Barbarian's Bride (Ice Planet Barbarians)

"I promise I'll report something back tomorrow," Stay-see offers.

It must be enough for now.

* * *

The next day, I return to the cave with four fat, fresh hoppers. My other kills went into a cache, but it seemed a shame to let so much fresh meat go to waste. I bring them in and offer one to the elders for their fire, one to Hemalo and his mate, and bring the other to Pashov and his mate.

Pashov declines the hopper. "I brought a quill-beast back earlier and Stay-see is roasting it with roots. Give it to Haeden. His traps were empty this day."

"I shall." I hesitate, because I know I am painfully obvious. "Has Stay-see found out anything?"

My friend nods. "She says Arr-ee-yon-uh has been to a yoo-ish mating ceremony. Wait here and I will bring the females over."

I sit inside his cave, anxious. Arr-ee-yon-uh is Zolaya's new mate, the one that cries often. Her name is impossible to remember, but we all know of her through her tears and misery. He adores her, though, so she must be different in private. Perhaps I am harsh, though. Not every female can be as perfect as my No-rah.

I bite back a sigh of frustration. I hope this is the answer to No-rah's lingering sadness.

A short time later, Pashov, his mate, and Zolaya's mate enter the cave. The female gives us a shy smile before sitting down by the fire next to Stay-see and clasping her hands in her lap. "You…Stacy said you had questions about a Jewish wedding?" She glances between us. "I'm not Jewish, but I've been to two Jewish weddings and I figured maybe I could help a little."

"Anything you can tell me would be very welcome." I try not to seem too eager. "I worry my No-rah is sad she did not have one and wish to do what I can to make it up to her."

"Well." Air-ee-yon-uh pauses, thinking. "They're definitely more of an elaborate affair than the Christian weddings I went to."

"Krees-tee-ahn?" I ask.

Stay-see touches the other female's hand and shakes her head. "Trust me, you don't want to go into that right now."

"Other weddings," Zolaya's mate amends with a small smile. "The first one I went to was outdoors, but they had this intense-looking canopy for the bride and groom to stand under. The bride got up there and circled the groom seven times. And they exchanged their vows and rings, and…" She thinks for a moment. "And they broke glass."

"Glass?"

"Glass," Air-ee-yon-uh confirms. "Stemware. At least it was at the wedding I went to. The bride and groom had them wrapped in napkins and they stepped on them. Then everyone called 'mazel tov' and that was the end of the wedding. And then at the reception, there was a lot of circle dancing." She gestures. "Everyone held hands and danced to ‘Hava Nagila’ while the bride and groom were lifted up in chairs. I remember clapping and singing along, and everyone just had such a great time."

Stay-see leans in. "Oh man, this sounds like fun."

Air-ee-yon-uh nods, smiling. "It really was. Both of them were so much fun. It was just a big party. Lots of food, lots of dancing and celebration. I don't remember a lot about the ceremonies themselves, but I do remember the circling, the stomping on the glass, and the chair dances. Other than that, just a big party, I think."

"Well, we can do that," Stay-see says, leaning back. "A party with lots of food and dancing? That's easy."

"A canopy for the bride and groom," Air-ee-yon-uh muses. "They stand under that and declare their mating, and then they need to break something together. We don't have glasses, though, or pottery."

"The elders have a few pots but I think they'd kill us if we tried to toss one to the ground," Stay-see says. "Maybe a cake? Or we could freeze some ice in the shape of a bowl and toss it down?"

"Or bone cups," Pashov adds. "If you need something to shatter?"

His mate snaps her fingers and points at him. "You're a genius, love."

He grins and looks over at me. "What do you think?"

"You all would help me with this?" I am humbled. "To create this dance party for my mate?"

"Oh, of course," Stay-see gushes. At her side, Zolaya's mate nods. "We'd love to help. Nora's a friend, and an excuse to have a party is a good one if you ask me. Do you mind us helping or do you want to handle it on your own?"

I gesture at Pashov's mate. "Your help is very welcome. I cannot thank you enough."

She waves a hand in the air and turns back to Air-ee-yon-uh. "We'll have to plan out what food to make. And get some chairs. And some extra cups so we can break them. And this needs to be on a day that everyone's going to be around the caves because we want everyone to feel included…"