Page 21 of Loved By The Orc (Monster Orc Brides #4)

Varguk:

BY THE TIME WE enter West Mountain territory, we’re surrounded by their scouts. They move up right alongside us and without a word, escort us toward Solaya.

Negan looks around in confusion. “What is going on? They know me.”

“’Tis alright, female,” I croon in her ear. “This is the way it has to be.”

“I-I don’t understand,” she says.

But she will.

I’m not one of them and I never will be. That’s okay, because it’s worth it to bring Negan home safely. She deserves her friends, her loved ones, her father. She deserves to be protected and treated like the vessel of beauty she is.

“No one’s talking,” she says.

“Probably in a hurry to get you safely to their village,” I assure her.

She bites her bottom lip like she’s worried and so I squeeze her tight. Goddess, she is so small compared to me. So delicate. I don’t deserve her, but I’m not ever letting her go. Not until she’s taken from me.

It’s not long before we reach Solaya. Most of the royal guard are at the gates where they’re ready to care for the animals. They stand around, waiting for us to get off the horse. When I dismount and then help her off, she huddles next to me—wary, unsure. Definitely on edge.

The males around us tense. I know what’s coming. Suddenly I want to shield her from anguish.

“Negan, whatever happens, it’ll be okay. I promise.”

“I don’t understand. What’s the problem?” Her gaze searches my face. “Why isn’t anyone meeting my eyes?”

Hooking my finger under her chin, I turn her face toward me. “Negan,” I say softly. “This is the way it needs to be.”

“I-I don’t… what do you mean?”

I trace her still-bruised cheek. “Your family wants you safe. I want you safe. But… I failed. You were injured—”

She interrupts me. “You rescued me! It wasn’t you who took me—”

It’s my turn to interrupt her reasoning. “It doesn’t matter who. All that matters is that we make sure you’re safe. And if the one who brings you back needs to face that punishment, so be it.”

“Nay,” she says. “I’ll talk to my father. I’ll talk to King Brachard.”

Oh, someone is getting her father, all right. But I shake my head. “It will be okay.” And then I hug her close to me. Feel her trembling body; her slender shoulders as they shake. No one has ever trembled for me. I should be the one to make sure she always smiles.

“Female,” I growl. “It will be all right. No matter what, remember I love you. Just like I’ll remember you love me.”

Her arms come around my middle and squeeze me tight. “Var. You’re scaring me.”

I tilt her chin up. “There’s no reason to be scared. It’s simply a punishment I have to face. Will take one day at a time, yes? In the meantime, you’ll be safe. I’ll pay my dues, and then we’ll see where we stand. You and me against the world, okay?”

“Okay. You and me against the world.” Her lip trembles as she repeats my words, a phrase that she so often used with her father is what I know will bring her comfort when I use it with me. It doesn’t dawn on her how I know the phrase. That I eavesdropped on their conversations.

Her father steps up without looking at me. He takes his daughter’s arm and pulls her toward him. As soon as she leaves my grasp, two other West Mountain orcs—members of their royal guard—take my arms. Without a word, they lead me away.

I can hear her father’s softly mumbled words trail behind me as he consoles her, either reassuring or distracting her.

But then Negan breaks out in a loud shout.

“Daddy!”

“I know, misha-mine . It will be alright.”

“No! I don’t understand!”

Her father pulls her to his chest, muffling her crying as I’m forcefully dragged away.

Negan:

“Daddy, you don’t understand. Varguk didn’t hurt me. He rescued me! Saved me from those savages.”

“I know, my Negan. I know.”

“Then why is he being treated like a prisoner?”

“‘Tis for the best, sweet daughter. Let’s take you in to see Mag and your friends right now, aye? We need to get you out of the view of the front gates.”

I’m too distressed to ask why though it seems like an odd thing to say.

But my father leads me away. Down the walkway, down the cobblestone path to where the healer’s hut stands.

As soon as we start to approach, Joanna jumps from the hut and takes me from my father.

A look passes between them before she hugs me to her breast.

“I’ve got her, Oshin.”

Just then my Uncle Latsil comes out of the hut and ruffles my hair.

He gives my father the same look that Joanna did.

Something is going on, and I’m not sure what it is.

But I do know that Mag will talk so I’m more willing to go into the healer’s hut.

Without a word, my father and Latsil go off together.

Joanna leads me inside where Mag waits.

“Come, child,” she says. “Let me look you over.” Before I even sit, she starts prodding my arms and legs. I know what she’s silently asking.

“I wasn’t hurt. Not badly anyway. Most of the time, Varguk and I were hiding out in the basement of the mating hut where they had locked me. No one knew we were down there. They were searching all the grounds while we were safe. Together.”

Joanna’s twisting her fingers like she’s nervous. “You were an innocent, Negan. We all need to know… are you still? Or did they force you? Get you with child?”

I wince. It seems everyone knows of my predicament, but it’s hard to take offense with Joanna. She’s so sweet natured. I know that she’s asking such a personal thing for a reason.

“Nay, I was with Varguk,” I respond. “My choice.”

She nods. “The males, especially those of your clan, may want to know. ‘Tis important to tell the truth, Neegie.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong. It was very willing.”

She gives me a faint smile. “I know, my love,” she says, and smooths my bangs off my forehead. “I know.”

“Never could resist a strong proud cock myself,” Mag says.

To my surprise, Joanna doesn’t even snort.

If Shally or Hisa had been present, one of them would have snickered, or rolled their eyes, or made some kind of remark considering Mag has been mated to Aunt Ulga practically her entire life.

But they’re not here. Instead, I’m with Joanna and I can be just as accommodating as she is.

“Yes, Mag, that is it, exactly. Hard to resist when a male is as beautiful as Varguk.”

Mag snorts. “Well, I wouldn’t say beautiful, miss.”

That gets my hackles up. “What? Of course he’s beautiful!

Have you looked at him? He has a tenderness in his gaze.

His soul is full of emotion. It’s in his touch, his stance, in the movement of his shoulders.

He’s wary of most people, but he’s not wary with me.

Yet he’s strong as an ox, and wise as an owl—”

“I get ye, girl. I get ye,” Mag says, rolling her eyes at Joanna. “I’ve been around many moons, ye know. I’ve seen this before. ‘Tis love between the two of ye.”

“Then why would they lock him up?” I ask, my gaze flitting back and forth between the two of them.

She snorts. “Our orcs can hardly say everything is forgiven because our girl loves, right? People must be held accountable.”

“But—”

“—the Blackhearts and the West Mountains are united in this,” Mag says. “We must show alliance. My dear, you know this. It’s us against the Southpeaks because you disappeared while in Rosemary’s keep.”

“But it wasn’t by Varguk. It was his brothers.”

Mag nod solemnly. “Unfortunately, Varguk is from the same family.”

“Then his brothers should pay, not him.”

Joanna winks at me. “I’m sure. One of the kings—either Brachard or Jacovi—will ask for reparation from the Southpeaks.”

“I don’t think Varguk is a favorite son in his clan,” I say, worry darkening my voice. “I don’t think the king will trade in his favored sons for Varguk. ”

Mag simply pats my hand. “Don’t you worry none. Things have a way of working out. “Tis the way of the magicks, ye know. Now come sit. Let me look you over while Joanna calls someone to bring in a bath for you.”

Great. I’m going to be bathed like a child.

As I sit in the tub, my hair unbraided and washed, Aunt Joanna brings one of Hisa’s gowns for me, which is odd because I’m sure my bags were retrieved from Creede. She brushes my hair as Mag rubs salve into the cuts and scrapes I didn’t even know I had.

“Ye can stay in Shally and Hisa’s old tent,” Mag says. “We have some males setting it up now.”

I perk up. Shalia had a brief stint as a Blackheart. She might have some weapons hidden in her wardrobe.

I’ll get Var and we’ll be far away before the sun’s first light.

“Um, sure. I’m tired.” I let out a fake yawn.

“Be sure you stay inside,” Joanna says. “We don’t need the Southpeak leaders seeing that you’re back. Not until we’re ready for them to acknowledge you were kidnapped by their clan.”

Which translates to: Not until Varguk takes the blame for the kidnapping.

Well, we’ll see who takes the blame when I’m gone. Mayhap the spoiled sons will take the fall this time. If not, both clans—Godsfire, all three—will have to find us.

It’s dark outside as I slip away, and now I realize why they dressed me in Hisa’s gown. If I am spotted, I look like one of the halfling granddaughters. No Southpeak will ever recognize me as a Blackheart.

That could be to my benefit. I slip into the darkened tent and immediately go to the wooden chest—storage for weapons—at the foot of the bed. I slowly open the heavy lid… and cringe when the hinges release a squeak. I freeze, the only sound my heavy breathing, and then peer inside .

Success! Shalia left quite a few items behind. Several throwing knives, some oddly large for her small frame, but they’ll probably do Varguk nicely. I strap on a thigh belt and hook a couple on.

The sword will be mighty ungainly hanging on my back, but once I free Varguk, he’ll be able to carry the heavy monstrosity.

I grab a few of the round, pointy throwing knives. He’ll like those.

And when I’m strapped to the hilt, I wait in the dark for the sounds of the village to die down.

“Var!”

The hissed whisper in the dark sounds like heaven.

“Negan? What are you doing here?” My voice is raspy and throaty from the cold, my fingers numb.

“I’m here to break you out.”

Godsfire, what? She is willing to go against all her people? To throw away her life?

“What? Nay,” I scowl. “Female, as much as I love you, I can’t let you do that.”

Never that.

“Why not? Don’t you want to be with me?”

“And have you on the run for the rest of your life?”

“I don’t care. I can’t bear what might happen to you. It’s so unfair!”

“Come here, my love,” I whisper.

She presses herself up against the cage as far as she can go, her hands reaching for me through the bars. I lean my face against the cold metal to kiss her forehead .

Her ice-cold forehead. Her damp, braided hair. Despite the fur that wraps her shoulders, she did not prepare well.

“Negan, ‘tis cold out here,” I chide. “Go inside where there’s warmth. A fire.”

“Not with you out here freezing.”

“I’m a prisoner, sweet thing. I knew what I was getting into when I swore your life over mine.”

“If I had known, I never would have agreed to leave that basement. We could have lived there forever, you sneaking out for food…”

My lips curve into the first smile I’ve had in days. “Without ever seeing sun? You’re too beautiful to keep hidden.”

“Your father, brothers, and the king of your entire clan are coming. What do you think they’ll say?”

“Nothing to implicate themselves. More than likely they’ll blame me for your capture.”

“Exactly. And I’m not sitting around for that to happen.”

“And what happens when you’re not around to tell King Jacovi and King Brachard who really kidnapped you?” Her father’s voice has us both whip our heads around.

Negan pales. But in a few moments, she finds her fire. “I will not stand around for Varguk to take the blame for kidnapping me when he saved my life!”

“You will both look guilty by disappearing before the trial. Are you aware that it is not only a father and his two sons arriving but the clan king of their entire tribe? And what is the first thing they will say? That Varguk is to blame because there are no witnesses to dispute it? Mayhap they’ll even say he kidnapped you again. ”

Poor Negan didn’t think of that.

“Trust in the system, sweet pea. Let this roll out. Now, come to daddy.” He holds his arms out .

She hesitates, torn. I remember the conversation I had back with Tok and Bakog. She should never have to choose between me and her father.

So, my eyes on him, I kiss her forehead, unclasp her hands from me, and push her away. She stands a foot away from the cage, forlorn and sad, and I nearly weaken.

For the first time in my life, I’m weak. I almost reach for her, but her father steps forward and somehow she’s in his arms.

His gaze clashes with mine when he says, “For us, Varguk isn’t on trial for kidnapping you, no matter what his fool family says. Varguk is here because harm came to you, even when you say you were saved by him. You should not have been taken in the first place.”

My head hangs low. He’s right. I did not keep her safe.

The sound of her tears breaks my heart. I can’t comfort her, but she has her father.

“I thought you didn’t want a smelly ole brute, anyway, Negan of my loins.”

“His smell may be ripe, Daddy, but I love him,” she sobs into his chest.

I scowl and avoid sniffing myself. Of course, I’m ripe. I’m a prisoner of their clan.

“You got his scent all over my favorite fur cape,” her father says, utter disgust in his voice. He unfastens the button at her throat and takes off the heavy fur she wears, then lets it drop behind her, and kicks it toward my cage like it’s trash.

I’m about to snarl that she’ll freeze to death when he opens his own fur and wraps his daughter in it.

“Are those my weapons you were running away with?” he chides.

“Y-yours? You’re staying in Hisa and Shally’s tent? I thought they were the ones Shally left behind. ”

“Nay,” he chuckles. “See how distracted you are? How tired? Didn’t even recognize your own father’s belongings? Come, let me take you back to bed. Everything will look brighter in the morn.”

His arm locked around her shoulders keeps her from looking back at me. And I know him being in her tent will keep her from trying to get away again.

He never notices the heavy fur he disdainfully tossed to the ground within my reach, but it will keep me warm through the night.