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Towardwhere —Louisastilled, too —SimonandMariahad arrived.
51
Thejudges ofUlfarr’sfate were here.
Theyboth looked distinctly uneasy,Mariaclutching their younger son close, whileSimongazed straight ahead, his hand clasped to their older son’s shoulder.Andfor a breath, the rest of the activity around them seemed to go still, the voices quieting to hushed whispers, every eye intent on the sight.
BesideLouisa,Ulfarrstill hadn’t moved — he had that blank, distant look in his eyes — but after a glance towardKillik,Louisajoined him in guidingUlfarrforward to meetSimonandMaria. “It’sso good to see you again!”Louisatold them, smiling as brightly as she could. “We’reso glad you came, and we’ve even built a newkofifor you!Areany of you hungry?Orwould your sons like a horseback ride, perhaps?”
Theirolder son —Bjorn— visibly brightened at this suggestion, especially whenSunestrode up besideLouisa, and signed swiftly toward him.Youwill like this, little brother, he said.Come,Iwill show you.Shouldyour father allow this.
Bjornshot a beseeching glance up atSimon, whose expression had softened, and he nodded as he wavedBjornforward.Andthankfully, the voices and activity had begun rising around them again, too — but whenLouisaglanced upwards,Ulfarrstill hadn’t spoken, still just standing there with that empty blankness in his eyes.SoLouisaagain stroked at his stiff back, and even gave a brief, surreptitious squeeze to his arse.Hecould do this, he could face this, he could….
“Itis — an honour, my brother and sister,”Ulfarrfinally said, rushed and hoarse, as he put his fist to his heart, and bowed low toward firstSimon, and thenMaria. “Atrue blessing fromSkai-kesh, to host theEnforcerand his fierce mate and sons as our guests of honour at thisSkaiSummit.Weshall welcome your strength here, and your good guidance toward us all.”
Itstill sounded stiff, perhaps rehearsed, but he’d said it, and he’d even thrust out his hand towardSimon.Holdingit there, despite the faint tremor in it, twitching his fingers.Waiting, waiting, until…
Simon— nodded.Nodded, and clasped his own hand toUlfarr’swrist.Andthen he even stepped close, brief but purposeful, and thumped his big fist againstUlfarr’sback.
“Weare glad for thisSummit, and for your hosting it here, brother,”Simonreplied, in his deep, steady voice. “Wehave long needed a meeting such as this, bringing us together, and honouring our clan.Itwas wise of you to see this, and offer this.”
Ashe spoke, he cast a narrow, knowing look atKillik, who was wearing a placid, innocent smile. “Ach, andUlfarrhas long wished for this also,”Killikreplied blandly. “Mostof all for our mates and sons who need this care from us.”
He’djerked his head behind them, toward where most ofUlfarr’sformer packmates were lingering close by —RagniandKoriandFasti,Leikrand his friends,PollyandIgull,Annieand her son, evenThomasandElgrandAngus.AndwhenSimonfollowedKillik’sgaze, he exhaled, and gave a curt nod.Asif… he was agreeing to this.SupportingUlfarr, in this.
Itwas something, maybe it was everything, andUlfarrslightly sagged besideLouisa, a tentative but genuine smile on his mouth. “Thankyou, brother,” he said, bowing his head, his hand over his heart. “Andyou also, sister.Now” — he squared his shoulders, and glanced behind them — “have you yet metHrafn’syoung son?OrIgull’s?”
Therewas nothing like adorable babies to settle some tension, andLouisaeagerly joinedSimonandMariain cooing over them, and then laughed whenMariabegan teasingSimonabout having another son of their own, too. “I’mmore than ready for it,” she toldLouisa, with a wry grin. “It’sSimonwho can’t handle the thought of it, right, love?”
Simon’sglance towardMarialooked equal parts fond and alarmed, and he reached to take their heavy-looking toddler from her arms. “Youken we shall make another hungry, hearty son who shall never let you sleep, myMaria,” he replied. “Ionly wish you to be well, andsafe.”
Itwas such aSkaithing to say — like somethingUlfarrhimself would say — andLouisaexchanged another knowing grin withMariabefore waving her toward the camp. “CanIgive you a tour?” she asked. “Andwe can give your hungry son some ofThomas’ delicious cooking, maybe?”
Mariawillingly agreed, and soonLouisawas escorting her around the camp, whileSimonstayed behind withKillikandUlfarrandDrafli.Theywere already deep in discussion, and that seemed promising, too, settling the determination deeper inLouisa’sbelly.Shewas doing this.Facingthis.Provingthis.
Therest of the afternoon passed in a whirl of activity — welcoming and settling their guests, confirming numbers for supper, and then meeting with multiple orcs and women to finalize preparations for the next day’s publicOpenHouse.Aproject that still felt impossibly massive, but they’d been preparing for weeks now, andLouisawas determined to do her best, and carry it off as well as possible.Todo whatever she could to help, and to face this.Ifear you not.
“Wethank you for all your work upon this,Louisa,”Ulfarrregretfully told her after the meeting, as he stroked a hand against her back. “Iken this was not at all what you wished for, when you first began sharing your lands with us.”
Louisasmiled and waved it away, butKillik’ssidelong glance was a little too knowing, his hand giving a gentle slap to her arse. “Ach, and thus tonight, you shall rest, and forget all this,” he said. “Andonly enjoy a goodSkaifrolic with us.”
Louisacertainly wasn’t about to argue, especially when it turned out that agoodSkaifrolicincluded not only a delicious feast around the roaring fire, but also drums and dancing, and an adults-only party in the common-room.AndonceKillikhad signed a good-night toSune— and ordered him and his friends to behave — he graspedLouisaandUlfarr, and drew them down into the midst of the party.
Itwas already busy inside, with multiple guests drinking and eating and chatting together, and one of the drummers was beating out a steady, sensual rhythm from a corner.AndLouisacaught a glimpse of movement and bare skin in one of the beds behind the curtain, along with the distinctive sound of a low, hungry groan.
ButKillikdidn’t lead them toward the beds, or the curtain.Instead, he took them straight toward the blazing, crackling fireplace, and shovedUlfarrdown onto his back on the large fur before it.Andthen — in full view of the room —Killikknelt over him, and began unfastening his trousers.
Louisafroze —Killikwasn’t truly doing this, here, now, in the middle of a party? — but his narrow look toward her said that yes, yes, he was. “Ourkin know not to allow the younglings down here,” he said, under his breath. “Andyou can do as you wish, butIwish to honour theWolfof theSkaibefore his clan, on the night he has gained so much before them.”
Oh.SoKillikthought today had gone well too, then.Asif maybe, maybe, this was working, andUlfarrwas proving this.Servingand honouring his kin, showing himself worthy ofSimon’sapproval, and earning his place as a good leader, and a strongSkai.
AndUlfarrwasn’t protesting, only blinking atKillikwith such longing and gratefulness shining in his eyes.Wantingthis, too, or maybe needing it, because yes, he deserved it.He’dworked and prayed and fought so hard for it, and now it was so close, almost here, near enough to touch.
Andsuddenly it seemed — right, somehow, thatKillikshould strip offUlfarr’sclothes, and then his own, too.Right, that he should lie down long and languid besideUlfarron the fur, kissing slow and soft at his neck, while his hand lazily stroked upUlfarr’sbare belly.Honouringhim, showing him as strong and capable and desirable, in the camp that meant so much to him.Inthe placeUlfarrlonged to keep as his home.
AndLouisalonged for that too, needed that too, far stronger than the curious eyes glancing toward them — and in a shaky movement, she sank down toUlfarr’sother side, and touched a hand to his warm, silken skin.Strokinghim withKillik, kissing him withKillik, tasting the salty sweetness of him, feeling the hungry shudders of his big body beneath them.
Killikhad kissed his way upUlfarr’scheek to his mouth, plundering it with his teeth and his long twining tongue — and when he drew away, he nudgedUlfarr’sface towardLouisa.Soshe could kiss him too, softer and sweeter, but still kindling the hunger hot in her belly.Hetasted so good, he looked so good, he was theWolfof theSkai, showing his strength, regaining his place amongst his kin — and in this moment at least, he was theirs.Theirs.
