Under The Full Moon

The Stranger

Gale woke in the morning, nestled against Broin's side. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she yawned and rolled over to face the man beside her. He hadn't moved, one arm rested over Gale's waist and the other tucked under his head. She watched him for a few minutes, taking in the peaceful expression on his face before she lifted a hand and brushed it softly over his cheek. Broin's only reaction to this was a soft sigh. Smiling, Gale moved her hand back from his cheek and shifted to get out of bed. Once she was up and out of bed, Gale went to the other side of the room. Gathering up a dress to wear and her money pouch, she looked at Nikan. The wolf lay on her side, her amber eyes following Gale. When she had looked at her, Nikan took this as a signal that everything was alright. As Gale watched, the she-wolf's eyes slipped closed again. Padding to the door, she peered over her shoulder one more time to check on Broin before she left the dwelling. Nikan had gotten to a point with Gale leaving the house that she didn't try to follow her as much unless Broin was not at home. This didn't bother Gale. She had gained a good deal of trust for the village and the people that called it home. However, she had forgotten the stranger that had arrived the previous evening.

Had Gale remembered the stranger, she would have stayed away from the marketplace that morning. However, that was where she felt drawn to. Her coin pouch made a cheerful sound against her hip, and she knew just what it was she wanted to buy. As she entered the marketplace, she could smell the sweet baked goods in some of the stalls. She stopped at one of the stalls, buying two of the sweet rolls that had been stocked by the older woman that ran it. One was for herself, and the other was for Broin. She nibbled at her own sweet roll as she walked the market, slowing down when a strange sensation began to wash over her. Looking to her right and ahead of her was the stall run by the stranger. However, instead of his leather cloak, he was clad in a dark set of clothes that made him look as though he were part of the shadows that the stall cover provided. He hadn't noticed her yet, his focus on the items that he had brought along with him to sell. Slowly, she began to walk again. As she tried to pass the stall, his head snapped up. The dark, golden color of his eyes locked on her own. Gale stiffened, just barely stopping the growl that had welled up in her throat. 

The man c****d his head to the side as though he could hear this without the sound actually leaving her throat. When he spoke, his voice was rough, sounding much like he had a sore throat. Through the mask, it sounded like he had growled at her instead. "Don't growl at me, child," 

Something about this sent a sensation over Gale. It made her feel as though she were a child again, facing off with a large dog that was bearing down on her. Gale's skin prickled, and she could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand. She felt a hand on her shoulder, a shriek leaving her throat as she spun around to face whoever it was that owned the hand. Looking up, she met Broin's gaze. He had been about to speak, though when she had screamed as she turned around, he stopped. A look of concern spread over his face as he watched her. 

"Gale, are you okay?" He asked, his voice just as concerned. Gale looked between the man and Broin, not quite sure what to say. How could she explain the feeling that she got from the man? How could she tell Broin that the sight of him made her dragon feel as though it were going to break forward and tear him limb from limb? She herself couldn't figure out what it was about him that made her feel that way. Broin looked from Gale to the man in the stall, though he had already gone back to working on putting things together. It was as though he had never even looked up from his work. 

Gale swallowed hard, moving a little to keep walking. Broin followed after her, worried. "There is something about him..." Gale whispered once they were out of sight and earshot. Broin looked at her curiously after this statement. 

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure. Whatever it is... my dragon doesn't like it. There's something about him that isn't... human," Gale looked over her shoulder toward the stall again. The man hadn't looked up, nor did he seem to be bothered by the interaction that they had had. Broin followed her gaze, briefly watching the man before he looked to Gale again.

"He has always been kind of odd, but he keeps to himself," He said, setting his hand on Gale's shoulder. This broke her from her gaze on the man, her eyes turning back to Broin. She sighed. He could see clearly that something was bothering her about the stranger, but he didn't press for what it was. Instead, he looked at the half-eaten roll in her hand. "I see Bell's rolls finally tempted you," He said in an attempt to lighten the mood. Gale looked at her roll as well. For a moment, it seemed to have worked. She smiled a little, holding up the one that she had been holding for him as well. 

"I thought you might like one too," She said softly, deciding to put aside the issue of the stranger for the time being. She watched as Broin took the roll, giving a soft laugh as he unwrapped it and took a bite. A blissful expression crossed his face, a light hum leaving his throat. 

"Not quite as good as those of Snow's mother, but they are fantastic," He said, moving a little to walk with Gale. He fell silent as they ate, resting an arm around her waist once he had finished. "I was a little worried when I woke up, and you weren't beside me. For a few seconds, I thought something had happened over at Snow's. I went to see Snow, and she said she had seen you walk by toward the market. I wanted to make sure you were alright," 

Gale listened to Broin as he spoke to her, her gaze lifting from the ground in front of her to rest on the man at her side. She smiled softly at him, turning to stand in front of him. Broin gave her a quizzical expression, watching her for a moment before she reached up and set her hand on his cheek. "You are too sweet," She said, her voice gentle. Broin smiled as well, turning his head to kiss her wrist. They stood this way for a moment longer before Broin took Gale's hand in his own and started toward the edge of the village, wanting to sit with her for a little while. To him, it was a nice way to begin the day.