Falkirk turned around, glanced at Maya and looked up at him with an accusatory scowl. Maya seemed to have won many hearts, not just his. But then again, who wouldn't surrender all of his being in front of a stunning woman such as Maya? He most certainly did, the first moment he laid his eyes on her.
" Can you arrange some food for me and Maya" Dakran chose not to address the question in Falrkik's eyes, and sat down next to Maya. Maya locked eyes with him, gracing him with one of her shy smiles and all of the torture that he'd been through just moments ago, vanished.
Falkirk nodded and did as he was told but he knew his silence wasn't everlasting. Falkirk placed a plate in front of Maya, and took a seat next to her, behaving as if he wasn't in the kitchen. This day didn't turn out the way he'd planned, not even in the least. Dakran pushed the chair and sauntered to the boiling pot, filling up a bowl with soup for himself, too exhausted to even have it out with Falrkirk.
Taking a seat at the table, Maya began eating pinned under Falkirk's gaze. He wanted to know what happened, and most likely Falkirk will have his head for it. It appears that Falrkirk had taken Maya under his protective wing while he was away, and for some reason, that little fact irked him.
" I told Rom about the old religion and he flipped" Dakran broke the silence gaining both Maya and Falkirk's attention. One more displeased than the other. Nothing he'd done today boded well for him. Now he wished nothing more than to just go back to bed and wake up the next. Perhaps, it would be better or at least he hoped.
Falkirk cleared his throat, uneasy with the topic. One of the few men who had chosen to wed out of love, but his wife died in childbirth. And ever since he hadn't looked at another woman, except for Sala.
" What did he have to say about it?" Falkirk asked a little out of sorts, fraught to speak about the matter in Maya's presence.
" Many things, none good" Dakran leaned back in his chair " Worried that I would do the same to Maya" Dakran cut the story short, and was met with a heavy sigh from Falkirk, displeased that Rom had pointed his finger at him.
" You should have ended it after your father died. Disband the whole thing. It is blasphemous to even call it a religion" Falkirk was right but his people had a right to live as they wished. Forcing them to renounce something that they have practised for generations wouldn't have gone down well.
"I know but some of them still believe in the old gods. I can't force something like that on anyone. We just have to wait it out. It will fade. Veniamin and Karrise had tried to end it before, but it all came back to bite them when the elite threatened not to pay the levy. So they succumbed to their demands. Commonfolk don't have the coin for that life anymore, so only they can't afford it. In the olden days, everyone could, and everyone did, now, thankfully, not many can" Dakran glanced over to Maya who quirked up her eyebrows at him, questioning. Those little facts weren't in the book that she read. Dakran cleared his throat and returned to his meal.
" Precious, this buffoon is many things but he is nothing like those fools. I wouldn't be here if he were." Falkirk tried to help, some help he was. But thankfully, his words made Maya smile so he decided to swallow down the retortort sitting on the tip of his tongue. He had, had his fill of crude and acrid remarks for the day.
Maya raised her eyes to look at Falkirk with a small but genuine smile " I know Falkirk" She turned her attention to him " I know" her tone was more clear this time but her eyes held more than enough in them to tell him that, she was candid. Relief didn't even begin to cover what he felt at that moment. Happy, he was happy despite all, she chose to stay and not run. He wouldn't blame her if she would.
" Tomorrow" Dakran cleared his throat " Maya and I will wed. If you see Sala before I do make sure she knows" Dakran pushed the plate aside and looked at Maya who was still eating. Her mood had improved, and that was all he could ask for. His beautiful, little red would finally become his wife after much trepidation, and that thought brightened up his spirit.
Falkirk solemnly nodded " What do you need?" Falkirk asked a little worried, well aware that rations were tight. He didn't want a feast, that was out of the question.
" Don't worry about anything just go about as usual." Dakran wavered and looked at Maya who smiled at Falkirk and nodded.
"It's only because he would have it any other way" Maya glanced at him, a glimmer of reproach flashing in her eyes" I'm not looking for a feast or a celebration. So you don't need to do anything" Maya patted Falkirk's hand and reprised her eating the last spoonful of food on the plate. It appeared that her mind was akin to his. Many good things will come out of their union, for them and his people.
" More " Falkirk took the words out of his mouth, and Maya nodded " Just a few more spoonfuls" Maya beat Falkirk to the punch, and stood up herself to get the food. Unpretentious, beautiful, and grounded were just a few of the traits that Maya had and he admired her. He was a lucky bastard, indeed.
Falkirk seemed bothered by something, he nervously rubbing his ear " Be good" Falkirk whispered, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes at him " Haren had done enough to put a stain on this family" Falkirk turned fatherly, and he couldn't help, but feel happy that he still had someone sensible enough around him.
Dakran sighed " I know. I will get to that, but first Maya needs to carry my name. I will deal with Haren later" Dakran sighed, and stood up to get some more food for himself. His brother, her brother, Dakran sighed as he picked up the ladle, and scooped some of the stew that Maya was eating this time around. Maya looked up at him when she finished filling her plate, picked up a spoonful of stew and brought it to his lips. She'd never done that before, and he couldn't help himself but grin. It was a sweet gesture which brought back a lot of memories of them sitting on a bed, while he tried to spoon-feed her but she refused to open her mouth and viciously glared at him, every single time. How things have changed, the same woman sat before him with a bright smile, gazing up at him with adoration, spoon-feeding him. And for the first time, since he could remember, Dakran loved his life.
" What did you make today precious?" Falkirk broke the little bubble they were in, Maya sighed and returned to the table, smiling.
"I made a dress, a tunic for Dakran and a few other small things." Maya giggled and licked the spoon before placing it back on the plate " That was delicious. Thank you Falkirk" Maya leaned in to kiss his cheek and the old bag of bones turned as red as the cloth on the table.
Maya giggled " You're like me. I blush a lot" she looked at him with adoring eyes, and go figure, blushing when he slipped his hand under the table to squeeze her thigh.
Dakran chuckled " You do, but I like it more on you than on him" he pointed at Falkirk who playfully scowled. Maya giggled, covering her cheeks as the heat quickly rose in them, feeling Dakran's hand on her thigh.
" I should hope so. I don't like sausages only pies" Falkirk let out a hearty chuckle leaning into his chair, while Maya frowned, most likely missing the inferred meaning behind Falkikrk's nonsense.