Tansy of the Wilds

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Xer'tal had anticipated a swift breakfast with some light teasing and orcish lessons with Tansy but the sudden intrusion and Tansy's abrupt departure left him with a grumbling stomach and a rising suspicion. He gnawed on a piece of bacon, obstinate silence settling among him and Archibald. The taste was good but he found himself irked and distracted.

"You should go see what the fuss was about too." Archibald's voice was even, a little too even, and when Xer'tal glanced at him the old man looked almost sly.

However it wasn't enough to get him to ask the old man what that look was about. Xer'tal rose from the table with a grunt as he gave the old man a curt nod. "I'll go check on her." He ignored Archibald's sly smirk in favor of striding out of the cozy cabin Tansy called home. His steps were quick, directed by an internal compass of unease, leading him straight to the gathering at the edge of the settlement.

The moment his keen eyes found Tansy, they narrowed, a familiar tinge of jealousy sparked at the sight of the tall elf's fingers wrapped around her wrist, tracing patterns into her palm with an intent look. Xer'tal saw red. "What's this?" With a threatening growl, his voice thundered out, the words imbued with a hint of danger. He knew he had no claim, no right to question Tansy's interactions and yet, a primal urge was kindling within him. The orcish need to stake his claim, to claim his territory.

The orc towered over the assembly, fists clenched at his sides, the steel of his broad axe glinting ominously across his back. He cast an imposing shadow, his eyes seeking out the elf. "How dare you walk into my territory and touch my-" He cut himself off, his gaze snapping to Tansy. The damned woman spoke orcish and he couldn't just lay claim to her like that.

However she didn't seem to catch what he said, much to his relief as she gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Xer'tal. He doesn't know where he is." She crouched in front of the elf and that didn't soothe that bubbling jealousy in his gut at the fact the elf was touching her at all.

The elf looked up from her hand, his eyes intent, studying her face as she said something in lilting elvish. His response was long and drawn out. Xer'tal resisted the urge to snort as he crossed his arms over his chest. The elves were always too bloody flowery in their language but during it he let Tansy's wrist go, a small relief but Xer'tal wanted pretty boy elf as far away from Tansy as he could possibly fucking get.

She asked him another question in elvish and the elf nodded. She asked another one and the elf silently stood up. Tansy followed suit as the elf said something and bowed his head at her, his fist over his chest before he shouldered his bow.

Tansy turned and smiled at Xer'tal and her brothers. "He is a deep forest elf, got sick and wandered into the lumber yard." Xer'tal didn't give two shits what happened as his eyes were on the elf as those long fingered hands reached up and pulled her hair out of her bun. The brown waves bounced down her back and Xer'tal could barely repress a growl at the sight of it. "I can take him the Grenwick elves and they will be able to see to getting him home."

The elf's hands stilled in her hair. "Grenwick?" The word was clear but Xer'tal eyes were narrowing on where the elf seemed to be braiding her hair.

"She's a goddamned changeling, Briar." Cedar muttered it to Briar and Xer'tal watched as Tansy started walking the elf following close behind, his fingers still carding through her hair.

Xer'tal couldn't stop himself as a growl rumbled his chest at the sight of those pale elvish fingers stroking her silken hair. "Back off!" Xer'tal growled it, striding over to Tansy with a frown etched in his brutish features. He ignored the sidelong glances from the surrounding folk as he reached out and practically yanked the elf's fingers from Tansy's hair. "Yer gonna cease that. Touch her again, and ya will find yerself split in fuckin' half!" He pushed the elf back and the elf said something in rapid elvish, his hands twitching over his bow, his eyes narrowed.