Title: The Stray
Author: homesweethomicide13
Rating: T
Pairing: BardaLindal
Warning: None?
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters found in the books.
Summary: He's faced Vraal. He's faced the Shadow Lord. But this is one thing he cannot face…
Author's Note: This one-shot was written as a part of the Deltora Quest One-Shot Challenge. The challenge is open to anyone who wishes to take part, and the details for the challenge can be found in the main DQ Forum. Just click the link below to find out more! Each one-shot must contain several key features that have been listed in the forum. Help bring more wonderful stories to the Deltora Quest fandom by taking part, it's all for a bit of fun! .net/topic/4169/69621/2/
The Stray
The time of terror had passed, and Deltora was repairing itself quickly. For the first time in many long years, the people of the land were not half-starved and despairing. Lief stood beside the gates of the forge and took a deep breath of the cool, fresh air. It felt so nice to look up at the sky and see clear blue instead of angry red. He turned to look at the palace up on the hill and smiled. It was a new day, and it was time he got to work – a kingdom didn't run itself, after all.
Walking up to the palace was something he looked forward to every day. It was wonderful to stroll past the smiling faces of his people, knowing that because of him, their lives were taking a turn for the better. Well, not just because of him. Another smile made its way to his lips as he thought about his close circle of loyal friends, especially Barda and Jasmine, the two who had stood at his side through it all. Jasmine had already left for the palace when he'd woken. She was so used to rising at the break of dawn that she often slipped off somewhere whilst everyone slept. She was probably tending to the birds in the tower. Barda still insisted on sleeping at the palace, and Lief knew he would already be hard at work with his guards.
As he walked through the gates, he spotted his good friend standing beside the stable doors, with none other than Lindal. Lief grinned. He wondered how long it would be before Barda plucked up the courage to marry her. He was already planning on moving to Broome with her.
"Lief! Nice to see you awake at last." Jasmine dropped down from a nearby tree and grinned at him. "Doom is getting extremely cranky, by the by. Apparently there is some important tribe meeting that you needed to attend a while ago." Lief sighed. He'd forgotten all about it. "I think he wants to severely hurt Gers, too." She laughed. "The two of them got into an argument while they were waiting for you, and you know how Doom gets with his pride…" Lief nodded. He'd seen enough confrontations between Barda and Doom to know all about their pride.
"I suppose I owe everyone an apology." He sighed again. "But I was up late last night going through these papers…" Jasmine held up a hand.
"You do not have to make excuses to me, Lief." She smiled. "But you may want to make excuses to Barda, since he's coming over." Lief turned to see Barda walking towards them. Lief wet his lips and prepared himself for what he knew was coming.
"Ah, Lief. So nice of you to finally join us." Barda smirked. Lief opened his mouth to reply, but Barda held up his hand. "I am sure you have your reasons. But restraining an angry Jalis is not in my job description." Lief grimaced at the darkening bruise on Barda's jaw. "Gers can certainly throw a punch. I suppose it is my own fault – I did step between him and Doom in the middle of their fight."
"Sorry." Lief mumbled. "I was up late going through important documents…"
"I know the feeling." Barda laughed. Lindal appeared over Barda's shoulder, a smirk on her face.
"Brace yourselves. Here comes Gers." Barda sighed, and they turned to see the Jalis warrior strolling over. There was an angry red mark on his throat, and a dark bruise over his left eye. Lief's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Doom and Gers to actually fight with each other. He briefly wondered what injuries Doom was nursing, if any. The Jalis had reached them by now, and stood awkwardly in front of Barda.
"Barda." He muttered. Barda took a slight step backwards, and Lief noted – with a smile – how he shifted his body ever so slightly behind Lindal.
"Gers." Barda replied bluntly. The Jalis warrior shifted uncomfortably.
"I, er… came to apologise." He said quietly. "For striking you. I know it was an accident, but… Doom thought I should…" Barda stared at Gers in surprise. Not only had Doom suggested that Gers apologise, but Gers had actually listened. He smiled and stepped out from behind Lindal.
"Don't worry about it." He said to Gers. "It was either get between the two of you, or watch you try to kill each other, and as much as Doom and I argue, I would rather you didn't kill him." Gers smirked in response. "Now, since Lief was late to the meeting, it has put me off schedule. I have to get back to work, before the guards start to fall apart without my supervision." He strolled back over to the stable doors, where a young man in a pale blue uniform was coaxing a tan horse with a handful of hay.
"He has such faith in his men." Lindal laughed, watching as Barda pushed the young man aside and successfully coaxed the horse out with a couple of sugar cubes.
"Where is he going, do you know?" Lief asked. He knew that Barda usually only took out a horse when he had business in a far-away town or village.
"I think he mentioned some business he had to attend to in a town just north from here." Lindal told him. "He's only taking a handful of men with him, so it can't be anything too important." Lief nodded in understanding.
"Right. Well I suppose we should get to rescheduling this meeting…" He trailed off, and Jasmine stared at him in confusion.
"Lief, what is wrong?" She asked him. Lief was staring over at the stables with concern.
"I am not the one you should be asking that question." He nodded towards Barda, who had suddenly retreated from the stable doors, and was backed up against the perimeter wall of the palace. They all hurried over to see what was going on. "Barda? Are you okay?" Barda seemed very nervous, but he managed a smile.
"Fine. I'm fine." His voice had lost some of its strength. "There is nothing wrong, really. Everything is–," he cut off sharply and tried to sink further into the wall. Lindal frowned and noted that he was staring at something inside the stable. She walked over and peered in. "Don't go in there!" Barda called to her.
"Barda? What is in the stable?" Jasmine questioned. Lindal turned and walked away from the doors.
"I saw nothing in there." She stated. "Except this little thing." From behind her legs, a small furry muzzle poked out. A wonky, pointed ear appeared next, and one shiny brown eye. Jasmine's face broke out into a smile as she realized what it was. At the sight of all the people, the little creature bounded out from behind Lindal and stood in front of them, wagging a fluffy tail at them.
"Oh, he's adorable!" Jasmine cried, kneeling down and holding out her hand. The dog padded over to her and sniffed at her fingers, before licking the palm of her hand. "I haven't seen him here before." Lief looked down at the dog. It barely reached his knees, and was black in colour, with white and orange splodges over its body. Its paws were white, as was his muzzle. Its face was completely black, with an orange patch over one eye. One ear was white; the other – the wonky ear – was orange. There was no collar around its neck.
"I think he's a stray." Lief said with a smile. "A dog without a collar is rare in Del."
"Indeed it is." Doom had appeared from inside the stable. Lief quickly made a scan of his face, and noted that one cheek was bruised, and there was a cut beneath one eye. "You are right, Lief. This dog is a stray." Jasmine picked him up and cradled him in one arm.
"Who wouldn't want to own this cute little thing?" She asked, scratching the dog's stomach.
"Who would?" Came Barda's voice. They turned to face him, confused. Barda was staring at the dog, his eyes never leaving the bundle of fur in Jasmine's arms.
"Barda… is something wrong?" Gers asked with a raised eyebrow. "You appear to be uncomfortable." Barda swallowed hard and inched further away.
"I am perfectly fine." At his voice, the dog's ears perked up and he leapt out of Jasmine's arms and bounded over to Barda. "Whoa… stay!" He commanded. The dog stopped, and a long pink tongue poked between its jaws. "That's it. Just… stay there." Lindal smirked.
"Barda? Does the dog make you nervous?" She asked in a teasing voice. Barda blushed slightly.
"What? Of course not!" The dog took a couple of steps forward and Barda jerked further away from it. "I said stay there!" Lief swapped grins with Jasmine. Clearly Barda was nervous in the presence of the dog.
"Oh, there you are Scrappy!" The young man in the pale blue uniform – who Lief knew was Barda's young apprentice, Johan – walked calmly over to the dog and knelt beside it, scratching it behind its ears. "Are you making new friends?" Lief smiled.
"Does this dog belong to you, Johan?" The brunette guard looked up at Lief.
"Oh no, Your Majesty. But he likes to hang around the Guard's Corner a lot, probably because he gets lots of attention there. Myself and some other guards decided to call him Scrappy, so we had a name to refer to him by, instead of 'the stray'." Johan explained. "He certainly seems to like the Chief." Johan grinned at Barda.
"Johan, could you please get that thing out of here." Barda commanded. Johan frowned in confusion.
"Sir?"
"Are you questioning my order, Johan?" Barda's voice became sharp, and Johan quickly scooped the dog up.
"No, sir. I'll put him back in the stable. The horses like to have him around." Johan turned and strolled into the stable, Scrappy gazing over his shoulder.
"And ready my horse, Johan!" The young man nodded and set the dog down.
"Stay here, Scrappy, there's a good boy." He scratched him between the ears again, before turning towards the tan horse that was gently grazing in front of the stable. "Come now, Spirit. Let's get you all ready for the Chief." He walked over to the far wall of the stable, where the riding gear was located. "Now… what do I do first?" He picked everything up and struggled over to Spirit. "Was it the saddle first, or the bridle?" Barda covered his face with his hand.
"Oh come on Johan, how many times do I need to tell you?" He called to the brunette. Johan blushed and picked up a blanket decorated with the royal colours, and slipped it over the horse's back.
"Barda." Lindal drew his attention away from Johan. "Do you not like Scrappy?" She asked him with a smile. Barda straightened up instantly.
"I am not particularly fond of him, no." He replied calmly. Before he could comment further, Scrappy appeared in the entrance to the stables and began bolting towards Barda. "Oh no…" Without realizing what he was doing, he quickly moved behind Lindal. "Stay!" He ordered, and Scrappy stopped, tail still wagging. "Why does this mutt insist on coming near me?" Lindal stepped forward and picked Scrappy up.
"You know… I think you are afraid of him." She said to Barda. "You're scared of dogs, aren't you?" Heat rose to Barda's face.
"No!" He barked. "I am not." But he knew he'd answered far too quickly. Jasmine laughed quietly. Lief, Doom and Gers were all grinning. Lindal had that teasing smile on her face, and there was something in her eyes that he didn't like.
"Then you won't have a problem with petting him, will you?" He paled. She wanted him to touch it? "Go on, Barda. Pet him."
"I would rather not." He replied, his voice cracking. "He is filthy and, and… well…"
"He is harmless." Lindal smirked. "Just pet him between the ears. I am sure he will leave you alone after that."
"But that's the end with teeth!" It was out before he could stop it. When he saw their smiles, Barda knew there was no going back. "Okay, I may be slightly… uncomfortable around dogs." He admitted. "But I am not scared!"
"Of course not." Doom murmured smoothly. Barda scowled and turned to him.
"As if you aren't scared of anything." He growled. Lief sighed. He hoped this wouldn't turn into other argument.
"Barda. Just pet him." Jasmine said quickly. "He won't hurt you, and it will help you overcome your… uncomfortable feeling."
"Nicely chosen words." Lief muttered to her, and received a grin in return.
"You've faced Vraal, Barda. You've faced the Shadow Lord! And yet you cannot pet a harmless dog?" Lindal sighed. "You wouldn't want your men to think their brave Chief is afraid of touching a lively bundle of fur now, would you?" She added quietly. She knew just the right thing to say when it came to Barda. Scowling, he lifted his hand. The scowl slowly faded as he reached out towards the dog. He became aware that his breathing had quickened, and he forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. His fingers gently brushed the fur on top of Scrappy's head. "Do it properly." Lindal ordered. He laid his hand on the dog's head, and Scrappy nuzzled at it. "Well, he certainly does like you." Lindal laughed, as Scrappy licked at Barda's hand. He yipped happily, and Barda quickly retracted his hand.
"There. I pet him, now will you let this go?" He asked, wiping his hand on his jacket.
"Alright." Lindal smiled. Johan strolled over, holding Spirit's reins.
"Here, sir. Your horse is ready." He smiled. "And the men are all set to go, too." Barda nodded.
"Alright. Well, I have business to attend to." He said to his friends. "I will see you all later."
*
When he returned later that day, he walked into the kitchen to find Scrappy on top of the table, lapping at a dish of milk. Everyone was seated around the table, talking amongst themselves.
"What is that mutt doing here?" He asked them. Lief grinned.
"Well Scrappy spent the day with us, and he has grown quite attached to Lindal." For the second time that day, Barda paled and a sense of panic began to rise. He met Lindal's eyes.
"No." He said quickly. "No… I know what you're thinking, and don't." She reached out to pet Scrappy.
"He's coming to live with me in Broome." She said firmly. Barda held up his hands.
"No. No, no, no." She stood up and folded her arms over her chest and stared at him defiantly.
"It is my house, Barda. Scrappy does not have a home, and he enjoys both our company. Besides, the house is far too quiet for my liking. A dog is perfect." She stated. Barda sighed.
"I am not comfortable with the idea of that… that thing being near me every hour of every day."
"Well you don't have to live in my home. You can find somewhere else to stay." She scowled. "Scrappy, why don't we go for a walk now?" The dog barked in response and jumped down off the table. Lindal pushed past Barda, Scrappy at her heels. An awkward silence fell in the kitchen. Barda was staring down at the floor.
"That was nicely handled." Doom commented. Barda looked up and met his eyes.
"I don't have time for this, Doom." He sighed wearily. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left the kitchen. There was a conflict going on in his mind and he needed somewhere quiet and secluded to sort it out. He wanted so much to live with Lindal in Broome, but he just wasn't comfortable with that dog… He suddenly realized how stupid it all sounded. "Am I really going to let a small phobia get in between us?" He asked himself. "It's a dog. I can get over it." He walked out into the gardens and spotted Lindal sat on a bench, Scrappy in her lap. He smiled and walked over to her. "Is it alright if I sit here?" He asked quietly. She nodded briefly. He took a seat beside her and sighed. "Lindal… I'm sorry about earlier." She glanced at him. "Listen, I really want to move to Broome with you. I can't even begin to explain how much I want to." A slight smile tugged at her lips. "And I am not going to let a pet ruin what we have." As if to prove a point, he reached out and ruffled the fur on Scrappy's head.
"I'm glad of that." Lindal said with a smile. There was a long silence. "We're not very good at this, are we?"
"At what?" Barda asked, mildly confused.
"Well… the romance part of our relationship." She sighed. "I guess neither of us have any experience–," she was cut off the moment Barda's lips brushed hers. The kiss was short and sweet, and he broke it quickly, settling back onto the bench and avoiding her gaze. She paused for a moment, still shocked, and then glanced sideways at him. It may have been the light, but she was sure that he was blushing. Smiling, she reached over and linked their fingers together, and rested her head on his shoulder. Scrappy yipped and leapt onto Barda's lap, curling up and resting his head on their joined hands. Barda smiled. He was normally uncomfortable with displays of affection, but with Lindal… it just seemed so right. I'll marry her one day… if she doesn't kill me for asking, of course.
And maybe, just maybe… their new dog would gain some new playmates. Lindal had said that her house was too quiet for her liking. He smirked.
Well, a dog and a few children would certainly change that.