Tansy of the Wilds

Chapter Twenty

Xer'tal was lounging in the hot springs. The water was the perfect temperature to relax his muscles and the minerals were nice against his skin. He had scrubbed himself hard with some of the sand and soapstone berry mixture. It took off the top layer of grime from his skin, he had scrubbed his hair as well, and he felt like a new orc by the time he was finished. There was something refreshing about the hot springs that he had to appreciate. He had to give it to the Wilde family for settling over them and claiming them for their own.

He could remember the steam baths his own clan would do after long battles, he had to admit that this was far better than a mere steam bath. There was something about sinking into the hot waters that seemed to melt so much of what bothered him away.

"Knock knock. I've got some venison stew and fresh bread." Tansy's voice came from the entrance and Xer'tal grunted, his muscles tightening in a new way that had nothing to do with muscle fatigue.

"Just put it down somewhere, woman. I'll eat once I'm done." His words cme out in an odd sort of relaxed timbre, an uncharacteristic reflection of his current state in the warming comforts of the hot spring bath, but with an edge that was just as heated as the water.

"Enjoying the hot springs are you?" Tansy's voice was sweet and he huffed out an amused sound.

"I doubt there's a person who wouldn't, lass." He lingered in the heated spring a bit longer before he got out. He had found a large pair of pants and a tunic, orc sized, before he had stripped and gotten into the hot springs, so he grabbed a towel, drying off before he pulled on the clothes. They were a touch small for him but they worked good enough for what he needed.

He left the bathing room, to the small sitting room he had passed through and Tansy was waiting there. He moved over to her, a few stray curls had escaped their confinement of her braid, hanging around her face as she portioned out the food. He stared for a moment. He knew how soft her hair had been against his skin, he had touched it, it felt like satin against his fingers. However it hadn't lessened that urge inside of him, it had grown. He wanted to bury his hands in those wavy tresses and pull her close.

She glanced at him and then smiled, her cheeks only a touch flushed and it was enough to knock him right out of his potent recollection and he grunted as he moved over to take one for the chairs. "This smells good, Tansy. I told ya to make sure the food was good," he drawled it out in those gravelled tones that seemed to deepen just for her, the tease from earlier making a reappearance.

His gaze shifted from Tansy to the food, a silent appreciation in his eyes. He could just barely see her shoulders relax under his words and his look. Her evident relief at having him accept her family's hospitality warmed his heart slightly. "I owe ya my gratitude, Tansy," Xer'tal rumbled, giving a grateful nod. "I might just get used to this level of comfort."

He took his bowl, the much larger one, and dipped the bread into it. He gave a hum of appreciation as the flavours moved over his tongue. It was seasoned well, the venison was buttery soft, and melted in his mouth. The bread itself was good fare, robust and flavourful, a hearty beard for a heart meal as it soaked up the stew.

"We Wildes don't make poor food. It needs to stick to the ribs and make employees want to stay. I'd say the food is better than some of the fancy inns around." Tansy's voice cut through the comfortable silence and there was a heavy touch of pride to her voice. Xer'tal listened to Tansy intently, savoring each mouthful of the hearty meal as he took in her words.

His gaze briefly flicked from the steaming stew at the mention of Wilde food to Tansy herself, a guttural chuckle rumbled deep within him and he nodded. "Aye, I can agree there." He had tasted far worse food in his time and some good food as well but he could tell her family's food was a cut above the rest.