Page 68 of The Orc's Rage

“The humans stand little chance,” he said. He had already revealed how Orgha traveled now to yet another lord’sparog, with the intention of recruiting even moregrrosekto this cause and bring them together as they had never gathered before.

“Then lead us to victory,” Lord Gannag said. “And we shall both hope that you are right.”

33

Cedar

The days were long and dreary, cold and dark. Bitter winds swept through the camp, and though Cedar could tell that her cat hungered to be outdoors more and more often, she kept him close by. It was selfish, she knew, but she needed his companionship. When the nights were coldest, she curled up with the bear pelt that still smelled somewhat of Kargorr, and stroked Kiya’s soft fur. She always kept her dagger under her pillow.

Cedar hoped that spring would come soon, at least, and peel back the frigid air and endless nights that were suffocating her slowly.

Rathka was her usual ornery self, though she grew even more surly the faster the days that Orgha was gone became weeks. Cedar and Rathka snipped at one another from time to time, but had learned to co-exist in their loneliness. It was no secret now that Cedar cared for Lord Kargorr, that his absence affected her poorly, but Rathka was not cruel about it. If anything, she was sympathetic as they both waited for the caravans’ return.

The other human concubines were known around the camp for their whimpering and whining, especially with so many of their orc keepers gone. Cedar had the opportunity to speak with them at the cook’s tent, as they huddled in a group with a guard, but decided after listening to them gripe about their masters that she didn’t have anything in common with them anymore.

One morning, Rathka remarked that Cedar’s belly had grown, and Cedar reflexively covered it. Did she wish Kargorr was there to notice this, instead? So much was happening without him. Though she kept her memories of their last two nights together close, it was still stained with bitterness. He would never admit who she was to him as long as his mission remained at the forefront of his mind.

Would he still keep up this wall when her baby was born? Would she forever be seen by the rest of the orcs as a thing?

Sometimes Cedar touched herself at night, thinking of Kargorr, willing his body to return to hers. After three weeks had passed since the caravans’ departure, Rathka insisted that it was time to visit theshosek.

Smoke filled the tent as they entered. Many pots full of odd ingredients covered the shelves, spilling over with leaves and herbs and dried bird legs.

The orc woman sitting on the other side of the fire was old, very old, with grooves on her dark green face that deepened when she frowned at them. She spoke none of the human tongue, only the Orcish one, and so Rathka translated. Little did she know that Cedar had been listening carefully, learning what she could just for moments like these. Cedar understood the ancient woman’s discontent, that she resented the human who had taken their lord’s affection so.

“Theshosekis not pleased that Lord Kargorr chose you,” Rathka said, in a matter-of-fact way. “But she will take stock of your orcling anyway. Be grateful.”

Cedar pressed her lips into a thin line and turned back to face the healer, who was watching her intently. She ought to say something in Orcish, to put the old woman in her place as Lord Kargorr would, but Cedar didn’t know what position this woman held in the camp if she was willing to speak so boldly, and she wasn’t willing to give away yet that she could understand them. The less they thought she knew, the more unguardedly others would speak around her.

Theshosekgestured for Cedar to come closer, so she obediently walked around the fire and sat. The old orc began to murmur something, words Cedar could barely hear, not to mention understand, as the smoke from the fire curled around them. While she spoke, theshosekreached for some pots off the nearby shelves and began tossing small objects into the flames. As they burned, the smoke reeked, and Cedar hastily covered her nose.

The old woman angrily objected.

“No,” Rathka chided her. “Theshoseksays you must breathe it in.”

Surely this couldn’t be good for her baby, but Cedar was surrounded by orcs, and it would be another mark on her standing if she refused. So she inhaled the smoke and gagged, and theshosekwatched her carefully. Then the old woman rose from her seat and went into the back, to return with a pot that smelled as bad as the fire. She scooped out some of the ointment and indicated for Cedar to raise her tunic.

With some hesitation, Cedar obeyed, revealing her rounded belly, and theshoseksmeared the ointment all over her. Then the old orc woman bent her head and murmured again, keeping both of her hands on Cedar’s stomach.

Cedar wished she could get up and run, because it all felt too strange, too intimate. Once again, Kargorr should be here with her, experiencing this with her, telling her what it all meant.

After some moments of silence, theshosekraised her head. She had a curious look in her eye that Cedar couldn’t quite parse, but it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Then the old woman spoke fast, too fast for Cedar to understand, but she picked up her disapproval. Rathka hesitated before translating.

“What did she say?” Cedar demanded.

Rathka’s mouth pressed into a line, like she knew this would hurt and she wasn’t eager to do it.

“This orcling grows outside the bonds ofyapiraandagsan,” Rathka began. “So it will not be as strong as if it were cared for by a mated pair.”

Theshoseksquinted at Cedar, the sheen of white cataracts over her black eyes giving her an eerie look. It was as if the ancient orc could see the truth underneath the lie—that Kargorr considered Cedar hisyapirabut refused to claim her.

Surely such a thing couldn’t affect her baby. It was all superstition. But to fit in, Cedar would just have to bear it and pretend that the witch was right.

“Lord Kargorr should know this,” Rathka said as theshosekbowed her head, then shifted back to her original seat. Cedar did not need to be told that they were finished, and she gave the old woman a cursory “thank you” in her tongue. The orc seemed surprised that she knew even that.

Then Cedar and Rathka departed the tent, Cedar’s belly still slick.

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