9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Valpar

I kept one arm wrapped around her legs, the other arm free to push away anyone I needed to. The guards were compliant as I stomped down the halls and found my way to the front entrance. I didn't want anyone to think I was ashamed of claiming my mate. They needed to see that I had taken her from the ball, that I had claimed Calliope, and she was mine.

The front doors stood wide open, inviting in the soft glow of the radiant blue moon. The guards cast wary glances in my direction, and their hands gripped the hilt of their swords, ready for any potential threat.

Behind me a hoard of creatures were stampeding in either their animal forms or flying out with their wings. The vampires strode quietly, their expensive leather footwear clicking down the hallway.

I hated those blood-sucking…

"Hey! I can walk!" My miresa poked my lower cheek and took a tentative grab. "It's both squishy and muscly, and I can't decide which it is."

I tried to hide the smile that settled on my face while I carried her. I needed the other creatures to stare at me with fear. I couldn't break character while I carried my precious cargo.

The echoes of my tribe reverberated through the hallways, accompanied by the shattering of glass and the forceful slamming of food against the windows. Amidst the chaos, I'm sure Osirus didn't attempt to halt the commotion. The mischievous fae likely found delight in the spectacle.

"Where are we going?" My miresa placed her hands on my lower back and pushed away from my body to look around. "Hi, Simon! You stay there, okay! I'll come back and get you in a second! Melina might have a treat for you if you are good!"

Simon? Who the bassza is Simon?

I pulled my mate from my shoulder and carried her in my arms. Her hair fell into her face and she hastily pushed it away from her vision. "Hey, what's all with this man-, er, orc-handling? You can't be doing that, I might throw up!"

"Throw up?" I stopped in my tracks and stared down at her. "What does this mean?"

She huffed and crossed her arms. "I have a high-sugar diet. If you keep throwing me around, it might come out of my mouth and get your clothes all dirty. That wouldn't be sexy at all, and then how else are you gonna continue to like me?"

I raised an eyebrow. "There is not much you could do to make me not like you. You are mine, Calliope."

I could feel her frail drum beat faster in her chest as I held onto her. "Now, who is Simon?" I continued our walk to the courtyard that the tribe had taken over. Away from prying eyes, so I could grab my belongings and take her away from my own species.

"Simon's my best friend. I'm his person. I help protect him and he probably protects me, too. He's got this condition, and I'm there to help him as much as I can. We do everything together—"

As my miresa talked, I listened intently, but also made a list in my head. I must gather my tent, my belongings, grab Ulam and then we will make the trek back to the Monktona Wood tonight. We will sprint back to the cabin, and even if it is less than desirable for my miresa to be there, I will make it to her liking.

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 completely messed 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?

An orc's roar is—powerful. She should have flinched, her drum should have beaten wildly in her chest, yet there was nothing that changed her feelings toward me after that.

My miresa continued to study my hand, touching the thick branches that protruded from my strenuous grip. I briefly remembered that humans do have relationships, multiple relationships, before they settled down. My miresa may not have known she would gain a companion from the Moon Fairy, so this Simon could have been her bed partner.

I lifted my lip in a snarl.

It wasn't fair for me to be angry. She wouldn't have known. That doesn't mean I can't kill this Simon, or anyone else who has touched her.

"Nahhhh!" A noise came from my right, and I turned to see a white goat at my side. As if the Moon Fairy knew where my mind was taking me, she distracted me with a gift. A gift to fill my miresa's belly before our long journey back to our home. I will save the extras, and we could eat it along the way.

"Calliope, I will feed you before we leave." I said excitedly, trying to rid my jealousy of this Simon.

I will come back and kill him another day.

I reached down and picked the goat up with one of my hands. "This animal will be your feast, I'm sure this will fill you up, yes?" I held him out proudly as he screamed.

Calliope's eyes filled with water and she shook her head. "No, no! You can't eat Simon!"

I jerked my head back when the goat let out a long noise again and wiggled its legs.

"This is Simon?" I pointed to the goat.

Calliope nodded, holding out her arms for the goat, and I gave him to her. She held him, cradled him more like, and petted his fur. "We would never eat you. He was only kidding." Calliope glared at me and panic ensued.

I could not have her angry with me.

"My, my miresa, I didn't mean to upset you. I did not know Simon was, a goat."

"My name is Calliope, not Miresa! Did you already forget my name, too? You think I'm a liar? You try to eat my best friend. Are you just trying to get a free pass into my no-no areas?!"

This is going horribly wrong, this is not what I intended at all.

"Calliope, miresa means mate in my tribe. I did not forget your name. I swear it to the Moon Fairy." I got on my knees and put my head on her legs, rubbing my cheek along her thigh.

Her scent bloomed between her legs, and it was all I could do to stifle back a groan. Why did she have to smell so good?

I took a tentative lick at the inside of her knee. She tightened her legs together and I moved my hands along the outside of her legs, going higher until I cupped her backside.

She fit perfectly into my palms.

My miresa's eyes fluttered, and she hid her smile behind her goat.

However, the goat yelled at me, knocking the tension from my miresa and me.

Calliope shook her head. "I-I don't know. I would like to ask your brother some questions about you, and about this miresa stuff." She gripped onto her goat. "I'm not stupid. I know I say stuff and people laugh at me, but—"

"You are not!" I growled. "I swear it to you, on my life, and the bond we will share, you are mine. Miresa means mate amongst my kind." I put my arm over my chest to swear it. "And I was foolish to think that you would trick me. I've been lonely, my little fairy," my voice softened.

I stood up from the ground, trying to get closer, but the goat snapped his teeth at me.

"It had been many years and I had lost hope. I never thought you would fall into my lap."

Calliope turned her head, biting her lip.

"Please," I begged her, grabbing her arm and letting the fire burn between us. "I will prove my worth to you."

Her breath stuttered and she nodded. "Um, I'm not ready to go, wherever you wanted to go, just yet. Can we stay here in the Golden Light Kingdom? And please, don't eat my goat, Leave."

I winced and held her hand tightly so she could not pull away. "I vow to you that we will not leave until I prove my worth. And, I have one more thing to tell you my fairy. My name is not Leave, it is actually Valpar."

Her eyes narrowed, and again it pierced through my drum.

I was in such trouble with this female.