Kaya's chest tightened for a reason she couldn't quite name.
"When he recovered," the old man said, "he challenged her to a fight as repayment. Foolish, proud, full of that bird-tribe arrogance. She accepted, of course. They fought. And she won. Hard."
A faint smirk tugged at Kaya's mouth. "Good."
"The sky beastman fell in love right there," the old man continued. "Hopelessly. He chased her. Pestered her. Insisted the gods had tied them together. In the end, under pressure from politics, prophecies, and his own annoying persistence, she married him too. She used to complain he was irritating." He eyed Kaya. "I believe her. I know the type."
Kaya raised her hand. "How do you know he was irritating?"
"Same way I know 'you' are irritating," he replied instantly. "Some personalities, you can smell from one sentence."
She huffed but let it go.
