I am so sorry to disappoint, my lady. And what a lovely fin it is.

Catching the hesitation in her movements, he reached forward to press an affectionate kiss to her cheek before letting out a soft snort of laughter.

The exchange of languages always lifted the giant’s spirits. It seemed she was picking up Spanish faster than he learned German, but he felt no sense of competition in it. If anything, he took immense pride in her willingness to learn and expand her knowledge.

When she quipped back in German, a smirk tugged at his maw. She could be a little firecracker, and he admired that spark in her.

Listening intently, he nodded. Less rank, more title. Go on.

Emerald eyes gleamed with curiosity, touched with a hint of concern. Did she seem nervous?

The words that followed didn’t fully land at first. Taking a moment to parse what she had said, he leaned back, sitting a bit straighter.

Sworn sword. Protector. Confidant. Binding.

The words swirled in his mind, forcing him to close his eyes briefly to steady himself.

You say bound. What does that mean? Unable to be broken? His gaze returned to her, searching. You would essentially… become my everything. My life would be completely yours. Am I understanding this correctly?

This was… unexpected. Not unwelcome, but a lot.

Had he truly earned that level of trust from her already? That she would bind them together for life? Wear him as her shadow, her constant, her closest companion?

That was… a great deal to take in.