From Heart Sense:
Meke smiled, a calculating smile. “We can even bring him to the Gathering, introduce him to a few boys his own age–nice boys he’s not related to.”
Katjin almost choked at that. He could just see that happening too; Meke would drag him to every yer within a day’s ride if it meant she could introduce him to some nice boy he could settle down with. And probably would this summer, if he knew his Meke. He groaned. The fellas might be nice to look at, but there was still a bit of awkwardness to it. My meke thinks you’d make a great partner for me. Can you make fry bread? It was hard enough to make conversation with the boys in town, much less the boys of the Horse Clans. At least she’d given up on him settling down with some girl, especially after she found him and one of her best friend’s grandsons skinnydipping at the summer camp three years ago…
Kat shivered, wrapped in the large blanket Meke had thoughtfully put around him as she herded him and Niko Three Rivers back to the Gathering. Niko, a whole year older than Kat, hadn’t so much as looked at him last year, when Katjin was just eleven. Now that Kat was twelve, though, he’d seen Niko shooting plenty of appreciative looks Kat’s way. Some fellas did — not as many as cozied up to Katjin’s cousin Soren, all sixteen years of swaggering and prowess and bully, but still, there were a few.
“It’s because of your eyes,” Niko said in a rush. Niko, word had it, was promised to a girl from the Blue Lightning clan. Still, promises were just promises when you were twelve and thirteen, and it wasn’t like they’d done anything. There’d been a kiss, and that was nice, even if Niko’s nose did poke Katjin in the eye.
“What about ‘em?” Katjin muttered, watching Meke’s back. He knew she could hear. She had ears like a thought-sense, and was almost as dangerous.
“Pretty green. Not brown as mud like everyone else’s.” Niko’s face focused on the grass, but Katjin could see the blush staining his tanned skin bright red.
Kat felt his own face flush. “Really?” His voice squeaked. He hated that. Soren always made fun of him for it.
Niko shot him a shy smile. “Really.”
Kat thought he heard Meke snort, but he couldn’t be sure, since they’d reached Three Rivers’ yer. “Here you are, Master Niko,” she said gravely. “Tell your ama that, if she’d like to talk to me, she may.”
It was Niko’s turn to squeak as he ran to the yer, blanket flapping behind him.
“You’re not gonna tell Apa, are you?” Katjin asked, a little afraid. He knew Niko was probably in for it — not ’cause Kat was a fella, but because he wasn’t the girl that Niko was promised to.
Meke chuckled, gathering Katjin close, wet blanket and robe and all. “That I caught you sneaking off with a boy, when you’re far too young for it?” She gave him a stern look. “You bet I am, young man. That you have fine taste in choosing a son of the Three Rivers clan? Perhaps. That he’s already promised elsewhere?” There was the scolding he’d expected. “You’re still young, but you know that’s nothing to be taken lightly, Katjin.”
Kat nodded. “We just meant it in fun.”
Meke smiled at him. “I know, love. But you’re too young for a broken heart, and that’s the last thing I want for you now, be it a boy or a girl who breaks it.” Most clans didn’t care who you partnered with, so long as the family approved. Redwind clan had been none too pleased when Apa brought home Katjin’s ama, outClan and daughter of the Lowlands to boot. As long as the boy was Clanfolk, Katjin figured that his family wouldn’t care. Still, it was nice to know that for sure now.
“I won’t let anyone break my heart, I promise,” Katjin swore, x-ing over his heart. He looked up at Meke again through his eyelashes. “You really don’t care if I bring home a fella, stead of a girl?”
Meke smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “Little Kat, you could bring home a ‘path, for all we care. As long as he’s someone who loves you, and you love him, that’s all that matters.”
Little did she know, three years later…
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