“Our war chief has remained in our world, and the portals haven’t brought slayers to this world.”
“Then the captain is chosen by the horde. And my father’s horde hasn’t chosen you.”
Silence fell over both hordes. Beth subtly looked around her. She tried not to turn her head too much, not to look too lost or new to the whole thing. Uthar’s orcs didn’t flinch. They didn’t show any sign that they agreed or disagreed with Morok’s words. Beth didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Were they trying to avoid a fight, and that was why they didn’t come to Uthar’s aid? Not that Uthar needed them to confirm his position.... He was their captain, and that was that. Maybe not showing emotion when Morok was trying to insult him and get him to step down was the right way to go.
Beth had to admit and accept that she didn’t know a thing about orcs. Sure, she knew plenty about their culture and traditions, and she’d been learning a lot about various rules since she came here, but she didn’t know them in a deeper way, where she’d be able to guess what they were truly thinking when they remained silent and unmoving.
“This is your last chance, Uthar the Hunter,” Morok continued, thinking that the silence meant he could have the last word. “Next time, I will bring my entire horde...”
“This is Beth,” Uthar said suddenly. “My bride. Soon, she will be with child.” He placed his hand over her stomach, as if a tiny life was already growing inside her.
And Beth watched in amazement how Morok’s expression changed from confident to frustrated. Of course he’d seen her. She was right there, riding in front of Uthar. But he’d chosen to ignore her, think nothing of her.
“She is fertile,” Uthar continued. “She volunteered to become an orc bride, and when human women volunteer, they are only accepted after it is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are fertile. So, the next time you come, Morok, do bring your entire horde with you, so we may celebrate my first born. I can give my horde something that you couldn’t give yours. Orclings. Children that will run around, play on the streets, and bring joy to everyone. Children mean family. They inspire devotion and hope for a better future. My bride and I will give that to my horde. Soon. So soon, that you will barely have time to leave today and return with all the orcs you have under your command.”
A nerve twitched in Morok’s jaw. His mate, the tall female orc that had hung back until now, pulled at the reins of her krag and made it step forward. She was now by Morok’s side. She turned to him, and he looked at her with immense contempt in his eyes.
“Hula,” he growled. “Step back and let me handle this.”
“My mate, his words mean nothing. One day, we will... I’m sure we will...”
“Silence! We’ve tried for years, and time and time again, you’ve proven yourself useless.”
A dark shadow crossed Hula’s features, and Beth found that she felt sorry for her. Hadn’t Uthar told her there were rumors about Morok trying to have children with other females, too? It was clear to her that it wasn’t Hula’s fault. Morok was the one who couldn’t conceive, and even if he stepped on his pride and got himself a human bride, that wouldn’t change.
Beth stole a glance at his mage. She wondered if he knew what was really going on. And if he did, was he that afraid of Morok to tell him the truth? Was it possible that mages, with all the power they had and all the plants they used in their magic, were unable to help someone have children? Interesting. Because even human medicine had figured out a solution, to some extent, and it was hard to believe that orc magic could fail where humans had at least partially succeeded.
Hula turned her krag around. She rode to the back of the horde, where she stopped and waited. Morok’s orcs had different reactions to her. Some averted their eyes, others looked at her briefly, but Beth couldn’t tell how they felt about her. If they were just as disappointed as Morok was, or if they understood what was really happening.
Morok straightened his back and stretched himself as tall as he could, so he could look down at Uthar. He didn’t spare Beth one glance.
“It is clear that my father’s horde hasn’t accepted you. Otherwise, why would you still be wearing the tattoos of a raider? I will be back, and there will be war. You can still avoid the unnecessary spilling of blood. Think about it, Uthar the Hunter.”
He turned his krag around, and his orcs allowed him to reach Hula and take the lead, then followed him.
Beth watched as they slowly rode away, unhurried and unbothered, as if to show that this land belonged to them, and the only reason they were leaving was because they wanted to, not because they were not welcome.
“What will we do?” she asked Uthar in a whisper.
His hand gently pressed on her belly. It wasn’t flat, – and Beth couldn’t remember if it had ever been flat, – but it wasn’t swelling with a baby, either. It was too soon.
“When you are with child, the horde will fully be on my side.”
“They’re... not on your side now?”
“It’s a hard transition to make.”
“What transition? From one captain to another?”
“From what used to be tradition to a new order of things.”
“Well, in that case, they shouldn’t be too eager to accept Morok, either.”
“They are not. They don’t want the two hordes united. But the decisive factor will be the baby you will carry in your womb. The females of this horde want to take care of a little one. And not only them. These past few years have been gloomy and confusing.” He took her chin between his fingers and forced her to look up at him. “Help me bring joy into their lives, Beth. And they will choose me as their captain with their hearts.”
She smiled. “Okay. I want to do that.” She covered the hand on her stomach with hers. “We’ll do it together.”
Chapter Eleven