Page 40 of Valpar

My drum beat faster in my chest as she watched. Was she proud of me? Did she find me capable? I continued to havethoughts run through my head, my mind pounding with ideas that I shouldn’t have. If I thought too much, I would want to relieve the emotions that should not build within an orc.

I wanted her to find me capable, and strong.

Next to her were the supplies, and I rummaged through them to find a glass jar full of light. It was filled with mushrooms which were both tasty and useful, because they gave off light in the darkest of places. They were only found in a special cave my brothers and I traveled to once, during a deep blue moon.

I gestured for Calliope to follow me, wanting to get her inside and her scent away from any other males. I left the supplies outside in case an animal was already inhabiting the cave, and we’d need to leave quickly. She hesitated for a moment before following, and I wrapped my hand around hers as I helped her step inside, looking around cautiously.

The cave was cool and inviting, its damp walls glistening in the soft glow of our jar of light. The air was still and crisp, carrying a hint of earthiness and a touch of dew. Despite being sealed, it was still fresh and clean and would soon be filled with her scent. The cave would be perfect for refuge, shielding us from the wrath of potential storms or lurking families. As we made our way through the narrow passage, the ground beneath our feet felt reassuringly flat and smooth.

“Is this okay?” I asked Calliope as she stared at me with curious eyes.

She nodded slowly, still taking in our surroundings. “Yes…” she trailed off uncertainly.

I scanned the cave quickly before turning back to her. “I will make sure everything is secure outside before joining you.” I handed her the jar of mushrooms, and she stared at them in wonder. She shook them and they glowed brighter.

Yet, they are not as bright as her smile.

She giggled and nodded again. “Okie dokie…”

I grabbed my supplies and took a moment to seal us inside. When I returned to the passage where I left my miresa…she wasn't there.

That’s it, I’m going to have to tie her around my waist like most ogamies do to their orclings. It would be safer that way. That way she could not wander.

I traveled down the passage, seeing the light of the mushrooms at the far end. My vision was clear, and I could see much better than most, especially a human, in the dark. I was still worried, since my female had limited light, and she could fall if there were a cavern she couldn’t see.

My drum thumped wildly in my chest. “Calliope… miresa, where are you?”

The goat cried, and I rushed forward down the passage until it opened into a large room that wasn’t empty, but completely furnished with—-actual furniture. There was a bed large enough to fit me and my miresa, a cooking hearth and even another area which could be abath-room.

It looked nothing like a normal cave.

“What—?”

In the vast bed, a gentle snore resonated, drawing me nearer. As I approached, a soft glow emanated from the light in my miresa’s embrace, casting a warm ambiance. Nestled in the center, she lay, without any blankets to shield her from the cold.

She shivered, and immediately my protective instincts kicked in, as I rushed to pull furs from my bag to cover her with. She did not know how much I enjoyed her lying in my furs back in the courtyard. How she put her scent all over my bedding. It made me hard. My shaft had leaked, already coating the front of my pants, and I was ready to rip them off my body.

But first, I must tend to her.

Calliope stirred gently under my touch, her eyelids fluttering as she drifted between sleep and wakefulness. I carefully choosemy finest furs, their texture brushing against my fingertips as I tenderly draped them over her slumbering form. Settling down beside her on the bed, I marveled at the delicate contours of her face, her ethereal beauty outshining any fairy or pixie of this realm. The room was bathed in a gentle glow from the mushrooms.

How I got to be so lucky to have such a creature to be all mine and no one else’s, I wasn’t sure. And to think I almost let her go!

I growled and let the back of my fingers brush against her cheek.

Mine.

Looking around the room again, I noticed there were other items besides furniture. Utensils for cooking such as pans hung above the hearth. There was also a door to the left of the bed and when I went to open it, found a full bathroom with a quartz tub,toi-letandsink.

All things I would need to build in our cabin back home to suit her. I would need to ensure she could not climb anything in my cabin, or have anything around that could hurt her.

My knives and weapons! I would need to build a room to hide all my sharp objects.

I glanced back at Calliope who was now sleeping peacefully, her long eyelashes resting gently against her cheeks. I couldn’t help but wonder if she had lived this long with no sense of danger. This female had fallen from high places twice this night, luckily both times landing into my arms, and she’d wandered off into a dark cave without a care.

This female needed a keeper, and I was such an orc that would keep her safe. My miresa would not like the way I’ll keep her, but it would be for both of our sakes.

Orcs had to be extremely old to be able grow white and grey hair, but I believe Calliope might make mine grow as such.

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