Orc Bound Mates

Chapter Nine

I stare in shock as a town comes into view far faster than I’d have thought possible. What took a few hours to get halfway took less than an hour to get the other half. Their speed decimated the distance in no time.

I was slowing them down significantly. Now I don’t feel as bad letting Vlorg carry me the rest of the way. It would have been far worse if stayed stubborn and walked the whole way here. I have no doubt that it would have been closer to sunset at my pace.

Vlorg slows his run to a reasonable pace as the boundary of his home village gets closer. Quaint log cabins and Longhouses pepper the land before us, with compacted dirt roads winding between the buildings. There are homes on either side of the road, spread out to give the occupants some privacy, but the closer to the town’s center we got, the more tightly packed the homes became. I stare in amazement at the beautifully rustic village.

I notice that, unlike my Orcs' home, there isn’t a vast log barrier around the town. There is no massive gate to keep unwanted enemies out or stray wildlife, just the occasional patrol of giant male Orcs. I look around at the buildings I can see from the road leading into town and take in the variations of size and colors. Some buildings are constructed of lightly hued wood, as though they are the newest additions, and the wood seems freshly harvested. While some of the buildings further in are a dark weathered hue. The simplistic architecture soothes a part of my soul that I didn’t know needed soothing. I’ve lived my whole life in one large city or around predominant towns, so this tiny hometown vibe has me feeling content.

Few people mill about the roads, mainly the stray child running from their parents as a large Orc chases them through the buildings. The children’s squeals of delight sound like music in the air. However, the children are far from tiny, at least compared to my perception of how small a child should be. I know I’m not the tallest female in this world or mine, but the little ones here are a good couple of inches taller than me. Considering how massive the Orcs are, I guess they’re perfectly standard height. I quark an eyebrow as I notice that all the children are male; not a single little girl is running around the town.

“Wow! This place looks amazing!” I gush, voicing my awe at the beautifully built and maintained homes. I want to ask them about the singular gender of the Orcs but now isn’t the time. Vlorg grunts his acknowledgment as we breach the edge of homes, venturing through the center of town. I observe every little thing I can on the short trip to the Chieftain’s abode. The twins maintain close proximity to Vlorg and me, Skarr firmly at Vlorg’s hip, trying to stay as close to me as possible. I tap Vlorg’s shoulder, getting his attention. Part of me is embarrassed to still be sitting in Vlorg’s arms like the Princess Borguk called me.

“Can you put me down? I can walk now.” I ask, feeling more than a little flushed as some of the male Orcs we pass stare at Vlorg, carrying me around like a child. With a disgruntled sound, Vlorg sets me down on my feet. A slight tingle tickles up my legs as my feet hit the ground; after sitting in Vlorg's arms for so long, the circulation to my legs was being cut off. Taking a moment to stretch and get blood back into my limbs, I arch at the minor backache from sitting for too long.

Once I’ve gotten myself back together, Skarr takes his place under my arm against my side, pressing his weight against me lightly. Vlorg takes the lead, and the twins bracket me on each side, Orguk on my free side, and Borguk on the other side of Skarr. Both males take one of my hands into theirs, lacing our fingers together. I warm at their comforting contact, enjoying the feel of their skin against mine.

I sigh at the display of their protective nature, all my males taking a stance to surround me, making sure to keep all unwanted males from getting too close. Even though I’m not, technically, theirs yet. I smile at Orguk, who looks at me when I squeeze his hand; he smiles back, stroking his thumb over the skin of my hand. I do the same to Borguk, and he grins back at me. I could really get used to this level of attention. The notion of being protected, loved, and cared for is helping me adjust to my current situation far better than I would have expected.

We stick to the broader main road as our group takes the fastest route through town to get to our destination. I find myself a little shocked to notice the further we get in, the fewer homes I see. At least, I don’t think the buildings with wide-cut square windows in the front are homes. The windows have large pieces of wood fitted into them, creating a counter space for the shopkeeper to serve customers. The wide-open space at the front also allows people to look at the available goods. Several stores have groups of Orcs at their counters, and the shopkeepers smile brightly as they get orders together.

At the far end of the road, I see a formidable Longhouse, easily five times bigger than any other building I’ve seen, standing in the middle of the village. I swallow the lump forming in my throat at the imposing structure, worry etching my thoughts that it’s our destination.

“Are we going to that oversized Longhouse ahead of us?” I voice my worry and must take a shaky breath to calm some nerves as Vlorg grunts in front of me. Trepidation sours my stomach as I try to mentally prepare myself to meet the Chieftain and his Mate. My Orc’s parents.

Everything is going to be fine. You’re not meeting them as their son’s Chosen Female. You’re meeting them as a lost female needing help that just so happens to be staying with their sons for protection. Granted, I’ve done some very naughty things with their sons. But they don’t know that. It’s okay. Everything is okay. It’s going to be fine. I can do this. It’ll be like a job interview. If they don’t see me sweat, they won’t know how scared I am.

“That is our Sire’s abode. As well as the official meeting hall for all formal and informal meetings with the Chieftain.” Orguk confirms with detail, while Vlorg is content to grunt his affirmations. The sweet male breaks me from my spiraling thoughts, saving me from having a panic attack in the middle of the road. My imposing male only seems to use his mouth to coax pleasure from my body, shower me with compliments, and detail his every naughty inclination. Otherwise, he is stoic at best and downright cold at worst. He's genuinely a male of few words.

But, oh boy, how sexy those words are when he uses them. He gets me hot and bothered without even touching me. I fan my face as my contemplations veer in an indecent direction.

Trying to distract myself from the impending meeting with my Orcs' parents, I observe the people milling around the shopping area. I take notice of the groups of people talking to shop owners and running others more closely. Seeing all the male Orcs around seems normal to me, even though Orcs are not my norm. It’s the females mixed with the groups of males that have my attention. Every set of males, ranging from 2-4 males per group, is accompanied by a single human female. The women all vary in size, shape, and color. The diversity reminds me of home, where the color palette of humans ranges from the lightest ivory to the richest ebony.

Amongst every bunch I can see, at least one of the males has his hands on their female. Nothing s****l, just touching her to ensure that every male who comes near her knows she’s taken and beloved. Not a single female seems to mind or notices the state of constant connection. I glance down at the hands holding mine and smile softly, realizing I’m in the same position. My males are flaunting to anyone that looks at us that I am theirs and they are mine. I resume my observations of the town, taking mental notes of the people around me. Cataloging every detail, I consider relevant because I will be questioning my males later about the distinct lack of female Orcs.

Luckily while Vlorg carried me the rest of the way, it gave my body time to cool down enough that all the sweat had dried up. So, at the very least, I won’t look like a dying animal when I meet their parents. I glance back down at the hands holding mine and smile as warmth fills my chest that has nothing to do with the heat still beating down on me from the sun. Enjoying the feel of my Orc’s hands in mine, I return to watching the happy couples.

I check all the shops taking note of the various wares they are selling, making another mental list of things I need. I could use some new shoes, which aren’t the flats hanging on my feet that have seen better days. Maybe a few dresses I can call my own, not that any of the ones I’ve used so far are inadequate. I would just like to have some that I picked out myself. I consider getting some pants, shirts, and underwear. If they even have anything for my size.

I would die for some stationary, something to write down all the new information I’ve been learning. Maybe I can find something to draw with; I’ve been itching to sketch all the new things I’ve seen. I wonder if there are any shops that have hair products, like combs, pins, ties, and the sort. A realization hits me that I hadn’t considered. I don’t have any money. How will I pay for anything? What do they even use as currency? Maybe I can use the emerald that I found to buy something.

My thoughts are cut off again as we stop in the courtyard surrounding the massive Longhouse. I notice several beautifully carved stone benches lining the front of the building with even spacing between them. Quaint flower beds nestle between the seats, giving the sitting area a cozy ambiance. The main entrance to the building is set in the middle of the vast Longhouse, with clean stone stairs leading up to the French-styled doors. The material concept is the same as my Orc’s Longhouse; tightly sealed stones line the bottom portion of the structure before thick wood logs finish the walls up to the roof. Peering up, I can see the uniform lining of clay tiles on the rooftop. The architecture is very well done; I concede that everything is built to last, even if this is a medieval world.

We walk up the stone steps together before stopping in front of the main doors. I stare at the intricate etchings fanning over the surface. I can’t say for sure, but I believe the symbols hidden away between the curves and swirls are Orcish words. As I continue to stare at the twisting patterns, I swear I can see animals concealed in their seemingly vague design. Wolves, bears, dragons, and tigers. All are hiding from a passing glance but dancing for those who are looking.

I take a deep, calming breath as we stand in front of the enormous Longhouse doors. Too distracted by my wandering thoughts, I get the feeling that Vlorg is stalling a moment to let me bring myself back to the present. In my roving observations, I forgot to ask about the human females with the male Orcs. I want to ask why I don’t see any female Orcs around the village. But the questions will have to wait for another time as we head into the Chieftain’s home.