Smitten Ch. 06

Snak was clever, enthusiastic, and absolutely tireless. She was also young enough to pass on whatever she learned to the next generation (who weren't even born yet). There was only one problem: she was far too small, and not strong enough to pump the bellows.

I'd explained all of this to Ditgurat. She'd heard all of this before.

- "I know. So Shelur will be your helper, too."

- "Oh? But ... she's your best scout. Won't she go back on patrol when her ankle heals?"

- "She ask for it, too."

- "She did?" That came as a surprise. I mean, I'd seen her about the bloomery, or watching us make charcoal, and she'd come by the forge a few times. I'd assumed that she was simply curious, or bored.

Ditgurat explained the situation in greater detail. Shelur had served the band well for years. She'd also distinguished herself in the fight against Kurbag. Loyalty and courage had to be rewarded. Shelur wanted to work with me in the forge, and Ditgurat couldn't find a good reason to deny her request.

Lambug would make a good scout, and some of the younger males and females could be trained to replace Shelur. Her injury might not be permanent - but she might not make a full recovery, either.

Added to that, Shelur was bright. If anyone (other than Snak) could learn the smithing trade from me, it might very well be her. She was strong, and there was no question about her stamina.

And finally, two were better than one. If anything were to happen to Snak, I might have to start someone else all over again. Basically, as Ditgurat saw it, there were many reasons for granting Shelur's request.

- "And it might offend her to say no?"

- "Possibly." said the chieftain. "Can you work with her?"

- "There's only one way to find out."

- "Good. Enough talk." said Ditgurat. She held out her arms to me.

The next morning, bright and early, Shelur arrived at the forge, ready to begin. I was struck again by her long, straight, grey hair - not the grey of age, nor a silvery colour, but rather a dull grey, like a cherished blanket from my childhood.

Her ears were long, and stuck out almost horizontally from the sides of her head. She had bright yellow eyes, long eyelashes, a rather fine nose, lovely lips - and a pair of long, slender, sharply-pointed tusks.

- "Thromka, Shelur." I said. "I look forward to working with you."

- "Thank you, Smit. And thank you, Snak."

- "It's an honour." said my little partner. That was the first indication I had that she'd actually been consulted before Ditgurat had made her decision.

- "For me also." said Shelur. "What would you have me do first?"

- "Perhaps you should begin by removing your ring." I suggested. "And that earring, too."

- "They will become too warm?"

She had quite a few questions, but I quickly learned that Ditgurat had been right. I only had to explain something to Shelur once, and she never forgot it.

She was far more slender than Ushug had been, but she was strong, and her stamina was impressive. The ankle injury didn't seem to bother her. She was cheerful, and good company, and I very much enjoyed the first day working with her. Shelur also got along well with Snak - but then, who didn't?

I said as much to Coopah, later that day, over our evening meal.

- "You're very fortunate." he said.

I was lucky. Lucky to be alive, given all that had transpired. Lucky to be surrounded by people I genuinely liked, doing work I enjoyed. Fortunate beyond belief to be enamored of several incredible females.             

That night belonged to Umog, and we had a rather passionate encounter. Since she and I had discovered that we actually liked one another, Umog found it harder and harder to wait for her turn to be with me. Or perhaps it was because she was pregnant. I wasn't entirely sure, but it was quite clear that she wanted to squeeze me, pound me, and ride me into the ground.

Yet she restrained herself, so as not to hurt me, or to displease me. That tension had her wound up tightly, and made her incredibly responsive to my caresses, and to my tongue.

Afterwards, she clung to me, holding me close. That led to a second slower, more languorous coupling, which lasted a long, long time, and left us both feeling very emotional.

The next day, while working in the forge, I discovered that Shelur might prove to be ... a bit of a distraction. It was nothing that she did, or said. But I happened to notice the way her sweat-soaked shirt clung to her upper body ... Well, that was hardly her fault, was it?

She asked questions, of course, but only half as many as Snak. I had absolutely no complaint about her work, or her company.

At the end of the day, Shelur wished me a good evening, and left. I invited her to eat her meal with me - I usually ate with Coopah and Snak. It was only natural to ask her, especially given that the other scouts - her closest friends - were all out on patrol.

- "Thank you. I will." she said.

It was a pleasant meal. Shelur fit in perfectly, while Snak asked her questions about scouting, and then scouting versus working in the forge. The only fly in the ointment was Coopah, who insisted on looking at Shelur, and then turning to me with a smile, or even a wink.

Shelur thanked us for the company, and went her own way. The moment she was out of earshot, Coopah began giggling.

- "What's so funny?" I demanded.

- "Shelur likes you." said Snak.

- "She does not!" I protested.

Coopah winked at Snak, and the two of them giggled together.

I left them to it, and went to join Shaghar. She was still talking to an older female half-orc. I could tell just by looking at her that Shaghar was exhausted, and that her patience had been sorely tried.

When the old female finally left, I approached her. Shaghar gave me a tired smile, and held out her arms to me. I embraced her, and gave her an extra squeeze.

- "Poor girl - have you even eaten yet?"

She let her head rest on my shoulder. "No. Not yet."

- "Let's fix that." I suggested.

Shaghar let me gather some food for her. I took her to my forge-cave, where she could at least have a little privacy. I had to remind her several times to eat a little more.

- "I'm sorry, my love." she said, with a weak smile. "Here you are, looking after me, and I have no energy to ... thank you properly."

- "They're wearing you out, aren't they?"

Shaghar sighed. "All day long. They want a charm for fertility. A cure for a canker, or a goitre. The toothache. A headache. Sore back."

- "They think you're a healer?"

- "No. Just a shaman. They want answers, too. Will I have a boy or a girl if I lie with him? Can I make him want me more than her?"

My poor dear. Superstition ran strong, and many members of the band believed that she could do virtually anything with her magic. Ditgurat had told them otherwise, but they chose to believe what they wanted to believe. One pregnant woman asked Shaghar to ensure that her child would be male.

I settled Shaghar in the corner of my cave, with a mat under her, and a blanket to cover her. It was still warm, because of the forge, but the nights were growing colder.

- "No. I have to -" she protested weakly.

- "You have to rest. And a night of rest will hardly be the death of me. Please, Shaghar - just sleep now. And tomorrow - stay here. Watch us work on the forge, and we can tell anyone who asks that you've gone into the forest to gather magic herbs."

- "There's no such thing." she said. But she didn't resist when I covered her with the blanket, and kissed her cheek.

I lay down beside her, and watched her sleep for a while.

***

Shaghar was embarrassed, the next morning. On the one hand, it was the first time we'd been together, alone, without having sex. She hated the fact that she'd fallen asleep on me. On the other hand, she'd badly needed a rest - and I'd known that she needed it far more than sex.

- "You are very good to me." she said.

- "Not half as good as you are to me. But I'm trying."

- "Thank you, Smit."

- "What can I do? To help?"

- "I'm fine really. I was just a little tired, last night."

- "This will wear you out, Shaghar."

She smiled at me, even as she shook her head. "I'm getting better at it. And ... it's what we need. Ditgurat and Lagakh have shed blood. All I'm asked to do is call upon the aether. I'm learning new possibilities all the time."

I had a sudden fear, as an old memory rose to the surface. Two students, in Portoa, arguing about schools of magic.

- "Shaghar - we have to talk about this. There are things ... things you may not know."

At that moment, Shelur arrived,. She didn't seem at all surprised to find Shaghar there. They greeted each other like old friends - which they were, even if Shelur was a few years older. But the ex-scout saw the expression on my face.

- "Should I leave? Come back later?" asked Shelur.

- "No." I said. "You can come with us, though."

- "Where?" asked Shaghar.

- "To see Ditgurat."

It took half the morning to organize, but finally Ditgurat and Lagakh, Shaghar and Shelur, Umog and Ghorza, Coopah and I were gathered in the chieftain's cave. We all sat on the ground (there weren't enough mats for all of us), in a tight circle.

- "Smit will speak." said Ditgurat. Just like that, I had the floor.

I told them of my memory, from Portoa.

- "I know nothing of magic, or the aether, firsthand. But it was well-known, all over the city, that trying to master two schools of magic was very difficult. And that attempting three or more schools was an invitation to madness ... and suicide."

- "What are these ... schools?" asked Lagakh.

I scratched my head. "I don't know them all. There's prophecy, and telekinesis. Elemental ... something. Time, Conjuration, Mind and Body. I'm sorry. I don't know them all. But Shaghar is a master of illusion. And she must not try to master them all. It would be the end of her."

Shaghar was frowning, uncertain. But Lagakh took me seriously.

- "What have you done, the past few days?" she asked her cousin.

- "Our folk have questions. They want to know the future, of course, but they are also curious about the past. Health charms, assurances of a healthy pregnancy ..."

- "Is that why you're so tired?" I asked.

- "I'm tired, Smit. Not in pain." said my love.

- "Are you sure of this, Smit?" asked Shelur.

- "I don't think that I'm mistaken in my recollection."

- "He's not." said Coopah.

All of us turned to look at him. I think that he'd been invited to join us because he was Ditgurat's father, and Lagakh and Shaghar's grandfather. He was also a skilled woodworker. But he was one of the elders, too - and he had memories of his own.

"I remember what they said in Galtin's Port, when I was a young man. There were several cases of men who tried to learn multiple schools of magic. None of them ended well. None of them."

Not one of us questioned his recollection - his sincerity. Shaghar had been prepared to pooh-pooh my fears - but she wouldn't challenge her grandfather's memories.

Ditgurat reinforced the lesson. "We cannot lose you, Shaghar. Choose one more type of magic. And that is all. You hear me?"

- "Healing?" asked Shaghar, her eyes already moistening with tears. "Or prophecy?"

- "Not healing." said Coopah. "That's the reverse of necromancy. Two sides of the same coin. Life magic - death magic ... both end up destroying the wielder." He shook his head. "Please ... don't."

Shaghar glanced at me. She was plainly bewildered.

- "Prophecy?" said Shelur.

That sounded safer to me, too. I looked to Shaghar, who was looking at Shelur, and then looked to me. Her eyes were wide.

Ditgurat called a halt to our meeting. She dismissed most of us, asking only Lagakh and Shaghar to stay with her.

As the rest of us left the cave, Coopah clapped me on the shoulder, and gave me a quick nod. Shelur looked as if she wanted to talk, but then realized that Ghorza was standing next to me.

- "I'm sorry." said the former scout, to my red-headed lover. "I forgot that it was your night. Forgive me." That said, Shelur made herself scarce.

Ghorza and I were alone.

- "You worry?" she said.

- "I do."

- "Hmm. Me too."

Ghorza and I went back to my forge-cave, where we cuddled a bit, and fell asleep side by side.

***

I felt a little awkward when Shelur arrived for work early the next morning. She hadn't said or done anything ... seductive (if that was the correct word). Yet if I wasn't mistaken, she'd been about to tell me something last night, when she'd realized that she was taking up Ghorza's time with me.

I suppose that I was curious - and maybe somewhat fatalistic. If she had something to say, it was probably better to hear it now, rather than be taken by surprise later on.

- "Shelur, was there something you wanted to say to me? Yesterday, I mean - after the meeting?"

- "Last night?" she said. "Oh - no, that was nothing."

- "Really? Because you can tell me now, if you'd like."

She shook her head. "It's fine, Smit. I wanted to ask you something about Shaghar - but I ended up asking her directly."

- "And ... what did you ask her?"

- "Well, it ... it turned out to be rather ... private. I don't think that I should say anything about it."

- "Really?" Now my curiosity was well and truly piqued. "Are you sure?"

- "Can you keep a secret, Smit?" she said.

- "Of course." I said, without hesitation.

- "So can I." she said.

Snak arrived, at that point, so I didn't pursue the matter. We worked hard, that day, starting on another spade. There was less need for weapons, for now, because we'd recovered all of the arms carried by Kurbag and his confederates. We - the Red Knees - had more weapons than warriors to wield them.

I worked up a good sweat, and so did Shelur. Again, I didn't fail to notice how her wet shirt clung to her upper body.

This night belonged to Lagakh, though, and I began thinking about her - and only her - from midday on. Our last encounter had been spectacular, and I wondered if it was possible for us to match that level of intensity once again.

Shelur excused herself at the end of the day. I washed, and went to eat my evening meal with Coopah, Shaghar, and Snak. Lagakh joined us.

- "How is my favourite charcoal burner?" she asked, as she sat down beside us.

I was surprised that she would refer to me in this way. I was about to answer, though, when someone else beat me to it.

- "I'm well." said Snak. "And how is my favourite champion?"

- "Also very well." said Lagakh, with a big grin.

- "Are you going with Smit tonight?" asked Snak.

- "I am."

- "Good for you. Good for Smit."

Lagakh turned to smile at me. I believe that she was genuinely happy, but it was also a smile full of promise.

- "Thank you." she said. "For speaking about Shaghar's magic, last night. And thank you, as well, grandfather."

- "We have to take care of her." said Coopah.

Lagakh and I walked to my cave together. I was surprised when she took my hand. It must have been apparent on my face.

- "There's no need to hide." she said. "It's no secret. Everyone already knows. When I bear a child, they will all know whose it is. And I find that ... exciting."

She certainly did everything she could to make sure that she would conceive that night. She teased me to distraction, and then left me hanging - several times.

- "You're killing me." I protested.

- "Hardly." she said. "It builds up the seed."

- "Who told you that?"

- "My mother. My cousin. And even if they are wrong ..." She grinned. "It is still enjoyable to do it this way."

Lagakh and I might never be in love - not the way it was for Shaghar and me, or for Ghorza and me - but she was a powerful, passionate partner, with the greatest body in all of Leinyere.

If she didn't become pregnant that night ... it wouldn't be for lack of trying.

***

First thing in the morning, Lagakh planted her sword in the dirt in front of my cave - a pretty clear message to anyone who might be thinking of coming in. Then she woke me, gently, and proceeded to make love to me one more time.

She didn't leave until it was almost mid-morning.

Shelur had waited patiently until Lagakh left. When she came into the cave, she had to be able to smell what we'd be doing. Even I could. The funk was almost palpable.

- "Let's make this a charcoal-burning day." I suggested. "Or we can just gather wood for the next charcoal burning."

- "As you wish." said Shelur.

This night belonged to no one - yet it belonged to Shaghar. Always had. And if I had my way, it always would.

Lagakh had worn me down, but on the last night of Shaghar's, she'd been too tired to make love. I'd let her sleep. I was hoping to prove my devotion this time.

After sharing a meal with Coopah and Snak, Shaghar and I stood up, to walk back to my cave. When I reached out and took her hand, she turned to look at me, with a brilliant smile on her face.

- "You like this?" she asked.

- "I love you. I want everyone to know. I would have it posted in the Old Square in Portoa."

Shaghar squeezed my hand.

Once we were in my cave, she insisted that I sit down.

- "I can still smell Lagakh - and you, of course." she said.

- "I'm sorry."

- "There is no need to be sorry. Not with me. I want you to give my cousin a child - that would make me very happy."

- "You do?" I shouldn't have been at all surprised. I didn't know the orcish word for jealous, but I suspect that Shaghar didn't, either. Umog could be possessive - and destructively so. Shaghar seemed to be perfectly happy to have me lie with her best friends, her aunt, her cousin ... yet I'm quite sure that it pleased her to know that I loved her most and best.

- "But this would be difficult for Shelur." said Shaghar. "She must have smelled you and Lagakh this morning."

- "Which is why I had us work outside." I said.

Shaghar sighed. "You are being needlessly cruel, my love."

- "Pardon?" I was taken aback.

- "Do you not find her attractive?"

- "Attractive? Shelur?" Then it all fell into place. Ditgurat, Coopah, and Shaghar, were all part of a conspiracy - it was a collaborative effort to bring Shelur and I together. Even Snak was in on it.

"I don't understand." I said. "Why are you doing this?"

- "She likes you, Smit. She talks about your courage, and your intelligence all the time. She likes the way that you work hard. Your sense of responsibility. These are things she understands."

- "Shaghar ..."

- "When we lost most of our males, that included all of our scouts, and most of our hunters. We needed someone to step up, to take over those duties. Shelur volunteered. Do you have any idea what that meant, for her?"

- "Umm ..."

- "Weeks away, patrolling the edges of our territory. Constantly alert, always on her guard. Unable to form a permanent relationship, because she was always away, with Lagakh and Ogash, and with Lambug. She has served us that way for six years. Six years, Smit."

- "I didn't know that."

What must it have been like, for Shelur? She was in her early twenties, yet she'd spent her adult life serving her band by guarding their borders. I'd seen her work in the forge: she never complained, never shirked.

She liked me? Well, it wasn't a complete surprise; I'd suspected it. Then there was Coopah, with his winking and giggling. But Shelur's behaviour with me had been ... impeccable. She had never said - or done - anything inappropriate. Unlike Umog, or Ogash, she'd never made me feel the least bit uncomfortable.

And yet ...

- "Why are you telling me this, Shaghar?"

- "Shelur would like to have a child, Smit. She wants you to be the father."

***

Shaghar let me know that Ghorza and Lagakh already knew.