Charles Smith x Reader

Eleven

Your heart was pounding as your horse chased through the rain. The plain lay before you, lined with tents.

It smelled of furs stretched on wooden ramen and the fire that had been extinguished by the rain. You had never seen the tribe of Aponi up close before, you had never been allowed to, and you had never had the desire to be rude.

But at that moment you simply couldn't find an alternative.

"Aponi!", your voice tore through the roaring raindrops. "Aponi, I need your help!"

Headless, you let the horse run around between the tents, hoping that someone would take pity on you and help you. The silence in the camp was almost deafening.

"Aponi...", hope began to choke your throat. "Help... help, someone's dying!"

The horse neighed. Other horses replied.

Tired, you tugged at your mane. Exhaustion spread through your bones. All of a sudden you felt so fragile. It was freezing cold. Water dripped from your arms. Everything was wet and muddy.

"Damn...", gritting your teeth, you slipped off the horse's back and walked towards one of the tents.

The glow of a fire flickered behind it. Warmth soothed your bones. Your hand reached out for the entrance, but you stopped.

How would you feel if someone stormed into your home?

Some of the natives couldn't even understand English. After all, that was the language of the settlers and not their own.

How would they feel if you took them by surprise and begged for something they didn't understand?

Helplessly you turned in circles. Mud covered your shoes.

"Aponi...", all you could voice was desperation. "Where... Aponi, where are you?! I need help... Please..."

Something rustled behind you.

Full of hope, your head whipped around.

Suddenly there were old eyes looking at you. Thin lips moved and a hand with long, thin fingers reached out towards you.

Surprised, you jumped back and bowed.

"Forgive me...", you weren't sure if the woman could understand what you were saying, but you didn't want to give the impression that you were a threat. "I... Aponi? I have to see Aponi."

Dark eyes moved. She curled her lips. Then her gaze moved to look at something behind you.

"(Y/N)!", all of a sudden a cold hand wrapped around your wrist.

Startled, you tried to pull away. But Aponi held you with such strength that it only made you hurt your own wrist.

"Aponi!", with a gasp you grabbed her by the shoulders. "I need your help!"

"What are you doing here?!", shock was written all over her face. "You should..."

With a sorry look on her face she did a gesture towards the old woman so that she'd return to the warm inside of her tent.

"I- I know! I know and I'm sorry, but I need your help. Anyone's help."

"You need to go. Now!", desperately, she tried to shove you back to your horse.

But you turned on your heel and grabbed both of her hands.

"Someone is dying!", you gasped, desperation flickering in your eyes.

"You're on sacred land!"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Aponi but-!"

"Aponi!", a deep voice cut through the sound of the rain.

Struck by surprise, you sucked in a sharp breath.

Pulling a face, Aponi squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her gaze. She muttered something under her breath before she freed herself from your grip.

Calmly, she faced the man who had just appeared. A word left her lips and his expression softened. It must have been a kind of affection.

Your gaze wandered over his face. He didn't look similar to her, so they couldn't have been related.

"Is that..?", she silenced you with a raised hand.

"Don't be...", she cursed under her breath. "...rude. Not now. Let me speak."

Her gaze returned to the native man in front of her. A few words left her lips that you failed to understand. The man replied something, eyebrows drawn together.

He didn't give off any kind of anger or aggression. All he wanted was for this uninvited stranger to leave his home.

The conversation went on for a few moments in which everyone turned as physical wet as possible. Masses of water soaked into your clothes and made it feel like the world tried to push down your shoulders.

Then, finally, the man's attention jumped to you.

You lowered your head.

"Hello.", you muttered.

He looked confused. Aponi translated. With his eyebrows raised he nodded and replied something.

"This is Elsu...", she needed to pause in search of a word that she couldn't quite translate. "Son of the chief. He... is my... future."

"Your future... husband?", you asked carefully.

"What is that?"

"Someone you love.", you patted your chest where the beating of your heart pounded against your ribs. "Someone you want to be with. Till you die."

She shook her head.

"We will... love past death.", she smiled at Elsu. "In spirit..."

Surprisingly, Elsu's stony expression softened as soon as her smile touched his sight. His eyes went shiny and with a smile as equally loving he offered her a hand.

She took it, said a few words and then looked at you.

"You need to talk to the chief.", she said, all serious again. "And apologise."

"Of course.", with a sigh, you wiped your face with both hands. "I just- Aponi I-!"

"Please. Clam.", she did a gesture that told you to follow her. "This is a... gift. From me. To you. And... Elsu. He wouldn't... but for me."

Your gaze returned to the man who kept staring at you with those watchful eyes. He seemed like he needed to have an eye on the unknown at all times or else it would make the whole world burn.

And perhaps he was right. Sometimes being too careless is make the world burn.

With a nod, you pressed a hand to your chest.

"Please tell him I'm very grateful.", you asked.

Aponi nodded, said something in her mother tongue and then pointed towards a tent that seemed larger than the rest.

"We need to go there.", she grabbed your arm. "Be respectful. Since you weren't because you came here."

Swallowing hard, you nodded.