Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 124: Scene CXXIV

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Watching the man stand with difficulty from the ground he had been resting after fighting beasts for his life, Kir sneered, entertained to find him alive.

"Losing against me made ya useful enough to survive these bastards, huh, Gilead? Tha axe must be accepting your worthless hand at last."

"... Good to know. Your head might roll before expected then."

"Hah. If before expected is after an eternity, yeah. Sure, northern weakling." — As if observing a simple kid, Kir watched the limping guard move with difficulty, almost limp. Becoming curious as thick blood was also found in his weapon. — "... Did ya kill any?"

"... I cut one’s tail."

"Hmph... that’s good enough. However, I wonder if you’ll survive Hœttr Hills. Those over there can attack even from within ya, lad."

"..."

"Is that true, Kir?"

"Hah. You’ll see, Vinka. Tha furs you’ll get are ones that don’t roam below."

"... That’s so?" — Taking an indiscreet glance at Gilead, Vinka joined the men along with two other savages who also watched, intrigued at a man obviously unfit for the grounds they were raised in. — "... Who’s this?... He smells different. Has no sense of earth in him."

"This one’s a northern weakling."

"Ai?... Ya come from tha north? What’s the name?"

"... Gilead."

"... I am called Vinka Fahh."

"Auflulk, returned as the hands of death."

"...Yngve... breaker of horns." — Pushed by his brother’s stare wishing to flaunt the name earned as a successful returnee, Yngve also told the honour of his Framikanna ritual. Acting smug at the surprised Vinka, who did not tell her honour.

"Ya telling him your Framikanna honour?... Then I am Vinka Fahh, ripper of the beast’s fur."

"... I am just Gilead."

Standing with crossed arms, the wild woman became proud to also inform her fame, receiving a nonchalant answer that was laughed at as it meant weakness for the savages.

"That he is. Just Gilead... haaaah damn it, Sire Kir. Why was I thrown to the north too? I wanted to stay at the Spiked Eye Barbican."

"Cause ya seem to forget Sortnafeigr is filled with dangers we ought to remember. Some blood in your hands will do your axe some good, Sid."

"Aie... as long it tastes good."

"It depends on the beasts’ roots." — Hearing Sid, Auflulk added in agreement, to also receive the nod from Sid.

"The beast’s roots, indeed."

"Hum. You are a Sortnerer... Which village."

"From the high ends. Falkor’s."

"... Has tha ground changed? What beasts do ya see over there."

"Winged ones flock too much. At the high ends, it’s their territory. Falkor tames few. I came down to meet Myrkzver since below redder meat can be found... I sniffed the hunt ya had at Kleifar the other day. Hope I can fall someday."

The savages exchanged words befitting of their customs while the outsider northerner listened slightly uninterested, peeking at his knee’s that trembled, wounded yet thankfully not broken, as Sid had aided his fights.

Hence, as uninterested in the matters savages care for, his gaze came back to glare at the Sire acting wild while in leisure, solely to ask about that one he also joined the march for.

"... The Archduchess. On her side, was there any trouble?"

"... Why do you care. We and that Myrkzver protected the Veneer Woman. It’s not your place." — Yngve growled instead of Kir, who immediately followed.

"Yngve. This one knows her Illustrious Grace since her birth lands... The Madame came unharmed from the attack, guard."

"... A’ight." — Nodding dryly to the information, Gilead then turned away, uninterested in continuing in the savages’ company. Much less as the men in Yngve continued to glare.

Those left stared at Gilead’s back, sharing a glance with each other, already aware of the distance the outsider wished to keep.

Nonetheless, the man limping to a place to rest kept on thinking about his purposes.

As much as interested he was in vengeance against the humiliating Kir, Gilead had not solely joined to get more opportunities to clash against the savage. But also for the one close to him, Sid. Who recently had let him see an object he wished to retrieve.

’Somehow, I have to take it from him... If she sees it... She will finally learn a thing she ignores, and I still cannot tell without it.’

The moment the close savage announced his departure along the Archdukes, Gilead had decided to pester the Sire so his presence would also leave the grounds of the south east.

’If I take it to her... she will probably make a difference.’ — Holding in mind the household he previously served, the young guard plotted solely for self-benefit when facing an uncertain future.

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Her hand stroked the man’s abdomen, affectionate and lost in concern as she finished wrapping the improvised bandages she made out of her cloak.

"....."

In silence, the man observed. Glad of the warmth transmitted through from her hand, ultimately meeting the woman’s eyes who, immediately after admiring the wild seduction of his amber stares... moved, to return as agreed to rest in his arms. Quiet and wishful to lay on Aslak’s reassuring heat and strong limbs. Cuddling to the husband as he grinned at the scene of a gingerly wife approaching his embrace.

"... Fatædi..."

After inhaling the woman’s essence, Aslak purred, squeezing Ewelina in his arms as if it was her soft being, one of the things he most enjoyed.

"You’ll use my cloak from now on."

"... It is alright. I can go without–"

"You’ll use my cloak. No more words on it. I’m wearing yours since you tore it apart."

"... We can share your cloak... I ride along with you, so... uhm... Husband will continue to warm my back..."

"..... That’s true. Yeah... that sounds better." — Showing beastly affection, he smiled, unaware of the curiosity born in the woman.

"Umh... Wait... Husband, why did you not wear your armour today? Maybe these wounds could have been avoided if you had worn them..."

"... They get in the way. I won’t use them." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"?? How could they be in the way? They are there to protect you."

"..... I don’t want to use it."

"Yet it is useful..."

"Ewelina." — Becoming frustrated, the man ultimately said coldly as he kissed her forehead as his hand stroked the leg over her skirt, ending that idea of the woman with the firmness of his tone. — "I won’t use it... stop asking and rest."

"... Sigh... alright, husband... let us rest..."

The woman gave in, while her hand endowed tame groom to Aslak’s jaw as relaxation invaded her being, entirely and pacifically... to finally sleep in the spouse’s hold.