Chương 14: XIV. Betrothal

He kept trying to touch my hand, and I kept pulling away. He sighed and slumped into his side of the booth.

"Ashy, you'se gonna hafta let me–""Speak properly, you twit," I said, as slow and calm as I could. I put my elbows on the table and the black cloth drank deeply from the pooling blood. I clasped my fingers together, and rested my chin atop of the bridge, staring – quite patiently and calmly I might add – at him. He narrowed his eyes, but weren't meeting mine.

"Your hand is fine now?" I blinked, and let my opposite thumb track over the skin. The glass shards had fallen off, and outside some tenderness from how hard I was pushing, it felt fine – normal even. I rolled my tongue against my cheek, and there was only a slight scar where I had cut myself, and even that was fading fast. So I spat on the table. It was wet, blobby, and didn't contain a drop of blood. And Adrian… smiled. He crossed his arms and leaned back, before exhaling loudly.

"You have an [Adventurers] regeneration! That's amazing, Ashley! Why didn't you tell anyone you unlocked a [Hero Cl–."" Adrian," I said and he closed his mouth." Stop stalling or Missy and I will kick your ass." He slammed his elbow on the table, and rubbed his face with his dominant hand. He raised his free hand to the sky, beckoning for something. Both Nana and Pops were watching us, and making sure their kids… and the other guests… didn't come near the booth. Lucy and Lucille however must have missed their concern and grabbed the jug of wine and two pewter cups. Lucy ran carefree towards us, and Lucille carefully stepped forward before her parents could grab her." Addy!" Lucy said, dropping the cups on the table and letting them wobble. She wrapped her hands around him and hugged, and he lowered his head and returned the affection. My heart beat, and the pewter cups were interesting. They were improperly crafted so they still had a little dent around the base, which probably made it hold 2 milliliters less than a properly made cup. The jug of wine interrupted my thoughts and Lucille also leaned into Adrian to hug, joining Lucy." Ya don' visit?" Lucille said." I was here yesterday!" He said." We was in school! You said ya was comin' to pl–" Lucy said, and her eyes furrowed angrily. Lucille looked at her, and copied the same angry expression, even if they couldn't frown while doing it. I coughed loudly, and Nana ran towards the two girls to pull them off." Girls, let Auntie and Uncle talk, yeah?"" Hey! We're not tha' ol', right Ashy?" Adrian said, but I stared patiently at him. Nana shook her head." Nope. Not gettin' involved in this mess. Ya on your own, Mr. Skye." She dragged her kids away, who still wanted to hold onto him. He was always popular with the kids. Adrian poured me a cup of wine first, then himself. He raised his cup into the sky and held it there. I kept my head atop of my hands and watched him, patiently." Amaril, give me strength…" he muttered, and pulled the cup to his lips. He tilted it upwards, and the cup's entire contents was devoured. He then wiped his lips with his sleeve. He then reached towards the jug–"Adrian," I said." Fine, fine. Can't blame me for needing something for this conversation. I was hoping I would find you in a good mood, before I told you." He still poured himself another cup, and downed it." Adrian." I repeated. I already knew, but why wasn't he telling me?" MelissaAndIAreGettingMarriedOnFall21AndIWantYouToBeTheMaidOfHonor," he spilled out. I had to blink, and then shake my head." Speak properly, you twit." Adrian studied my face." No. You understood what I said, and you already pieced it together. Why are you even upset? If I recall correctly, 'You don't even like me like that'." I bit into my lip and narrowed my eyes at him." And if you knew that, why didn't you just tell me a week ago?!"" A week ago you were unconscious on your own fields with unplanted seeds coming back from an Academy without having finished your exams. You weren't even [Symphonic]! Congratulations on that by the –""ADRIAN!" I calmly, patiently shouted. He looked at the jug and poured himself a third cup. He wasn't swaying, his words weren't muddled…? I looked down at my own cup and wafted the steam towards me. It was hot, and it definitely smelled alcoholic. I took a small sip. Yes, that was wine. Not my favourite, just seemed like a waste of good juice." Why didn't you come back two years ago?" He said." What?"" You heard me. Why didn't you come back two years ago when Ma's sickness got worse?" He stopped drinking, and his eyes locked with mine. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story." I… didn't know–""Why didn't you come back LAST year when Pa got sick and needed help?"" I wasn't tol–""Why didn't you respond to a single letter we sent to you? And don't say you didn't receive it, I asked Grant to deliver it to you." I opened my mouth but my throat was dry. A dry squawk extruded, and Adrian pointed towards the cup. I took a sip of wine, and the warm sensation flowed through my guts." As far as I can tell, Ashley, the only thing you're mad about is I didn't wait for you. You aren't that impressed that I'm a [Paladin], and no wonder, you have a [Class] too. But I don't care about that. Where the fuck were you?" Adrian swore? At me?" I was busy with classes," I said. My throat was scratchy, but I wasn't going to let him have this." Your desk has Jack Cosqué's A Winter Romance and Leva-kira'syl by Theramiel Juniper! In the original Elvish! The first book has 300 pages and four sequels, and the second is an Elvish Romance! How did you have time to read that and not a letter, Ashley." His voice raised, and his fingers squeezed into the cup. I closed my eyes and took a breath." What does that have to do with you getting married?" Adrian's eyes went wide and his shoulders slumped. He leaned back into the booth and stared upwards at the ceiling." Of course you wouldn't see the link." He kept staring at the ceiling. Steam rolled out of the jug's mouth. Nana and Pops had moved the girls out, and even the guests were doing their best not to listen in. Why does he even want to know what we– Will you shut up? I know what he wants. I just have to… Admit it? Admit it." Do you know that 81, 000 square metres is actually a rather small sized farm, Addy? A lot of the ones in the Capital tend to be over 100, 000 square metres, and they zone them differently based on the grower and feeder rate?" I just started talking. Adrian didn't groan. His eyes fluttered, and they sparkled as they met mine." Sure?"" Yeah. I was right about [Green Clover], it's a nitrogen-rich plant that breaks clay-like parts with its root, since it's pretty hardy. It's good enough to restore soil quality up to its own seed level, but it doesn't sell well. On the other hand, any legumes – like [Peas] – or even [Alfalfa] if I can find the seeds and import it, would help and might make a small return on investment, but it's not as good for the soil. And the fact my dirt is like clay suggests it has to be green clover."" Or you could use [Manure]," Adrian said. He poured himself another cup and took a deep drink." Not a [Rancher], yet," I corrected." I mean, I understand [Veterinarian] a bit, but animals would require some further consideration. I am sure I could unlock that one easily since I would just need to practise it and not need a license, but…""' Future problems, Ashley'?" Adrian finished for me. I nodded." I didn't major in [Medicine] like Ma wanted me to. Pa and you and her sent me letters about it, saying how proud of me you were. But… I get humours, I do, but… why would I want to care about how Choleric someone's liver is, or how Sanguine their sperm is?"" I hope to Nyla that their sperm isn't sanguine. That's a serious problem, Ashley." Adrian said, and his joke was funny. I just couldn't really make myself laugh. So I nodded again." But… there was a Gardening Club, and then there was this entire field called Agronomics or the study of the earth, yeah? I mean, it's like biology, just… not as boring? So I switched Majors. I didn't want to tell anyone since Ma would say I'm wasting my potential, and Pa didn't raise no stinkin' [Farm Girl]. So, I had a plan. I'd come back with my degree and fix the farm, and prove that Flora doesn't know bull from horse manure."" Are you serious?" Adrian said, lowering his head. His hand squeezed his own cup, and swirled the hot wine. His forehead scrunched and his eyes remained stuck on the wine. Only when the steam rolling from the cup settled, he raised his hand to rub his eyes." That's the answer?!"" I don't have a better one to give you. You'd all ask how my education was going. I couldn't rightly tell Pa that his worthless daughter couldn't listen to his dumb plan or break Ma's heart that I wanted to stick with the dirt, you know. And you're Princess Moovia!"" Fine," Adrian said." I don't get what the cow has to do with anything, but whatever. It doesn't change anything now. So, you want to be the Maid of Honor? Sorry the town thought you were goin' say yes before we even talk–""Yes," I said." But why? I–" He raised his hand, and pushed the entire jug to me – and the plate of chicken that was already cold." You can support someone you're disappointed in, Ashy. Pa and Ma would have been disappointed, but they would have supported ya, I know it. And I promised your Ma I'd watch over ya. Doesn't look like you need it though – already getting a class, turning a profit on that farm? Way smarter than Pa or I ever could be. I'm pegging ya as an [Initiate] of Nyla?" Half of a smile crept to my lips." Somethin' like that. I guess the farm is where my heart is. By the by, do you know how I could make a [Guild]. I think I gotta start thinking about taxes on the farm."" Ah! Any piece of paper would do, but you'd need three people, not including yourself. Missy was lookin' for a guild for her income to go through, and she'd support ya. However, you need a [Guild Writ] if you want it to be recognized by the [Queen's Collection]. I can't join those anymore since Church and State laws, but…"" Could you please get me [Guild Writ]?"" Aye, I can do that. But you gotta tell Missy to sign it herself. I'll have Eveline drop it off, so you might want to start an informal one and the formal when she finds the time. And… you should tell her you accept, then."" I'll try," I said. Adrian stood up, and patted my shoulder. He was right in a sense. I was better than they could ever be. And as A Maid of Honor, I could deal with that problem in the future. If it even was a problem. The [Guild] was definitely easier to recruit for than the cult, unless… A formal one and an informal one. I could work with that. I knew Madeleine would join willingly, Missy didn't need to get her dumb nose involved in every part, and… well, I could find a third eventually. Future problems, Ashley. I wanted to write the plan, but Nana stared me down. She really wasn't going to let me go till the plates were cleaned.