Chapter 49: A farmer's way to glory

Irin got the chance to try the lutefisk when dinner was served. It was an experience; it wasn't the best thing she had eaten, but it was okay. The afternoon and evening were a lot of fun. She had missed sitting down at a table with her family. Even if they had shared meals in the temple, it was something else when it was with family. Even Koth relaxed and let go of most of his grumpiness.

"I think it's time we go out and join the big celebration. The town will be alight with festivities," the chief said as they finished eating. The evening was dark as they walked through the town, but the streets were lit with lanterns and fire baskets. Nothing much had changed since they had walked to the chief's house. People were celebrating and moving around, talking with each other, and laughter was heard from everywhere. In between some houses, where the street formed a T-junction and there was more space, a crowd had formed. Irin tried to see what everyone was looking at when a giant flame shot up. Irin gasped with the crowd.

"Fire eaters, impressive," Koth said.

"Really?" Irin asked. Her short stature made it impossible to see what was happening. Koth looked at her and seemed to realise her issue, an issue he clearly didn't have as he was a head taller than the tallest human. He took hold of her waist and, as if she weighed nothing, lifted her up to sit on his shoulder. Irin squeaked and wrapped her left arm around his head and her right hand grabbed his arm that was now wrapped around her legs. When her initial surprise passed, she found she could see everything, and she was so fascinated by the show, she forgot to feel self-conscious.

"Koth, this is amazing!" she told him. He chuckled.

"It is," he agreed as they watched the woman performer juggle burning knives.

"Look," she told him and let go of the grip on his arm to point at a man making fire jump from his hand to a stick. Irin knew he didn't use magic, and it made the experience even better. When the show was over, Irin and Koth clapped with the rest of the crowd, and Koth gently put her back on the ground. "Thank you," she said and kissed his cheek. He just smiled and took her hand.

"Where to next?" Lokhue asked.

"The town hall," his mother said.

"Yes!" his sister exclaimed and started walking. Lokhue and his father laughed.

"That's where the musicians are set up and there is dancing," Lokhue explained as they followed.

"Oh," Irin said. His sister was at the age when suitors usually started to become interested. "You are not nervous?" she asked him.

"For my sister's sake? Not really. Everyone knows who my father and I are. I just need to look at them for a second longer than needed and they will remember they have somewhere to be," he said gleefully. Koth laughed and Irin shook her head. He would learn soon enough how inventive a woman could be with the right motivation. The music could be heard from blocks away as they got closer to the area in front of the town hall. People were dancing, there was food being served inside the hall and children were running around.

"I'll just go and find Bria and Koria," Tronda called out and disappeared into the sea of people.

"Wait!" her father objected, too late.

"Let her have her fun. It will be fine," Mila told him and patted his arm.

"It's easier with sons," he complained.

"Come on, Koth. Dance with me," Irin said, tugging on his hand. He didn't move.

"No, no, little one. I don't dance," he said.

"Please?" she asked again.

"No. Not even you can make me," he insisted.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to," she said.

"Don't worry, Irin. If your husband won't dance with you, I'm guessing there will be more than enough volunteers," Lokhue told her. "See, I think we have the first one coming our way," he added and looked at a man that was walking towards them.

"Come, we are dancing," Koth said and took Irin into the group of dancers.

"Koth, you really don't have to," she objected as he took her in his arms and started to move to the music.

"You want to dance," he just said. Irin had assumed his reluctance came from him not knowing how, or being bad at dancing. Instead, she found him to be a really good dancer.

"You dance really well," she told him.

"My father made us take lessons."

"So why the reluctance?" she asked.

"Just because I'm good at it, doesn't mean I enjoy it," he told her in a very Koth type of way. She smiled.

"Thank you for suffering through it for me."

"It's fine. You are a good dancer as well. It makes the experience better," he said.

"It was part of my lady-lessons, one of the few things that actually stuck," she admitted. The music stopped to let the musicians take a break to eat and drink. "You have now done your duties, no more dancing," she said.

"We should go somewhere else, there might be men who will ask you," he told her, eyeing the crowd.

"I will just turn them down. We should go inside the hall to check out the food," she said.

"I always forget that you are a lady," he confessed as they walked inside the hall. Irin raised an eyebrow. "That is not what I meant. What I meant is that I forget that you are a noblewoman," he corrected himself. She shrugged and let her eyes travel over the tables with food.

"It was never something that was important in my family," she explained. Koth picked up a bowl with sour milk, dried fruit and honey and gave it to her. "Thank you." She smiled at him and took a spoonful of the treat.

"So, not that many banquets and balls?" he asked as he took some dried beef for himself. They walked outside again and, without talking about it, started to walk towards the inn.

"No," she said with a laugh. "My mum tried to make me into a proper lady, but I always preferred listening to my dad's stories and reading. My family may have a title, but to be honest, since my ancestor who earned it, we haven't really accomplished anything, not in the grand scheme of things."

"How did you acquire the title?" he asked. Irin looked at him. He seemed genuinely interested in the answer.

"It's not a glorious story at all, right along the lines of the rest of our history. The family legend says that my ancestor lived on a small farm. He had his crops and some pigs, and he was happy with that. Unfortunately, he lived during the last great war and, through no fault of his own, he was dragged into the politics. One day, as he tended his farm, he got the news that the invading force was marching their way. My ancestor wasn't a brave man, or someone who wanted fame, but he did love his farm. He knew that if the enemies marched by, they would set the farm on fire. That is why he walked over to the village chief and asked for a weapon. He was given an old sword, and he took it and headed for a bridge that spanned the Panne river. There he stood as the army came, and he refused to let them past. He wasn't trained, but he was strong and a little stubborn. He held the bridge on his own for long enough for our army to arrive and attack from behind. The victory of the battle was credited to him. To his great horror, he became a figurehead for the fighting and was forced to join the army. The old sword was given to a wizard, and he made it into Shadow Glory, the sword I carry. For years my ancestor remained in the army and never did anything remotely heroic again. As the war was over, his legend had still grown. He was given a title, land and money, and then he could finally go home. He built our ancestral home and then he went right back to being a farmer. And that is how every one of his descendants chose to live as well," she told him. Koth was chuckling as he opened the door to their room.

"I can hear the family resemblance: stubborn and dedicated," he told her.

"Thank you for today, Koth. I have had an amazing day," she told him to change the topic.

"I enjoyed it as well," he said and pulled her into his arms.