Page 8 of The Iron Oath
She arrived at Gelisha’s side, and promptly, several bundles of cloth landed in her arms.
“Umf.” Amuleta chuckled as Gelisha scurried to another row. She followed behind her and was thankful she would be able to purchase these things for her.
“Amuleta. Come see this one. I think it would look quite lovely on you. I can make a beautiful tunic and skirt combination,” Gelisha called out.
Amuleta moved along the aisles until she found her. She hadn’t realized Gelisha had made it so far from her.
"Do we really need all of this?" Amuleta asked. Not that it mattered. She would buy her the world if she could. After everything she had been through, her mother deserved it.
“Just hold on to them for now. I will make the final decision in a minute." Gelisha waved her over to her side.
She held up a soft brown material for Amuleta to inspect. It was a beautiful lightweight material. Amuleta used her free hand to feel it. The softness made her gasp.
“I like this,” she murmured. She took the material from her and added it to their growing pile.
“I figured you would. It goes with your brown eye perfectly." Gelisha smiled.
Amuleta glanced down at it again. Her mother was right. It matched her one brown eye. Amuleta had a rare genetic abnormality where she’d been born with one amber-colored eye that hinted at her orc heredity while her brown eye paid homage to her human genes.
Not much longer, and Gelisha had finished her browsing and made her decision on fabrics. Amuleta paid for them and ushered her from the store once the clerk was finished wrapping their bundles up so they wouldn’t get damaged.
“Now where are we off to?" Gelisha asked as they began heading along the sidewalk.
Amuleta turned to her with a proud grin.
“We are going to lunch. My treat."
FOUR
“Where areyou off to in such a rush?” Nargol arrived at Magoza’s side. Her stride matched Magoza’s as they strode down the main hall of the stronghold, Angarth Keep. Magoza had woken up and had one thing on her mind.
Find that woman.
“And whose ass are you about to kick this morning? Didn’t you get enough yesterday when you sent all those warriors to the healers?” Nargol snickered.
Magoza’s gaze cut to her sister.
“Someone needed to teach them a lesson.” Magoza sniffed. She had no problems issuing her punishment to the three slacking warriors. It had done them some good. If they thought they were going to fight for her father, they had better think again. They needed warriors who were focused, dedicated to their training, and loyal to no one but their chieftain. Acting like teenage orcs was not the mindset of a warrior who she wanted to lead.
The three of them had faced each other in the pit in front of the others. She had made an example of them that she was sure no one would repeat their mistakes again.
“These three have decided that training was not for them today,” Magoza shouted.
She strode around the dirt-covered ground. Dust flew up with each of her steps. She glanced up at the surrounding warriors who’d gathered around. The pit was a crude fighting circle that was constructed deep in the earth’s surface. Patrons could stand above the fighters and gaze down upon them. It had been created decades ago to allow those who wanted to watch a fight to have a perfect view. Not only was it used for training demonstrations but for situations such as this.
Magoza’s scowl deepened as she thought of the way the beauty had scrambled to her feet and raced off into the woods.
“Is that the heart of a true warrior?” she asked.
She was met with the fierce response of the orc warriors. She paused and turned to the three warriors. Their fight was not to be training. No, that was not the way of the orcs when it came to the pit. Here it was the real deal. They would fight as if their lives depended on it.
And it might.
The loser would face Magoza.
No one wanted to face her in the pit.
“It is a dishonor to your fellow warriors to not take your training seriously. A careless decision on the battlefield could cost your fellow orc his or her life,” she said.
