Bek

Bek ("Behk") is a main character in Barbarian's Redemption. He is a male Sa-khui hunter. He is Elly's mate and the father of Emma.

## Description

Bek has high arching horns, with an angular face. He has unforgiving lines about his mouth and a hard jawline. He has large shoulders and hands.

## Personality

Bek is stubborn, intense and prideful. He is also loyal and incredibly protective. With the right partner, he is also a very thoughtful mate. With the wrong partner, he is impatient and unforgiving.

He can be hot-tempered, impatient and obsessive.

## History

Bek is the brother of Maylak. His aunt, his father's sister, was the mother of Asha. His mother's sister was the tribe's former healer Nashak.

When he was young, his mother made him a small cup which he still cherishes. His parents died during the khui sickness.

Bek and Claire were in a relationship. It went poorly as Bek became impatient and bullied her. Claire ended during the first No-Poison Day celebration, shortly before she resonated to Ereven.

Bek spent much of the years following mourning her loss. Eventually, he was able to befriend her again during the events of Barbarian's Hope. He gave her secret presents for No-Poison Day and apologized for his actions. They eventually talked out things.

However, he was still desperate for a mate. During the events of Barbarian's Choice, he bargained with the crew of *The Tranquil Lady* to buy and bring back more human slaves. He used the money they found within the crashed slave ship. He wanted five girls returned for the remaining unmated hunters (and Vaza).

### Barbarian's Redemption

It's been some months since The Tranquil Lady left promising Bek to return with human slaves. When one morning the beacon left behind finally went off, Bek and Vaza headed off to meet the ship and the newest human arrivals to Not-Hoth.

Though Bek was slightly disappointed at first by the humans who have arrived, he was furious at the treatment of Elly, the small dirty human wearing a shock collar. He quickly came to respect her fighting nature. He and Vaza bundled up the women and headed back to the village. They were sight by Raahosh and a furious Liz.

The women were welcomed into the tribe. Bek, on the other hand, was greeted by a fuming Vektal and Georgie. Two days later a Sa-kohtsk hunt was lead. Bek mistakenly thought Elly is trying to run and tackles her, forcing a khui on her. When she wakes they resonate.

Bek was shunned (in the style of the Amish) by the village as punishment until he realized the seriousness of his actions. Over the next week, the new humans are settling into the tribe, though Elly is still cautious. Bek and Elly speak again when she went to gather dirtbeak nests.

One day Erevair went missing, leaving to see Bek in a hunters cave.

Bek first found Erevair then Elly, who had tried to find the wayward boy. Elly decided to stay with him at his cave. The two bonded over the following week and Elly shared her history with him. Finally, Elly grew angry at him for buying slaves, and they acted out the roles of slave and master. Through this exercise, Bek finally realizes the gravity of what he has done.

In the following week, their relationship grew deeper and more physically intimate. One evening Rokan stopped by and warned of a storm coming. They decided to return to the village together. They fulfilled resonance.

A month later the new humans and unmated hunters headed to the Elders Cave.

### Later History

In Barbarian's Rescue, both Elly and Bek are captured by the Szzt slavers. Bek, angry about what happens, pushed not to open the pods and to destroy the ship. In Barbarian's Tease, Bek travels with a number of other hunters back to The Tranquil Lady. He travels with the others to Icehome Village.

#### The Barbarian Before Christmas

Bek missed Elly and was worried about her health. He gathered items for her while he was away. He decided that he needed to return home. Rokan, thankfully, also knew they needed to return home, and requested Bek be among the group. Bek and Elly reunite in time for No-Poison Day.

Not long after, Elly receives presents from Claire, in the short story A Gift. Bek is there as well.

During the events of Mari's Mistake, Bek and Elly head from Croatoan to Icehome Village.

Sometime between Bridget's Bane and Steph's Outcast, Elly gave birth to Emma.

During the events of Steph's Outcast, Elly and Bek elected to stay in Icehome Village instead of returning to Croatoan.