The Barbarian Mate [Edited]

Chapter 10

The next morning, Althea woke with a big yawn and a smile. However, the smile faded when she realized she couldn't move.

She twisted and turned until she was on her back, and that’s when she saw the large culprit.

She poked Yeilk's arm.

"Yeilk." She turned and poked his face. "Yeilk, wake up." She poked his nose—it was a nice one too. "Yeilk, wake up!"

The arm tightened around her, making her almost gasp for air.

"Go back to sleep." She frowned and poked his nose again.

"I don't want to sleep." His eyes opened, and she smiled sheepishly. His brown eyes watched her in silence, amusement dancing in them.

She yelped when he pulled her flush against him. She had never been this close to a man in her life; her father didn't count.

"Yeilk."

"You're awake too early. It's barely light out."

"So?"

"Go back to sleep." She huffed before laying her head down.

"Chief!" Yeilk groaned. He ground his teeth in annoyance before sitting up.

"Hoc melius sit amet!" [This better be important.]

"Nuntius ad te ex oppido venit." [A message has come for you from the town.]

Althea looked at the distress on Yeilk's face.

He got off the bed and started strapping on his sword.

"Come," he said to her. She got off the bed and took his hand. Together, they walked out; everyone was already up and about.

A man brought a piece of paper to Yeilk, and he read it. Althea waved at Rubes as she joined them.

"What is it, brother?"

"The Queen has taken an interest in Althea. A troop of soldiers is coming. It was sent anonymously."

"What should we do?"

"What we do when there is a war is fight. Protect the women and children. Res cruentae futurae sunt." [Things are going to be bloody.]

"And Althea?"

"She'll stay with me." Rubes nodded before walking away to help the others.

"What does she want with me?"

"Leverage. Having you means they can control me. Come, we're going hunting."

Her eyes lit up. She had always wanted to know how to hunt, but her dad wasn't the hunting type.

"OK." She walked beside him happily, thoughts of her first hunt filling her mind.

She stayed close to him as they entered the forest. It was so quiet she could hear herself breathe.

"Predators are hunting." He pulled his sword off his back and kept it on his shoulder.

"What are we going after?"

"The biggest thing we can find—a boar or even a deer."

"Like that?" She pointed to a large deer not far from where they stood.

"Yes." Yeilk took the sword from his shoulder and, with the position of throwing a small blade, he threw his sword. She watched as the sword flew through the air, not giving the deer a chance to react.

It lost its head.

"Where can I get one of those blades? They are awesome!"

"It's a chief's blade. Only a chief can wield it." He went to retrieve his kill and his sword.

He lifted the deer as if it weighed nothing.

They walked back together in comfortable silence.