Savage Divinity

A less generous woman might curse her son for giving her less than a week to plan the grandest wedding banquet the outer provinces had ever seen, but Sarnai was nothing if not forgiving.

Credit where credit was due, she couldn’t have done it alone. Zheng Luo was instrumental as always, not just for her diplomatic managerial style and insight into Imperial Clan traditions, but also for her commendable work ethic and uncanny ability to keep noble fools in line without threatening bodily harm. The girl still had expensive tastes and would no doubt eventually drag Sarnai’s poor son into crippling poverty, but aside from her repeated and almost insulting offers to help pay for Rain and Mila’s wedding banquet, Zheng Luo was shaping up to be Sarnai’s favourite daughter-in-law.

Granted, her opposition was hardly impressive. Mei Lin and Yan were both useless when it came to household matters, and sweet Li Song was oblivious as ever to her own personal feelings, so none of them were any help in the planning process. Then there was the star of today’s ceremony, lovely Sumila herself, who had all but disappeared for the last week to solidify her Natal Palace Formation and offered no input on the wedding banquet at all. If she offered so much as a single complaint later today, then Mother save her from Sarnai’s wrath...

Her poor son had an eye for beauty, but not so much for practicality. No matter. Her dog-brained husband would look after their boy even after she was gone, else she would leave the Mother’s warm embrace to haunt him in the afterlife.

After many long days and sleepless nights, Sarnai finally felt she had everything ready for the wedding ceremony and banquet, but then everything went to shit in the early hours of the big day. “You corpulent, thrice-cursed glutton of a fool,” Sarnai muttered, straining to button the too-small silk shirt in the light of the rising sun. “Three days. This outfit was tailored three days ago, and we left two fingers of space for you to grow. How does it not fit?”

Though her anger was evident, the ravenous fatty was unrepentant as he squirmed within her grasp, but a sharp look and a soft growl from her lips was enough to put Mafu in his place. Frozen with fear, he let loose with a piteous squeak which had Aurie plodding over in curious concern, and Sarnai’s poor heart could not take it. Throwing her hands in the air with an exasperated snarl, she pursed her lips and glowered as Mafu slunk away, his half-buttoned, red-silk shirt flapping in the gentle breeze. The buttons along the chest and belly were done up, but his neck, the most visible area, was proving to be a problem. “Come,” she snapped, pointing at her feet, and the docile wagon quin cautiously meandered into range for her to rub his chin and inspect the buttons. Zheng Luo’s design, with the buttons underneath the lapel to hide them, a mark of Rain’s preference for understated simplicity. Better if she’d chosen to be more ostentatious, with hook-and-eye buttons or knotted fastenings so there would be more room to work with, but who could have expected the world’s fattest quin would get noticeably fatter in a mere four days?

“Peace, my rose.” Striding up from behind, Sarnai’s fool husband wrapped his arms around her waist and gently tried to carry her away, but more fool him. A sharp elbow to the sternum set him right, and she went back to fiddling with the beast’s shirt-collar and smoothing his neck fat in a futile attempt to make Mafu skinnier. “If the shirt does not fit,” her husband said, rubbing his chest where she struck him, “Then the boy will ride without it. No one will care if his quin is not decorated.”

“I care,” she snapped, though she couldn’t help herself from kissing his chin as he embraced her once more, a silent apology for her rough handling. “Go get his other quin. The shirt is too big for Zabu, but a handful of well-placed pins will make it work.”

For once, her husband did not jump to obey, and she did not much like his defiance. “Did the boy not insist on riding Mafu to the ceremony? Symbolic he said, as quins mate for life, and Mafu is courting little sister Sumila’s quin Atir. Leave the poor beast be, my love. No matter how many times you smooth his fur, he will not magically slim down.” While her husband gently pulled her away, she stubbornly clung on to the shirt collar until Mafu tried to pull back as well, at which point she had to let go or else the fabric would tear. “This is not like you, my beautiful rose,” her husband said, pulling her close to nuzzle her neck. “Do you not have more pressing concerns besides the quin’s clothing? Like making sure our son is awake and dressed in time for the hunt?”

“He’s already awake,” she snapped. “You can hear him stomping about his room, same as I. As for the hunt? Pei. The hunt is a farce.” Grumbling as she sank into his embrace, she watched fat Mafu squirm and shake in an effort to slip out of his clothes, because he was smart enough to know he would get in trouble for ripping them. Tossing him some smoked meat as an apology, she sighed and said, “To hunt any game larger than a rabbit, the boy would have to ride at least three days out, if not more. Instead, I had to buy a hog and keep it penned up outside the walls, else he’d never make it back in time to have it cooked for dinner.”

“And this upsets you?”

“Of course it does. The rumour-mongers take every opportunity they can to whisper of Falling Rain’s infirmity, and this mockery of a hunt will do him no favours.”

“The hunt is an old tradition of the People, my love. I doubt anyone will even notice, except to comment on how the boy slaughters the pig himself. Cleaning and dressing an animal is hardly behaviour befitting an Imperial Scion.”

“Let them talk then.” Huffing in indignation, Sarnai clenched her fist under her husband’s nose, daring him to say differently. “All customs and traditions are ridiculous, but if he must go through with them, then I will not have him abandoning all our traditions in favour of Imperial ones.”

“And no one is saying he should,” her dog-brained husband said, as if he hadn’t just implied as much. “But my love, the quin’s clothing is unimportant. The farce of the hunt is a regrettable necessity. The rumour-mongers will whisper no matter what we do. You know this as well as I do, so I must ask, why are you so concerned?”

“Because,” she grumbled, glaring daggers at the fat quin, “There is so much more that could still go wrong, that this over-fed furred sock feels like an omen of sorts.” It was such a minor problem, but she was almost beset with tears as she turned to her husband. “These are silly traditions, but they are the traditions of the People, and he has so few ties to us as it stands. He never speaks of it, but the near exile wounded him gravely, a wound he has yet to recover from. That is why I insisted he have this traditional wedding ceremony, to remind him and everyone else that his is still one of the People, but now everyone will look down on him for riding an unadorned quin to claim his bride, like a shoddy hunter who can only afford the bare necessities.”

“Hardly,” her husband chuckled, gently turning her aside just in time to see their son’s bedroom door swing open. “No one would ever dare think the Minister of Finance strapped for coin, not dressed as he is.”

Striding out from his room with a bright smile on his handsome face, their son cut an elegant and extravagant figure in his dazzling gold-plated armour. “Good morning Mom and Dad.” Stopping in front of them with his fists on his hips, he struck a heroic pose with a far-off gaze, turning this way, then that to show off the full effect of his shimmering armour. “How do I look?”

“Like a handsome Imperial Hero.” Sarnai meant it too, but her heart ached at how well his unfamiliar trappings drove her earlier point home. The boy looked like an Imperial born, and not just because of his engraved, golden armour, with pauldrons shaped like dragons and billowing clouds etched into his belt, or the Liang family name emblazoned on his chest, a poignant reminder of his backer. There was also the red-silk trappings he wore underneath, a stately, over-embroidered nobleman’s long-shirt instead of the plain, hip-length shirts he usually favoured, as well as a ruby-studded golden, dragon-horned circlet he wore in place of a helm. True, this was a wedding and he should dress up, but add in his slicked back hair, lightly powdered face, heavy ornamented bracers, and light, decorative cloak, and all this meant his amber eyes were the only visible mark of his heritage as one of the People.

A truth which stung more than it should, considering it was an unprecedented honour for her son to have been raised to Imperial Office and Clan, but it still hurt nonetheless.

Ignorant of her inner thoughts, Rain grinned and gingerly made his way over for a hug. “Thanks Mom, but I’d feel better if all mothers weren’t contractually obligated to call their sons handsome.” The hug lasted longer than she expected, so she stole in to kiss his cheeks and grinned as he scrunched his nose in mock revulsion. “Noooo,” he wailed, struggling to break free. “Moooommm, you’re ruining my make-up!”

This brought a laugh to all their lips, and for a moment, everything was perfect, until gluttonous Mafu made his way over with a chittering squeak and pushed his fat head in between them, only too happy to be included in their group hug. “Disgraceful quin,” Sarnai said, rubbing the beast’s chin and shaking her head as his eyes closed in delight. “Come, let us get him out of his shirt so you can ride out for your hunt.”

“Why? He looks so cute in his outfit.” Fumbling with the buttons for a bit, Rain gently pressed his knee into Mafu’s belly, slowly increasing the pressure until the quin was forced to exhale. When her son’s hands came away, the shirt was buttoned up and the quin lowered his head to rub his cheeks in frustration, mournfully squeaking in abject defeat. “Yes Mafu, I know you don’t like the clothes,” Rain said, crooning as he hugged the creature tight. “But too bad. This is my wedding, so you’re gonna dress up and look darling, just like all the other floofs. Quit being a baby, it’s not even tight. You can swim and eat once the banquet gets underway.”

Elbowing her chortling husband in the sternum, Sarnai shot him a glare that said in no uncertain terms what would happen if he ever told anyone she’d been outsmarted by a wagon quin. After smoothing out the wrinkles in Mafu’s collar, she took her son’s hands and looked him in the eyes, while her husband stood beside her with his arm around her waist. “Son,” she began, unsure how to voice her fear and concern without coming off as a worrywart, “Your father and I want you to know that although you are not our son by blood, and we have done little to shape you into the man you are today, we love you as much as any parent can love their child. More even. It brings us great joy and great sorrow to see you set off on this journey to start a household of your own, but unlike the Martial Path, this is not a journey you tread alone, for we will be there to support you every step of the way.” The boy’s eyes were wet with emotion, as were Sarnai’s, and they both took a moment to wipe away the tears and smile. “Just remember,” she continued, clutching his hands ever so tightly, “No matter what might happen, you are, and always will be, the beloved son of Baatar and Sarnai.”

The boy said nothing as he embraced them both tightly, but his tears were message enough.

Once their tears were dry, she shooed them out and watched them ride off for the hunt, father and son leading a thousand marching Death Corps guards as if so many boots wouldn’t scare off all the game for kilometres around, to say nothing of the gargantuan Ping Ping thundering along behind them. Her husband was right to be dismissive of her concerns, because even though the hunt was tradition, it stemmed back to a time when whatever the groom caught would be needed to feed all their dinner guests. Here in the Northern Citadel, this would have been an impossible feat, because even if they weren’t in the heart of civilization, there were over two-thousand guests coming to tonight’s festivities, and there was still plenty for Sarnai to do in the interim.

Like catch Mama Bun and bring her back inside before she got lost again. Poor, stupid thing, she just wanted to stay close to Rain and be coddled and loved, but she would have to settle for Sarnai’s affections instead. Rocking the growling rabbit back and forth, she led Aurie over to Taduk’s manor where sweet Li Song sat ready and waiting to help dress all the animals for the coming ceremony. Princess was already ambling about in her lovely little outfit, a frilly, flowered dress decorated with far too much embroidery, but Sarnai didn’t have the heart to say it and simply complimented the sweet girl on her hard work. Li Song had embroidered the outfit herself, having spent all her free time these last months learning from matron Eun, a formidable woman whom Sarnai had come to adore. Greeting her with a curtsy, Eun beamed and said, “Good morning Lady Sarnai. A fine day for a wedding, with clear skies and not a cloud in sight. The Mother Herself has blessed young master Rain’s wedding, that She has.”

A much needed blessing, considering they were holding the banquet outside, because unlike Central’s Citadel, the Northern architects had not thought to include any massive banquet halls when planning the fortifications. “Come now,” Sarnai said, helping the woman straighten up despite her quiet protests and quietly linking their arms. “How many times must I tell you this? We of the People have no need for curtsies or honorifics among friends. To you, I am merely Sarnai, and my son is just Rain.” At most, Eun could use their titles, such as Speaker Sarnai or Minister of Finance Falling Rain, but the woman was a stickler for formality. It would not do, for as far as Sarnai could tell, Eun was the closest thing Du Min Gyu had to a wife, and as such, it would not do to treat her as a common maid, no matter what she might insist.

Most importantly, Sarnai would have never completed the banquet preparations without Eun’s vital help and knowledge, which meant she would forever and always have Sarnai’s gratitude and friendship.

There was precious little time for niceties, so they set about dressing the rabbits, bears, and wildcats in their darling embroidered shirts. The bears and wildcats also had matching hats, and even the Laughing Birds had silken bows to wear around their necks, with the chicks looking especially darling as they nestled happily in Aurie’s fur as he trotted around the courtyard. Since Rain’s other girls would have no part in the ceremony itself, Mei Lin and Yan were both still fast asleep, as was Zheng Luo over in the manor, but the twin handmaidens Sorya and Anrhi were here to lend a hand, giggling away while trying to get the bears to sit still. Now those two were good girls, and Sarnai almost thought to have Rain marry them, but she dropped the idea when she realized Zheng Luo would undoubtedly react poorly to having her handmaidens ‘elevated’ to equals.

Then again, the dramas were always rife with illegitimate children born from illicit affairs between noblemen and their maids, so perhaps Zheng Luo had already prepared for this eventuality. The girl lived and breathed politics, so it wouldn’t come as a surprise if it came to light that she picked two fetching demi-humans so there would be no dispute regarding lines of succession and whatnot. Unfortunately, no one had seen fit to tell her that the People placed almost no emphasis on bloodlines, though if she couldn’t see this after living in their household for over a year, then the girl was not as smart as Sarnai had hoped.

Even with so many hands to help, they still almost fell behind schedule. Once the animals were all wearing their darling shirts, vests, hats, bows, and flowered circlets, Sarnai changed into her dress, gushed over Tali and Tate in their darling outfits, loaded everyone into the carriage, and set off for Akanai’s courtyard. The marriage ceremony was supposed to be a private affair taking place at the bride’s family home, but unfortunately, the Chief Provost’s quarters were stationed on the fifth floor of her building, which she shared with dozens, if not hundred of other inhabitants, most of whom would not take kindly to being asked to vacate their own rooms. The courtyard was another matter however, as it was normally packed with training Sentinels, but today, it sat empty and unused save for a scattering of close friends and subordinates here by invitation. Huushal was the first one Sarnai saw upon stepping out of the carriage, which was something of a surprise given his recent difficulties with Balance. Still, it was heartening to see him standing there with her competent young Disciple Rustram and the rest of Rain’s close friends like Tong Da Fung, Situ Jia Zian, Han BoShui, Tam Taewoong, and Yo Sung-Hoon.

Of course, those were only the most familiar faces, and Sarnai stopped to thank each one while gifting them with a generous red pocket as thanks for their help. Comically large and the size of a standard document, the red pockets contained a hundred-gold card and one of Rain’s newfangled War Bonds inside, albeit one that had yet to be paid for and stamped. It was a promise to sell the first twenty or so War Bonds to his friends, which in Sarnai’s mind, felt more than a little duplicitous, promising vast returns on an investment that might very well fall flat. Besides, where were Huushal, Bulat, Jorani, or even Rustram supposed to find the nine-thousand and some odd gold to purchase one?

She would have argued the inclusion of the War Bonds if she’d known beforehand, but Rain insisted he would handle the red pockets himself and left them with Li Song last night. The ‘valuable’ documents were likely a last minute inclusion as well, since they had only just arrived two days ago, five-hundred official documents all stamped and sealed by the Prime Minister and the Chief Justicar of Fraud, but still missing the Master of Coin’s seal which had yet to arrive. Rain pushed too hard with his War Bond venture, as he was wont to do when he had too much faith in something he believed would succeed without fail. As such, he took no precautions before charging headlong into the fray, but while Sarnai barely understood the math or logic behind his efforts, she knew that no matter how fool-proof or profitable his scheme might appear, it could still be easily ruined by petty backbiting and political manoeuvrings for no reason besides spite.

Besides, even putting the War Bonds aside, a hundred gold was far too generous for what was essentially token guard duty. Unlike with Alsantset, Mila had no spurned suitor who might fight his way through the guards in order to object to the ceremony. A good thing too, because Sarnai would have killed Gerel if not for Mentor’s intervention, and she would not be so merciful again.

Not that she expected an intruder, since Mila, Husolt, and Akanai were all famously short-tempered...

With the red pockets handed out, Sarnai took her daughter aside to wait for her son’s arrival, while Li Song brought the animals upstairs to join her family. And not a moment too soon either, as Baatar and Rain appeared in the distance carrying the bundled remains of a butchered hog between them, while the Guardian Turtle followed after them wearing a lovely crown of flowers she’d picked up somewhere along the way. The Death corps were there as well, but they stopped and took positions all around the courtyard while Rain rode in to greet his friends and family. Surprisingly enough, Sarnai’s son was not covered in blood as expected, and had even done a passable job keeping his boots clean, though Mafu’s silken shirt was now a lost cause, covered in bloody paw prints as it was...

Resisting the urge to scowl at the fat beast, Sarnai watched her son go through with the formalities of thanking his ceremonial guards, and once the niceties were over and done with, the family headed inside with the slaughtered offerings and moved upstairs to appeal to their future in-laws. Even Tali and Tate did their part, looking oh so serious as they held a tray of ribs each in their darling little arms, so darling and adorable Sarnai could barely keep from pinching their cheeks. Oh Mother Above, she would be in her nineties when it came time for them to marry, possibly even older if they should dilly-dally before settling on a suitable partner. Sweet Tate was a serious and dutiful boy, so she wouldn’t have to worry about him, but Tali was such a flighty and capricious little girl, who knew what the future had in store for her?

Taking a deep breath to keep her emotions from getting the better of her, Sarnai clutched her husband’s arm while they made their way up the stairs. “No need to fret, mother,” Alsantset Sent, and Sarnai looked back to see her girl hide her mischievous smile. “All that is left are the games of strength and skill. I am sure Grandpa Husolt will not make things too hard on his grandson, unlike certain other hot-blooded fathers out there.”

There was a hint of reproach in the girl’s tone, no doubt because she was still peeved at the monumental tasks her father set for Charok, all of which the poor boy subsequently failed. The games were an old tradition originally meant as an excuse to showcase the potential groom’s talents so that the bride’s family would feel reassured, but over time, the games developed into a means for disapproving fathers to humiliate their prospective son-in-laws and shame them into going home unwed. It hadn’t worked on Charok, and little Rain was all but shameless, yet still Sarnai was worried Husolt would go too far and their happy little family would end up divided.

“You say this because you do not know your grandfather well enough,” Sarnai Sent, turning away so the girl wouldn’t see her expression. “You know him as a man who spends his days puttering around the forge and his nights getting drunk and playing chess, but you forget he stood and fought alongside your grandmother for longer than you and I have lived. You remember little Rain’s first trip to Shen Huo? Where your grandfather slaughtered a young Warrant Officer for threatening little Sumila? Do you recall how it ended?”

“Grandpa killed the Warrant Officer and subdued his bodyguards before showing the City Guards his writ.”

“And why do you think they let him go?”

“Because they recognized his name?”

“Pei. Shen Huo is not like the village, where we tell tales of the Chief Provost and her glorious past deeds. The nobles arrayed against the Magistrate had forgotten Akanai’s name, so what chance was there of mere City guards remembering Husolt’s? No, your grandfather bears a special writ which states that under no circumstances are the City Guards to engage him in any form of hostilities, and it was given to him for good reason. He is not a reasonable man when his ire is raised, and doubly so when his precious daughter is involved, so I doubt little Rain will pass even a single test. If you thought your father overbearing, you should compare notes with little Sumila, and I guarantee you will not emerge the victor.”

Sarnai could almost see the blood draining from her daughter’s face, because even though the girl hid it well, Alsantset was likely more worried about this wedding than anyone else, Rain included. She loved the boy fiercely like her own, and in truth had been more of a mother to him than Sarnai had in those early years. Oh what a fool she’d been, thinking herself clever for staying away from the ‘dangerous foundling’ and worrying how her poor daughter would be devastated when she had to put him down. That mindset hadn’t lasted for more than a year, but Sarnai still kept her distance from Rain for far too long after, and it was a mistake she would regret until her dying day.

Especially if Husolt accidentally injured her boy today. The bumbling fool did not know his own strength, and poor Rain was as fragile as Sarnai’s prized teacups, which she’d long since forbidden the bumbling blacksmith from touching...

As per tradition, Husolt stood outside to greet them, standing in front of a large red knot hanging over residence doors. “Who comes?” he called, his expression as serious as the grave, almost serious enough to offset the gaggle of onlookers poking their heads out from their doors.

“Falling Rain of the People.” Bowing his head while presenting the platter in his hands, bearing the hog’s head, heart, and liver, Rain said, “Here to present this offering to your home, and prove myself a worthy husband.”

“I’ll be the judge of that, lad.” Immediately deviating from the script, Husolt scowled and waved the offerings aside. “Leave the hog at the door and follow me,” he said, lumbering off towards the roof stairs. “Let’s see if you got what it takes.”

Up on the roof, Sarnai shooed her family out of the way and clung to her husband’s arm tight, though she wasn’t sure if it was for comfort or to keep him from shaming their son by trying to help him in the games. Thankfully, Rain didn’t seem nervous at all, even though Sarnai knew he’d barely been able to sleep, because she too hadn’t slept and heard him pacing about his room and talking to his fat rabbit all night. There was no sign of that nervous, sleepless boy now, standing there with a big smile on his face while the Laughing Birds crowded around him to inspect his resplendent golden armour. “Stop,” he laughed, shooing the well-dressed birds away, though he was careful to move slowly so not to accidentally injure the fledglings. “This armour is mine, and you can’t have it. Shoo.”

Eventually, Rain distracted the birds with a few handfuls of dried meat, and luckily none of them thought to leave a disgusting gift on his armour. None too pleased by the delay, Husolt grunted and pointed west at the gate across the plaza, which was currently bustling with traffic moving in and out of the Citadel. “I left Tenjin by the gates over there, on top of the wall. He’s got a token for you. Go get it without any help, and bring it back in five minutes or we’re done here.”

Bristling at the onerous task, Sarnai opened her mouth to protest, but Rain had already set off. No, he only walked to the edge of the wall and glanced at the gate. “Over there? Doesn’t seem too bad.” Except it was, because he would have to run down the stairs, across the plaza, up the stairs, and back again, all of which would be easy enough if Rain were still a Martial Warrior, but as he was, he could barely climb one set of stairs without breaking into a sweat, not to mention the bustling crowds in the way.

“Time’s ticking, lad,” Husolt said, and for a moment, Sarnai worried that the Divine Blacksmith didn’t intend to let his daughter marry a cripple. Failure was no problem, so long as the father of the bride was amenable to the union (or the mother, as was the case with poor Alsantset), but Husolt was a stubborn one and Akanai did so love to spoil her husband...

“Be back before you know it.” Instead of running for the stairs, Rain reached underneath his cloak and fumbled about before pulling out a rope and grappling hook. Seeing Sarnai’s surprise, he grinned and said, “Charok warned me to be prepared, and you can hide a surprisingly large bag under this silly cloak. Only thing it’s good for. Be right back.”

Then, without checking the grappling hook to make sure it was secure, Sarnai’s son leapt off the roof and plummeted towards the ground.

It felt like an eternity before the rope drew taut, but it couldn’t have been more than a second because Sarnai was already looking over the edge and ready to throw herself down after him if need be. Five stories was not an insurmountable height to jump from, especially not for a Peak Expert like Sarnai, but even a young man of BoShui's calibre would injure himself falling from this high up. Rain had gone over the edge without blinking, and was now shimmying his way down the rope with such speed and skill she had to wonder where he learned it. Shooting an accusatory gaze at her husband, he responded with a convincing shrug of ignorance, but it was their daughter who supplied an answer. “The obstacle course,” Alsantset said, beaming at her little brother’s unexpected prowess. “He must have been running it with his animals for fun and picked up a few tricks.”

By now, Rain’s feet had already reached the ground, and he shook the grappling hook free with a flick of his wrist. Stopping just long enough to catch it, he set off for the gates at a steady pace, shouting, “Make way please. Imperial Scion coming through. Meep Meep.” What those sounds meant, Sarnai couldn’t say, but the crowd cleared out of his way with utmost haste, most likely because of his striking Imperial armour. There was almost no suspense as they watched him jog across the plaza, but instead of heading up the stairs, he stopped at the base of the wall and raised his hands to his mouth, no doubt shouting something to Tenjin up top.

Whatever it was, it set Husolt to laughing. “Good lad there,” he chortled, making sure not to look at Sarnai or her husband. “He’s extorting Tenjin, saying he’ll spread all of the poor boy’s dirty secrets if he don’t throw the token down. Now he’s asking me what to do. Care to weigh in on what I should say?”

“What dirty secrets?” her idiot husband asked, and Sarnai shot him a dark look telling him to keep quiet. What secrets indeed, as if any of them knew, but as far as she could tell, Tenjin didn’t have any such secret and Rain was threatening to spread unfounded rumours. A dirty trick, one he learned in all his political dealings, but he had to use the tools at his disposal for the task at hand.

To this end, Sarnai shrugged and said, “It is up to you, Father-in-Law. A man must take responsibility for his own decisions after all.” A not so subtle reminder that if Rain were to fail this task and be refused Sumila’s hand in marriage, then the responsibility would fall squarely on Husolt’s shoulders.

And Sarnai would be sure to collect this debt from his hide.

The smile faded from Husolt’s face, and he spent a good half minute clearing his throat. By then, Rain was already making his way back over with plenty of time to spare. Already, Sarnai could imagine what the rumour-mongers would say, about how Fire-Bird Tenjin had a shameful secret known only by Falling Rain, but ultimately it would lead to nothing. Anyone who’d seen them together would know they were as close as brothers, and it was only Tenjin’s refusal for a more prominent rank or title that kept him where he was. Unlike Sarnai’s dog-brained husband, Tenjin wanted to settle down with his beloved to start a family, and it was Tursinai’s love of adventure that brought them out here, rather than his own personal quest for glory. A commendable outlook and a respectable young man, so Sarnai would make sure to scold her son for teasing Tenjin so.

Having returned to the rooftop via the stairs, Rain grinned as he handed the wooden token to Husolt with both hands, and miraculously even refrained from making taunts, though this might have been because he was already out of breath. Next came a complex blacksmith’s puzzle which he solved with ease, then Husolt made him demonstrate his skills with a crossbow and throwing knife, which were... passable. Lastly, Husolt posed the boy a riddle involving a life and death situation in which he was forced to pick and choose which of his pets to save and which he would let die. Unfortunately, Rain was physically incapable of making a decision and asked so many questions Husolt eventually just refused to answer, at which point the boy finally answered, ‘whoever’s closest’, because that gave him the best odds of saving as many of his beloved pets as he could.

“All right lad, all right,” Husolt grumbled, holding his hands up to stem the tide of follow up questions. “I give up. You passed. It was a hypothetical situation. No need to keep dwelling on it anymore.” Shaking his head, he sighed and put both hands on the boy’s shoulders. The difference in size was staggering to behold, for Rain was not a large man and Husolt made most Martial Warriors appear downright dainty, but the boy held up well under the pressure. “I already told you what would happen if you ever made my girl cry, and yer a better Son-in-Law than most. I gave you my blessing when the two of you were betrothed, and you still have my blessing today on the day you wed. You just take good care of her, you hear? You make sure she remembers to visit. You know how she is, always focused on her next project or milestone or whatnot. She’s a strong girl, but she needs a strong person to support her, because she’s always pushin’ her limits, and she’ll push yours too.”

By now, the massive warrior was crying like a child, and Rain pushed in to hug him tight. “Don’t worry, Grandpa. I won’t let you down.”

“Bah, what grandpa? It’s Father-in-Law now, or will be soon enough.” Though Rain and Husolt shared a silly smile at the absurdity of their family situation, Sarnai felt a headache coming on. Seniority was important in a family, but she could not accept her son becoming her Brother-in-Law, nor did she know how to behave around her Sister-in-Law turned Daughter-in-Law.

All matters for another day, for now it was finally time for the marriage ceremony, or so Sarnai thought. “I got one last test for you, lad,” Husolt said, wiping his tears and limbering up with his staff. “Yer Pa kept jawin’ on about how you got some real impressive moves, and I want to see them fer meself. Come, show this here grand-daddy what you got.”

This time, it was not just Sarnai glaring daggers at her dog-brained husband, as Rain and Alsantset added their glares as well. It was almost enough to make her pity the poor fool, until she remembered that he’d brought this upon himself.

Muttering a curse underneath her breath, Sarnai crossed her arms and audibly growled as her son and her father-in-law took up arms and beat each other like cretins. All she wanted was the ceremony to go well without incident. After that, the banquet could end in disaster and she still wouldn’t bat an eye, but stubborn Husolt just refused to let things happen in a timely manner. Not for the first time, Sarnai reflected on how bittersweet her husband’s recent adoption had become, and dreaded what life with her new in-laws might become...

Chapter Meme