Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know it, but I don't own Trudi Canavan's characters or world. Wish I would...

6- First Dinner

In the afternoon, Sonea had a class with Rothen. During the whole hour, she tried to avoid her teacher's gaze, not knowing what he could possibly learn in hers, nor how she could explain what happened – and what was going to happen from now on. Thus, she was almost relieved when the time came to go back to the residence. Almost, but not completely either, for she was not sure how she was supposed to act around her guardian.

When she came in the house, he was there, waiting for her. In a well acquired reflex, she began bowing saying "Good evening High –" The look and his face sopped her from going further. She straightened and gave it another try. "Good evening, Akkarin." Her… fiancé (she better got used to the word) smiled at that, and she couldn't help but smiling back.

"Do you mind joining me for dinner?" He asked, while offering her his arm.

"It will be my pleasure." She took his arm, surprised at how simple it was to feel at ease.

He brought her to the table, where Takan was waiting for them, a smile on his face and a bottle of wine – Anuren Dark, of course - in his hand. The dishes were already displayed on the table. As she took place in front of Akkarin, she could say that Takan has done his very best to celebrate the news – because there was absolutely no doubt that he knew, and he seemed very pleased with it.

They began eating in silence, enjoying the meal and the peaceful atmosphere. Suddenly, Akkarin called her name.

"Sonea." She looked up at him. "I want you to know… I'm aware that my… proposal hasn't been made like it should have been, and I don't want to force you into marrying me. If you've changed your mind –"

"I didn't." Sonea cut. "And I'm not going to. I knew very well what I was doing this morning. I don't plan on regretting it. Neither now nor never." She hesitated, then asked. "Do you regret it?"

"Hell, no!" He looked like shocked by the thought.

"Good." Both were now smiling.

"Now, if we both agree on this, I want to give you something."

He rose, went to a desk, in which he took a little square box. He came back, kneeled down before Sonea, and opened the box. Sonea held her breath as she saw the ring inside. It was a fine silver-made piece of jewelry, imitating the Velan's House incal, with a small but shining emerald in the center. Akkarin took the ring from its case, and put the case aside. With his other hand, he grabbed Sonea's hand and, while putting the ring on her finger, said:

"With this, I show the world my decision to take you as my wife, whenever it can be done, and to spend the rest of my life with you." He brought her hand to him and put his lips on the ring. Then he stood up. When he spoke again, it was in a more offhand tone. "Of course, for the time being, the world will have to be a small one, and it would be preferable if you weren't to wear it –"

"I'll wear it as a pendant during the day. Under my novice robes, none will see it." Sonea was looking alternatively at the ring and at him. "It looks far more formal this way." She sighed, and he frowned.

"Does it bother you?" She smiled.

"No. Not at all. Actually, I was thinking how different it feels from yesterday." Her eyes were sparking mischievously, and her guardian suddenly looked embarrassed. It made her giggled, and they both went back to their seats, and resumed eating in silence, their eyes frequently wandering on the other's face or on the ring at Sonea's finger.

When Takan brought the dessert, Akkarin spoke again.

"I've seen Lorlen, this morning."

"You said you would."

"Yes, and I have explained to him our situation There is an obvious problem, which is that I am your guardian, and you are my novice. According to him, we should wait until you've graduated. This means three or four years. That was my reaction, too." He said with a smile, noticing Sonea's gloomy look, which in fact, reassured and pleased him very much. She did look as if she wanted to marry him. "Another potential solution would be me dropping your guardianship, but that would put us in another difficult situation."

"I can see how." She replied, still gloomy.

"I'm sure you can. So the fact is, I still don't know how or when our wedding can take place. However, Lorlen agreed to help me finding a way, and he's got a good brain to resolve problems, so I trust him with this matter."

"How did he take it? About us, I mean."

"I had a hard time convincing him that I wasn't forcing you into this to have an even stronger on you – and Rothen and himself."

"I'm sorry, Akkarin." She was becoming used to call him by his name, now, it felt more natural.

"Why? I'm the one who should be apologizing. I did something like that before. Anyway, I have eventually managed to make him understand that I really want you on my side forever and ever and that I… I love you." It came into Sonea's mind that he never said it before – he did asked her to marry him, but he hadn't actually said he loved her, not even when under drugs. It made her blush, and a laugh escaped from Akkarin's mouth. A genuine and good-natured laugh, like Sonea had never heard from him.

"It's a shame that we can't let anyone know for the moment." He sighed.

At those words, Sonea recalled something – or rather someone.

"Speaking of which… err… someone already knows about it…" She grimaced, seeing the surprise and interrogative look on Akkarin's face. She gathered her courage and took the plunge. "Dorrien… was at the spring too, yesterday. He hid when he saw us coming and… I didn't see him until it was… too late for presuming he hadn't heard everything."

"So he knows… –"

"Yes. He has come to me this morning, before my classes, and –"

"You've told him?"

"I haven't had too. He has guessed by himself. It seems that I looked… happier than the usual." Her cheeks became really hot, and the man in front of him smiled.

"Well, I can't possibly blame you for that, can I?"

"And he won't say a word about it I'm sure of that." She reassured him, knowing what made him anxious. He raised a brow.

"Well, that's a good thing to hear, if a bit surprising." Both of them smiled, and then Sonea sighed.

"If there is nothing else to eat, I should go to sleep. I have classes to attend tomorrow."

"That's right. But before I walk you to your room, there is something I would like to talk with you about."

"What that is?"

"Rothen." She felt a knot forming inside her stomach.

"What about Rothen?"

"Actually, it's about something Lorlen said about him being like your father… I'm going to ask him formally for your hand and his blessing. Though the latter will certainly be the hardest to obtain." He said, thoughtfully. "That is why I would like him to dine with us tomorrow. Could you pass the invitation?"

"I can, but I'm not sure of how much I would have to say to make him come."

"You can tell him the truth, since he's going to learn it anyway."

"Strangely, I'm not exactly looking forward it. Though it will feel good not to have to lie to him."

"I know." He became thoughtful. "I will still enforce the magic which keeps the residence together. And put anything breakable out of reach. Just in case." They both laughed, then stood and Sonea hooked her arm across Akkarin's, who led the way till her bedroom door.

There he stopped and she opened the door, before turning to him. They stared at each other for a time, then slowly, they reached for each other and kissed, gently, just to feel the other's warmth and bring a taste of it in their own rooms.

"Goodnight, Akkarin."

"Goodnight, Sonea."

The door closed.