Sword of Bone

Chapter Seven

It has been nearly two weeks since he left me here; I know it was for a good reason, but the selfishness in me won’t let me hold on to that. Instead, it bleeds thoughts of hate, betrayal and anger into my cold, constricted veins. I have been packing a small hide pack preparing to leave this place, to leave the man who promised me the world. All for my petty selfish reasons that make no common sense. The darkness in me wants him to feel as I have for the last two weeks. Unsure, uneasy, afraid. This is now my only drive. What makes me fear more then him leaving, is the possibility I am with child. My bleed has not come. Raising a child alone will be hard, raising an orcson will be even harder. That is what makes me fear the most.

I pulled the leather straps over my shoulders and left the room, creeping down the stone halls towards the mountain entrance. There I will be able to find a path into town where I hope for friendly aid. Walking forward a few soft steps and then halting until the quiet reassures me the path is clear. 

Outside, I sucked in a deep breath of fresh air. Sprinkles of rain splashing onto my face, bringing a smile to my face. I almost forgot what the rain felt on my skin. After a moment of enjoyment I looked around, finding the well-worn path I started on my journey. Walking away from the mountain, I have a mixed feeling of freedom and dread. I left the only man who ever willingly wanted to care for me. A man who gave me so much without asking for anything in return. I am a selfish woman and I know I will regret this if I continue to walk, I will regret having our son without his father there with us. I stopped on the wet dirt path and fought a battle within me. Eventually my regret won, and I turned back to the only I home I felt comfortable in. On my way back I spotted a blueburke bush. In the spring they give the sweetest berries I have ever tried. After gathering all the berries I could in the pack, I went back to the mountain. I dropped the bag off and unpacked them before I went to the kitchen; I intend on making Baldu a pie. 

Entering the kitchen, two sets of eyes looked me over and then they smiled at me, waving me in. 

“What can we do for you ke Qouell?” The smaller, younger looking one asked. 

“I found some blueburke berries… I was hoping to make the King a pie before he returns home… But I do not want to get in the way. I can come back later.” I said, keeping my eyes down. 

“No ke Qouell. We will help you. Come.” The older one now said, waving me towards the wooden island counter. 

“Thank you.” I nearly whispered. 

“Anything for you and our Huhr.” He said proudly. 

While the two men worked on the crust, I worked on cleaning the berries. Removing the dirt and steams from each one as my hands turned a soft shade of blue. This is going to take forever to fade. 

“Do you have any sugar?” I asked the older Orc. 

He nodded enthusiastically and went to another room before coming back out and placing a big bag on the counter with a wide smile. After sometime we finished creating a total of twenty-three pies. Enough for the entire horde to try it. Just as we put the pies into the wood-burning oven, an echo of Baldu’s roar came into the kitchen, making me shrink back. Out of habit of living with the Lord I found myself a dark corner to sink into and hide. The two orcs stood straight, looking at me confused, but they said nothing until their savage horde King walked into the room. 

“Have you seen her?” He growled. They did not answer, instead they moved their eyes towards me. The savage King’s eye followed. Landing on me, he stilled himself and then released a deep breath. “Ke miapel. I thought you left.” 

He walked over to me slowly, squatting down in front of me and placing his hands to my knees. He gave me a soft smile. “You are back.” Is all I could say.

“I am. The hunt was good. Very yielding. Come, we can talk while I bath.” He said, taking my hands pulling me to my feet. 

I looked at the cooks; they nodded when I looked to the oven. Then I turned and followed Baldu back to our room. Inside, he unpacked and bathed while I sit silently on the bed. I need to tell him I was going to run, but I am afraid he will turn coldly towards me. When he came out, wearing nothing but a towel clung low on his hips. Lusty heat filled me. 

“What ails you ke miapel?” He asked, coming to kneel in front of me. 

I looked down at my hands, avoiding his eyes, trying to hide my fear. He hooked his finger under my chin, raising my face so I am looking into his eyes. 

“I have to confess something…” I whispered. “But I am afraid you will turn me away once I confess.” 

“I will never turn you away ke miapel.” 

I took a deep breath, unable to avoid his gaze. “I was going to leave you today… I was going to go into the town.” 

He sucked in a hard breath, dropping his hand to my legs. “Why?” 

“I was being selfish. I am afraid, my bleed is late...  I regretted it as soon as I started down the path.” I said, holding my tears back. “I am sorry Baldu. I will understand if you never forgive me.” 

He just stared at me for a moment and then dropped his head. “There is nothing to forgive ke miapel. I brought you here with promises and then left you. I left here to fear. I understand you anger."

I didn’t reply. I only threw my arms around him, pulling him into me. A warm, powerful embrace is what I needed after so long. He became still, pulling away from me slowly, sending dreadful thoughts through my mind. Then he placed his big hand to my belly and sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes raising to meet mine as a wide smile spread across his face. 

“What?” 

He grabbed my face, pressing his lips to mine firmly, and then pulled away, pressing his forehead to mine. “You carry my son with in you. Your bleed is delayed because our son flowers in your womb.” 

“What… No… I can’t I am barren.” Fear flooded through me, sending an icy shiver down my spine. I stood up, stepping away from him and towards the door. He stood looking at me, confused. “I can’t do this Badlu. Forgive me.” 

I turned and raced from the room, down the stone halls, and out of the mountain. Baldu’s voice calling after me, telling me to stop, telling me to come back.

Exiting the mountain I didn’t stay on the path, instead my feet carried me through the thick woods, rocks cutting the soles of my feet when I came face to face with a giant wall of fire. I can feel my feet moving, heart racing, the sounds of shouting mixing with the crackling of flames eating its prey, the smell of fire closing, suffocating me in sulfur and ash. There is no escape, only the fire, bright and brilliant. Deadly. Turning in circles, I see flames as high as the trees. My life ends here. I will never hold the child I grow within me. I will never see the face of my love again. I will never hear his voice… His voice calling to me, yelling. It is all in my head. He is not here. He cannot be here. I left him, scorning him, he has forsaken me. It is over. Our lives end here. I am sorry, my dear sweet child, I have failed you; I don’t know you, but I wish I did. I wish I would have not run from your father. I should have stayed. Mommy is so sorry. 

“I am sorry, Baldu,” I whispered into the ashy air. “I love you more than the blades of grass loves the morning dew. I am sorry I took so much from you. I regret it. But what I regret the most is never telling you how I truly feel about you. How you make my heart skip. You are my comfort in the darkness, the man who brought color back into my life. I love you my savage Horde King.” 

Baldu

The drive to find my women, my love, the mother to my unborn orcson drives me through the burning forest. Racing against time, begging for more, I cannot be late. I cannot lose her. Not after everything we have been through together. Through the burned woods I see her standing in the middle of hell fire with her hands placed protectively over her stomach, tears curving over her delicate face, falling freely to the scorched ground beneath her bare feet. My beating heart stilled at the sight. Rage flooded through me as she fell to the ground, curling into herself. Using her compact frame to protect our unborn son. I ran through the fire, running over a boulder landing next to her. I pulled her into my arms, feeling her body lax. Her breathing shallow. I pulled her in, feeling her heart beat. 

“Please don’t leave me! Come back, I need you!” 

Panic engulfed me, spread through me like the fire spreading around me. I stood, clutching her to my chest as I ran again. I moved my feet hard and fast, trying my best to our run the raging flames at my back. 

“Hold on ke miapel. Please do not leave me.” I begged and cried as I ran. 

A faint sweet smell gathered in my airway, water. I turned, racing towards the river leading to the mountains, and jumped in as I moved through the water as I looked down at her. 

“We are safe from the flames, ke miapel. Please open your eyes see the surrounding beauty. Please come back to me.”