Something about stepping into this space felt uncomfortable and if she took more than a second or two with the sensation then Nariko would realize why. It reminded her of what would happen hours from now, their wedding night and the decision she had pushed off for as long as possible. Go through with it even though they were both obviously uncomfortable, or be the one to say that they shouldn't at all? For the moment she was going to push it off yet again, if only because of what he said.
"Thank you." But she sounded as surprised by his compliment as she felt. She forced herself to believe that he was only being polite and got to what mattered. "... On my father's side it's considered more heartfelt to make something for one another," She tilted her head side to side here, "Granted, our marriage was never approved by my grandmother so don't worry, I never expected you to do anything, and it's for the best. Caligian weddings take an entire week to be finished and involve drug-fueled sex and tattooing so this was much simpler." ... Anyway. "You have to understand that I'm not very good at this and I only had a week, but I hope it will at least be useful."
And 'it' was, of all things, a woven blanket, granted a very thick and comforting one with a dark blue background, an attempt to resemble the night sky. The predominant design on it was the silhouette of Gilead itself done in a soft beige (or at least as she remembered seeing it when she was still riding here, and her memory was quite sharp), Old Mother and Apon above it in lighter, silver thread. "… The other side has all of your names. Bert, Jamie, Alain, Thomas, I would have written them differently but it doesn't work if I don't write it in our tongue, so I'm afraid it probably just looks like a mess of scribbles to you, but I promise that's what it is." She turned it to show him the soft white back made of the same heat retaining material, and there were six lines of some language, the full names of his ka-tet, and one more that was not her own name. "If you keep those that follow you in this world with you in your sleeping state they protect you from what can't be seen. That's the idea."
She folded it back up and held it out to him, afflicted with that same embarrassment. She had tried to work on it as thoroughly as her own dress but she still found imperfections with it. On top of that her gifts were never well known for being liked. "I know that is superstitious, but it's the thought that counts and I don't think the blankets in your study are warm enough and you don't need to get sick! So at least it is practical." If he could just smile and take it then they could go back to the Fair Day celebrations.
That's a whole new level and I really want her to find out about it
"Thank you." But she sounded as surprised by his compliment as she felt. She forced herself to believe that he was only being polite and got to what mattered. "... On my father's side it's considered more heartfelt to make something for one another," She tilted her head side to side here, "Granted, our marriage was never approved by my grandmother so don't worry, I never expected you to do anything, and it's for the best. Caligian weddings take an entire week to be finished and involve drug-fueled sex and tattooing so this was much simpler." ... Anyway. "You have to understand that I'm not very good at this and I only had a week, but I hope it will at least be useful."
And 'it' was, of all things, a woven blanket, granted a very thick and comforting one with a dark blue background, an attempt to resemble the night sky. The predominant design on it was the silhouette of Gilead itself done in a soft beige (or at least as she remembered seeing it when she was still riding here, and her memory was quite sharp), Old Mother and Apon above it in lighter, silver thread. "… The other side has all of your names. Bert, Jamie, Alain, Thomas, I would have written them differently but it doesn't work if I don't write it in our tongue, so I'm afraid it probably just looks like a mess of scribbles to you, but I promise that's what it is." She turned it to show him the soft white back made of the same heat retaining material, and there were six lines of some language, the full names of his ka-tet, and one more that was not her own name. "If you keep those that follow you in this world with you in your sleeping state they protect you from what can't be seen. That's the idea."
She folded it back up and held it out to him, afflicted with that same embarrassment. She had tried to work on it as thoroughly as her own dress but she still found imperfections with it. On top of that her gifts were never well known for being liked. "I know that is superstitious, but it's the thought that counts and I don't think the blankets in your study are warm enough and you don't need to get sick! So at least it is practical." If he could just smile and take it then they could go back to the Fair Day celebrations.