Village Market

"Well" Ronan said rubbing his hands together. "I noticed she doesn't have a proper bed..a bed for two" Ronan smiled and shrugged "So I am making her this.." He said and pulled out his sketchbook and showed it to Malek. (Hannah no lookie till wedding bells lol) http://blackswanfurniture.com/ProductImages/LaFrancaiseBR.gif Ronan looked at Malek questioningly. "Think she will like it? I want to make her the accessories to..she will need them" He chuckled

He looked at the picture wide eyed and gapped.
"Ronan...that...that's amazing! She will just adore that!" He looked up at him and closed his mouth.
"If you need help, I would be more than happy to help!" He said, excited. Somehow, he was hyped up in energy.

Ronan's smile spread from ear to ear. "I was hoping you would say that..I'm gonna need it!" he laughed. "I have the wood, but it is going to take alot of carving and carpentry and I only have a little over two weeks" he gulped. "But I want this to be her wedding present" he said almost giddy. "And..when you and Arya do decide to get married..I would be glad to help you with whatever you need" he smiled

He smiled back and nodded.
"I've got some carpenting skills myself so I'd be very happy to help. when would you like to get started?" He asked, then thought about if him and Arya got married.
"Oh...geez....just thinking about it makes me...well I don't know the word for it is." He chuckled.
"But I was thinking...." He thought for a second, hoping this was an alright moment to mention this...
"About a week after Arya gets back, which would be after your wedding...I was...thinking about asking her...asking her if...if she would ever want to get married..." This wasn't what he wanted to say, but it was close enough.

Ronan laughed "Right now!" He nodded and listened "I think that would be grand Malek" he nodded "And don't worry..I must have come up with the worst way to ask Rhea" Ronan groaned "but she still said yes" he grinned. He picked up a half finished peice and continued working on it. "I am sure you will do great!" he assured

He grinned and picked up a piece of wood and began carving into it.
"I don't know how I would ask her though...I was thinking...about taking her on a walk through the forest when the snow starts to turn to soft ice, when the trees look pretty....and...I was thinking about giving her my...my mother's ring that I kept after my fiance's death...but...I was gonna put it between two oak leaves like a shell....and give it to Arya..." He said slowly, hoping he wasn't saying anything that would say he was going too fast with this.

"That sounds beautiful" Ronan nodded "Much better than I thought up" he laughed "How long have you know Arya?" he asked carefully he didn't want him to think that Ronan thought he was going to fast, but he didn't want Malek going to fast either.

"Well...I met her the first day I came here...which was about 6 months ago...maybe 7....and we got together about 2 months ago (I am just making this up as I go cause I really don't know lol)......so yeah about that long." He said as he finished up one small piece of wood, grabbing another and carving it like in the sketch.

Ronan nodded "And your sure she is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with? Is she sure?" Ronan asked carefully

He nodded slowly.
"I am sure. But...I want to talk to her first. That is why I said after your wedding. Maybe a week after. Just to give it time." He looked to see Ronan's reaction, hoping he would say he was doing the right thing.

Ronan nodded "Sounds good. And don't worry with the speed me and Rhea are going, I am not qualified to say anything about timing" he laughed

He laughed back, relief flooding him that his soon-to-be brother in law wasn't judging him.
"No you two are perfectly fine! I am just glad you guys didn't do anything like the first week you guys were together. Or else I'd have a knife to your throat." He joked.
"I am very very happy for Rhea to have a man like you." He chuckled.

"Depends on your definition of do anything" Ronan whistled innocently "kidding kidding" he held his hands up. "But thank you..she is a very special woman..I just hope I can give her the attention and care that she deserves" he sighed

He stopped working and put a hand on Ronan's shoulder.
"You will. I trust you. She is a wonderful girl." He smiled and patted his back, going back to his work.
"I feel like I have known her all my life, even though we've only known eachother a few months. She seems like she is my real sister and not just a really really good friend..." He thought outloud.

Ronan smiled "Thanks, hmm haven't had a brother in a long time, can't wait to again" Ronan laughed

He laughed and continued carving.
"You have no idea how long it's been since I've had a brother. Almost never. I just had a really really good family friend that was like a brother to me...." He said sadly.

Ronan smiled slightly "How long has it been since you saw him?"

He stopped his work and looked at Ronan sadly.
"17 years...."
"Last time I saw him....I...was helping him give the horses hay and water. I was a small boy carrying water buckets into the barn and there were two men standing there talking to him, his fiance, well by that time wife, was standing with him, holding their son. The two men...killed them...all three...." He said sadly, feeling the same sadness he had when he had witnessed the horrifing event.

Ronan looked at him and closed his eyes "Hey I'm sorry man..I shouldn't have brought it up" he said as he opened his eyes again. "I haven't seen my younger brother in..a little over 6 years. I was..." he took a deep breath "I was learning how to drive the wagon down the hill. I told him to stay away from the wheels..but you know 12 year olds..he just wanted to be near me." Ronan did a stroke with the sanding rod. He took a deep breath. "It happened so fast..the wagon slipped..he did to..." Ronan closed his eyes and hung his head.

He looked over surprised and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm real sorry. I...I know how you feel. Witnessing my family friend and his wife get killed was the worst thing ever. I never...I never felt so...so responsible in my life...." He shook his head a bit and looked at his carving.
"Well, now I guess we can put that in the past and look at the future. You've got Rhea for a wife and me for a brother." He smiled and gently patted his back once.

Ronan smiled sadly "but you were just a kid...no one expected you to take care of them.." he said his eyes sad. "My father started drinking more after that...Romon had always been his favorite" Ronan chuckled "The more father drank..the more bad deals he made. Till he made his last" Ronan sighed. Ronan looked up and nodded "Your right..and you most likely have Arya for a wife, and defiantly me of a brother!" he smiled slightly

He turned red slightly at the mention of Arya.
"Shut up." He laughed. He went back to carving and looked up, feeling snowflakes fall on his nose.
"It's getting colder and colder. Yikes." He thought about Rhea and Ronan's wedding.
"Where you gonna have your wedding?"

Ronan looked up "Hmm better patch that hole I guess" he laughed seeing the small puddle on the floor from the snow. "Um Cahoon town hall" he smiled "We figured it would be better to have it inside"

He laughed a bit.
"I agree. Although it would be beautiful to have it outside underneath that oak tree I've seen in the forest..." He shrugged, the knife slipping out of his hand. He jumped back before it hit his foot.
"Whoa!"

Ronan laughed "And cold, I don't want to have to warm up a Popsicle of a wife" he shook his head "Careful, playing mumbletypeg isn't much better than Russian roulette. Here, you can use the oak tree for your wedding" He grinned "Assuming you don't kill yourself first" Ronan chuckled and kept carving and sanding