A/N: I forgot to ntion before, that only the male barbarians have muscular bodies otherwise females are pretty much similar to humans except for their height and tan skin.
…
The feast carried on late into the night, filled with laughter, dancing, and the constant clinking of cups.
Alia, sitting next to Spark, seed to be enjoying herself more than anyone.
She eagerly sampled every dish placed in front of her, from roasted ats to sweet, syrupy fruits, her appetite apparently endless.
Spark watched her with a hint of amusent as she continued reaching for more food, her enthusiasm surprising for soone so composed.
"You sure you're not from a tribe of gluttons?" Spark teased, swirling the wine in his cup.
"Food is the best way to understand a culture. The more I eat, the more I learn!" she replied with such conviction that Spark could only chuckle.
As the night wore on, the sky darkened, lit only by the soft glow of the bonfires scattered across the tribe's grounds.
The Barbarian King had disappeared, likely passed out from too much drink, and most of the tribe had begun retiring for the night.
Spark stretched in his seat, watching as Bronn signaled to a tall female barbarian nearby.
The woman approached them, her hair braided with thick leather straps, muscles visible beneath her fur-lined clothing.
Despite her imposing presence, her voice was soft.
"Honored guests, his Highness has prepared a special room for the two of you," she said, bowing slightly, "Please follow "
The two then followed the woman inside a building.
"This is the room," the woman gestured to a door.
Standing before a door, Spark froze for a mont, his brow twitching.
He glanced at the door she pointed to, then back at her.
"This guy…" he muttered, rubbing his temples. It was clear to him who was responsible for this, Bronn. He had obviously arranged a single room for both of them, having completely misunderstood the nature of Spark and Alia's relationship.
Well, it was himself who created all this misunderstanding, and he could only let it play out until they left this place.
Clearing his throat, he turned to the female barbarian.
"Is there another room?" Spark asked, trying to stay composed.
The woman blinked, confused.
"Another room?" she repeated uncertainly.
"Yes," Spark clarified, pointing toward the door. "One for each of us."
The woman tilted her head, still confused. "Guests don't wish to share the room?"
Before Spark could answer, Alia spoke up smoothly, waving a hand.
"It's fine," she said with a small, amused smile.
In her mind, they'd shared spaces before during their travels. And besides, she had been wanting to speak privately with Spark, and this situation provided the perfect opportunity.
The female barbarian nodded, accepting Alia's words without hesitation.
"Very well, honored guests," she said, bowing again before turning and leaving them alone at the door.
Alia wasted no ti pushing open the heavy wooden door, revealing a spacious room softly lit by glowing stones.
The air carried a faint scent of cedar wood, and at the center of the room was a large, plush bed, its thick blankets neatly arranged.
Spark followed her inside, raising an eyebrow as he took in the cozy surroundings.
"Isn't this moving a bit fast?" he teased, a sly grin creeping across his face.
Alia rolled her eyes, brushing past him. "What are you talking about?"
"Sharing a bed?" Spark's grin widened as he gestured toward the oversized mattress.
"You can have the bed," she replied coolly, moving to the side of the room. "I'll ditate on the floor. I don't need sleep."
She wasn't exaggerating. At her stage, sleep had beco unnecessary, like food and water. ditation provided her with far more rejuvenation than rest ever could.
Spark flopped face-first onto the bed with an exaggerated sigh.
"Well, if you're not sleeping, then I'll help myself," he mumbled, sinking into the luxurious bedding. "Ah, this is nice."
He had missed the comfort of the luxurious bedding for a while which made him instantly relax.
…
Alia, sitting cross-legged on the floor, cracked an eye open and glanced at him.
"You're still awake, right?" she asked softly.
"Mm-hmm," Spark replied, his voice muffled by the bed.
She shifted slightly, sitting up straighter. "I wanted to ask you sothing."
Spark didn't move, still lounging on the bed.
"Ask away," he said lazily, sounding as though sleep was just around the corner.
Alia hesitated, her tone more serious now. "I want to know more about you."
Spark raised an eyebrow, turning his head slightly to look at her, though his body stayed relaxed.
"Oh?" His lips curled into a teasing grin. "Are you curious about ?"
She nodded, her expression calm but her gaze steady. "I don't really know anything about you. Who you are, where you ca from."
Spark rolled onto his side, propping his head up with one arm.
"Well, I could say the sa. I don't know much about you either," he replied with a smirk. "Aside from our nas, we've hardly shared anything."
Alia lowered her gaze slightly, her voice soft. "So, does that make us strangers?"
Spark stretched out, his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling.
"Maybe... strangers who survived a crisis together," he chuckled lightly.
Alia tilted her head, a thoughtful look crossing her face.
"These rumors I heard… these barbarians say you're incredibly strong, that you've done impossible things." She paused before asking, "Are those stories true? Are you really strong?"
Spark chuckled softly, turning his head to et her gaze.
"Didn't I tell you already?" he said playfully. "I'm the strongest."
Alia rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced, seeing the way he answered. She had gotten used to his cryptic words and took his words as another joke.
"Oh, strongest one," she smirked, "enlighten . What's it like at the top? How does it feel to have unmatched power?"
Spark's teasing expression faded, and for a brief mont, his eyes grew distant.
"Lonely," he said quietly.
Alia blinked, surprised. "?"
"It's lonely at the top," he repeated, his voice softer, gaze still on the ceiling.
"…"
"…"
A heavy silence settled between them.
After a long pause, Alia let out a small laugh, trying to ease the mood. "You sound like an old scholar, reflecting on life."
Spark chuckled too, though his eyes remained distant.
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