I got comfortable on the furs me and Tyos shared the night before, facing the opening at the back of the wagon and watching the barbarian who rescued me as he laughed with his friends. He was kinder than I expected, more patient and gentle. WhenI’d heard the rumors of the barbarians were false, I figured the rumors were exaggerations and they were just naturally gruff and a little rough around the edges. I figured it’d be something I had to get used to, but it wasn’t enough of a deterrent to stop me from joining them. Finding out they were kind and protective, I couldn’t help but wonder just how bad those other clans were that their actions could detract from such goodness. If people knew how good the barbarians were, they wouldn’t be so fearful of them.
My mind skipped back to Marvin’s words that morning. I was glad we didn’t have to get near another town so soon after that confrontation, but I was still worried about it. What were the chances the next town would be waiting to arrest me? Would the barbarians be able to stop them? Maybe it would be better to hide until we passed the border to Al Nuzem. The barbarians were already so kind to protect me from Marvin and his guards. I didn't want to keep causing them trouble and making their lives difficult. At some point, that patience would wear out, and they’d stop being so kind. And then where would I be?
CHAPTER EIGHT
ARLEN
I woke up from my nap when the rocking motion of the wagon stopped, alerting me that we weren’t moving anymore. I sat up with a frown, looking around. The wagon was empty, aside from the furs people slept on the night before and their belongings. I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept, I didn’t think the journey to the nearby clan would take that long, but I felt a little groggy, and it took me a minute to force myself to my feet and hop down from the wagon to look around.
The clan we had joined was pretty much what I’d expected when I thought of barbarian clans. Tents were scattered in a semi circle around a massive fire, a mountain directly behind them protecting their backs. There was an area to the right that held their massive horses, and the wagons had been parked on the left, leaving the view of the open plains in front of the village clear of any obstructions. I took a second to enjoy the view, my heart skipping in my chest at the reminder that I was no longer home and wasn’t going to be forced to go back there to live my life alone.
Tyos’s words crossed my mind, and I had to tamp down some of the excitement building in my chest.
“You not alone, Arlen. I’m here.”
He’d sounded so sincere. Like he truly meant it. I couldn’t help being hopeful when he said things like that. For once in my life, I might not be surrounded by people and still totally alone.
My eyes searched for him automatically, but I couldn’t see him from where I was standing. I saw a group of familiar faces near the fire, and I headed in that direction, hoping one of them would know where my big barbarian savior had gone.
“Finally awake, I see,” Melanie teased as I joined them. “I was going to wake you when we got here, but one of the barbarians told me to let you rest. It took some convincing from his friends to get him to not hover over you until you woke up.”
My cheeks felt hot at the implication, and I bit my lip, looking around the area for any signs of Tyos. “Is he around?”
She smirked at me, waving a hand toward a big tent on the other side of the fire. “They all went in there. They said something about proper greetings and clan talks. I don’t know. They said for us to wait out here, and we’d get a good meal in a little while.”
On cue, my stomach growled, and I gave her a sheepish smile when she snorted at me. We’d only had a quick meal after the confrontation with Marvin, and I was sure everyone was hungry thanks to my drama following me and causing us to rush. Hopefully, we’d all be fed soon so the guilt that was eating away at me wouldn’t consume me entirely.
“Does anyone need clothes mended? We’ve got free time,” I offered.
She tipped her head thoughtfully. “I think I heard someone mention they ripped their tunic. Let’s ask.”
She grabbed my wrist, pulling me into the circle of townsfolk who were along for the journey. I was familiar with the townsthemselves but not the people. The novelty of greeting people fully as myself without fear of them finding out my secret was a little dizzying. None of them looked at me with suspicion or barely masked disdain. They were all open and curious and happy to be there, just like I was.
By the time we sat down for our meal, my cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much. I’d met more of the people who’d joined the barbarians for the journey to Al Nuzem, as well as a few of the barbarians who’d traveled with us. They stood nearby, protecting us, and I’d never felt safer in my life. Especially when Matthew came to sit beside me, and his big terrifying barbarian stood directly at his back. He was an intimidating sight, but polite to me, and I kind of liked that someone like him was on my side instead of against me like always. Matthew was pretty quiet, didn’t say much, but I made sure to include him in the conversations, mostly sticking to yes or no questions so he wouldn’t feel forced to speak if it made him uncomfortable.
Half of our company sat near this clan’s leader, including Tyos, who didn’t look happy to be there. I kept sneaking glances at him, and he looked moments from pouting the whole evening. It was adorable on such a big barbarian.
I’d just gotten up to return my bowl to the tent where we’d gotten our food when someone new stepped in front of me. He wasn’t a barbarian from the group we were traveling with, so I assumed he was from the new clan. He was taller than me by at least several hands, and the way he leered at me and loomed over me made me a little uncomfortable.
“You are tribute, yes?” he asked.
I shook my head slowly. “I don’t think so. We’re just traveling together.”
At least, that was how they made it sound. No one said we were required to join a barbarian clan when we eventually madeit to Al Nuzem. The rumors I heard said that the company was just a guide, though anyone wishing to join the clans was welcome. I hadn’t decided yet if I was going to stick with the clans or find a place for myself in the towns of Al Nuzem. I figured I had time to decide. Maybe I was wrong?
The barbarian’s brow furrowed, irritation flashing across his face. “You get fuck by men, yes?”
I felt my face turn scarlet at the blunt question, and I couldn’t come up with an answer for the life of me. No one had ever asked me that before. “I– I mean– That’s–”
Huffing an annoyed sound, the barbarian grabbed my arm, dragging me up against his chest. His voice came out in a purr, but the grip on my arm and the look in his eyes felt more threatening than sultry. “You want fuck?”
“N-No, thank you. I’d like to go back to my group.”
His grip tightened a little, becoming painful, and I whimpered a little under the force of his scowl. How had I gone from being a pariah to getting this kind of attention in only a day? What did I even say to the man to get him to leave me alone?
Tyos appeared almost out of thin air, shoving the barbarian away from me and forcing him to release his grip on my arm. Like the first time we met, Tyos moved me behind him, taking a protective stance between me and the barbarian hurting me. He growled something in the barbarian language I didn’t understand, but his tone was threatening. The other barbarian took offense, shoving his chest and snapping something harsh, causing me to stumble thanks to my position against Tyos’s back.
“Arlen!”