Thanks again for the likes, ratings and comments. Next chapter is pulling on me pretty hard, so barring RL disasters, should be soon. Things are going to get a bit less fluffy, looking forward to seeing what these two are made of.
The next day wagons were packed, supplies distributed, and before noon a quarter of the town was on the West road headed for three different camps. Jayla could have ridden in the wagon, but chose to stay on foot and walk with her students and the others while leading the big chestnut mare and wagon. She hadn't seen Tharo since early that morning and figured he was marching with the mercenary orcs. About three miles out they passed the blacksmith's place, and she was shadowed by the draft horse on one side and her orc on the other.
MY orc
. She thought, giving a wry smile. As far as being a healer team was concerned, anyway. She needed him to heal but it was evident most of the power they used went through her. She felt a slight sense of relief and a simultaneous ache hit her on seeing him.
"What are you smiling about,
Oag
?" One yellow eye gazing down at her.
"
Jaig Okak, Laiga Aki
."
You are mine, little one
. Jayla said, grinning.
Tharo nodded, the corner of his motuh twitched in amusement, "
Luthia Rigi Oak
."
The Goddess has told me this
. He handed her a large metal ring.
Jayla almost stumbled. It was meant to spiral around her upper arm, it was silver, at least in color, with a strip of black in the middle, gold writing on that, merged with silver that ran to the end of the ring. The bottom of it tapered and was segmented. "I'm getting better at understanding and speaking Orcish, but I can't read it yet. What does it say?"
Tharo glanced around to see who was listening, the closest people were far enough away they could talk without being overheard. They hadn't reached the orc camp yet. "It has your name in orcish and common, it says you wield Luthia's power and are her greatest healer when paired with me, it just has my actual name. Then it says you are a medic and herbalist on the silver part. The segments on the bottom... I hope we won't need them, but if we get too many in at once, break a piece off the bottom end and put it under the tongue of an injured person, it should keep them from deteriorating and help stabilize them for a couple of hours."
"So do you have one?"
He rolled up his sleeve and flashed his, larger but more or less matching, instead of silver, it was gold all the way down.
"What does yours say?"
Tharo looked a little embarrassed. "It says my name and I belong to Luthia in the form of Jayla Thorntrail. The Battleaxe. I am a healing tool only in her hands. Then it says I am an alchemist in training."
"No mention of you being a retired sergeant?"
"I was only a sergeant to humans, I am not qualified to lead orcs, not just because I was banished."
"Why the black? Everyone else had gold or silver?"
"The black indicates the gods; Shamans and holy people wear the black. Gold is for magic users and officers, silver for medics, cooks, sex workers, iron for soldiers.
"What about slaves?"
"Slaves and prisoners have collars, not arm bands. Put that on your left arm, but cover it. If you get any trouble, lift your sleeve and show them the silver part but not the black unless you have to." Tharo stroked her hand, "I have to go, I'm not sure how Weston wants to work this, so for now I'll be a low-rank mercenary until we get to the main camp. I'll see you there." He strode off up the line.
Jayla was left alone with her thoughts, leading the horse and wagon for another two miles when they got to the orc camp. It looked mostly deserted, a few stragglers were packing remaining supplies and banking fires. They were big, one she could tell was a child, but was almost Tharo's height. A question that had been bouncing around in the back of her mind was answered upon seeing the others, even a couple of big males: She did not find them attractive. Kurdoz, well, maybe, but she felt silly and relieved that she probably didn't have an orc fetish, with one exception that made up for it.
Jayla saw Neela frozen out of line, staring at the two big male orcs waiting for the stragglers. They stared back, she waved timidly, one nodded. She bolted back to her group. The girl was genuinely trying to overcome her fear.
Once away from civilization, Jayla asked someone else to lead the horse and wagon while she collected herbs along the roadside, striding to catch up, stopping to dig, doing the same again... She didn't even really need most of what she was finding, but it helped keep her mind from chattering away too much about what lay ahead. She found some wild strawberries and discreetly shared a few with her students.
The sun set when they were about three miles from the main camp, so it was decided they keep going. Even arriving in the dark, the main camp was huge, fires as far as the eye could see, reflecting off a large river that marked the border.
Jayla unhitched the horse, asked for a bucket of water for the animal, and tied her out to graze. She checked her students all had places to sleep, covered the wagon, found a blanket and lay down next to it, the horse munching noisily away on the grass.
She had just drifted off when a noise nearby woke her. She had her sword in her hand and quietly worked the blanket out from around her. "Identify yourself." She said flatly.
"The reason you're here." A pair of boots at eye level in the dim light. He crouched down next to her. "But not the reason you're
Here
. You don't have to sleep way out here."
"I couldn't see and I wanted to keep an eye on the wagon."
Knuckles brushed her face. "You haven't eaten or drank anything since noon."
"I had strawberries. Since when were you my Mom?"
