Page 93 of The Orc Outcast's Miracle

Aralie rushed in next, embracing Miranda from the left.

“Her world? What?” Viravia asked quietly and Roenia pulled her aside, spoke to her in low, hushed tones, filling her in without interruption.

Miranda was so grateful her eyes filled with tears again and her chest grew tight and a little choked sob left her, making the women embrace her more. The warmth and strength and sheer power exuding from the women soaked into Miranda. It was like nothing she’d ever known.

Govek touched her back, his massive hand covering it and Miranda’s finally let her tears fall. Her chest heaved and her vision blurred but the support was still there. Viravia took her hand. Roenia rested her palm on Miranda’s shoulders. They were all around her. They wrapped her up so tight she truly felt nothing could harm her again. Nothing.

They stood there for eons, and Miranda’s tears dried up. Her exhaustion turned to stillness. Her sorrow turned to quiet relief. Her world shifted, and these strangers shifted too, taking on roles in Miranda’s life that had never been filled. Places in her heart that were so foreign and that had been left vacant for so long, she did not even have names for them.

Eventually, they all managed to move to the couches and settled down in silence. Govek pulled her into his lap. Viravia held her hands. The other women surrounded them, murmuring soothing words and patting her until Miranda found her voice.

“I’m . . . sorry I didn’t tell?—”

“No. Don’t. How could one even begin with that?”

“We are as strange to you as you are to us, Miranda.” Savili kneeled down next to her and stroked her knee.

“No one expected you to just come out with that right off.” Roenia stood behind Savili and adjusted her babe, flexing her arm slightly. “Well, perhaps some in the clan would. But they aren’t worth space in your mind.”

“We’ll make sure they don’t bother you.” Aralie’s eyes were red rimmed and her voice was thick. She sat next to Viravia and rubbed Miranda’s shoulder gently. “Hilva, mostly. Right?”

Savili nodded. “Yes, Hilva’s been such a chore. If she bothers you, Miranda, you just tell us and we’ll shoo her off like the gnat she is.”

Miranda huffed out a choked laugh, and she felt Govek stroke her hair.

Roenia said, “You know, this explains a lot of mysteries we’ve been puzzling over.” Miranda tipped her head at the woman as she shifted the baby again. “Viravia told us all about your newborn and bottle advice. Knowledge that not one of us had. Not even Aralie, and her mother is the midwife at Oakwall.”

“Yes,” Aralie agreed. “My mother would love to talk to you, I’m sure. It sounds like you have so much knowledge to add.”

Miranda shifted and nodded slowly.

“Look,” Savili gave her knee another tight squeeze, “We all saw and heard what happened in the hall. It’s pretty clear why the seer thinks you’re here.” She met Miranda’s eyes solidly. “But that doesn’t mean your only worth is tied up in that insanity.”

Miranda blinked, tightness ebbing from her chest.

“Yes,” Roenia said, adjusting her squirming baby in her arms. “You are your own person. Just because the Fades brought you here, doesn’t mean you don’t get to exist on your own terms. Take up your own place.”

Miranda licked her dry lips. “I don’t even know what place I should take.”

“You already have one.” Viravia squeezed her hands again.

“Yes,” Aralie agreed, her eyes hesitantly landing on Govek before they skittered away.

“And you have plenty of time to figure out the rest, Miranda,” Savili assured her.

“Fades, being companion to an orc is the only useful place for any of us mates, really,” Roenia said with a wave of her hand. “Take me, for example. I can’t cook. I can’t do craftwork. Blast, I can’t even stitch up a hole in a shirt. But I can love my babies and keep Estoc in check. No one here expects any more from me. And we don’t expect more from you either, Miranda.”

“That’s right,” Aralie said with a confident nod. “The males can keep the war. If all you want to do is dole out nursing advice and help keep the peace, that’s wonderful.” She slid her hesitant gaze to Govek again.

“Yeah, that’s plenty,” Viravia gushed. “No offense, Govek.”

Govek snorted with amusement and Miranda shot him a little smile. One that made Govek’s face crumble. He kissed the top of her head.

“So tomorrow.” Miranda tensed, turning her attention to Savili. “At the fishing competition, we’re going to focus on nothing but getting you familiar with the clan.” Miranda blinked.

“We’ll talk about our holiday celebrations, the communion, how the trades work, what all the orcs names are.”

“Only the important ones,” Aralie assured her.

---