Page 61 of The Orc's Rage

She was not in the tent when he arrived, and for a moment, panic washed over him, wondering if she had run again. But Kiya was not there, either, and he spotted Rathka’s bag on the chair, which meant they had likely gone out together.

Perhaps Kargorr could discover what had been keeping hisyapirabusy while he was away. The more he could learn about her, the better it would solidify their bond.

He walked with his hands tucked behind his back, peering into doorways as he looked. At first, he intended to avoid the leatherworker’s, which always had an unpleasant odor around it—until he saw Kiya sleeping on a mat in front.

Kargorr paused and quirked an eyebrow. Is this where she’d been spending her time? He found it odd that Cedar would choose the foulest place in theparog, and yet also not surprising. She did love her furs.

He hummed as he approached, and Kiya’s head snapped to face him. The cat’s lip curled in the beginnings of a snarl, and his back arched. Kargorr was glad that Cedar had a creature so fierce to protect her.

“What are you upset about, Kiya?” came Cedar’s voice. She appeared in the doorway, and her face went slack when she saw Kargorr there. “You’re early. Or, I mean, earlier than usual. I don’t come here often, I promise. Just, when you were gone, there was nothing to do, so I?—”

He touched a finger to her lips, quieting her, and her eyes went round.

“Hush, little deer.” He took her shoulders in his hands firmly and turned her around. “Show me what you’ve been doing.”

When Kargorr stepped inside, his leatherworker, Carn, let out a surprised yelp. He quickly put down his tools and kicked away the basket of supplies at his feet.

“Lord Kargorr,” he said, tapping his chest. “I didn’t expect you here. It’s quite messy?—”

Kargorr held up one hand, and Carn fell silent. He took in the state of the shop and was amazed by the array of leathers in various states of curing. On the floor was a gorgeous white fur, perhaps some sort of northern fox, and that looked like where Cedar had been seated before he interrupted, her tools scattered about.

“You should be neat with your workstation,” he said to Cedar, tilting up the side of his mouth so she would know he was jesting. She had a look on her face like she’d been caught doing something wrong and hurriedly gathered up her supplies. He kneeled and put a hand on her back. “Are you upset that I found you out?”

She froze under his touch. “You’re not angry?”

“Angry? That you have been making yourself useful?” His brows drew together. “No. I am not angry. As long as you aren’t making more work for Carn.”

The old orc hurriedly came to her rescue. “Not at all,” he said in her tongue, reaching for a fur that was hanging up overhead. Cedar tried to stop him, but he gently pushed her out of the way. “She is a fast learner,” Carn added in Orcish, holding out the fur. “I believe she made this for you, but then she changed her mind. I think she was afraid you wouldn’t like her craftsmanship.”

Kargorr turned to Cedar, who was watching this unfold with her mouth open. She glared at Carn.

“You’re not giving that to him, are you?” she demanded.

Carn shrugged.

Now Kargorr was deeply curious. He took the fur, the massive thing, and lifted it off the ground until he reached the end, where the bear’s head had once been. Cedar had kept the upper jaw and left the teeth attached. She’d also retained the claws at the tips of the arms and legs.

“You did this?” Kargorr asked, lowering the huge fur. It must have taken hours upon hours.

Cedar nodded, clearly ashamed. Kargorr dipped his head to Carn in thanks for letting her work on a massive animal like this—one of the great big bears of the north—and for giving her a way to occupy her mind and her hands.

“Take this to our tent,” Kargorr said, returning the massive pelt to Carn. Cedar furrowed her brow, but Kargorr simply took her by the hand and led her to the door. When they stepped outside, he waved down the closest orc. “A bath in my tent. Now.”

Kargorr turned to her, and while Carn busied with bundling up the pelt, he dragged his hand underneath her hair. Cedar stiffened, but didn’t recoil from him.

“You smell terrible,” he said, shaking his head. “I need to get you clean before I can appreciate your gift.”

Cedar

She hadn’t meant for him to see the bear’s pelt. It was an experiment, one that Carn had gifted to her when the bear’s body was brought to him.

But Kargorr did not appear to be upset that he’d found her in the leatherworker’s tent, doing menial labor. In fact, she’d seen pleasure in his eyes as he surveyed the pelt, examining the head she’d left on, running his fingers over the sharp teeth.

She followed him back to their tent, where a tub had already been brought in. It reminded her of the very first night in the previous camp, when Kargorr had demanded that she clean him. She wondered if that was the night they had conceived the child she carried now.

How things had changed and also stayed the same.

The bear pelt was brought in while the bath was filled one bucket at a time until steam curled into the air above it. Kargorr stood before her, immense as always, as he traced his fingers down her collar to the laces of her tunic, which he pulled open slowly, intentionally. He lifted it up over her head and arms before tossing it away. Then came her pants. Soon she was revealed in front of him, and her nipples were so hard in the cold air that they hurt.

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