Those Who Dream of Orcs

Cicada and Rugorim

Cicada held on to Rugorim's arm as tight as she could. She thought that if she let go she would lose him.

Neither of them could stop smiling and giggling like two love-struck young children. Cicada knew Yrilssa would have something to say about it when she got home. But she didn't care, she was right where she wanted to be.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Cicada laughed out loud to herself.

"What's so funny?" Rugorim asked.

"I was just thinking about how nervous you seemed earlier,"

"Yes well," Rugorim cleared his throat. "You make me quite nervous my lady,"

"Is that so, a big strong orc afraid of lil old me,"

"A beautiful refined elf maiden such as yourself taking interest in an orc like me,"

"And orc like you, I told you you carry yourself like a lord,"

"Yes, you did say that," Rugorim laughed at the thought of someone thinking him a lord.
"But I dealt with many lords. I've done business with the kings of Cileria, Orrin Serine, even the great orc chieftains of Dimmore."

"That's amazing my lord,"

"You think so, well knowing how to speak the language of the oh so high and mighty nobles is an important part of my business dealings,"

"I must reluctantly admit my lord, I didn't know what to think about orcs before I got here. I had never met or even seen an orc in my life before coming here and I only knew what I heard from the nobles of Selse Lenora."

"We're all savage barbarian, uneducated, disgusting monsters or beasts," Rugorim replied.

Cicada sheepishly shook her head holding her gaze straight forward.

"And now?" He asked.

"And now, I see you're nothing like that and all I can think is how much more I want to know about you," Cicada gently gave Rugorim's arm a slight squeeze and it didn't go unnoticed.

Rugorim smiled at her words and Cicada was sure she saw a flash of red across his face.

"You said you deal with many kings in your business dealings. What exactly do you do my lord?"

"You see that mountain there," he pointed to the snow-covered mountain just beyond Erywood. "That's Dragon's Forge."

"Dragon's Forge, you mean thee, Dragon's Forge. I had no idea."

"The ore we forge from that mountain is highly coveted by all," Rugorim eyed the mountain for a moment then continued. "Dragon steel and every kingdom wants to claim the mountain forge for themselves. I've fought off dozens of armies to protect that mountain, thus all my scars," he laughed. "Orc women love them, but other women not so much,"

"I like them," Cicada blurted out. "I mean,"

Rugorim turned his wide gaze towards Cicada and bursted out in laughter.

"Is that so, do you fancy orcs my lady?"

"Will I, I think it's more like, I fancy you, my lord," she whispered that last part,

"Do you now," Rugorim smiled wide. " Did you know dragon steel glows blue when near dragon's blood,"

"Is that true?"

"Can't say, no one has seen a dragon in centuries, it's believed that they were all hunted and killed."

"By who?"

"Everyone, humans, orcs, elves, goblins, even dwarfs. The story goes, to drink the blood of a dragon is to become a dragon,"

"How sad," Cicada said. "Do you think the dragons are all dead?"