The day seemed to stretch endlessly as I immersed myself in the forge, the rhythmic hammering and hissing of steam a comforting backdrop to my thoughts of the impending supper with Lilliana. I kept my focus on the task at hand, desperately trying to suppress the fluttering in my stomach like some child.
I had seen the fire in Lilliana's eyes, the gradual shift in her demeanor, and it sparked a hope within me that we could forge something strong and lasting. But I was also acutely aware of the precarious dance we were in, our forced betrothal hanging over us like an unsheathed sword.
I gave my head a good shake and focused on putting Ike back together with new improvements. Once I finished updating him, I left the rest of the assembly to his brothers Mike and Harold. With them working, I turned back to the two sets of armor lying on the table.
