Page 129 of Pretense

Chapter Forty-One

SIX MONTHS LATER…

Standing before the small mirror hung on a peg, Edmund straightened the elven tunic, studying the way the open neck dipped to a large V to expose a great deal of his chest. For how stuffy and proper elves were most times, they enjoyed living on the edge for their wedding ceremonies.

The commander of the outpost had graciously given up his quarters for Edmund’s use today, as he had a year and a half ago for Essie for her wedding to Farrendel at this same army fort next to the Hydalla River. Edmund’s wedding wasn’t going to be held in the fort itself, but it was a convenient spot to get ready.

Somewhere across the river, Jalissa would also be readying herself, with her sisters gathered around her. His mother, Paige, and Essie, of course, were there as well, though they would return to the Escarlish side of the river before the ceremony started.

A knock sounded on the door, and Edmund hurried to answer it, expecting Averett or Julien coming to check on him. The two of them had been run ragged thanks to all the many, last minute organizational details that had to be dealt with thanks to a royal wedding and a bridge dedication happening all at once and involving guests from three different kingdoms.

Instead, when Edmund opened the door, he found Farrendel standing there, holding a silver bowl and carrying a leather sack slung over his shoulder. Edmund stepped aside to let him in. “Is this for the eshinelt?”

The eshinelt was the green paint used during the elven wedding ceremony. But, of course, there was a ceremony that accompanied the making of the eshinelt before the wedding. It was a tradition not without purpose, as it was thought to encourage the formation of an elven elishina.

Farrendel nodded, his ear tips a little pink, as he crept inside. He set the bowl on the commander’s small, private dining table, staring down at it instead of looking at Edmund. “Machasheni Leyleira said I had to be the one to do it. She gave me the instructions again, to make sure I remembered them. But she would not come herself.”

“She did not want to make the trek back and forth across the river. Understandable.” Edmund halted at the table across from Farrendel.

“Well, yes. She claimed her old bones were not up to it.”

“While thumping her cane on the floor in that way of hers. I am really beginning to regret that gift.”

“Yes.” Farrendel sighed and lifted his head just enough to glance at Edmund. “She is right, though. As usual. The making of the eshinelt should be done by father and son, or at least with a close relative. Right now, I am already your brother, thanks to my marriage with Essie. It has to be me.”

Farrendel’s mouth set in such a grim line that Edmund couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t look so glum. Surely it can’t be that bad.”

That twitched the grim line into a hint of a smile. “No. But if something goes wrong with the eshinelt, do not blame me.”

“With that attitude, something will go wrong.” Edmund shook his head, then reached across the table to grip Farrendel’s shoulders in the elven-style hug, waiting until his brother-in-law met his gaze. “I could wish for no one better to teach me to make the eshinelt.” Before the moment could get too sappy, he added, “You are my favorite brother-in-law, after all.”

Farrendel shook his head, but he was smiling now rather than anxious. “I have been your favorite because I have been your only one. But not for much longer.” His smile faded, as if he was a little disappointed to be losing his favorite brother-in-law status.

Edmund grinned. He had been waiting for this to come up for months now. “That is where you are wrong. You will still be my favorite younger brother. My favorite first brother-in-law. And, most of all, you will be my brother-in-law squared.”

“Squared?” Farrendel’s nose wrinkled.

“Brother-in-law Squared. Brother-in-law Times Two. Double Brother. Whatever you want to call it.” Edmund’s grin grew as he watched the dawning realization—and slight horror—creep into Farrendel’s expression. He turned his shoulder clasp into a good old-fashioned smack on the arm. “No matter which family gathering you attend, I’m going to be there. And as I fully intend to form an elishina with your sister, you won’t even get a reprieve by having me die off early. You’re stuck with me like a bit of mess clinging to the bottom of your boot that you can’t seem to clean off.”

“Is it too late for me to take back my blessing on this wedding?” Farrendel crossed his arms. With that attempt at a glower on his face, his resemblance to Weylind became more apparent.

“As I recall, you never officially gave it.” Edmund waved a hand. “Not that I have any intention of asking for it, any more than you asked for my blessing before you married my sister.”

Farrendel opened, then closed his mouth.

Edmund smirked. He had his brother-in-law there. He waited a moment, then decided it was best to take pity on him. “And look at how well that turned out.”

The smile returned to Farrendel’s face, there for just a moment, before fading. Farrendel’s gaze dropped to the items on the table once again. “Essie has not said it out loud, but I can tell. She is relieved that you will likely have a heart bond of your own. She has mourned the fact that she was going to lose her entire family while living so long herself. I am thankful for her sake that one of you will live just as long as she will.”

“And you? I know your family mourned that they would lose you early thanks to your heart bond. Do you feel that way about Jalissa?” Edmund wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer. Jalissa was willing to make the sacrifice, and that was all that mattered, in the end.

Farrendel shrugged, still not looking at him. “I am selfish. It will not feel early to me, since I will also age faster. I cannot help but be a little grateful that Jalissa will age with me. We will stay as we have always been.”

Edmund nodded. Farrendel, understandably, feared being isolated from his family. Which might have happened, had he aged faster while Jalissa, his closest sibling, remained young for so much longer. This way, none of them would be alone.

“As for the others…” Farrendel gave another, smaller shrug. “Melantha is determined to be happy for Jalissa no matter what. And I believe Weylind has given up in weary resignation.”

“Don’t you mean grumpy resignation?”

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