Page 29 of The Orc's Rage

Orgha thoughtfully bobbed his head. “Do you truly think someone would try to take her from you? From thekazek?”

It was an improbability, but Kargorr still hated the idea of her walking around alone, of anyone else so much as looking at her the way he did.

“She needs a caretaker,” Kargorr said, in the easy, gentle way one might try to talk to an animal prone to running. Orgha hummed to let him know he was listening, so Kargorr went on. “Someone who is mated. Older, who can give her some wisdom. Someone who speaks the human tongue and can take her on little walks.”

Finally Orgha came to a halt, and his eyes glinted like a pair of sharp arrows. “You mean myyapira, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Orgha rolled his shoulders. “You know I can’t refuse you,” he said, not looking at Kargorr, likely because he was too irritated and didn’t want to be accused of obstinance. “But she will not be pleased.” And a displeasedyapirawas a displeased male, generally speaking.

Kargorr didn’t have to go home to her, though, so he simply strode on, and Orgha grumbled behind him.

“Fine. She will be there in the morning to take on these...” Orgha rolled his eyes. “...caretaking duties.”

“Good.”

Cedar was asleep when Kargorr returned, and he liked that he could fuck her into a stupor. She’d taken to him well, he thought. When he was sunk up to the hilt in her, hissargabegging to take her, he was sure she had conformed to his shape. It was like she had been crafted in the image of his perfect bedwarmer.

He set down the stew and ate it while watching her sleep. But she was still only human, he reminded himself. A toy for his pleasure, a nest for his orclings. He gazed around the tent, which now had two central posts instead of one to make room for his future concubines. There was still more seed to sow.

Looking down at the other bowl, he thought he should rouse her to eat, but decided he liked the plane of her face while relaxed this way and let her sleep.

Cedar

When she awoke the next morning, Lord Kargorr was gone again, and she guessed that he would be busy while the camp was being re-assembled.

Still, it gave her a little chill. She was about to curl up again in the blankets, knowing she had nowhere to be but wishing she did, when someone tapped on the post that held up the entryway. Cedar sprung out of bed, carrying the top fur around herself.

“Hello?” she called out. No one ever came and knocked.

A head of dark hair, streaked with gray, ducked in. The visitor was an orc woman, not nearly as tall as Kargorr but still impressive, with slender but deadly tusks. An elegance followed her movement as she neatly closed the door behind her.

The orc didn’t look at Cedar, though, as she set down her things.

“I’m Rathka,” she said by way of greeting, her voice thick and her accent heavy. After leaving her bag on the floor, she set a tray of steaming food on the table and then backed away.

Still she didn’t raise her eyes to Cedar’s. Why would no one but Kargorr look her in the eye?

“Rathka,” Cedar repeated. Then the orc chanced a glance at her, but when she saw Cedar was still watching, she looked away. “I’m Cedar.”

“I know.” The words hung in the air when none followed them.

Finally, Cedar grew tired of waiting and sat down at the table, assuming the food was for her. The orc woman sat there in silence while Cedar ate, and it was disconcerting to say the least to have a silent companion who wasn’t eating alongside you.

“Rathka,” Cedar finally ventured. “Why are you here?”

“I’m your new caretaker. I’ll be with you at all times during the day from now on.”

Cedar stared at her.

“All day?” She’d expected a guard, not a nursemaid. “Why?”

At this, Rathka’s head snapped up, and she looked Cedar in the eyes. She was bristling. “Because for some reason, Lord Kargorr has decided you’re important.” Her tusks curled with her lower lip. “You said you wanted to go on ‘little walks.’ So here I am, to take you on little walks.”

Oh. Cedar’s jaw closed so hard her teeth clicked together. So this was how her request had been interpreted: someone to hound her at all times. Now she could go out as long as her warden came along.

Rathka’s eyes fell once more, but it was as clear as day that the orc woman wanted to be there even less than Cedar wanted her there.

---