Page 29 of Valpar

New furs on the bed, clean up the kitchen, I will bring flowers—fresh kills—all of it will be for her. She will not have to lift a finger and once it is all in place I will claim her—when she is ready. She is small. From what I can remember about humans, their holes are small and I must prepare her.

First step, get her out of this kingdom and away from the other orcs.

I couldn't have my miresa vulnerable here in the Golden Light Kingdom. Just anyone, like my brother, could steal her from me. What if she found one of the other orcs more desirable?

I picked up my steps at the thought.

“—We even sleep together. He has this cute little snore—”

“WHAT?” I roared and the birds, sleeping in the trees of the garden, flapped their wings and vanished into the night sky.

The thought of anyone sleeping in the same bed as my miresa brought the orc who fought in the war to the forefront of my mind. I wanted blood!

My back straightened, and I realized I was carrying my tiny miresa in my arms. One so tiny that I could have completelymessed up our bonding experience. She could be afraid of me. An orc’s roar is powerful, deafening.

I feared to check her state, but I had to know if she would shy away from me. But, when I finally looked down at her, she gave me a stare of bewilderment.

“Are you constipated or something?” she asked innocently.

My mouth dropped.

“I said, are you constipated? Do you need to drop some tummy dumplings? Because I get cranky when I feel a little stopped up. There is this fruit you can eat called the hinbel. I don’t know if you have it over there in your wood, but here it is quite reliable in helping your digestive system. It will have you cleaned out in no time.”

Did she just ask me if I needed to defecate?

“Is that why you left earlier? Because you needed to go to the restroom?” She played with her fingers and didn’t look at me when she asked.

I sighed heavily, took long strides over to the courtyard’s stone wall and sat her on top of it. I was still taller than her, despite its height.

“I left because I thought you had put a spell on me,” I said honestly.

Her thick bottom lip pouted, and a confused look appeared on her face. “A spell? I can’t do spells. I’m a human. Besides, orcs can’t—”

“—Can’t be affected by magic, yes, I know. You made me feel things I never thought I would ever feel, Calliope. And you were dressed as a fae, I thought you were just trying to trick me. Many fae and fairies want to know what it is like to be with an orc.”

My miresa’s face turned red and she bit her bottom lip.

Interesting.

“I was looking for reasons that you could not be mine. It was just too good to be true and I was also—” I scratched the back of my head, “—afraid.”

She laughed. “You can’t be afraid. You are too big and strong.”

My chest puffed up in pride. I leaned forward and put both hands on either side of her hips. “The thought of never having you... yes, an orc can be afraid. Are you not afraid of me, little fairy?”

She shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “Even when you are constipated.”

I chuckled. Strange female.

My miresa would not look me in the eye, her face wandered down my body. I hoped she appreciated what she saw. I knew I was different; it wasn’t a secret. I did not suck in my gut to show off my muscle underneath. I did not hide who I was. I hoped she would no longer hide who she was either.

However, she dressed like a fae earlier and I had many questions falling onto my tongue.

“Who is this Simon?” I asked as she traced a scar on my arm.

“I told you, my best friend, and why did you get mad when I said he sleeps with me?”

My fist tightened, and she put her hand on top of mine. Could she not see jealousy? Did she not understand it? Did she not understand fear at all?

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