Page 170 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
“She’ll be here any second.” Ginkgo waved a spoon loadedwith mint chocolate chip ice cream. “What’s got you so morose?”
“I am twenty-six years old.”
“So?”
“I am twenty-six years old, and this is my first date.” Gesturingbetween them with his own spoon, Tenma said, “A chaperoned date with aneleven-year-old girl.”
Ginkgo snickered. “I’m going to hire us a Dimityblestchronicler while we’re here. And those very words will begin the history ofyour dynasty.”
Tenma shook his head. “She wants to add to Michael’sdynasty. Give the moth to him.”
Lilya arrived a few minutes later, arm linked throughKyrie’s.
The brothers Mettlebright went to get more ice cream,blatantly giving Tenma a few minutes to speak with Lilya.
“Are you very sure about this?” he ventured.
The girl fixed him with a look that reminded him very muchof Isla. “Yes.”
“Wanting something similar doesn’t necessarily mean we’llfind it in each other.”
“Not similar,” she countered. “Same.”
“And there’s the difference in our ages.” He’d promised toaddress every possible hindrance. Surely, it was his responsibility.
Lilya said, “I’ll grow.”
He let his head hang. “But your parents might not like it.”
“Why not?”
“It’s … hard to explain.”
Stretching across the table to touch his hand, she asked,“Will Papka and Mum havegoodreasons? Because I think everything willwork out.”
Ginkgo returned tail swaying, and Kyrie followed, carryingdishes for himself and for Lilya.
Ignoring them, Lilya pressed, “Don’t you?”
Tenma would be honest. “I would love to call Stately Househome, but it’s hard to picture you as my wife, Lilya-chan. You’re so young.It’s too soon.”
Ginkgo nodded approvingly. “That’s a proper attitude. Plentyof time for that later.”
“I like having things settled,” said Lilya. “Nobody willworry about my future because you’ll be waiting.”
“What if you change your mind?”
She stared at him again. There wasn’t any hostility there,but her next words were a blunt force. “Do you take promises that lightly?”
“No!” he gasped. “But ….”
Tenma found that he couldn’t voice any further protests.He’d only wanted to give her a chance to reconsider, but anything more would bean insult, both to her and to the wish they shared.
“I will not shy away from this choice if it’s allowed tome.” Tenma sat straighter and placed his hands on the table. “You have mypromise now, before others call for vows. I accept, Lilya-chan.”
With a straightforwardness he was growing to appreciate, shesaid, “Right. We’re set, then.”
And conversation moved on to the impending arrival ofHarmonious Starmark.
