Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 93: Sold

Erinne wrapped her arms around her center. She was sitting in one of the few chairs in the room. It was wooden and uncomfortable, but she'd been far from comfortable for a long time now. Cold Hammer was standing across the tent, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at her but he didn't speak. She didn't' know why. She'd been in here for several minutes now.

Maybe he was waiting for her tears to settle, maybe he was trying to think of the best way to answer her. She didn't know, but as he waited, Lohke entered. She heard him say to someone outside that they were not to be bothered and for someone to water her horse. Ghaug walked in with Lohke, as did Chigun.

As she saw Ghaug, minus his twin, her pain increased and she dared to speak first, lifting her chin, "I'm sorry about your brother."

He looked startled and then his eyes filled with tears immediately, "How did you know?"

She glanced to Cold Hammer and then said, "I spoke to the ancestors."

"Is that how you knew they were alive?" Lohke questioned.

Her head whipped towards him and she surprised herself with the amount of vehemence that she was able to spout at him, "Don't you dare ask me how I knew." She pushed to her feet. "You...you should have told me. And you..." she looked to Cold Hammer but when she saw the state he was in, she fell silent and sank back into her chair. "Yes." She finally answered Lohke's question.

"Did he say anything?" Ghaug asked her softly.

She gave him a sad smile, "He's proud of the way he died."

Cold Hammer spoke this time, his voice grave, "He died for Andol."

She faced him again, anguish tearing through her again. As she met his gaze, there was a darkness there that she'd never seen before. "What happened to our baby?" She whispered. "What happened to you?"

"Your humans took us."

She scowled, "That's not an answer." His words scalded her and she knew that he knew it. Your humans... this wasn't her fault. She didn't own the humans anymore than he owned the orcs.

"Cold Hammer." Lohke said sharply and he glared back at the chieftain. They stared at each other for a long moment before Lohke pointed at her, "She should know. Tell her right."

Cold Hammer curled his lips. She felt like the world had been rolled over onto it's back. Everything was upside down and shaken apart. Nothing was right and her patience was wearing thin. "Tell me!" She shouted abruptly and he flinched. The orc that never bowed down to anything and stood strong flinched at her shout. "Tell me what happened after you chased Andol into the woods. Tell me what happened while I died giving birth again! While I listened to them tell me they hadn't found you or Andol and that our baby was stillborn."

She used so much force she didn't know how her own head didn't explode. She was done with these games, she'd been broken so many times she didn't know how else to stand unless she used the anger to support her. She wanted truth and she wanted it now.

Cold Hammer's brow furrowed but he didn't move, didn't uncross his arms. He barely spoke up as he said, "Died?"

"We were dead, Cold Hammer, waiting on you! Khash saved our lives with his magic. If not for him I would have left you a widower. Instead you left me a widow even while you were still alive!" Her emotions twisted inside of her.

"Sheobulf," Lohke interrupted, "Cold Hammer, please, let's just start from the beginning."

She glared at Lohke and he frowned. "You left me there, too," she whispered. "You, who I call brother." She shook her head and he stepped back, bowing his as if he accepted her accusation as truth and refused to dispute it. "Ancestors, you all left me." She sank back into the chair and covered her face. "You were there when Lohke came to get me at Thunderfall, you were all there when I told him Cold Hammer and Andol were dead. Why would you let me live like this? Tell me about my son, dammit!"