A Bride For A Barbarian

Aurora looked between the women before nodding her head at the mention of dinner in the pot, smiling a little as Evyin seemed to worry over her. The woman was far to kind to have been raised in a place such as this. However, the request to gather up Garik's dishes was a little unnerving. To see him so soon? she was not too certain about that. Still though, she had her job to do, and she would not let him use her fear to take away the last few things her parents now hand.

"Alright...I shall gather them up after I eat." She said softly before moving over to the stack of plates and grabbing herself on, going the pot and gathering up dinner and a hunk of bread. She did not sit near the fire but to a seat near a work table, eating in silence at first as she thought about the man that had been so forceful on her moments before. This certainly was not going to be easy...
 
Perhaps a sulking barbarian wasn't the best thing to send a timid girl like Aurora off to deal with but, well... Evyin sighed as she watched the girl out of the corner of her eye. Curse this pregnancy for making her emotional and protective of everything fragile.

Thaya seemed less worried, only because she believed strongly that their fearless leader was rather smitten with their temporary servant girl. She had him acting like a big, ol' confused and annoyed dope and she didn't even realize it. Maybe it was because what was normal behavior for the Hrithgar Tribe was seen as aggression by Aurora's people. Until she learned to accept that these people were rough and loud, she wouldn't be able to understand the majority of them.

But then again, she was only here until the end of winter, correct?

Both women were silent while Aurora ate, happy to continue with their previous tasks of sewing and nibbling healthy foods for a hungry unborn child. When Aurora was done though, Evyin spoke softly. "Please clean up the kitchen once you bring back that grump's dishes? After that, you can do whatever you please."
 
Aurora ate in silence for most of her meal, only responding to Evyin's request to clean the kitchen with a small nod of her head. After all, the idea of approaching Garik once more was weighing on her mind a bit, especially after he had been so...forward with her. Though he seemed to have been sorry when he carried her, but it was still unnerving. His actions had come from nowhere and there was nothing that said it wouldn't happen again. Once she was finished with her meal, she cleaned up her dishes and put them to the side, she'd wash them as soon as she had collected Garik's from him, that was if he had eaten at all.

Before she went to him though, Aurora thought it best to actually get dressed. After all, she had only been in her under gown because of the storm and still was in it. She made a small stop at her room and redressed, pulling on another over dress, this time blue, and also put on another pair of shoes. With her apron wrapped tightly around her waist and her hair pulled back, she made to way towards the main hall. It was the only place she could think to look and she had been in his room before, and he had not been there when she had woken up. She hesitated a bit as she approached the entrance, her body moving closer to the wall as if to keep hidden. Maybe he was not there but left his dishes, if that was the case then maybe she could avoid speaking to him completely.

Hovering near the edge of the doorway, she peeked around the corner quietly, her eyes a little nervous and worried as she checked if the rough barbarian was there anymore.
 
Mindless training. It'd felt good to wash his mind clean of any thoughts other than the instructions given to him as a young boy. He spent a while swinging a mace around before switching to a sword. But as he dueled with an imaginary opponent, his mind started to wander and where to but that damn girl. Finally, when he'd exhausted himself from frustration just as much as physical exertion to the point that his hair clung to his face and neck and his torso glistened, he thumped the sword down on the table and dropped into his seat.

Would he never get her out of his mind? Garik didn't yern for many things but the ones he did want, he wanted so badly and so greedily. Something still had to be done about that woman's lack of self-defense. The thought of another man getting any kind of satisfaction at her expense was infuriating him and, though it sickened him to admit it even just to himself, it also scared him a little.

"I'm going soft..." he sighed, hiding his eyes behind a hand, elbow on the table.
 
Aurora watched Garik train in silence, sitting him swing both the made and sword around like a master. He seemed to have worked himself until he could no longer stand, sitting down at the table with his head in his hands. She wondered what he was mumbling to himself, possibly criticizing his own training? It was a possibility after all. Still though, it was strange to see him like that hunched over and looking so...so sad. Like he was upset with himself. Certainly that wasn't the case though, not even after what happened had he looked guilty...or at least what she could tell from behind tears in her eyes.

She was not here to question him though, she was here to gather up any dishes he might have had. Pausing a moment, she took in a slow breath before stepping into the hall and clearing her throat. She waited until he looked at her to speak, her eyes staring at the floor as her cheeks seemed to gain a small nervous blush.

"I-I'm here...to collect and dishes from dinner." She said softly.
 
In his frustration, Garik had failed to notice the other presence in the room and it wasn't until she cleared her throat that he lifted his gaze to find Aurora by the door, a little surprised to see her instead of Thaya.

At her words, he gestured at the untouched bowl of now cold-as-death soup and slowly pushed himself back to his feet. He couldn't bare to look at her right now because no matter what expression she gave him, he continued to see her fearful one from the earlier incident. So he took up his sword again, moving away from the table to continue swinging and jabbing the air.

The storm outside was still raging and it probably wouldn't let up for another day. But the moment it settled would start the winter training for the young boys of the tribe. Garik still wasn't so sure taking Aurora along to help with the meals was such a grand idea but his only other choice was Thaya, whose husband would be remaining at the fort. It wouldn't be right.

After a few swings, Garik paused, keeping his gaze on the dying fire in the hearth as he spoke. "I can't leave you here, unguarded. The other men will take advantage of the situation. You will come with me for the boys' training," he ordered, lifting the sword to inspect the blade. Needed sharpening.
 
Aurora made her way over towards the bowl, finding it to be as full as ever. Had he not eaten anything? That was not healthy for him to do, especially when he was doing all of this training now. She would have expressed some concern about him but she felt that he might take that the wrong way. She didn't want to anger him or upset him but telling him what and what not to do. Before she could even think of a way to mention it lightly, he spoke of taking her on a training trip. Confused and uncertain, she remembered the conversation between Evyin and Thaya. So this is what they meant, there was going to be a trip and now she would be the one to cook for the travelers.

Still, the idea of being with Garik where only the other company would be young boys of the tribe was a little unnerving. Just about anything could happen out there. Then again there was also a risk of things happening here if she didn't go and then there would be no one to save her but herself...and that hadn't exactly gone well before hand. Looking to the bowl once more she picked it up and bowed her head.

"I...understand...though, please come to the kitchen if you are hungry...it isn't good to skip a meal." She asked softly, mumbling almost as if to hide her concern. With that said she scurried off and headed back towards the kitchen to finish the chores required of her.
 
So kind and soft spoken and so very unlike the other women. Garik sighed, setting the sword back down, his macho stance of squared shoulders and indifferent expression deflated the moment Aurora had left the room.

It wasn't exactly as she thought. There would be a grown man for every boy going through the training. It would take much more than just a few days if it were only Garik doing the training... As he stood there by the fire, arms crossed over his chest, staring at the dancing flames in a mesmerized fashion, Garik wondered how Aurora would handle those few days out in the cold. It was one thing to scoot from house to barn and back but to spend full days at a time exposed to the harsh winter... A terrible thought manifested itself in his mind like an evil spirit, a thought about how he could keep her warm at night.

With a jerk of his head and an annoyed grunt, Garik shifted his attention back to his training. He was hungry, now that he had seen that the girl wasn't completely traumatized by his doings. However, he knew for a fact that Aurora would still be in the kitchen at this point, so he continued to train for a few more hours. Finally, when the sun was beginning to rise, he made his way to the kitchen for a bite to eat, then he took a bath.

By the time his head hit his pillow, morning was well underway, even if it was hard to tell through the sheet of gray that was the storm.
 
Aurora shuffled back to the kitchen with dishes in hand, finding it empty upon her return. It seemed that the other women had gone off to bed, and rightfully so since she had not been help at all during dinner because she had been sleeping. Putting the left over food from Garik's bowl into the slop bucket, she went about cleaning the dishes and giving the kitchen a good scrubbing of the floor. It certainly needed it and it was a little something extra she could do for the women for not minding her absence.

Once that was all done and the kitchen was basically spotless, or as spotless as a barbarian's kitchen could get, and Aurora was a little happier with herself. Sometimes, she just needed a moment of silence and a task to keep her busy. Still though, the events from before were floating in her mind and this news that she would be traveling with Garik made her slightly nervous. What if it happened again, or this time it happened with a man that didn't stop when she started to cry? The thought was worrisome, to say the least. Still, she knew she needed to go, if only because her being there was keeping her parents safe and dry from the cold winter.

Sighing, the young girl slipped off to bed late that night, though she certainly was much better rested when she awoke in the morning, knowing that she'd be safe in the kitchen for that day at least.
 
So Aurora was hiding from him.

Or at least it seemed that way, considering Garik hadn't seen her for two days now, not even for meals. There was also a large possiblity that the girl was overworking herself as some kind of apology to those two devils who ran the kitchen. Garik had wanted to ask Evyin about Aurora a number of times although the possibility of being snapped at was high and he really wasn't willing to listen to that woman's nagging.

So he remained silent on the subject, instead busying himself with preparations for the training. There were few men he could leave behind in charge of the tribe because it was a simple fact that most of them would jump at the opportunity to overthrow him. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary though. Ropil was the natural choice. His wife was due to give birth and if Garik could trust anyone, it was a man who had the desire to follow Garik instead of take the lead for himself.

It didn't hurt that they were childhood friends either.

Gathering the necessities took a full day and it was the evening meal before Garik finally sat down at the table in the dining hall. All of his gear had been coaxed into a caribou skin pack. Everything inside would be kept dry. The last to carry would be the food and said food would be minimal. Part of this training would be testing the boys on their hunting skills. If they were unsuccessful in the hunt, they would go hungry that night.

The table had few people at it, as was the norm. Only celebrations were a cause for so many people dining at the fortress itself. Most of the tribe members had their own homes. Evyin and Ropil were a constant, because they were two of the few whom actually resided in Garik's house. Along with them were two other male warriors and a female warrior set to accompany Garik on the training trip and of course the maids. Thaya had just set down the last of the food and had taken her seat. Any conversation was soft. Everyone was tired from a long day of preparations.
 
Aurora wasn't hiding, she was working.

Working like a dog in fact. She felt bad for having left the women to feed the house for dinner on their own and was quick to do almost all of the chores on her own, easily making their lives easier. Though, she probably got carried away with it, on occasion having to be actually told to stop and let them do some work, something Evyin was not shy about doing. Still, she did anything to help and today was no different.

Since she was the one who was going on the training trip, she was packing a food bag. However, she had been told to not pack to much food since it would be the hunting from the boys that would provide meat for trip. So instead, she packed any herbs that she knew would be able to handle the cold temperatures, a back of salt and a bag of pepper being the two main seasonings. Along with that she packed some salt pork, some bread and some cheese, just for the nights when the boys got nothing. She wasn't sure if she'd have to feed them still on those nights but she wanted to be safe. Also, being slightly selfish, she wanted to make sure that she ate as well. With some tea herbs to complete her bag she set it to the side in the kitchen and made her way out to the main hall.

This would be her last insurable meal and she wasn't going to miss it, even if she ran into Garik. She walked into the hall silently, seeming hesitant to be near Garik. So she took a spot near Thaya instead and started to gather up some food on her plate in silence.
 
From the moment Aurora entered the room, Garik's attention followed her. Though his eyes were settled on the task of filling his plate with food he was well aware of where she was and just what she was doing. And, oh, how he had to stifle the urge to tease her with a mad dog stare. She was already terrified of him. He didn't want to make it any worse.

He... He didn't...

Garik choked a little on his food from surprise, pounding a fist to his chest as he coughed, then reaching for his drink with an eye squinted shut when the first attempt didn't help at all. Luckily that did the trick, although as he continued to eat on in silence, daring anyone to say anything with a grumpy glare around the table, he couldn't help but return to the subject that had surprised him so much in the first place.

Barbarians lived for the fight, for the adrenaline, for the rhythmic pounding in their ears and the pulse of blood through their veins. They enjoyed intimidating, always having the upper hand. And yet he was treating this townsfolk woman as if she were something incredibly valuable. When had she become so important to him?

Probably around the time that he realized he'd break the neck of any other man who laid a hand upon her.

This wasn't just wanting another woman to warm his bed. This was... Shaking the thoughts away, Garik finished his meal and then moved over to the fire to rest a while. Eventually the hall emptied of the other warriors and the maids. Ropil bid him and the rest goodnight and saw Evyin off to bed and Thaya started gathering dishes, speaking softly to Aurora.

"You do not have to help with the dishes tonight. The next few days will be tiresome for you so you had best get your rest," she said with a little smile, her gaze flicking toward the fireplace. "Sitting in front of the fire for a while might be good for your joints."
 
Aurora took quite a bit, at least more than most were used to seeing her eat. She was no fool when it came to scarce meals, it was something one actually expected to have at least once or twice during the winter season. With all this good food around she made sure to eat her fill since the next few days would be very uncertain since it would be young men hunting. She only paused in her eating as she heard Garik choke slightly before looking down to her food again before she could be caught looking.

Dinner was otherwise silent and the meal soon ended as warriors and servants alike slipped off into the halls to return to rooms or homes for the night. Aurora was about to help Thaya until she told her to relax. She did have a point with the next few days being rather tough on her, still though she was not certain about leaving Thaya alone with her work. She was only able to stack a few plates quietly before officially being shooed away, her only choice being either to return to her room or sit by the fire.

Taking a bit of a chance, Aurora moved to the fire and took a seat on the ground while Garik was still there. She couldn't be fearful of him forever, she was going to be with him for days straight soon. She was silent though as she warmed herself and gave a small sigh. Things just seemed to be getting harder and harder...If only there was some sign to show that what she had done for her parents would be worth it in the end.
 
Garik was surprisingly calm as Aurora approached. Having heard Thaya's comments, he'd had to prevent himself from snorting like a grump. He wasn't ready to be so close to that girl because he was still sorting out strange and selfish emotions when it came to Aurora. Being near her made him feel uneasy for the silliest of reasons.

When the young woman took a seat on the floor, he sighed, lifting his hips a little so he could pull the cushion from under him and drop it into her hands. "Sitting on cold stone is not like your home's wooden floor. Cold stone will only cause you problems later on...silly woman..." He'd muttered the last part, an elbow on the arm rest, jaw resting in palm while he stared at the fire. He was silent again for a moment, seemingly deep in thought before he said, "Tomorrow will be tough but the next day will be worse. If you're hungry or cold or tired, speak it. Don't keep it to yourself or nothing will be done about it and you'll end up sick."

It might have come out like a lecture, or possibly just grumpy, but Garik's heart was in the right place at least. He just hoped that his concern for her wasn't too obvious.
 
She was a little surprised when the cushion landed in her lap more or less, making her look to Garik in confusion until he started to talk about how stone floors would cause her trouble later on. She looked back to the cushion before she placed it upon the ground and moved to sit upon it. If he saw it fit to give her the pillow then she would use it, besides, she'd rather not offend him by not using it. Aurora continued to stay silent as he also told her to speak up if she was hungry or tired on the trip.

It seemed that he was concerned in some way for her health, probably not wanting to have to deal with her being useless from a cold while on the trip. After all, she was suppose to feed them not her being treated by them. She only gave a small nod of her head before looking over at the fire, her head down a bit before she spoke softly.

"I understand."
 
He might as well have shouted at her for the reaction she gave him. But Garik reminded himself of how cruely he'd treated Aurora already and that she was probably still very much afraid of him. A couple of days was all it took for one of his people to recover from something traumatic. Obviously it was not the same with the townsfolk in the valley.

"Understand that this is not some kind of punishment. I am bringing you on this trip because you are the best choice," he said, doing his best to use a kinder tone. "Don't look so upset about it. If you don't want to go, then say something." Honestly, this woman really needed to learn to speak up even if it was just a little!
 
"I-I am not upset about it. I don't mean to seem upset...I'm just tired today..." She said simply as she looked up at him. "I-I mean, It's just job to serve you so saying no really isn't an option right? If I said no then you'd go after my father for the money...and I know they haven't had much time to gather up any. So...So I am not upset, I will go with you as instructed."

That was the most she had even spoken to him, and it probably spoke volumes about how she viewed the barbarian male. She was being honest though and was probably correct. If she did not do her job then he had every right to go to his father and start gather money once more for his payment as usual. She could not let that happen though, no...she just couldn't. Her parents needed more time and she was willing to do anything if it kept them safe.
 
Garik shook his head at her words, then leaned back in his seat, sighing softly. There was such a gap between their two races. The townsfolk were weak and cowardly and they lacked pride in themselves. They were happy in their mundane routine of a life and although both cultures raised their children strictly, the townsfolk seemed to favor forcing their children into being what they wanted them to be and dictating how they were allowed to act. Here in the tribe, there was always a choice to become warrior or not. The training that would commence the following morning would be beyond cruel but each and every boy attending was fully aware of it and had chosen to go anyway.

"You are not in your town. Women choose for themselves here. They are only obeying servants if they so choose," the barbarian leader said with an air of boredom as he continued to stare at the fire. "As long as you prove useful, the deal is being upheld, is it not? This is why I said that if you do not wish to accompany us tomorrow, then say so. You can be useful here in the fortress. It is only my wish that you travel with me so that your timid nature will not encourage any man to take advantage of my absence."
 
She was silent for a small moment before she looked over at the fire in thought. Though she would like to say no, something told her she just couldn't. He picked her right? He thought she was useful for this task and if that was what he needed...then she would do it. Besides, he made a point. If he was gone with the training then who could she turn to if another man tried to touch her or worse. She looked back to him and shook her head a bit.

"I'll still go...If I am of use there then that is where I shall go."
 
So she was trying to be brave was she? Or was she just so brainwashed with obedience that she would do even the most uncomfortable things because she believed it was her duty? Garik let out another sigh but he said nothing more on the matter. She'd obviously made up her mind.

For a little while longer he enjoyed the warmth of the fire, debating finding a woman to warm his bed. It would be the last warm night for several days, assuming the mountain pass remained open long enough... Quietly he rose from his chair, took a moment to stretch, then gently placed a hand on Aurora's shoulder. "Sleep well, siren," he muttered.

Then he stepped around her, hand falling off her shoulder and back to his side as he headed for the door. The halls were quiet at this time of night, everyone burrowed down in their beds and grabbing at every minute of sleep they could get. Garik was no different, though his mind did linger on his newest kitchen wench for a little while before sleep found him.

The morning was as cold as a bitter, scorned woman. Even in the keep, breath was visible as little whisps of fog burst from lips and danced toward the ceiling. Six young men stood in the main hall, having just finished a light morning meal and were now layering on clothes and gear. Garik was with them, busy belting his sword to back and tightening down leather and fur over his strong muscles, though his gaze flicked up to meet Aurora's the moment he noticed her in the room. He took long strides then to approach her, though he paused a few feet away, knowing how uncomfortable she was around him. "This will keep you warm," he said, holding out a cloak fashioned from wolf pelt and wool, holding it open by the collar for the girl to slip into it with ease.
 
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