“Do you trade with other hordes? Or only with humans?”
“We trade with other hordes. There are some who bring precious stones and metals.” He tipped his chin toward her necklace. “I had Gorya the Patient make it for you. She is very skilled. She can make anything with her own two hands.”
“I will make sure to thank her.” She couldn’t remember who Gorya the Patient was, and she felt a little bad about it.
“Anyway, we can go to the fair if you want.”
He didn’t sound enthusiastic about it.
“Uthar, if you don’t want to go, we don’t have to. I’m only curious.”
He looked at her, and a thin crease appeared between his eyebrows. “There’s a reason I stopped going once I became captain. I don’t want to be away from the horde and give Morok the Unhinged a chance to do something.”
“Something like what?”
“I don’t know. As his name says, he’s unpredictable. So far, he hasn’t made any real threats. He’s merely stated his claim and said he would be back.”
“I’m sorry. I can see that you’re stressed.”
“It’s not about me. This uncertainty about the future affects the horde. They’re still grieving the loss of Goran the Vengeful. I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought, deep down, that I’m a poor replacement.”
“Oh, don’t think like that. They just need time.”
“Yes, I suppose. Orcs don’t accept change easily. And since we’ve come to this world, change is all we’ve seen.”
“I noticed many of you don’t use the humans’ things. Like... the washing machines. You still wash your clothes by hand.”
He smiled. “The cooks have gotten used to working in a modern, human kitchen.”
“We won’t go to the fair,” Beth said. “There will be plenty of time to do that after Morok backs down.”
Uthar shook his head. “I don’t think he will. This was his father’s horde, after all. He was his father’s raider in our world. He knows me, and I know him. We fought side by side. And even though we weren’t friends, we respected each other. He thinks that I’m not worthy.” He hesitated, averted his gaze, and thought for a moment about his next words. “What if he’s right? He knows me well enough.”
“But he left after the war ended and the peace treaty was signed.”
“Yes.”
“He doesn’t know you anymore. It’s been years, and a lot of things happened. He has no idea who you are and that you’re the best thing that could’ve happened to this horde.”
He fixed his gaze on her.
“Truly. I believe that. I saw how your orcs look at you. How they speak to you. There is respect there. I think there’s love, too. They just need some time to get used to this new order of things, and they’re probably stressed and confused about Morok, like you said. But no one has come to you to tell you that they want him to be their captain, right?”
He smiled, and it was a little bitter. “I don’t think they’d do that.”
“Really? Because I have the impression that orcs are direct and have no filter.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“And anyway, you have me now.” She reached over and covered his hand with hers. Or tried to; his hand was that big.
He sighed. “Do I?”
“Yes, you do.”
As she looked into his dark eyes, she made a decision right then and there. They’d taken their time, and he’d been kind and understanding. Since that first night when he’d declared he was going to get her pregnant before the first full moon, a lot of things had changed. It wasn’t going to happen before the full moon, and she felt like he’d exaggerated anyway, eager to show the horde that he meant business. She felt ready, now.
And she missed her sister. It was time to get to doing what she came here to do.