Chapter 5
Thavros
"Thavros," a voice called as I lifted my head from my desk.
Squinting, I blinked my eyes open. A groan escaped my mouth as I rolled my neck.
"Where are you?" my sister called as she started up the stairs. "Did you sleep in here?"
"It would appear so," I said as I tried to rub the crick out of my neck.
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm taking some of the warriors on an overnight training round. And perhaps a scouting mission on the Westerly Clan."
"Do you think that is wise?"
"Nothing too risky. I just want to scout some trails and see if I can get some sense of the coming and goings of their mountain. After the attack on Khuldruk and his mate at the inn, I want to see if we can tell what they are up to,” she said as she leaned against the table, thumbing through some of his maps.
"I don't think you should go far." Calling on the ire of the Westerly Clan when things were still so uncertain didn’t seem wise.
"Brother, we won't go far, but with our strength returning, we must prepare to make a stand. We need our warriors strong and well-trained."
He nodded and let out a long breath.
"When will you return?" he asked, mulling it over.
"In a week's time. We’ll leave once they have packed up camp. And brother, perhaps you should get out and take in some fresh air. When was the last time you left this room?"
I sat back in my chair and stretched my legs out under the desk. She might have a point. I had only briefly left this room since Khuldruk's departure for his mate. Which, when I stopped to think about it, had now been nearly a fortnight.
"Perhaps you are right, a stroll outside might do me some good."
"Right, well, I'll see you when we return. Hopefully by then, Khuldruk will be back," Frema said before wrapping her arms around me. Then she pressed her forehead to mine in a way that was customary to our clan before she turned to leave.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I watched her make her way down the stairs and turn to the door.
She was right, I did need to get out of here and feel the fresh air.
This place was my home. Surrounded by all my books and research is where I truly feel at home, which is different from most orcs.
We are social creatures, but I have always been prone to solitude.
I forget I need to leave this space from time to time.
Yet as I stood and began to straighten my table, my eyes were drawn to the beautiful statue before me. The graceful slope of marble and the woman's luscious body were the stuff dreams were made of, quite literally. My sister had woken me from a dream.
In my dream, this beautiful creature came to life.
Admiring art wasn't something new for me.
I could get lost studying the great art.
Though I'd never left my clan, I'd spent my life poring over these books.
Preserving our history and learning about the world and art outside.
I'd never given much thought to seeing the art in these books for myself.
But with how entrancing I found the statue before me, it might be time to journey and see what the world has to give.
Even as I felt that I know I'm meant for this mountain.
I am one of four siblings. Khuldruk, our clan chief, is a natural-born leader.
Frema is a fierce warrior and leads our troops.
Our brother, Drax, had left the mountain for the modern cities of the south years ago.
Yet through it all, I chose to remain here with my books.
Most orcs didn't understand my choice, but they didn't question it.
I've never questioned it. I knew my role and loved my role.
Yet as I looked at this statue, I began to feel a calling to something different, though I didn't yet know what it was.
This statue had sat in this room since I was young. I don’t know where she came from. While I had always admired its beauty, it wasn't to this extent. My thoughts were becoming obsessive.
As I sat at my desk, with the journals and maps opened before me, my eyes were still wandering to the statue.
The gentle slopes of the smooth marble seemed to become a new addiction for me.
I stood and walked closer before letting my hands run over the smooth, cool marble.
I traced my hands up over the smooth curves of her face. Why did I feel like kissing a statue?
Maybe Frema was right. Perhaps I did need to leave this room and find a partner to enjoy a good rut with... But even the thought of that felt wrong.
While I would not be finding a rut partner, it was time to get out of this room.
I would just go to the great hall and visit with my clan.
The celebratory mood since Khuldruk’s return and the slow returning magic had kept the great room full of music and games.
It would be good to go and take some notes to enter into the journal I kept of the comings and goings of our strong, wonderful mountain.