Page 8 of The Orc's Stolen Bride

"Fyr," he said, his deep voice rumbling.

"Fyr," she echoed, committing the word to memory.

She moved on to the furs she'd slept on, the trees surrounding them, even the sky above. With each new word, she felt a tiny spark of accomplishment. She'd always been good at research, at piecing together information from disparate sources, and she did her best to apply those skills to her current situation. She listened intently to the sounds he made, trying to discern patterns in the language.

She noticed some words seemed to share similar sounds, and wondered if they were related somehow. But she also noticed that several of them were very close to English - "tre" for tree, for example. English shared common roots with several languages - did the similar words derive from one of those?

Pushing that thought aside to consider later, she focused on repeating each word multiple times, drilling them into her memory. A pen and paper to make notes would have made it much easier, but she refused to be deterred. As they worked their way through more objects around the camp, she was increasingly aware of Wulf - of the spark when their eyes met, of the unexpected surge of heat when their hands touched, and of the warmth of his smile. She found herself returning those smiles, her initial fear giving way to curiosity and determination.

She was in the middle of repeating "sten" for a smooth river rock when a slight noise in the undergrowth caught her attention. Egon emerged from beneath the trees, moving with startling silence for a man of his size. He was carrying a woven basket filled with leafy greens and the sight of food made her stomach growl. It also reminded her of more pressing needs.

A wave of embarrassment washed over her as she realized she needed to use the bathroom. How on earth was she supposed to communicate that? She fidgeted, trying to think of a way to express her need without words.

Taking a deep breath, she caught Wulf's eye and pointed to herself, then made a vague gesture towards the trees. He gave her a confused frown, and she bit her lip, then mimed the action of pulling down pants and squatting.

Understanding dawned on his face, followed quickly by what looked like amusement. He nodded and stood, gesturing for her to follow him. Her cheeks burned as she got to her feet, avoiding Egon's gaze.

He led her a short distance away to the side of a small, clear stream, then guided her downstream, to a secluded spot behind some bushes. When he showed no signs of leaving, she made shooing motions with her hands, trying to convey that she wanted privacy.

He shook his head firmly, pointing to the surrounding forest with a serious expression. It seemed harmless enough but he clearly wasn't going to leave her alone in this unfamiliar wilderness. Sighing in resignation, she pointed at him, then made a turning motion with her finger.

His lips quirked, but he nodded and turned his back, giving her what privacy he could. She quickly took care of business, grateful for the sound of the stream masking any noises.

When she finished, she approached the water's edge, then knelt down and dipped her hands into the stream. The icy water made her gasp, but she washed her hands as best she could, then splashed more water over her face, wiping away the lingering traces of her tears. The cold made her shiver, but she felt a hundred times better when she'd finished.

As she stood, shaking off her hands and then wiping them on the coarse linen of her borrowed shirt, she gave Wulf a quick Look from the corner of her eye. His posture was tense, alert, and he seemed ready to spring into action at a moment's notice as he scanned the area for potential threats. Despite her lingering embarrassment, she felt a surge of gratitude for his protective presence.

"All done," she announced, and he immediately turned back towards her.

His eyes flicked down over her, lingering for a moment on her bare legs, and she felt a corresponding surge of heat. She did her best to ignore it as he inclined his head, then gestured for her to accompany him.

She followed him back to their makeshift camp, her cheeks still flushed from the awkward bathroom experience. As they approached, she caught sight of Egon hunched over the fire, stirring something in a battered pot. The aroma of cooking food made her stomach rumble again, reminding her how long it had been since she'd eaten. The small apple had only been enough to stay her hunger for a short time.

Egon glanced up as they neared, then quickly averted his gaze. She noticed how he angled his body, keeping the scarred side of his face hidden from view, and she crossed to the fire.

"Good morning, Egon."

He gave her a quick, startled look, then looked past her at Wulf. She frowned at hm over her shoulder, hoping he wasn't going to resume his previous possessive attitude. He opened his mouth, then closed it again and she gave him a quick smile before turning back to Egon.

Egon ladled what looked like a thick porridge into wooden bowls, then added a handful of fresh greens to each bowl, stirring it into the hot mixture, his massive hands moving with surprising delicacy.

"Grød," he said quietly, holding out a steaming bowl to her.

"Grød. Thank you."

She pointed at the noticed flecks of green mixed into it and gave him an inquiring look.

"Urter."

"Urter," she echoed, committing the word to memory.

Giving Egon another smile, she carried the bowl over to a log next to the fire. Wulf immediately sat down next to her with his own bowl, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Even though she was aware of the possessiveness in his actions, his presence felt... comforting.

She took a cautious bite, humming thoughtfully as she tried to decide what it resembled. The porridge was surprisingly savory, with more depth of flavor than oatmeal and a pleasant chewy texture, while the greens added a fresh, slightly spicy taste. She looked up and saw Egon watching anxiously.

"This is delicious. Thank you."

A small smile twisted his lips as he ducked his head in response, then filled his own bowl. As they ate, she found herself stealing glances at Wulf and Egon from under her lashes. They looked unreal, as if she’d found herself on a movie set, but the hard bark beneath her, the crips mountain sir, and the hearty, unfamiliar food were all too real. This was no movie set, no elaborate cosplay. They were real orcs, and she was truly in another world.

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