Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 82: Orc Lover

Erinne smiled lightly as she watched Anyse move one hand forward, "That's it, baby girl...come on." One of her knees nudged forward just a little and then the next hand and Erinne grinned brightly as Anyse crawled forward. She was still slow at it, but she'd just started crawling this morning and her heart sang. The only moment she'd been happier in recent months was when Anyse giggled for the first time, but even that had been crisped with the bitter regret that her father and brother weren't around to hear it.

"She's doing it!" Myre laughed happily. When Anyse reached her, Erinne scooped her up and tickled her, listening to her adorable laughter. Myre clapped her hands together and leaned in closer, smiling down at her before she snuck in a tickle and she squealed with giddy, kicking her feet at Erinne. The three of them were laughing and smiling when a knock sounded on the door and Erinne calmed herself.

The stone wall she'd put in place around her closed in and she immediately became Lady Erinne. In all earnestness, she'd built this part of herself out of the ashes of the warrior of Everfen. It was in that pit of hell she'd learned how to conceal her emotions, hold back everything but the rage. She'd learned the value of focus and how not to give away what she was thinking or else she would've fallen in battle eons ago.

She'd pulled on that strength to hide her emotions from those around her now. Ever stoic, if not polite, and prepared for anything. They taught her several months ago that anything could happen here, including the slaughter of a child. In a way, Thunderfall was more dangerous than the fight ring in Everfen had been. At least when she'd started fighting there, they'd had no intent to use her for anything other than entertainment, which didn't necessarily mean she'd be killed. Not until she started killing them. Then it became a challenge and they only grew her into a fiercer warrior with every orc that tried to take up that challenge.

"Come in," she called towards the door as she rose to her feet with Anyse in one arm, straightening her dress with the other. She heard the door opening and looked up in time to see Khash creeping in slowly. The way he hobbled in was akin to an old man, in fact there were lines etched into the corner of his eyes and around his mouth, a surprising slip in power that she hadn't seen from him except after his daring defiance against death when he saved her and Anyse's life.

She frowned at him, taking in more of his appearance and passed Anyse to Myre before she walked towards him, "Khash, you're exhausted." She straightened his clothes for him and tried to smooth out his hair. He tried to wave his hand dismissively, but she still fussed over him momentarily until he was less disheveled. "You need a break, my friend."

He closed his hands over hers, "Thank you for your concern, Erinne, but I'm not here for you to fuss. Wren has requested all advisors. Walk with me?"

"Of course." She turned to Myre, "Do you-?"

"We are fine, milady." Myre smiled warmly and wrapped her fingers around Anyse's wrist and lifted her hand, waving it through the air. "Say good bye, Mama!" Myre was the kind of cheerful Erinne needed in her life right now. She helped keep her sane.

"Bye," Erinne mimicked the movement but Anyse just smiled and spit bubbles and Erinne departed swiftly with Khash, still concerned about how ragged he looked. As soon as they were alone in the hall, she asked him, "When's the last time you slept?"

"I cannot sleep." He told her. "Everytime I do I see that creature in my head. Everytime I look at my king, I see what he's become and I blame myself."

"It's not your fault."

"It is." He said softly, "He told you what happened. That I tried to undo the curse and made it worse instead. I'm the reason he's in the shape he's in. I'm the reason he struggles so much with the curse."