Ife's face blossomed into a wide smile as Graham explained why she had been his choice of wife. It was hard for her to not throw herself at him, to kiss him desperately and to suggest that they get started on that whole having a family together right now. But thankfully her feet remained planted on the ground and instead it was merely her fingertips and eyes that twitched anxiously and glanced from father to fiancé to gage Braken's reactions.
His final conclusion was absolutely true, and in fact Ife found herself wondering why she hadn't regarded Graham in a romantic way before. Yes, she had always fancied him, but she had just assumed that this attraction had been because he was the mysterious older friend of Royce. Never in her lifetime would she have thought that he would return her feelings.
Braken looked from Graham to Ife, weighing up this great decision. His lips puckered in thought and the older Drykas stroked his beard thoughtfully. Graham had made several good points, and there was something familiar and trustworthy about him. Knowing this daughter would go to a man who had been involved in the Windstride family for almost his whole life was a comforting thought.
Ife watched on tenterhooks as her father silently deliberated. She bit her lip to keep the words say something! from escaping. She started to shift her weight between her feet, anxious and excited all at once. Soon enough she was practically bouncing off the skin walls of the tent, begging her father to accept Graham's offer.
And when Braken finally did say, "Of course you have my blessing, Graham," Ife was so pent up and restless that she missed his reply for approximately three beats.
"What? Really?" She demanded, finally catching up with what her father had just said. "Yes?"
Braken chuckled softly and gave another slow nod. "Yes."
Delighted was not a strong enough a word to capture what Ife felt. She was breathless, giddy, overwhelmed. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry or a combination of both. The relief was miraculous and she dived at her father, clinging to him in a tight embrace and whispering, "thank you, thank you, thank you," into his ear.
Finally she turned to Graham, waiting barely a tick before she reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him gently on the lips. There was something almost ceremonial about kissing him in front of Braken; it somehow finally cemented their betrothal.
"I'll head back to the celebrations." Braken murmured, backing out of the tent slowly, "don't be too long, kids."
His final conclusion was absolutely true, and in fact Ife found herself wondering why she hadn't regarded Graham in a romantic way before. Yes, she had always fancied him, but she had just assumed that this attraction had been because he was the mysterious older friend of Royce. Never in her lifetime would she have thought that he would return her feelings.
Braken looked from Graham to Ife, weighing up this great decision. His lips puckered in thought and the older Drykas stroked his beard thoughtfully. Graham had made several good points, and there was something familiar and trustworthy about him. Knowing this daughter would go to a man who had been involved in the Windstride family for almost his whole life was a comforting thought.
Ife watched on tenterhooks as her father silently deliberated. She bit her lip to keep the words say something! from escaping. She started to shift her weight between her feet, anxious and excited all at once. Soon enough she was practically bouncing off the skin walls of the tent, begging her father to accept Graham's offer.
And when Braken finally did say, "Of course you have my blessing, Graham," Ife was so pent up and restless that she missed his reply for approximately three beats.
"What? Really?" She demanded, finally catching up with what her father had just said. "Yes?"
Braken chuckled softly and gave another slow nod. "Yes."
Delighted was not a strong enough a word to capture what Ife felt. She was breathless, giddy, overwhelmed. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry or a combination of both. The relief was miraculous and she dived at her father, clinging to him in a tight embrace and whispering, "thank you, thank you, thank you," into his ear.
Finally she turned to Graham, waiting barely a tick before she reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him gently on the lips. There was something almost ceremonial about kissing him in front of Braken; it somehow finally cemented their betrothal.
"I'll head back to the celebrations." Braken murmured, backing out of the tent slowly, "don't be too long, kids."
