Facing the Facts

"Breakfast is in an hour, your Majesties," Omar said respectfully through the door. Tyr Anasazi was as relaxed as he'd ever been. He played in his wife's hair, occasionally caressing her cheek to wake her up. Wife. Would he ever get used to that title for his woman?

Landi's eyes finally opened. She looked around herself and then at her husband. The look in his warm brown eyes calmed her nerves somewhat.

"Morning hubby," she whispered sweetly. His smile was bright and somewhat goofy. "What? I told you that you couldn't take it back in the morning."

"Nor would I want to," the man told her, running his finger down her nose before bopping it lightly. "We have to get ready. Jubilee's breakfast is in less than an hour." He seemed to forget what he would say when she nuzzled his chest and purred.

"I'm going to have to consider renaming you kitten, little one. Let's get showered and dressed for breakfast. I think we should wear what we wore last night. It'll help with the announcement." He picked her up, covers and all, and carried her into her bathroom. Landi was rather shy about sharing the shower with a man, but Tyr only wrapped her up in his arms, bathing her with his talented tongue and then her soap. She was shivering and leaking by the time he finished with her.

"I'm sorry I don't have boy stuff for you, Tyr. I've never had a boy in my-" Her husband kissed her slowly and sensually and she forgot what they'd been talking about. After that he cleaned himself, making sure she knew it was no big deal. She wrapped her body in one of the big, fluffy towels in her bathroom and went back to her bedroom, using her baby powder-scented Vaseline on herself. Once she was finished, she dressed in her underwear, bra, and wedding dress. Tyr was only a few minutes behind her, throwing on his clothes nonchalantly.

"You're rather quiet this morning, wife. Somehow I always imagined you singing with the blue jays first thing in the morning, Disney princess style." The heat coming off her face was amazing. The woman's blush was starting to show through her skin tone. The prince smiled in amusement and grabbed her right hand, kissing her knuckles before tugging her out of the room where she would have to face his bodyguards.

"Altahani fi mahalaha, ya sahib aljalalati. Barak allah fikum wafi aitihadikum," Hazma said with a warm smile. (Congratulations are in order, your Majesty. May Allah bless you and your union)

"Lam 'aetaqid abdan 'anani sa'araa alyawm aladhi yastaqiru fih 'amiruna," Omar agreed with a wink. (I never thought I'd see the day our prince settled down.)

"Aww, thanks guys!" The woman said happily. She gave Tyr a look when he went to say something facetious. "I plan to savor every one of the well wishes we get. There will be precious few of them in the days and weeks to come."

"Let's get to the hotel. I don't want to be late." The four set out for the Ritz-Carlton in high spirits, eager to share the news of the prince's nuptials.

It was all over the news. Every channel, every station was bursting with news of his impromptu marriage. The couple had to wade through a sea of reporters to get into the hotel. Ariel came up to the bride and attempted to slap her. Tyr caught the angry woman's hand and pushed her so hard that she fell into her cameraman. The two went down in a heap. If he thought the crowd was riotous before…

"Please! We are late for breakfast with my in-laws," Landi pleaded. This got through to some of the crowd and they parted for the two and their bodyguards.

"What did he promise you?" a new, furious voice sounded out just as they reached the doors. "Did he promise you forever? Did he say that you would live happily ever after? Cause he's nothing but a liar. A liar and a cheater!" Shantelle pushed her way through the masses, looking for a fight. Her belly was protruding a little; it was clear that she was pregnant.

"I never promised you any of those things, Shantelle," Tyr told the woman angrily. "I don't know what relationship you were in, but I was clear that I wasn't interested in a long-term commitment. I ended it when you got clingy and started having delusions of royalty. And as for cheating…" he glared at her stomach meaningfully and the dark-skinned woman flushed. She re-focused on her target, unable to take the blatant truth being thrown at her.

"I asked you a question, Alandra! Did he promise you roses and sunshine? Was he-"

"No, Shantelle. He didn't promise me rainbows or sunshine or eternal happiness. He promised me himself. Nothing more and nothing less. He will be present in our marriage. And together we will build our 'happily ever after' one day at a time. That's how marriages work." She walked into the hotel after that to cheering and applause, Tyr and his bodyguards at her heels.

The group could hear the king shouting from down the hall when they arrived for breakfast. Tyr nodded to the guards at the doors and they opened them with sympathetic looks on their faces.

"Lan tuhrij walidatak wa'ana 'uhibu hadha ya Suri," the King bellowed furiously. "'Awal shay' sabah yawm alaithnayni, sawf taqadam tlban li-" (You will not embarrass your mother and I like this, Tyr! First thing Monday morning, you will file for-)

"Lan 'afeal dhalik ya 'abi," Tyr shouted right back. Barbarossa looked at his child as if seeing him for the first time. "Yabdu 'ana aljamie huna yafhamun dhalik 'iilaa 'anti. La yujad sinariw hayth kunt sa'atazawaj min 'iilura. Fahi laysat siwaa qawqaeat farigha. 'Iinaha jasheat wahi baridatun. 'Ana 'ufadal sayidati alnaariati, lidhalik rabatatuha bay. Nahn la naqum bialtalaq fi alibhay, 'atadhakarina? Lidha yajib 'an 'akun jadan jdan bishan zawjat aibnik aljadida." (I will not, Father! Everyone else here seems to be getting it but you. There is no scenario where I was going to marry Ellura. She is nothing but an empty shell. She is greedy and she is cold. I prefer my fiery lady, so I bound her to me. We don't do divorce in Alibhai, remember? So I must be very serious about your new daughter-in-law.)

"Sawf taqud jidak alfaqir 'iilaa qabr mubakrin. Hal hadha ma turiduhu?" Both young people looked over and saw one of the servants carrying the laptop with the silent man's video image on it. He looked distinguished as he ate his breakfast and listened to the argument happening over 3500 miles away. (You're going to drive your poor grandfather into an early grave. Is that what you want?)

"Marhaba, aljadi tamujin. Aljadat lurin," Tyr said respectfully. The man on the screen nodded, eating his eggs thoughtfully while listening. (Hello, Grandfather Tamogen. Grandmother Lorraine.)

"'Ajdaduk alfuqara' yastahiquwn 'afdal min 'an yastayqizuu ealaa 'akhbar 'ana hafidahum alwahid yaebath bibaed aldhahab al'amrikii-" (Your poor grandparents deserve better than to be woken up by the news that their only grandson is dallying with some American gold-)

"'Iidhan nadaytani bi "alhifar aldhahbi", fasawf 'alkamuk fi famaki. Almalik 'am la," Landi said angrily. Everyone froze in shock, except for two of his bodyguards who quickly stepped in front of him. "Wala yuhimuni man yajib 'an 'uwajihah litahqiq dhalik." No one was prepared for Tamogen's full-throated laughter at this threat. Tyr went to reprimand his woman when his grandfather beckoned her forward. The furious woman approached the screen stiffly but remembered her manners and bowed correctly for his station. (If you call me a 'golddigger', I'm going to punch you in the mouth. King or no. And I don't care who I have to go through to make it happen.)

"'Ant bialtaakid la taltaf al'umuru, sayidati aleaziza." The amused grandfather chuckled. The woman was still too indignant to be embarrassed at being called out by the current ruler of Alibhai. (You certainly do not sugarcoat things, dear lady)

"Fi eayilati, nahn la nashab allakamati. Wala naqif fi alhafla. 'Iidha kan alshakhs mukhtiaa, fahu mukhti faqat. La yahimu man ham." The true patriarch of the family nodded the point in her favor. (In my family we don't pull punches. Nor do we stand on ceremony. If a person is wrong, they're just wrong. It doesn't matter who they are."

"'Ana saeid lisamae dhalika, sayidat shabatun. Hafidiun shabun eanid yaetani bi 'akthar mimaa yarghab 'aya shakhs fi alaietiraf bihi. 'Iinah yahtaj 'iilaa aimra'at sataqif fi wajhihi. W-" he added with a twinkle in his eyes, "bialhukm min khilal fawrat ghadabik alan, 'ant mujarad almar'at almunasibat lihadha almansibi." (I'm glad to hear that, young lady. My grandson is a willful young man who takes after me more than anyone is willing to admit. He requires a woman who will stand up to him. And, judging by your outburst just now, you are just the woman for the job.)

"'Ana 'uqadir altaswit ealaa althiqati, ya sayidi," she said with a warm smile. (I appreciate the vote of confidence, sir.)

"Lughatuk alearabiat jayidat jdan. 'Ayn 'ant taelam dhalika?" Tamogen asked curiously. (Your Arabic is quite good. Where did you learn it?)

"Kanat allughat alearabiat hi allughat althaalithat alati taealimtuha eindama kunt tflaan, ya sahib aljalalati. Laqad taealamt allughat al'iisbaniat li'anana kunaa naeish fi mintaqat harlim al'iisbaniat fi dhalik alwaqt wa'ana jadidi. Laqad taealamt allughat altaaghalughiat li'ana jaratana fi altaabiq alsuflii kanat tasnae 'afdal alkaek fi alealami, wataealamat allughat alearabiat bifadl 'ariz hadi. Laqad tama tadyiq alkhinaq ealayh fi rawdat al'atfal li'anah la yatahadath allughatu, lidha samaht lah 'an yuealimani allughat alearabiat hataa 'atamakan min taelimih allughat al'iinjliziata. Kan al'amr ghryban, lakinah najha. 'Aetaqid 'anani ealamatuh jydan baed alshay'i, fahu alan mutarjim fawriun fi al'umam almutahidati. Naltaqi min hin lakhar. Anah shaeb tayib." The monarch chuckled fondly at the information dump, watching his grandson for signs of jealousy. Seeing none, he nodded his approval. (Arabic was the third language I picked up as a kid, your Majesty. I learned Spanish because we were living in Spanish Harlem at the time and I'm newsy. I learned Tagalog because our downstairs neighbor made the best cookies in the world, and Arabic because of Aariz Hadi. He was picked on in kindergarten because he didn't speak the language, so I let him teach me Arabic so I could teach him English. It was weird, but it worked. Hell, I think I taught him a little too well, he's an interpreter at the UN now. We meet up occasionally; he's good people.)

"Just how 'newsy' are you, little one?" The family gawked openly at him, Grandmother Lorraine included. Tamogen Anasazi never lowered himself to speaking anything but his native Arabic! Landi didn't notice and simply answered in kind.

"Newsy enough to be fluent in almost twenty languages, your Majesty. I just have this overwhelming need to know what people are saying around me. And it truly shocks people when they realize that I know their language. I tend to pick my times, though. The looks of shock and sometimes betrayal are priceless!" The lawyer giggled sweetly and Tamogen joined in at the sound.

"How old are you, Sweetling?" Grandmother Lorraine asked.

"Oh, your Majesty, you know you're never supposed to ask a woman her age! But since it's you… I'm twenty-nine years old as of April."

"Father!" Barbarossa demanded, knowing that his son would defer to his Grandfather. "Isn't there something you want to say to Ms. Shaveed?"

"Welcome to the family, Princess Anasazi," he said firmly. The girl grinned at him happily, oblivious to what she'd just won, but the rest of the family understood the significance of his words. Tyr was suddenly alight with triumph and Barbarossa nodded his acceptance of the judgment. "I will leave you to your breakfast before it gets cold. I expect you back in the country on Thursday to take the throne on Friday, my son. I will expect you back in Alibhai in three years from today, Tyr. You will bring your lovely woman with you." He nodded to be signed off then.

"You will bring hot food to the room," Barbarossa said angrily to the staff, wanting to retain some semblance of control. "And hurry. My wife is hungry."

"Naeam ya sahib aljalala," they answered as they were meant to. He watched in defeat as Tyr pulled his bride firmly into his arms and swung her around, kissing her thoroughly. (Yes, your Majesty)

"What was that for?" The stupid chit asked breathlessly. Barbarossa thought about interrupting the warm bubble of love between the two, but his wife's hand on his arm stopped him.

… …

Tyr smiled his thanks to his mother, playing in his wife's hair. "For being yourself around my grandparents, Alhamia. They were highly impressed with you." (Protectress)

"I don't know how to be anyone else, honey," she giggled, sighing as her stomach rumbled. Jubilee, who'd stayed out of the way for the yelling, came forward now. She grabbed Landi's left hand, staring at her rings in awe.

"Cool rings, bro. Where did you get them at such a late hour last night? They're gorgeous!"

"I've been carrying these rings around for months, Jubilee. I was planning on showing them to you later today but-"

"Woah, you've been walking around with her wedding rings for months?"

"Since the day after our first date! I knew that she was the only one for me after that."

"That must have been one heck of a date," his sister said in awe. "You must tell us all about it over breakfast." The food rolled into the room just then, followed by Ellura, who'd slept in Tyr's room all night and therefore hadn't been awakened by the news. She was still wearing her goth dress from the opera house and looked adorably rumpled. The smirk on her face broadcast to everyone where she'd been all night and with whom.

Or it would have if everyone didn't already know.

"Good morning, family. Ms. Shaveed."

"That's Princess Alandra to you," Jubilee said smugly. Ellura's eyes widened as she looked to her rival for confirmation. Landi held up her left hand with her rings proudly displayed and the princess of Lesotho's face dropped.

"No! Nooo! This can't be happening," the usually composed woman screamed, causing her handmaidens to gather around her. They herded her into her suite to minimize her embarrassment. Her unladylike swearing and cursing and stomping was cut off by the soundproof doors.

"Wow, that's some amazing soundproofing," Landi grinned as she came to the table. Everyone was standing in front of their chairs, waiting for the king to sit down, but Barbarossa was too busy glaring at his eldest son to notice. Tyr returned the stare evenly.

"Didn't you mention something about mother being hungry, father?" The furious king stomped over and plopped down in his seat, allowing everyone else to sit and serve themselves. Breakfast was a strained affair. Between Barbarossa glaring daggers at his son and new daughter-in-law, Victoria desperately trying to catch the king's eye to calm him down, and Ellura glaring at everyone and muttering to herself once she joined the morning meal, it was a very unpleasant experience.

"I'm glad the food is so good," Landi said lightly as she finished her meal.

"The best you've ever tasted, no doubt," the King said nastily.

"No, my mother has the cooks here beat hands down. And the best breakfast I've ever had was… Well, this wasn't it. I thank you for it, though. At least we'll be fed when we arrive at my mother's."

"Your mother's, dear?" the Queen asked politely.

"Oh yes, your Majesty. My mother is pissed too. She left me a message while I was in the shower. You want to hear it?" The woman pulled out her phone and queued up the message before anyone could say anything.

"Alandra Glory Shaveed, I would like a word with you. Several, in fact. Come to Quintan's place for breakfast with the family. Bring your… husband."

"Brr," Jubilee shivered dramatically, causing her mother to chuckle.

"That's the general idea," Landi sighed, standing from the table. "We're off to another breakfast, one that's going to make this one seem like a pleasant memory."

"Oh, my dear," Victoria said compassionately, "she could just be-"

"My mom only ever uses my full name when she is truly enraged with me, your Majesty. And that message was entirely too calm for her not to be planning something. We'd better go, Tyr. Delaying will only make things worse."

The prince heaved a heavy sigh and pushed away from the table. He'd known that things would become complicated if he married her under the cover of darkness, but he'd envisioned himself easily calming emotions and easing fears with his charms. Apparently, that was nothing but a pipe dream.

"Maybe I should come with you," Jubilee offered. Landi smiled at the offer, warmed by her compassion.

"Thanks for the offer, Jubes. I truly appreciate it. But it wouldn't help anything; it might make things worse. You'd only see the ugly side of my family. And that's not an impression I'm willing to give you right off the bat. After this storm has passed we'll see about getting the families together for a meet and greet, okay?"

"You think your family will be over this by Wednesday?" The princess asked doubtfully. The Anasazi family all shared a laugh at the ridiculous notion, ignoring Ellura's spiteful look.

"My mother can hold a grudge till the end of time. But she'll play ball once she's roasted me and Tyr."

"I don't understand," the Alibhain princess blinked.

"Sorry, too many metaphors. Try this: walidati haqidat fi baed al'ahyani, wala tatakhalaa ean ghadabiha tmaman. Lakinaha ealaa aistiedad liltazahur bi'ana kula shay' ealaa ma yuram lifatrat mahdudat baed 'an yakun laha kalimatuha al'awaliatu. 'Afdal ya jubs?" Jubilee swallowed her mouthful of food and stared at her sister-in-law in wonder. (my mother is a spiteful person at times who will never let go of her anger completely. But she is willing to pretend everything is alright for a limited time after she has had her initial say. Better, Jubes?)

"Have you ever considered working for the United Nations? Your interpretation skills are excellent."

"Thanks, Jubes! We'll catch up with you soon, okay? Think about what you want to do later today or tonight, okay?"

"Sure thing, Princess," she said with a wink and a warm smile. Landi started singing 'Almost There' as she bowed to her in-laws.

"You have a lovely voice, Alandra," the Queen smiled at her new daughter. "I will pray that your second breakfast goes as well as can be expected."

"Thank you, your Majesty. I shall return. Perhaps there is an activity you would like to participate in while you are in town?"

"There's no place you could take us, princess, that would be of greater interest than the opera," Barbarossa said spitefully.

"As I told your daughter yesterday, it's a shame to come to such an amazing city and make no new memories. Just think about it, please. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your breakfast." She swept out of the room and the King had to admit that she looked like a Queen as she did.

"I never officially dismissed her," he grumbled as his son paid homage to his parents.

"Alandra doesn't let little things like that stop her," Tyr smiled. "Until tonight, family." He and his bodyguards rushed to catch up with the princess.

"You know, you are going to need a bodyguard now that you are royalty, Alhamia." Landi scrunched up her nose adorably at the thought. (Protectress)

"That seems a little much, don't you think? The car might get a little bit crowded." Tyr leaned over and took her hand, kissing it softly.

"Then we'll get a bigger car, Alhamia. Now that you are officially mine, I find that I want someone tailing you at all times to ensure your safety." (Protectress)

"Well, what? Shall we pop down to 'Bodyguards 'R' Us' and pick out a bodyguard of my very own?" she asked sarcastically, snatching her hand out of his.

"Nothing so generic, my love. I've been researching guards for a while now and I think I've found a good match for you. At least while we're in New York. His name is David Richter and he has protected presidents in his day." His wife still looked skeptical.

"Tyr, you need bodyguards because you roam the city on a daily. My work is boring and my life is very routine. If you hired someone for me, it would be a boring gig for them. And bodyguards of that caliber don't come cheap. Better to save that nonsense for three years from now, when we move to Africa for good."

"It's not 'nonsense' to want my baby safe. And you might as well get used to being shadowed. Until I get you a trustworthy bodyguard, you will be followed by Omar or Hazma at all times."

"Tyr!"

"I mean it. You are my wife and therefore your safety is my priority." Her angry silence hurt him, so he tried to move closer to his woman. She pressed up against the car door and he sighed. "Alandra…"

"What's the point of saying anything, Anasazi? You've clearly made up your mind about this. Should I say 'thanks' like a good dog? Accept my new shiny leash? Roll over? Play dead?" She was furious, but so was he now. He stopped trying to touch her and instead spoke to the back of her head in a harsh tone he'd never used with his wife before.

"I don't keep pets, Alandra Anasazi. They bore me. If I didn't care, I would leave you to your own devices. Since I happen to be in love with you, I'm going the extra mile to make sure that no one hurts my woman if I can help it. Hate me if you must, but know that my decision is final." A sniffle was his only response so he left it at that. When they got to her brother's house, she cleaned her face with a few tissues from her purse and sighed as she let herself out of the car. Tyr approached her, but she warned him off with a hand in front of her.

"Let's get this over with," she said tiredly. "I could use a nap before facing the rest of the city's wrath." The prince stubbornly knocked on the door when she went to do it herself. She huffed, but stood closer to him than her anger would have warranted usually. He looked at her strangely and she glared at him.

"I'm still angry at you, but we are married and have to keep up appearances." The man hated the idea of keeping up appearances more than he hated having his wife angry with him less than twelve hours into their marriage, but he refused to compromise on her safety.

Quintan opened the door, took one look at his sister's teary eyes and black eye, and punched Tyr in the chest.

"THINK YOU CAN BEAT MY SISTER JUST BECAUSE SHE'S A COMMONER! I'LL TEACH YOU SOME RESPECT!" The enraged man hauled back to punch him again and was surprised when Landi caught his fist, standing between the two men and placing her hand on the prince's chest where he'd struck him. Her brother glared at the prince and froze, feeling caught. There was something dark brewing behind those deep, dark eyes. Something not quite sane. His sister yelling at him was a welcome respite from that darkness.

"NO ONE IS BEATING ME! I'm a Shaveed for God's sake, I can handle myself! Will you stop assuming the worst of my husband and start using your words to find out the truth?"

"And what is the truth, Alandra?" Hector joined his brother at the door. The pastor's eyes shone with violence, but it was nothing to the fury in Tyr's. Landi ignored the byplay, determined to end the tension between her brothers and her husband once and for all.

"There was a man at the club on Friday night who tried to use the date rape drug on Tyr's sister. I got this trying to separate him from his prize. And I made him pay for it, don't worry."

"Uh-huh. And where was your husband during all of this?"

"My boyfriend at the time was closing in on my position to save his sister. He-"

"I'm sure you made the idiot see the error of his ways, right, Tyr?"

"The bouncers didn't give me time," Tyr answered, silently wishing that he'd gotten at least one good hit in before the bouncers showed up. Instead of trying to justify himself to his brothers, Tyr pulled up Tik Tok footage of the attack. Her brothers watched with pride as their sister took care of the problem, solving her attacker quite nicely.

"Tyr, don't show them the sped up footage!"

"I'm not."

"But I… Damn! Our spar sessions are paying off. I didn't know I could move that fast!" The video looped twice before the man turned it off.

"Bravo, sis. You really let him have it," Quintan nodded his approval.

"Of course, the picture would have been complete if Tyr had followed through," Hector added sharply. "What are you doing to make sure this doesn't happen again?"

"I am in the process of getting her a bodyguard," he said firmly. "We will continue exercising together, but I think a protector of her own will help reduce the chances of her being attacked. Both of his brothers were nodding in approval, something that upset the woman.

"I don't need a bodyguard," she said angrily, no longer smiling.

"Of course you don't need a bodyguard," Hector shrugged. "You were raised to take care of trash like that yourself. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have one. Like it or not, you are an important figure now. And it's good to know that he cares about you enough to attach someone to you officially and permanently." Looking at it from her older brother's perspective, she suddenly felt petty for flipping out on him as she had. She took his hand as the boys led them into the house. Tyr looked surprised by the gesture, but pleased.

"I heard shouting at the front door. Is everything alright?" Delilah asked quietly as she ate.

"Yes, Mom," Landi said warily, not sure what to expect.

"Oh, good," the older woman said, wiping the corners of her mouth with her napkin before slamming it onto the table like a gauntlet. "Explain yourself, daughter!" Everyone jumped at the vehemence in her voice. Landi took a moment to collect her thoughts before answering.

"Tyr asked me to marry him last night. He didn't want to wait, so we went to the courthouse to get it done."

"I take it the marriage has been consummated?" Peter said angrily. She flushed at the question, but nodded. "You know, Tyr, just because we accepted you as one of ours doesn't make it alright for you to deny my daughter a properly blessed union. You will rectify this situation immediately. Am I understood?" The family laughed at the prince's flabbergasted look. "We in the family have discussed this at length. There's no getting back the past. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a blessed ceremony with a proper wedding dress and reception with both families present. I'm sure that with your resources, you can pull it off before Thursday morning when your folks leave." Tyr thought about that before a smile broke out on his handsome face.

"You're right, Papa Shaveed. There's no reason we can't arrange for a little reception for Wednesday night. We'll start the planning right away."

"Just call me Dad," he said firmly, a smile on his face. The two were given a seat at the end of the table and breakfast turned out to be a boisterous affair of wedding planning. They decided on the colors for the reception hall at the Ritz-Carlton, the types of flowers to use, where to shop for the wedding dress, what type of cake to ask for from the hotel staff, how to style her hair… and everything else needed for a proper wedding reception.

"Now I wish we had brought Jubilee with us," Landi grinned as she popped a piece of bacon in her mouth. "After all the initial unpleasantness, this beats the Anasazi breakfast hands down."

"Really?" Ethel asked slyly. "I'd have loved to be a fly on that wall. Tell us what it was like." Landi immediately launched into a dramatic reenactment of the morning, helped along by her husband and his bodyguards. While they talked, Delilah washed her daughter's ridiculously long hair and braided the locks for the hairstyle she envisioned for the reception on Wednesday. The locks would dry and kink the way the girl liked her hair by Wednesday morning. Combined with strings of pearls, and whatever style of dress she decided on, her daughter would look stunning.

"You really threatened to punch a king in the mouth?" Delilah cackled as she worked, braiding expertly. Tyr hugged her close and nodded.

"Oh yes. My amazing wife even threatened his guards if they stood in her way." The family cracked up at that, making the bride feel indignant.

"What? He was about to call me a gold digger! I won't stand for that kind of nonsense from anyone." Tyr grinned at his woman and pulled her against his side.

"That's my girl," he murmured against the side of her head, before turning her head and kissing her soundly. There were catcalls at this action. His mother-in-law then offered to touch up his locks for him. Granton looked confused for a moment before asking a question that had the whole table in stitches once more.

"Does this mean that we like Uncle Tyr now?"