Chapter 11
Eleven
UTTIN
Atent was set up for the prince to have his privacy, though I doubted he would have minded staying with me.
I’d woken up most mornings to him cuddled against me.
He hadn’t seemed to mind the arrangement before.
I was concerned about him running off without me there to watch over him, but Simon told me he’d explained the dangers and that we promised to bring him home, and the prince agreed to stay put and wait out the storm for his own safety.
After setting the prince up and leaving him with Simon to talk, I joined the rest of the clan in getting the village ready for the storm.
Tents needed to be adjusted to allow for fires inside, extra wood needed to be cut to feed the fires, and a shelter needed to be erected for the stallions to wait out the storm.
It was late when I finally returned to my tent, and the snow had already begun.
The wind whipped sharply around my head, and my fingers had long since frozen in the cold.
But the clan was prepared, and the hunters had returned with as much game as they were able to bring back before the storm. We were as ready as we could be.
Someone had prepared the fire in my tent, and it only took a moment for me to light it.
Afterward, I stripped my clothes and used the jug of water we were each given to splash my face.
I was putting on my warmest clothes for the night when someone made a disgruntled sound outside my tent.
I had tied the flap closed to prevent the wind from entering, and they evidently hadn’t been expecting it.
Frowning, I pulled it open and looked out, surprised to find the prince bundled in furs and blankets glaring at me.
He marched past me, his words flying from his mouth so fast, it was a wonder his tongue didn’t knot. It was only when he spun around that he noticed my state of undress. His eyes lit up and his grin turned wicked, but I shook my head, grabbing my legwear to dress.
He was standing in front of me in an instant, snatching the legwear in an attempt to pull it out of my hands.
It became a wrestling match for the material, and I was fighting laughter by the time he gave up.
He said something in harsh tones, glaring up at me, then his expression shifted to hurt and embarrassment, and guilt ate at me for causing him distress.
Holding the legwear in front of me to prevent him from getting any funny ideas, I stepped closer and ran my knuckles down his cheek, smirking at the little pout on his lips.
“You are very beautiful, tavi. But you do not understand our ways. I do not wish for you to misunderstand me.”
Like I thought he might, he used the proximity to reach for my legwear again, but I stepped out of range and focused on dressing instead of placating him.
He was back to scowling when I was done, and he sat down on my bed in a huff, his arms crossed petulantly.
It was cute, and I had to concentrate on keeping my smile off my face to not encourage his behavior.
“Are you hungry?”
He gave me that look he’d given me since he first arrived whenever I spoke to him in my language.
That irritated glower that said he wasn’t pleased I was trying to teach him to speak with me.
Godr had said something about how the clan should be learning the common tongue like the tributes learned ours to better understand them.
I thought it wouldn’t apply to me because I already spoke the common tongue better than most of my brothers, but maybe if I put in the effort to learn his tongue, he would as well.
Assuming he hadn’t eaten, I ducked out of my tent and into his to grab the basket left on his table.
When I came back, he was bundled as deeply as he could get in the furs and blankets, frowning at the fire.
I felt guilt for his suffering—the cold didn’t suit him—and I didn’t make him move from his spot when I offered him some of the dried meat and bread from his stash.
It would be more difficult for Yamileth and Patrick to feed the clan if the weather got too bad, so we had the basics with us to feed ourselves if necessary.
Lifting the bowl, I said the word and gave him a pointed look.
He groaned, flopping back, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at his dramatics.
Grabbing his wrist, I pulled him into a seated position again, pointing at him, then the bowl in hopes to get him to say the word in his language.
It took a few tries before he started snarking at me, but I heard the word he said while gesturing to the bowl and did my best to mimic it.
He sat up straighter when he realized what I was doing.
He pointed at it and said a word, which I repeated, then said it in my own language and raised my eyebrows expectantly.
With a petulant huff, he growled at me the word in my tongue, his cheeks pink with embarrassment.
He had no reason to be embarrassed; his language was similar enough to ours that the words didn’t sound as stilted as they normally did with the other tributes.
And we’d each be learning together, so if I said something wrong, he would see it was fine.
He took easier to the lessons when we were learning together. He repeated words, then said his own, until I pointed to my chest and said my name.
“Uttin.”
A smirk tugged at his lips and I could tell he was enjoying himself when he said something in response.
In punishment, I pointed at him and repeated that same word.
He cackled, rocking a little in his spot across from me.
Shaking his head, he pointed at his chest and said a long sentence.
I gave him a flat look, and he grinned at me.
“Zakai.”
As predicted, the weather grew harsher throughout the night, and snow began to pile against the sides of the tent, blocking the worst of the howling winds.
When Zakai began to get tired, I saw him look toward the tent flap and then in the direction of his own tent next to mine.
He screwed up his face in distaste, and I doubted he wanted to leave.
When I’d gone to get his food, I’d smothered his fire to prevent issues later, so it wouldn’t be as warm as my tent was.
There was a small part of me that worried about keeping him here with me.
He was a prince. But I didn’t want him freezing to death in the night, either, and with how heavy he slept, he might not wake to care for the fire like he should.
Instead, I kept him with me, bundling him in his furs and putting him to bed so he could rest. I thought to sleep beside the fire and give him space, but he reached for me, pulling me onto the bed beside him like I’d done since he arrived.
He pointed at the tent flap and made a face, but there was fear there.
More so than when he’d arrived at the clan. The cold scared him.
Running my fingers through his hair, I murmured to him, “You are safe, tavi. We are prepared for this. No harm will come to you.”
He leaned into the touch, closing his eyes, and let out a sigh of contentment. It warmed me, and I kept up the soothing touch until his breath evened out and I knew he was fast asleep.
Rolling onto my back, I considered my options.
Orthorr was vehemently against me bringing Zakai to his home myself.
If I had the option, I might have kept him here at least until the tournament was over to appease them both.
But Orthorr was determined to have me take over for him, and if I did become clan leader, traveling to Al Nuzem alone would be impossible.
I would be stuck here responsible for the clan.
If I was being honest with myself, I wasn’t sure it was what I wanted.
I didn’t feel suited to the job. I was short-tempered at times and struggled to remain unbiased when discussing clan matters.
Especially in regard to tributes. But… I also loved my clan with my whole being.
Caring for them, ensuring their safety and happiness, brought me contentment I might not attain in any other way.
I’d tried to speak with Orthorr on the matter, telling him I might not be the best choice, but he said all felt the same when in my position, and I would grow more comfortable in time.
I chose to believe him because he was closer to me than my own parents most days.
They had left when most of the older generation did to assist Clan Akes that had been decimated by war.
Our clans came together at least once a season to trade and visit, but I did not see them nearly as often as I did Orthorr.
Perhaps I could speak with my father on the matter when he came to visit this season.
As long as my mother didn’t find out I had a tribute.
She was determined to have me bonded soon and had threatened more than once to set me up with someone from her clan in an arranged bonding if I didn’t get my act together.
If she saw I had a tribute, she would think I was considering settling down.
Even if I explained to her it was only for Zakai’s safety, she wouldn’t let it go.
She might not even if I told her he was a prince. She was stubborn that way.
Zakai turned over in his sleep, burrowing against my side and wrapping himself around me.
He clung to me like a babe, tightening his grip when I shifted beside him.
I moved only enough to free my arm and put it around his shoulders, keeping him close.
It was nice to not have to wait out the storm alone or in Orthorr’s tent discussing clan matters.
For the moment, I could just be. I valued that more than I expected.