Caspian watched Naomi's eyes stare at him in alarm as he put his arms around her for the dance.
He didn't like that. Why should she be afraid? Just because he didn't like her or the fact that he'd been forced to marry her didn't mean she should fear him. An unpleasant feeling coiled in his gut watching this helpless foreigner look at him with apparent terror.
It was a simple dance, not... well, that didn't matter because he didn't intend to do *THAT* anyway.
Caspian blinked as Naomi closed her eyes. For all her fear, she didn't try to pull away from him. In fact, her hand gripped his rather tightly, and the one on his shoulder shook slightly.
Maybe she wasn't afraid of him at all? Then what could it be? Dancing? Was she that uncoordinated?
He began leading her in the simple opening steps of the dance. Surprisingly, she didn't resist him at all like most women would when learning to follow a lead. Though she leaned slightly away from him, it seemed to be an effort to press into his hand at her back.
It was a good instinct; it was with that hand that he directed her through most of the dance. The way he pressed either the tips of his fingers, his palm, or his whole hand were the signals to guide her from one step to another.
He lifted their joined hands to direct her through a spin, and then tugged to pull her back in reverse. A smile crept onto her face as she began to feel more comfortable with the style. The music was lively, but paced at a comfortable speed.
"You are very good at this," She beamed at him as she spun back into his hold.
"Just well-practiced," He shrugged slightly. His mother had made sure both he and Edmar were excellent dancers with hours of lessons growing up.
A slight shadow passed across Naomi's face, and he wondered what it could mean.
"That upsets you?" He was drawn to ask, in spite of himself.
"I... neglected practicing, myself," She said by way of reply. "I was nervous, but you lead well. I am thankful."
She smiled directly at him. It surprised him, and he missed a step for the first time. He cleared his throat and quickly put her into an impromptu turn to cover the mistake. By the time the move was complete, Caspian's composure was back in place.
She seemed to want to talk more, but the music intensified and he directed her through a series of complicated steps. She followed very well, as if she trusted him entirely without a second thought. It was a strange sensation to be able to lead her so easily. There was no way for her to have already learned the dance, but she never resisted his direction or seemed confused by his lead.
Caspian watched his bride's expressions with a reluctant fascination. She was slowly blooming as she realized how well she was dancing under his guidance. No wonder she valued covering her face; she was as expressive and readable as anyone he'd ever seen now that he took the trouble to look at her.
He didn't want to look at her, though. She was an imposition, an obligation his parents were saddling him with. She would look after his home while he was at sea--which he would be, as much as possible--and he would endure her presence politely while on land.
She looked up at him again with that smile, and he frowned. The song came to a close, and he released her. Their hands stayed joined as he bowed and she curtsied to the applauding crowd.
"Thank you," She whispered, "You saved me from humiliation at my lack of talent."
Her hand was warm from the exertion of the dance, and he began to pull away. She squeezed his hand instead and he paused to glance into her eyes. They shined in the firelight, looking like burnished gold. A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed with effort.
"That ends the celebration," He said. "We are free to leave."
The look of relief on Naomi's face was unmistakable.
"It has been a long journey," She sighed. "Where do you... um, we--live?"
"I hadn't considered the fact that you just ended a days-long journey from your home," He admitted, ignoring her blushing reference to living together.
"Klain was not my home. I was there a mere two days. I have never had what you might call a 'home', as the Rhone have been a nomadic people for hundreds of years. I left my mother and stepfather... I know not how long ago, now. Weeks, I think. I did not know the direct way to Klain."
This troubled Caspian. He had been right that some outcast, homeless dreg of Rhone had been brought to him as a wife. He wondered whether it embarrassed her, or whether she said all this to gain his sympathy.
"This way," He said. She had not let go of his hand, and he didn't want to pull away overtly in front of the people that cheered as they left. He was stuck with this woman and would not unduly embarrass her in public. To openly shame her now would be to bring shame on himself. "Do you need to retrieve anything?"
"Cora and Mayra said they would take care of moving my things from the wagon. It is not much." She sounded apologetic, but he was glad she wouldn't crowd his hut with womanly items. He nodded and continued leading her to his residence. Their residence, he begrudgingly amended mentally.
He braced for the indignity of sharing his space with someone. He'd had the self-consciousness to clean up a little once it became fairly clear that he would not easily get out of marrying, but it was nothing special. It wasn't decorated or fancy like many of the women seemed to prefer.
He glanced at her, gauging how she would react. Would she be disappointed? Immediately start changing everything in sight? Nag him about how he could housekeep better? Give strained compliments but secretly despise it?
A garland of flowers hung across the door. Caspian was tempted to rip down the celebration of a farce marriage, but that might hurt his mother's feelings. He brought his new wife inside his home for her to look around.
Someone had lit a lamp and put it on the table, probably during their dance when it was clear they would be departing the wedding soon. He frowned, mildly irritated that it was even cleaner than he'd left it, with fresh flowers around the room.
Clearly his mother had wanted him to make a good impression on his new wife, even if that's not what he intended.
"This is beautiful," Naomi breathed.
"Sarcasm?" Caspian accused. She'd denied being sarcastic before, but he still wasn't sure what to make of her. What was her goal here? She turned to him with a look of surprise.
"Not at all! It's more sturdy and permanent than the tent I grew up in, but not confining like the stone walls and ceilings of where I stayed in Klain. This home feels... natural, as if it had grown out of the ground. It belongs here."
He didn't know how to respond to that. She seemed genuine. Had she been so poor that even his home looked that grand in her eyes?
"Thank you," He said awkwardly. Naomi turned to look at him, and he wondered if she'd detected something of note in his voice.
"You... built it?" She tilted her head.
"When I came of age. I had some help, but it is tradition for a man to make his own home." He shrugged. He'd also had to build a seaworthy boat, albeit a relatively small one. Cetoan men were explorers and fishermen, but also tied to the land.
"Amazing," She rested her hand on a doorpost, looking all around to examine what he'd made. "The furniture too?"
He nodded, and she ran her hands over the smooth table in the middle of the room, beaming the whole time. She was clearly fascinated by all of it.
He felt oddly self-conscious about admitting that he had built the home, but there was no sense in keeping such a thing a secret when she'd directly asked him.
He had made an internal pledge to be polite to her, and part of that meant not lying to her without reason. That made what he was about to do next a little awkward. Was it avoidable, though?
She finished admiring the table and chairs, and turned her smile on him once again. "I am blessed with a talented husband."
The words puffed up his pride irrationally. What did he care what she thought about him? He shouldn't. She would be little more than a housekeeper if he had his way. One he had to sleep beside for appearance's sake.
"I'm sure you're tired. Bedroom is there." He pointed past her.