Maybe all orcs knew how to defend themselves with their huge swords and maces. But as a child, I was mostly taught poetry, painting, and dance, as well as to look pretty and speak little. I enjoyed finally gaining some useful skills.
“Well, I’ve stabbed a man,” I said. “But the reason I managed to do it at all was mostly due to timing, an element of surprise, and desperation, not due to any real skill with the dagger on my part. I’d love to know how to use a weapon properly. Teach me how to use a sword.”
“You won’t be able to even lift my sword, the tiny thing that you are.” He gently moved a wet strand of my hair behind my ear.
“A knife then?” I wouldn’t give up. “I have made some weapons before, you know? I certainly could learn how to use them, too, now that there’s no one to tell me that I can’t. You’re not saying that I can’t do something, are you, Grat?”
He heaved a long, heavy breath. “No, sweetheart, I’m not saying you can’t do it. I’m just saying you have to be smart when doing it.”
I climbed on my knees in his lap, taking his face in my hands.
“I’ll be smart, darling. Just give me a chance, please.”
He gazed into my eyes with a soft smile playing between his fierce tusks.
“I can’t think properly when you’re sitting naked on my lap like this, my little vixen. Have it your way. Whatever you want. I’ll teach you how to use a sword, shoot a bow and arrow, too, if you want. It’s not in my power to deny you anything.”
CHAPTER 11
GRAT
“Steady, sweetheart,” I breathed out into Khala’s ear in a whisper that I tried to make as soft as the breeze. “Pay attention to the wind. And don’t let go until you are absolutely sure your aim is perfect.”
She gripped the bow so hard her knuckles paled. Blood rushed away from her fingers that stretched the string with the fletching of the arrow peeking between them.
She had no time to waste. The horn-nosed muskrat she aimed at waddled promptly along the water's edge, ready to jump into the creek any minute. But if she shot and missed, it’d be gone for sure.
Horn-nosed muskrats didn’t stay in the open for long. They were much easier trapped than shot with a bow and arrow. They were also dangerous with those long horns on their noses. But Khala needed to practice with the weapon, and muskrat made a challenging target for her.
She bit her lip in concentration. I stayed close, with my cheek almost touching the embroidery of the ribbon around her head.She hardly ever took the ribbon off, only to wash her hair. And I loved seeing it on her.
There was a tradition in my keep for a man to give his woman a fancy ribbon along with her courting presents. I didn’t mean to court Khala when I bought the ribbon for her at the market. But when I gave it to her, it felt special. The fact that she’d been wearing it ever since made it even more important somehow.
It was a good thing she seemed to be focused on the task at hand. Because my concentration had wavered and left the moment I inhaled her scent. As she narrowed her eyes and stilled her muscles, I fought hard against the intense desire to stick my tongue out and taste her skin…then kiss her face…then stick my hand into the neckline of her dress and find her tits to see if her nipples were as tight as my cock was already hard. And if they weren’t, I’d suck on them until they would be.
With a soft breath, she released the arrow. It sang through the air with admirable speed and got the muskrat in its back. It jerked towards the water.
“One more arrow!” I urged.
But her hand had already reached for the quiver. Promptly nocking another arrow, she released it too, catching the muskrat already in the water.
Dropping the bow, she ran to the creek and lunged into the stream head first.
“Khala!” I ran after her. “Leave it! We have enough meat already.”
We’d had a few good days of hunting. We even managed to fell a giant, two-tailed moose yesterday. But it wasn’t about the meat, of course. The muskrat was Khala’s first independent kill. She couldn’t let it float away.
Dripping wet and sputtering water out of her mouth, she stood up in the stream, holding her trophy by its tail.
“Got it!” She beamed.
“Yes, you did.” I reached for her, helping her out of the creek, then pulled her to me and kissed her smiling mouth.
The best luxury in the world was being able to kiss her whenever I wished and her taking all my kisses and asking for more.
“Now, I’ll need to get you out of these wet clothes and give you a bath,” I murmured, kissing her neck next.
My mind filled with all the possibilities that getting naked in the tub with her would bring.
