Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 62: King Wren's Orders

"My love, please, let me do that."

"I am fine, go, you promised Lohke you would go with him."

Cold Hammer came up behind her and reached for the jar she had on a top shelf. "I can stay?"

"I'm fine, I promise. I still have three months to go."

He set the jar down in front of her and one hand curled around her swollen belly. "I came incredibly close to missing one child's birth. I don't want to miss or almost miss the second. I will be here every minute."

He kissed the back of her head and she leaned backwards into his chest. He held her for a long moment and she sighed, closing her eyes. This was perfection. Exactly where she wanted to be, and ever since they'd given up their duties to Lohke and Wren, life had been better. They argued less often about the politics of their individual races and she loved this orc more with every passing day until she felt her heart might burst.

"Okay, go so that you can hurry back," she said before she changed her mind and begged him to stay.

"It should only take a day or two."

"I know, I packed you some dried meat and some fruit."

"Thank you."

"I love you, watch out for our Chieftain."

"I shall. I love you." He kissed her and called for Andol as he turned away. Andol was on the loft and he peeked down so Cold Hammer held out his arms. Andol laughed and jumped without hesitation and Cold Hammer caught him easily. The first time they'd done that she'd nearly had a heart attack. Now she was used to it and her mate never failed to catch him.

"Bye, Papa."

"Bye, you be good for your mother."

"I will."

"Will not."

"Will!" He giggled and they hugged before Cold Hammer tossed him towards the loft. Andol laughed louder as he rolled across the top of it and then peeked down with a huge grin on his face. She sighed, she hated it when they did that. It made her heart skip three beats.

"You two will be the death of me." She muttered and opened the jar. Cold Hammer gave a short laugh before he disappeared out the door, leaving her and Andol alone in the cabin. She dumped the contents of the jar into a bowl and started mixing it together, preparing bread since Cold Hammer was taking the last of it with him. His trip should only take a few days if not almost the full week, unless Lohke received bad tidings.

He was going to speak to the ancestors in the Hetana Mountains. Small skirmishes had broken out on the border and lives were being taken. Lohke and Wren were being forced to address the issue now as war fast approached them. They were no longer trading, there was no longer safe travel through each other's territories. Orcs and humans were moments from war. In fact, some would say it'd already started upon the border.

To try and prevent it, Wren and Lohke had agreed to a No Man's Land in between their kingdoms. There was a section of land cut off from both sides, a stretch where no one walked except for the wildlife. Anyone seen in the area between would be killed on sight by the enemy. She'd honestly believed the ancestors had meant they would have more time to be at peace before another war began. Instead, it'd only taken a few years for it to return.

"Mama, can we play outside?"

She looked up to find Andol peeking over the edge of the loft again. Her feet were already aching desperately, her back was pinched, and the idea of being outside on a nice pallet was comforting. "Sure, baby, you go on out, I'll be right behind you."