15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Nalina
T he chief set a brisk pace that had me gasping, but I did not once tell him to slow down.
“How bad is it?” My heart felt like it was going to burst.
“Bad,” Chief Brovdir said, and I suddenly wished Hendr hadn’t been sent away.
But I had to do this on my own. “Waston’s eyes aren’t what they used to be. If no one else saw him, we can claim she was seeing things.”
The chief was quiet for a long moment. “You’d lie for us?”
“To keep the peace between our communities? Yes, I would.” I kept my voice firm despite the gasping.
Chief Brovdir slowed his pace slightly and I would have thanked him had he not spoken first. “Thank you for talking Hendr down.”
“Of course.” I took deep gulps of air. “I don’t want him fighting with anyone, especially not other orcs.”
“It’s his nature. More than other warriors, even. His mouth and fists have gotten him into more trouble than I can name,” Brovdir said softly before catching my gaze. “Must care for you deeply, if you could talk him down so easy.”
My whole body went hot.
“You are good for him, Nalina of Oakwall. I thank you.”
I had no idea how to respond, so I picked up the pace again. The rest of the walk was done in silence and took far longer because of the slower pace the chief set for me. It was nearing midafternoon by the time the village gates came into view. Chief Brovdir followed along at my side but paused before crossing the threshold.
I paused too. “Let me do all the talking, all right?” I said under my breath.
He blinked but nodded.
With that, I crossed the threshold into Oakwall Village and was swallowed up by the crowd. At least thirty people were all clamoring around me—gossiping and gasping and hurrying over to ask if I was all right.
Fades, they were in more of a tizzy than I had realized. There were even a few with torches and pitchforks! The angry, worried faces lit me with the realization that this needed to be done with great care.
It felt strange to be so engulfed by them. Most of them looked incredibly worried and were asking if I was well. If they could bring me water or food or an extra cloak or the town physician. Many patted my shoulders to ensure I was really there. “I’m fine, everyone. I’m just fine. There’s no need to fret.”
“You’ve been found, and you look well!” Yevin said as Rae followed. They sidled up next to me. The man took my hand and his eyes mirrored deep worry as he patted me softly. “Thank Fades. We’ve been doing nothing but praying for your safe return.”
I blushed at the honest worry I saw in the man’s face. I hadn’t thought he liked me for more than my seamstressing work. Hadn’t thought any of them did.
I realized abruptly that I should have swallowed my pride and asked for more help long ago.
I glanced back at Chief Brovdir, who’d stayed outside the border of the town. Many were glowering at him, and I could hear a few harsh whispers about deceit and dishonesty. One or two even muttered something about the peace between us being worthless and my chest tightened.
They were glad to see I was back, but they were still angry. If that anger wasn’t quelled, who knew what the flames of it would fan into? Who knew what would be destroyed by the end?
The peace could be destroyed here and now.
Yevin was shoved roughly aside, and Waston took his place, cupping my face in her leathery hands, squeezing far too tight. “Oh, Nalina! Thank goodness you are all right! When I saw that warrior beast take you, I was certain you would never be returned!”
I glowered at her. Only I could call Hendr a beast!
“Would never allow a woman to be taken,” Chief Brovdir said as I tried to push Waston’s hands away from my mouth so I could speak properly.
“Quite right!” I heard Headman Gerald say above the jabbering of the group. I turned as best I could with Waston crowding me and saw him pushing his way through. Some villagers moved aside for him, while others shot him harsh looks and only stepped aside when he glowered back. He finally made it to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “I am glad to see you looking well, Nalina. You are well, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “I am.”
My leader sagged with relief and addressed the crowd again. “My people, be still and let Nalina speak.”
“You expect her to speak here? Now?” Waston tugged me into a tighter embrace before I could flinch away. Her hands were around my head, holding me against her body. I struggled to break free of her as her sickly, sweet smell burned my nose. “She’s gone through a horrible trial! She was just recovered after being stolen and abused by an orc!”
“Waston, please ,” Headman Gerald said just as loudly. “We are not sure that is what happened.”
“Of course it is!” Waston bellowed. “I saw her dragged up the wall and into the woods by one of those orc brutes with my very eyes!”
“Let go!” I said, though my voice was muffled by her hands and the crowd moving in. Her grip was so tight, and for the briefest moment, I wondered if it would be easier to follow along with her and explain the truth later.
But Hendr’s voice rose in my mind.
“You’ve always been strong.”
Hendr was right. It was time for me to stop rolling over. I was strong enough to handle this.
I pushed away from Waston forcefully. She clung to me so hard that the grip hurt, but I broke free and took a step back. “I wasn’t taken—”
“Let’s go back to my home.” Waston reached for me again, but I dodged her even as the group pushed in. “I have tea and a fruit salad waiting. You’ve gone through such a trial. You need pampering before you recount the horrors you’ve gone through.”
I blinked at her in shock. She’d never treated me to anything before, especially not something as precious as fruit so near winter. “I don’t want anything from you, Waston.”
“Step back!” Headman Gerald demanded from behind me. “Give her some breathing room, please. ”
Waston’s eyes narrowed, taking on a sharp look that made my blood run cold. She stepped in close as the others moved away and whispered. “Believe me, Nalina, it would be very wise to let me pamper you first before you say anything you might regret.”
The cryptic words made me tense as confusion lit me. But now was not the time to try to understand what this vile woman’s ulterior motives were. I turned to address the villagers, who were backing off. “Hendr did not take me! I climbed the wall on my own.”
“You’re delirious—” Waston gripped my arm too tight.
“Let go of me!”
Thankfully, Headman Gerald managed through the crowd and pulled Waston’s hand away. “I can take it from here, Waston.”
The woman sputtered. “She’s been through a horror! She needs a delicate touch, Headman Gerald!”
“Quite right, and she would not find such kindness by you , would she?” Headman Gerald said and then he turned his back to the woman and said loudly to the group again. “Move back! Give her space to breathe .”
“But what happened to her?”
“Is she all right?”
“The orcs stole her!”
“Calm down!” Headman Gerald implored. “ Please let her speak before we jump to any conclusions!”
Waston, who’d managed to push her way to the front again, said, “I saw her with my own—”
“Did this orc warrior really climb the wall, Nalina?”
“No,” I said firmly, and a chorus of voices sounded their disbelief. I raised my voice above them, looking at Chief Brovdir as I said. “No orc, warrior or not, would ever climb the wall. They know it would break the peace to do so.”
“Of course he did! I saw him!” Waston cried.
“Waston.” I turned to her and kept my voice steady. “You can hardly see your own nose in front of your face. You aren’t as young as you used to be.”
A round of snickers followed as Waston sputtered with indignation.
I turned back to the headman. “It’s wrong of me, but I do climb the wall from time to time. I like the view. This time, I decided to climb over and take a walk. That is what Waston must have seen.”
There was a general mumble through the crowd. Even as the headman instantly sighed with relief.
But Rae spoke up from the crowd. “If that’s true, then how come the warrior orc chief is the one who brought you back? He must have stolen you back from his warrior, right?”
“Chief Brovdir found me,” I said, taking a deep breath. “He’s been looking for me, just like the rest of you have. He found me in the woods, lost in thought, completely unaware of the lies being told here.”
“I have not been lying!” Waston screeched. “I would never.”
“And yet you have,” I said, quickly shifting the topic. “You’ve lied and manipulated me into doing free labor for you for a long time. And I’ll stand for no more of it.”
“What—that isn’t—we’re discussing the vile orc who stole you. This has nothing to do with the repairs I’ve commissioned.”
“This has everything to do with them and you know it,” I said loudly. “Until the orc warriors showed up, I was forced to continue doing business with you. It was either that or starve. But now the orc warrior, Hendr, has agreed to trade with me. Shirts in exchange for all the food I’ll need this winter.”
There was a rumble through the crowd and Waston scoffed. “He can’t possibly need that many commissions. Those warriors barely wear anything at all!”
“Not now, because they have very little, but they want to change that,” I addressed the crowd. “They have almost nothing to their name and are eager to trade with us for goods.”
“The only goods they want are women ,” Waston said.
“That is not true.” I turned to face her. “And you know it. You are only upset with them because now that I have their commissions, I won’t need to rely on you anymore. I won’t be forced to do endless repairs for free because I’m worried that you’ll tell your friends not to do business with me.”
Headman Gerald stepped forward. “Is that true, Waston? Did you threaten to ruin her business unless she continued to fix your clothes?”
“I never threatened!” Waston cried. “Everyone knows that her family does free repairs.”
“Yes. My family has always done repairs for free.” I took a very long breath, gathering my strength. “But I’m ending it now.”
“Ending what?”
“Ending the agreement to do repairs.” I saw Yevin and Rae both tense and I quickly said. “Specifically free ones. I still intend to uphold any agreements I’ve made on repairs I have in hand, but going forward, I’m going to be much more particular about what I’m willing to trade for.”
“So, you’re going to scorn your family tradition? You’re going to dishonor their name and your customers by going back on your word?” Waston spat. “Why would anyone want to do business with someone who cannot keep their promises?”
“Waston,” Headman Gerald warned.
“Because they weren’t my promises. They were the vows of my grandmother and great-grandmother.”
“Those traditions should be honored .”
“Those traditions have run their course. Same as many others.” I spoke loud and firm. “Our ancestors were in conflict with our orc neighbors. Long ago, they vowed never to have peace with Rove Wood Clan. And now we are prosperous because of the orc trade. Should we be forced to forsake our peace agreement and return to turmoil because of the beliefs of our village founders?”
There was a rumble through the crowd, but I couldn’t discern the mood. I clenched my hands together. Please, let them see reason!
“This is ridiculous!” Waston yelled. “The warrior orcs are vile—”
“The warrior orcs are different , but their trade is just as worthy.” I looked into the faces of my fellow villagers. Some were watching fixedly, while others, people who were friends with Waston, looked like they’d eaten a lemon. “The warrior commissions alone will sustain me this winter, and that is more than enough reason to keep peace with them. Don’t you agree?”
“I certainly do not! The orc warriors only want one thing! That male trading with you is only trying to win you over so he can rut you and force you to carry his vile spawn.”
“Waston!” Headman Gerald said as a rumble rolled through the crowd. “That is enough.”
“But that is the truth!” Waston screeched. “ That is! And it will be proven by the end. Mark my words, Nalina, you are going to regret this day with your very last breath.”
And with that, Waston turned on her heel and stormed out of the crowd. I was alarmed to see that at least ten villagers followed her.
But there was still a good number who stayed. Including Rae, who said, “Is it true that the orc warriors want more than just our women?”
“Yes,” Chief Brovdir said. He still stood outside the gates. “Fair trade and peace is all we want.”
There was another rumble through the crowd. As if they were reluctant to give up their anger. I sucked in a deep breath, used the cold air to calm myself.
Then Yevin put a hand on his son’s shoulder and spoke.
“Well,” Yevin said with a glance around him. “I am looking forward to the next trade.”
Many murmurs of agreement followed.
And then the tension finally released.
The villagers slowly dispersed.
I’d done it. I’d done it! I was so full I wanted to laugh.
“Nalina.” There was a touch to my shoulder, and I turned to find Headman Gerald’s soft face overcome with relief. “Thank you.”
I nodded. “Of course, headman.”
He patted my shoulder again and moved off with the rest of the crowd. Chief Brovdir gave me a gruff smile and nod before he turned away and disappeared back into the woods.
I wanted to collapse with relief. I’d held my ground, and everything had come out right!
Hendr had been right about this all along, hadn’t he? I’d had the strength to stand up for myself this whole time.
I would never have known, had he not believed in me.
My heart flipped, and I hurried off down the street.
I needed to thank him properly. And I knew just where he would be.