He was rich.  That was the only explanation for the wealth of steel the man displayed, unless he was a smith but Asta doubted it, the inference she drew being that he would be much more heavily muscled in the arms and chest, and probably have burn marks on them from practicing his craft.  Much like their often times neighbors the Finns, the Sami held a special place for if not reverence of knives then at least they placed great value in them for their survival and every day chores.  To have so many knives, ones that sparkled like icicles hanging from birch boughs in the aurora bright nights, meant that the man was very rich.  He even had a special roll for them, a flexible temple to their sharp edges and angular shapes, that he showed reverence to, an impression that was only heightened by the emotion she saw spill from his eyes and run down his cheeks.<br/><br/>It wasn't the cooling wind on her saltwater dampened skin or the flutter of her shirt across her bare flesh that stroked goosebumps into her flesh but the way he offered her one of his knives, offered it with both hands in a gesture of...what?  Thanks?  Humility?  Gratitude?  She didn't know for sure, but Asta did realize the moment was special to the both of them.  Just as he had used two hands to offer it, Asta received it with both of her own and left their hands touching, fingers almost intertwined, until both of them felt it was the right moment to pull away.<br/><br/>As the moment broke, Asta laughed with the delight of it and reached out with her off hand to tap Alejandro on the chest.  "Alejandro," she said, accent mangling the pronunciation of his name.  "Alejandro," she repeated, tapping him again and then taking his own hand in hers and putting it on her chest, nestled just above her young breasts.  "Asta.  Asta," each time accompanying it with a tap against her chest.  "Alejandro.  Asta."  Nodding and smiling she pointed to the tall Viet woman.  "Kim-Ly."<br/><br/>"Asta," a tap on her own chest, "Kim-Ly," she waved towards the coconut whisperer, "Alejandro," her hand touched his chest and then she turned towards Giulia.  The woman was very pretty, Asta thought, and had curves she envied, wishing that she wasn't so up and down straight compared to Giulia's womanly curves.  "Asta, Kim-Ly, Alejandro," each name was said slowly as she pointed to each of them in turn, ending with her finger pointing at Giulia and an expectant look in her pale blue eyes.  Asta's eyebrows rose as she hunched her shoulders and neck up to meet, asking a worldess question she hoped the woman understood.<br/><br/>In the distant, lost to her ears by the breeze and surf, the whistle blew again.