“Hey, I trust you. You won’t mess it up. You’re part of the horde now. You’re having the captain’s baby.”
Beth smiled. “Right? It’s going to be okay, I’m sure. I’ll bring you here as soon as I can, and then... then we’ll talk about the future.”
They talked some more, then Abby said she was tired, and Beth told her she loved her and let her sleep. She had work to do. She’d been talking about it for ages, thinking and dreaming about it, now it was time to finally act. She felt like she was in the right position to do so. Uthar loved her, Kinna was still cold but friendly, Sonya had asked her to visit, and in general, the horde liked Beth. They all wanted an orcling to run down the streets and play in their yards.
* * *
They walked arm in arm, like two ladies in a Victorian era novel. Beth was wearing one of her signature flowy dresses, and Sonya was in a dress too, black and sensible, with short sleeves and lace around the neckline. They both wore boots, seeing how krags, cows, and chickens were everywhere, and the chances of stepping in something unpleasant were high.
“Thank you for trusting me, Beth. It means a lot.”
Beth had told Sonya about her sister, and about how she’d decided to offer herself as tribute. She’d held nothing back, and even though telling the widow the whole story had been exhausting, at the end of it, Beth felt lighter. Like a burden had been lifted off her heart.
“I don’t want you to think that I’m here just for this. I want to help my sister, but I also want to be here. To be with him.”
“Did you plan on falling in love?”
“No.” She bit her tongue as she admitted it. “But I hoped I would.”
Sonya nodded. “Despite what humans in our world think, it’s surprisingly easy to fall in love with one of them. The males take care of their females. They see mates as sacred, and themselves as blessed when they find one.”
“But I heard in their world, polyamory is not uncommon.”
“No, it’s not. But a mate is still a mate. They don’t see laying with another as betrayal. They believe that both males and females are free to do whatever they want, as long as they harm none. Anyway, it’s not something they do in our world.”
“With the shortage of females... I guess it makes sense.”
“I never worried about it, and you shouldn’t either,” Sonya said. “Goran was fully devoted to me, and I can see that Uthar is fully devoted to you.” She gave Beth a warm smile. “It’s so obvious.”
“I’m not worried.” Beth blushed.
“Good. Because he would do anything for you. Hewilldo anything for you. You should’ve told him about Abby sooner. Especially since you say she doesn’t have much time.”
Beth frowned. “I don’t know... Doctors can be wrong. But I felt like I had to wait. Orcs don’t share their magic with humans. The weapons they sell are not enchanted. The crystals and amulets aren’t enchanted, either. And I believe mages aren’t allowed to sell potions, ointments, and not even herbs at fairs.”
“That’s right. Orc magic is incredible and powerful. You know what happens when humans get their hands on anything that’s incredible and powerful. It all ends in disaster. But this is different, Beth. You want to save someone’s life.”
“I just thought it wouldn’t have been fair to come here and demand that the mage healed my sister. I had to prove myself first. In some way. I had to show everyone that... I don’t know. That I’m worth the trouble?”
“Oh, don’t talk like that.” Sonya stopped and placed a hand on Beth’s cheek. “Uthar the Hunter loves you, and when he took you, the decision that you are the only one for him was made. Had you told him about your sister then, he would’ve understood. As he will understand now.”
“But what if he... or someone else... or Kinna will think all I ever wanted was to take advantage?”
“No one will think that. Not even Kinna the Mage.”
“I don’t know...” Beth sighed. “She doesn’t like me. I mean, things between us are better now.”
Sonya smiled and wound her arm through Beth’s, pulling her along the pathway. “Kinna is a good, devoted mage. Yes, she can be difficult sometimes, but she knows her place. And I think you know why she didn’t like you at first.”
“I do.”
“So, can you blame her? The heart wants what the heart wants, and hers was not meant to have what it desired. She’s made her peace with it now. It took her some time, but it was only natural. She sees that you are good for the captain, and for the horde. Had Uthar remained a raider, things would’ve been different. But Goran the Vengeful treated him like a son, especially after Morok’s betrayal. If you ask me, I knew all along that my mate was going to make Uthar captain. He never spoke about it, but I knew him well enough. He made the right choice. The horde is in good hands. And Morok is no real threat.”
“You think so?”
“The horde has officially chosen and accepted Uthar the Hunter. He has the tattoos to prove it. And the bride, and his first baby growing in her belly. What does Morok the Unhinged have? A horde he pulled together from scraps. Rogue orcs, orcs without a horde. And a barren mate.”
“He can take a human bride whenever he likes,” Beth said. “And the institutes make sure that all the tributes are fertile.”