Page 72 of Orc's Possession
“Embarrassed. I didn’t think anyone could hear us.”
Ossa is easy enough to talk to, now that I have the language chip, but we’re not sisters-in-law. There’s an orc ceremony which Atox and I need to perform before the other orcs consider us mated. Maybe after the ritual, Ossa will see me as more than the female her brother is banging.
“A female should take pride in pleasing her male.”
I really need to change the direction of this conversation. “Do you know what’s bothering him? He says he was leaving to check in with various patrols and warriors he stationed in otherareas outside orc territory, but I fear there’s more to his leaving.”
“Sojek,” she answers. “And Narzik, our father.”
“Atox apologized to Sojek. I know it doesn’t change what happened, but he regrets it.”
Ossa nods. “You are right. It changes nothing. Atox will not forget our grak. Narzik was a wicked orc. Killed our mother when she tried to protect Atox. He was ten seasons when our grak gave him a particularly nasty beating. I was sixteen and locked in my rooms for disobeying our grak. He never touched me or our youngest brother, Baxen. Only Atox, because Atox was the male who would be grak one day.”
“And now he fears turning into him.”
“I was angry with you when Atox cut Sojek. I thought...” Ossa’s eyes catch mine. “I thought you caused Atox to cut Sojek. I should have known it was the legacy of our grak surfacing. Atox finds it easier to ignore the past than confront it. He won’t listen to me when it comes to our father. I am only his sister.”
“Then I’ll have to make him listen to me.”
“I wish you good fortune, Pawloma.”
I like how she continues to try to perfect the pronunciation of my name.
“Have you looked east, along the river? The topography is different, and it’s mostly smaller game there,” Ossa says. “The river is heavily patrolled but take a knife as you never know when you will need it. Someone once sent a device down the river.”
“Device? What did it do?”
“Nothing. Atox destroyed it. He suspects it was a weapon, or a device for spying. Since then, he keeps more patrols in that area. If you run into danger, yell and the warriors should hear you.”
“I’ll do that. And now that I can finally talk to you, can you tell me where to find the clothing I wore here? And I had a pack with me, but Verig took it from me on the ride here.”
My birth control pills are in that pack. I’m not sure if I’ll usethem. I want kids; I always have. Getting pregnant by Atox… Weeks ago, the idea horrified me. Now it makes me smile. Regardless, I’d like my belongings. The picture of Mom and my sisters. The wooden dove Renata carved for me, and the extra set of underwear which will be particularly useful for when I clear the traps. I feel as I’m flashing the world when I bend over, even when no one is around.
“All of your belongings are in storage. I will have Evve bring them to your chamber.”
I nod my thanks and head toward the river. The topography transitions to less wooded and more open areas, almost like the terrain my colony farms.
When I find a small patch of fevula lettuce, I do a happy dance. The leaves of the local lettuce are long and flat like romaine, but softer, like bibb lettuce, despite having a deep purple hue. This is perfect for salads. If I can find a jiv tree, then I’ll have fruits to eat and press into a dressing.
After searching for another hour, without any additional finds, I take a break by the river and sit back, listening to the rushing water. It’s relaxing here. The sun’s shining bright and a cool breeze sifts through the trees. The area reminds me of Earth. With the exception of a reddish-brown soil and trees that have two tree trunks winding around each other like vines climbing a trellis. I like the mountains better than the plains where my people settled and I don’t miss farming.
Now that I’m getting to know Atox, I can picture myself living here. I no longer care that my father and the councilmen sold me, though I’ll never forgive them for the betrayal. For the first time since I arrived on Kovos, maybe even before, I’m happy.
As for my sisters, I’ll find a way to see them. Eventually, they’ll have their turn selling our colony’s produce and wares at Pen’Kesh. I’ll ask Sojek to keep watch for them, and when I learn it’s their turn to man the tables, I’ll make the trek in with him.
When I hear voices nearby, I freeze, wondering how far I amfrom camp. I haven’t learned the boundaries yet but based on a discussion with one of the women yesterday, I had the impression I could walk for hours and still be in orc territory.
Across the river and farther down, two warriors fill their flasks with water. I relax, realizing it’s only a patrol.
“Hi,” I call out in English, forgetting I have to make a mental switch in order to speak Orcan.
“It’s the human,” one of the warriors says in Orcan as he nods in my direction, acknowledging my presence. “She finally found her way out of the tunnels without having to follow Zendar,” he says to his companion, laughing. “Our grak should have chosen from a brighter species.”
The warriors don’t know I have a language chip and can understand them speaking in Orcan. But their sentiment is nothing new. Not all the orcs have accepted me. It will take time. At least no one is giving me any trouble.
“You are too judgmental, Selek. The humans need time to adjust. I, for one, want a female of my own, even a human. You do not know what sharing a cave with Garal is like. A female, however…”
“We have a while before we get females, Urik. First, Atox’s female must conceive.”
