Chapter 7: Friends?

There was a large commotion that can be heard below as Garren descended from his tower.

A group of orc's were huddled together, grunting and taunting, holding their weapons towards the intruder who was currently squatting on the ground crying.

" huuh.. huhuhu.."

Surgug was leading him towards the cluster of orc's.

"Here chief! We caught human girl hiding behind tree." Surgug proudly announced.

"Waaa.. huhu.." The girl continued to cry while being surrounded by orc's.

When Garren reached the group of orc's, one orc gave way so that he can pass through and see their captive.

*Sigh* "Why am I not surprised?.. Yuna could you stop crying."

Yuna who was covering her face with her hands while crying, surprised by the familiar cold voice looked up.

"G-gaaaren!!? Gaareen! huhu saave me!huhu!"

Yuna still in shock did not stop crying even though she already saw Garren.

Already irritated by her cries Garren said. "Tsk.. Yuna stop crying already! Or do you want me to let them eat you?"

Yuna eventually stopped crying, but she was still rubbing her eyes and sniffling.

He complimented the orc's for their great job capturing the girl, then ordered them to disperse and go back to work.

The orc's obeyed and went on their way. Two were casually talking while walking back to chop trees.

"kishi kishi what you think chief do to girl?" Gossip orc 1

"Maybe want for mate ha! ha! ha!" Gossip orc 2

Garren ignored the orc's, then knelt down to talk to Yuna who was still on the ground squatting.

"Yuna are you here to steal weeds from me again?" He said with his usual cold tone.

"G-garren why are there o-orc's here? I was afraid to come here for the p-past few days because of how you acted back at the elder's h-house, I thought maybe you need some t-time alone. Today I finally d-decided to come here to see if y-your still around and pick some herbs, but a-after I neared Sifon I heard noises so I crept s-silently to see what's going on, t-then I saw them. The orc's w-were cutting down trees, so I tried to hide and run away, but out of nowhere an orc c-came out and g-grabbed me." Yuna said while stammering, her eyes red from tears.

*Sigh* Garren stood up after hearing Yuna's story.

"First it's no longer called Sifon glade, this is now Nessera. Stand up. Let's go inside."

Yuna stood up, rubbing her eyes, so confused about the current situation and wondering why the heck did he change the name of the place. She knows upon meeting Garren, he would occasionally spurt out nonsense like declaring that he own's the place, and being rude to people, but this tops it all. Why are the orc's following him?

She did not fail to notice that the once peaceful glade had drastically changed. A lot of trees around it had been cut. Huge piles of lumber scattered across the meadow. Wooden houses being constructed left and right. A large fire pit in the middle. The glade was starting to look like a town, an orc town? She thought.

One spot did not change though, the huge vesper tree was still there by the pond. The place where she and Garren used to share meals a few days ago.

Come to think of it since they've met she really didn't get to know Garren, he wouldn't tell her about himself. She just believed that he was a good person because he did save her, and she was very thankful for that. She also assumed he was an adventurer.

She was afraid, her head full of questions and doubts, but nonetheless she followed Garren inside the tower.

Entering the tower she saw torches on the walls. The once dark tower was now illuminated by torches. They ascended the flight of stairs and reached the third floor, she followed Garren to the room where she first saw him, and Inside she saw a large bed with a pile of silver fur to serve as a mattress. Wooden furniture were also placed on the center of the room near the stone table which now has a large hammer placed on it.

Garren seated himself on one of the wooden chairs and motioned Yuna to seat to the one opposite him.

Once they were both seated, he spoke.

"You really have a death wish don't you? First a troll, now captured by a bunch of orc's." He said coldly.

"hmpf! I-i do not!" She denied. "I didn't know they were here!"

The room grew silent...

"Garren.. What's going on? Please tell me." Her eye's pleading .

"Please tell me. The elder's house? Now this? Please." She added.

Garren thought that there was nothing wrong from her learning the truth, she was just the daughter of a blacksmith in a small town, she's no threat, and deep inside he thought that she does deserve some kind of an explanation. It's not like he cared for this girl, yes she has been nice to him. From the moment he woke up, she was there, she showed him nothing but kindness. She even tried her best to help by guiding him through town, a boy she barely knew. Yes he treated her coldly, but yet every time, every time she showed him that smile. He was afraid, afraid of that smile. He always asked himself what's wrong with this girl, why is she being so nice, why is she not afraid of him, she's not aware that if he wished to do so he could end her life in an instant. He needed to stay away from her, or he might forget his true self, for he yearned for blood, blood of those who have wronged him.

Thus telling her the truth would keep her away, she would resent him, she would be afraid, and she would be safe.

Garren decided to tell her the truth.

He told her about his past life, how he conquered kingdoms and empires to unite them in a single banner, his banner . Killing thousands, millions even. He told her how his trusted subordinates betrayed him. He even told her how Nessera could have saved him, waking up in an empty tower, then meeting her.

In his cold voice he continued to define his existence. "In the fairy tales you have heard as a child, I am the evil Queen. I am the troll under the bridge. I am-"

"You're not as cold hearted or as bad as you say you are " She interrupted him.

"If you really didn't care about anything else but yourself you would have forgotten about her, yet you named this place for her." Yuna looking at him. Tears flowing from her brown eyes, full of acceptance no trace of bias or hate can be seen .

"It must be painful for you, all those time. The most powerful being, unable to mingle casually with those under you. Yet I know deep inside, you do care for them, you do treasure them, or else you would not feel betrayed. You would not feel hate towards them, and to think that the only person that really cared about you ceased to exist, even I would crumble and succumb to hatred."

Garren had lost his voice upon hearing those words.

She continued.

"I really don't care what you have done in the past, or what you're about to do. If you're going to pursue your path of vengeance, it's your choice Garren.. I'm just here to witness it. From the moment you saved me from that troll, I was happy. Though with all your rude remarks and gestures towards me, I was happy, I'm happy that you're the one who saved me. A foolish blacksmith's daughter. So please don't push me away."

Then with her usual smile, the smile the boy feared. She said.

"Aren't we friends?."

Kudos to @Sleiphnir, i used your comment in one of the lines bro. Hope it's ok. It really fits the current atmosphere between the two. :)