Oath On The Mountain

When the ice gave way, at first Aldrein resisted. The shock from the cold and the exhaustion of running and fighting depleted his willpower. Cold water filled his lungs, and his mind began to slip away. At only 19 he was to meet the gods and his family line ended with him. The last thing his mind thought as he accepted his fate was the unfairness of it all. No great deed would be sung in his name—no homestead to call his own, no wife, no children.

***

Durha moved quickly off the ice as she carried the small man. Once at the camp, she bundled him in the extra furs and placed him by the fire. She sat there cradling him as the sun went down. When she placed her palm on his head she could feel he wasn’t getting any warmer; he began to violently shiver. Her thoughts began to worry. He might not make it through the night. She could only think of one other thing. It was a **** gamble, but it could work. He is **** and showed true valor against impossible odds. Taking off her clothes, she wrapped herself around him; his shivering lessened then stopped altogether. It would be immoral not to, she thought, trying to convince herself. She felt him press into her body for warmth, and the maternal instinct in her subconscious began to manifest itself. Durha had to admit that, even though he was a small human, he was cute in a weird way as he slept tightly against her.

Aldrein felt a pleasant warmth on his body as he woke up. The warmth was accompanied by a softness pressed against his own skin and a sound he didn’t recognize at first. Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to be met by a green wall nearly blocking his vision. He tried to get up but was held down by whatever was pressing atop him.

The weight shifted, giving him just enough space to wiggle free. When he got up, he felt the cold air freeze his body, and he could now tell he was naked. Looking down, he saw for the first time the source of the green blocking his visage. It was an orcess, and she was beginning to wake up. She lifted herself up from the bedding; just like him, she was completely naked. He found himself staring at her body. Her hair was black, with a soft face and prominent cheekbones. She had an hourglass figure and a solid, but thin, layer of muscle underneath her skin. His eyes shifted to her breasts as she stretched and yawned in her husky voice. He felt his cheeks burning and turning red as he looked at the woman.

At that moment, she turned her head in his direction. He could feel her eyes looking upon him, gazing down his body and stopping at his loins. A faint smile formed on her lips. He looked down at what she looked at and saw against his will his manhood stood at attention. Quickly he covered himself, embarrassed. I have been tempted by the flesh and dishonored myself. I must keep my vows as a Spellknight. She walked to him slowly, he felt his body tense up anticipating an attack.

“Humie, you are cold?” she asked with a slight tone of annoyance in her utterance.

Aldrein was confused. Orcs were known to be hostile to humans; he had heard stories of people being attacked by them too many times to count. Yet this one offered him warmth and hospitality.

“Why yes miss orc, I am quite cold. Do you have my clothes nearby?” She pointed to a fire near the tent. All of the clothes and items he had brought for his quest were near the flames, drying on a wire held between two trees. He turned to thank her, but she was already walking back to her tent.

With his clothes on, the bite of winter lessened. He saw the orc woman come out of the tent clothed as well, much to his relief. “Miss orc, the last thing I remember is defending myself from the wolves. How… did I come to be here?”

She sat at the fire extending her arms to warm her hands and was quiet for several seconds. “You fight wolves and show true Grashnu. I see you fall under ice and grab.” Through her broken words, he got the message. She had saved him from a cold icy fate in the river.

It is my duty to pay her back. I owe her a life debt.

“Miss orc, let me repay the kindness you have shown me.” She only frowned as a response. Grabbing her pack, she began to disassemble the camp. He joined her in picking up the material. His time as a steward while he trained had made him rather studious with his tasks. While he busied himself, the orcess observed him.

***

Durha looked at the small man cleaning the camp. Speaking their language was challenging for her, but she was the only one that could. Her mind tried to think of how to stop him and leave her alone. She had saved him for his display of courage. That honor did not extend to humans, so, if anything, it was a moment of weakness on her part. Durha had found humans were fearful and not to be trusted. She thought back to the times a thief would try and steal things during a trade. What was that word? “Wait, thief… Stop!”

“Stop, humie.”

“Miss orc, I wish to help you, that is all.”

If this will get the pinkskin to leave me…then fine.

When he was done, everything was in an orderly well-kept fashion in all her packs. As she inspected it she could see even her food was put in a proper place. She didn’t know the words for gratitude, so she bowed instead.

“Miss orc, I am Aldrein. By what name are you addressed?”

“Durha.” Heaving the packages to her back and shoulders, she began to make the journey back to her village. A few minutes passed, and the faint sounds of footsteps could be heard. The human was following her at a distance. She began to walk faster, hoping that he would get the point and decide this journey wasn’t worth it.

***

Aldrein went from a mid-paced stride to almost jogging, trying to keep up with Durha. She was tall and could easily outpace him if he didn’t let up.

“Miss, let me lighten your burdens. I’m stronger than I look.”

“Leave Durha, humie.”

“I can’t do that, not until honor has deemed it worthy that I have helped you every way I can.”

The packs hit the ground with a loud thump. Her expression was one of anger as she loomed over him and growled, but he stood his ground directly looking into her eyes. They stayed like that for what seemed like several minutes, but he couldn’t really tell. Durha’s intense face lessened some; then, she picked up a pack, throwing it to him. The pack was heavy; he let out a loud “oof” but didn’t drop it.

“I have no idea where to go on this mountain. By carrying your burdens and accompanying you, we can call this even.” Placing the pack on the ground gently, he took out his hand to shake and agree. She looked at his odd gesture, confused and arching her eyebrow.

“It’s a human way of making an agreement.”

“I will keep you for now…Aldrein,” she sighed. “But no humie honor.”

Forgive me master.

“I know of a way to keep my word that neither man or orc can break: magic.”

She glanced at him taking in his body, like earlier that morning. Taking in a breath, she conceded. “Fine.”

Aldrein called upon the magic and gathered the ethereal energy into his body, guiding it into his palms. He stepped closer to her, feeling the press of his pale palms into her green ones. His arm grew hot, and magical etchings burned into his skin. He realized then that he hadn’t made a contract spell but a binding spell.

That could only mean one thing. He had just bound his fate to Durha’s. I’m hers now. My greenskin mistress.