#mediaval orc love story

[thecandywrites]

Zorroku and Peaches Part 8

And you may recognize this as the first part of the old part 4 which is now part 8.

Zorroku and Peaches

Part 8

But by the next morning, you were woken up by the sounds of Fang and Claw screaming as they circled above the village.

"What the hell?" You groused as you got up and opened your tent and glared at the sky before you groaned as you realized Shuzug was already here. You called Fang and Claw to you as you wrapped your arm in a blanket before they dove down to you and landed on your arm.

"Oof, good morning to you too," You greeted them sleepily before you heard Ori stir and put the pair on the stand with Razor and went and got your cloak on, even if it was a bit big, along with your shoes and your mother’s sling and put her sleeping and bundled form into it and put her under your cloak with you and invited the birds out and told them to find Shuzug before you followed them to the gate of the village where the guards had stopped Shuzug who was arguing with them to let him in as all three eagles came and landed on the mane of his horse.

"Hey! He's with me, let him in." You ordered them, still sleepy and a little irritated that your amazing dreams were interrupted. 

"You know him?" They asked you.

"Yes, that is Shuzug, youngest son of Clan Chief Khagra of the Black Wolf White Rock Clan, who is coincidentally also your Clan Chief's nephew. Clan Chieftess Yotul and Shuzug's mother Clan Chieftess Bula are sisters. And he's my friend. I'm sure the rest of the family is only a few hours away, let him through." You vetted before they let him through before his horse practically pranced through the gate as you could see a few something’s squirm in his large bag across his chest.

"Did you really ride all night to get here?" You asked him as he strode his horse over you before he got off.

"Yes. I couldn't wait. I left the moment the crows came back, the rest will be leaving right about now." Shuzug answered a bit bashfully before he noticed you were holding a baby under your cloak.

"So who's this?" He asked curiously as he peeked inside as he gave you a gentle hug so as not to squish her.

"Kinda sorta my daughter?" You giggled as you opened the cloak up more to show her to him.

"Aw, how did you manage that?" He asked curiously.

"Dude, how did you manage that?" You asked as you gestured to the bag before three wolf pup heads popped out, a white, a gray and a red wolf pup before it continued to squirm and two mountain lion cubs who were the same age poked their heads out too.

"Well hello there!" You cooed to them as you pet them as they sniffed you.

"It's a long story." He ducked his head as you noticed he also had some fresh wounds on his head and body that you knew Lilly must have just patched up.

"May the gods have mercy." You snickered. 

"Come on, my tent is this way." You nodded as you started walking back to your tent as he tied his horse next to the door and marveled at the tent and the little outdoor door mat in front of your tent’s door that you pulled the string to open the door for him. 

“Wipe your feet and close the door after you come in.” You reminded him. 

"Wow, this is really nice! You get this all to yourself? When the crows said 'big tent', I didn't think it would be this big." Shuzug praised as he got his things off of his horse and brought them in and he looked around after he put the pups and cubs down to explore your tent.

"Thanks and it is all mine. This little girl's father got it for me." You answered with a twinkle in your eye as you took your cloak off and hung it back up.

"Holy shit, what happened to your boobs?! Like when the crows said ‘big booms Bella’ I didn’t think they would be enormous! They’re bigger than your head!” Shuzug asked as he noticed the change in them before you smacked him upside the head.

"Really?" You deadpanned before you got back in bed just as Ori started to stir before you unceremoniously took out a breast and started nursing her.

"What the hell Bella?" Shuzug asked as he watched on in surprise.

"Dude, pull up a chair, do I have an epic tale for you." You began before you got comfortable and propped up by all the pillows on your bed and started telling him everything that happened from the moment you left his sight until that moment in time. All while the wolf pups and baby mountain lions explored your tent. Shuzug listened and watched you nurse Ori with awe as the pups and the cubs ate the already dead rabbit carcasses at the base of the eagle perch as Razor, Fang and Claw also ate rabbits too.

"So any idea of who you might want?" Shuzug asked you once you finished.

"Well, that's a tricky question to answer. Because clearly, I'm connected to Zorroku. And come to find out, he has no other wives right now. How does the first born, that handsome, his age not have like five by now?" You asked rhetorically.

"I mean yeah I see where you're coming from." Shuzug nodded.

"My only other viable option is the youngest Nar, not to be confused in any way, shape or form with Yar. He's 12, just now getting some whiskers and facial hair. He has no wives, no kids, and he's young enough that I might get him to myself for a little while at least and he's a lot like you and we get along pretty good. But I'm still getting little brother vibes, like I really gotta push myself to view him romantically." You shrugged.

"Well have you talked with any of them about what they want from you and what you want from them and see if you're compatible or can come to an agreement or an understanding?" Shuzug asked.

"Not yet, I've only been here for two days. And this will be my third day here. I'm hoping once everyone is together and once all your sisters and your mother especially get to meet all of them and get a feel for them, they'll give me some insights." You hoped.

"So are they really treating you well? Like really really?" Shuzug asked a little skeptically.

"Dude! I have more freedoms and rights here than I do at home. I am servant to no one. No one bosses me around and I basically get to do whatever I want which is actually cooking because I want to not because I'm expected to. Which is odd, but really nice. I'm cooking with joy instead of fear. And I'm finding myself wanting to make everything I make really good instead of feeling like I need to or else I'll face the consequences.” You firmly insisted. 

“Like if Yotul and Crowthu aren't calling me Peaches they're calling me daughter and they really mean it. Like they have completely adopted me and accepted me and it really is like one big happy family that I'm a full fledged member of. Like I'm on a first name or even nickname basis with everyone. The moment I came into the village, Crowthu introduced me as his new daughter. Before I even got to his tent and practically showed me off to the whole village who greeted me respectfully and just accepted me with open arms, and ease, and had no issues with me at all. And it's weird but really nice. They have all completely upheld their half of the oath. But it's not that they have to really try or work against themselves and their own nature to uphold it. It's like that oath and those conditions are just the way they are. And it was a given that they'd be good to me. Even the little kids call me Auntie Peaches and adore me just as much as I adore them. Which the 'Peaches' thing took a little to get used to but Zorroku made a really good point on how it's a fitting name ‘because I'm sweet when I want to be but I'll be a poisonous killer like the peach seed itself when I want to be too’. Because I've gotten to hunt and fish since I've been with them so that was actually a really nice compliment.” You explained with a bright smile.

"Wow, I mean, yeah that makes total sense and you kind of look like a Peaches too." Shuzug teased you and you playfully stuck your tongue out at him.

"So no creepy rape-y vibes then?" Shuzug asked.

"Well, there is still two of your cousins that give me the creeps, Silug and Winug. But as long as I stay away from them, I'm good. Otherwise, there's four that are trying really, really hard to woo me and it's...again, weird." Is all you could say with another giggle and a shrug.

"And which ones are those?" Shuzug asked.

"The twins, Grushnug and Murnag, Yalak and Nar. The twins, a middle and the baby. Zorroku is, in comparison, really reserved and discrete about his efforts. He is just trying to see if there is any natural chemistry or affection that grows on its own, rather than forcing it or pushing it. Which I find I like a lot better and surprisingly easy and rather effortless to grow closer to him outside of taking care of Ori but I still feel like we’re on the precipice of being good friends to potentially becoming more, but I’m still just really weary to let myself go for him for the aforementioned reasons." You specified.

"Is there any beyond Zorroku you like back?" Shuzug asked.

"Not really, no." You sighed with a subtle shake of your head as you looked down at Ori and her baby blue skin and when you looked back up Shuzug was just grinning ear to ear.

“So tell me more about Zorroku.” Shuzug asked. 

“Well it’s actually Zorroushku. His mother was none other than Sharnarrah the Magnificent of the Mountain Blizzard Clan.” You began. 

“Oh shit, your adopted aunt?” He asked as you nodded. 

“Yup. So he actually has three names, Zorroku is his name in the common tongue and Pregu, Zorroushku in Ragesh and he lets me call him Zushku for short, which is what the nickname for him would be if he was in that clan. Turns out Sharnarrah died giving birth to the twins, Grushnug and Murnag, or their Ragesh names are Grushnagah and Murnagah. And Yalak had been born like a day or two earlier. So Yotul, your mother’s sister, took the twins on and raised them and became Clan Chieftess because Sharnarrah had been Crowthu’s Clan Chieftess while she lived. So Zorroku, Glasha, which is short Glashnarah and Marnarrah, speak Ragesh the easiest. The twins not so much and Yotul never learned it. So any Ragesh the twins learned, they learned from Zorroku and his other siblings. Whereas Silug, Winug, Yalak and of course Nar know Yowl as well as they do Pregu- which is the Thunder Herd Clan native language. But Pregu is nothing like any other language I’ve ever heard, it’s like over a dozen of the common orc languages all got smashed together. And I can’t figure out how they got smashed together, only that they are. So I’m really only picking up one word out of every other sentence and I’m racking my brain trying to figure out the rest. It’s been really hard learning it because I haven’t gotten an alphabet yet.” You sighed in frustration. 

“But apparently the reason they came and got me, specifically, was because I was “family found” to them. And that ‘family found’, was in the sense that I am both a daughter of the Black Wolf White Rock Clan with your mother and her mother and you and your siblings. So to Yotul and her children by Crowthu, that’s how I’m family found to them. To Zorroku and his siblings, because my mother is the adopted daughter of Jaseeneh and adopted sister to Sharnarrah and I speak Ragesh, that’s how I’m the family found to them.” You explained. 

“Oh so it has nothing to do with…” Shuzug trailed off. 

“No, it has nothing to do with those blessings. I've talked about them- with Zorroku as he was telling me about Ori’s mother. And he calls them my “spite blessings”.” You rev\ealed with a laugh which got Shuzug to laugh with you. 

“Spite blessings, perfect.” Shuzug beamed happily. 

“So what happened with Ori’s mother?” Shuzug asked as he gestured to Ori still nursing but giving him a skeptical look as she did so. Which was actually super cute and adorable to Shuzug. 

“Ori’s mother was Medowne. I don’t know what clan she came from. But she was apparently very sickly. She had a very hard time conceiving. And had at least a few or maybe several miscarriages before she was pregnant with Ori. Ori was supposed to be born right about now. But she was born in the winter, in the mountains. Where the air is already super thin and hard on most. Ori was born so prematurely that she was covered in lagune. And Medowne died just as Ori barely got her head through. Ori had to be cut out of Medowne to keep from dying with her. So it was a super traumatic birth for everyone.” You revealed as Shuzug’s eyes got wide. 

“And at the time YakYak was the youngest baby in the family so Grat, Yalak’s wife started to nurse her. But Ori is allergic to onions and garlic which are coincidentally a huge part of the diet here and Grat’s favorite foods. So that’s why Ori is still so tiny and sick. Because she was not only born prematurely, she never got her first milk and has been nursing from a woman past the first milk stage and who has been eating practically nothing but all the foods she’s allergic to. So I immediately offered that if there was a way to nurse her, I would and refrain from onions and garlic and whatever other foods she’s allergic to for her sake. Because you know I don’t like onions unless they’re sweet onions. Which this clan only really seems to have the wild, really hot ones here. So Crowthu’s mother Arob gave me a special drink to get my breasts to grow to size to make enough milk satisfy Ori and to give her milk that wouldn’t hurt her but actually nourish her. Thus the big boobs, thus, I’m her mother.” You recounted. 

“Oh that’s sad for her but good for you.” Shuzug frowned as he looked Ori over again and really noticed just how tiny she really was. He had thought she was a halfling because of her small size. But she was way too small for a three month old. 

“Plus Ori- is short for Oriannaregina.” 

“Oh damn.” Shuzug’s eyes went wide. 

“And the reason she has that name is that’s the name Sharnarrah was calling out on her deathbed. And no one here knew who that was and apparently no one in the Mountain Blizzard Clan would tell them either. So Zorroku simply named her I’m guessing as a commemoration to his mother who died when he was only 6, so still an adolescent himself.” You speculated. 

“Yeah, so she’s literally named after my mom. But Sharnarrah never told anyone the truth about my mother. And neither did anyone from my grandma’s clan. And it wasn’t until Arob got a prophetic vision of me and it showed me on that mountain growing breadseed a few months ago. But all they saw was my back. My red hair and my red fox fur snowsuit with a peach in my pocket. Which is why they all yelled “Peaches!” when they saw the peach and why they call me Peaches. But in the vision that Arob got, I was in a Mountain Blizzard Clan hut. And come to find out- Crowthu’s sister, Cilanthe is the Clan Chieftess of the Mountain Blizzard Clan and they’re coming to meet me too. Which I hope at least one of my new outfits is done by today. Because I know Grandma Jaseeneh has always felt that your parents didn’t treat me or my family as well as she wanted them too. And with the past your parents have with the Mountain Blizzard Clan in general. I don’t know how things will go when they do meet. Because it’s going to very much be Crowthu, Cilanthe, Arob and Jaseeneh against your mom and your grandma. And poor Yotul will be stuck in the middle. And I hope it’s enough that my parents can finally get the freedom that your parents have denied them for twenty years.” You whispered to him after you gestured for him to come closer as he knelt next to the bed so you didn’t have to speak too loudly. 

“Me too. Is that why Yotul asked for your family to come too?” Shuzug asked as you nodded. 

“Well if this clan will treat your family the same way they’ve treated you so far, I hope they can finally be free. I mean, we will miss you. But heck, I just might consider moving here too.” Shuzug offered.

“Oh gods, I can’t imagine the shenanigans you and Nar would get into.” You playfully groaned and giggled as he laughed. 

"Well I'm happy for you, relieved mostly, but happy for you," Shuzug grinned.

"Thanks, well when everyone gets up I'd imagine at least five of them will want to be your new best friend. And honestly you and Nar would be like brothers, if not practically twins, but he’s blue and you’re green, but otherwise twins.  Like he may only be two years older than you but he's literally the same size as you and his personality is really similar. Did you get a chance to read my message about bringing the book of riddles?" You asked.

"Oh you mean this book?" Shuzug grinned as he reached into his other satchel and pulled it out.

"Yay!" You cheered.

"Peaches? You ok? Who's in there with you?" Glasha asked as she woke up and heard talking and didn't recognize the male voice coming from your tent.

"Yeah I'm ok, come over and meet your cousin," You invited. 

"Well kind of, she's not a blood cousin. She's the eldest daughter from Crowthu and Sharn so she’s of no blood relation to you, that I know of at least. Glasha is awesome. She's my best friend here." You murmured to Shuzug as Glasha came over.

"Be careful, don't let the pups or the cubs out." You urged as she carefully came in and noticed three wolf pups and two mountain lion cubs chewing on what was left of their individual rabbits as all three eagles stood regally on the perch.

"Good morning, sorry to wake you up." You offered as she came in and made sure the flap was closed so the pups and cubs wouldn't escape.

“It’s ok. I just heard his voice and didn’t recognize it and got worried.” She admitted. 

"Hi, I'm Shuzug, Yotul and my mom are sisters apparently." Shuzug introduced himself as he held out his hand for her to shake as she did.

"Hi, I'm Glasha," she smiled brightly as she shook it before she sat on the bed just as Ori got done lazily drinking her breakfast and finally woke up for the day and turned to fully stare at Shuzug as you put your breast back into your nightgown. 

"Well good morning Ori." Shuzug cooed to her as she gave him a look that clearly said 'I don't know you. Who are you? And why are you talking to me?' that cracked all of you up before she looked at you questioningly.

"This is...your uncle Shuzug." You cooed to her as Shuzug nodded in agreement to that before you sat her up so that she laid against your stomach with your thighs and breasts propped her up kept her sitting up as you made sure she was completely covered up so she wouldn't get cold as you still laid on your side, propped up yourself. Shuzug got down on his knees next to the bed to get closer to her again. 

"She's really small for being three months old, she’s smaller than most newborns. But she’s really cute. Almost like one of those super expensive porcelain dolls." Shuzug noticed as he reached out and gently let her reach out to take his hand before he got his face closer to hers and started playing with her and cooing to her and trying to make her laugh that she was not induced to do. She just stared at him with a speculative frown as she seemed to let go of him and wipe her hand on her blanket which made all of you laugh. 

"Well that's because her birth mother died giving birth to her and she didn't get her first milk and started nursing from my half brother's wife who already had a three month old of her own and the milk is different as babies grow." Glasha explained from her spot next to her niece on the bed as she sat by your feet as Ori looked from you to Shuzug and then to Glasha and then back to Shuzug. 

"And she's super sensitive to onions and garlic, and they eat those with every single meal here. And Grat, Yalak's wife- and the one who was nursing her, didn't want to give them up for Ori's sake. So Peaches told Mama Arob, who is a sorceress, that she would nurse her if she could. And that she was willing to give up eating those things for Ori's sake. And that's when Mama Arob made her that special drink." She explained.

“And that’s why I’m sort of her mom now.” You offered. 

"You're not kinda sorta her mom, you are her mom." Glasha affirmed and you found yourself grinning and nodding along with that.

"Yeah I guess I am, but she's so sensitive to them she's borderline allergic to them and would have been for life." You explained gravely.

"If you hadn't stepped in." Glasha realized. 

"Well thank you, very very much for stepping when you did. I know Zorroku especially is very thankful and grateful you did." Glasha thanked you graciously.

"You're welcome, I'm happy to help and she's a sweetheart, obviously." You gestured to her.

"Which before you came along all she did was fuss. Poor thing, now that she's drinking milk that's not making her sick and not hurting her, we finally get to see her for herself. She's never been so happy and content before." Glasha praised.

"Well Bella has always been great with kids, she's a natural mom and obviously a very good one." Shuzug praised, with a wink to you, which got you to smile appreciatively back. 

"I wonder if Mama Arob would have a special spell or something for Yar since she was able to do that to you." Shuzug wondered as he gestured to your bosom and you and Glasha both burst out laughing as he couldn't help but laugh a long too.

"You told them didn't you?" Shuzug laughed.

"I may have gotten a little drunk, tipsy at least and may have let a few family secrets loose and I swore them to secrecy." You playfully accused as you nudged Glasha's back with your foot.

"You did, I'm sorry," Glasha admitted.

"It's ok, I'm not mad, I was just hoping there was something out there because he's done nothing but mope and complain about how he's lost his chance of finding anyone to help him on his quest. Because 'you were the only one who understood him and sympathized with him and was his only friend and he'll never find that again'." Shuzug snickered, imitating his older brother.

"Oh gods." You groaned as you rubbed your eyes tiredly which got them to laugh more. 

"You mean I was the only one with enough patience to put up with him and his bullshit. I'm not going to ask Mama Arob for anything for him. It's ridiculous and not worth her time or energy. Like I don't even want him to know she's a sorceress just so that he'd leave her in peace. Not unless he learned to be more than his appearance and his muscles and be nice just for the sake of being a nice. And a good person and not because he's being a manipulative piece of shit. If he wants it so bad, he's grown, he can ask himself." You spat.

"Hey! Look at you speaking your mind so freely!" Shuzug congratulated you.

"This place must be good to you if you're being yourself so much." Shuzug smiled proudly.

"It is." You nodded with a grin as Glasha beamed so happily, she nearly became sunshine herself.

"Belladonna, are you ok?" Zorroku asked as he noticed a regular horse tied to a tent pole outside your tent and heard a male voice he didn't recognize and he instantly got worried. Especially when he had been unknowingly sharing such a wonderful dream with you only to be interrupted and then never coming back to it again. 

"Zushku, I’m fine. Come on in, just be careful not to let the pups or the cubs out. Come meet your cousin Shuzug, he rode all night to get here this morning." You invited him as Glasha raised her eyebrows and gave you a meaningful look which you could do nothing but smile happily back at her which made her sit up straighter and prouder to see that development. 

"Pups or Cubs?" Zorroku repeated in confusion before he came in and saw wolf pups and mountain lion cubs on the ground and stared in shock and a little bit of horror that they were so close to you and his daughter.

"It's ok. They're babies, they mean no harm. Close the tent flap please." You reassured him as he closed it and carefully came forward as Shuzug got up and turned to face him.

"Hi, I'm Shuzug, I came early ahead of the rest of my family." Shuzug offered as he shook Zorroku's hand.

"Oh, hi. Welcome." Zorroku greeted politely back before he sat down in the chair and noticed all three eagles before the wolf pups came over and sniffed his legs before he felt inclined to bend over and pet them as the mountain lion cubs climbed up the bedding that was spilling off your bed as he could have sworn he had seen these pups in his dreams. Especially this red one in his hands. 

"Well hello there, aren't you such pretty kitties!" You cooed to the mountain lion kittens. You kept them close to you and your face rather than going near Ori. You pet them like they were normal kittens and started purring to them and nuzzling them as they curled up with you happily as Zorroku picked up another wolf pup and held it and started petting it, marveling at how soft the fur was and how adorable the pup was. Before one of the others went over to Glasha as she picked it up as Shuzug still was cooing to Ori who still wasn’t sure about him as she looked questioningly from her father to him. 

You all continued to talk as Zorroku and Glasha got to know Shuzug more before there was another tap on the tent pole. 

"Peaches?" Nar asked curiously as he eyed the normal sized horse curiously.

"Come on in, it's a party in here." You laughed before he came in and saw everything.

"Meet your cousin Shuzug, Shuzug, meet your cousin Nar, again." You introduced as he came over and sat down next to Shuzug on the floor before you handed him and Shuzug the mountain lion cubs.

"Oh my gods they’re so cute! And so soft!" Nar gushed as he held it to his chest and neck as he nuzzled it and pet it. 

Shuzug told the story of how he stole these baby animals from their dens and you just shook your head at how positively foolhardy it all had been as Zorroku watched your reaction to Shuzug's story closely, greatly amused by your reactions.

"Ok so my question is why did you do this? What could have possibly possessed you to do this?" You asked him when he was done.

"Well I wanted to surprise you with gifts." Shuzug tried to smile charmingly as you just narrowed your eyes at him and gave him an unimpressed look. 

"No gift to me or anyone else is worth your life Shuzug. You, very easily, could have died. You didn't take my advice and actually run any of this by anyone did you?" You leveled and he ducked his head a little out of embarrassment as his cheeks darkened. 

“Did you?” You pressed again before he guiltily shook his head ‘no’. 

"No." Shuzug admitted and you clasped your hands together like you're praying as you squeezed your eyes shut as your face showed a very wide range of emotion.

"Are you actually praying?" Shuzug asked in a chuckle.

"Yes, for the gods to give me strength to not strangle you right now because of how short sighted you're being." You said through gritted teeth as Zorroku, Nar and Glasha snickered a laugh. You opened your eyes and fixed Shuzug with a look. 

"Shuzug, there are no cows here. Not even goats or sheep or even pigs, there is nothing to milk here, where would I get the milk to nurse them? They may be eating some meat now but they're still young enough they need milk still. And I sure as hell am not going to be nursing them. All my milk belongs to Ori and I am not going to be having her share it with anyone or anything. You're going to have to take them home with you and do what you can with them. Because you are trying to give me a gift I can not sustain." You pointed out as Zorroku blew out a breath of relief as he had worried about that.

"Oh," Shuzug realized. 

"Well my family should be bringing those with them." Shuzug said hopefully.

"Yeah and they're still, by my estimate, seven hours away. These babies should be needing milk right now. It's not like I can take a wheel of cheese and miraculously turn it back into milk." You argued.

"Well we could try to milk the horses." Nar offered as Shuzug lit up at that.

"Yeah!" Shuzug agreed.

"Ok fine, go try, just try not to get kicked to death. And mares have two teets. If it only has one, it's a stud and do not feed whatever comes from "milking" that to anyone." You teased as everyone laughed at that before Shuzug and Nar got up and left the baby animals with you.

“Great, now I'm a mother of six. I’m going to need at least a litter box.” You sighed tiredly before finally sat up against the headboard for the bed and put Ori against your bent legs as you played with her a little. 

"Your uncle is driving me so crazy, yes he is! Because he doesn't think things through. No he doesn't! He is so sense stupid, yes he is!" You cooed to Ori who cooed as you tickled her and laughed back at you. 

Zorroku and Glasha chuckled too as you felt around Ori's tummy to see if she still had any issues and was surprised when she didn't have any at all. But you'd still be feeding her more medicine today just in case just like you had done the day before and the day before that. 

"She looks so much better now that she's with you. Her cheeks and limbs are getting chubby now." Zorroku praised as he watched you softly as his heart swelled with so much pride and love and affection. His dreams and visions of you washing over his mind again as his instincts were to climb into bed with you and hold you and Ori.

"Well it pisses me off that once Grat found out Ori's sensitive to onions and garlic that she wouldn't give them up for Ori's sake. Like she flatly refused." Glasha admitted.

"Oh me too," you agreed as you played with Ori.

“Me three and Ori me four.” Zorroku readily agreed as Glasha was happy that you and he had at least talked about it since he seemed to already know about it. 

"Ori probably would have died because she was not wanting to eat at all because she couldn't stand the milk." Zorroku realized as he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and ran his hands over his face before looking and catching your small nod of confirmation and he just felt like going on a rampage he was so angry. His sister in law had been so selfish and so opposed to being inconvenienced she would have killed his daughter.

"Hey, Zushku," you softly pulled him from his dark thoughts so that he looked at you instead of at the ground. 

"It's ok, the good news is, Ori's ok. Ori's fine. See? Sure she's small now, but she's doing better today than she was yesterday and leaps and bounds better than she was the day before that. Three days ago was the worst she'll hopefully ever be. And as long as I draw breath, I'll take care of her. I know you're angry at Grat, I am too. But I'm not going to dwell on the past or torture myself with thoughts of what would have happened to her if I hadn't intervened. Thank the gods I was able to come and help when I could. Your grandmother said that the gods and that the fates themselves wanted me here. And I believe her and it's because I believe I was brought here for Ori's sake and I'm perfectly happy and content with that.” You softly but calmly insisted. 

“Ori is obviously a wonderful baby. She's happy and she's getting healthier and healthier and better and better every day and with every meal she nurses from me. And I’m sure, once we get all of Grat’s milk out of her, she’ll be even better. Which should be by the end of today at the latest. I'm happy and grateful and thankful for the gods guiding your grandmother and your family to me. And I’m happy and relieved I came. Because I probably never would have forgiven myself if such a precious little one died just because I let my fears overwhelm me and cloud my judgement. And the gods have blessed me greatly with everything around me because I took a leap of faith and they and you and your whole family caught me. The very same gods whose sacred sculptures are on that table next to you. So don't think about Grat. Life has a way of giving selfish people what they deserve. I mean you'll be meeting the epitome of that in Yar later tonight. So let it go, it'll do you no good making a fuss about it now. Ori is happier and healthier right now and hopefully she’ll never stop from making progress.” You encouraged him. 

“Thanks to you.” Zorroku smiled appreciatively. 

“Thanks to us. Ori needs two parents doesn’t she? You’re still her father, nothing has changed that and hopefully nothing will ever change that either.” You insisted as Glasha nearly screamed in excitement that you practically proposed to her brother.  

“You’re right. It could be worse. We could be something similar to Iron Mammoth.” Zorroku answered as he was hoping he wasn’t reading too much into your statement because he was ready to propose. But he didn’t want to get his hopes too high because the way you were in his dream was one thing, who you were in real life seemed to be similar but still different. 

“Mammoth who?” Glasha repeated. 

“Iron Mammoth is one of probably too many clans that, according to my Aunt Fusha, that if any wife gives a son of the warchief or heaven forbid the Clan Chief - daughters, the daughters are immediately given to the other families in the clan. Usually the lowliest families of the clan and the mothers never even get the chance to give those daughters their first milk or get to hold them at all. And if they put up a fight and actually want to hold, let alone keep their daughters who they spent ten months carrying, they're instantly demoted and replaced within seconds. To the point their fathers fuck their new replacements in the very same room right next to the birthing bed, as their former wives are still birthing the afterbirth. Or if their husbands don't want to demote their wives for wanting to keep the baby, the fathers then smash their daughter's head in so that there is no daughter and it's announced that it was a son that was still born to "save" the family honor because daughters are seen as a dishonor. That is truly horrific." You informed them as Glasha and Zorroku looked so horrified they could throw up.

"What clans do that?" Glasha asked.

"The Infamous Hand Clan, The Beserker Clan, and the Iron Mammoth Clan, that I know of at least. And those three clans are actually run by a set of triplets and the Infamous Hand Clan was the original clan and the Clan Chief's other triplets formed their own clans. Especially when orcs who get thrown out of good and honorable clans can find shelter and a place there among those ranks.” You specified. 

“They’re the biggest three clans of the infamous twelve that we have nothing to do with. Where most of those who escape their clutches come to us.” Zorroku supplied. 

“Oooh.” Glasha realized. 

“To my knowledge, as of a year and a half ago, the top three, the ones I mentioned, none of them have Clan Chieftesses. All their kids are sons from slaves who are kept on literal chains. It's horrific. Even my Clan Chief Khagra will have nothing to do with them.” You revealed. 

“Why?” Glasha asked curiously. 

“Because the Nightmare Mammoth Clan’s Chief invited him and his eldest two sons there for an alliance a year and a half ago. Once Khagra and his eldest sons, Myles and Bullard saw the conditions there, they immediately backed out. And that's what started the last war that our clan barely survived. Khagra's eldest two sons died trying free those poor slave girls and save the baby girls. Because they had been invited to a birth and that's what happened because the slave could not be demoted any further and so when she weakly pleaded for mercy, the warchief killed her by smashing her own head in after he smashed his daughter's head." You revealed sadly.

"Oh I'm going to be sick." Glasha groaned as she held her stomach as Zorroku wiped his tears away discreetly. 

"Yeah, so I'm just eternally grateful you guys are nothing like that. I mean it's a pretty good sign if the Clan Chief himself is playing with his own granddaughters and treats even the bedroom servants of his sons with care and respect and dignity. Even when those same sons won’t marry them. And their children are recognized as his own grandkids. And obviously if Ori has over a hundred silk diapers, about a dozen fursuits and even jewelry. That’s a pretty good sign too that girls are blessings and sons are gifts. Which is how all children should be viewed, in my opinion at least. And if the children are wanted by their parents that is." You allowed as you kissed Ori's cheeks before pretending to eat her little neck as she squealed in delight and giggled.

"Is that what you thought we were like though? Before you came?" Glasha asked carefully.

"Honestly I didn't know. I just knew that Khagra didn’t want the past repeating itself like it had with Iron Mammoth. And granted I'm one of those 'hope for the best but prepare for the worst' kinds of people. And three days ago, all I knew, all anyone in the Black Wolf White Rock Clan knew of the Thunder Herd Clan was that you were especially fierce in battle and that you rode draft horses. That's all. No one knows your customs, your eating habits, your traditions, nothing. Not even my uncle Justineh and his wife Fusha or any of their kids ever told me or my family about any of you either. I don’t know who and why that was, but I’m sure we’ll figure that out when they come. Because I have every intention of asking.” You informed them. 

“Who knows, because they didn’t tell us too much about Black Wolf White Rock or you and your family either.” Zorroku shrugged.  

“Well, Khagra has an old book that he’s made and that his father started. It lists all the original orc clans from before the convergence. And he updates it every time there's a new alliance or we hear news of new clans forming or old clans getting decimated. But all that is in the book on you guys- is a list of your conquests. And then where all the other clans estimate your lands to be. But that's it. There's not even a list of warchief family lines in it. So I had no clue what I was walking into.” You revealed. 

“And come to find out, you're literally the best clan I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, and actually extended family to me too. So hey, it's worked out great." You smiled brightly which got them to nod and smile in return as Glasha and her brother regained their composure. 

 You continued to love on Ori and got her to continue to coo and babble at you as she reached out and grabbed your face and tried to 'kiss' you back which was a very open mouthed slobbering kiss to your cheek. You laughed so hard as the feeling of her little tongue licking the apple of your cheek. Glasha and Zorroku watched on, their hearts warmed and their spirits lifted again as they took comfort in knowing how good they really had it and how downright lucky they were to have you.

Zorroku was making plans in his head, you were deserving of at least four horses for adopting his daughter as your own. He wanted to give you everything he owned, you deserved even more than what he could ever give you. You deserved to be completely and unreservedly and unconditionally loved and adored, And if you chose him, as his one and only wife, you would be- especially as his Warchieftess. You absolutely would be loved and adored by the whole clan before he realized what he should be giving you but it wasn't his to give, yet.

Then there was another knock on the door. 

“Yes?” You answered as you pulled up the blanket to cover more of yourself. 

“Hi, it’s just me, I have the first part of your wardrobe done.” Lazgar’s assistant, her own daughter Lazuli, greeted as she was carrying the trunk of Medowne’s clothes that had been quickly and easily taken in to suit your smaller size. 

“Oh my goodness. You guys work fast!” You marveled as she put it down and opened it and took out some of the better pieces and showed them to you. 

“Well these clothes were donated, and all they needed to be was taken in.” She answered as she looked to Zorroku who nodded his agreement to that that you still caught, especially from the scheming grin Glasha was wearing. 

“I’ll leave so you can get dressed.” Zorroku immediately excused himself. 

“Zushku.” You called after him as he stopped and turned around as gave him a meaningful look. 

“Thank you.” You thanked him. 

“For what?” He asked. 

“Everything.” You answered as he nodded and smiled and left, his head higher and his chest puffed out just a little more than usual which made your smile bigger and more fond. 

“Are these Medowne’s old clothes?” You asked Glasha and Lazuli who looked at each other. 

“It’s ok if they are, I’m not upset if they are. I just don’t want any of her family who may be here to think I’m fully replacing her and trying to erase all memory of her.” You offered. 

“No, no one would ever think that.” Glasha insisted. 

“And Medowne was the only one from her clan who came here. Her clothes from her old clan were buried with her. These were just the clothes that she got to feel more Thunder Herd in style.” Lazuli reassured you. 

“What clan was she from?” You asked. 

“Yellow River.” Glasha answered. 

“Ooh, I see. So when Yotul came into the Thunder Herd Clan, Medowne came too?” You asked. 

“Not at the same exact time, but several years later.” Glasha specified. 

“Did Yotul and Medowne get along?” You asked. 

“Not really.” Glasha answered. 

“Because Yotul is actually Great Typhoon Breaker and Medowne was a true Yellow River clan member?” You guessed as the two of them nodded. 

“But we didn’t know exactly where Yotul came from before you said something the other night. So Medowne made sure to distinct herself from Yotul, as a true Yellow  River Clanswomen vs. one that just got sold to them and then traded with another.” Glasha specified. 

“Ok. So I’m seeing lots of Mountain Blizzard touches here.” You began as you gestured to the details on the outfits. 

“Well that’s to show that you are of both Thunder Herd and Mountain Blizzard.” Lazuli offered. 

“Well I love it. I’m grateful Zorroku did that, so that I could have something else to wear that could be altered to fit me easily and quickly. Especially when we’re expecting the Black Wolf White Rock Clan tonight.” You realized. 

“And Mountain Blizzard should be here this afternoon.” Glasha supplied. 

“So soon?” You asked in shock. 

“Yeah, so we should probably go to the bathing tent after breakfast and get ready. And you should have plenty of jewelry to choose from in this dresser here, where the sacred sculptures are.” Glasha said as she pointed to the dresser in particular. 

“Actually it’s empty.” You revealed. 

“What? How can it be empty? Where did those boys place your new jewelry?” Glasha demanded. 

“They probably didn’t take it out of its chest from the horde.” Lazuli offered. 

“Stupid boys.” Glasha growled irritatedly as she got up and went looking for it before you got your undergarments and got dressed into those before you found an outfit that really appealed to you and put that on. 

“How do I look?” You asked them. 

“You look great.” They both smiled happily. 

“And you’ll look better when Ori wears this.” Lazuli offered as she held up the matching outfit for Ori. 

“Aww, she will.” You beamed happily before you changed Ori’s diaper to find that it no longer smelled like sulfur. 

“Oh good, the sulfur is out of her system.” You sighed in relief when her waste, which looked like cottage cheese, actually smelled faintly of sweet milk and peaches before you got her redressed in the matching outfit just as Glasha found your trunk of jewelry, all haphazardly thrown into the trunk. 

“Those boys just grabbed whatever and threw it in here. My mother would not have approved. My half brothers did this.” Glasha growled as she tried to untangle it all. 

“Well and that’s where Zorroku exceeded. Because here’s all of the jewelry in the chest that was with the clothes.” Lazuli said as she showed you the special little jewelry box with separate chains vs. individual pendants. 

“Aww, that’s so thoughtful.” You realized as you took something small and simple that matched your outfit and put it on along with a special bejeweled belt and put that on and had to put it on it’s smaller cinch to fit around you. 

“Girls, breakfast.” Yotul reminded you as she passed your tent on her way to the kitchen tent to oversee that they would have enough food for the day. 

“Glasha, leave it, I’ll deal with it later.” You urged her before the three of you left as you gave Lazuli an extra tip for getting the clothes to you so quickly before Glasha at least put the pieces she had untangled back before she closed it back up.