Tansy of the Wilds

Chapter Twenty-Two

Xer'tal grimaced inwardly at the flirtatious undertones in Rose's voice. He had known females like that, the pretty ones who used their beauty to their advantage, always speaking in undertones covered in numerous innuendos. However, his blunt nature preferred plain speaking and direct wording. This coy game of cat-and-mouse played by some females left him irritated more than he dared to admit.

"I'm a warrior, not a bard." He couldn't help how clipped it came out as he watched Tansy move to the sink to wash the dishes, her shoulders curled forward. He didn't like the sharpness her family had when it came to her, nor did he appreciate the mean spirited jabs her siblings gave her that they passed off as jesting. It was fucking rude is what it was.

"But a warrior like you should have some tales, should he not?" She gave him a sweet smile that felt false and cloying. It was nothing like that sunshine smile that Tansy liked to grace him with. He wanted to tell her to shove off and offer her substandard cunt to someone else. If he thought that he was going soft for human females, his visceral reaction to Rose's blatant flirting proved that he absolutely wasn't. He was correct in his assumption that it seemed that it was only Tansy he had grown a soft spot for.

"Oh, we could stand to hear a story or two, isn't that right, Miriam?" Ricktus said it with a grin and Xer'tal grunted but nodded. He felt better hearing it from Ricktus rather than Rose. He didn't want anything to do with the cloying, falsely sweet female. He had a feeling she would

"I suppose I could tell a tale or two." He began speaking in his deep, rumbling voice, a tale of epic battles fought and narrow escapes made, of fearsome creatures faced and impossible odds conquered. He told it but throughout it all, his gaze shifted to Tansy repeatedly. Each tale punctuated by him making sure that bright spot of sunshine wasn't dimming

Only the orc pantheon knew why he was doing it at all, but Xer'tal never felt the need to tell tales to satisfy the morbid curiosity of others. Yet there he was, spilling stories to fill up the silent gaps between the loud chaos, putting up with the curiosity and the looks. As he did so he was seeking out that one ray of sunshine he never wanted to go out, that belonged to the woman diligently scrubbing away at the dishes.

He continued, not missing how Rose seems to lean towards him, batting her eyes. He could tell she was a female who was used to getting her way. Her beauty wasn't to be understated but there was a sickly sweet falseness to it that left a sour taste on his tongue. "Travelin' isn't the adventure it's made out to be. It's painted with blood and sweat, a cruel teacher, a harsh mistress. Remember that or ye will end up drawn, quartered, and pissed on." He caught Rose's eye, watching the momentary horror flicker in her wide-eyed gaze. Good. The brutality of it all shouldn't be romanticized, nor should he. Certainly not by her.

"Was there much excitement while you were guarding Tansy?" Miriam asked with a smile and Xer'tal flicked his gaze to her.

"Probably just the danger of his ears falling off." One of Tansy's brothers laughed as he said it and the rest of the family laughed.

Xer'tal didn't like the comment or the laughter to begin with but it was the way Tansy's face flushed and her shoulders hunched that did him in. "Her chatter got ye a trade deal with the kobolds, one of the very first of its kind. No one has been able to do that before her." His eyes narrowed slightly, his censure clear. He didn't like how her family treated her, this was no good natured teasing, this was malicious. He wouldn't stand for that, not at all.

"I agree, it can't be understated. Never thought her inability to stop chattering would pay off like that." Ricktus nodded, looking at Tansy with a bewildered sort of pride. "A once in a lifetime miracle that is."

"Getting her to be quiet would be a miracle." Another one of her brothers spoke and had her other brothers and even Rose laughing and Xer'tal's mood blackened further.

"Enough you guys, Tansy did well on this trip. We made a lucrative deal." Miriam lifted her hands, gesturing for them to settle down. "I never did hear your response, Xer'tal. Was there much excitement guarding Tansy?"

"No." He grunted, just barely holding back a sneer. "Tansy had that before she hired me. Bandit tried to have his way with her and she damn near cut his cock off for it." His tone was pure agitated gravel and a heavy silence fell as they looked between each other, clearly uncomfortable.

Ricktus gave a strained chuckle, "Surely you are just exaggerat-"

"No. A bandit tried to rape her and she only got away because she used her knife." He stared her father down. "That's why she hired me." Another thick and uncomfortable silence fell and he stood up. "She hired me for a reason, being quiet wouldn't have saved her from that fate. But her chattering kept us from a deadly encounter with a cutthroat that I've seen split men in two with his axe. Keep that in mind." With that he gave one more glance at Tansy and she was looking at him, a wide eyed look of bewilderment as if she hadn't expected anyone to defend her. He hated that, it made a bitter taste spread across his tongue, much like dragon's bile.

He was finding he didn't much care for her family. Not at all.