innocent. After giving her hand one more squeeze he untangled their fingers and righted his chair to face forward again to more easily talk with his siblings until her return.