Opinions
The meeting ended after another hour of probing questions and frustrated declarations of 'I do not know.' Baan was more weary than he could remember ever being, and afraid the elders were not satisfied with his answers. They even interrogated Eafrida, urging her to describe his manner with her and her sister.
They seemed very concerned about how he acted, what he said, what the female felt when confronting him. It wasn't clear to Baan why this was so, but he guessed it was because he was a stranger. They called him 'outsider,' not... anything else. He reasoned that if he followed their lead, he would no longer cause them to be nervous, and perhaps they might accept him.
It was terribly important now that they accept him.
When they all left the tent and went their separate ways, Alric guided him toward another shelter. The sun had gone down, and the folk of the camp had retired for the night. Baan's gaze locked on Eafrida, and he felt a slight tremor of longing, watching her enter a different shelter than the one Alric was heading for.
"Eafrida sleeps in her own place?" he asked, and Alric gave him a slightly hostile look.
"Never you mind what the girl does," he snapped, gesturing the Orc into his shelter. "She is not your concern."
The inside of Alric's shelter was comfortable and warm. Baan's eyes scanned the contents, noting bundles of hides and various tools he did not recognize. A large pallet of furs lay in one corner. There were no other exits than the one he'd walked through. This made Baan nervous, which in itself caused him to question himself. Why should he need more than one doorway? It made no sense.
Even as the thought confounded him, he realized Alric was standing directly in front of him with a stern look on his face. He started with surprise.
"I have seen your eyes on my granddaughter," he hissed. "Point them elsewhere."
Baan stammered, "Guh-grand-..."
"Eafrida," Alric snapped. "She is the child of my son. You look at her in a way I do not like. I do not want her feeling threatened by you, so you will stop. Do I make myself clear?"
He should have known the urges were bad, Baan thought. They caused him to harm himself; they would likely make him hurt her as well. Nodding, he said, "I will stop looking at her."
Somewhat mollified, Alric released some of his tension. "You will sleep here tonight. If the elders vote in favor of letting you join us, you may stay here then, as well. What... well, perhaps you do not know. No matter. Answers will never be known if questions are not asked. What skills do you have?"
Baan shrugged. "I try to fish, but the tall birds and the smooth swimmers are much better. I try to swim, but I must breathe, and so I cannot stay long. I try to hunt, but most animals smell me coming. They do not hear me, though." He grinned, rather proud of that fact at least.
Blinking at the display of the Orc's sharp, brutish teeth, Alric shook himself. "Is that so? Perhaps you are suited to hunting and fishing, then. I do not think you would do well on your own with the horses."
"Horses?" Baan said. "What are they?"
"Very tall animals," Alric replied, and began preparing a pallet for Baan on the far side of the shelter from his own. Calm and civil the Orc may be, but Alric was no fool. He took several bundles and knelt to unroll them into a reasonably thick mattress.
"Like milady's mûmakil?" Baan asked, arching an eyebrow.
Alric chuckled. "No, not near as tall as that. So Aelfled has schooled you in 'proper' form, eh?"
"Did I not say it right?" Baan said worriedly.
Shaking his head, Alric smiled. The Orc was certainly unsure of nearly everything, but he supposed that was understandable. He wished to act like one of the good people, yet only knew how the bad people behaved. It must be a great struggle for him to do one thing when his instincts told him another.
"You do not offend," Alric assured him. "Aelfled has similarly put her brother up to such nonsense, treating her like royalty. You are no different." He paused for a moment, and wondered at what he just said. Glancing up at the Orc, he tried to see him as Aelfled must see him; simply a lost man in need of friendship. It was difficult to ignore the brutal lines of his face, the predator's teeth, the rough hide... But he could almost see past them. Perhaps in another day or two, if Baan continued to be this benign creature now standing in his tent, Alric might see him as something else.
Hengist sat in his shelter with his wife, mulling over what he saw in the Tent of the Three as she fussed with their bedding.
"It makes me nervous," Cynwise said quietly. She'd fluffed the same pillow three or four times now without realizing it.
"Understandable," he allowed, nodding absently.
"Such a creature in our midst," she added. "We have endeavored to keep their like out. Now you must vote to let one in?"
"You did not see him," Hengist said mildly. "Were he one of the Orcs we have encountered before, I would agree with you. Those of the Black Land have given us no reason to think of them as anything but beasts. In this Orc, however, I see something else."
"What may that be?" she asked skeptically.
"Well, I have never felt moved to suggest gentle treatment with regards to his kind before," he pointed out. "Yet his... dare I call it innocence? His countenance begs a fresh look at these creatures. Alric said he sensed no malice in the Orc. I saw none."
"Could he have deceived..."
"Nay," Hengist said, shaking his head. "Not so well, for so long. We asked him many questions. Most he had no answer to. He grew frustrated... with himself... for his ignorance. He did not lash out at us in word or deed."
"Still, he is an Orc. It is their nature..."
"I disagree," Hengist interrupted. "I watched him carefully as he spoke with us. I noted what he was looking at and how he looked at it. Apart from a trifle too much interest in Eafrida, which is Alric's issue to contend with, he did not strike me as deceitful."
"Are you saying that all we have known of Orcs..."
"No, not all we have known, nor do I imply his behavior should dictate how we treat with Orcs in the future," Hengist reasoned. "I simply say that this Orc... or whatever he truly is... stands alone. He is an individual and should not be condemned for the deeds of his fellows if he does not embrace such ways. It might be the nature of Orcs to be cruel, but I do not believe such a thing is in Baan's nature. It would be unfair to treat him as if it was, especially when he has given every impression that it isn't."
"I suppose you have a point," Cynwise allowed. "I do not think I can trust as easily as you, even if I were to meet him myself."
Hengist laughed. "Oh, I do not trust him. Not by a long mile. Let us say that I give him a chance to earn my trust. Were he an Orc like those we have met before, and approached us as they always have, I would not grant him such a boon."
"They shall both outvote me, mark you," Sighard grumbled to his wife as he paced the floor of his own shelter. Beornwyn sat apart so not to obstruct his path, and perched on the edge of a camp stool, wringing her hands. "We shall have an Orc among us by nightfall tomorrow. Nay, we have one now, for he beds down in Alric's hut as we speak!"
"Béma spare us!" she cried, her wide eyes fixed fearfully on her husband.
"Likely find the old man butchered come morning," he snarled under his breath. "And that beast sucking the marrow from his bones." His wife covered her mouth swiftly and tried not to vomit at the image.
"Chasing after the children," Sighard went on. "Lusting after the women."
Her breathing quickened as her fear mounted. Sighard was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to spare worry over her.
"You should carry your sword at all times," he advised. "Keep it loose in the scabbard even in the safety of the camp. Alric and Hengist in their 'wisdom' will see to it that the camp is no longer safe."
"Yes, husband," she breathed. Though her courage found her when it was needed, it was often lost to her when Sighard was present. He had, for so many years, been her champion. Beornwyn hadn't needed her own courage when he had so much to spare. Because of this lack, there was no one whose words could frighten her more than his.
"The decision is at first light," he informed her. "Assuming the beast does nothing to prevent it, such as sneaking out and assaulting that Eafrida girl who found him. I saw the look he gave her. Likely plotting how he may spirit her away long enough for..."
"Sighard!" his wife cried.
"Forgive me," he said, only slightly chagrined. "Few enough of us remember your cousin all those years ago..."
"I do not wish to remember her now," she said stiffly and looked away.
"It is a great concern," he insisted. "They did not wish to be reminded, either. I think I shall bring it up tomorrow, lest they make a foolish decision without thought."
"They'll make him go away!" Aelfled wailed in her mother's arms. "It is not his fault he's ugly!" Eafrida had never seen the girl so distraught. Eadgyd rocked her and spoke soothing words, but seemed otherwise at a loss.
"Come now, Aelfled," her sister pleaded. "He is an outsider. The Three must decide for Baan as they did when Deorwine's family wished to join us. They will treat him fairly; you know they will. Regardless of what he looks like."
"They won't," she insisted. "They don't like me. They'll send him away because I like him. He's my Baan!"
"Dearest," Eadgyd admonished gently, "that is not true. Your grandfather loves you very much. Hengist has never voiced a low opinion of you."
"He thinks you are quite the lady," Eafrida offered encouragingly.
"Sighard doesn't like me," Aelfled pointed out.
Eafrida rolled her eyes. "Sighard is Ebba's grandfather. I think nothing more needs to be said."
"Shame on you," Eadgyd said without conviction, but with some struggle to hide her smile. "They will not make a poor decision, Aelfled dear. The Three must take all of our lives into account. If they feel Baan poses a threat, they will naturally send him away."
"Did he... did he backtalk?" Aelfled sniffled, her large wet eyes fixed on her sister.
"No," Eafrida said, smiling a little. "He was a gentleman. You taught him well." Aelfled relaxed visibly.
"Off to bed with you," Eadgyd said, taking advantage of the girl's calm. "You have had a busy day."
The little girl slumped off to her pallet and snuggled in amongst the furs and blankets. She even allowed Eafrida to tuck her in. While her sister fussed, a mischievous gleam shown in Aelfled's eyes.
"I hope he stays with us," she whispered, and Eafrida smiled. "I think he is nice. He is ever so lonely. Perhaps you should kiss him. Just to see what it is like."
Eafrida's heart stopped for a moment, she was so shocked. Aelfled grinned at her and settled in, quite satisfied that she had surprised her sister so thoroughly.
"Aelfled," Eadgyd hissed. "What possessed you to say that?" As usual, the little girl's 'whispers' could be heard by any within shouting distance.
Pouting, Aelfled pretended to already be asleep. Eafrida left her and went to sit by Eadgyd.
"What on earth..." the older woman began, but Eafrida held up a hand, eying her sister suspiciously.
"I'm of a mind to take a little walk, Eadgyd," she said conversationally. "Would you join me?"
"Certainly," Eadgyd replied, and followed her out.
When they were a fair distance from the shelter, Eadgyd stopped. "Tell me what is going on."
Feeling caught in a trap, Eafrida sighed. It was not like she was a very young child, after all. "I allowed Deorwine to kiss me," she said. "Aelfled saw, and is stricken with shock that I do not now wish to marry him."
Eadgyd bowed her head to hide her amusement. "That child... so full of fancy." Looking up, she shook her head. "He will be terribly disappointed when he returns."
Worry creased Eafrida's forehead. "I know. Part of me hopes he does not come back. I do not wish to hurt him. Had he not been called to war, I would have... eventually... told him." She briefly covered her face with her hands, then looked pleadingly at Eadgyd. "I do not hope he is slain, I promise you that. I am just so... ashamed that I lacked the courage..."
"It is all right, I do not think that of you. I am certain he will come back; they will all come back," Eadgyd said with false certainty. "You will find a way to ease him into understanding the truth."
"I hope so."
"What worries me is that Aelfled seems to want you to look upon this... Baan... with favor," Eadgyd said carefully, her distaste difficult to hide. "She does not seem to understand..."
"She doesn't," Eafrida said urgently. "Nor should she be made aware. The girl has no secrets, so neither does anyone who confides in her. Grandfather recommended we not call Baan 'Orc.' He suspects Baan will not take it well, and it is not possible to predict how he may react. She must not be told," she repeated.
"But you know how she is," Eadgyd said. "She has evidently gotten it into her head that Baan is a good match for you. She must be made to understand at least that such a thing is... well... it cannot happen," she concluded awkwardly.
"No, it can't," Eafrida said quietly, her thoughts beginning to roam. Eadgyd watched the girl's features soften; could nearly see the wheels turning.
"Eafrida," she said carefully, "what... do you think of him?"
Startled from her reverie, she shook her head. "He is... not what I expected."
"Are you not... repelled by him?" she asked quietly.
Eafrida's eyes twitched and she swallowed hard, but she could not seem to speak.
"I see," Eadgyd said with alarm.
