The Uruk-hai spent the good part of the day smoking the meat, making the wolves curious and sending a thin plume of smoke into the sky, but getting a nice head start on the winter. Shatauz went out hunting twice again, while Maukurz and Halla worked on smoking the fire. Baiurz sat in the cave counting in his head, trying to figure how much in rations they'd need to get through all the days of winter. He thought he'd count Halla at a half-portion, but then thought of the whelp, and decided she needed as much meat as anyone. "Gonna have to kill a whole mess more meat," Baiurz grumbled to himself. "But the bows will help that along."
The clear, cold evening came in, the storm clouds pulling away like ghostly fingers revealing a field of brilliant stars. Dagalur returned, steaming as if he'd run for miles and miles. He bore no grudge to anyone, and was humble in Maukurz's presence, hoping his moment of stupidity could be forgiven. As he walked past through the moonlit snow, Dagalur kept his eyes down and didn't even notice Halla.
Halla was reassured by the Uruk's behavior, and she was certain that Maukurz would defend her, kill for her even, though he said he didn't want to have to do it to his friend. The younger four Uruks were truly more like brothers, even though Maukurz had dominance over them, like an older brother. And Baiurz, Halla thought, was a stern and grim but fair father to them.
Halla was excited as well. She'd been miserable the evening before, noticing only how grim and frightening it was in the cave. Now Halla thought that she did know how to do a fair number of practical things that would improve life in the cave. Shatauz taking the backstrap sinews from the deer they processed for his bows gave her the first idea.
"I can make candles," Halla told Maukurz as she sat down on their bed of furs. "They would brighten things up nicely back here. When I see Edwyn tomorrow, I will ask him to bring me rope and a bucket. We can use the fat from the animals you hunt."
"I saw some candles in Isengard," Maukurz said, sitting beside her. "That'd be good. What other tricks you got?" he asked, grinning. Maukurz was thrilled that Halla wanted to help them, even if it was only to make things more comfortable for herself. He'd been sure she'd be fearful and timid, and maybe even unwilling to remain. The day could not have gone better for Maukurz, in that aspect.
"Mmm… I'm going to think of how to build a bathtub next," Halla said, smiling. "How am I to wash here, Maukurz?"
"I'll fill my helmet with snow, and melt it by the fireside. That's all I've got for you at night."
"Oh…" Halla breathed. There would be no soap either, no oil rinses for her hair… What she needed to do was find a way to go to a town market, because it was unlikely that Edwyn would serve as a go between for Halla and the world of Men. At any rate, there was nothing to do about it tonight. Halla smiled. "Yes, please."
Maukurz pushed himself up and grabbed his helmet. Halla grabbed her grey dress, the one Finnan had torn at the shoulder. She figured that even though she was short on dresses, she'd probably never want to put that one on again. With just a little effort, she ripped a large enough piece off for a rag, and when Maukurz returned, she used it as effectively as she could with the tepid water. It was even a less satisfactory scrubbing than in the little waterfall the day before, but Halla was determined not to be upset about such drawbacks to living with Maukurz. And he certainly had no objections to her; his eyes caressed her appreciatively as she washed, and as soon as she wrung the rag out to dry, he swept her up in his arms and walked her to the cave wall. Surprised and bewildered, Halla wrapped her legs around his hips. She gasped sharply as he pushed inside her, desire and waves of pleasure rippling through her at those first eager thrusts. Conscious of the other Uruks just beyond the sheet, Halla tried desperately to stay quiet. She buried her face in Maukurz's neck, kissing him and nipping him with her teeth, feverishly aroused by his low, purring growl. "Oh, that feels so good..." Halla whispered in his ear, thrilling him.
"Tell me if this hurts you," Maukurz whispered, and Halla widened her eyes curiously. He withdrew somewhat, grinning at her urgent little whimper.
"Come back…" Halla pleaded softly.
"Wait." Still cupping her backside, Maukurz pulled her legs up one at a time and rested them against his shoulders, all but folding her in half so that his hips and chest rested against the backs of her slim legs. When he entered her now, it was so fully Halla nearly swooned. She couldn't help her soft, low, shaking moan of pleasure as Maukurz slowly dug into her, bit by bit, pushing a little deeper with every stroke. Like the night of the storm, he didn't rush things, knowing how easily he could hurt her small body. Once she was able to take him fully, he worked her slowly, taking advantage of her exposed position and rolling his hips—and hard pelvic bone—against the sensitive tip of her sex until the girl was melting with bliss.
"Quiet…" he rasped. Bad enough they could hear his own deeply content growls and deep, shaking breaths. At some point Halla couldn't hold herself up at all anymore. She hung from him limply, her arms draped weakly around his neck, her entire body shaking as she came until she didn't know when one shattering climax ended and another began. Her eyes were closed and her head lolled against his chest, as if it was far too much for her, as if she was a breath away from passing out entirely.
Maukurz came so hard he thought he'd fall down. His legs were turning liquid and his head was spinning. He leaned against Halla and the cave wall, trying to catch his breath. He knew why she kissed now; there was nothing else to do, nothing better, to show her how he felt. Maukurz kissed her beautiful face softly, kissed the exhausted smile that curled her full lips. He carefully let Halla's legs down, then carried her to the bed, kissing her again, slowly, as he lay her down. The way her eyes caressed him—drowsy from passion, full of love and even awe—felt almost as good as fucking her. How had he ever done without such affection from a partner? The sex was incomparable, a thousand times better with Halla than with some poor terrified woman he had to take by force. Her sleepy blue eyes fluttering, she took his strong hand and brought it to her ruddy, flushed lips. "I love you, Maukurz…" Halla whispered, her eyes not opening again.
Maukurz left Halla sleeping and passed through the cave to take a piss. Dagalur was knocked out beside Narzum, and Shatauz was lying staring at the arching roof of the cave as if he was thinking hard on something. Baiurz stared hard at Maukurz, as if to tell him he knew just how good Halla had been, and he'd better tone it down. Maukurz wished desperately that he had somewhere more private to keep Halla. He left the cave and stood in the moonlight, his body steaming and his breath puffing out in little clouds. Footsteps in the snow followed him.
"Gotta talk to you," Narzum said, approaching carefully.
Maukurz knew it was coming. "Dagalur is going to try for her. Or someone else?"
"No, big brother... He's not thinking about your girl anymore. He's plotting something stupid, and I'm worried. You know how he gets, can't keep a secret for a fuck? Well he asked me what I thought of red haired women, if I had one before."
Maukurz spat. "Dagalur was out running today all right. Those boys I tangled with are what… twenty miles away? They range around too. I bet he's thinking of taking one of their women."
"You don't wanna tell Bai—"
"Skai, no!" Maukurz hissed. "Rules are rules, and it's a good one, but it's my fault, bringing Halla around a bunch of Uruk-hai ain't sniffed a woman in months. And that one's a little soft in the head, you know that. Gonna hafta keep him close, and you follow him when he leaves the cave. Kick the shit out of him if needs be. But don't let him take some woman, 'less we wanna get beheaded and staked in the mountains like those snaga we saw last spring."
"We gotta live here," Narzum agreed.
"Exactly. I'd go… But shit, I can't leave her alone in the cave either. Leaving her alone with everyone is like showin' a pile of meat to someone in Isengard's punishment cell and tellin' him he can't eat it. I'd kill anyone who touched her, but I can understand why they'd try it." Maukurz had a sudden, dizzying desire to mark Halla up more.
"She's something," Narzum murmured. "I don't mean to get yuh worked up but… I never knew they could be like that, when you fucked 'em. It's like she's asking for it, and never wanting yuh to stop. 'Course you… put your time into it, I guess. And I know about you, playing around with the breeders, but—"
"Ain't nothin' like that," Maukurz said vehemently. Incredibly, that memory, which had always been good for a smile or more before, now made him feel ashamed and foolish. Cruel, even. And however good those fucks had seemed then, they were shit in comparison to Halla's sweet, willing body and embracing arms.
"That's what I'm sayin'! It's special," Narzum whispered fiercely. "I never knew a white-skin could get hot. That's what's fuckin' with everyone, yuh know? Not just that she's nice lookin', or how long it's been since we raided a village. It's that… she wants it! Dagalur…" Narzum looked over his shoulder, to the Uruk sleeping on his back on the bare cave earth. "He was askin' me if there was a way to make a white-skin do that. Since he knows about you… and he thinks yuh might have shown me things like yuh did in the pits."
"Shit," Maukurz said, wishing Halla was swift and silent enough to shadow him, so that he could keep an eye on Dagalur himself. There was no doubt in Maukurz's mind that Dagalur would certainly rape, and likely steal, a female of Dunland.
"So…" Narzum said. "Is there a way? What's your secret, Maukurz? So if I ever get a chance with one again…"
Maukurz sighed. "Look: I got lucky when she found me. I was fucked up and broken and weak, so I couldn't fuck her. I wanted to, bad… Especially when she touched me, sewing my guts back in and wrapping up my leg. But I couldn't, and she talked to me and helped me, and I… I wanted her to stay with me. I didn't want to scare her off—I couldn't, if I wanted to live—and so I kept my hands to myself. Until I knew she wanted me."
"She told you?" Narzum gawked.
"I knew. It was her scent and her eyes, and the way she'd get all breathy and lost sometimes lookin' at me. I just knew, like I was supposed to recognize it, even though I couldn't believe it."
"So then you fucked her," Narzum decided, grinning.
Maukurz grit his jaw. "You know little brother, if it was anyone but you saying that… But no, I didn't fuck her. I waited until it felt right and then I asked her if she was mine. I ain't gonna tell you the rest, but I was careful. You get what I'm sayin' here? You can break a white-skin, you can force her… But they hate that, it hurts them something terrible. They gotta give themselves to you, and there ain't no sure way to make 'em want to."
Narzum sucked his teeth unhappily. "So it's never gonna happen, and you're the luckiest fucker in the world."
"I don't know what's gonna happen, Narzum. All I know's that if Dagalur rapes or steals some Dunlending, you won't get the chance to find out if there's a woman out there wants you." Maukurz lowered his voice even more and ordered, "Follow him. Don't fuck him up too bad, either. Just enough to teach him and warn him: we don't do that sort of shit anymore."
Edwyn stared at Finnan's hunting dogs thoughtfully. It would really be the right thing to do. I would be foolishly irresponsible to not find out where they are. Uruks within walking distance? Of Rohan? I should find out where they are, just to learn how many… and if there is a threat or not. But anyone else finding them will surely kill them all. Poor Halla, I hope you enjoy your happiness while it lasts.
I wonder if I only delayed Halla's death. If they didn't think her a captive but a willing lover of the Uruk, what might soldiers do to her, when they kill him?
Edwyn shook his head, as if to clear his mind of horrible thoughts. Halla made her choice. It was not Edwyn's duty or place to deny her; he surely wouldn't want anyone doing that to him. And absurdly, the sharp faced, sharp eyed Uruk who'd carried Halla off was a thousand times more affectionate to her than Finnan would ever be. It was surprising, and curious. Edwyn had no regrets about the War, no regrets looking back on the bodies of Orcs and Uruks he'd stacked and burned with his fellow Riders.
But what he was considering now… what he'd declared with his action… was that it may be that all Uruks didn't deserve instant death, now that the War was won. Maukurz forswore his Master, and put down his sword. No one in Birchleigh had been menaced, with Maukurz holed up somewhere close by. By his own words he'd named Halla precious, not to be harmed, and by his actions and her demeanor with him—easy and bright eyed—Edwyn believed him. Who had known the warriors of the Enemy had such sensibilities? And how had Maukurz come by them?
Finnan came out the door, his best cloak and breeches on, his boots polished. He was off to visit another border-lord, one who wanted to invest in building another mill for all the lumber they were both processing. "I'm sorry you can't come…" Finnan said, with a little tension. Edwyn hadn't been the same to him since the incident with Halla. Edwyn was supportive and outwardly forgiving, but Finnan saw a change in the younger man's behavior. As if the image of Finnan had been sullied in Edwyn's eyes, and Edwyn was showing his disapproval through a barely perceivable coolness. Finnan looked down. "There's no plausible reason I could think of to bring you along."
"Have a good time. Good boar hunting, to the north. Haldren has fine dogs, too."
Finnan was disappointed that Edwyn was so careless about being left behind. There was a time when he was touchy about such things, even knowing they had to be discrete. "I'm not going to tell Lord Haldren about Halla," Finnan said. "She might… She must come back."
"What would you do to her, if she did?" Edwyn asked, knowing full well that Halla would never return. She might leave the Uruk, but the woman he knew would never forgive Finnan for assaulting her.
"What choice do I have?" Finnan demanded anxiously. "It's that or tell the whole world that my wife ran off! What am I to say to her family? They are not such unimportant peasants that they can be ignored! What of my invitation to present her to the king! What of my mother?"
Edwyn felt an icy contempt as Finnan rattled off his concerns. Of course he ought to be sympathetic: Finnan's problems were dreadful. But he'd never once expressed any worry for how Halla was fairing. Edwyn had lied to Finnan: claiming he brought her as close as she would allow to her aunt and uncles, knowing Finnan wouldn't dare seek her there; he was more embarrassed than concerned how the young woman was managing! Now Edwyn saw, on top of that, that even though Halla's marriage had made her so unhappy that she'd entered into an affair—with an Uruk!—Finnan was still so thoughtless towards the her that he'd have her back in misery, to protect his own reputation.
"What about Halla?" Edwyn asked sharply. "You wouldn't want to kill her, knowing what she's done? Why should she come here, knowing she's not safe?"
Finnan closed his eyes, mortified. "It would be my right to kill her," he said. "As her husband, it would be my right! And who could blame me? D'you know how disgusting it is, to think that… that he took her virginity? That he was inside her, before I… And who knows how many times she let the beast at her, some filthy beast passing through the woods like those we killed with the Dunlendings? Then she comes to my bed that way, with his stench and his…" Finnan sputtered off in fury, wondering how many times the Uruk had filled Halla's belly with his foul seed. Finnan realized that Edwyn was gawking at him, appalled.
"Any husband in my position would kill her," Finnan said quickly. "Kill her without a second thought. But no, Edwyn… Even after all she's done, I would take her back, and I would not punish her further. So long as she swore never to do it again, I would take her back, and keep her filthy secret, to save my family the shame. She could keep her land, although the profits of High Meadow are mine…"
Edwyn stared at Finnan for a long moment. "You are right, Finnan. Peace time doesn't become you. You had better go on now. You've a long ride ahead of you."
Finnan slumped a little, as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. "Will you be here when I get back?"
"My brothers and I always return home for the anniversary of our father's birth," Edwyn said. Finnan looked so miserable that Edwyn sighed softly and said, "I'll send word for you. We can meet at our tavern, and talk some more then."
"You are so angry with me, for acting within the law and my marital rights?" Finnan asked, his hurt plain. "Aren't you the slightest bit disgusted with her? Finding some Uruk straggler on her daily ride and rutting with him? A Man would be bad enough, but an Uruk! Have you forgotten you were once so horrified of them that you said you'd never be able to face your family again, after what you'd seen of them? Her own maid was despoiled by Uruks, and Halla has seen how the villagers avoid Ailith for it! She knows how repulsive her actions are, and it doesn't stop her! How can you take her part over mine?"
"I don't take her part, Finnan!" Edwyn returned. "But neither can I side with the man who would strangle a sixteen year old girl to death for making a mistake! You speak of depravity, of despoiling. What's the difference between a woman who died at the hands of an Uruk, and one killed by her husband? Both are just as dead. And it is an unjust law that would grant you the right to end Halla's life! That is not what I fought to uphold. You own words: we are fighting to preserve that which is just and fair, kind and good in the world from the forces of cruelty, destruction, and darkness. Yet you would murder that silly, beautiful, unloved child for seeking affection?"
Finnan couldn't respond. He worked his jaw a little, angry and flustered, and full of the uncomfortable feeling that Edwyn was in the right, and Finnan was not a good Man and a warrior of light, but something no better than the Orcs he killed. "I must depart," Finnan said tightly, walking past Edwyn without turning back. Ailen brought his readied horse from the stable when he saw Lord Birchleigh approaching.
Edwyn watched Finnan ride off. Then he whistled to the two dogs. He rose from the steps and walked to the barn himself, the wolfhounds trotting easily behind him, tongues lolling. It was likely that Maukurz would move on with Halla after he met with her this afternoon, as they said they would do. But it was equally likely, more likely actually, that Maukurz had made a home for himself nearby. Edwyn knew he could never get too close without being detected by the sharp-sensed Uruks, but he wanted to know the direction they went in, at least for now.
As he passed the kitchen, Ailith, who was making meat pies, poked her head out the door. The tall blond woman hurried to Edwyn's side, curtseyed properly, then said, "I can't stop thinking about her, my lord. You are going to see her now?"
Edwyn kept walking. "If she shows up. He could have taken her away already."
"I've not slept since she left, Lord Edwyn. I know I am only a servant and it's not my place, but to me, you've both… You've done very wrong, and I can't keep my mouth shut. I am afraid for her."
Edwyn gazed softly on Ailith. She as a tall, fine looking woman, but her features seemed perpetually cast in guarded discomfort. He had heard the gossip about her: raped by three Uruks in a raid, bitten up bloody, and left half-dead and pregnant. No one knew what had happened to the pregnancy. No one wanted to know.
"She's already pregnant, Ailith," Edwyn said as tenderly as he could. "Didn't you hear? And she's bound and determined to go through with it. As wrong as it seems to us, she's likely best off with him. He's the only one who won't be mortally offended by her condition, do you see?"
"I see. But she'll never make it," Ailith said quietly. "Even if…" She dug her nails into her palms and pushed out the words: "If he treats her well… She won't get through labor alone, without any women. She has no idea what she's in for. She'll be weak already, and the—the spawn—doesn't come easy. She cannot give birth in the mountains, with only an Uruk to help her! She needs a midwife. I would have died without."
Edwyn frowned. He'd not even thought of that. "Sweet Bema, what will she do?"
"Talk to her, my lord, please. Make her understand!"
"I'll do my best, Ailith. But she is… quite set on staying with him."
"Let me get some more of her things together. I cannot imagine how she'll live in the wild. She was quite meticulous in her personal habits."
Edwyn smiled. "That would be right decent of you, Mistress Ailith."
Edwyn left not much longer, with a bag full of a good amount of soap, skin cream, and a flask full of the lavender oil rinse that Halla liked so much Ailith prepared it in advance. Ailith saw that Halla had taken her sewing needles, so Ailith added Halla's short dagger, a pair of boots, winter stockings, her kid gloves, and a good brush and comb. From the kitchen, Ailith included a small sack full of sweet, chewy dried apples. Herbs, Ailith thought. Ailith and Blythe hung fresh herbs in the kitchen; she reached up and broke off some of each: thyme, rosemary, mint, and parsley. She gave Halla a few bulbs of garlic and two onions, wondering if Halla could find a way to plant the bulbs for next spring. She included a small sack of meat rub and a pot of honey as well. It was no comfort for Ailith, but at least Halla would be a little better provisioned.
Edwyn brought the wolfhounds to the edge of the forest, leaving them with the master carpenter Harlan. "Look out for them for a little while, will you Harlan?" Edwyn asked, ruffling the heads of the huge, thigh-high dogs.
"Certainly, my lord," Harlan replied courteously.
Edwyn he mounted his horse, and trotted out to see if Halla would truly come to meet him.
Edwyn sat in the saddle, one hand on his hip as he saw Maukurz approaching through the forest, his stride bold and long. Finnan was a tall Man, but Maukurz was a little taller still, and outweighed Finnan with at least eighty pounds of muscle. Golden eyes glowed in a face of hard, angular features, high cheekbones, and a smooth, sharp jawline. From a distance—when his grey skin was made into ambiguous darkness—the Uruk looked like an extremely well-built Southerner or Easterling: an incredibly handsome one at that. Most noticeable of all though, though was the fact that Halla was on his back, her arms loose around his neck and her slim, bare legs wrapped around his naked hips. When they reached the trail Maukurz squatted down, his shapely legs flexing, his breechclout swaying suggestively between his legs. Edwyn forced himself to look away.
Halla climbed off Maukurz's back. She was smiling brightly. She took the Uruk's hand in hers. Edwyn was amazed that this was the same girl he'd helped escape two days ago, terrorized and sobbing.
"You look better," Edwyn confirmed, looking briefly to Maukurz and nodding his head. "Much better."
"Maukurz says the bruises are going away," Halla said softly.
Maukurz caught Edwyn's eye now, and Edwyn understood. "Yes they are fading, darling," he said, even though her cheek was actually a darker shade of plum now, and the rope around her throat was glaring and horrific. Edwyn was even more beguiled by Maukurz's lie. It was the sort of thing a gentleman would do, and though Edwyn knew Maukurz was far from even a good man, Edwyn appreciated his lie all the same.
"You satisfied by what you see, rủk-goth?"
"I need to talk to her," Edwyn said. "First, this overpacked satchel is from Ailith."
Halla took the brown leather satchel eagerly. "Oh, my soaps! And my hair rinse, and comb set! And some ribbons! Oh, Edwyn, tell Ailith she's wonderful!" Halla gave a rich smile to Maukurz and said, "And there are herbs and spices, too! We can season the meat now, and it will be delicious, especially the smoked meat. And I'll find a way to make stew…"
"Halla, Ailith wanted me to talk to you about something important." Edwyn glanced reluctantly to Maukurz. "About your… your pregnancy."
Edwyn was alarmed to hear a low growl from Maukurz; the Uruk's golden eyes flashed. Maukurz could tolerate the curiosity of his brothers and Baiurz, barely; he didn't want this Man thinking about Halla that way at all, let alone talking to her about her body and Baby.
"Shh, Maukurz," Halla murmured. "It's all right, Edwyn doesn't mean any harm. It's probably something to help, in fact! What did Ailith want me to know?"
Edwyn kept a wary eye on the Uruk. "She wanted to know if you'd thought about having some help having your baby. She says you'll need women with you."
Halla paled slightly. "Would she be willing to help me? Because… I can't think of anyone else…" Halla felt Maukurz's hand tighten in hers, and he stiffened uncomfortably at her suggestion. "I cannot imagine other way…"
"I don't think so," Edwyn replied. He had no idea of Maukurz's connection to Ailith. He searched for a discrete way to phrase the urgent message. "Even if she would not come, she was quite concerned for you. She said it was very difficult, more so than a…customary birth."
Halla was visibly afraid now. Smelling her fear, Maukurz stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, glaring at Edwyn as if to warn him away from upsetting her more. Maukurz oppressed the sudden chill he felt at Edwyn's words as well.
"She made it," Halla insisted, holding her lover's strong arms around her. "She lived."
"She had help," Edwyn reminded her. "That's my point. Just… think about it Halla. You have plenty of time."
Edwyn watched as the Uruk comforted her. He rubbed his hands softly along her upper arms, he encouraged her to turn into his hard, whip-scarred chest. Edwyn found himself wondering who had whipped Maukurz in such a brutal, painful place. The Uruk bent his head down, his thick black hair falling forward as he murmured something in Halla's ear. For a strange moment, Edwyn longed to watch them for the rest of the day; he was amazed by their relationship, which flew right in the face of all he'd been taught.
"Maybe we can pay some woman from Dunland, ashgaz. They know of us, and they are greedy for coin. Don't worry, Halla-mine. I'ma get you through this, and Baby too."
Halla slipped her arms around Maukurz's waist. He cupped his hand around her hair and held her head against his chest. "Thank you, Edwyn," Halla said, eyes closed as she listened to Maukurz's quick, steady heartbeat.
"She's gotta eat," Maukurz told Edwyn pointedly.
"Be careful, Maukurz," Edwyn replied. When Maukurz narrowed his eyes and cocked his head like a wolf listening to the wind, Edwyn explained, "Halla loves you and you're the father of her child. You care for her, you make her heart glad. Most importantly, you don't do harm to my people. I... I suppose I have no quarrel with you, now that the War is ended. But if you are lingering nearby, know that others of my kind won't be so sympathetic to your plight. In fact, most would wish you more harm, if they saw you holding Halla as you are now."
"I can take care of myself, rủk-goth," Maukurz said, wishing Edwyn would shut his mouth with all of his doom and warnings. He didn't want Halla upset in any way. "But like Halla, I thank you for all your help. Especially for bringing her… her hair things, right ashgaz?"
Halla grinned at Maukurz. "Yes, love, especially that."
"You see all these things she teaches me about?" Maukurz asked Edwyn, so happy with Halla he forgot, for just a moment, that he had been created to be Edwyn's mortal enemy.
"I see," Edwyn said slowly. As he rode south that day, all the way to his father's estate, Edwyn couldn't get the imagine out of his mind of Maukurz and Halla walking away hand in hand, laughing in the swirling autumn leaves.
This idiot! He's really going to do it!
Dagalur was so single-minded he didn't notice Narzum creeping behind him. They were deep into Dunland, spying on the deep, small reservoir made by a beaver dam in a mountain stream. The women of the Dunlendings came to the pond to water, in groups or singly, toting children and alone, to gather their water. For a moment the rich medly of female scents—especially after the torture that was their captain fucking his girl several times a day in their presence—nearly knocked both Uruks off their feet. Narzum usually would do anything to avoid being so close to such a tempting array of white-skins; he couldn't take one, so why torture himself?
Narzum could barely see Dagalur where he lay on his belly like a snake, stalking the women. Waiting for his red-hairred girl to arrive. Narzum himself crept closer, painstakingly closer, grateful for the wind that was blowing sharlob mixed with Dagalur's potent, aroused musk into Narzum's face: a dizzying combination.
They lay so long Narzum thought maybe Dagalur would accept defeat and slither away. But then, as twilight came, a sweet-smelling female with bright hair the color of a red fox's pelt emerged from the woods and knelt slowly by the water. Narzum saw Dagalur switch positions, pushing up on his palms and the balls of his feet, getting ready to spring and run. Narzum had no choice. He rose out of the pushes, dashed forward in silence, and jumped on top of Dagalur.
"What the fuck!?" Dagalur hissed, snarling.
"Stay down!" Narzum breathed fiercely in Dagalur's ears. "You ain't takin' her!"
Dagalur growled angrily, throwing his body up and over, tossing Narzum off his back. He lunged over to grab Narzum, but the lankier Uruk was the better fighter. Narzum rolled out of the way, and Dagalur, fell on his face. Narzum got on top of Dagalur again, and for a moment the Uruks brawled fiercely, fists flying.
A Man's shout startled both of them. Narzum released Dagalur, who for all of Narzum's aggression had only some lumps and bruises, a tear on his shoulder and a bloody noise. Both of them looked up eagerly. Behind the woman, a heavily bearded bear of a man came stomping out of the woods. He didn't have any idea of the Uruks nearby. He took a fistful of the woman's red hair and pulled her to her feet, delivering a stinging slap across her face. The woman bowed her head in submission as the Man pointed to the darkening sky and shouted at the woman some more, before dragging her off, leaving the water pot behind.
When they were gone Narzum hissed, "You half-wit! You're gonna get us all killed!"
Furious, Dagalur lunged for Narzum again, and Narzum had no choice but to thrash the other Uruk thoroughly. Finally Narzum pinned him down, demanding, "You had enough? You done yet? Or you wanna keep fighting till all those Men come over her and put an end to us?"
"Fuck you, Narzum!" Dagalur growled, spitting black blood. "Who are you to say what I do?"
"It's Baiurz's rule! And if you get Dunland on us, I die just the same as you!"
Dagalur panted hard, too defeated to keep fighting, especially when there was nothing to win. "It ain't… fair," he hissed. "I gotta smell fine cunt day and night, and can't get none of it! Where's the harm in the Captain lettin' us get a round or two? Ain't that how we always did it before?"
"She isn't plunder!" Narzum growled. "She's like his breeder, but more! They're gonna stay together and make lots of whelps together!"
"She's already whelped. So no harm in us fucking her now! Why we gotta suffer? Why we can't have our turn?"
Narzum grabbed Dagalur by the shoulders, shaking him. "You dumb fuck, you goin' crazy for some pussy? Captain ain't sharing and Commander Baiurz backs him up! You don't like it, get the fuck out of the cave! 'Cause she's our future, see? She don't wanna be passed around! She only wants Maukurz. But both of the officers think there's more women out there that might wanna have our whelps. So stop thinking so much with your cock, all right? And maybe one day you'll get your own breeder!"
Dagalur hissed angrily, pushing Narzum off him. "All right," he agreed reluctantly, because he was whipped rather than out of confidence in Narzum's promise. Dagalur inhaled through his bloody nose, trying to smell the redhead on the wind again. There was nothing of her left. Groaning and grumbling about his injuries, Dagalur followed Narzum back to the cave.
"What happened to you?" Baiurz demanded when he saw the brown skinned Uruk.
"I fell," Dagalur muttered, dropping down against the wall. Behind the white sheet, Dagalur heard soft, sweet sounding laughter—a sound he'd never heard white-skins make before Halla came. He heard Maukurz's purring growl; he heard the Captain's smooth, murmuring voice, no doubt coaxing the girl into some new type of fucking. And then, slowly, that good smell came back, like yet another flower blossoming on from an endless tree, damp with dew. It just wasn't fair.