Kaius the Fierce by Cara Wylde

Chapter Eighteen

They slept in and woke up famished. As they emerged from the caves, Grace noticed all the orcs were outside, talking in hushed voices. With Sasha attached to her hand, she went to find Beka and Birma.

“What’s going on?”

Beka looked at her, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“Everyone is so... silent.”

She laughed. “Oh, that. The captain asked us to let you two sleep. You needed your rest.”

Grace blushed. “I appreciate it.” It was still so strange to her that all the orcs listened when Kaius gave an order, never questioned him, and never stepped out of line. She couldn’t imagine herself ordering people around like that.

“Hungry?”

“Yes!”

She and Sasha had warm milk with freshly baked bread, and when Sasha asked what kind of milk it was, Grace told her about the krags. Sasha investigated her half-finished cup suspiciously.

“Don’t you like it?”

“It’s good. But different.”

“Fattier than cow’s milk. It’s safe and healthy. I’ve been drinking it for over a month and look at me.” She flexed her arms jokingly. “As strong as a krag!”

Sasha laughed. “Can I see them?”

“Finish your meal first.”

Kaius showed up, carrying wood and dumping it next to the huge cauldron. Just because he was the captain didn’t mean he didn’t get his hands dirty and helped around. That was one of the many things Grace loved about him. Meanwhile, no one was asking her to do anything. If she wanted to help the twins cook, she was free to, and if she wanted to tidy up the gallery she shared with Kaius, that was fine, too. But it seemed to Grace that no one had any expectations from her, and at first, that had been a concern. So used to doing something all the time, usually for others, she’d felt rather useless the first few days with the horde. Now she was more relaxed and comfortable, understanding that being the captain’s mate had its perks, and that it was fine.

“Sasha wants to see the krags,” she announced.

“Then I shall take you both to see the krags.”

To Grace’s surprise, Sasha stood up, planted herself firmly before Kaius, and raised her twig-like arms. Kaius got the message, laughed, then lifted her onto his shoulders.

Grace shook her head. “I can’t believe this. She’s never done this before with anyone, I promise.”

“Because there was no one who could carry me like this,” Sasha explained like it was the most logical thing in the world.

Kaius and Grace exchanged a glance. Even though the little girl had said it in a neutral tone, Grace thought it was kind of sad... That she’d never had a male role model, a father she could see as her protector and her hero. She wondered if Kaius was thinking the same. He offered her a gentle smile, and she let out a sigh. She couldn’t change the past, but she could give Sasha a future filled with love and care. Regarding that, she and the orc captain seemed to be on the same page. He’d barely met her daughter, and it was clear to Grace that he’d already adopted her as his own.

“Do you know what a krag is?” Kaius asked as he started walking across the clearing and into the woods.

Grace followed him. Atop his shoulders, Sasha was dodging branches and searching for birds in the trees. They all flew off when they felt them approach.

“Mommy told me. She said they’re like cows, but much bigger... as big as elephants. And that they have a lion’s mane. And she told me that she rode one.”

“Yes, I gifted her a krag that is hers now. It’s a calf, so it’s smaller, but it will grow.”

“And then you’ll gift her another one?”

Grace laughed. “Hopefully, I’ll get better at riding, and I won’t have to go through all the calves.”

“Your mother knows how to ride,” Kaius reassured Sasha. “That’s not the problem.”

“Oh?”

In a serious tone, he continued, “The problem is that she’s short and she needs help getting up on the krag. I’ve been thinking of a solution, though. I’ll ask my grunts to make her a special chair, or maybe even a ladder that she can use.”

Grace blushed to the tips of her ears. “That is absolutely unnecessary! A chair? A ladder? Come on!”

Kaius glanced at her adoringly. “Or I can help you up every time you want to go for a ride.”

She rolled her eyes. “I can manage on my own.”

“Now, because the calf is young. But later...”

“I will manage on my own later, too. And that’s the end of this conversation.” She crossed her arms over her chest to make sure Kaius got the hint that she felt offended.

He grinned and exchanged a quick glance with Sasha. The girl chuckled and covered her mouth with her hand. Even though Grace huffed at that, she couldn’t hide her smile. She could get used to Kaius and Sasha conspiring against her. As long as it was innocent and playful.

They reached the clearing where the krags grazed peacefully, and Kaius put Sasha down. She stared at the beasts in wonder, then timidly made her way to the riverbank, where she dipped her fingers into the ice-cold water. She never took her eyes off the krags, studying their every movement. If Grace thought they were big, then Sasha thought they were monstrously huge.

“Do you want to pet one, baby?”

She shot her mother a reluctant look. “Are you sure they don’t mind?”

“A hundred percent. I was nervous too the first time.”

“Okay.” She wiped her hands on her trousers and let Grace lead her to a smaller krag, maybe the calf Kaius had gifted her. “They’re beautiful. And they give delicious milk.”

Grace laughed. “Yeah, they do.”

“I never liked the milk Auntie Meg buys.”

“Because she insists on skim milk, that’s why. It doesn’t even taste like milk anymore, if you ask me.”

Grace took Sasha’s hand and placed it on the calf’s side.

“Whoa...” the girl grinned. “So soft.”

“Touch its mane.”

She sank her little fingers into the krag’s mane, and the animal leaned into her a bit. That scared her, and she retreated quickly. The calf looked at her with its dark, intense eyes, then mooed softly. Sasha giggled and petted it again, gently, careful not to make any sudden movements.

“How about we go for a ride?” Kaius suggested.

“Yes! Yes, please.”

He untethered one of the big krags, then wrapped an arm around Sasha’s waist and hoisted her up as he settled on the beast’s wide back.

“This is amazing! Mom?”

Grace waved them off. “You two go and have fun. I don’t feel like riding today.”

“Do you not feel well?” There was genuine concern in the orc’s eyes.

Grace shook her head. “I feel great. I’ll go help Birma and Beka. Can’t let them do all the work around here.” She chuckled, hoping it didn’t sound fake. “Plus, this is your bonding time. I don’t want to get in the way.”

Sasha was too fascinated with the krag’s mane to pay attention to what her mother was saying, and Kaius felt a bit lost. He couldn’t imagine how Grace could ever be in anyone’s way, let alone his or her daughter’s. But she waved at them and returned to the caves before he could express his confusion, so he was left with the mission of entertaining Sasha.

Grace sneaked back to the clearing, and then straight into the cave before anyone could stop her. Not that the male orcs would ever be bold enough to approach her, but the twins had a tendency to be all over her every time they saw she was alone. She didn’t mind it, but right now, she needed a moment to do something she’d been dying to do and hadn’t had a chance yet.

Quickly, she went through her luggage and pulled out a pregnancy test. Then, back outside, into the woods, to a place she’d found where she could pee in peace. When she was done, she placed the test on the ground and sat on a tree root. The minutes ticked by, and she tried to empty her mind. Finally, she breathed deeply and looked at the test.

Positive.

She smiled from ear to ear, jumped to her feet, and first did a happy dance, then hurried back to the caves. Kaius was going to get his reward for everything he’d done for her and her daughter. And everything he was going to do for them from then on.

She ran into the last person, – or orc, – she’d expected. Ulgan was returning with a basket full of freshly picked plants, and she almost knocked it out of his hand.

“Sorry!”

“Red bee carried by powerful currents. I can pick more flowers.”

“So... I’m the bee?”

He reached out and touched her long, wavy hair with the tips of his fingers.

“Red. I can dye your hair any color you want.”

“No thanks,” she laughed. She was clutching the pregnancy test in her hand, and that didn’t escape Ulgan. She caught him staring at it. “Oh, this? Look.” She held it up for him. “Do you know what it is? What it says?”

He shook his head. “The moon won’t be full tonight.”

“What? Nevermind. I mean, I believe you. The moon probably won’t be full tonight.”

“Long day... The wind comes from the west, and I have to dry these flowers inside.”

“Probably smart... You can use a hot stone. I mean, enchant it first.”

He stuck his index in the air. “Good idea.”

“I’m glad we agree on something,” she laughed. “Come on, let’s walk together.”

They returned to the cave, and Ulgan the Delirious mumbled incoherently all the way. Grace couldn’t pay attention to him. When he seemed to be asking her something, she smiled and nodded. She was too distracted to try to make sense of what he was saying. She knew that in his head, he did make sense. He was talking about the plants he’d foraged and what he thought they were good for. The problem was that every time he tried to put his thoughts into words, the wrong words came out, and the phrases didn’t fit together.

Ulgan disappeared inside, after he somehow managed to convince the Giant to bring him a random rock that was plain and smooth enough to lay his herbs and flowers on. Grace looked for Kaius and Sasha, but they weren’t back yet. So, she went to find Birma and Beka and help them prepare lunch. She could barely contain her happiness, but she promised herself Kaius would be the first to find out. She couldn’t believe she’d almost told Ulgan!

As the orcs started coming around the kitchen to check the food and pick what they liked, Grace grew impatient. Lunch was nothing fancy, and usually, everyone ate where they pleased. They filled their plates with whatever was available, then gathered in small groups or took their food into the caves or by the river. Each according to their own preference.

Kaius finally appeared with Sasha on his shoulders, and Grace groaned when she saw how dirty her daughter was.

“Oh my God, what happened?” She helped Sasha down and tried to wipe her face with her sleeve. “You look like a goblin!”

The girl was laughing. “I didn’t fall, I promise!”

“You fell off the krag?” Grace looked at Kaius questioningly. “That’s not possible.”

“She didn’t fall off the krag,” Kaius said, his hands raised in defense. “She did tumble a bit trying to catch a rabbit.”

“What?! Baby, you can’t catch wild rabbits.”

Sasha’s eyes grew wide with excitement. “But this one looked at me! Then ran into a bush!”

Grace shook her head. “As long as you’re fine...”

“Just a scratched elbow.” She pulled her sleeve up, but the bleeding had stopped. “Doesn’t hurt one bit.”

“You’re just saying that because you don’t want me to tell you that you can’t run after rabbits anymore.”

“Noooo...”

“Jesus,” she sighed, then smiled up at Kaius.

“I’ll ask Ulgan to heal her,” he said, apologetically.

“And she didn’t cry at all?”

“No.”

“Not even a sniff?”

“She didn’t even realize she’d gotten the scratch until I got her back on her feet and checked myself.”

“Oh God, what am I going to do with the two of you?”

Behind them, Beka and Birma were laughing copiously. Grace turned to them.

“Since you’re obviously bored, one of you could take Sasha to Ulgan. He’s inside, drying herbs.”

“I’ll do it!” Beka took Sasha’s hand, and the girl followed her into the caves.

Birma returned to the huge cauldron she had on the fire.

Seeing how things had settled down a bit, Grace slipped her hand into her mate’s, and pulled him away from the bustle of the outdoor kitchen. They reached the end of the clearing, and even though they could still hear the orcs laughing and chatting, they had enough intimacy. Grace pulled out the pregnancy test and showed it to Kaius.

“Do you know what this is?”

Kaius took it from her and studied it with furrowed brows. “A toy? No. Is it something to decorate the shelves in our room? I know they’re a bit empty.”

She laughed. “It’s a test that says I’m pregnant.”

He blinked at her, not quite processing the information.

“I’m with child. Your child. I bought it when I was in town, and I just had a chance to do it today. I had a feeling and... I needed to know. I hoped it would be positive, and guess what... It is! You’re going to be a father! Again.”

He closed his hand around the plastic test and wrapped Grace into his arms. He pressed her to his chest, not even carrying that she couldn’t breathe for a second.

“Thank you,” he whispered in her hair.

She laughed. “That’s certainly a response I wasn’t expecting...”

He looked into her eyes. “Thank you for making me so happy.”

He kissed her tenderly, and with a sigh, she closed her eyes and let herself be carried by the love that filled their hearts.