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And— wait.Wait.Ifhe was trespassing here, sneaking into her bedroom with such surprising ease, was it — was it possible that the orcs really had been trespassing onRikard’sland all this time, too?HadRikardbeen…right?
“ThenIsuggest you start paying better attention where you wander off to, orc,”Louisashot back, too late. “Especiallywhen it comes to my vile neighbour’s property!”
Butthe orc just kept gazing at her, again with a faint smirk on his face. “Weken where your neighbour’s property is, woman,” he said blandly. “Andwe have no wish to tread upon it.Whatwe wish for is here.”
Here.Itflashed more fear upLouisa’sspine, and suddenly all those old, tired tales about orcs were jostling, screeching into her pounding skull.Orcswant women.Orcsneed women to bear their sons.Theyswive into their screaming victims with their huge orc-pricks, fill them with their spawn, and leave them bloody and broken afterwards…
Andwait,wait— what if this orc was here for — forElise?Shewas so young and soft and sweet, already so terrified of orcs, this orc could not, he couldnot—
Louisachoked and lurched to stand before the door, gripping her knife close against her body, just as the smug bastard had said. “Youwill not evenlookat any of my staff,” she hissed at him. “Youwill tell me what the hell you want, and then you’ll get the fuck out of my house!”
Butthe orc didn’t reply, let alone move.AndasLouisastared back at him, her breaths heaving, she felt her mouth crumpling, her throat choking on something much like a sob.
Gods, what the hell was she supposed to do?Shehad nothing to bribe the orc with, she had no food or coin to offer, and she would be no match for him physically whatsoever.Andcurse it, she’d been such a stupid, pathetic fool to allow these orcs on her property, to believe they wouldn’t bring any harm, and…
“Ach, settle yourself, woman,” the orc’s drawling voice cut in, together with a dismissive wave of his clawed hand. “Ihave only come here to speak with you.”
Hewanted to — speak?Louisablinked, and her trembling hand slightly lowered the knife, even as the visions ofRikardswarmed again, too.Becausethat rank little roach had also trespassed on her property tonight, invaded her own private space, for the exact same infuriating reason.
“Thenget the hell on with it, orc,”Louisagrowled. “I’vealready dealt with enough unwarranted harassment today from rude, entitled, trespassing males who only want to take from me!”
Therewas an instant’s stillness, something held, arrested, in the orc’s eyes — but it vanished just as quickly, his expression back to smooth, careless nonchalance.Andhe lazily settled back against the wall, his hand still fidgeting with his sharp, gleaming dagger.
“Iwish to make you an offer, woman,” he finally said, very steady. “Afair offer.Forboth our gain.”
Louisa’sbrows snapped up, but she held herself still, waiting.Watchingas the orc kept fiddling with the dagger, his eyes dropping to study it, almost as if he were… nervous?
“Ishall pay your debts,” he said, even slower. “Grantyou these lands, for all the rest of your days.”
Wait.Louisa’sbreath caught, her eyes widening, because — no.Hecouldn’t mean that.Anorc couldn’t pay her debts.Hermortgages.Hecouldn’t possibly afford it.Couldhe?
Buthis eyes lifted again, meeting hers with calm, collected certainty, andLouisagulped down air, fought to think.Ifhe would pay that much, surely he wanted something major in exchange.Somethingmonumental.Somethingutterly appalling, no doubt, something even worse thanRikard, something she’d never be able to countenance…
“And?” she asked, though her voice hitched. “Whatwould you want from me in return?”
Andat that, the orc… smiled.Smiled, swift and surprisingly stunning, showing her a mouthful of sharp, wolflike teeth.Asif he truly was a stealthy, waiting, pacing predator, about to leap for the kill…
“First, you shall allow my kin to keep living on these lands,” he said, still so smooth, so easy, so deadly. “Foras long as we might wish.Andsecond…”
Louisawaited, breath bated, her eyes fixed to his face.Towhere he was still smiling, or perhaps grimacing, as his dagger turned, and its sharp, shining tip pointed toward her…
“Andfor ten nights,” he continued, a chilly whispered caress, “you shall welcome my fallen kin-brother into your bed, and your heart.”
4
Shewould welcome his fallen kin-brother into her bed.Forten nights.
Louisa’smouth fell open, the shock roiling through her chest, flashing into her aching skull.Hemeant — another orc.Hehad to mean another orc.Right?Inher bed?Forten nights?
Andperhaps most alarming of all was that strange, unmistakable twitch, low and heated inLouisa’sbelly.Anorc.Inher bed.Forten nights.
Thewatching orc’s smirk pulled even higher, as his too-aware eyes flicked downLouisa’sfront, and… lingered.Asif — as if he suspected.Heknew.He—
“Absolutelynot,”Louisasaid, far too late, her hand clutching desperately to her knife-hilt. “Iam not about to trade my body — my autonomy, and myfreedom— for such a shocking and highly inappropriate proposal!Atthe behest of a rude, mocking, trespassing orc who broke into mybedroom!”
Hervoice echoed shrilly through the too-small room, ringing with decision, with truth.Itwas the right response, of course it was, so why wasLouisa’sstomach plummeting, her throat convulsing.Andwhy was the orc still smiling, cool and smug and dispassionate, as though he wasn’t perturbed by this in the least.
“Thishas naught to do with yourautonomy, or your freedom, woman,” he replied, with a dismissive shrug. “Ishall make no other demands upon you, beyond the camp on your lands, and these ten nights in your bed.Andthe camp is already there, you ken, whilst” — his black brows rose, his clawed hand waving towardLouisa’sancient four-poster bed — “your bed is now empty, is it not?”
