Th_omas

" How about we help each other?" He says and I look up at him, eyes still wet from the tears streaming down my cheeks, heart freshly broken from the public humiliation and betrayal that was Lucas's breakup. I can faintly make out the first droppings of snow floating magically under the light of the street lamps. It's that time of the year, a time for wool coats, a time for relaxing, none of which I'll be doing. "I'm an orphan with a wicked aunt and a boyfriend who left her because she has nothing to her name, how could I possibly help you?" I say another sob escaping my lips. "Marry me" he replies and my eyes widen in anger. Is he mocking me?. I look into the eyes of this stranger and see he's dead serious. "I need a wife, you need a home, marry me and you'll have all you want". I nod.

A Snowy Marriage (A Christmas agreement)

Adrian just keeps glancing from me, to his father, then his mother, like he doesn't quite understand what is happening here.

He looks at me and his father like we were in some sort of secret conspiracy against him, and I have to tell him to reassure himself with my eyes. I don't really know how the eyes do those things that they can do, but they seem to know a lot and say a lot about a person at the same time. I can see Adrian glance pointedly away from my eyes as his eyes stray to food. I'm also hungry but I think I want to listen to these conditions that Adrain's father is proposing first.

I nod my head for him to continue and he gives me a belligerent smile  "You see the crowd of faces occupying the other seats in this place, this isn't a house for only one person. It is a congregation of a multitude of people, these people just happen to be bound by the same name and common ancestral ties, but I doubt that actually makes us family, now does it?. My son here has put us in a really compromising situation by throwing away years of work and putting it into the hands of someone that I do not entirely trust, you see that woman on the throne like chair, she is the head of the council and I do not trust her one bit.

You might wonder why I'm telling you this but that's where my proposition comes in. Every day, no, every week till the winter solstice, I want you to make at least one trade tie with at least one family in this place. We number over 60 so you need to choose wisely and it will require planning. It's true Adrian has put us in a very tight spot, but that doesn't really mean we are stranded. It only means he has shown us that our trust in him was misplaced, and so now he has to find a way to get that trust back. I don't trust him right now but you seem like an intelligent girl and I'll commend you both on taking the steps that you are taking right now.

Now it's all left to you. If you can succeed with what you have come here to do, I will treat you like my own daughter and there will be nothing that you will lack".

I nod to him and consider his words in my mind when I hear his voice once more "and have your parents been informed of what you are doing here?". I look to him and he seems to understand the gaze in my eyes "I'm sorry for your loss" he says and I nod my head.

Adrian beckons food over and I know I'm hungry, but my stomach doesn't seem to want to accept anything.

I'm nervous. I'm bone wrackingly nervous. Adrian's father's words turn over and over in my head as I look at the multitude of faces faces that hold a sort of pride to them, from different shades of skin, to different colours of hair it seems to be exactly as he has said. It is a multitude of people who are only bound by a common name. Where do I even begin?.

Chapter 25