"I have no words for any other woman," Arcturus said softly, looking in her the eye, "I do not flatter you, Imogen, I speak the truth as I see it." It was like he'd never seen beauty before he saw her, as if he'd never heard music before her heard her speak --- it was as if he'd never had any kind of physical affection, not being able to hold her near. He only wished he could make her understand, show her how true, how devoted he really was.
--
Two weeks later, Arcturus had left the inn before sunup, he had hiked out far from the little village, miles and miles away. He traveled light, taking little in the way of supplies, but taking a spear with a steal tip. He crouched between a cluster of large rocks and waited as the sun started coming up over the horizon.
Several hours later, Arcturus walked back into the village with a gutted reindeer slung over his shoulders, using his spear as a walking stick. He skinned out and quartered the dear on the back porch of the inn not far from where they usually tossed their refuse, then came inside threw said door, with the meat from his catch wrapped in the skin.
"Good morning Steffen," the Starstrider said with a smile, toward the innkeeper, "I went out for a hike this morning, and I thought you could use this. Please think of it as a gift, my thanks for your overly generous hospitality."
