Falcon's Flight

Twenty-Five

Fen was sure that it was two days later when they encountered another tribe. She stayed close to Shan Yu as he talked to what seemed to be the leader of the other tribe. They were tall, with long dark hair and a long dark moustache.

“Where are you heading?”
“East, most likely. There is not much here for us now,” said Shan Yu. The other man seemed friendly as he nodded.

The man gestured for them to go with him to his ger.
“If they offer food, take it with your right hand,” Shan Yu said as we walked. “As take a bite, even if you are not hungry or don’t like it.” Fen nodded. The least she could do was try to adhere to the etiquette.
“Alright.”
“And when we go inside, head to the right and tuck your feet under you if you are going to sit or kneel,” he said and Fen nodded again. It seemed simple enough to remember. “While Odsar and I do not stick to the customs as strictly, other people do.”

While inside the ger, Fen was careful to keep her feet tucked underneath her as she knelt and took all food she was offered with her right hand. Most of the food she ate and enjoyed, though it was not what she had been used to. Even the food she wasn’t as fond of, she was sure to take a bit of, like Shan Yu had said to do.

“I have a gift for you, for your hospitality,” said Shan Yu. “A sheep, a cow and a horse.”
The other than smiled and nodded. “And we have a gift for you, we heard of your approaching wedding.” Fen’s eyes widened as she glanced at Shan Yu. He seemed rather calm and composed despite the man saying he was to be married.
“I see, who did you hear it from, if I may ask?” he asked.
“Your cousin, I believe.”

Odsar?

Odsar had told the leader of the other tribe that she and Shan Yu were getting married.
“I thought it might be her,” said Shan Yu. He didn’t sound surprised at all. And while Fen supposed marriage was the next logical step, it had been brought up so casually and it sounded already agreed upon. It wasn’t anything like she was used to.

The other man graciously accepted his gifts, just as Shan Yu accepted the furniture as wedding gifts. Fen stayed relatively quiet, even as they headed back to where they had set up their own ger earlier in the day.

“They gave us wedding gifts,” she said, not knowing a better way to bring it up.
“Yes, they did.”
“So… we are going to be married?” she asked. Shan Yu stared at her and then nodded. “When?”
“Soon, if you are not against it,” he said as he walked over to her. Could he tell it was a surprise to her?
“No, I’m not against it,” she said quickly. Fen definitely wasn’t against it at all. “I just… I was surprised, that’s all. It would have all taken so much longer back in China.”

Shan Yu stared at her as he sat down. Fen moved so that she could sit down next to him.
“You have the matchmakers and the long back and forth between families to see if it is right.”
“Yes, but, well, I don’t have any family to ask.”
“I don’t have much, but as we already know, Odsar seems to have her own thoughts on us,” he said. Fen laughed a little, Odsar really was a little strange but she didn’t know what else she would expect from the cousin of Shan Yu.

It fell silent for a while but Fen was just content to be sitting next to him, with her head resting on his arm.
“You do want to be my wife, don’t you?”
Fen looked at him and nodded. “I love you,” she said. “And I’d love to be your wife.” It was a strange thought, especially after being considered a bad bride in China, or just not suitable.
“And I want to be your husband,” he replied. Fen smiled at him, her heart seemed to soar at those words.

“Well that’s settled then, I have no father for you to ask and I don’t think we need to ask Odsar at all,” she said, the smile still on her lips.
Shan Yu chuckled. “No, we don’t. Hayabusa seems to like you too, so I think I know what he thinks.” Fen had almost forgotten about Hayabusa, she hadn’t seen the falcon much lately. Still, she felt that this would be special. Even the falcon seemed to approve of the marriage.