Scarburg Meadhall

[Lhunardawen]

"Ginna. Where are you going to?"

Garreth did not look pleased to see her. More than that, he seemed even aggressive, standing directly in her way and making no effort to conceal the suspicion in his voice. She could not blame him. But there had been no lie in telling Kara that she was not ready to talk to Harreld.

"I wanted to take a walk, it was getting stuffy inside." His expression was unchanged, not that she expected anything else. "So," she continued, with a little effort at being friendly, "how do you like Scarburg thus far?"

Garreth was not about to let this troublesome woman get by without assurances. "Your walk wouldn't happen to be sending your feet toward the smithy now, would it?" He glowered at her, squinting for effect.

Ginna sighed sadly, her shoulders slumping. "No," she told him. Her voice was soft, but she looked at him unflinchingly. "I did not hurt him, Garreth. Why are you so mad at me?"

He blinked. He stared. He frowned. "Who said I was mad at you? I never said I was mad at you. I'm just protecting my brother. He's too .... too trusting." He leaned over her, glowering again. "I don't want anybody taking advantage of him, see?"

She stood straighter, unmoved by the smith towering over her. "Have I done anything to make you believe that I have taken advantage of him?" Her arms crossed and her head tilted slightly, in an instinctive gesture of challenge.

"See? There you go accusing me. I never said you did anything, I'm just warning you not to. Women!" He threw up his hands and walked by her toward the Hall. Ginna could only follow him with her eyes, completely at a loss about what had just happened. Her face fell as one thing became clear: her father was not the only obstacle she and Harreld had to surmount to finally be together.