Page 14 of X’nath (Dark Orcs of Helfallow)

14

A Home of Our Own

GRACIE

T he sun was still high in the sky. The open air felt different—fresher, but more unsettling. We were no longer tucked away in dark caves or hidden from the world in the mountain's shadow. Here, we were exposed, but the towering rocky peaks around us acted as a natural barrier, a kind of protection that made the wild world beyond feel a little less threatening.

The land itself was vast, a mix of rough terrain and sparse vegetation, with jagged rocks protruding from the earth and long stretches of rugged, untamed wilderness. The beauty of it was raw and unfiltered, yet there was an intimidation to it as well. It reminded me just how small we were in comparison to the grandeur of the mountains and the wild expanse stretching beyond.

But, despite the overwhelming landscape, there was a kind of peace here—a quiet that we hadn’t experienced in a long time. The earth beneath my feet felt solid, and I appreciated the sense of stability after the chaos of the swamp.

After settling in and making sure the women were as comfortable as possible, the orc women gathered us together. The youngest one in the bunch introduced herself as Arga. These women had a different kind of strength about them, an unspoken power that made me feel both awed and reassured. They were efficient in their movements, leading us with confidence toward a nearby lake where we could wash up and refresh ourselves. It was a small blessing after the long days of travel, the grime of the swamp still clinging to our skin.

As we approached the water, I marveled at the pristine beauty of the lake. The water was clear, shimmering with an almost magical quality under the fading sunlight. Trees lined the edges, their branches heavy with leaves that rustled softly in the breeze. It was serene, and for a moment, I forgot all the dangers that had brought us here, all the worries that had clouded my mind. It was just the water, the sky, and the distant hum of nature.

With hand gestures, the orc women urged us to wash up. The subtle, graceful movements of their hands were an invitation more than a command, and none of us hesitated. We’d been in the swamp for far too long, the muck and grime from the journey still clinging to our skin. The opportunity to finally clean off felt like a small but precious gift.

With only a slight hesitation, I waded into the cool water. I took another look around us to make sure the men weren’t leering nearby and they weren’t. Seemed they were busy with the other clansmen. The other human women followed, some tentative at first, but quickly letting the lake’s chill sink in. We had learned each other's names during the journey on the ship, and now they were slowly coming back to me.

The group sighed in relief as the fresh water hit their skin, the filth of the swamp slipping away with each splash. Slowly they began taking off their clothes.

“God, I thought I’d never get this off,” Kelly—a tall, shapely, woman with light brown hair— muttered, splashing water onto her arms as she scrubbed at the dirt. “I swear, I’m going to be finding swamp muck in places I didn’t even know existed for weeks.”

“I know,” Erin laughed, her voice a little shaky as she rubbed her arms. Erin was shorter than most of us and looked to be in her mid twenties. “I’ve never been this gross in my life. I think I was starting to forget what it felt like to be clean.”

“I didn’t even know I had this many layers of dirt on me,” said Sophie, laughing as she dunked her head under the water, cleaning her light, blond hair. “It feels like a weight’s been lifted. I was starting to think the swamp was just going to be my permanent smell.”

The sounds of their laughter were a comfort, a stark contrast to the tension and fear we’d lived with for the past few months. The water wasn’t warm, but it was refreshing, and there was something deeply cathartic about washing away the reminders of our hardship. The coldness of it felt like a sharp reminder that we were alive, that we’d made it through something terrible and come out on the other side.

“I didn’t think I’d ever feel this clean again,” I murmured to myself, as I ran my hands through my dark hair, rinsing out the last of the swamp’s stench.

Salma, who had been quieter than the others, finally spoke up, looking over at me with a smirk. “Well, you definitely smell better. I think I can stand being near you again,” she joked, her eyes twinkling.

“Hey, I can’t help that I’m an excellent swamp dweller,” I said, laughing back. “But you’re right, this feels amazing.”

The group’s collective tension seemed to ease, at least for a moment. We were starting to feel human again—like we could breathe, like we could move on from the fear and survival instincts we’d been forced to embrace. There was no telling what came next, but for now, it was enough to be clean, to be in the moment, surrounded by new faces, and with a brief respite from all the chaos.

“It’s so nice not to have to keep worrying about bugs crawling into your hair,” Erin said, running her fingers through her damp locks. “Can we just live here forever?”

“I don’t know if the orcs would want us hanging around their lake permanently,” Kelly said with a wry grin. “But I wouldn’t mind it.”

“We’re not staying in the swamp,” I spoke up firmly, but not unkindly. “We’ve survived it. Now we focus on building something better.” I glanced around at the women, trying to get them to understand the seriousness of my point. “This place—it’s not home yet. But we’re getting there. And I’m not letting any of us fall back into that kind of filth again.”

It was a bold statement, but each one of us knew there was no going back to the life we left behind. The other women nodded, some of them quieter, others visibly comforted by the conviction in my voice. We stood in the water for a while longer, exchanging a few more jokes and enjoying the fleeting peace. The orc women watched us closely but without any hurry, their presence comforting but not suffocating. They’d given us this small moment of peace, and we appreciated it more than I could say.

Finally, the orc women started unpacking bundles of cloth, handing us garments that were simple yet functional—new coverings that would help protect us from the elements. The air was growing chilly, and I couldn’t imagine standing here exposed for the next thirty minutes, trying to wash our clothes in this cold.

“For you,” Arga, one of the younger orc women, said with a soft smile, as she handed me a dark green tunic. “It will serve you well.”

I nodded, accepting the garment gratefully. The fabric was thick but surprisingly comfortable, offering a kind of protection from the harsh winds. As I pulled it over my head, I appreciated the effort they were putting into making us feel more at home. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

The other women had already started to wade out of the water. The orc women brought more than enough to go around, so we were able to use a few pieces as makeshift towels to dry ourselves.

Kelly, who had been particularly anxious since our rescue, spoke. “It feels… nice, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s like we’re in another world,” Erin murmured, her expression softened as she squeezed water out of her hair. “I didn’t know what to expect from these orcs, but this…” She trailed off, looking at the water and the surrounding land as if seeing it for the first time.

I stayed quiet, watching the others, letting the moment settle over me. Once we were all dressed, the orc women led us back toward the heart of their tribe. As we walked, I began to truly observe how the tribe worked, how it all operated in a natural flow.

The air smelled of earth and wood, with a faint hint of smoke from the fires burning in the distance. Orcs moved with purpose, going about their daily routines. Some carried tools, others spoke in low voices as they worked on building what looked like simple wooden structures.

The homes were sturdy, built from stone and wood, blending seamlessly with the mountainside. Some were small but well-kept, while others were larger and appeared to be communal spaces where groups of orcs gathered to eat, speak, and share stories. The familiar voices of the men who had found us at sea rang out, boisterous and full of energy, as they eagerly shared tales of the journey we’d endured to reach this point.

The orcs living here were practical in their approach—no excess, just what was necessary, and yet there was a quiet sense of pride in everything they did. It was a weird mixture of human culture familiarity as well as an otherworldly tribal aspect. Everything had its place, and everyone seemed to know their role. It was a strange kind of order, but it worked for them.

As we moved through the camp, the older orc women broke away and tended to fires, gathered food, and helped the children. The children ran between the adults, laughing and playing.

I didn’t know yet what would happen next, but as I watched them, it became clear that this place was more than just a refuge. It was a home—something I hadn’t realized I’d been craving until now. But then a darker thought crossed my mind: if we ever did try to leave, where would we go? Back home? That felt impossible. We'd just end up on another slave ship like before. This place, for all its rawness, might be the only safety we would ever know.

A few of the orc women began bringing supplies for us to settle, some furs, and materials for shelter. It was kind of them, though I felt a mix of gratitude and resistance. Yes, we had to rely on them for certain things, but I wasn’t about to let them do everything for us. We needed to stand on our own two feet, build our own future.

Thanking them, I handed the materials to the group and told them we were going to build a communal shelter.

“Gracie, maybe we should let them help,” Kelly murmured as she picked at the some wood planks the orcs had provided.

I shook my head, trying to keep my voice calm but firm. “We need to be able to take care of ourselves. We need to remind ourselves that we have value, we’re not captives. If that’s what they want us to believe, then we have to prove it to them.” I glanced at the others. "We need to do this ourselves."

A few of the other girls exchanged uncertain glances. Erin was the first to speak. “But they’re offering, Gracie. They want to build homes for us, at least that’s what I gathered from the men who found us. They’ve got the manpower, the tools. Why not let them?”

I sighed, looking around at our new landscape. “Because if we let them do everything, we’ll owe them more than we already do. And I’m not willing to fall deeper into that debt. We’ve already been handed enough, don’t you think?”

Was it manipulative of me to get them to see things my way? Possibly. But it also logically made sense.

Kelly didn’t look convinced, her brow furrowed. “But Gracie… we’re not used to this. We’re not used to surviving in a place like this. I highly doubt any of us have had experience in building a home from the ground up.”

I softened a little, though I still felt my resolve tightening. “We can do it. We’ve survived this long, haven’t we? We just need to put our minds together and figure it out.”

The women still seemed unsure, but I could tell they were beginning to see my point. That was when Arga, one of the younger orc women, stepped forward. Her expression was serious, but her eyes held a glint of understanding.

“I can help,” she said, her voice steady. “We can build a shelter for you. It may not be like what the men would do, but it will be enough.”

I gave her a grateful nod. It was better than asking the men. X’nath’s smirk came to my mind and I grimaced. Taking his offer for help might lead him on, judging by his growing flirtations. I didn’t know what he saw in me. If the men brought us here to build families together… well, he was out of luck. At this age, children would be high risk for me.

A pang of shame sliced through me but quickly left as I refocused my attention to the task at hand.

"Thank you, Arga. That's exactly what we need."

With Arga’s help, along with a few other younger orc women who had volunteered, we began to gather the extra items we needed. The orcs had an abundance of raw resources—wood, stone, and other sturdy materials from the land itself—and though it wasn’t as sophisticated as the structures they had built for themselves, we made do. We worked quickly, using the skills we had, learning from Arga and the others as we went along.

As we toiled together, I felt a surge of pride. Despite everything we had gone through, we were still able to come together, make something from nothing. A few of the other women had softened in their resistance once the foundation started to grow. They began to help with the building, their hands moving in sync with mine as we worked. There was a quiet camaraderie now, a sense of unity growing among us, even as I felt the weight of what was to come settle on my shoulders.

When the shelter was finally done, I stood back and surveyed our work. I admired their ingenious design—a cleverly constructed gap in the roof allowed smoke from the internal fires to escape while keeping the elements at bay, ensuring a warm and dry interior. It was simple, but it was ours. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t perfect. What mattered was that we had built it with our own hands, and that felt like an accomplishment. Our new shelter was small but functional—enough to keep us safe for now, and enough to show the orcs we could stand on our own.

“We did it,” I murmured, my voice full of quiet triumph.

The others gathered around, some of them still hesitant but beginning to warm to the idea of our independence. We might have been far from home, but here, in this wild land, we were making a new one.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the first stars began to twinkle above us, I allowed myself a moment of peace.

We had built something together, and for the first time since we were thrown into this strange world after our shipwreck, I felt like maybe—just maybe—we had a chance.