12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Valpar

After carefully gathering our supplies, I gently scooped up Calliope, feeling her warmth against my chest. The silence enveloped us as I cradled her in my arms, our bodies melding together as we ventured deeper into the dense forest. Peering through the foliage, I spotted her worried family and my brother anxiously scanning the surroundings, their worried expressions etched on their faces. Thankfully, the distance shielded us from their searching gazes.

I huffed and turned away, determined to keep Calliope hidden until I fully claimed her as mine. I would not have them change their mind about letting me have her, or tell me how to claim my miresa, or how I should treat her.

I was chosen by the Moon Fairy to keep and protect her in all ways, and I would do just that.

As I cradled her in my arms, the rhythmic rustle of leaves and the hushed whispers of the forest enveloped us, lulling her into tranquility. The faint scent of moss and pine mingled in the air, creating a serene atmosphere. She yawned softly, her drowsy sighs blending with the gentle sway of our surroundings. It was of my own doing, I'm sure, having my face in her cunt. I also acknowledged that it was well past her time to be sleeping.

Humans were much weaker, and I knew she needed her rest after such an exciting day.

The moon was high, having moved further than halfway through the night. I continued onward, and the further we traveled, the more I could smell the salt of the ocean coming nearer. I was running out of places to run to, but it wasn't the time to get her back to the Wood, just yet. I told her I would keep her around the Golden Light Kingdom until she knew me better and I had proven my worth.

I heard the waves crashing down on the shoreline. I hadn't been here in many years, since my curiosity got the best of me. Back then, sirens lined the shore, their tails waved and baked in the light sources and even they were curious about the orcs that helped turn the war.

I hoped we weren't greeted by the sirens, but you never know since we were getting close to their territory.

They, too, were always invited to the mating balls, especially since Queen Melina was half siren. It was harder to pick them out among the bunch of more human-looking creatures. They all had pointed ears, but they also held scales in some areas of their bodies.

"Where are we going?" My miresa yawned and nuzzled into my chest. Her eyes drooped and I hurried to pick up the pace.

I was looking for anything, a shelter of some kind to keep my mate hidden until I figured out what deal I could make with her to take her back to our home. I would not break the vow I made her, but she had to know the dilemma of the alpha within me, wanting to take her away from all these creatures.

"A place to rest for a time," I mumbled into her hair, taking a deep draw of her scent. "A place where you will be comfortable."

She hummed, her eyes staying closed. My chest puffed with pride that my little fairy would be so willing to succumb to sleep in my arms and would trust me even this much after the worries she had shown earlier.

Yet, she's had a very busy night.

"There is a cave." She lifted her head and nodded to the northeast. "It hasn't been used in years; my uncle sealed it off."

I hummed and headed in that direction. The palace gradually faded into the background, but its spires remained visible above the trees. Once we reached the sandy shores it came into better view, and I didn't like how close we were to it, but it was late.

"Would your family find you here?"

My miresa yawned again and shook her head. "No, like I said, they don't use the cave anymore. Aunt Melina expects people to stay in the palace. She likes the company and expects everyone to bring their whole family to visit."

It made sense that the queen would want everyone in the palace, especially their children. In the war, the queen was stabbed in her womb with a demon sword and, even now, they say she may never bear children.

And the queen loved children and wanted nothing more than to have some of her own.

The tribe and I knew that feeling all too well.

The cave would do for now. When the light sources rise, we can find another place to hide.

As we drew closer, the waves continued to crash into the shore. The smell of fish was much better than the flowers that surrounded the palace. As I came to the boulders blocking the way to the cave, Calliope squirmed in my hold, rubbing her eyes.

"It's here," she finally spoke up, pointing to a spot between two large rocks. "You will need to move those boulders."

I nodded, feeling the weight of my supplies as I let them drop with a soft thud onto the ground. Rolling my shoulders back, I could hear the faint crack of bones readjusting. Determined, I gazed at the towering boulders ahead, ready to showcase my strength as a capable male.

I carefully placed her on a nearby rock, the rough texture scraping against my palm. Reluctantly, I had to let her sit, for she was a tenacious female who disliked being idle. Yet, a thought crossed my mind - would it be necessary to secure a rope around her waist, ensuring she never strayed from my side?

Hmm.

I flexed my arms, taking in a deep breath and getting ready to move the boulders that were blocking the entrance of the cave. I didn't want to move them too far. I planned on moving them back once we had settled in the cave. That way, no one would stumble upon us while we stayed here.

I easily rolled the large boulders away from the entrance, not even breaking a sweat.

Calliope watched intently as I worked, her eyes wide with wonder as she saw me effortlessly move the heavy stones out of our way. Soon enough, there was a clear path for us to enter the cave.

My drum beat faster in my chest as she watched. Was she proud of me? Did she find me capable? I continued to have thoughts run through my head, my mind pounding with ideas that I shouldn't have. If I thought too much, I would want to relieve the emotions that should not build within an orc.

I wanted her to find me capable, and strong.

Next to her were the supplies, and I rummaged through them to find a glass jar full of light. It was filled with mushrooms which were both tasty and useful, because they gave off light in the darkest of places. They were only found in a special cave my brothers and I traveled to once, during a deep blue moon.

I gestured for Calliope to follow me, wanting to get her inside and her scent away from any other males. I left the supplies outside in case an animal was already inhabiting the cave, and we'd need to leave quickly. She hesitated for a moment before following, and I wrapped my hand around hers as I helped her step inside, looking around cautiously.

The cave was cool and inviting, its damp walls glistening in the soft glow of our jar of light. The air was still and crisp, carrying a hint of earthiness and a touch of dew. Despite being sealed, it was still fresh and clean and would soon be filled with her scent. The cave would be perfect for refuge, shielding us from the wrath of potential storms or lurking families. As we made our way through the narrow passage, the ground beneath our feet felt reassuringly flat and smooth.

"Is this okay?" I asked Calliope as she stared at me with curious eyes.

She nodded slowly, still taking in our surroundings. "Yes…" she trailed off uncertainly.

I scanned the cave quickly before turning back to her. "I will make sure everything is secure outside before joining you." I handed her the jar of mushrooms, and she stared at them in wonder. She shook them and they glowed brighter.

Yet, they are not as bright as her smile.

She giggled and nodded again. "Okie dokie…"

I grabbed my supplies and took a moment to seal us inside. When I returned to the passage where I left my miresa…she wasn't there.

That's it, I'm going to have to tie her around my waist like most ogamies do to their orclings. It would be safer that way. That way she could not wander.

I traveled down the passage, seeing the light of the mushrooms at the far end. My vision was clear, and I could see much better than most, especially a human, in the dark. I was still worried, since my female had limited light, and she could fall if there were a cavern she couldn't see.

My drum thumped wildly in my chest. "Calliope… miresa, where are you?"

The goat cried, and I rushed forward down the passage until it opened into a large room that wasn't empty, but completely furnished with—-actual furniture. There was a bed large enough to fit me and my miresa, a cooking hearth and even another area which could be a bath-room.

It looked nothing like a normal cave.

"What—?"

In the vast bed, a gentle snore resonated, drawing me nearer. As I approached, a soft glow emanated from the light in my miresa's embrace, casting a warm ambiance. Nestled in the center, she lay, without any blankets to shield her from the cold.

She shivered, and immediately my protective instincts kicked in, as I rushed to pull furs from my bag to cover her with. She did not know how much I enjoyed her lying in my furs back in the courtyard. How she put her scent all over my bedding. It made me hard. My shaft had leaked, already coating the front of my pants, and I was ready to rip them off my body.

But first, I must tend to her.

Calliope stirred gently under my touch, her eyelids fluttering as she drifted between sleep and wakefulness. I carefully choose my finest furs, their texture brushing against my fingertips as I tenderly draped them over her slumbering form. Settling down beside her on the bed, I marveled at the delicate contours of her face, her ethereal beauty outshining any fairy or pixie of this realm. The room was bathed in a gentle glow from the mushrooms.

How I got to be so lucky to have such a creature to be all mine and no one else's, I wasn't sure. And to think I almost let her go!

I growled and let the back of my fingers brush against her cheek.

Mine.

Looking around the room again, I noticed there were other items besides furniture. Utensils for cooking such as pans hung above the hearth. There was also a door to the left of the bed and when I went to open it, found a full bathroom with a quartz tub, toi-let and sink .

All things I would need to build in our cabin back home to suit her. I would need to ensure she could not climb anything in my cabin, or have anything around that could hurt her.

My knives and weapons! I would need to build a room to hide all my sharp objects.

I glanced back at Calliope who was now sleeping peacefully, her long eyelashes resting gently against her cheeks. I couldn't help but wonder if she had lived this long with no sense of danger. This female had fallen from high places twice this night, luckily both times landing into my arms, and she'd wandered off into a dark cave without a care.

This female needed a keeper, and I was such an orc that would keep her safe. My miresa would not like the way I'll keep her, but it would be for both of our sakes.

Orcs had to be extremely old to be able grow white and grey hair, but I believe Calliope might make mine grow as such.

I decided to explore more of our new living quarters while she slept. There was another small room off to the side, which appeared to be a storage area, filled with supplies such as food, extra blankets and pillows. There was a large pile of furs placed neatly against one far wall, recognized instantly as fae-made pelts; warm and perfect for keeping us comfortable during chilly nights. Also, a chest that sat against the wall.

I sniffed the air and entered. There was no lock on the chest, so I opened it and inside found things I had not seen before.

Actual cocks and shafts in different colors, with no bodies!

I quickly shut the chest and stood, no longer interested in what else could be in there. I grabbed hold of my cock, backed away, and left the room, shutting the door quickly.

What sort of place was this?

We would not need the furs from this room. My furs would be fine. I grabbed a heavy chair, one that my miresa could not pick up on her own, and set it in front of the door.

No, she would never go in there.

Never!