Page 5 of The Widow and the Orcs

Louisashot a dark look over at her bed — which yes, had been devoid of guests for an excessively long time.Godsknew she’d tried with that cheatLordKaspar, but it had never gone further than kissing and touching, and even that had been fraught, tainted with dark, bitter memories ofLordScall…

But— no.No.LordScallwas dead.AndLouisaglared ferociously back toward the orc, fighting to wade through his infuriating words, to find some coherent response. “Yes, and you thinkIdon’t know what happens to women who welcome orcs into their beds?” she finally demanded. “Theysoon end up welcoming orcs’sonsinto their bellies, too!”

Itwas an excellent argument, even if it didn’t apply toLouisaherself — but she glared at the orc with ever-deepening suspicion, waiting for his answer.Wasthis all some devious ploy to get his kin-brother a son, without needing to bother with courting a woman, or caring for her?JustlikeRikardwanted, too?

Butthe orc still looked entirely unconcerned, and gave a careless wave of his dagger. “Naughtto fear, woman,” he said. “Mykin-brother cannot now beget sons, andIcan prove this to you, should you wish.Yournights with him shall only be for pleasure, for you both.”

Louisa’sheart skipped, her breath frozen in her throat.Hiskin-brother couldn’t have children, either?Soit really would be… only for pleasure?Pleasure.Withanorc.Forten nights.

“Mykin-brother shall not harm nor mistreat you,” the orc continued, spinning his dagger in his fingers. “Heis also a big, strong, hearty warrior, and his face and form are pleasing to the eye.And” — another spin of the dagger, a higher arch of his black brows towardLouisa— “he bears one of the biggest pricks in our mountain, ach?Thisshall grant you great joy,Iken.”

Morestrange, hurtling heat was simmering inLouisa’sbelly, and her affronted scoff back toward the orc felt too flat, too late.Shedidn’t care about such things.Shedidn’t.Manywomen consideredLordRikarda strong, athletic, attractive man, when in truth he was the most odious little cretin in existence, and…

Abig, strong, well-endowed orc warrior.Inher bed.Touchingher.Tastingher.Pleasingher…

No.No.Louisasqueezed her eyes shut and silently cursed herself, cursed this invading orc, this entire appalling situation.Itmade no sense, it had no point, it had to be some kind of nefarious orc trick, right?Right?

“Ifyour kin-brother is such a stunning catch,”Louisafinally said, glaring back at the orc again, “then why are you here, making his proposals for him?Whycan’t he come and ask me himself?Andwhy isn’t he already settled with some other happy woman instead?”

Shefully expected the orc to answer with more dismissal, more flippant nonchalance — so she was surprised to see his gaze dropping, as something tightened on his mouth. “Hehas not been… himself, of late,” he replied, slower than before. “Hehas faced and fostered deep darkness, some of it his own making, much of it not.Henow seeks in earnest to make amends for his failings, and to regain his place in our clan, but…”

Hisvoice trailed off, his eyes now fixed to his dagger, to his claw scraping down the blade’s sharp edge. “Butamidst this,” he continued, “Hehas… wilted.Faded.Becomewounded and hollow and disgraced.Inyears past, he would oft laugh and command and play, and draw his kin to his side.Butnow” — he jerked a shrug — “he is quiet.Fearful.Alone.Withno hope, and no peace.”

Louisa’sstomach dropped, her throat spasming with something damnably like sympathy, like… commiseration.Butno, no, damn it, she didn’t care about this downtrodden orc, about this ludicrous offer, or…

“Thus, he would not come to you himself,” the orc continued, as his flinty gaze snapped back toLouisa’sface. “ButIken having a woman in his bed again shall bring him deep joy.Hewas happiest, when he once had this — but it has been many, many summers now, andIwish to help him regain this.Notonly for his sake, but for… our son’s.”

Wait.Theirson’s?Theyalready had a son?Butyes, yes, the orc’s voice had slightly softened as he’d said it, and his eyes had softened, too.Lookingalmost… warm, or even affectionate.Andit seemed to change his entire face, somehow, turning it from something hard and cold and forbidding into something… handsome.Appealing.

Toolate,Louisashook herself all over, and fought for air, for the next logical response. “Whatdo you mean, you have a son?” she managed. “Ithought you said you and this other orc werebrothers?”

Theorc huffed a short laugh, and shook his head. “Ach, we are kin-brothers,” he said, clipped. “Weare both from theSkaiclan.Butthere is no blood shared between us, and our son is not our blood, either.Youshall not even need to meet him, ach?”

Louisablinked at the orc for another blank, bewildered moment, digesting all that.Hewasn’t related to his brother, to the co-parent of his son?Andtheir son wasn’t related to either of them?

Butthe orc’s gaze on her sharpened again, as if daring her to challenge the validity of his chosen family.Andno, no,Louisawasn’t going to question that, but…

“Soare you two… a couple, then?” she tentatively asked. “Youand your… kin-brother?”

Adistant part of her whirling brain vaguely recalled hearing that relationships between males were common among orcs — but wait.Ifthis orc was in a committed partnership with his kin-brother, surely he wouldn’t be going around seeking out strange women to share his partner’s bed?

Butthe orc’s eyes flicked past hers, subtle but intentional, as his jaw tightened in his cheek. “Ach, he andItake pleasure together, when we wish,” he said coolly, “but we have sworn no vows of matehood or fidelity to one another.Itake as many others to my bed asIplease, and he is free to do the same.”

Oh.Itseemed an unusual arrangement, and one thatLouisawould personally struggle to bear — but then again, many humans of her acquaintance carried on with such arrangements too, didn’t they?Andat least this orc was openly telling her about it, as opposed to lying and sneaking about, the way her foul lord husband had.ThewayLordRikardcertainly would, too.

“Andyou really think,”Louisacroaked, and she wasn’t saying this, she wasn’t, “your kin-brother would want —me.Imean” — she waved an erratic hand at her torn, shabby nightdress — “Imean,I’mpoor and widowed,I’mnot that young anymore,Ilook like —”

Shewinced and belatedly clamped her cursed mouth shut, because she didn’t care what this orc thought of her, she didn’t… right?Butthe words just kept hanging there, betraying her, making her small and ashamed, and the orc —

Theorcscoffed.Rolledhis eyes.Andthen he again took his time looking at her, leisurely sweeping his glinting eyes down, and up, and down again. “Youhumans,” he said, heavy with derision. “YoukenIdid not scent you, or look at you, beforeIcame?YoukenIwould not seek out the best, comeliest womanIcould find for my kin-brother?Theone most suited to help him, and please him, and bring him joy?”

Wait.Really?Thisorc had intentionally soughtLouisaout?Onpurpose?Forthis?Andhe thought she was —comely?

ButLouisawas already frowning back at him, shaking her head, because there was no way.Absolutelynone.Notwhen there was a lovely girl likeElisejust downstairs.Notwhen there were countless other untouched, unencumbered, sweet-tempered women populating the realm, without scars and grey hair and holes in their dresses.And, more importantly, without raging, orc-hating lord neighbours.

Butthe orc just rolled his eyes again, even more impatient than before. “Mykin-brother has now seen forty summers,” he said flatly, “and asIhave said, he has seen and sown much darkness, in all those days.YoukenIwish to bring him some delicate, untested flower that he shall crush underfoot, before he has even followed what he has done?YoukenIwish to grant him more regret and grief, more to fear and fret over?Moreweight to bear?Ach, and this is if” — his lip curled — “this woman should even speak to us, and agree to this, without running off and screeching in fear of him?Ofme?”

Louisa’sthoughts again darted towardElise, toward how she would have reacted when faced with an orc in her bedroom — while the orc’s mouth pulled into a grim little smile, his eyes chilly and triumphant. “Butyou,” he said, with a careless wave of his dagger toward her. “Youdo not run in fear of me.Youhear me.Youspeak to me.Andyou have done this in times past, also, when my kin came to you for help.”

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