He leaned forward like he was about to lunge at me when Marinah's mother smacked him on the back of the head.
"Clyde, stop being a fool."
The man turned to his wife with a face that asked why he had just been wronged.
"Oh don't give me that look. Come and sit down, I want to meet this young man properly."
She looked around the room and commanded everyone to sit as well. It seemed that she was really in charge around here.
Her eyes crinkled as she looked at me.
"Tell me about yourself Kelric.. how did you and my daughter meet?"
Marinah groaned, "Mooommm."
"Shush young lady, I'm talking with young Kelric right now."
Clearing my throat, I begin the story of how I almost killed her daughter.
"… and that's when the instructor stopped me…"
Marinah turned toward me with a strange expression on her face.
"Y-you almost killed me?"
"..ahem.."
Her sister laughed loudly and only stopped when her mother glared at her.
"That's.. an interesting way too meet.." Marinah's mother seemed to try to find anything nice to say about our first meeting.
She slapped at her husband when he started grumbling under his breath.
"So young Kelric, what about my daughter appeals to you?"
"Mom! Stop-"
Marinah stopped her rant after another look from her mother.
My face is getting a little warm now as I respond.
"Well uh.. her hair is very pretty.. and her eyes are so beautiful.. plus her straightforward nature. Uh ma'am.. I don't know how to answer your question, I like everything about Marinah."
Her sister gasped an "Oh my.." while her mother smiled even brighter at me.
"That's a good answer young man! My daughter is perfect! Hahaha!"
Marinah's mother slapped at her father, "Stop interrupting."
She cleared her throat and continued her questioning.
"Now tell me about yourself? Who are your parents and where are you from."
"My parents are dead, well my father is anyway. I've never seen my mother before. I'm from Saltpond, a little village that's on the border of the White Sea."
"Oh. Ahem.. I'm sorry for your loss. Did you have the support of your village after your family went through such a hard time?"
I shake my head and explain what happened to me 2 years ago.
Everyone blanched at my story and the air is now a little awkward.
"Sorry Kelric, this may be a little insensitive, but did any of the other villagers make it back with you? You're very brave for running away and making it back safely."
I shake my head again at her misunderstanding.
"I didn't run away, I bought my freedom. No one made it back with me, I was forced to kill them in the arena. I actually had to kill my best friend in my first match.. haha.."
I tried too laugh a little to release some tension that had built up in the room. It didn't work as everyone's face filled with shocked horror.
Marinah's father surprised me when he leapt from his chair and onto me. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he clutched me.
"Oh you poor boy! Don't worry, you're apart of the family now.. you'll be my son in no time after getting married to Marinah!"
I didn't want to do what I did to Kathlyn's father and sat still while he rubbed his face on mine.
My eyes connected with the Marinah's mother to make a silent plea and she helped me out. She grabbed her husband by the collar and drug him away back to her side.
After a weird exchange of apologies for bringing up my past, she tried to move the conversation into lighter territory.
"Since you're attending Elomburg with my daughter, I must ask how you fared on the exam! Who scored higher, you or her."
Marinah interjected for me with a proud smile on her face.
"It would've been hard for me to beat Kelric mother, he got first place!"
Three loud exclamations of "What!" followed her declaration.
"It's true, I think it's because he impressed the teachers during the alternate tests."
"You took the alternates..?" Caroline asked with a shaking voice.
"Yeah, wasn't too hard. Though, I didn't really know the answers to the Master of Deception's questions."
"But what about the ascended beast! That's the part that stops most people from even thinking about taking the alternates!"
"I thought it'd be a little stronger honestly, it only grazed my shoulder a little with it's condensed affinity attack."
This led to more and more questions.
"Mom! I just wanted to introduce him, not make you tell him his life story!"
Her mother seemed a little embarrassed as her daughters words registered.
"She's right, Alora. I think it's time we question our daughter instead."
Her parents shared a look and then grinned at their daughter.
"Say daughter, why are you so smitten with young Kelric here?"
My face burned as Marinah spoke many praises about me. She somehow turned the story of me saving Elias into saving her.
Her family had a weird look in their eyes as they looked at me now.
"I approve." These words came from both parents after Marinah was done explaining my supposed charm.
The mood is comfortable now and time passes until I eat lunch with the family.
Marinah excitedly takes me back to the sitting room after and requests to play Glory War with her.
I'm shocked by how good she is, I've been close to beating Elias, but Marinah completely swept me every game.
Her brother returned home in the middle of one our games and strode into the sitting room haughtily.
"You may have seduced my sister and charmed my parents, but on my name as Camren Pyne, I won't acknowledge you until you beat me in a duel!"
His hair is short like Clyde's and he had his mothers dark eyes.
"Umm okay?"
The whole family was in the sitting room still and they each face palmed as he made his declaration.
They tried to calm him down, but he wouldn't be denied.
Holding a wooden practice sword, I stand and face Camren. His stance is tight and there aren't many holes.
"Kelric, you don't have to do this if you don't want too.." Aloras worried voice came from the side.
"It's fine, I need to move about anyway. My body was getting stiff."
A few guards had come to watch the spectacle and the one who had volunteered to referee, shouted to begin the bout.
Camren wasted no time in charging at me.
He's fast.
I bring my sword upward to block his strike and smack it wide. He's obviously startled at the strength of the counter attack and my body moves forward with the momentum.
He's knocked backwards onto the ground when I slam into him.
It's my turn to be surprised when he springs off one hand and hits my chin with his boot in a spinning high kick.
The stars in my vision makes my rage flare up and I accidentally release a little bloodlust before pushing it down.
The guards relaxed demeanor had changed instantly at my slip.
'Shit. I need to be more careful.'
Battle energy stubbornly enters me and my strength increases. Camrens smirking face disappears into a grimace as my powerful strike knocks his sword out of his hand.
I forget myself a moment too long and can't pull the punch aimed at his chin.
He's body drops instantly and I look at the fist that betrayed me.
Throwing my sword to the ground, I put my hands up and let everyone know I meant no harm.
Instead of the cries of panic I was expecting, cheers and clapping echo from around the courtyard.
Camren groans a little and stumbles to his feet. He put out a hand towards me and smiled like I just didn't knock him out.
"Good man! Please make my sister happy!"
I shake his hand and turn around to look at Marinah confusedly. She's just all smile's however and not very helpful in explaining what just happened.
My mind is still in daze as I'm shuffled back inside to finish the game of Glory War. Time passes quickly and I eat dinner with the family. I'm confused as Clyde puts a piece of paper infront of me.
"Sorry, I can't read. What is this?"
"Haha, my apologies Kelric. This is just a formal agreement that's standard among nobles. If you sign down at the bottom, then your courtship of my daughter will be official."
"Oh okay.. umm I don't know how to write my name though."
He flicks a little knife at me.
"Just press a drop of blood from your thumb into the paper at the line there."
I do as he says and the whole family claps happily.
"Who thought my sister would get betrothed before me.." Caroline said this a little sulkily.
'What does 'betrothed' mean..'
Everyone seems happy so I don't voice my question in case it brings down the mood.
Marinah gives me a hug and another peck on the cheek when I go to leave.
"Uh do you mind if I come by tomorrow.." my lame request spills out before I can stop myself.
Marinah nods happily and I can't stop myself again as I lean forward and hug her out of my own volition. Doing something Elias told me about, my hand grabs at hers.
I kiss the back of it and turn to leave before my embarrassment can show on my face.
When I get back to Elias's house, we share stories of our day and apparently he and Kathlyn had shared a kiss. Like Marinah and I, they had spent the whole day together.
My life is pure bliss as I fall asleep that night and spend the entire next day with Marinah.
I've never been so happy and my excitement only grows as I go to sleep because tomorrow is when the homeroom teachers will bid on the students.