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‘You need to find yourself a good wife, my boy. Someone able to handle life out here. That girl’s family lives outside of town and those are decent birthing hips, so she’ll do fine.’

What was this, shopping for a mule?

Nok glared as he was pushed forward toward the strange woman. This just felt wrong on so many levels… His father’s fascination with finding Nok a bride was new, and Nok just was not sure how he felt about it all. He was still working on his swordsmanship after all! He didn’t have time for this, let alone the interest. Of course, when had his own desires mattered that much? Everything he did was for the good of his family…Nok was starting to think that even he had his limits though.

Both men couldn’t help leaning forward with interest. Nok managed a nod. “Just one,” he requested, his father doing the same. If nothing else, he could enjoy the rare treat of real cookies! Considering their simple and environment-safe cooking situation back home, baked goods were not a common appearance.

The elder Krahn chewed his cookie slowly. “You’re a good cook then,” he observed. With a grunt, he reached out to smack Nok’s back. “See that? She cooks, too. That’ll come in handy. How old are you?”

Nok began to nod in reply, eager to have more of those snacks. “I’ve got a couple Keldari skins in my pack. How many cookies for one of them?”

Krahn rolled his eyes. “Would be better if you would make those for us back home, provided you're the right age,” he urged, nudging Nok’s side with an elbow while ignoring the irritated look he was getting. “I gotta see Boren; you finish up here.” He looked Alfina up and down once more before he chuckled and turned away. “Hope she’s not planning to gain too much more weight. Learn some real cooking.” he muttered loud enough to be heard by the youths.

No one would ever argue that Nok was the most cultured of individuals, but even he knew enough to not comment on a woman’s weight! His mother would skin him if he dared such a thing. Yet, there walked his father commenting like it was no big deal. Seeing the shock on the other’s face, he sighed and shook his head. “Ignore him. The skins are good, I'll show.” He moved right along, a hand dipping into his pack to shuffle things around. He knew the skins were in the mess somewhere.

With the question posed, Nok looked up briefly from his bag. Well, if she wanted an answer… This felt like a trap. “Soft, but not overweight,” he observed, turning his attention back to the pack. Everyone in his family was very lean from their hard-lived lives, so seeing the well-fed young woman was an obvious difference in his eyes. Not a bad difference in his opinion- just noticeable. “See? Good skin,” he announced, yanking out a sleek keldari skin of pale yellow and excellent condition, holding it up for inspection.

Nok cocked his head when the other’s sunken posture finally registered. Yup, his pa had done goofed. “I said to ignore him. I mean it,” he assured with a nod. He held out the skin more firmly at the same time. “No charity. Equal trades always. If you don’t want the skin, then I don’t get cookies.” While he spoke in a very matter-of-fact manner, his eyes were lingering on the cookie tray with longing. There was no going back. He needed those baked goods.

After a pause, his free hand started sifting through his pack again. Not the paper, not the sock, not the dead bug that had been there for a few days now… ah! “Two skins?” he asked, pulling out another quality keldari skin in pale blue tones.

Brow lifting, Nok sighed and gave the skins a light shake. “Trade is all. I want the cookies, so I give the skin.” His lips pursed slightly, the scar making his contemplation look more like a snarl. Was it worth that much? Home?! His cheeks finally gave a hint of warmth in return and he shook his head. “If that’s it, I’ll take the whole tray. ..Just cookies, not you. No marrying.” There was a word he was probably supposed to use here… “I’m apology. Pa is trying too hard.”

Nok was relieved when the skins were finally taken, and his mouth watered as the sack of cookies came into his possession. There was no way his sisters were getting their hands on this stash. He would need to hide it away to keep it safe from them. He had already started to turn away, hiding places on the brain, when he heard the girl talking again. “Dances with keldari?” He couldn’t help the confusion in his voice. “But.. why?”