Page 12 of Her Orc Blacksmith

“I am,” I said. “Vorgath's been kind enough to take me on as an apprentice.”

Grimble stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Well, I'll be...” Turning to Vorgath, he said, “Vorgath, did you ever see young Kald's setup? Now that was a fine place for a fine craftsman.”

Vorgath shook his head. “No, never.”

“Ah, you missed out,” Grimble said. “If not for the war, I'd have bet my money on Kald taking over the blacksmith's guild.”

I smiled at Grimble. “Remember how he used to talk about revolutionizing the apprenticeship program?”

“Aye, the lad had grand plans, he did. Always going on about making the craft accessible to all.” He turned to Vorgath, gesturing at me. “Looks like his widow's carrying on that torch, eh?”

Vorgath met my gaze, something flickering in his dark eyes—admiration, perhaps? “She is... determined,” he said.

Heat crept up my cheeks at the unexpected compliment. “Thank you,” I said softly.

Grimble cleared his throat. “Right, well, as lovely as this reunion is, I've got business to discuss.” He turned to Vorgath, pulling a rolled parchment from his belt. “I need a set of ceremonial axes for the upcoming Tinkerer's Faire. Think you can handle it, greenskin?”

Vorgath's expression remained impassive, though annoyance briefly darkened his eyes at the nickname. “I can handle anything you throw at me, Ironfoot,” he said.

As Grimble laid out the details of his order, my thoughts slipped back to the moments just before the dwarf’s arrival. Vorgath’s words, his subtle teasing, the way his eyes lingered on mine longer than necessary. I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be noticed by someone.

It wasn’t just his gaze or the way he loomed over me with that quiet intensity; it was the way he paid attention, the way he pushed me to be better. I’d spent so long focused on survival that I hadn’t allowed myself to think about anything else. Love,attraction—those were luxuries, weren’t they? Reserved for people with room to dream. Not for widows with tired hands and a son to raise.

And yet, I couldn’t deny that I’d started to look forward to our time together. There was comfort in his presence, a silent strength that made me feel… safe.

But it wasn’t just safety I craved anymore.

I glanced at Vorgath as he nodded at something Grimble said. His broad shoulders were relaxed, but his expression was serious and focused...

Was it foolish to feel this way? To hope for something deeper between us? Did he even feel the same way, or was I only seeing what I wanted?

Part of me scolded myself for even entertaining the thought. I’d built walls around my heart for good reason, convinced myself that love was impractical, something I’d already had—and lost. What was left for me now was the grind of hard work, of making a life for Elias and protecting what little we had.

Still, I couldn’t ignore the voice in the back of my mind, whispering it was okay to open up again. For the first time, I let myself imagine it. Maybe it was time I did something for myself. Something reckless. Something bold.

Grimble’s voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. “Think you and your new apprentice can have those axes ready by next fortnight?” he asked.

Vorgath nodded. “We’ll have them ready.”

“Good, good,” Grimble replied, rolling up his parchment and tucking it back into his belt. “And Soraya, if you ever want to talk shop, you know where to find me. I’ve got a new steam-powered bellows idea that could change the whole game.”

I smiled at the dwarf, appreciating his enthusiasm. “Thank you, Grimble. I’ll keep that in mind.”

With a final nod to both of us, Grimble turned to leave, his heavy boots clanking against the stone floor as he made his way to the door. As it swung shut behind him, I found myself alone with Vorgath once more.

He turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Grimble is a good customer. Reliable.”

“Yes, he is,” I agreed. “He was one of Kald's regulars, actually.”

Vorgath grunted thoughtfully. “Your husband's forge must have been impressive, from what Grimble said.”

“It was, but that was a long time ago.” I paused. “Would you... be interested in seeing it?”

Vorgath's eyebrows rose slightly. “Your old forge?”

“Yes,” I said, ignoring the flutter of nerves twisting my stomach. “I've been thinking about how to get it up and running again, and I'd love your input.”

Vorgath was silent for a moment, his dark eyes studying me. Then, to my surprise, he nodded. “I would like that,” he rumbled.

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