The Gardener and The Orc

Chapter 8

[This chapter and the next 2 are world-building; check out Chapters 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, and 13 for some smut. I won't judge if you skip to the spicy parts! The last 13 paragraphs of this one has some unresolved sexual tension to tide you over. I should be back to the smut for chapter 11!!]

Kors looked back and forth between them, clearly uncertain of what to make of this situation. Lilith appeared confident, calm and collected; not a hair out of place. The orc looked...well, surly, but he thought all orcs looked as such. At least this one was smaller than the others, more lithe than hulking, but that made him no less dangerous to a woman, even one armed with a dagger such as her. "It was foolish for you to go out on your own to discuss this." He saw a flash of anger in her eyes and raised his hands to abate the argument that would ensue, "I only mean how it might look to outsiders -- a woman alone with an orc." Lilith had proven herself trustworthy to discern risk with uncanny accuracy, and if truth be told she had yet to willingly put herself in a dangerous situation.

"I met with him in private to ensure no outsiders were around to pass judgement or disrupt our proceedings." She sounded clipped, venturing a glance to the orc then turning her gaze to empty the unassuming small burlap bag of jewels the orc had given her, the loose stones falling into her palm. "My gods," she choked out at the sight of them, making Kors stride over to get a better look. A few of the larger stones were uniquely faceted, like nothing she had ever seen before. Intricate designs were carved into the lower planes of the jewels, making dazzling symmetrical patterns visible through the glossy large face of each gem. Lilith's free hand dove into one of her hip-slung leather belt's pockets to retrieve a brass and glass jeweler's loupe, fixing it to her eye and studying the stones through the curved lens. The large carved jewels had no inclusions, the biggest and most grandly designed one being a brilliant deep-green emerald and the smaller ones sapphires in various shades of blue. The other smaller stones were imperfect diamonds, still expertly cut but without the additional carved flourishes, and had inky black or gray inclusions that looked like beautifully swirled smoke frozen in time -- anomalous but utterly lovely.

Lilith passed the loupe to Kors and tipped the stones into his hand so he could observe them in greater detail. Her mouth was agape when she turned to look at the orc -- he did not hide the pleasure of their reaction, an air of smugness about him. It would have irritated her if it were undeserved. "Are these from your Captain?" she knew he had claimed they were in exchange for his 'prize,' but they were bewilderingly valuable so it made no sense to her.

The orc shot her a look of irritation, she could almost feel the crackling undercurrent of anger filling the air between them at the mere suggestion. Kors was far too focused on the gems to take note, and Laurel was oblivious behind the bushes minding the dogs. "My personal collection," he said through gritted teeth and prowled towards her, stopping short so as not to alarm her companions. Kors was notably more relaxed, but his gaze shot up after noticing the movement in his peripheral vision, eying the orc warily due to his new proximity to his cousin. The orc mistook his unease for the answer given and tried to clarify, "I gift these to thank the Lady" Kors stifled a laugh at the word 'Lady' before the orc continued "for her...willingness, her cooperation."

"I am not a Lady of any court in that manner" she corrected him, eyes darkening in warning, as the multiple double meanings he implied did not escape her.

"Yes, a Lady would have properly introduced us" Kors huffed in amusement, tipping the gems and loupe into a black velvet satchel secured to his side before untying it from his belt to hand to Lilith. Her cool-demeanored mask slipped momentarily; she simply could *not* introduce them because the gods damned orc refused to give her a name. She snatched the bag from Kors, desperate for a distraction and weighing the contents with her hand -- it was already heavy with coin from the festival market.