Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
GARRUN
Henry’s cheeks, already a light shade of pink, darkened and when he looked away, it felt like he was hiding, not just a consequence of his inability to see.
The reaction only made me want to push. If something upset him, the clan needed to be made aware.
The townspeople were under our protection until such a time that they decided where they wished to move on to.
It was my job as clan guard to ensure Henry was comfortable.
“Henry. What upset you?”
With a sigh, he admitted, “It was nothing. An accident. Someone approached me in the town center thinking I was staring at them.”
Brows drawing together, I asked, “Were they rude to you? Did you feel threatened?”
Putting his hands up and waving them frantically, he rushed to reassure me.
“No, no. Nothing like that. It was just… He thought I was interested in him because I was staring. When I told him I couldn’t see and hadn’t realized I’d been looking at anyone, he seemed…
uncomfortable. Some people are around me.
It just makes me a little sad, that’s all. ”
My face twisted, and I couldn’t hide the growl in my voice when I demanded, “For what reason was he uncomfortable? You are beautiful.”
The blush that had just begun to abate came back with a fury, and even his ears turned a bright shade of red.
I meant what I said. What did it matter that he couldn’t see?
He was still beautiful, with soft looking hair the color of wet sand, lighter brown eyes, and a smile that made indents appear in his cheeks and lines around his eyes.
He wasn’t muscular like my clan brothers, about the size of an average townsperson, but smaller than me in height by at least a hand.
His voice was warm, and his demeanor kind.
Only someone without sense would see him as anything other than beautiful.
“I, um…” Henry seemed at loss for words for a moment, and I realized I was being forward with him.
I hadn’t meant to be. I never expected attention like that from others, not with the way I looked now.
I was just incensed at the thought of anyone being uncomfortable around him merely because of his sight.
Ekkar huffed in annoyance, breaking the awkward tension with his pouting.
Henry’s hands had stalled their attentions on him when he was embarrassed, and Ekkar didn’t appreciate it.
The corner of Henry’s mouth kicked up as he returned to petting the spoiled beast, though not enough to make those indents appear once again.
I scowled at my friend, who gave me a look that was too smug. He was practically smirking.
“You’re a little shit. For this, no special fish for you.”
That got me a dirty look from Ekkar, but it was Henry’s breath of laughter that drew my focus. I wasn’t sure how much of my tongue he understood, but he seemed to understand enough to catch what I’d said.
“Are you withholding treats as punishment?” he asked in the common tongue.
“He deserves it,” I countered. “Spoiled beast.”
Ekkar stood, growling at me, and I growled right back in response.
It was our way. Dras calling him my brother wasn’t far off from the truth.
I raised Ekkar from a pup, and when he was still little and learning to be strong, I wrestled with him so he would be able to protect himself in the forest. Now that he was older, he still fought with me when he was annoyed.
He never risked true injury against me, but we were rough with each other.
Henry’s face fell, and he looked concerned as he tracked the sounds. “I don’t think he likes you talking about him like that. Perhaps it's best not to?”
The tremor in his voice reminded me that he was unused to the ways of the clan.
Ekkar and I weren’t the only ones who settled disagreements in such a way, many clan brothers did the same.
But I didn't want to frighten Henry, especially not after he already admitted to being upset. Ekkar seemed to feel the same way because he laid back down with a grumble, pressed against Henry’s side and a dark look in his eye that told me we’d be settling this later. Good. He needed to be put in his place.
“You are safe, Henry,” I reassured him, suddenly relieved he couldn’t see the dirty look I shot my friend. “Ekkar is my friend.” An annoying friend, but friend nevertheless.
Ekkar huffed in agreement and only stopped glaring at me when Henry started petting him again.
I rolled my eyes. I’d purposely not spoiled him while raising him so he would retain the fierceness of his kind to better protect himself and the clan.
Spoiling him with pets would only make him lazy.
I thought to say something about it but stopped myself when Ekkar offered Henry’s hand a small lick and the smile came back.
I didn’t wish to take his happiness from him.
My eyes strayed to the instrument by Henry’s hip. I’d never seen one such as that before, but hearing the sound coming from his tent while I was eating supper had stunned me and the brothers who’d been eating with me into silence. Never in my life had I heard such a beautiful sound.
“Will you play again?”
His head cocked, his confusion written across his face, so I clarified.
“Your…” I paused with a frown. I didn’t know the common tongue word for instrument.
“Music,” I finished lamely. Perhaps I would sit in on more lessons.
If I was to spend more time around townsfolk like Henry, I would need a better grasp of the language.
I would not admit to myself that it was Henry alone I wished to converse with.
“Oh! I mean, I’d love to, but I don’t want to disturb anyone. It’s after suppertime now, and Alice said quite a few people had small children. It might be close to their bedtime. Perhaps tomorrow I could find a spot a little farther away. That way I won’t bother anyone.”
His consideration for the clan was kind, but I couldn’t help being disappointed. Something about his music soothed me. I wished to hear it again.
“I will find you a place,” I vowed solemnly. “As soon as my duties are done, I will look and bring you there.”
I kept my promise to Henry, immediately heading into the forest after my duty as clan guard was handed off to another.
I didn’t wish to go too far, there were creatures in the forest that were dangerous, and I didn’t want to put Henry at risk, but he wished to have more space so as not to disturb anyone.
Somewhere in the forest was likely best.
Ekkar followed me into the trees, and I jerked my chin to the left. “You go that way. Help me find a place for Henry to play his music. Not too far. He needs to be safe.”
Ekkar huffed in agreement and took off through the brush.
I went in the opposite direction, following the treeline until I got close to the break in the trees where the desert stretched in front of me.
I was still close enough to the clan to hear the murmur of voices, but there was a smaller tree near the edge of the treeline with a rock underneath it that was well shaded.
It seemed like a good spot for Henry. I circled the area, whistling for Ekkar when I finished to allow him to do his own scouting.
He could sniff out potential danger better than I could.
Aside from chasing a few birds from a nearby bush, nothing drew his attention and when he glanced at me, I nodded once in approval.
“It is good. We will see him now.”
He immediately ran off toward the clan, and I scowled at his back as he left me behind. “Don’t frighten him! You are too quiet!”
He didn’t acknowledge me, but I knew he heard me. His hearing was much better than mine.
I heard Henry’s voice coming from his tent as I approached, the roughness of it making me think he wasn’t fully awake yet. “Hello, Ekkar. Is it time to get up?”
I grimaced. It hadn’t been my intention to wake him just so he could play music for me. That was selfish.
“Ekkar. Leave him be,” I snapped, hovering outside the tent. Ekkar could come and go as he pleased. It irritated me that he went in without my permission, and I couldn’t go in to fetch him.
“He’s alright,” Henry called out. “Come in, Garrun.”
Ducking my head into the tent, I felt a strange tightness in my chest when I took in the view.
Henry was still in the furs, his hair disheveled, and his eyes closed as he hugged Ekkar’s neck with a soft smile on his face.
He seemed almost like he would go back to sleep, and Ekkar looked more than happy to stay in bed and soak in the beautiful man’s affections.
I was so distracted by the pair that I hadn’t realized someone else was in the tent until a sharp intake of breath drew my attention to the other bed.
The woman I’d seen before with the long hair stared up at me with wide, terrified eyes, the furs clutched to her chest protectively.
My face twitched against a scowl. I hated that look.
“You can get more rest,” I grumbled to Henry. “I didn’t wish to disturb you.”
Henry hummed, then sat up, looking in my direction with a smile that made the lines around his eyes and the indents on his cheeks deepen. My heart stuttered at the look, and I found myself frozen in place, unable to walk away when he looked at me like that.
“You didn’t disturb me. I was already waking up when Ekkar came to visit. It just takes me a minute to make myself get up if I’m comfortable.” He gave Ekkar another friendly pat. “Cuddles with something warm and soft is a nice way to wake up.”
I wished I could suggest he join me in my tent instead.
I ran warm and would be happy to cuddle him until he woke.
The reality that someone as beautiful as Henry would never choose me was made more apparent every time I glanced in the woman’s direction and saw the fear in her eyes.
Whether he could see me or not, he would not choose me.
Not when everyone around him would tell him to avoid me.
“If you give me a few minutes, I’ll come out,” Henry said, oblivious to the woman’s fear or my own unhappiness. “I’m just going to get ready for the day.”
“Take as long as you wish,” I murmured. “I will be by the fire.”
This time, I didn't try to force Ekkar to come with me. I didn’t want to stay where I wasn’t welcome. I walked away without another word, silently berating myself for even thinking I could have something so perfect.