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Chapter One

Korik

“A summons for you, Healer Korik.”

The elf soldier handed him a folded-up slip of parchment. He had been by the shop enough times that Korik recognized his face, though not his name. Even elves now relied on him as a healer in Drol Kuggradh, and he had made an effort at least to remember their names, so he reasoned that this elf was a more recent transfer to the city.

The summons was unexpected. He had been summoned to the tower where the king and his husband resided many times before, of course; but these days he was scheduled to come by once per month for a routine checkup on their daughter, the young princess Nahara. His last visit could not have been more than ten days ago; but if it were an emergency, or someone was injured, the soldier would surely have had a more urgent air about him. The elf only stood holding out the slip of parchment, eyes flickering away from Korik to look at Roz where she was perched on the counter, idly licking a paw. If he were more interested in the cat than the message, it could not be anything dire.

He took the parchment. The elf soldier gave him a sharp nod, then turned away from him entirely to offer the calico cat his hand. Roz paused her grooming to sniff it, but was unimpressed; she went back to licking her paw and ignoring the elf, who only chuckled and let his hand drop.

“I’m to bring your reply, too, sir,” the soldier added. Korik only nodded, unfolding the note.

Healer Korik,

A sensitive matter has arisen for which your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Please report to Commander Varen Petkas at your earliest convenience.

Prince Taegan Glynzeiros

That was all. Korik frowned, looking at the soldier again.

“Do you know what this is about?” he asked. The boy shook his head.

“They tell me to deliver a letter, I deliver the letter, sir. Sorry,” he replied. “I’m not important enough to know anything else.”

Korik sighed and scanned the note again, as if it might offer him more details this time. He did not know the commander named in the missive; and it was strange that the letter came from the prince, yet bid him to report to a different elf.

His first thought was that another elf was pregnant—that was why he had been in the service of the prince in the first place, after all. While there were elven healers in Drol Kuggradh, the three currently stationed in the orc city were less versed in the sort of medicine Korik could provide. He had no formal training in midwifery either, but had helped deliver a handful of orc babies before the elven prince approached him about his own child. In the year since, he had helped deliver two more half-elf, half-orc children born within the city, and while he had no such patients now, he expected to see more the longer the peace treaty was in place. Now, he’d become something of a fixture amongst the elves living in Drol Kuggradh; whatever their medics couldn’t help with, or were too busy to address, ended up landing on his plate.

He couldn’t complain. It made for good business. Besides, he’d never entirely fit in with other orcs, even the few who had chosen to live in one place like him, and this was just another oddity to add to the list.

He’d been staring down at the slip of parchment for an uncomfortably long moment; the elf soldier was busying himself with trying to get Roz’s attention, but he could see the boy’s bright eyes glancing back toward him impatiently.

“I will need to close up the shop,” Korik replied simply. “But I’ll be there shortly.”

“I’ll pass the message along, sir,” the elf replied, giving a half-hearted salute before turning to go.

When the elf was gone, he and Roz shared a look.

“Annoying,” she hissed, and he chuckled, patting her head. He had the same thought. As his familiar, her reactions were very often his own, though he had the decency to keep them to himself.

“I know,” he sighed, tidying the counter. “Tell me if anyone comes by while I’m gone.”

A faint sense of acknowledgment came from her, though she had started grooming herself again, this time swiping her paw over her face.

Korik took his time closing up the shop, mulling over the missive again. It couldn’t be something the matter with the king or the prince themselves, otherwise he would not have been directed to report to a different elf. But then, he wondered, why the summons? Why couldn’t they just come here?

Well, the sooner he made his way to the elven barracks, the sooner he’d find out. Just in case, he brought his travel kit with the basics he would need for a typical house call. Then he locked the shop door behind him, Roz watching him through the window, and headed toward the edge of the city where the elven military force was stationed.

As he walked, he passed a family of elves that he didn’t recognize near the town square. Their little child stared at him with huge eyes as he hurried past. His height always drew attention—no matter how much he tried to hunch over, or cover his frame with loose clothes.

The past two years had changed everything about the city, so it was no longer surprising to see elves on the streets. Orcs were by far still the majority in Drol Kuggradh, but the elven presence was steadily growing. Now, there were even a few families completely unrelated to the military presence in the city. Since King Zorvut had taken the throne and done away with the old customs, Drol Kuggradh felt entirely different, at least in some ways. Korik was still the same—spindly and awkward and quiet—the regular residents of the city were used to him, but with every day that passed there were more unfamiliar faces gawking at him.

Not that it mattered. The more migratory orcs would be gone within weeks; those that were permanent residents like him knew how important it was for a healer and druid to be present in the city. That was what made all this bearable, sometimes the only thing. The city needed him. He was important to its function, even if he rarely felt that way.

King Zorvut and Prince Taegan lived in a tower that had been constructed just for them; the lingering elf military presence was housed in barracks beside the tower. He could see it, like a beacon in the distance, as he walked. The weather was becoming colder, and a few trails of smoke rose lazily into the cool midafternoon sky. He pulled his cloak closer. Hopefully he’d be back home before nightfall, when the cold really set in as the days were growing shorter.

When he reached the barracks, the elf soldier standing guard motioned for him to enter, clearly expecting him. Still, Korik paused at the entrance, and the soldier gave him a questioning look.

“Where can I find,” he started, then glanced at the parchment again, “Commander Varen Petkas?”

“He should be in the commander’s office,” she replied, turning to point out the doorway on the other side of the training yard. “If he’s not there, his attendant probably is and can direct you to him.”

Korik nodded, mumbling his thanks and stepping out into the yard. Only a few elves were present, practicing swordplay, and barely gave him a glance as he strode through. The door was unlocked when he turned the handle, so he stepped inside. The room was warm, and he hastily closed the door behind him to keep the chill out.

“Healer Korik,” a male voice came from the other side of the room. “Thank you for your prompt response.”

Korik scanned the room quickly. It was relatively small, all things considered: one large wooden desk, a few chairs around it, a few more shelves pushed up against the walls, and a fireplace crackling away on the far wall. A tall male elf stood behind the desk, facing him. Korik gave a slight start when he realized there was a second elf in the room—this one a female sitting facing the desk, who had twisted in her chair to look back at him.

He glanced between the two. They looked almost identical, with fair skin, black hair, and hazel eyes. The only difference was the man wore a more decorated uniform and had his hair down; the woman’s uniform was more plain, and her hair was pulled back in a smooth, tight ponytail.

“Hello,” Korik finally replied, eyeing the man. “Commander Petkas?”

“Yes,” the elf replied, then gestured toward one of the open chairs. “Please, sit.”

Korik glanced anxiously at the room’s setup—he did not want to sit too close to either of them, but none of the chairs were an ideal placement. In the end, he went for one of the chairs closer to the female elf. He carefully slid it a bit further away from her as he pulled it out from the desk. They were made for elves, so he had to perch cautiously on the small seat; the commander seemed to realize it as Korik sat down, but said nothing.

“Thank you for joining us on such short notice,” he repeated, clearing his throat. “I discussed this matter with Prince Taegan, who advised me of your expertise.”

“Expertise?” Korik repeated with uncertainty. The two elves glanced between each other, then the commander spoke again.

“This is Captain Enriel Petkas,” he said, gesturing toward the woman. “We have a request of you. Enriel is with child, and I would ask that you join me as I accompany her back to Aefraya, so she is safe and amongst family when her baby is born.”

Korik turned to look at the woman, Enriel. He had only glanced at her before; but now that he observed her from this angle, he could see the small swell of her belly against the belted sash of her uniform. From what he had learned of elves, he doubted that she was so far along that she risked giving birth while traveling.

“I see,” Korik replied slowly, looking back over at the commander. “Why do you ask this of me?”

“I told you, Varen,” the woman hissed, but the commander—Varen—held up a hand, and she turned her face away with an irritated huff.

“The baby is not due for another few months,” he said. “But the roads are unsafe and unlikely to become any safer in the coming weeks. I can handle protecting her, but we would feel far more comfortable traveling with someone well-versed in her condition. Suffice it to say, you have the most expertise of anyone at my disposal, hence my request.”

Korik considered it for a long moment. In the past months, there had been a number of raids and attacks from orc tribes that rebelled against the unification; so the roads, while not outwardly hostile, were not entirely safe for a pregnant elf to travel alone. He was not particularly inclined to make such a journey. He did not like to leave home, and from this brief interaction, Korik guessed this commander was pushy at best, and an arrogant bastard at worst. He assumed they were a couple, and the thought of being an awkward third party to whatever dynamic they had going on was equally unappealing.

Still, since he had attended to the prince during his own pregnancy, he had gathered as much information as he could about the unique factors of elven reproduction. He could not deny that they were unlikely to find anyone better qualified to provide medical care to the woman on this side of the border. Or where the border had once been.

“You will, of course, be paid well for your assistance,” Varen said. Korik realized with a start that he had been silent for an uncomfortable length of time. “If there is no trouble, gods willing, we can be there in two weeks and back in two weeks. Anything you should need for the journey will be provided for you as well.”

Internally, Korik bristled at his presumption. He turned to the woman, Enriel.

“What were you going to say to him before?” he asked. The woman’s head swung over to look at him, eyes wide. She stared at him in surprise for a moment, then cleared her throat self-consciously. From the corner of his eye, Korik could see Varen fold his arms across his chest, letting out a faint huff of irritation, but he ignored the other elf.

“I... I assumed you would deny the request,” Enriel replied. “When I asked Varen about bringing a healer, I hadn’t realized there were so few… So I thought asking you would be a waste of time.”

“If I refuse, would you go alone?” he asked, then added, “Or the two of you?”

She glanced over at the commander briefly, then nodded. “Yes. It would be just the two of us. There aren’t enough medics stationed here to spare one for a full month.”

Korik considered this for a moment, then asked, “Do you want me to come with you?”

Enriel’s brows furrowed as one hand came to rest lightly on her stomach. While they differed significantly from orcs, he had learned to read elf faces well enough now that he could tell she was worried, no doubt thinking of what would be best for her baby.

“Well, yes,” she finally replied. “I mean… That is, I do share Varen’s concerns about something happening on the road. A healer would ease my mind considerably.”

Korik sighed, starting to lean back in the too-small chair before catching himself. A month away was far from ideal, but he did want to help. Roz could probably handle things well enough on her own while he was gone. It would be an annoyance, but a manageable one.

“When are you hoping to leave?” he asked, looking back toward Varen. Despite his imperious expression, a slight smirk played on his face—as if he’d somehow won, which only made him seem all the more insufferable.

“The sooner the better,” the commander replied. “Ideally, within a week.”

Korik sighed again, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Alright. I will accompany you. How far into Aefraya are you going?”

“To Castle Aefraya,” Varen replied, still smirking. “I’ve arranged for a relative there to accompany her the rest of the way, so no need to be concerned. I’ll accompany you back to Drol Kuggradh.”

“You aren’t staying with her?” Korik asked, perplexed. When he glanced between the two of them, they both looked at him in surprise, only confusing him further—then Enriel exclaimed,

“Oh, he’s not the father—Varen is my brother.”

Varen laughed aloud, and Korik’s face burned with embarrassed heat. “I—I see,” he stammered, looking away from them both. Now that she said so, he could recognize a family resemblance, beyond the similarity all elves seemed to share.

“I’m sorry, we should have clarified,” Enriel continued, sounding exasperated. “Varen, stop. ”

Varen’s laugh cut off with a snort. “My apologies, sister . But yes, it will be the two of us on the return journey, Healer. We wouldn’t have you go alone.”

Korik stood, suddenly desperate to leave. “I will prepare to depart in a week, then. If anything changes between then and now, let me know.”

He didn’t look to see if Varen responded as he turned to go. Enriel touched his forearm lightly as he stepped past her, and he paused.

“Thank you, Healer,” she said, her voice far more sincere than anything Varen had said so far. “I appreciate it. Truly.”

Korik only nodded, then added more gently, “Perhaps you can have one of the medics here send me any information that I need about you before we go. Or if you have the time, come by my shop, and I can do an examination.”

Enriel gave him a small, nervous smile, and nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”

Korik nodded, then hurried out of the room. The commander didn’t try to stop him and said nothing as he left.