She grabs his hands, squeezing them with genuine joy that makes his chest feel warm. "I'm so happy for you! Both of you, honestly—he's been walking around like a man trying to resist temptation for weeks now. It was getting painful to watch."
"He said he was trying to protect me," Evran explains, still marveling at that revelation. "He didn't want to make me feel like I couldn't refuse him."
"That's exactly the kind of thing he would do," Aether says with fond exasperation. "Always so concerned about doing the right thing that he forgets to let himself have what he wants." She squeezes his hands again. "But you're happy? He's treating you well?"
"Better than I ever imagined anyone could," Evran admits. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find it was all a dream."
"It's not a dream," Aether assures him. "And you deserve it, you know. Deserve to be happy, to be wanted, to have someone look at you the way he does." Her expression softens. "You've really found your place here among us, haven't you? Not just accepted, but truly belonging."
The words make Evran's throat tight with emotion. "I never thought I could have this. Any of this—friends, meaningful work, a community that values me. And Vaike..." He trails off, not sure how to articulate what Vaike means to him, how much it matters to be wanted by someone he respects so deeply.
"You don't have to explain," Aether says gently. "I can see it in your face. Just... enjoy it, alright? Let yourself be happy without waiting for something to go wrong."
It's good advice, and Evran is trying. But a lifetime of waiting for the other shoe to drop doesn't disappear overnight. Still, looking around this warm workshop, thinking about the night he just spent in Vaike's arms and the promise of tonight, he can feel himself beginning to believe that maybe—just maybe—this happiness is real and lasting.
"Now then," Aether says, returning her attention to the loom with clear reluctance to end the personal conversation. "Let me show you this pattern. It's more complex than what you've been doing, but I think you're ready for it."
They spend the rest of the morning working side by side, Aether patiently demonstrating the technique while Evran practices. The work requires concentration, which is good—it keeps his mind from drifting too constantly back to Vaike, though he still catches himself smiling at random moments as memories from the night surface.
The other weavers drift in and out, offering friendly greetings and occasional advice when Evran struggles with a particularly tricky section. The atmosphere is warm and collegial, and Evran realizes with a start that he's comfortable here. Not just tolerated or cautiously accepted, but genuinely part of this community.
When did that happen? When did these people stop being strangers and become friends?
By the time Aether calls for a break, Evran has several inches of completed pattern that isn't perfect but is recognizably good work. Aether examines it with a critical eye and nods approvingly.
"You're a natural at this. Give it another few weeks of practice and you'll be producing work we can actually use for trade." She stretches, working out the kinks from sitting at the loom. "Go on to your midday meal. I'll see you tomorrow for another lesson."
The great hall is moderately busy when Evran arrives—not as packed as dinner tends to be, but with a healthy crowd of people taking their midday break. He collects food from the platters and scans the room, spotting Eira at one of the long tables near the windows.
She waves when she sees him, and he makes his way over, sliding onto the bench across from her. She's already halfway through her meal, and there's color in her cheeks from the cold air outside.
"There you are," she greets him warmly. "I was starting to think you'd decided to skip lunch entirely."
"Just lost track of time," Evran says, which is partially true—the morning had flown by. "How was your morning?"
"Cold," Eira says with a laugh. "I was checking on the winter preparations, making sure everything's properly mulched and secured. The weather-readers say we're going to get our first real snow within days." She tilts her head, studying him. "You seem different today. Happy."
Is it really that obvious? Evran can feel himself smiling despite trying to keep his expression neutral. "Just in a good mood, I suppose."
"It's more than that," Eira observes with her characteristic perceptiveness. "You're practically glowing. Something good happened."
Evran feels heat creeping up his neck again. He's going to spend this entire day blushing at this rate. "Maybe," he admits. "But it's... private."
"Private good things are the best kind," Eira says with a gentle smile that suggests she's not going to push for details. "I'm glad you're happy, Evran. You deserve to be."
That's the second time today someone has said that to him, and it hits just as hard. He's spent so much of his life believing he doesn't deserve good things, that happiness is something he has to earn through suffering or sacrifice. The idea that he might simply deserve to be happy just for existing is still foreign, but he's trying to let himself believe it.
They eat in comfortable silence for a while before Eira speaks again. "It's strange, isn't it? The farming season being over. I always feel a bit at loose ends when winter arrives—like I should be working in the gardens but there's nothing to do."
"What do you usually do during winter?" Evran asks, realizing he's never thought to ask about how life here changes with the seasons.
"Read, mostly," Eira admits. "Work on planning for next year's planting. Help with indoor tasks—food preparation, maintenance projects, that sort of thing. It's a quieter time, but not unpleasant." She looks at him curiously. "What about you? What are you planning to do with your time?"
The question makes Evran pause to consider. He has more free time now, no longer needed for daily garden work. Aether has said she'll continue teaching him weaving, which will take up some mornings. But the afternoons...
"I want to become a better warrior," he says, the decision crystallizing as he speaks it aloud. "I can hold my own in a basic fight now, but I want to be really skilled. Want to be someone the clan can rely on if there's trouble."
Eira's expression lights up. "That's wonderful! Kellin is an excellent teacher—he'll be happy to work with you more intensively now that the harvest is over. Many of the warriors focus more heavily on training during winter since there are fewer outdoor tasks."
