Splint
Chapter 14 The Fire
A black rage filled Cadoc as he watched the procession approach. Magistrate Halbard led a chained Rukhash by a long rope. Hedon and Damrod followed behind, their faces grim. Men and women wandered out of their shops and houses to gawk at the orcess as she passed through the center of town to reach the judiciary building. A small crowd began to gather and their venomous whispers sounded like serpents hissing in Cadoc's ears.
His expression darkened when he saw the state Rukhash was in. She was covered in blood, either from her hunting or from injury. Her hair was a dark riot on her head, and her clothes were torn and filthy. Her eyes gave him pause, though. She kept and even pace behind Halbard, her golden gaze grim and defiant, and she held her head high, unflinching despite the jeering that began to rise up around her. Rukhash's proud bearing made her look all at once fierce and regal, and Cadoc would have smiled to see it if not for her desperate situation.
A small group of teenage boys dashed forward and pelted Rukhash with a large stone. A bright, red gash bloomed across her dark brow while a small cheer went up as the orcess stumbled to the side, and Halbard stopped his horse, Hedon and Damrod following suit. Before the magistrate could chastise the crowd, Rukhash regained her footing and pitched towards the brazen teenagers. The orcess bared her teeth in a cacophonous, echoing roar and the whole assembly went silent. It was a sound Cadoc had only heard when he fought against Uruk warriors, and he was chilled to hear it issue from her throat. The group of boys skittered back into the crowd, and the orcess looked pleased by the terrified recoiling of the onlookers. Cadoc felt Edda's strong, slender hand grip his bicep, and Cadoc put his arm around her shoulder, frustrated that he could do no more than watch.
Halbard had unbuckled his sword at the orc's outburst, but the orcess turned to continue following, and the magistrate relaxed his hand from the hilt. "Fucking arseholes," he heard her mutter before spitting rudely.
The magistrate was not surprised by Cadoc's presence at the courthouse. The ranger stood with his sister and her husband, Elador, and their two oldest children. The whole family looked worried to death, and Cadoc seemed especially affected by the sight of his orc paraded through the streets in chains. Halbard curiously noted the apologetic look the female orc gave to Cadoc as she was led inside by Damrod. The magistrate did not spare them a glance as he passed by. Cadoc and Elador had already said their peace, and Halbard was interested to see if this orc was everything they claimed her to be.
The orcess was brought to one of the smaller side chambers for interrogation. She remained chained and was tied to the overlarge oak table in the center of the room by her lead rope. Though she seemed to be much calmer than when they had captured her, Halbard made her wait on him under guard. He wanted her to sweat it out a bit. Her fear had turned to defiance at some point during their trek to the village, and while the magistrate did not want her wild with terror, a little unease in a prisoner was useful when it came to questioning.
The magistrate removed his dark cloak and sword belt at leisure, depositing them with a guard before acquiring a pitcher and basin. He strode unhurried back towards the room where the orc was being held. Halbard was surprised to find the orc female with her hands folded neatly in her lap, sitting calmly in the wide, oak chair on the far side of the table. Her eyes were just as defiant as when she entered, but her glare had lost a little of its conviction. Pleased that she seemed unsure of her situation, the magistrate set the metal basin and pitcher on the table. Halberd nodded silently towards the guards in the room, and they repositioned themselves outside, shutting the door behind them. The orcess's bright eyes followed their movements as they left. Though he did not look at her while he poured water into basin and set a rag to soak, the magistrate could feel the heavy stare of the orc on him.
"No swords? No guards? Don't seem real smart," the she-orc said slowly in a gruff, growling accent. "What's to keep me from tearin' out yer throat?"
Halbard straightened and regarded the orc for several long minutes before setting the basin and rag in front of her. "I imagine those chains would give you trouble," he said as he retreated to his own seat across from her. "Besides," Halbard continued, folding his hands in front of him, "I am told that is not your way. Or would you prove your hosts false?"
"Please," the magistrate said as he gestured towards the basin, "feel free to clean up. Unless you prefer to have a conversation while you are covered in blood."
The she orc scowled at him, but reached for the rag. She dabbed lightly at her head wound, but it had already stopped bleeding. The orc washed her face and carefully wiped the dried blood from her vest. Halbard watched her with silent, patient interest. He had seen many orcs during The War and after, but he never had the opportunity to observe one this closely without concern for his own life. Halbard believed he had never seen a female of the species before, though now that he gazed upon this one he was not so sure. Despite her smaller frame and slightly softened features, the magistrate thought he might easily mistake her for an adolescent male. Her abrasive voice did not help matters.
The basin water was bright red by the time the she orc was finished freshening up. She wrung the rag out a final time and laid it neatly over the side of the metal tub to dry. The orc's chains jangled as she sat back in her seat, regarding Halbard with a cool, calculating expression. "So," the orcess addressed him, "did you bring me here fer a reason, or did ya just want to fuck up my morning for the fun of it?"
Halbard rested his chin on his hand. "Cadoc tells me that you are innocent of the bloodshed wrought by your people. Is this true?"
The orcess blinked, confused. "What do ya mean by that?"
"I mean," Halbard huffed, "he says that you did not fight against Gondor, both during The War and after."
"That's true enough," the orcess confirmed easily.
"What did you do during The War?"
The orc's mouth firmed rebelliously. "I don't see how that's any a yer fucking business," she barked.
"I suppose you have no intention of discussing your activities after The War, either," Halbard assumed. The orcess turned her face away from him, staring at the ornate wood panels on the wall. The magistrate leaned back in his chair and was silent for a long minute.
"If you insist on being difficult, I'm sure a flogging could loosen your tongue." Halbard had no intention of beating her, but he did not have the time or desire to wait for her to become cooperative. A little fright on her part would serve his purpose better.
The she orc surprised him by chuckling darkly. "A flogging you say?" she smirked rakishly. "That's mighty white'a ya, makin' me feel so at home. You think them puny tark whips'a yers will make much of a scratch? I'd hate to go off with no show'a yer fine hospitality."
The magistrate huffed angrily through his nose. "I should have assumed an orc would be foul enough to find pleasure in such a thing," he said, annoyed. Halbard did not appreciate being made the fool. "I see Cadoc and Elador were not being truthful when they spoke of your innocence."
A troubled look passed over the orc's features and her posture lost the easy bravado she had been displaying thus far. "Hey," she barked, "you leave that lot outta this. They's just showin' me a kindness. Ain't no harm in that."
"You do not wish to make trouble for them?" the magistrate asked, surprised that an orc would show care for the fate of anyone aside from itself. The orcess shook her head to the negative, and Halbard felt a small surge of triumph. "Then you will answer my questions honestly. I am interested in justice, not revenge. Your race will have no bearing on the outcome."
The orcess scowled and raised her chained wrists between them. "I'm thinkin' my 'race' already has plenty a bearin' on things."
For a long, dumbfounded moment, the magistrate could only blink stupidly at her. Halbard considered himself an honorable man. From the moment he conceded to go through with this interrogation, he swore to himself that he would adhere to the words of wiser men, and afford the orc the same regard he would a man in her position. Now, he found himself justly chastised by her. In truth, up until this point he felt that he had treated the she orc no differently from any other prisoner, but he had captured her without cause and chained her like an animal. A slow, awful realization formed in his mind. How embarrassed she must have been, to be paraded through town like a freak of nature! If their positions were reversed, Halbard imagined he would be equally, if not more, defiant.
Coming to a decision, the magistrate rose from his seat and rounded the table. Fumbling a little with his keys, he took the orcess's chains and unlocked the manacles. The she orc rubbed her wrists and watched him return to his seat with an unreadable expression. The pair sat across from each other for a long while, each regarding the other.
"Do you understand why I brought you here?" the magistrate asked.
The orcess tilted her head curiously. "I'd guess the folk here caught wind a me and are gettin a bit restless about it."
The corner's of Halbard's mouth twitched with a smile. "I see your intelligence was not exaggerated," he said lightly. The magistrate became grim as he thought on the situation that brought the two of them to this point. "There has been a great deal of talk about you in the village. A number of families from Rohan and eastern Gondor have settled here in the years after The War, and a fair amount of them have been displaced by orcs. Despite the high regard Cadoc and his family have for you, and their respectable standing in this village, many people are calling for your blood."
"This...interview," Halbard continued, "is being conducted on their behalf. It is my job to maintain order here. All I ask is that you answer my questions honestly. If I decide that you are not a threat, I will calm the fears of the people who wish to do you harm, and assure your safety for the duration of your stay here. I assure you, anything you say to me will be spoken in confidence. Do we have an understanding?"
The orcess absorbed this information quietly. "I understand ya," she nodded.
"Now," Halbard folded his hands on the table with a steadying breath. "How about we start with your whereabouts during The War?"
The magistrate listened with rapt attention as the she orc – Rukhash, he reminded himself – told him of her war service. She described her armory work in Orthanc and her apprenticeship under the healer, Grazad, in Barad dûr. Rukhash told the magistrate about the trials of the women in the pits and the children they bore, and Halbard found himself feeling a grudging respect for what her people had to endure in their service to The Shadow. The orcess went on to explain her life afterwards. Halbard could hear the admiration in her voice when she spoke of her former chief, who took the clan she settled with deep into the Misty Mountains to avoid the wrath of men. She spoke of her mate, her shaûk, and their children. Her tone became dark as she told of their deaths at the hands of orc hunters. Though the she orc did not break into weeping, her sadness was written so clearly in her gruff voice that Halbard felt her sorrow as if it were his own. Finally, she came to tell him of her long years of solitude, which led to her discovery of an injured Cadoc.
"Thought about eatin' him," she said with a small, amused smile, and Halbard was surprised to find himself returning it. "Thought better of it, though, and now I'm glad I didn't. I haven't known a friendly face in so long, I near forgot what one looked like. His sis and her kin have been real good ta me. I wouldn't want anythin' happenin' to them on my account."
"So you have given up on seeking revenge for your family?" the magistrate asked, curious.
Rukhash worried her lip between her sharp teeth. The she orc took a deep breath. "If I ever come by them bastards what murdered my babies," she told him seriously, "they'll wish they'd never drew breath in the first place. I'd do to their flesh what they done to my heart." The orcess thumped her chest emphatically. "But I ain't got no quarrel with the folks here. The war were war an' we was all caught up in it. That I'd already let go."
Halbard was silent for a long while. "Thank you, Rukhash," he said. "I appreciate your honesty. You have given me more to think on than I thought you would, but I believe I am ready to pass judgement..."
A better portion of the crowd outside had dispersed, but those assembled stood in hushed attention. All that remained were about two dozen curious parties and a group of men who were personally invested in the magistrate's decision. They were all former orc hunters, most of whom Cadoc recognized , most likely hoping to acquire her head after her execution. There were still a few neighboring provinces that rewarded such a trophy. Baladnor was among the men, looking as bedraggled and quarrelsome as Cadoc remembered him. Ingrid's husband glared at Cadoc and his family with an unabashed loathing. Cadoc was pleased to note that Edda – and, surprisingly, Morwen – matched the ferocity of his expression.
You are more like your mother each day, little niece, Cadoc though fondly, despite his gnawing unease.
The ranger was deeply concerned for Rukhash. Hedon was told to wait outside with the rest of them, and Cadoc did not like that his only reliable link to the orcess in this situation was as impotent as the rest of them. It would be up to Rukhash to charm her way out of the courthouse. Cadoc had a great deal of faith in the innocence of her intentions and her sense of honor, but she was especially disagreeable as of late, and a sharp tongue wouldn't do much for her case.
A sick feeling filled Cadoc as the stately courthouse doors swung open. Magistrate Halbard exited first, his long, dark robes in contrast to his silver hair. Cadoc felt bolstered by the calm about the man, but he was concerned that Rukhash was nowhere in sight.
"I have made my decision regarding the orc," Halbard's booming voice called out. The magistrate stopped short, and turned around to motion for someone behind him to step forward. Rukhash emerged, unchained and looking considerably cleaner, and came to stand sheepishly at the magistrate's side. Cadoc released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"This she orc," Halbard motioned towards Rukhash, "is of no danger to this village. Henceforth, I will tolerate no more talk of vigilante justice ." A hushed murmur rose up from the crowd.
"Furthermore," Halbard continued, "I have found no evidence suggesting any sign of witchery on the orc's part," at this statement, the magistrate cast a baleful eye towards Baladnor. "So long as she obeys our laws, she will be welcome to stay. Any that would raise a hand in violence against her, or any family that harbors her, will be punished to the full extent of the law."
"There's no law against killing orcs!" Baladnor shouted, and several of the men with him rumbled in agreement.
The magistrate fixed Baladnor with a dark look. "In this case, I am making an exception. I am an extension of the king's hand, and I say anyone who slays this orc without lawful cause for doing so will be charged with murder. Anyone who wishes to challenge this decision has my leave to travel to Minas Tirith and take the matter up with King Aragorn, himself!"
There was a discontent grumbling at the magistrate's words, and most of the crowd dispersed unhappily, whispering amongst themselves at this strange turn of events. The few that remained looked on with piqued curiosity as Halbard led the orcess down the courthouse steps towards Cadoc and his family. Cadoc wanted to embrace her, and it took all of his willpower to remain standing resolutely next to his sister as the orcess approached. Morwen scandalized the townspeople in Cadoc's stead, and rushed forward to wrap her arms around the orcess tightly. Rukhash bore her attentions stoically, lightly patting Morwen's back as the girl wept, relieved, into her matted hair . Halbard looked on amused as he stepped forward to address Cadoc and Hedon.
If Cadoc didn't know better, he would have thought Halbard looked repentant as he stood before the two rangers. "I will admit," the magistrate said, "I did not believe much of what you told me about her, but now that I have met her, I see that you did not exaggerate ." Halbard looked over his shoulder to the reunion behind him. Edda's face was dry but she was smiling brightly as the orcess ruffled Wulf's hair. "Aside from her coarse language and... obvious differences," the magistrate continued, "she is quite similar to an ordinary woman."
Cadoc wasn't sure that he would ever describe the orcess as "ordinary," but he nodded anyway, glad for the magistrate's decision.
"You have extended a great boon to her," Hedon interjected, "by allowing her the protection of the law."
"Justice does not know boundaries of race or creed," the magistrate said magnanimously. "Nor does pain or sorrow. If your orc friend can know the latter than she should be afforded the former. Her story is, indeed, sad," Halbard quietly addressed Cadoc directly, "I see why you have extended her your sympathies and your home to her."
Cadoc felt more than pity towards Rukhash, but he, again, nodded silently. Better to hash out the complexities of his feelings in private. "I appreciate your just decision," Cadoc said respectfully.
Beyond Halbard, Cadoc noticed the disgusted expression of Baladnor and his comrades as the walked off. The ranger firmed his jaw resolutely. The former orc hunter was obviously displeased with the magistrate's ruling. Cadoc glared darkly at Baladnor's retreating back, determined to keep his vigilance, and not allow this fortuitous turn of events to make him careless. If trouble did arise for Rukhash during her stay, Cadoc knew where it would originate.
Edda lavished an extraordinary amount of attention on the Rukhash once they returned home, and Cadoc wondered if the orcess would lose her temper with his sister. Rukhash was not overly fond of pampering, and on a few occasions she shooed the overbearing woman away, complaining that she wanted a few moments of peace.
Now washed and fed and left to their own devices, Cadoc and Rukhash occupied themselves in the cottage, enjoying an evening's respite after an eventful day. Cadoc sat on the sofa, quietly reading one of the books his sister left him. He was dully aware of Rukhash's activities in the kitchen. The orcess splashed in a bowl of water as she tried to scrub dried blood from the light brown fur sleeves she'd worn this morning. She was mumbling curses to herself, obviously not making much progress. Cadoc found himself smiling as he listened to her familiar grumbling. His chest clenched painfully with the thought that he was very close to never hearing her complaints again.
Rukhash came to hang her sleeves to dry by a hook near the hearth. She tilted her head curiously at the ranger as she watched him stare intently at a book on his lap. The orcess flopped next to him on the couch and leaned over his shoulder to stare down at the page he was reading. "What's all this," she said, wrinkling her nose.
Cadoc turned to find her face mere inches from his own. Her eyes were bright and focused on the book in his lap. Cadoc smiled at her inquisitiveness. "This," he said, lifting the book slightly, "is the tale of the great mariner Eärendil."
Rukhash frowned at him. "Who's that, then?"
Cadoc went into a lengthy explanation that involved golug and half golug and ships that were stars and dark forces vanquished. Wrinkling her nose, the orcess looked from Cadoc to the page of squiggles. "And it says all that in there?" she asked, confused.
"There are other stories as well," Cadoc told her.
Rukhash squinted as if she thought she might will the letters to make sense. "Never was much fer readin'," the orcess rumbled. "There any pictures in there? I like them sorts a things."
Cadoc obligingly leafed through the pages until he came upon an engraving of Eärendil slaying Ancalagon the Black, a great winged dragon that roared menacingly over the shimmering ship Vingilótë. Rukhash leaned forward with wide eyes, and traced her claw against the gaping maw of the beast, wrought in delicate, thin lines. A small, entranced smile played across her face. Cadoc never realized that she had an interest in such things, and the ranger made a mental note to acquire one of Edda's picture books for the orcess to look at.
"He looks like a right nasty fucker," the orcess purred as she ran her finger along the dragon's tail. Rukhash had tucked herself against Cadoc, leaning comfortably on his shoulder. The ranger swallowed thickly when he noticed the contour of her hip press against his own. Rukhash's breath became slow and deep, and Cadoc became aware of a subtle scent coming from her skin. It smelled almost like cloves, but earthier and mixed with her own, natural smell.
"Did Edda force some bath oils on you?" Cadoc asked, unnerved by the warmth that began to settle in his gut. The orcess regarded him with dark, hooded eyes, her nostrils flaring. Cadoc nearly jumped from his skin when the orcess tilted her head back to run her rough, textured tongue along the length of his jaw, a steady purr forming in her throat. "Rukhash?" Cadoc blurted out, both alarmed and slightly aroused by the sensation of her sharp teeth scraping against the pulse at his neck.
The orcess jumped back against the opposite arm of the sofa, and Cadoc felt strangely cold by her sudden absence. She was staring at him, horrified, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. Cadoc felt as though he was rooted to his seat. Rukhash seemed completely caught off guard by her actions, and the ranger shared the sentiment.
"I..." the orcess trailed off hoarsely, and jumped from the sofa to rush out the front door. Completely baffled by her actions – and his own desire – Cadoc snatched his crutch from where it leaned against the sofa and followed her outside. For a moment, Cadoc feared that she had run off, but Rukhash was sitting cross legged on the small porch, staring blankly into the inky night. In the meager light cast outside, Cadoc could see wisps of steam rising off her dark skin.
Rukhash looked up at the ranger with a mortified expression. "Sorry," she said lamely. "I'm sorry, I didn't think it'd be this bad 'round you."
Cadoc hobbled forward, and leaned on his crutch as he struggled to kneel next to her. It was freezing outside, but when he laid his hand on the orcess's shoulder, he found her skin was unbearably hot. "What are you talking about?" he asked her.
"Yer not an orc," she told him ambiguously. "I didn't think the heat would hit me so hard with you bein' here. If I thought it would, I'da left for a bit 'til it passed." Rukhash covered her face with her clawed hands.
Cadoc still wasn't completely clear on the situation, but the orcess was beginning to shiver in the night chill, and he worried for her health. "You should come inside," he told her.
Rukhash shook her head, looking miserable. "Give me a bit," she said. "Let me cool off a little."
"You're shivering," Cadoc insisted.
"I ain't cold you idiot!" the orcess barked, leaning away from his touch. "I'm fucking horny you blind bastard. Everythin' in me wants to mate. You fucking understand what I'm sayin'?" The orcess was growling now, annoyed with his stubbornness.
Cadoc leaned back, shocked. "Do you have any control over this?"
Rukhash rolled her eyes, annoyed. "It ain't a damn switch I can turn off, but I'm ain't a slave to my instincts. It's a strong urge, is all. With you bein' a tark, I didn't think I'd be much different than when I was alone. That weren't so bad, with no one available to me it passed sorta quiet."
"I just gotta suffer through it," the orcess continued with an enduring sigh. "I done it before, when me an' Anba decided to wait a bit between our whelps 'cause the huntin' weren't so good. The last bit is the worst of it, but it should pass soon."
Cadoc was at a loss. "Is there anything I can do?"
Rukhash's gaze roamed over him hungrily, but she seemed to snap herself out of it when she recognized his unease. "I ain't a fucking mindless animal," she assured him. "You can boil some water fer me if you want to be useful. I'll make myself a draught to help me sleep through it. Should be fine by mornin'. The last hours are the nastiest bit to get through."
Cadoc nodded quietly and left her outside. He watched the teapot vigilantly as it boiled, vaguely aware of Rukhash entering the cottage and walking into the kitchen. The orcess shuffled through her containers, and retrieved a small pot containing a greenish white powder. The teapot began to whistle and Cadoc set it next to the mixture she had prepared for herself.
The orcess poured the water into her mug, and paused as she swirled the cup gingerly, mixing her potion. Rukhash looked up at him warily, and regarded his perplexed face for a long minute. "Don't get cute while I'm passed out," she warned him. "I'll be real pissed if I wake up pregnant."
Cadoc nearly choked on his insult. "I can't believe you would even say such a thing to me," he replied, aghast.
Rukhash snickered and patted his arm. "I'm just fuckin' with ya," she said lightly. Cadoc remained unamused. "Hey," she said, seriously, "I were just joking. I know you ain't that sort. I'd a never think to do this if you were."
"I don't understand your humor, sometimes," Cadoc admitted, still hurt by her comment.
"Sorry," the orcess apologized again. "Well," she said, raising her mug to him, "Vrasubatburuk ug butharubatgruiuk, and down we go!" The orcess swallowed her potion in one gulp, licking her lips with a wrinkled, disgusted face. "Gar, that shit's awful." She put the mug on the counter and retired to her room with a wave.
"Sleep well, Rukhash," Cadoc called after her.
Cadoc's dreams were filled with dark, lean bodies and bright yellow eyes. By morning, the ranger wished that Rukhash had made him a sleeping draught as well. He woke often during the night, panting into the darkness, and Cadoc wondered if he was not equally affected by the orcess's condition.
Rukhash rolled out of bed feeling better than she had in days. Without the distraction of her heat, her thoughts turned to her good fortune the day before and the magistrate's acceptance of her. She would have lawful protection now, something that anyone who wished her harm would be loathed to break. She felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and she entered the main room with a spring in her step, barely aware of Cadoc's slumping posture as he sat on the stool at the kitchen counter.
"Gar," the orcess said when she noticed the dark bags under Cadoc's eyes. "You look fucking awful."
The ranger rubbed his face tiredly. "I did not sleep well," he admitted. Looking her over, he smiled wanly. "You seem in good spirits. Feeling better?"
"Plenty," the orcess said with a fanged smile. "Slept real late, though. You want I should make you breakfast?"
Cadoc blinked, surprised. "If you like," he said.
Rukhash seemed in good cheer as she milled about the kitchen, humming tunelessly. Edda had left a large portion of smoked ham, and Rukhash sliced the pork into thick pieces as she heated a skillet on the stove. The orcess also prepared Cadoc's medicine, dolling a number of unrecognizable ingredients into the small copper pot. Cadoc thought, briefly, to ask her what they were, but decided against it. He found he enjoyed watching the easy way she went about their breakfast, plucking bread and cheese out of their familiar places as though she had lived here all her life, all the while returning to stir the medicine brewing on the stove. Cadoc felt a familiar warmth fill him as he observed her. He found it unsettling, how quickly they fell into a comfortable, domestic rhythm.
She is not a woman, Cadoc reminded himself as he watched the orcess flip the ham. Nothing can come of this depraved desire you feel for her.
Rukhash made him a large plate of meat and cheese and bread, setting his medicine bowl next to his breakfast. Her own plate, set alongside his, lacked the cheese and bread, and her portion of ham remained uncooked. Cadoc regarded the differences in their breakfasts gloomily.
Rukhash sidled onto the stool next to his and took a large bite out of a hunk of cold pork. Chewing loudly, she leaned over and frowned, catching sight of his glum expression. "You all right?" she said after she swallowed her mouthful.
Cadoc poked listlessly at the cheese on his plate. "I'm fine," he sighed. "I just didn't sleep well."
Rukhash digested that information in silence. "Stunk up the place, did I?" she asked at last. "Sorry 'bout that. Didn't know it would bugger you too."
"So, how often does this happen?" Cadoc sighed. If this would be a common occurrence, Cadoc wanted to be prepared.
Rukhash patted him reassuringly on the back. "Don't worry," she soothed, "it only comes around three times a year. Shouldn't trouble me again 'til mid spring. We'll be at Mordor by then, you think?"
Cadoc nodded absently. Their journey to Mordor still seemed a long way off in his mind, but he found himself less enthusiastic about the prospect than he had been. Once Rukhash went back to her people, he would never see her again. Cadoc chewed his bread thoughtfully. He should want her to be happy, and Cadoc knew she would be happier among other orcs as opposed to a village full people who distrusted and loathed her. Cadoc stopped chewing, startled by his train of thought. Why was he considering her life if she stayed?
I am still affected by...whatever she did to me last night, he thought uneasily. We can not go on forever living in Edda's spare cottage.
"Cadoc?" Rukhash was leaning towards him, baffled by his troubled silence.
Blinking, Cadoc gave himself a mental shake. "Oh," he stammered. "I suppose. I'm not entirely sure, since I've yet to plan our route."
Rukhash leaned back and propped her head on her hand. She stared at him in lengthy silence. Her gaze seemed to bore straight into his soul, and Cadoc wondered if she could sense his troubling thoughts.
The soft, morning light struck her features in a particularly attractive way, and Cadoc found his unwanted desire for her returning. Rukhash's nostrils flared briefly, and a determined look passed over her face.
"You know," she said at last, "I had a lotta time to think while I was cleanin' up my cave. I'm sorta soft on you, I realize that. Wouldn'tve been all over you last night if I weren't."
Cadoc felt a little shocked by her sudden admission. Could she tell that he had been troubled by similar realizations? Cadoc took her free hand in his. "I feel a great affection for you as well," he admitted, both to her and himself, and felt a kind of relief in saying it out loud.
Rukhash gave his hand a little squeeze before pulling from his grasp and turning to stare out the window. "It ain't good fer either of us in the long run," she told him seriously. "Folk here'd tolerate me, I think, but it wouldn't be like if I were part of a tribe. A healer got status in 'er own right, you know, apart from the cheif and warriors. I weren't the strongest or the toughest girl in my clan, but they all respected my status. I were an important part'a things there."
"Wouldn't have that here," she said, turning towards him. "I'd always be off to the side of things. Even if I'd managed to win a few folks over, there'd still be others what were scared'a me. Asides, I don't think I wanna go through my whole life playin' like I were one'a yer Women. Don't think that would mean much to folks anyhow. An' I don't think they'd look too well on you if we started carryin' on an' they found out 'bout it... About us."
Cadoc nodded silently, sensing there was more she wanted to say.
"It'd be different," she went on. "If I were one a yer women, or if you were an orc. I'd a jumped you last night and that woulda been that. I want ta be a mum again, Cadoc," Rukhash swallowed thickly, "but I couldn't do that here. Even if you were up fer it, I wouldn't want my kids looked at like they was monsters."
Cadoc sighed heavily. He had not thought so far ahead. He could barely admit that he cared for Rukhash in a way that exceeded friendship. The thought of children with her had never entered into an equation. Obviously, the orcess had been weighing her options.
Cadoc reached up and ran his hand along the nape of her neck. Rukhash's eyes fluttered shut as he squeezed her lightly. "So where does that leave us?" he asked, unsure of the answer himself.
A troubled look passed over her features. "I don't know," she said.
Translations
Vrasubatburuk ug butharubatgruiuk (SV) We will kill all the men and sodomize all the women (The Orcish equivalent of 'cheers')