Twack.

Thud.

The sound of bow string and arrows hitting densely packed straw was the only noise to break the quiet that surrounded the two people. The field was devoid of any other occupation due to it being far into the forest away from the castle walls but held a variety of colorful wildflowers. It was the one place that she felt free of her father's watchful eye and his wrath. With having a shadow, Vineta at first didn't think to come back to her peaceful place, but in the weeks of getting to know the old orc she thought it wouldn't hurt for him to know. Vineta had come to the conclusion that he could use it as well for its peaceful aura with how he and his kin were treated. Since Sok had become her shadow, he had been given a room close to hers. His room once was a cleaning closet and a bit small, but he never complained as the only time he spent inside it was to sleep. Or heal.

The two had an adjustment period in learning each other and the schedule Vineta held in the six months of him guarding her. It was during this period, Vineta had come to know what the runes embedded into the thick leather of Sok's collar were for. One of the runes was that it couldn't be undone with the right word spoken. The other runes were as a form of punishment. Words the Vineta had to learn one evening when her father demanded her presence.

It had been a bad day that led to her father drinking heavily. News of an orc having been killed while her father's orc, Thrall, had been out practicing with the troops. When she entered her father's study he then demanded her to sit next to him.

"My dear sweet daughter, come sit." He said waving a hand to the chair across from him before the fireplace. Vineta stiffly walked to the chair after a few seconds of hesitating that the warning gleam in his steel gray eyes had her moving before she could think more. "Now, I've been thinking. I never did inform you of the power you have over your orc." Here he glanced at Sok and pointed at the collar. "See that collar?"

Vineta nodded, her eyes bouncing from the collar to the dark orange of Sok's own gaze with worry. Ever calm, Sok only stood waiting for what was to come while Vineta looked back at her father. She didn't want to incur any wrath of her father to anyone if she continued to stare at Sok knowing that her father took pleasure in being the center of attention. Knowing how Blackmoore was in the years of his imprisonment, pain was the first of Sok's guesses to what this collar did around his neck.

"You have been learning how to use your mana?" His words slipped a little from his drunkenness.

"Yes Father." Vineta answered, feeling her breath hitch some as he looked at her.

"Good. Now, if ever in a situation that your beast ever gets unruly or you just want to let out some anger on him, just focus on your mana and say this word. Mordeo." She could feel his eyes digging into her as she repeated the word. A wicked smile appeared on her father's lips. "I want you to look at your beast and do it now."

Eyes widened as her gaze turned back to Sok's. She didn't want to but both knew it needed to be done. This wasn't the first time Blackmoore forced Vineta to cause pain towards Sok. The feeling of a whip being shoved into her hand and forcefully made to whip Sok all the while the booming crass laughter of her father ringed in her ears. It was a feeling Vineta didn't think would ever leave her or the image of a bloody Sok after her father had his fill of his cruel enjoyment. It took a week of constant watch and worrying over Sok with the help of her nanny, Henley, before he was able to move from his bed from the care they gave him.

It was only by the calm gaze and slight nod of Sok that allowed Vineta to go through with torturing him. Repulsion clawed at Vineta as the word fell from her lips and her mana surging forth to empower it. "Mordeo." She could see the embedded runes glow a little and a second later Sok gave a grunting growl in pain. His body seemed to seize and tremble as if he was being shocked. Sweat beaded along his forehead as his body shook where he stood with eyes closed tight from the pain snapping all along his frame. He never felt it but Vineta watched as his knees buckled, making his knees thud harshly to the floor.

Blackmoore laughed while he clapped his hands. "Alright, cut off your mana. Let the poor beast rest for a moment." The speed in which Vineta did so made her mana snap back like a snake having just struck its prey.

That night had made Vineta sick to her stomach that she did eventually end up puking the moment she was alone in her room. Even with his limited speech in common he had been able to convey he did not hold it against her. He had seen much of how she was treated by her father and understood that if she hadn't done as ordered, Blackmoore would have done the same to her, possibly worse as she had directly disobeyed him. That night was also the first time Sok had to hold her as she sobbed out her sorrows for causing him such pain. It had been awkward during the first portion but by the end Sok found himself patting her back as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and buried her face into his chest, her cries having softened some.

"Pain. Yes, but needed. He…hmm…Pain to you." Sok tried to say how she would have been the one in pain if what transpired didn't happen. "Sok, Warrior. Take pain. Know pain. I take for you, Whelp." He stated gently pulling her from his embrace to look down at her. "I am old but strong. A simple power word will not do me in. Besides, your slip of power was but a punch to the gut."

Vineta blinked at the coarse words he spoke, not understanding, but she could see the gentle look he gave her and the way his lips lifted a little in a way of reassurance. Even with the jutting lower jaw she had come to know what little expression Sok showed.

Since those times of torture, the two had come to understand the necessary evil for them to survive when near Blackmoore. Henley, who was her nanny at one time, was now a companion that helped Vineta daily. It took a long while for Henley to come to terms of Sok being so near to her charge and herself. Though the week of having to help Vineta heal Sok after a bad whipping helped to push some of Henley's worry away about the orc.

"Greetings." Vineta spoke as she pulled the string back. "The weather is nice today."

"Greetings." Sok repeated. "The weather is nice today."

Letting loose the arrow, it zipped through the air and sunk into the center of the painted target. Turning her head to grin at Sok. "That was really good, Sok. You're getting the hang of common speech."

"A year of you drilling it out of me will do that." he replied as he swung an ax in an arch.

Vineta scuffed in humor. She had decided to help Sok speak better so that both could have a better time in understanding what the other wanted to say. "I cant take all of the credit, you could understand common way before you could speak it properly. I only helped you bring it out for your voice to get it spoken."

Sok grunted in reply as he used the back of his hand to wipe sweat from his brow. His gaze remained on the girl in thought as she took another arrow and prepared her bow. The arrow sunk deep just inches to its brethren. "Lok'tar."

Glancing at Sok with a raised brow in question. "Lok'tar?"

"It means victory in orcish. Many of my kin use it as a war cry or a way of greeting another in battle."

Her steel gray eyes glowed as she fully turned to Sok, her bow hanging at her side as her attention was put towards him. "Lok'tar." She tested it out once more, eyes sparkling at getting taught a word in orcish.

Sok shrugged, turning his head away to hide the soft smile that lifted his lips. "It is only fair that you learn of my language since you helped me to speak yours." He grunted out.

"Really?" Vineta asked in disbelief. "You would be okay for a human to learn your language?"

Turning back to the young girl, Sok found her looking at him in wonder. "If it is you, yes." His gaze then turned sharper. "I decided that you should know my language for a reason as it could help you in the years to come." He held up a finger that pointed directly at Vineta. "Don't think I haven't seen the way you have been providing for my brethren. Knowing how to understand and speak orcish will help you as most of my people do not know common. Just know, if your father ever found out it has been you giving extra blankets and clothing to my people, he would have your head."

Vineta flinched at his harsh words. A large pale green hand laid on her shoulder, enveloping it in warmth. Looking up she found Sok's orange gaze upon her. "I do not mean to be harsh with my words, Whelp, but it needs to be said. I know you try to help lessen some of the suffering my people have to endure in those camps, and for that I am grateful, but the cost of doing so grows. I was given the task of making sure you stayed safe." He moved his hand from her shoulder to ball it into a fist that bumped her gently in the chest in a gesture of comfort.

"I understand Sok, but I can't stop doing as I have been. Your people have been punished enough for what happened years ago. Hell, my father may be in charge of that castle but he is running it into the ground. My own people are suffering." Vineta turned on her heel to pace away from Sok, her bow being jerked a little as she paced. "He keeps to his cups so much that as his heir I have had to take over the daily goings on within the castle. I am barely the age of ten and already responsible for managing a castle."

Sok let her rant off some of the steam she held. What she spoke of was true. In just this last month Sok had to stand near her while she worked through the books that kept the castle running. It was only thanks to the help of Henley and her tutor, Jaramin, that Vineta could gain an understanding of what those books were about. She still had a ways to go to fully grasp all of the upkeep of the keep.

"Mok'ra."

This had Vineta pausing to turn back to Sok.

"It means greetings or hello in common."

Vineta nodded. "Mok'ra. Mok'ra"

"Grom. Means giant."

Vineta sent him a small smile, having come to know Sok's way of distracting her. "Grom."

Sok grunted. The harsher tone of his language would take her some time to get right but they had time. She was still young and even orc children at her age were still learning so it wasn't all that different to Sok teaching as he did his own children once before. It was peaceful, soothing even to teach her. More so when her smile grew with each word in orcish that he taught that pride was felt each time it showed. It would take months of teaching her words, then sentences, before she could truly speak decently in his language.