Page 12 of The Physician's Barbarian
I followed her out of Maman’s tent and away, toward the other side of the encampment. The whole thing was set up in a wheel and spoke pattern, surrounding a huge fire and the large tent I’d waited in when I arrived. The forest butted up against the encampment on one side, the field for the horses on the opposite side. It was a modest little village, but not as harsh asI’d expected. My interactions thus far had all been positive. They seemed curious about me, but not angry or judgmental. And from what I’d seen so far, no one was showing any signs of being abused.
It made me wonder if everyone was really well behaved during the first days of a tribute’s arrival or if the rumors about these clans were exaggerated. There had to be some truth to it, rumors didn’t come from nowhere, but I wasn’t sure how much was true and how much was a lie.
Zoya paused near the end of a line of tents, listening. I wasn’t sure what for until a loud moan ripped through the quiet. I blinked rapidly, feeling my cheeks flush.
Zoya snickered, waving away my concern when I took a step back. “There isn’t a ton of privacy when the walls are this thin. And Simon and Feigrand are… amorous. We’ve all learned to wait and listen to make sure no one interrupts them.”
Another groan, this one lower, made my cheeks burn hotter. Was it just me, or were both noises distinctly male?
“We can wait over by the fire,” she said, waving a little farther away. “I’m sure they won’t be too long.”
I eagerly followed her, the sounds of the two males echoing through my head. No one else seemed fazed by it, and plenty of people were near enough to hear them. They were loud enough that we could still hear them sitting by the fire, but no one else paid any mind. Meanwhile, I was trying not to burst into flames from embarrassment. Even when I was married, I was never so… boisterous.
Godr appeared by the campfire with Finn by his side. He noticed me and Zoya and cocked his head curiously as he came to join us, saying something that Finn translated for me.
“What are you two doing here?”
Zoya waved behind her toward the direction of the couple we were waiting on. “I wanted to get Simon to help me with something.”
“Oh, me too,” Finn said brightly. “Is he still sleeping or?—”
Another chorus of groans, this time both of them at the same time, cut him off. I felt vindicated that someone else had the same reaction I did when Finn flushed bright red, his eyes wide as saucers. Then Godr said something that made Finn burst into giggles, as did Zoya. I was the odd man out, staring at them like they’d lost their minds.
“He said they arrived in time for the conclusion, but he used a word that also means climax,” Zoya explained, still snickering. “It’s apropos.”
Ah. It probably would have been funny if I understood him. I let it go, watching and listening as the clan interacted with each other. A few greeted Godr with playful pushes and back slaps, and one ruffled Finn’s hair like an affectionate older brother might. They were all so friendly, not at all what I was expecting. There weren’t many women in this area, but the few who passed by were all smiling and seemed happy. It was a little jarring when I compared it to what I’d expected.
“They’re not as bad as people think,” Zoya said quietly beside me. She must have noticed me watching them.
“Then why the rumors?” I asked.
“You’d be surprised how the actions of a few affect all the clans,” she said with a frown. “There are two clans where the rumors are true, and where the fear is based. It’s why the good clans are so willing to bring their tributes here first to learn the language. They want the tributes to know they’re safe. That not all clans will be like the rumors say.”
“There used to be three,” Finn added, coming to sit beside Zoya. Godr was nearby, still joking around with his friends. I watched him as Finn explained what had happened to that otherclan—The Fer’na Clan—how they’d attacked this one, tried to assault and steal tributes, and lost half their people in the fight. Then, when members of the Fer’na clan began to flee, to protect their own tributes from the people they called brother, some of the members here stepped in and put an end to them. It was rumors about those clans that made everyone so afraid, and were the sole reason I hadn’t even asked if Sebastian could come with me.
Godr wasn’t anything like what they were describing from that bad clan. He had an easy smile, what looked like a playful nature with his friends, and even though we didn’t know each other, I wasn’t afraid of him. If I hadn’t been thrust into this awkward situation with him, we might even have been friends. Back before I became a physician with no time to socialize, I enjoyed hanging out with my friends and letting loose. It was just the expectation of sex that made things awkward.
Claps and teasing jeers drew my attention away from Godr and over my shoulder to where a couple had emerged from their tent holding hands, both disheveled and clearly satisfied from their time together. The smaller one with dyed hair smirked and bowed, completely unbothered that they’d been overheard. The big barbarian by his side just rolled his eyes, guiding the smaller man to the fire with a hand on his back.
Finn was the first to greet them, waving at the smaller man. “Hi, Simon.”
Simon cocked his head, eyes narrowed for a moment. “Did you do what I told you to do?”
To my surprise, Finn flushed bright red, ducking his head when a few barbarians turned to look at him curiously. I was going to say something because he was obviously embarrassed, and I didn’t like the idea of them teasing the shy man, but Godr stepped in before I could, throwing his arm around Finn’sshoulder. He said something in the barbarian language and thankfully, Zoya translated for me so I wasn’t left out of the loop.
“Finn has come to request your teachings, Simon. He wishes to make a gift for his bondmate.” He tapped the necklace on his chest in emphasis, successfully drawing the conversation into safer territory. “He has had no success with carving. I thought clay would be easier.”
I appreciated the way he came to Finn’s rescue, and Finn’s grateful smile helped me relax. Simon waved the comment away, dropping to sit on the log next to the one Zoya and I sat on.
“That’s fine. I promised to help Maman with the pots anyway since she’s sick. I had to distract Feigrind from hovering just to give her a break.” He shot a lecherous look at the barbarian behind him, whose gaze was equally heated. It was a little shocking seeing two men so outward with their affections for one another. That kind of behavior didn’t exist in the towns. I knew men who were interested in other men, but they had to live in hiding to protect themselves. If they knew they could just be themselves in clans like this and that the rumors were unfounded, they’d probably come running to join them. Maybe if they did, the idea of tributes could go away.
Nine
“Simon, I could also use your help if you have a few spare moments,” Zoya said, interrupting the flirting with a patient smile on her face, speaking in the common tongue for my benefit.
Simon frowned, and I saw the man he’d been flirting with stiffen when his lover’s expression changed. “Is something wrong?”
Zoya put her hands up placatingly, shaking her head. “Maman is fine. Just being stubborn. Ambrose here is a physician, and he made her some medicine that should help, but she’s being stubborn. I know better than to think Feigrind can get her to do anything she doesn’t want. She’s more likely to listen to you.”
