A Holiday by Decree
~~Day 11~~
They filed in line between the trees, and as soon as Sansa stepped down from the lane under the branches, she sighed in relief. The lush leaves sheltered them, so the sun merely dappled their skin in golden flashes. An unfamiliar, mild, floral fragrance tickled Sansa's nose. Behind her, Tyrion walked quietly still holding his basket, while Hirat and Adil followed, speaking softly to each other in their language.
Just as Sansa was about to turn back and check on Tyrion she was stopped -
Sansa did not give much thought to the stout-trunked leafy trees they had passed already, as she had seen no fruit yet. Therefore, she gasped: all the trees on either side of them for rows ahead hung low and heavy with the largest, ovular golden-colored fruit Sansa had ever seen.
Like massive droplets of golden citrine, the fruits were large enough to fill an open hand. Where snatches of sunlight filtered down, their smooth, golden skins gleamed.
"Tyrion, look!" she said excitedly, stepping to the side, eager to see his reaction.
Eyebrows clearly lifted with sudden - and Sansa thought - unexpected interest, he was clearly taken aback as well. "Oh my, that's a sight," he said.
The older man beside Bisaam stopped and plucked a fruit, saying a few words. "He says most of the fruits here are ripe. The color will be like this and the skin a little soft. Please collect what you desire, but there will also be more at the ranch," Adil translated.
As the others began picking, Sansa touched one of the fruits that grew at her eye level. Testing it, she found it came away from the stem easily.
When she turned to Tyrion, he was openly watching her again a bit wondrously. She placed the fruit inside the basket he held, but then placed her hands beside his own on its lip.
"Thank you - now, I'll hold it while you try," she said looking into his eyes. Tyrion paused, before thanking her softly and letting go. A nearby fruit dangled at his shoulder that he picked with ease. He inspected it for a long moment, making Sansa think he was not just thinking about the fruit.
"My lord, do you wish to taste the fruit?" Adil suddenly asked attentively. "The fruit is sweet. The skin is soft to cut but bad to eat. Do you want a knife-?"
Tyrion shook his head, pulling a knife from his boot that Sansa did not know he had. "Old habit," he said lowly to her. Carefully, he sliced, and the golden flesh glistened juicily. He tried to offer the piece to Sansa, but she shook her head for him to taste first.
"Is it true, do they taste better under the tree they came from?" she asked softly.
Tyrion did not hide his emotions, as he looked up at her thoughtfully. "I haven't had one of these before, but I think I have to say, yes - yes, they do."