Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 58: War is Coming

Neither of them spoke to each other for several days, other than matters concerning Andol. Breakfast and dinner were quiet, then Cold Hammer went out to join a hunt or go alone. She wasn't inclined to ask. She could honestly say, however, that she missed him. Especially tonight as she lay in bed. She was with him, but not holding him, not near him, not in touch with him. He felt so far away. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes as she lay with her back to him and his back to her.

No one had ever warned her that life could be difficult, even when it was normal. She'd always imagined being free, being away from orcs. She'd had a plan, a way things were going to go if she ever escaped Nukbrik. She was going to be happy again, for the first time since she was a kid, she was going to meet people, travel, get as far away from Nukbrik as she could.

Instead of getting farther from the orcs, she'd fallen in love with one, married him, moved into the heart of orc territory...and things were harder than she'd imagined. It was nothing compared to the hell she'd once lived in. Even right now in the worst of it, she'd never give this up and perhaps that was what hurt the most. She of all people knew how quickly things could change, yet she let days pass without speaking to the one person she loved most in this world, second only to their son.

Erinne sniffled and rolled over, putting her arms around Cold Hammer and burying her face against his back. Then she just cried against him, trying to hold her tears in, but failing. He wasn't still for long before he rolled over to face her. "Erinne?"

She ducked her head and pressed her face against him so he wouldn't see her. He didn't pull her to him, he didn't hug her back, he just sat there and let her cry for several long minutes before he finally sat up and pushed her away. For a moment her heart was broken as she thought he still wanted nothing to do with her, but then he leaned off the bed, reached and came back, pulling her to him and holding a canteen up.

"Take a drink, my love." He murmured quietly and she did, hiccupping through her grief.

"I don't want to be angry with you anymore." She muttered. "But I'm still mad, but I miss you."

"I don't know what more you want from me? I'm not going to lie to you and say I didn't want those humans dead, but it wasn't the reason for my silence. You know that." He paused and then added. "Who told you about my parents? That they were burned?"

"Lohke...years ago."

"Years ago?" He looked surprised.

She dipped her head. "I was still pregnant. He told me to speak to you about it, but I didn't want to pry. I knew you would bring it up when you wanted me to know. If..."

"Years ago..." He shook his head. "What else do you know?"

"Probably more than you think." She asserted and he chuckled, but there wasn't much mirth to it.

"I didn't intend to keep it from you...it's just not something I try to ever think about. Ever." He fell silent and she looked down at the bed, releasing a long breath.

There was still so much more to say. "I'm a human, Cold Hammer."

"I am fully aware."

"Are you? Because I think sometimes you forget. You forget I'm human and your son is half human."

"Is that why you think I stood by while Gussten executed those men? Because of my hate for humans?"

"I cannot have you prosecuting humans, making our son question himself, doubt himself, his existence."

"Andol is fine, he-"

"Needs to know his father loves him." She cut him off. "If you keep making remarks towards humans, if you allow their execution without abiding the law...where does that leave him? Caught between your hate for humans and love for orcs. He'll never know where he belongs. You have to be careful what you say around him, let alone the fact that your own wife is human."