Chapter 14 #3
I might feel foolish, but the first bite of eggs makes me not care about anything. I immediately take a second bite before trying the meat.
“What is this?” I ask, pointing at the roll. “It looks like bread, but it’s not red back home.”
“Fire bread. Spicy.” He takes a bite of his. “Might be too spicy for you.”
“Let me taste it first,” I say, tearing off a sliver and tasting the edge. After a few seconds, the heat registers and I put it down. “Yup, too spicy for me.”
“Good.” He reaches over and snatches my roll, taking a big bite. “More for me.”
“Thank you for warning me,” I say, biting my bottom lip.
“Mmmm,” he growls.
A sip of blackroot coffee cleanses my palate. Or ruins it, I’m not sure. But the eggs are still amazing, so I don’t care. The meat is some kind of pig or boar, I think, but I’ve never had anything like it before.
“Will you be busy all day again today?” I ask, glancing over at him.
“Most of the day,” he growls. “Entertain yourself. You know where I’ll be if you need anything.”
“I’ll probably be in the library,” I say. “After I look through the clothes you got me and find something to wear other than a robe.”
If he cares, he doesn’t respond. He just finishes his breakfast and leaves the plate on the table when he gets up. Then I’m all alone again, a day of reading clearly in my future.
After I’m done with my breakfast, I drink a little more of my coffee before returning to the kitchen.
I unload and reload the dishwasher. I wipe down the counters.
It’s fairly easy to keep this kitchen spotless, as long as I’m not spitting coffee everywhere.
Especially on him. Although that didn’t turn out as badly as I feared.
I find the room with my clothes, and when I walk in, I nearly faint. It’s not just some clothes. I could wear something different every day for a year and never have to wear the same thing twice.
“Oh, my goodness!” I say, my hand flying to my mouth.
The room itself is bigger than the one room shack I grew up in.
Three walls are lined floor-to-ceiling with racks, shelves, and drawers, all organized by color and type.
The wall that isn’t covered has several large mirrors, reflecting the overwhelming abundance.
A plush ottoman sits in the center of the room beside a small table.
I take a tentative step closer, my bare feet padding on the stone floor. I’m not sure where to start. It feels like I’m in the shopping malls I read about in old books. There were supposedly a few of those in Concord City, but I certainly never got a chance to see them.
“I think everything is my size,” I mutter, looking over several dresses. “How did he even know my size?”
Maybe Lady Frax’mo helped him. She knew about my aptitude scores. I’m sure the people at the auction made sure the buyers knew everything, even the size of the clothes they wrapped us up in before they sold us. I’m also sure she’s the one who sent the tail I had to wear last night.
The dresses are clearly made for humans, based on the way they’re cut, but the designs are unusual to me.
I assume they must be orcish styles. They are made out of rich, heavy materials in various shades.
Some are simple, almost modest, with high necklines and long sleeves.
Others are more daring, with bare shoulders or backs, cut in ways that would have been scandalous in Troona.
“The stitching is immaculate,” I say out loud, seeing precise seams that look like they were done by machine, or maybe orc craftsmanship is just that much better.
Next to the dresses are tunics and blouses in softer fabrics.
These feel like silk, similar to the dress I wore when I was auctioned.
Hanging below the tunics and blouses are pants and skirts in various styles.
Some are fitted, made of stretchy material that looks like it would move with me.
Others are loose and flowing, meant to brush my ankles when I walk.
On the shelves, I find nightgowns. At least that’s what I assume they are. They’re soft and look extremely delicate, most crafted from silk or lace. There’s at least twenty of them, possibly more, all neatly folded and organized by color.
“I won’t have to sleep naked every night at the foot of his bed,” I remark to myself.
I go through a few of the drawers and find undergarments.
Dozens of bras. More pairs of panties than I can count, some designed for comfort, and some that look like they’re designed to show more than they hide.
I blush a little when I look at a few pairs of them, because they’re so sheer, they won’t hide anything at all.
“Did King Lix’tuk pick these out, or…” I ponder, holding up a pair of black lace panties that resemble the thongs I’ve read about. “Maybe he just asked for an assortment.”
I keep looking through the shelves and drawers, finding more clothes. There’s a row of shoes that takes up an entire wall, double stacked on low shelves. I could spend all day in here and still have things to try on.
But I don’t have to try everything on right now.
I just have to find something to wear.