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“Do I have to?” I say.
“Orc, sit up so we can go bathe. And the sooner we start with these herbs, the better your chances may be.” I can hear the unhappiness in her voice. She then turns to me with the basket in hand.
“I am going to place these in the bath water and then I’ll be back for you, okay?” She goes to the washroom that has no door.
In fact, half of it is open. It’s the toilet that is hidden if I remember the design correctly. I take a moment to look around this room. This is definitely not my old room. For one, my room was much bigger than this and I had a proper dwelling.
I must have really fallen from grace. Me and Aria need to go there when I am back in. She may be more comfortable there with more comforts.
I inhale and try to sit up. I grit my teeth as my body fights me. It feels like some of my joints want to remain on the bed, but I sit with a grunt.
Aria scatters the herbs in the water, then places the basket on the bathroom table and comes back to me.
I smile, not believing this is my life. Back in my home realm with a mate I love who is carrying my offspring. We may have challenges ahead of us, but I know there isn’t any woman I’d rather have by my side than this little brown skinned human.
“Come, you big orc baby.” She touches my shoulder and takes my hand over her shoulder.
“Are you going to carry me, Aria?” I can’t help the chuckle.
“You need help.”
“I know you are carrying orc children in there, Aria, but they won’t borrow you their strength.” I tease.
She folds her arms to her chest. “Fine, walk then.”
She steps back with a challenging look. I move to place my feet on the floor. I grit my teeth and rise. I am baffled why my body is refusing to do anything anymore.
But I stand. I take one foot and another. She was right I need some help, but I won’t admit it. She comes close anyway and places my arm on her shoulders.
“Lean on me, Igor.” She looks up to me.
I have never been the weak one in any relationship I’ve ever been in. I have never had to rely on another.
After a few moments of consideration, I allow her to help me, and we take steps in tandem until we are at the round bathtub.
My armor was already gone. She slides my pants down and then helps me take off the shirt I am wearing that is stiff in now-dried blood. I sit on the edge of the tub before I get in.
I had almost forgotten how great the tubs are here in my realm. They are built for our bodies. The tub back at mine and Aria’s house does not compare to this.
I think back on when we planned and built the water system and the basics here.
I was an orc of only 70 after the brutal war. We had just finished carving the first rooms and all of us were refugees.
Me, my father, uncle and the strongest of the males planned and started the building and carving project that took the next 100 years to perfect. Carving a mountain isn’t a small feat and designing a waste system in it isn’t simple either.
It feels good to know we retained this home, and our people are still safe. My own children will be safe here. I settle in the light green water.
I groan. That feels good. She smiles at me.
“You’d do well to join me, human.”
I miss many things about my woman. And right now, I can think of a few more things I miss about her.
But she shakes her head.
“You have no sense of self-preservation, orc.”
I bellow in laughter. This little human of mine.
