Page 12 of 1000 of You
The sun wasbeginning its descent toward the horizon whenMuamreturned. He carried a cloth bag, which he handed to her with a smile. “I hopethis will suffice.”
Holding itin her hand,Govacarefully opened the sack to revealits contents. The firelight sparkled off a pair of silver disks and otheritems. Picking up one of the disks, she stared in surprise at the swirls whichhad been etched into it.
“They are earspangles,” he told her. “The design is my own. With the season of rebirtharriving, I wanted something that would remind you of this day, so I engraved aflower into each one.”
“Itis…beautiful,” she managed to say. “I have never owned anything so beautiful.”
“I had acouple of silver coins I pounded thin to make them. The other things I madefrom random bits of metal I had left over from making my weapons. I hope theyare suitable.”
She liftedtwo wristlets from the cloth. Jewelry. He had spent the day fashioning jewelryfor her. As she turned them over in her hand, the care he’d taken in makingthem was evident.
One itemremained. At first she thought it was a necklace. The delicate chain had tinybits of round, flattened metal attached to it. Holding it up, she gaveMuama wide-eyed look of astonishment. “You made this?”
“I made theear spangles and wristlets for you. The chain was my mother’s. My father madeit for her and gave it to her on the day I was born. It is the only thing ofhers I have left.”
She spreadit open with her fingers. The shape was confusing. It wasn’t a single loop, aswere most necklaces, but one small one with the ends left dangling. “How do Iwear this?”
He laughedsoftly. “In your hair.”
“What?”
Muamwaved her away. “Go. Prepare yourself. We can talklater. But right now, we need to get ready.Teyhasiswaiting for us at the temple.” He pointed to the breeches lying across his bed.“Do I wear those?”
“It is atradition for my people to appear before the Ancient Mother in dark robes. Weare not to outshine her when asking for her blessing.”
“What ofthe silver? Is it to be an offer to your Ancient Mother?”
This timeit was she who waved him away as she smiled. “I will explain later. Hurry andchange. There is one more thing I need to do before we go.”
Becausethey had nowhere else to change clothes, they turned their backs to each otherin order to don their darker apparel. She was adjusting the feathered collar she’dmade around her neck whenMuampicked up the headjewelry. She allowed him to drape it above her forehead and down past her ears,drawing the ends tight at the nape.
After putting on the ear spangles,and drawing the wristlets over her arms, she withdrew the small bowl she’dhidden from underneath the pelts on her bed.Muamglanced down at the contents, froze,thengave her asurprised look.
“Is that…”
“Gold,” she whispered.
“Real? Gold?”
“For now,” she acknowledged.
“For now?” His eyes widened.
“You giving me silver is to showyou will always provide for me. A home, a meal, and you.Megiving you this gold is my worth to you. My worth as your partner and as themother of your children.”
“But where…”
She nodded slightly. “Come morningit will revert back to dirt. But for tonight, yes, it is real gold. It is asreal as you and I want it to be. Now stand still. This will not take long.”
“I hope no one tries to rob us whenthey see us,” he remarked with amusement.
“If they do, tell them it is onlygold-colored paint.”
“Nevertheless, if they try, theywill fail.” He patted his hip. She glanced down to where he’d belted the newdagger around his waist, and smiled.
Dipping a finger in the goldendust, she drew bands around his biceps, then down the center of his forehead,to the tip of his nose. When she was done, she painted similar rings around hisfingers and hers, then finished by covering her fingernails with the remainder.When she was done, she smiled. “We are ready.”
He took her hand, and together theywalked through the village, to the tent erected on the other end. Severalpeople stopped to stare at the couple, all of whom knewMuam,but notGova. A few called out to the weapon maker,who greeted them back with a hearty, “I am to be married!” By the time thecouple reached the temple, they were accompanied by a group of curiouswell-wishers.
