Natt’s eyes looked mutinous, suddenly, glinting at her from behind Efterar’s shoulder, and Ella felt herself give a slow, careful shake of her head. “No pain,” she said, with an attempt at a smile. “Thank you so much, sir. We’re very grateful to you.”
That earned Efterar’s approval, and Natt’s as well, and as Natt led her back out of the room, his smile on hers was jaunty, his big body stretching up high to trail his fingers against the stone ceiling. “Ach, this is much improved,” he said, with a sideways skidding leap on his previously injured leg. “What shall you say to a run?”
And thus began the day’s next shocking incident, in which Natt barrelled through Orc Mountain, with Ella racing at his heels, while alternately laughing uncontrollably, and desperately gulping for air. She hadn’t freely run like this in months, or likely years, and the bright, unfettered joy of her body flying through space, cool air flowing over her skin, was something she’d perhaps entirely forgotten.
“Sorry!” she called behind her, as she nearly careened into what seemed, inexplicably, like a smaller orc, even shorter than she was — but then she skidded to a halt, panting heavily, because there had been something, in that orc’s face, that was different than the rest. And in an instant Natt had halted too, sliding his lamp into Ella’s hands, and giving her shoulder a brief squeeze as he passed by.
“Timo,” he said, “what is it? What vexes you?”
His voice was suddenly quiet, careful, and he crouched down before the small orc, and tilted his face up with careful hands. And here was Ella’s next shock of the day, because this little orc was just — young. His grey face symmetrical and unmarked, his ears perfectly pointed, his body smooth and slim and gangly. And Ella was strongly, unnervingly reminded of how Natt had looked, around that age, all those years ago.
But the reason Ella had stopped, and the reason Natt had stopped, was because this young orc was —weeping. Trying to fight it, to be sure, his long-lashed eyes blinking hard, his sharp tooth biting his lip. But even as Ella watched, another streak of wetness escaped from his eye, and he dashed it away with an impatient clawed hand.
“It is naught,” the young orc said, darting a swift, uneasy look toward Ella — but Natt’s hands on his shoulders gave him a gentle shake, drawing the young orc’s gaze back to his face.
“You shall have no fear of my lass,” he said firmly. “She has known grief and distress such as this also, and has long ago proven that she shall keep our truths safe. Now, brother” — his voice softened — “shall you grant me leave to Speak with you?”
The young orc again hesitated, but his eyes remained on Natt this time, and he gave a short, twitchy nod. To which Natt nodded too, and this time, watching it, Ella could almost feel the flare of his magic, the mesmeric, glittering hold of his eyes.
“Brave Grisk,” he said, quiet, once the young orc’s eyes were held, wide and unblinking, to his. “Now, I wish to hear what has vexed you.”
“It is Skaap,” the orc said, immediate, choked. “He has been sparring with me these past weeks, he has taught me many good Skai tricks, but now” — his face twisted, his lip trembling — “he says I must pay him, for what he has given me. And I must now give him this each time we spar together.”
There was a low, sustained growl, rumbling from Natt’s throat, but his body stayed very still, his eyes held firmly to the smaller orc’s. “Skaap is wrong, to demand this of you,” he said. “You are not yet of age, and you have not yet been touched by one of your own choosing. And thus, brother, I must forbid you from sparring with Skaap again, until both these terms are met.”
The young orc made a whine of protest, but Natt shook his head, his eyes glinting, unyielding. “I must also Speak with Skaap of this,” he said. “But he shall know it is me who has sparked this, and drawn this truth from you. And once I have done this, I shall find another Skai to spar with you. One who shall not make such demands of you.”
The young orc nodded, quick and fervent, and Natt smiled at him, and gave an approving pat to his cheek. “You are a good, brave Grisk, Timo,” he said. “Once you are grown, should you wish, you shall be one of the most fearsome fighters among us. Even Skaap shall quake with fear of you.”
That was also spoken under the truth-spell, Ella could feel it, and it was clear that the young orc knew it too, his mouth curving up, his eyes warm, relieved, almost hopeful on Natt’s. “You really think so, Speaker?”
“Ach, I know this,” Natt said firmly. “Now, mayhap you shall go find Trygve, and tell him I have given you two leave to spar in my rooms. Dammarr has a new spear that shall please you, and mayhap he shall let you try it, if you ask kindly.”
The young orc’s sudden grin was broad and delighted, and he gave another fervent little nod. “Yes, Speaker, I shall,” he said. “I thank you.”
With that, he scampered off down the corridor, and Ella felt herself smiling after him, and then up at Natt — but then her smile faded, all at once. Because rather than the patient warmth he’d borne a moment before, Natt’s face was dark, and thunderous with rage.
“I must now address this,” he said, voice flat. “It shall not be pleasant. Do you wish me to return you to my rooms, whilst I do this?”
Ella blinked, but her head was already instinctively shaking, saying no. No, Natt couldn’t leave her now, not when he looked like that — and he gave a curt nod, and grasped for her hand and his lamp, and all but dragged her down the black corridor.
Ella had always had a decent head for directions, at least, and despite the twisty maze that this mountain was, she could tell that he was taking her somewhere new, somewhere she hadn’t yet been. The corridors narrower than before, and perhaps even darker, without a single sign of light beyond any of the doors they passed.
Natt finally veered off into one of those doors, one with the distinct sounds of noise beyond it. Noise that seemed to quiet slightly as Natt stalked inside, and then raised the lantern, and surveyed the room with glittering eyes.
And here was Ella’s next shock of the day, because the room’s dozen-odd occupants were almost universally in a state of undress, and almost all — touching one another. Not only touching, but writhing and stroking and —fucking, openly using mouths and hands and — other places. And Ella found herself staring slack-jawed at the impossible, outrageous sight of the massive, muscled orc nearest her — perhaps the biggest orc she’d yet seen in this mountain — who currently had another naked orc bent over before him, and was currently sliding his slick, shockingly large bare cock deep between the orc’s spread arse-cheeks.
Good gods. Ella couldn’t seem to move, or stop staring, not even when the huge orc’s head turned to look at her, his long-lashed eyes dark, challenging, perhaps even contemptuous. And he was moving even slower, drawing his thick hardness out nearly all the way as she watched — and then holding Ella’s gaze as he easily slid it back in. Slow, taunting, utterly insolent, while the orc bent under his huge hands gasped and choked and moaned —
Thankfully Natt tugged Ella away, striding across the room with sure steps, and his narrow eyes had fixed on one particular orc, who was currently thrusting his groin into a kneeling orc’s mouth. “Skaap,” Natt snapped. “I call you to Speak with me.”
The orc’s movements had briefly stilled, something shifting in his eyes — and he roughly shoved the kneeling orc away from him, and yanked up the trousers he’d thankfully been wearing. “And I call you to go fuck yourself,Nattfarr,” he said, in a deep, heavily accented voice. “You have naught to Speak with me about.”
“Ach, I do,” Natt snapped back. “I shall gain your word today that you shall never again touch a brother, or demand or offer to do so, until he is fully of age. And until heasksyou.”
The room had quieted all around, the orcs slowing their cavorting to watch, to listen. “Ach, little Timo has run to tattle upon me, has he?” the orc said, with a sneer. “I broke no law and no vow. I only made an offer that brings gain to both sides.”
“Do not mock me with your lies, Skaap,” Natt shot back. “I made our brother speak this truth to me. You gave what he thought was a gift, a gift he wished for very much, and then you stole it from him, and set these terms upon its return. This is wrong. This is beneath you. This betrays your ownkin.”
