Here’s another (unedited) teaser:
“Hello Ageyra! What are you two up to?”
She looked up and saw Kettil Oddirson approaching. He was a good-looking dwarf about her own age, high-born if she were to guess. “Oh, brilliant,” she sighed. Bayorenn raised an eyebrow at her reaction.
“Hello Kettil,” she said flatly.
Kettil looked at her companion and asked, “Well then, who’s your friend here?”
“Kettil, this is Bayorenn.”
He nodded to the other dwarf. “Kettil, pleased to meet you.”
Kettil grinned and said, “Well, I can’t really say the same. I suppose you are the competition? Big fella, aren’t you?”
“He’s not ‘the competition,’ Kettil. This isn’t a contest and I’d not be your bloody prize if it were,” Ageyra said. “We’re trying to study here.”
Kettil was unfazed and placed a friendly hand on Ageyra’s shoulder. “Here now, don’t be that way. I just fancied a tumble and naturally I thought of you first.”
“If this is your idea of wooing a girl you’re going to need that hand. Best you be the one that removes it.” Ageyra told him with a glare.
Kettil laughed, but withdrew his hand quickly enough. He said, “Well, suit yourself, then. But you don’t know what you are missing!”
“I can guess,” Ageyra said. “Boredom? Frustration? Tears?”