The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

8 | Offering

The door of Wyrn's bedroom slammed open.

"Good news! Good news!" Mother gushed. "We have a secret weapon."

As the morning had barely come, Wyrn thought to go back to sleep.

"None of that. Lazy bones. None of that."

A strike on the ass had him sitting up. She was serious. She was also talking at the speed of an arrow.

The princess agreed to the name Vadde after much arm twisting and begging. She and Shaza were the best of friends. She also seemed very amicable despite the situation. And since she'd apparently been running away, perhaps everything could be forgiven.

Wyrn's eyebrow rose with each fact as his mother hurried around the room, uprooting clothes and opening curtains.

And that wasn't all. Whatever town the princess was from, she was fond of bitters.

That was surprising. And his disbelief was obvious when his mother saw his face.

"Well, what do you mean?" she demanded

Once her hands settled on her hips, Wyrn debated arguing with her. The bitters were used to help increase one's appetite. Usually, it was given to the wounded in an effort to make them eat no matter what condition they were in.

Assuming his mother'd been right, the fact that the princess was able to eat that meant she was probably playing at being wounded. Wyrn's spirit crossed.

His mother dragged him to stand. "Get up. Get up. She's already eaten all the roots I could find. You must go find more."

She shoved his clothes in his hands and he pouted. "But it's quite a ways into the mountain. Aren't you afraid I'll be attacked by a bear!"

Mother's scowl closed in as the woman seethed, "Aren't you afraid you'll be attacked by me?"

"Fair point," he muttered.

He gave off a sigh and fought to get into his clothes. Once he pulled his shirt down, he was stunned to find the woman in near tears.

"You don't care at all...? About what you've done?" Her lips trembled and she said, "At least she's absolved you of stealing her away but that doesn't remove the fact that she was near starved."

Wyrn had no defense, so he lowered his gaze and muttered, "I'll get the ingredients."

"Good." She held his face and smiled. "Because you are going to make it."

It took all morning to dig up the forest for a good amount. More than once, a sound had him picking his head up to scan his surroundings. Other than a few ant bites, he made it back home by noon. Shaza walked away from the princess's hut, chewing fondly despite carrying an empty tray.

'What's gotten into you then?" she asked.

The fact that she spoke to him at all was amazing. Hefting his bag, Wyrn ducked his head down and sought out his mother in the kitchen.

He stepped into the house to the sweet aroma of food. It took no time to reach the source, but a wooden spoon slammed down on his hand before he could share himself some.

"No. That's for dinner. And I've made more than enough to give Vadde a plentiful amount." Mother turned back to cleaning the vegetables, complaining to herself. "But honestly, I do not understand that girl. The bitters are the only thing she'll eat well. Some days the food's polished off so clean the wooden bowl shines like a shield. But on others, she barely has a bite."

The exasperation in her voice broke Wyrn's heart. This was a bother for everyone.

"I'll—I'll start on the bitters," he promised.