Title: Brave [8 of ?]
Pairing: Orc!Steve x Reader
Summary: Steve struggles to lead the pack after their losses.
Warnings: 18+ Only, Genre typical violence, Warlord Nomad AU, Dark Fantasy AU, Enemies to lovers, Eventual smut, References to past abuse, Fighting, Monsters, Animal Death, Violence, Mildly described gore
A/N: whew, two updates so quickly? maybe i’m getting back to my old ways (hopefully). i really hope you all enjoy, and as always, reblogs and feedback of all kinds are appreciated and always welcome! thank you! mind the warnings ❤️
It is another four days ride before you see the sun again, briefly, the shimmering circle appearing for an instant between the black, roiling clouds. It is a pale shadow of its former self—much like the pack. You number so few now that even you are aware of the stark, bare place that has been left behind by the fallen. The thick cord of riders had once stretched back into the grass sea like a formidable chain, and now it is only frayed and fragile thread.
In the distance, the storm rumbles as if in reminder of what lies behind.
You can still pick out the outermost bands of it; dark spiraling arms set against an even darker sky, stretching back the way you had come for uncountable leagues until it fades into the horizon. The earth is still pitted with its fury.
Steve rides at the front. He presses forward with a persistence that leaves even the pack struggling to keep his pace. He has spoken little since the pass, regarding all but the most important of tasks with grim disinterest. You have not stopped riding since the first night, since the fire, and you wonder if he intends to allow the pack even a moment’s respite. A single rider breaks away from the loose formation, and you recognize Carol’s choppy braid from the back as she steers her horse away and forward, falling in line with Steve.
You do not quite know what possesses you to follow suit—you bear no rank, no true role in this pack—unless you count being the spoils of war, and you do not. But you follow suit, steering the horse with your knees until you’re close enough to catch snatches of their conversation over the wind.
“We’re off course. You know that. We haven’t seen the stars in days, brother.”
You watch the muscles in Steve’s back go rigid, and you imagine his hands tightening on the reins. This is the first time you have ever seen anyone come even mildly close to reproaching his decisions, and you can tell that Steve takes the incursion with as little kindness as he can manage.
“Kez fin tor tuzor ugani.” You don’t understand the harshly uttered, guttural syllables, but you do understand the way his lips curl back from his tusks, and the sharp points gleam white in the midday-gloom. Carol doesn’t back down, nor does she shrink away, regarding him as calmly as ever. Steve scoffs at her.
“We will find our way.”
“But will we find it before water runs out? Or food?” She gestures behind her at the pack, dutifully marching along behind them. “They need time to rest. Time to grieve.” She seems to hesitate. “You need time to grieve.” At this, Steve whips around to face her, his teeth bared.
“Tread carefully.”
“As should you.” Carol grimaces. Dry grass rustles and snaps beneath the hooves of your horse. You wince, staring down at the reins as you will the earth to open beneath you to save you the embarrassment of your eavesdropping. It does not, and your face warms as you shoulder the weight of their respective gazes.
“How kind of you to bend your ear, Sweetmeat.” Steve says dryly, his lips pressed into a thin, unamused line. His icy eyes fall to Carol, who looks no happier than he. “I suppose you, too, have words for me?” Suddenly, you are aware of how exhausted he looks, the way it lines his features, pressing down on him with almost physical weight. Carol is right, you cannot help but think it. He does need time to grieve. You flounder, your mouth opening and closing as your face heats.
“O-only that w-we—the pack, I mean. They’re tired, like Carol said—”
Steve looses an irritated growl, raking a hand through his sandy hair.
“Let me speak plainly, little human. There is law, here.” His blue eyes are dark, angry. He looms over you, even on horseback, and your skin prickles. In the weeks since you had been taken, you’d almost forgotten what it was to fear him, to see the predator wearing man’s clothes, speaking man’s language—almost.
“Should you choose to challenge my law again, Sweetmeat, you will know the price for doing so—and you will learn that it is dear.” He inhales deeply, licking his lips like he can taste the scent of your in the air, before digging his heels in below the saddle, and turning the horse sharply away.
“We ride until nightfall.” The command is so loud it carries out over the grass sea, vibrating in your bones like thunder. Steve narrows his eyes at Carol, and then you. “Then we wait for star-sign.”
—
The persistent ache in your legs and back from the days and nights spent in the saddle are enough to make you wince as you swing down from it and plant your feet firmly into the dirt. Your face still stings with heat from Steve’s admonishment, and as the rest of the pack begins unsaddling and setting up camp, you avoid him as best you can, setting up your bedroll on the far side of the fire. As you’re laying it down, Carol clears her throat behind you.
“I should thank you,” she says, sighing. “He mightn’t have stopped if I’d been the only one.”
You grimace, your expression souring. “You heard what he said. He sounded like—” You pause, biting your tongue.
“Bucky.” Carol finishes it for you, and you wonder if all orcs have such an innate sense of brazen impropriety or if you have been simply blessed to meet them all in this particular raiding party. “He… Steve was chosen. Dethak. To lead us, to lead this pack. He feels responsible.”
You scoff. “He couldn’t have known! The storm, the, the…Zhat?”
“Zhut.” Carol reaches out to press her fingers around your mouth as you attempt to imitate her, unyielding even when you flinch. “Yes.” She nods when you have repeated it satisfactorily, but then her face falls as she is reminded of the pass.
“And… yes.” Carol sighs. “He could not. But would you not feel responsible? Burying only the idea of your kin?” She pats your shoulder, and then tugs aside what remains of your sleeve to look at the wounds bandaged beneath. “Let’s get these cleaned, shall we?”
—
It’s past dark by the time you shoo Carol away, gritting your teeth as you reassure her that you know how to change the dressings on your own. She’s worse than mother. You shrug back into your dress’ single remaining tattered sleeve, regarding it with only a moment’s worth of regret. It is the last thing that remains of your home. It’s fallen into ragged disrepair, now, The bodice shredded down to the under-layers, your legs visible between the surviving strips of cloth that now form your skirt. Once, you would have been terrified to feel the grass trail against the skin of your calves for fear of being stoned for your wanton sin—but no one remains in the village to cast stones at you now.
You’re sitting down on your bedroll when you feel him, your skin prickling as Steve approaches you. You have never been quite so aware of anyone before, but Steve’s gaze always makes the hair at the back of your neck prick up. He clears his throat.
“I would speak with you, Little One.” You clamor back up to your feet, your cheeks stinging. You prepare yourself for more harsh words, staring hard down at your tightly clasped hands. “I would… apologize. For my words.” You can tell he does not enjoy humility. “You spoke against me out of desire to protect the pack, and for that I cannot fault you.” You peek up at him from between your lashes.
“I admit did not look forward to your punishment.” You reply, and he snorts.
“Ah, we come to the truth of it. Stubborn, aren’t you?” Steve chuckles deeply. “With an attitude like yours, Sweetmeat, I expect you knew the village stockade quite well.” Your cheeks flush with heat, but it doesn’t stop your lips from pressing into an irritated line as you glare at him.
“This is a rather poor apology,” you grumble, crossing your arms as you glare back toward the camp. A fire rages at the center, and the scent of cooking meat is carried over by the cool breeze. You turn back to him, and something akin to lightning zips up your spine as you find him staring at you.
“Then I am sorry for that, too.” Commotion draws both your attention.
“Look, sky!”
“I see sky!”
You look up. The air above still swirls with misty clouds, but it clears with each passing moment, starlight pricking through the black. In the village church they told you that those were Halith’s eyes—thousands and thousands of them, gleaming like diamonds in pitch. The eyes through which she looked down upon the world, through which she would cover it in her light. But you did not feel Halith’s presence in the church, and you do not feel it here in the grass sea.
Your mother had told you they were something else—other places, other worlds. Other lives, and when you died, you got to go up into the sky and see them, one by one forever if you wanted.
Your father called it heresy.
“What are they to you?” You ask, and he hums. “The stars.”
“The ones who came before.” It is the first time you’ve seen the sky clear in days, since before the pass.
“Like heroes?” You ask, and Steve shakes his head.
“Not quite. Those who have done right by the people, by the clan—they rest there.” He points. “That, there? It is the handle of an axe, is it not?” He asks, and you tilt your head, squinting.
“I suppose?”
“It is Molroch’s axe, the blade that split the sea so that the grass could grow.” It is as though the hard years melt from his face to reveal the boy beneath. “He led the people well.” There is a sour note you can taste in his praise.
“It’s not your fault. What happened in the pass—you must know that. It isn’t.” You do not realize you’re touching him until you are, your hand brushing the skin of his arm before you snap it back.
For uncountable seconds, the only sound is the shifting of the grass around you. Steve turns back toward the camp, his large hand warm on your shoulder.
“You should rest.”
“You should too.” He does not answer you, squaring his shoulders in a way that tells you that the conversation is finished, at least for now.
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Manasu Maree Lyrics – V, Nani, Sudheer Babu
Manasu Maree Lyrics from the movie V. This is the latest Telugu Song, sung by Amit Trivedi, Shashaa Tirupati, Yazin Nizar. The film features Nani, Sudheer Babu, Nivetha Thomas, Aditi Rao Hydari in lead roles.
The music for the song is given by Amit Trivedi while the lyrics are written by Seetharama Sastry Garu.
Song Details
Song – Manasu Maree
Music – Amit Trivedi
Lyrics – Seetharama Sastry Garu
Singers – Amit Trivedi, Shashaa Tirupati, Yazin Nizar
Movie Name – V
Cast – Nani, Sudheer Babu, Nivetha Thomas, Aditi Rao Hydari
Director – Mohana Krishna Indraganti
Producers – Raju, Shirish, Harshith Reddy
Manasu Maree Lyrics
Manasu Maree Matthugaa Thoogipothunadhe
Emo Ee Vela
Vayasi Maree Vinthagaa Visthubothunnadhe
Needhe Ee Leela
Anthagaa Kavvisthavem Gilli
Andhuke Bandhincheiyi Nunnali
Kiladi Komali Guleba Kawali
Sukala Jawali Vinaali Kogili
Manasu Maree Matthugaa Thoogipothunadhe
Emo Ee Vela
Vayasi Maree Vinthagaa Visthubothunnadhe
Needhe Ee Leela
Ho Adugulo Aduguvay Laa Ra Naatho
Nityam Varanana
Haan Bathukulo Bathukunai
Nivedhistaa Na Sarwam Jahapana
Poola Nawa Galitowa Haylo Haylo So
Cheraneeva Cheyaneeva Sevalevevo
Manasu Maree Matthugaa Thoogipothunadhe
Emo Ee Vela
Vayasi Maree Vinthagaa Visthubothunnadhe
Needhe Ee Leela
Manasulo Alalaye Rahasya Levo
Cheppe Kshanam Idhi
Manuvutu Modhalaye Maro Janmannai
Putte Varamidhee
Neelo Uncha Na Pranani Chusi Polchukoo
Naalo Pencha Nee Kalalani Ugani Uyallu
Manasu Maree Matthugaa Thoogipothunadhe
Emo Ee Vela
Vayasi Maree Vinthagaa Visthubothunnadhe
Needhe Ee Leela
Anthagaa Kavvisthavem Gilli
Andhuke Bandhincheiyi Nunnali
Kiladi Komali Guleba Kawali
Sukala Jawali Vinaali Kogili
Music Video of the Song Manasu Maree from the movie V
The Full Lyrics for the song Manasu Maree from the movie V, sung by Amit Trivedi, Shashaa Tirupati, Yazin Nizar. If you have any suggestions or want to suggest any change to the lyrics, please contact us.
If you liked it, do comment below and Like & Share. Thanks!
source https://chai-pe-charcha.com/manasu-maree-lyrics-v/
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