Its more prevalent in your part of Sur, isnt it? Tori asked. In Presidio, its usually done between close family and friends, but in the southeast, acquaintances kiss each other on the cheek for greetings and partings, dont they? I appreciate you asking first.
She rembered Marco and Mateo complaining that so many people kept giving them cheek kisses when they went to visit their grandmother, who lived in southeast Sur. The twins were natives of Horizon, so they were overwheld.
Constantine stared at her without a word. The nervousness on his face beca unreadable before he gave her a tired, defeated smile.
Yes, its very common in Karap and zzaluna.
Did you have to restrain yourself when you first ca to Lyce? Tori asked with a grin.
He chuckled and shook his head. We have many people from outside of Sur at Temple Mountain, so the custom isnt widespread there in particular.
Tori smacked her lips. That makes sense. I imagine many places with a large mixture of people from different locations and cultures are like that. He kept a smile on his face, but seed a bit distant. Tori gave him a sympathetic smile. You must be tired. Youve been working so hard to tie up all your loose ends and get ready to leave. Do you want to go back to the encampnt with ?
He thought for a mont before nodding. I would. I was planning to leave before you arrived since Mrs. Jelas has taken over my workload. Shell support Viclya well.
I know. You trained and organized everything. You dont know how much youve helped the village and . Tori patted his shoulder as they walked back to the wooden building. She waited outside as Constantine collected his things before they walked to the small dock. He had stopped to take one final look at the small building. The boat Tori had arrived in was waiting for them and took them back to the pronade.
A few villagers were in the midst of decorating the main plaza and Tori winced. Maybe I shouldve had us dropped off by the fishermans dock. The decorations are supposed to be a surprise.
He laughed and shook his head. Theyve just started. I havent a clue as to how itll all look when its complete.
Thank you for your consideration.
My pleasure.
Tori chuckled as they walked down the wooden walkway. Are your things being brought to the ship tomorrow?
Yes, in the afternoon. JP said that the villagers are planning to give things, so I should wait until after they attend the festivities tomorrow afternoon. However, if I receive more gifts afterwards, I can have them moved the next morning.
Tori chewed her lower lip. We have things to give you, too.
Constantines smile widened. I can carry them on board with .
Hmm...no, itll be a two-person job.
His brows shot. What are you giving ?
A surprise? Tori gave him a weak smile. She shook her head. Ill just have it arranged to be brought with you to the ship when you leave the next morning.
Constantine laughed once more. Now Im curious.
To give you a clue, weve each prepared sothing for you. JP and Sonia got two separate gifts this ti.
He continued to laugh as he shook his head. It wasnt necessary, but I appreciate the sentint. Youre always so thoughtful of us. They were approaching the edge of the encampnt and Constantine began to slow. Her tent was just a few steps away, but his was several tents further down.
Tori looked over her shoulder at him. He was still smiling, but seed to be thinking of sothing. She tilted her head. Constantine? She turned around to face him. Her lips turned down. Are you all right? Do you want another hug?
Constantine shook his head, but stopped. He lifted his eyes to et hers.
Tori...about the kiss, he said. He swallowed hard, as if trying to bear it. Were you rejecting ?
Part of her knew he was being distant because he understood, but she hoped he wouldnt call her out on it. Toris chest rose and fell. I dont want to kiss you and give you hope for sothing I cant give.
Putting aside the issue of having a forty-year-old soul in a sixteen-year-old body, and all the awkward questions that ca with it, she was aware of where she stood in regard to what he hoped from her.
His lips curled into a wry smile. I know, he said in a quiet voice as his head lowered.
Tori let out a low breath. Im sorry.
He gave a little shake of his head. No, youre right. You are being considerate. He t her eyes once more. But if I have to be cloistered for two years, unable to see you, I wouldnt mind having such a mory...even knowing that nothing more will co of it.
How do I classify this? A good-bye kiss? Tori looked him up and down and chewed her lip. Constantine....
He forced a smile. But Im not going to force you. If youll allow a parting kiss on the cheek, that will be enough. He walked past her, still forcing a smile, and seed to retreat into the encampnt before Tori could stop him.
She supposed being a teenager would co with so angst, even if her soul were forty. Then again, there were aspects of adult relationships shed had where she wasnt sure what the best course of action was.
Tori let out a heavy breath and took several steps to her tent. She pretended she didnt notice the two stone-faced knights on either side of her tent, appearing to desperately pretend they heard nothing. Tori slipped through the flap of the tent and froze.
Except for Constantine, everyone else was in the front room of her tent, gathered around a large open chest where they were packing Constantines going-away gifts. Several wide eyes were looking at her.
You heard? She already knew the answer. Silence charms and crystals kept noise from going outside; it didnt stop noise from coming inside. That was left to another set of crystals and charms, which only activated once the sun set, and even then, it was to muffle noise, not block it. In case there was an ergency, she wanted to hear it as soon as possible.
I heard he wants you to kiss him. A low male voice ca from the flap leading to the back of the tent. A tall man ca out with a cat in one arm. Piers frowned. I didnt know that was an option.
Thats what youre worried about? Albert nearly scread in disbelief. Ilyana grabbed his arm and frantically shook her head.
Speaking of worried, I forgot sothing in my tent! JP said, shooting up from where he was kneeling beside the chest. Can you help get it? He was already making his way to the entrance.
Tori watched, amused, as all her friends seed to rise to their feet, muttering how theyd help JP or forgot sothing in their tents, too, as they shuffled past her and fled. As she turned to watch them leave, she saw her cat follow and she narrowed her eyes. She supposed Alexander was trying to read the room as well.
Kissing is a parting in Sur? Piers asked, sounding unsure. Why did you not tell ?
Tori turned to face him. Youve seen my family kiss my head several tis.
But they are your family. What about friends? Sir Navarro is from Presidio, and you have not greeted him in such a manner. She just knew he was now going through a ntal list of everyone he knew from Sur to try to rember if they greeted others from the region similarly.
Even in Sur, there are regional customs about it, Tori told him. She walked to the chest and knelt to see how far her friends had gotten in packing it. In the southeast, such as Karap, acquaintances also exchange cheek kisses, but in Presidio, its usually only with close family and friends. And even if we do it at ho, there would be so restraint about doing it elsewhere, where its not the local custom.
Piers took a seat on the wooden bench and furrowed his brows. Do you have to be from Sur to be kissed?
No. Tori paused as she moved around a box of beverage cooling charms shed made. There were a little over two years worth if one was used per day. Shed also included a small, crystal powered air conditioner and space heater combo she and Instructor Ignatius had worked on. It was no larger than her head and could be put on a desk. Actually, I am sure it would happen more in an area where it was normal. Still, there should be so familiarity between the two parties. You wont greet strangers in such a way.
Will I be kissed when I go to Masters wedding next sumr? Piers asked, frowning as a glint of worry flashed in his eyes. He obviously did not like the idea of being kissed by strangers. He didnt like to be touched by strangers at all; a kiss would likely send him into another attack.
Tori snorted and looked at him as if he were crazy. No, of course not! Youre the First Prince of Soleil. Who would dare?
She heard him let out a small sigh of relief. Good. Still, I will tell Axton to be wary. Tori nodded and shuffled things around the chest to try to make it look aesthetically pleasing when first opened. Tori, I will also allow you to kiss .
Thank you for your consent, Piers, but like hugging, youd need to get used to the close distance and touch slowly. Hand that sack. Piers turned and picked up a dense cloth sack tied with twine and a wax seal with the Lions Gate logo pressed into it. The seminary was in Karap, and the weather was warr than it was in the delta, but temperatures did drop in the winter.
She had an opera cape made for Constantine; black with a satin silver-white interior lining and his na embroidered inside. The clasp was a similar lion to the one on her First Year Excursion groups belt buckles. The style was, of course, called Constantine.
When can we practice?
Do you want to get used to it for my brothers wedding? Tori chuckled. I told you, no one is going to give you greeting kisses on the cheek. Your status is too high; it would be overly familiar and rude.
Are there no greeting kisses on the lips?
Like in Horizon, kissing on the lips is a more intimate action and is not used for general greeting or parting except between specific relationships. She looked up at him and raised a brow. I thought you had proper classes on this with Axton.
We did, but I wasnt taught about kissing greetings and partings. It is regional with specific local customs. I was not aware of this, so I am asking you. I want to know more.
Tori narrowed her eyes. Motherfu- did he set a trap for ? She looked at his face carefully, but found that he seed genuinely curious. Still, she drew her head back and raised a brow. Is there no one else you can ask?
He shook his head once. I can only depend on you and Axton. In other words, he trusted them to be honest with him. Tori sighed and sank in her place on the floor.
Piers, you want to kiss you at my brothers wedding in Presidio, where my family is, and my brothers will be watching you? she asked incredulously. Is that really the best place for you to have greeting kisses?
Axton says that any place is a good place to be kissed.
Axton is full of shit. Then you can kiss Axton.
Piers scowled, disgusted. Axtons lips are thin and chapped.
No one wants to kiss you, either! The flap of the tent that had been rising was dropped and Tori heard an irritated huff as Axton marched off, grumbling about how he worked hard outdoors, and that the wind and sun cracked his skin by no fault of his own.
Tori stared at the tent entrance. His birthday is in the tenth month. I will give him so lip balm. She returned to packing the items away in the chest.
Several blank journals from Henrik; high quality pens and ink from Ilyana; a single person pour over coffee set with ground coffee from Ewan; a handmade quilt from Sonia; soft leather shoes from JP; a bedding set and pillow for his seminary room from Albert; a gold-plated incense burner Tori was sure was taken from Sun Garden from Axton; and a painting of the group commissioned by Piers.
It was the most unexpected piece and when Tori saw it, she was stunned. Most paintings shed see in Soleil were portraits or landscapes. She couldnt rember seeing a scene. The painting seed to be from Ewan and Piers birthday based on what they were wearing in the painting. Though at the ti they were at different tables, in the painting, all of them were crowded around one long table, eating, and laughing.
No one person was the focus. It couldve been a candid photograph of a dinner party. Tori had no idea how Piers even got the idea, but had felt that her several hundred cooling charms paled in comparison.
Will you kiss Constantine when he leaves? Piers asked. As he is from Sur, he qualifies.
Tori chuckled. On the cheeks. I just dont want Constantine to be misled or get his hopes up with a kiss on the lips. Her shoulders fell. People who have unrealistic expectations often have their hearts broken. Giving them hope knowing you cant give them what they want is cruel. I must be clear about it and at the very least, he has been, too. Although, Ive already rejected him twice...thrice counting today.
But that is not to say that you do not care about him.
She stared at Piers for a mont and a warm smile tugged at her lips. You still know best.
Piers thought for a while. He will be happy to know he is loved.
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