[color=lightgray]His wife’s gestures did not go unnoticed. Every brush of her fingers, each squeeze of her hand, the promise of support, her small smiles, the reciprocated interest, and openness to new experiences, it was like rainfall meeting fertile ground. 

If Eryn honestly meant that she’d help him free his father – and Azariah believed she was genuine – then she was ready to act against Kizoh, as well. At first, he had told her about his father only because they’d happened to meet. Ever since Ishaan had been taken, neither he nor anyone else in his family had ever broached the subject, not directly. Yet, he sensed an undercurrent of understanding in her words, a sentiment he fiercely appreciated. [color=c83f49]“Thank you,”[/color] he offered quietly.

Thankfully for his peace of mind, the conversation turned more lighthearted. [color=c83f49]“The sea it is, then,”[/color] he decided. 

However, Eryn reaffirming how little her family cared for her prompted a frown. [color=c83f49]“Aren’t you their viscountess?”[/color] he couldn’t help but ask. [color=c83f49]“Either way, they’ll be informed. Whether they follow up on the invitation or not is up to them…”[/color] He huffed, not charitably inclined to her family with how she’d described them thus far. [color=c83f49]“If nothing else, you’re now part of the Nymere family, too. I know it’ll take time to feel that way – [i]I’m[/i] still getting used to it – but you are welcome here.”[/color] He watched her, compelling her to understand.

To brighten the mood, Azariah turned to teasing, and his wife acquiesced. [color=c83f49]“Alright. You will see how fun our celebrations can be. Don’t worry; no singing, dancing, or talking to large groups for you,”[/color] he laughed gaily. He hadn’t expected she’d agree to something so foreign to her, and her willingness dazzled him. He was not sure how to express his gratitude in words; instead, he held her gaze, expression full of warmth and approval.

Eryn told him what she had expected him to be like, and Azar chuckled yet again, surprised at how similar their mindsets had been. She was so embarrassed about it too, blushing as a titter escaped her. 

[color=c83f49][i]Adorable.[/i][/color]

It was the first time he heard her laugh, and he committed the sound to memory, awkward as it was. [color=c83f49]“Not old and wrinkly, hm?”[/color] He nudged her again, snickering. 

[color=c83f49]“To be honest, it was similar for me. I had no idea what to expect, and I wondered if they were trying to set me up with some old, miserable spinster. But then there you were, all beautiful and mysterious,”[/color] he winked. The cheekiness was belied by his fond smile, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes enhancing the esteem with which he looked at her. He squeezed her palm, slow but reassuring.

His gaze was drawn to their still connected palms. Where he had been unsure whether to keep their hold when they had entered the carriage, now it simply was as it should be. [color=c83f49]“I never thought this would suit me,”[/color] he raised their linked arms, showcasing the golden thread adorning their wrists. [color=c83f49]“Matrimony, binding…I didn’t ever expect to be a married man,”[/color] he admitted. [color=c83f49]“It’s so strange and curious…but it feels fitting, somehow.”[/color] He turned their hands this way and that, as if inspecting the visible proof of their bond would grant further insight.

In the end, he shrugged, bemused, a smile playing about his lips. [color=c83f49]“I like you too,”[/color] he met Eryn’s pale gray-blue irises. [color=c83f49]“So, I’m glad it is you.”[/color] Azariah smoothed his thumb across the back of his wife’s hand, the touch a silent reminder of his choice. He had decided to commit to her, to their relationship as husband and wife, and though he and Eryn had known each other for but a few hours, he trusted his instinct. 

The moment of connection lingered, developed into something surer, something lasting. [color=c83f49]“You looked tired, before,”[/color] Azar commented after a while. He’d noticed her lulling head, her drowsy gaze. [color=c83f49]“Would you like to rest? We will travel a few hours yet before our first stop.”[/color]
[/color]