Tansy of the Wilds

Chapter Thirty-One

A warmth spread through Xer'tal as her words hit him like a blow to the chest, igniting a glow in the recesses of his heart that he'd never felt before. He caught her waist with a broad palm, pulling her closer like he had always imagined he could. It felt better than any image he could have conjured. His gaze was heavy on hers, filled with a promise, an unspoken oath. "I'm your orc." He said, the words sounding different coming from his throat. Perhaps because they were true. He was and she loved him, orc and all.

Archibald chuckled, "Well, it seems we have ourselves a plan," His voice was laced with a hint of mischief. "Let's go get you two married."

Xer'tal raised a large hand, halting the older man. "Wait," he commanded, his eyes never leaving Tansy's face. "Before we do this," his deep voice swirling around them, "I need to know yer sure." He was known for his decisiveness, his ability to make snap judgments on the battlefield and in brawl-filled taverns. But this... this was different. Matters of the heart were complicated and no matter how much badly he wanted to hoist her over his shoulder and cart her off, he had to make sure. "Be certain about this, Tansy. It's a commitment, not a whim. Once I have you, I will never let you go." He didn't want this to be something that she felt because her only other alternative was Tenzin, the fucking pissant. And the moment he had her in his arms to stay, he would never let her go again.

He watched as she tilted her head, his stomach squeezing slightly. "Are you sure, Xer'tal? Because this is not a whim for me, I think I fell in love with you the moment when we were heading you Berget and you told me I needed to start talking again because you missed it. Who could not love a man who does such a thing? Especially for me." The revelation left Xer'tal stunned. His brow furrowed, his gaze resolute as he mulled over the weight of her words.

A few heartbeats passed in intense silence as he, typically a creature who found comfort in non-verbal communication, analyzed her assertion. It was strikingly vulnerable, her confession, sparking an inferno of hidden sentiments within his heart. A tender smile slowly spread across his face, matching the affectionate glow he knew was mirrored in his eyes.

In response, he squeezed her gently, teetering between his usual gruffness and the tender heart that had suddenly grown for Tansy. "Love's a word not thrown around lightly by my kin, Tansy." He admitted, eyes never leaving her face. "But in yer case, I do. I love ya. Ya are the sheathe to my blade, the hearth of my home, the breath of my sun, my Amauk'awa." His burning gaze caged her once again as he leaned in, dropping his voice to a gravelly whisper. "So yes, I'm sure. Sure as my axe's edge, as steel's strength, and a warrior's oath." His gaze held a promise, fieriness in their depths reflecting Tansy's. "I'm yours completely, Tansy."

His hand found its way to her cheek, thumb rubbing gently against her skin - a quiet affirmation of his words. The fear and uncertainty were replaced with a stoic commitment, a silent pledge made under the hammering sounds of a team building new walls and the watchful gaze of an old meddler.

He felt her lean into his touch, her smile soft and her gaze tender as it looked up at him. "You stole my heart in the smallest of moments, when I was not expecting it. It is a theft I will never complain about nor would I ever ask for it back." She smoothed that smooth palm against his jaw in a gentle caress that had him shivering, heat in his veins. "You can keep it, my heart is yours for however long you wish to keep it." Her voice was soft, sweet, and so damned genuine.

"Bah! You two will rot what little teeth I have left with your sweetness." Archibald pulled them out of that moment where it was just them in the world. Xer'tal stood straighter, looking at the old man as he leaned against his walking stick, his eyes dancing.

Xer'tal let loose a gravelly chuckle as he pulled back from touching Tansy. The old man's amusing outburst and realistic outlook couldn't delay the burgeoning urge to mock the know-it-all meddler. "If human sentimentality could cause tooth decay, Archibald." He smirked tugging up his lips, exposing a tusk more, "I hazard a guess there'd be none of ye lot with a full set of teeth."