Page 37 of The Orc's Bride

“She has many vices. She isn’t someone I can respect. Also…” Urgan’s face twisted at the memory. Should he tell Una? Oh, hell. She already knew enough. It wouldn’t hurt. “I already courted her once. When I was not yet the general, just a young orc in the Imperator’s army. Working hard to become an officer.”

Una scooted closer, listening intently.

“I didn’t know her well. But she was the Imperator’s daughter, and she seemed to be a bright, attractive female. She came to me. She was the one who began the courtship.”

“So females can do that? How?” Una asked.

“There are various ways. Some females just say they want to be courted. Some are more discreet. Urzulah came to me when I was alone in a training hall. She picked up my sword and polished it with an oiled cloth. It was… very obvious.”

“Oh.” Una’s lips parted, and she blushed.

Urgan chuckled despite himself.

“I was a male and a soldier, but I was wet behind the ears and unused to female attention. So believe me when I say, my reaction was similar to yours.”

Una giggled at that, muffling the sound with her hand.

“So you court her then.”

Urgan nodded.

“I did. But orc courtship… It’s not the way I was courting you. It’s a long process. The female gives tasks, and the male must perform them. It’s tedious and stupid, but it is how it’s done. The only part of the courtship that makes sense is when the male shows the female his desire.”

Una gave him a look of mock disapproval.

“Aha. So that why you get yourself human bride? You too lazy to court proper?”

“I wanted to marry fast to avoid having to court Urzulah. So yes, that’s why I picked a human girl. You. Because I needed to be married before reaching the capital.”

A tense silence bloomed between them. Una looked like she was chewing on some words, trying to decide what to say and how. Urgan’s jaw clenched. He didn’t want her guilt or her pity. He wouldn’t listen to whatever words of sympathy she was about to speak.

“But she deceived me,” he continued the tale, adding pointedly: “She lied. Urzulah wasn’t really interested in me. She wanted a different orc. Durug. He was a highborn officer in the Imperator’s army. Unfortunately for her, Durug was courting another orc female, and they were close to becoming mates. So when I started courting Urzulah, she gave me my first task: to kill the female Durug was courting.”

Una looked outraged.

“What? To kill can be a courting task?!”

Urgan shifted to position himself more comfortably on the hard ground. The new position also brought him closer to Una.

“Usually not but it can be. Well. I refused. That female wasn’t my enemy and Urzulah couldn’t provide a convincing argument why she should be killed.”

“What happen then?” asked Una, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“My life became a bit more difficult,” Urgan said with a grin. “I got to see the ugly side of Urzulah. Her childish tantrums. She also tried to get her revenge on me for daring to refuse her, but she wasn’t very good at plotting. Soon after, I distinguished myself in battle after battle. Became an officer. And then, the general. By then, I was too precious to her father. I became untouchable. She stopped paying attention to me.”

Una looked into his eyes seriously.

“Stupid Urzulah. Urgan, you unusual orc. Smart. And not look down on humans. Good at winning war. I bet there no other orcs like Urgan. Are there?”

He closed his eyes briefly. He was too exhausted to evaluate the situation properly. Also, it wasn’t exactly a secret. So he told her.

“Not many. Because there is human blood in my veins. My grandmother is human.”

Una’s mouth opened in shock and Urgan’s lip curled bitterly. Always the same reactions. Always the looks, so disbelieving. Like he was a freak. Not a proper orc, and obviously not a human. A beast in between.

He had thought Una of all people wouldn’t be so surprised… Even hoped she would like his mixed heritage. Because, even though right now he couldn’t forgive her lies, a part of him still wanted her.

Well, he had been wrong. She was obviously disgusted. And now, he was tired of it all. He turned his back to her and summoned sleep.

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