Rewrite of an old story. Pt2
It was early morning with the sun was about to rise, but in a secluded part of the forest, the cracking sound of a falling tree filled the surrounding air. But the supposed crash that was meant to follow was stopped as a pair of hands caught the tree mid-fall and with an angered roar, threw the large tree a fair distance. His breath was heavy, filling the cold air with his warm breath as the voices returned to his memory.
“The house was empty sir” “Not only that but it has been sold as well” “Her aunt left Slyfort the same day she came to Vadan” “The last place she was seen was the port sir”
He scanned the forest for his axe, snorting as he was not impressed with the distance it had gone as it had also been thrown aside at some point. He walked over, picked his axe from the snow, and was about to cut down a larger tree when a voice rang out.
“Please don’t tell me you have been here all night,” an amused voice said, causing Maha’ra to turn towards it with an annoyed look.
“Then I won’t,” he said before swinging his axe. At this rate, the entire town would have firewood for the winter, spring, and even to sell.
“you’re upset cousin…why?” the voice said as it came close to Maha’ra who sighed deeply.
“She fears me…I…I have failed her” he said as a large shadow emerged from the forest and approached him. He hadn’t seen her since the night of their discussion, which was over a week ago. Keeping himself busy with both personal and diplomatic affairs allowed him to leave their home before she woke up and return when she was asleep. He was about to head to bed the night before when the two scouts he sent to her old home returned with bad news, news upsetting enough that he chose to leave their home so she wouldn’t see or hear his anger…not after everything she had been through…
“Perhaps it is my own doing, I have gotten so used to things working out, either by my ability or strength but this situation has clearly negated both”.
Maha’ra sighed as the large shadow came to his side and bumped its head against him. Before he turned and tended to his beast companion, a huge lion-like beast with an impressive black mane, amber eyes and sabre-toothed, who was deeply chuffing as Mahana slowly stroked his mane.
Akilah watched him with a concerned look, he was an impressive young orc with silky black hair which he currently wore in a thick braid, that flowed down his strong back. He was tall, standing at seven foot three and muscular but was not as strong as his younger cousin who was also much taller than him at seven foot ten. His green skin only brought out his rare midnight-blue eyes and highlighted the black tattoos he had on his biceps. He wore a gold cuff over one of his tusks and had his left ear pierced with a matching gold ring.
“What happened is not your fault…”
“Yes, it is!”
Maha’ra snapped back at him with a snarl, his eyes narrowed and glowed red as he continued.
“Because I was impatient… because I wanted her here as soon as possible, I didn’t notice their tainted eagerness…I can’t even get revenge on her behalf as her aunt fled Slyfort as soon as she sent her here… Our fathers gave me prized furs to make the journey easy for her and I had to tell them both that they had been stolen…a debt I must now repay before the winter ends… on top of the fact that…my bride arrived here half frozen, and ill and now sees me as someone who I am not!...I…” Frustrated, he threw his axe with a roar which cut through the smaller tree it hit, falling into the surrounding snow with a crash.
“…I have never felt so humiliated!”
Akilah walked cautiously to his cousin’s side. Maha’ra was many things, an amazing fighter and a surprisingly good diplomat. But when it came to high emotions like anger and rage, the less rational side of him often came out and took control of his actions. Reaching his cousin’s side, he watched as Maha’ra slowly calmed himself with deep breaths, and his eyes returned to their normal red and gold appearance.
He gave a heavy sigh that was full of sadness as he spoke.
“I know I can’t change what has happened…we have met under the worst circumstances, and I doubt I can make another first impression” Mahana said, his hair was loose and wild from his overnight…work.
He was without a cape, instead wearing a black hooded vest made of leather and wool with dark fur around the hood and arms over a pair of black pants and his boots. Akilah wore a similar outfit but without the fur.
“Then how about instead of a first impression… spend the time making a lasting one that she can come to care for…” Akilah said.
Mahana silently thought about these words as Akilah continued.
“Leave the revenge for now, and focus on her…you have enough time before spring, and as much as I and both of our parents would to meet her soon, they understand the work you have to do to help her become ready for that moment, “Akilah said as he began to guide Maha’ra back to the town, huffing as the lion swiped at his feet playfully.
“I don’t want to overwhelm her any more than she already is, she's still recovering, and I don’t want her to suffer any more pain”
“... you’ll get through this brother… I feel that you both are more similar than you think and in time… you’ll grow to care for each other” Akilah said as he placed his hand on Maha’ra’s shoulder.
“I…I can only hope”
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Meanwhile, to Golka's relief, Lillia was much better than when she arrived three weeks ago, she was still under constant watch by the older woman, but she was allowed to walk around the home as much as she wanted.
During her recovery, Lillia came to learn that the home she was in was built as her and Maha’ra’s matrimonial home and that he had been sleeping in a room on the other side of the house so that they wouldn’t have to see each other before she was ready. Lillia was grateful during those times as Golka would also answer her questions about the town, the people and their culture but would say nothing personal about Maha’ra or his family.
Unfortunately, Golka had been sent on an errand by the chieftain’s wife that morning so she would be alone for the day. Being alone in such a large, still unfamiliar home was quite daunting for Lillia, so after much thought…she decided to go outside.
Even though her room was still quite bare of necessities, she had graciously been given some warm clothes courtesy of the chieftain’s wife, to hold her over until she could have clothes made to fill her empty wardrobe.
From said clothes, Lillia decided on a grey wool dress that came to her ankles, under it, she put on a pair of fur-lined pants which she had to roll up a few times before tucking them into a pair of warm boots that were a little big for her, but still wearable. With her locs pulled up into a bun, she quickly looked in the mirror, happy that she did not look as bad as when she first arrived, but she knew she still had more recovering to do.
Once dressed, she stepped through and closed her bedroom door, before she went down the stairs and through the large doors of the cabin before she began to walk in the direction of the town. The path was cleared from the snow, giving her a secure boost to her curiosity to leave the cabin and explore.
A few curious gazes came her way as she continued to walk. She was by no means a small woman but the fact that most of the young adults she saw were nearly the same height or even taller than her, was a very unfamiliar feeling.
But her mood quickly changed as she started to receive a few friendly waves, nods and smiles as she walked past, taking in the atmosphere. Lillia was quite impressed at the fact that such a large town could exist in the mountains. Vadan as she had come to learn from Golka, was much larger than the trading town of Slyfort which sat on the bottom of the mountains. Here, she could see homes and buildings in the valley in the near distance. But despite its size, she easily noticed the warm sense of community and family here that she wasn’t used to in Slyfort.
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As she continued walking, she looked ahead and saw a group of children playing in front of a building that she believed to be their schoolhouse. The boys roughhoused under an adult's watchful eye while the girls played with a ball and each other’s hair. With a soft smile, she continued her walk as she passed the building but couldn’t go far before she was mobbed by the group of children who quickly surrounded her. Apart from their green skin and a few of them having their tusk just beginning to peek out of their lips, they looked just like…children.
“HI! “Said a young orc boy with short dark hair and brown eyes as he stood before her as the rest continued to look at her with curious eyes.
“Oh… hello” she politely replied causing him to smile.
“you’re human!”
“… yes, I am “
“that’s so cool… I’ve never seen one of you so close before” his innocent comment made her smile softly.
“The same goes for you, little one”
“I’m not little, I’m Zuka “
“Well then…” she smiled as she offered him her hand to shake “… I’m Lillia “she said as he shook her hand, smiling as she heard the girls curiously repeat her name as they whispered.
“What are you doing here Miss Lillia?” “Are you lost?” “It’s not a trading day, is it?” “There’s no trading during winter!” “Then how did she get here?” “Maybe she is lost!”
Their questions made her blink for a moment as she looked at them but then came a new voice.
“Children! What are you doing? “She heard as she turned to see an orc lady run up to them, as the children hid behind Lillia with guilty looks. Dressed in a leather and fur dress with her black hair braided out of her yellow eyes, the woman looked at Lillia with distrusting eyes.
“Miss Rhua! This is Miss Lillia, she’s human! “Zuka smiled as he introduced the two women, Lillia giving a worried look as she saw the women’s eyes suddenly widen as she looked at her.
“You! … You’re lord Maha’ra’s…. My lady, I am so sorry about this and not recognising you!” Rhua said as she began to bow but Lillia quickly stopped her.
“No please, none of that is needed and…it's just Lillia” she replied as they looked at each other, seeing that they were nearly the same height. She looked down at the children who were still hiding from their presumed teacher.
“I apologise if my presence had distracted the children from their lessons with you” she said to which Rhua quickly corrected.
“Oh no I’m not their teacher, the children come to the schoolhouse during winter to play and I watch over them as their carer” she replied, “While they could learn, I'm sure you see that they would rather explore and run off than read,” Rhua said causing Lillia to smile. “If anything, I hope they are not disturbing you”
“Oh, not at all, they’ve been quite kind towards me and their curiosity is refreshing” she replied, but then felt a tug on her sleeve as she looked down to see a young girl looking up at her with bright green eyes.
“Miss Lillia are you heading to the council house,” she asked causing Lillia to look at her curiously.
“The council house?”
“Yeah… that's where lord Maha’ra would be right now” she replied causing her to blink as she realised what they were asking.
“Oh no…I’m just taking a walk and looking around” she quickly responded causing the young girl to pout. It was a cute sight but then another tug got her attention.
“Miss Lillia…I like your hair”
“Oh, thank you”
“But why don’t you have any beads?” Zuka asked as he looked at her locks.
“Beads?“ she curiously asked, why would she have beads?
But before the children replied, the sound of a clap got their attention as they turned to Miss Rhua.
“Children, how about we invite Lady Lillia to come inside and then you can continue to ask your questions?” she said to them before turning to Lillia “If you wouldn’t mind, my lady?”
“Not at all” she replied, smiling as the children guided her to the building, eager to ask her their questions.
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They were a curious bunch for sure, asking her anything about her hair, her favourite food, whether she liked meat or fish, her hobbies and her relationship with…him. But the questions were welcoming as they didn’t make her feel out of place due to her appearance or height, how strange that she felt more comfortable with their questions than when children in Slyfort would ask blunt questions such as why she was tall like a man or why her hair looked like vines?
But she had enjoyed herself to the point that it took Rhua letting the children know that it was time to go home, for her to realise that it was evening. Smiling as she heard the children complain, she offered a compromise of walking with them until she returned home, to which they agreed.
The walk was much more enjoyable with the children pointing out parts of the town and different paths that led to the town’s gates, the river, the market square and the hot springs in the mountains. But one after another they ran to their homes where their mothers let them into the homes as they walked towards her cabin.
“I'll take the rest of the children home my lady,” Rhua said with a smile as the cabin came into view,
“Thank you Rhua,” Lillia said with a smile before she looked at the children “Bye children”
“Bye Lady” the trio cutely called which warmed her heart.
“Have a good evening Rhua” she smiled.
“Same to you my lady” Rhua smiled as they went separate ways, Lillia walked to the cabin with the cold wind beginning to pick up as night began to fall.
She had just entered and closed the doors when she heard.
“Lillia!?”
She turned to see Golka rushed down the stairs to her side as she looked her over.
“Are you alright? Where were you?”
“I…went into town?” she managed to reply as Golka fused over her.
“You what! “
“I wanted to see the town…was I not allowed to leave?” she asked as she realised that she did leave without telling anyone, what if she had broken some tradition or rule?
“What?” Golka said as she looked at the younger woman “Oh no, I'm sorry my dear for fussing, I was worried about your health, what if you taxed yourself too hard.”
Lillia softly sighed before she smiled “I’m alright Golka, I already promised you not to push myself too hard”
“I'm glad to hear that…but you’re still my patient and under my care, and even though I would rather you rest…I am glad to see you moving and I'm proud that you were brave enough to go out by yourself “ Golka said with a smile “But right now, I would rather you soak in a warm bath while I make dinner”
Lillia smiled as she heard that “Alright” she smiled as the pair made her way to her room, while she told Golka about her day with the children.
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It was nearly midnight when Maha’ra returned to the cabin. After spending the day making sure that the wood was allocated properly and receiving a few lectures from his father and uncle. It was no wonder that he was tired, especially after missing a night of sleep.
He got off the back of his companion, who chuffed as he stroked his mane before allowing the beast to bolt into the forest to hunt. He walked up to the door and opened it, greeted by the darkness as he entered. But thankful for his ability to see in the dark, he skilfully and quietly made his way up the stairs to the second floor. But he didn’t head to his room, rather he took a moment and listened, using the darkness as a perfect cover.
Slow and steady breathing came to his ears, which gave him the chance to quietly creep towards the door as he slowly opened it before entering.
He knew it would be jarring and frightening to his bride if she knew about this but…he couldn’t help it. Ever since she arrived, he had quickly developed a habit of coming into her room while she slept to check on her. He heard how ordeals less severe than what she had experienced, could rob a man of their sleep. So even if he couldn’t do anything else, he just had to know she hadn’t lost her slumber.
Standing a safe distance from her, his eyes softly glowed as he watched her sleep peacefully in her bed. Though she looked warm and safe…this was not what he wanted, this plain room was not what he had prepared for her.
But could he even give her any gifts with all that had happened? With a soft sigh, he silently left her room for his own to retire for the night.
