Tansy of the Wilds

Chapter Eighteen

As they set down camp for the night, Tansy nibbled some of the jerky that Flixom had sent with them. Her eyes kept flicking to Xer'tal and her heart rate jumped every time she looked at him. There was something about his quiet intensity, the way he looked at her, that made her shiver and her belly flip in a way that no one else had ever managed to elicit.

"You know, I should thank you for being so patient with me. Most people think I'm too annoying because I talk so much. You don't and that means a lot to me." She risked a glance in his direction and he gave a rumbling sort of hum.

"Those people aren't worth shit, Tansy." It came out of him firm and unapologetic and she found herself fighting back a smile.

"I like to say that the gods made me this way to make up for those who have little to say. We all need balance. Even if it's the words we speak. My mama says the best loves, the greatest ones, are the ones that balance each other out. She's quite smart my mama, you'll see when you get to meet her." In response he gave another rumbling hum.

After a few moments of silence and Tansy's fingers twitching in her lap, she dug into her pack and found her comb. She untied her braid, letting her hair curtain around her, the ends nearly brushing the ground in her seated position. Its slight curls were apparent as she gently picked out some leaves from the ends. After a few moments she started combing it, looking up at the stars as she ran the comb through her hair again and again until it felt like silk against her fingers. The stars were so bright it made her wonder about so many things. She continued to gently comb the strands as she hummed softly, watching the moon rise.

After some time, Xer'tal cleared his throat, disturbing the air, not harsh enough to completely shatter the serene ambience but enough to get her attention. She looked at him over the fire, he looked languid there, relaxed. "Yer hair." He paused for a moment. "It has a life of its own, does it not? A wild thing, like the woman who grows it." The compliment was a strange one but Tansy took it like it was water given to her and she was dying of thirst. She didn't have a chance for a lot of compliments.

She flushed as she stroked a hand down the wavy strands. "It does tend to have a mind of its own at times. My mama used to have me keep it shorter when I was younger, too much maintenance for her to keep up with. But when I reached of age, I let it grow because I do not mind so much if it's wild, I'll take care of it anyway. My mama doesn't mind so much as long as it's braided or put into a bun, if not she fusses and talks about how it should be shorter." The admission was one that struck her as odd the moment it left her mouth. Her mother never fussed over Rose's hair, nor Daffodil's, why did she fuss so much over hers?

She shook it off and Xer'tal gave a grunt she could hear was slightly irritated. "Why does it matter to her? As long as yer fond of it, Tansy, and as long as it doesn't get in the way in a scrap, that's all that matters." He gave a small huff. "It's nice though." He grumbled it out, "Looks soft."

"Oh! Do you want to touch it?" She beamed at him and when he reared back slightly, she felt slightly ashamed of even asking.

There was a thick silence that was only interrupted by the popping and crackling of the fire before he shifted in his spot. "Ye... ya wouldn't mind?" He asked it almost heavily, his eyes intent on her. There was a strange sort of intensity in his gaze, one that made her mouth go dry and her stomach flip flop inside of her as a surge of desire wrapped around her limbs and clawed through her veins.

"Not at all." Her voice was soft and she watched as he stood up. His form looked massive in the firelight as he moved around the campfire to crouch beside her. The intensity of his look didn't waver, it seemed to deepen as he reached out and brushed against her hair with the backs of his fingers.

He tilted his head, his own hair slipping over his shoulder. He slowly wrapped a lock of her hair around a finger before gently letting it slide off. His gaze was intent as he used the back of his fingers to brush her hair behind her ear. His thumb brushed along the shell of her ear. "Soft." It came out on a low rumble that threatened to shake apart the foundation on which Tansy currently sat. Her breath caught in her chest as she shivered at the touch.

He retreated back around the fire. "Rest, lass. We have more ground to cover tomorrow." His voice was all gravel and rumble as he sat back down, his gaze hooded as he looked at her across the fire. He didn't look away, not even as she braided her hair with fingers that shook, not even as she curled up on her bed roll. He didn't look away. Not once and she fell asleep to the feeling of his eyes lingering on her skin.