Chapter 5
Five
T he barbarian looked… heartbroken. Like he was so remorseful about scaring me, it hurt him physically. Finn told me what he said, about how he only wanted to stop me so I wouldn’t hurt myself, and he obviously felt bad about it. I wasn’t sure what to do about that, but he did pull me out of the forest. Even after saving me from that creature, he could’ve just left me there. He was a little forceful about bringing me to his tent, but maybe he was just trying to help?
“W-wait…”
The other barbarian, who somehow managed to be bigger than the two I’d already met, stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. But my barbarian didn't turn around. His shoulders bunched up like he was waiting for me to berate him. I wasn’t. I just didn’t know what to say.
“What’s wrong?” Finn asked, putting his hand on my shoulder supportively. They were being really nice, but I was starting to not feel well because of the pain. Sweat gathered at my temples and every ounce of pressure on my body, down to my clothes, felt like a heavy weight. Finn’s hand was gentle, but with how much I hurt, it felt like a boulder, and I felt myself sway because of it.
“Uh oh. Finn, catch his head!”
The world went dark again before I could figure out what was going to happen next.
The next time I woke up, I was back in the first tent, with the fire and the warmth. The pain was subdued, and my leg was set up in a splint to keep me from moving it. I wasn’t wearing my clothes anymore, they probably had to remove them to deal with the injury, but the tunic I was wearing was longer and covered me, and there was a blanket over everything but my injured leg, which had a paste on it that looked and smelled like a poultice.
At first, I thought I was alone, but the barbarian who rescued me was sitting near the flap, his entire posture defeated. His head hung low, and his arms rested on his knees, hands loose. At first, I thought he was sleeping, but he sighed heavily at one point, and when I twisted enough, I saw his eyes were open.
He didn’t look at me, or even move a muscle, and it gave me a moment to truly look at him. His hair wasn’t as long as the other barbarians I’d seen. It was shaved on the sides, and he’d worn it in a small ponytail when I saw him earlier. Now it was down and disheveled, like he’d been running his fingers through it. He wore a thicker tunic, probably because it was still chilly, with sturdy-looking trousers and boots with fur sticking out of them. The tunic was sleeveless, which seemed strange with the thickness to keep him warm. But it showed off his arms and the ink carved into his skin. Blocky swirls of black in designs I couldn’t quite decipher with the way I was positioned. I couldn’t move much at all, thanks to my leg being splinted like it was.
He must’ve heard me shifting to get more comfortable because his head whipped up, and it looked like he was about to get up, but then he froze and eased back again. Trying not to scare me?
It was an improvement from before, but it felt awkward having him just stare at me. And I was really thirsty. I looked around for anyone else who might be able to understand me, but there was no one but him.
“I, uh… I’m thirsty…” I murmured, looking anywhere but at him. He didn’t immediately move, and when I glanced in his direction, his brows were furrowed in confusion. Shoot. How do you communicate when your languages are completely different?
I clumsily mimicked taking a drink, and his eyes lit up in what I thought was understanding. Slowly, he pushed to his feet, heading around the fire to a table covered in what looked like dried herbs. There was also a pitcher and a cup, and he filled it before carefully bringing it to me. It was almost funny how he tried to keep his distance while handing me the cup. He ended up having to get close anyway, because my hands shook when I tried to bring it to my lips, and I spilled a little before he steadied me with his hands cupping mine.
The water was cool and refreshing, and I drank it all down without taking a breath. In the days in the forest, I wasn’t sure what was safe to eat or drink. I managed to scoop handfuls of water from a stream here and there, but I was also afraid to stop moving, worried Richard and his friends were following me, hoping to drag me back for a public execution. My town loved those. I found a few berry bushes too, but most plants were unfamiliar to me so far into the forest. I didn’t know if they were safe to eat. So I was starving as well as thirsty.
My stomach rumbled so loudly it sounded like that creature in the forest. The barbarian’s gaze drifted down and his brow furrowed before he asked a question I didn’t understand. When I shook my head to show my confusion, he mimicked eating with his hand and his mouth. I nodded yes. Communicating with him gave me a new appreciation for the spoken word. It was difficult to get points across using only gestures.
He got up as slow as molasses again, creeping towards the exit like he was afraid to make any sudden moves. I found myself biting back a smile when he finally made it to the flap and stepped outside. He obviously felt guilty or he wouldn’t be trying so hard not to repeat his mistake.
While he was gone, I took stock of my life. The past few days had been traumatic. I’d lost track of how long I was out there in the forest, but it was at least three days. Maybe more. Sometimes the trees had been so thick, it had been hard to see if it was light or dark out. I hadn’t stopped to sleep often, only when I couldn’t keep going, so I couldn’t use that to track the passing of time. Was I now far enough away that they couldn’t find me anymore? Or would they show up here like Finn’s brother, demanding my return so they could deal with me properly? That was a terrifying thought.
Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about that currently. I would be unable to move on my own for who knew how long, so I was stuck with a barbarian clan that I knew nothing about and who spoke a different language. I’d been told more than once that I was safe, but after everything that had happened, it was hard to trust that. Even if they weren’t lying, and I was allowed to stay, how long would that last? Would they demand something in return? I could work once I could walk on my own, but would they even need me? Was it better to leave now?
The barbarian came back while I was still trying to figure out what to do. Everything was a mess, and my heart ached for what I’d lost. I didn’t even get to tell my family. Did they know what had happened to me? Did they even care?
“Ravsol,” the barbarian called gently, drawing my attention. I frowned to show I didn’t know what that meant, but he didn’t explain it to me. He sat cross-legged next to my bed, a bowl of food in his lap. My stomach rumbled again as the smell of smoked meats, fresh bread, and herbs hit my nose.
He offered me the food, but when my hands trembled, he took the bowl back with a frown, instead tearing little pieces for me so I could hold them easier. It was thoughtful and sweet, and it helped a lot to get food in me quickly, which I appreciated. I was too hungry to eat slowly but too weak to eat quickly on my own. And the barbarian determined to protect me didn’t complain once, patiently feeding me until I felt full for the first time in days, and the exhaustion dragged at my senses again. He put his hand on my forehead, whispering to me in a soothing tone. I drifted off, thinking maybe, for right now, I could just stay and feel safe for a little while. At least until I was strong enough to move on my own. Would it really be so bad?