“Thank you so much,” she whispered after a few moments. She pulled back and, sniffling, saw that the gnome’s eyes were also watery.
“You’re welcome, Kaida Girl. But really, it is I who should give you my thanks,” she replied. “You and Eilaen have filled my life with so much love. You’ve filled my heart with something I didn’t know was missing. So please know that you will forever be my greatest gift given.”
Squeezing her once more, Kaida walked back to sit next to Elkhean who took her hand into his. After a dozen or so more townsfolk were called, it was finally time to eat! And eat they did. Though Kaida had seen the way the dwarves ate when invited to her home, she’d never had the pleasure of witnessing them eat during an event with copious amounts of food. She watched as they went back and filled plate after plate, even marveling at how much Elkhean had heaped onto his plate during his third trip to the serving table.
“Where- where do you put it all?” Eilaen asked, her eyes as large as the cookies on her plate.
“In my belly, o’ course. Where else would it go?” he asked with an eyebrow raised in jest.
“That’s what I’m talking about, bro!” Jareth exclaimed, giving Elkhean a fist bump.
The girls both rolled their eyes, thoroughly enjoying how close Jareth and Elkhean had gotten over the last several weeks. With as silent as her fiance could be and as socially inept as her neighbor was, Kaida had been worried that they wouldn’t get along in the first place, muchless have had personalities that would have majorly clashed. Had she been forced to pick one, she wouldn’t have been able to. Thankfully, that wasn’t a choice she’d been forced to make.
Hours went by and the halflings had danced and chatted and carried on as if there were no worries. Truthfully, there weren’t. Not right now. All was right in their little nook within the world. Smallburrow had cured sadness and loneliness neither of them had known they’d harbored. It had given Kaida a chance to finally feel comfortable with who she was the way she was. She no longer felt the need to wear a mask to change how she presented herself in order to be accepted within the society she so desperately wanted to belong to. Eilaen had frequently thanked her for bringing them on this journey, but Kaida knew that her soul sister would never know how much this journey had given her, as well.
The moon and stars had already begun to sweep across the sky when the town as a whole decided that it was time to call it a night. With a kiss to her forehead, Elkhean bid her goodnight and promised to see her in the morning at the bakery. The trip home was silent, the halflings exhausted from having the time of their lives. Sleep came quickly and easily.
Fifteen
Why Kaida thought that getting married immediately after the Winter Feast when it was still snowing and freezing outside, she’d never know. Despite Kaida’s questioning, Eilaen had reassured her several times that everything was going to be perfect. Together, Kaida and Elkhean had worked closely with Urzal and Ms. Kestrel over the last several weeks to plan the most amazing winter wonderland wedding that anyone had ever seen in the history of Smallburrow’s existence. The ceremony was to be held in the community center with the reception across the road at the bakery. Kaida, being the perfectionist she was, had decided to allow someone else other than Eilaen to make everything food wise for the reception. She refused, however, to let anyone else touch even a minor detail on her wedding cake other than herself. Even though it took her three days of baking and decorating, it turned out exactly as she’d always dreamed it would.
Finally, the day had arrived. Kaida woke up to Eilaen jumping into her bed, landing directly on top of her. The halflings dissolved in a fit of giggles just before erupting into joyful shrieks. Eilaen sat up and looked at Kaida. “Are you ready, Kai? Because today is your day. After today, you’ll no longer be my Kai, but you’ll be Elkhean’s Kaida Love.” At this, Eilaen pointed her finger towards the back of her throat and pretended to gag, sending Kaida into another fit of laughter.
“Yes, Ellie. I’m ready. More ready than I think I have ever been. Though, I do have to admit that I am sad to be leaving our farm life behind. Poor Tillard. Whatever will he do without me assisting you in chasing him around?” Kaida asked, leaning to lay her head on her friend’s shoulder. “Promise me you’ll let me know at first sign of truffles being dug up so that I can come and see. I would hate to miss such a glorious thing.”
“Why you are so obsessed with that, I will never know. And on your wedding day, nonetheless!” Eilaen said, shaking her head.
Kaida stuck her tongue out at Eilaen, causing her to laugh before deciding it was time to climb out the bed, Kaida scrambling to climb out only steps behind her. The two halflings ate their breakfast and began to get ready for the wedding. Ms. Kestrel soon arrived to help them both with their dresses and hair, and Jareth said he’d come over before they left so he could ride with them.
After working all day to get ready, it was finally time for Kaida to put on her dress so they could head to Mayor Luddie and Urzal’s house. Ms. Kestrel helped Kaida into her dress, zipping it up in the back after Kaida’s arms slid effortlessly into the sleeves.
As Kaida turned around, she heard the gasp from Eilaen as she revealed her completed wedding look. Her dress was white with shimmering silver snowflakes embroidered on the bodice. The sleeves were lace and the hemline of the dress was long enough to cover her toes, replacing the need for slippers once they had reached their destination.
In her hair was a silver wreath, the leaves shimmering as it was woven through braided green sections that Eilaen had assisted her in creating. Though she wore no jewelry other than the ring Elkhean had crafted for her, she had never felt more like a princess than in this moment.
“Kai, you look beautiful,” Eilaen breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper. Kaida faced the elderly gnome beside her, wiping the tears streaming down her face and placing a kiss on her grandmotherly cheek.
Stepping over Kaida's dress so she didn’t step on it, Eilaen leaned in and pulled her into a tight embrace. “Honestly, Kai. I am so happy for you. I have never seen you wear a smile on your face as big as you have since meeting our dwarven crew.”
Kaida looked at her friend, adoration shining in her eyes. “Thank you, Ellie. I’m so thankful for you and your reluctant acceptance on us embarking on this journey to Smallburrow together.” Tears began to well in her eyes. Smiling, Eilaen swiped a finger at the lone tear that strayed down Kaida’s cheek.
A knock at the door signaled that Jareth was there. Kaida’s insides began to tremble with anticipation because that meant one thing: it was time to head to the ceremony. Squeezing Eilaen’s hand, Kaida turned to walk out first. “It’s time to go! Come on or we’ll be late and I refuse to be the last one to attend my own wedding!” Turning with a wink, she glided out the door in a way that was purely Kaida.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Kaida counted to ten before stepping out the door. The air outside smelled like snow and new beginnings. She could hear her heart beating in her ears as it threatened to go through her chest. It was now or never, she thought. And never wasn’t an option. Climbing into the wagon, she ventured towards the dwarf waiting for her in town.
It was time. She was ready. Their life together was finally beginning. And what a beautiful beginning it was shaping up to be.
Epilogue
“Come with me, Kaida,” Elkhean said, holding his hand out to her.
Accepting it, she allowed him to pull her along on the secret adventure he’d planned, stopping midway to place a blindfold on her face to avoid ruining the surprise. After she’d counted two hundred steps, they stopped and she longed to lift the covering over her eyes to see what was in front of her. She could hear the sounds of the melting icicles dripping off the trees and shrubs around them. Winter was leaving and spring was on the horizon.
“No peekin’. This’ll be worth it. I promise,” Elkhean whispered in her ear. “I’ll be back in just a moment. Stay put.”
She began to fidget with her fingers in an attempt to keep from sliding the blindfold off of her face. The anticipation of what was to come was almost too much to bear. She hated surprises and not knowing what was going on, unless she was the one throwing the surprise. But she trusted Elkhean. Even when he was grumpy and couldn’t sit still from the lack of doing something–anything–with his hands, he’d never given her reason to feel otherwise. So she continued standing there, tapping her fingers together to avoid bringing them to her face and moving the cloth that covered half of her face.
“Okay. Are ya ready?” he asked. She could hear the anticipation bubbling over with his tone.
Nodding, she found herself smiling. “I’m ready. Now tell me what’s going on you silly dwarf.”
She felt the heat of his body as he stepped close to her again, the backs of his fingers grazing the smoothness of her cheeks. He pecked the tip of her nose before his hands moved to the back of her head. “On the count of three, I’m goin’ to remove the blindfold. One, two, three.”
Light exploded around her and it took Kaida a few moments of blinking to adjust. When she saw what was in front of her, a cry of surprise rang out. He’d brought her to a field of crocus flowers, their bright and vibrant purples surrounding her on all sides. Turning, she looked at him with tears in her eyes. “Elkhean, this is incredible. But how?”
“I may have asked Jareth to work some o’ his magic for me. I love you, Kaida and have since that snowy day. It was as if you were a familiar song callin’ out to me and I couldn’t resist humming along. Dwarves don’t even hum, ya know. An’ then I think I fell deeper for ya when you agreed to spend our lives together. Now it’s time for the next step.” Grabbing her right hand into both of his, he gripped both of her hands in his before continuing. “I want to build our house here. In the middle o’ this field. It’s close to the bakery an’ not too far from Eilaen.”
Stunned, she brought her free hand to her mouth in surprise. This was the last thing she’d expected to come out of the mess of the week they’d had and she didn't know whether to be delighted, surprised, or anything in between. Lowering her hand from her mouth, she placed her palm on his cheek. “Elkhean! This is wonderful! I would want nothing more than to build our own house here.”
Tears of joy began to flow down her face as he stood in front of her, beaming. Kaida would do anything in the world to see him smile at her like that. “We’ll begin as soon as the ground is dry enough to not get stuck in the mud.”
Feeling her smile growing wider with each heartbeat, Kiada began to laugh as she considered the wonderful future in front of her. He scooped her up and twirled her around, her green hair floating in the breeze.
🍪🍪🍪🍪
After the last of the snow had melted and the dwarves had built Kaida’s new home, Kaida and Eilaen stood in the den of the Kaida’s new home, the air warming as the last days of winter were coming to an end. All throughout the house, there were bouquets of flowers. The entire house was decorated in a way that was uniquely Kaida. On the porch were blankets and a large swing, big enough for Kaida and Eilaen to sit comfortably when Eilaen would visit. Kaida had been baking all day, enjoying the warmer weather. Every detail was perfect from the coziness factor down to the faerie lights wrapped around every surface possible, making the home feel extra magical.
The porch was decorated with foliage that was the epitome of every springtime fantasy setting. The scent of the growing grass and blooming flowers drifted through the air. There were signs of life and new beginnings everywhere the halflings looked.
