Page 29 of Mountain Orc Daddy

Uzul and I enter the house and go straight to the family room. My mother Mara and my father Phineas are sitting in the loveseat. The table in the center of the family room is loaded with coffee, tea, and crumpets. There is meat for Uzul.

“Protective spells have been cast over this house,” my father reassures us. “We want to hear what this is about and how we can help.”

Before Uzul and I can sit, Jade swiftly floats into the room and grabs Uzul in a wide-reaching hug. “You are a mountain of handsome goodness,” Jade tells Uzul.

Uzul and I sit in the loveseat opposite my father and mother. I wonder if my family can see me glow each time I am close to Uzul. I wonder if they know all the roses in the valleys bloom each time Uzul touches me.

Jade takes one of the chairs at the table and hovers near the crumpets.

Remus enters the room, smiles a wide smile at me and Uzul. “They look like they’ve been married fifty years, don’t they?” Remus asks the room, nodding his chin toward Uzul and me.

Jade laughs.

I know Remus is teasing, but way down inside I believe the bells in every chapel were ringing the night that Uzul first kissed me.

Remus sits. My father and mother, brother and sister are watching us intently. My beautiful family is clearly ready to listen and support. Tears are coming to the surface for me. I am so proud of my family. They torture me to no end, but they are fiercely loyal. Uzul sits tall next to me. I know we look like a couple. I feel like a couple. I know Uzul also feels this way, even though he is certainly ruminating on all the things he can do to Gideon that are similar to what coffee grinders do to coffee beans.

The room gets quiet, and all eyes are on Uzul and me.

“Please tell us what this is about and how we can help?” my father asks us.

“We had a bit of a rough day,” I tell the room. “There is a bounty hunter named Gideon. He is looking for the orcs. At least that is what he told me. He was not kind.” I don’t go into deep detail. I do not want to terrify my family.

“Looking for orcs for less than noble reasons,” Remus remarks.

“Gideon targeted me to get to Uzul,” I answer. “I am not harmed,” I add to reassure the room. “I am glad we are here. Grateful you are listening. I know you love me and want to help.”

“Uzul, are you familiar with this character Gideon?” my father asks.

“I am not. As the Broken Maws Tribe, we keep to ourselves.”

“Interesting,” Remus adds. “You are the Chieftain, Uzul. Psychically I pick up what Blair said. Gideon targeted Blair to get to you.”

“Now that the Veil has fallen, ensuring that all beings have equal opportunity for personal sovereignty is more important than ever,” my mother Mara tells the room. She sits up stiff as a board when she says this.

“I am with you on this, Mara,” my father Phineas chimes in. “We need to promote and support equal opportunity for everybody whenever possible. I am not sure of anything regarding the Gideon character. I agree that until we know more, it’s best to assume he is after Uzul and targeted you, Blair, to get to Uzul.” My father pauses to take a breath and direct a serious stare at both me and Uzul. I can see rage, turmoil, and fear tearing through my father’s heart and mind at the idea of a bounty hunter targeting his daughter to harm a diplomat like Uzul. “It is imperative that you two stay here tonight. We will figure out who this Gideon guy is.”

“I know we will,” I say to the room. “I feel loved and safe.” I do feel loved and safe with my family. Loved and safe with Uzul at my side. But in the back of my mind there is a voice reminding me that Uzul will soon go back to his tribe.

Will I fall to pieces?

“I also insist that you stay here tonight,” my mother Mara adds. “We have a room for each of you. And we will enhance the already in place protective spells.”

My family’s love for me and their spell-craft abilities are tight. What scares me is a full night’s sleep in a room away from Uzul. It has been a few days since I have had to brave such a desert without that handsome loving orc. Will I be in his dreams the way he is in all of mine?

There is one other thing that bothers me. Uzul will be returning to the mountains and the Broken Maws Tribe. This will be sooner rather than later now that Gideon is a problem.

We finish our family discussion about how it’s best to stay the night here until we figure out who this bounty hunter Gideon guy is. We also agree that a full night’s rest will be the best medicine. “Thank you for this,” I tell my family. “I am grateful. Uzul and I will help straighten this sitting room back to normal, and then retire.”

The family stands, we hug, issue “So mote it be” prayers for the successful conclusion of our plan, and then adjourn to our respective rooms.

Uzul might as well be a million miles away. This one night I hate the night. The morning light when I can see Uzul again cannot come too soon. Perhaps not to be, not to exist, is how it feels to be without his presence.

Of all the things I have done these last few days, doing things with Uzul is what I want to keep on doing. Of all the things I have touched, his flesh is what I want to be touching. This is very unfair. And what will come of me when he returns to his beloved Broken Maws Tribe? I know he must. I am already coming undone. I am a rose of fire that never blooms.

19

UZUL

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