The Orc Chronicles Urim

Chapter 16

     Plum held her stomach, her face was flushed and she was struggling. She was barely over her fever.

"We should rest," Urim said.

"Yes, we should," Plum replied out of breath.

Urim cleaned a tree stump of leaves so Plum could sit. He handed her a water skin when she finished drinking Urim felt her forehead then her cheeks.

"I'm fine my love," Plum smiled.

It made her happy how he always made such a fuss over her.

Urim's ears twitched, "a wagon" he heard in the distance.

"Wait!" Plum said. " It could be humans."

"True but it's still a long way to Cirrane, Urim said. "And if you can rest from walking for a bit-"

"I don't trust humans," Plum whispered. "I mean, I'll be fine I'm an elf but humans and orcs are-"

"If it makes you feel better I can just kill them and take their wagon," Urim replied.

"Urim!" Plum yelled.

Urim laughed. "Relax my love, I was only joking."

Plum frowned, she didn't like his joke at all.

"It'll be fine I promise." He assured her.

     Plum didn't like the idea of mangling with humans, though she was more concerned about Urim. Humans would never accept orcs they would never stop fighting with orcs, they would never see orcs as friends, allies or equals. And above all humans can never be trusted.

Plum watch cautiously as Urim approach the two strangers, her hands unconsciously moving towards her bow. She had only ever killed animals and that was only for food. So she breathe a sigh of relief when Urim smiled and waved her over.

     The elf's eyes widen when she saw Plum waddle from the bushes.

"When you said your wife, I wasn't expecting an elf." A beautiful redheaded elf with deep scars long healed on her face said. "But I guess I shouldn't be surprised elves and orcs always seem to find a way into each other's arms given our long history together. So it's not surprising that you mix."

The elf's eyes darting back and forth from Urim to Plum with a disgusted look in her eyes.

This is a bad idea Urim read in Plum's eyes.

"Oh, but where are my manners, I'm Yrlissa and this is my husband Irric," Yrlissa said.

Plum had been so lost staring at Yrlissa's scarred face she hadn't even noticed that her husband was human.

"As I told your, uhh, husband," Yrlissa said looking down her nose. "My husband is a merchant, we're traveling to Talura to sell our goods. You're welcome to join us. But Talura is as far as we go." she insisted.

"Thank you," Urim said.

"Yes, thank you," Plum replied, "Talura will do just perfectly."

Urim picked up Plum with easy and gently set her on the back of the wagon to Yrlissa's delight.

Once she was on the wagon slowly started to move.

"You were right," Plum smiled. "This is better than walking."

Urim smiled back as he trailed the wagon.

"You're really gentle with her," Yrlissa said.

"She's my wife," Urim simply said.

"Yes, but I always thought orcs were brutes and-"

"We're not." Urim said abruptly, "we fight for what is ours and we protect what we love, just like any elf, human or dwarf.