[ They can hurt and be happy at the same time. Mal was a soldier. Merrill was the First, and this is not the first friend she has lost to something slow and smoldering instead of something fast. It doesn't make it hurt less, but it does mean she knows a bit more of how to handle it for herself.

But only a bit. ]

Oh- well, I don't know, really. I've only ever really sung for myself. [ And Honeysuckle, but he's never really expressed criticism about the singing. ] Asher told me that for Avvar weddings, the bride sings and the man marrying her has to untie knots. However many knots he unties are the number of years they're married for.

[ There's a little laugh, her head tilting back slightly so she can look up at Mal. Jayne gets another scratch and then her hand moves to find one of Mal's instead. ]

I imagine he'd have made sure the wedding was like that. Honest, but only for a little bit.