He was in a great mood the day he had enough grog to put a slight stagger in his step. A merciful drunk. Maybe even a playful one, considering what happened when I got to his bedchamber. But I guess I’m just thinking about myself again. Acting like a human. Clearly, he didn’t enjoy it as much as I did.
I get a grog for King Lix’tuk and one of the blended fruit drinks for myself. I’m not sure what kind of fruit it is, but the liquid is green. My first sip is more sour than sweet, but I like it.
“Are you going to watch another movie tonight?” I ask curiously while we eat our dinner.
“Not tonight,” he growls. “I need some fresh air.”
“Oh, you’re leaving Zrogmul?” I ask, a little surprised.
“Not really. I’m going up to the roof,” he rumbles, pointing toward the ceiling. “Good place to relax and stare at the stars for a while.”
That means I may not see him until bedtime. I’ve entertained myself, but it does get lonely here. I’m not used to isolation. Back home, there was always someone to interact with. People who didn’t seem to be annoyed by my presence. I probably shouldn’t ask to be included, but I can’t help myself.
“May I come?” I glance up at him nervously.
He glares at me while he chews a bite of his meat, then washes it down with grog. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.Rooftimemay be code for wanting to be alone. But he’s been alone all day and he’s not the only one. I could spend more time in the library. Watch a movie on my own. Maybe I’ve just started looking forward to spending a little time with him.
“Fine,” he barks, but he doesn’t look happy about it.
He doesn’t say much else while he finishes his meal, so I don’t interrupt. Part of me wants to ask if he’d prefer to be alone. I truly don’t want to be a source of annoyance or frustration. If I upset him too much, I could end up in the dungeon instead ofsleeping at the foot of his bed, even if he’s said he won’t whip me unless I do something foolish.
“I need to grab a few things,” his deep voice startles me, rising from his chair. “I’ll wait for you at the end of the hallway by my throne room.”
“Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I finish eating and clearing the table,” I respond. “Should I bring more grog?”
“Yeah, grab a few bottles for me. Get another drink for yourself as well,” he growls. “We’ll be up there a while.”
I watch him leave, then I quickly finish what I can of my meal. I’ll never be able to finish everything on my plate, even if I hate wasting food. I can barely finish the sandwiches we have for lunch. I’m eating better than I ever have. I can tell I’m getting stronger and healthier. At least I’ve got that going for me, even if King Lix’tuk doesn’t really want me here.
After I’m done in the kitchen, I find him waiting in the hallway. He’s got a bag stuffed with fur and some other things. He slings it over his shoulder and steps through a door, so I follow him, carrying several bottles of grog and fruit drinks. I brought more than he asked for. Wish I’d thought to look for a bag.
We climb several flights of stairs until we get to the door that leads to the roof. The steps are made of the same gray stone as everything else, and the walls are illuminated by artificial torches.
But when we step out onto the roof, all the light comes from the moon and stars overhead. I gasp when I see them, because everything is so clear. Back home, there was always a lot of dust in the air. We could see the stars, but not like this. Here,it doesn’t look like there’sanythingbetween us and the stars except a few bugs.
“Kind of chilly,” I say, putting the bottles down and rubbing my arms.
“That’s why I brought some furs,” he growls. “It always gets colder in Uzrirgard after the sun goes down.”
He places his bag on the ground and removes the furs. There are several chairs up here, made from stone like they’re designed to withstand the elements. He covers two of them with fur, then puts some stuff on the table between them. I gather our drinks and bring them over.
“It’s a good night for looking at the stars,” he says, sitting in his chair. “Not a cloud in sight.”
“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” I admit, sinking into the mound of fur on the reclined chair. The fur makes it as soft as the pile I sleep on every night, and I pull some of them around me for warmth. “Do you come up here often?”
“Not as much as I used to,” he answers, reaching for a bottle of grog.
We sip our drinks and enjoy the view. I’ve never seen so much of the sky. It looks incredible, and I definitely wouldn’t mind spending a few nights like this. This might be even better than watching a movie.
After he finishes his bottle of grog, he reaches for a wooden box and puts it in his lap. He sits up slightly and opens the box. I watch curiously, because I’m not sure what it is until he pulls out a pipe. I’m familiar with those. Some of the older men in Troonasmoked them, although my father told me the only thing they had to put in their pipes was dried shrubs.
“Is that tobacco?” I ask, unsure if I’ve ever actually seen it.
“No, most orcs don’t like tobacco,” he growls, packing something green into the pipe. “This is moiraroot. It helps bring clarity. Complements the buzz from the grog.”
“Oh okay, interesting,” I say, watching as he lights the pipe with a small device that produces fire with a flick.
King Lix’tuk takes a pull from the pipe and holds the smoke in his lungs for a few seconds before exhaling a cloud. He does that several times, the haze blocking out the sky over our heads for a few seconds each time.
