"Well," he agrees, his smile crooked and his eyes bright. It suits her - the gold is warm against her sun-bronzed skin, and the jewels shine nearly as bright as Vex herself. And even the only piece of jewelry left to them was absolutely hideous, she'd make it beautiful.

(It is not, fortunately, the only thing that survived the Briarwoods; a few other pieces are still around, and they'll suit Cassandra we'll. From here, he'll simply have to turn his metal-working skills over to a new purpose every once in a while. The thought of making jewelry for his wife - his wife - makes the craft sound decidedly more interesting than it otherwise would.)

He squeezes her hands in reassurance. "No one could wear it better. You are, without a doubt, the most attractive woman I've ever seen in my life."