The first week alone among the orcs passed far less painfully than Misty had feared. Roaji had left her with a decent amount of money; enough to see her fed for at least a month with extras, and no one was trying to turf her out of his little abode. She was left free to come and go as she wanted and Enge the stand in leader of the community was ignoring her and thus not demanding she become an unwilling prostitute.
By day Misty usually spent time with the only other human female in the settlement, Avelee, learning the language and customs of the orcs. Despite their differences and their student and teacher relationship, they quickly became friends. By night she tried to socialize with the men. Most were wary of her, but she managed to ingratiate herself with a small group of five who let her drink with them and seemed to find their clumsy communication attempts amusing.
The second week was much worse. Roaji did not return, though he had promised he would be gone no longer than a week. To say she was worried was an understatement. He was weak, wounded and alone and she was powerless to do anything about it. The agency she was developing at the orc settlement meant nothing if Roaji was not around to share it.
What was worse was the unnatural horniness that had been haunting her footsteps was coming back with a vengeance. She still did not know what was causing it and found herself masturbating a handful of times a day to keep the edge off. She ultimately had to stop going out at night as she did not know if she could rebuff the males' advances.
This severely vexed Misty as she was unused to having to worry about fidelity. She had only ever been in one monogamous relationship and that had barely lasted longer than a month. To her credit, the boy had cheated on her, yet she had been relieved when he had. The girl had gotten used to doing whatever she wanted with whomever she wanted back home, but things were different now were they not?
She felt that there was something between her and Roaji, though what exactly she could not be certain. Either way she thought she owed it to the orc to find out what they wanted from each other before she moved on and until then she probably should not jump the bones of the first guy to wink at her. Misty intended to wait for Roaji for as long as she could bear.
By the third week Misty hit her limit.
"This is fucking bullshit," Misty fumed, stalking in circles like a caged beast.
"I know. I'm really sorry, Misty," Avelee said soothingly, making Misty even angrier.
They were in Avelee and Ghoen's home, a modest dwelling by human standards, but a mansion in comparison to Roaji's hut. Misty had gone there straight from the village's meeting hall where she had met with Enge, her reluctant last hope.
"No one cares. Why does no one fucking care?! He's out there somewhere. He could be hurt. He could be-," Misty was not able to finish.
"It's not fair. I know."
"I have to find him. If no one else will, I have to."
Misty had spent the entire day talking to everyone she could think of, trying to get a search party for Roaji organized. She had been met with, mockery, sympathy and indifference, and not a single assent to help. It was the orcs' damned system of trade.
Physical currency, money, was only used for goods, food and suchlike. Services rendered, such as tracking down a lost person, could only be paid for by an agreed upon service or favor of equal value. What made the situation worse was that the only people able to trade in such a manner were female members of the community. Misty was considered a guest and therefore ineligible.
The human had tried talking to some of the men; her drinking buddies and even Taldereht, yet none had been brave or bold enough to act on their own authority. The few women empathetic enough to the human's cause had tried to explain that helping Roaji would diminish his standing. If he could not perform his duties by himself, then he would lose the small freedoms he had worked long and hard to attain.
Misty had tried to argue that surely his life was more important than his standing, yet still none would indebt themselves for a mere male's sake. Any respect or fondness for the orcs she had been developing quickly dissipated in the face of such callousness. In final desperation she had even tried to appeal to Enge and had been summarily laughed out of the room.
So, if she had to do it herself, then she would. It did not matter if she lacked the means or abilities to track Roaji down, she would just have to make it work somehow. She would go out there into the marshy wilderness and bring the orc back and then maybe, just maybe be able to spend some time not worrying about her or Roaji's lives.
"Misty," Avelee looked troubled.
"You can't stop me. Nobody can stop me from leaving. You said it yourself, I'm not a prisoner."
"Misty. There's something I need to tell you. Well, ask you really. I-," she faltered.
This did not sound good, "What is it?"
"Well, I've been speaking with Ghoen and- and um-" the blonde stopped again.
A faint hope flickered in Misty's heart. Ghoen, Avelee's lover and commander of the settlement's meagre militia, was the first person Misty had asked for help from. They were not friends, however, they were amicable enough towards each other on account of Avelee. Ghoen had declined to aid Roaji to protect his honor. Had her human lover persuaded her to change her mind?
"Out with it, gods damn it," Misty grabbed the smaller woman's hands.
"Oh, well, uh," Avelee would not meet her eyes, then she hurriedly whispered, "Ghoen said she would go find Roaji if you spend the night with us."
Misty let go of her hands, "What?"
"I uh- Well after you left this morning I begged Ghoen to help you. She's the only one who can, but she's so stubborn. You know her. It took all day, but she agreed. She even said she would give you her matronage so you could officially trade uh... services."
"Huh."
Avelee looked on the verge of tears, "I'm really sorry, Misty. I know that she has a thing for humans and that she might proposition you, but not like this. I mean, I know you're straight and have something going on with Roaji."
"Huh."
"Ghoen really does care about what happens to you," the smaller woman went on, "She's worried that when the Sibyl returns you'll be kicked out and if you're considered a female member of the community she can't do that to you. Well, not as easily anyway."
"Ok," Misty said.
Not hearing her, Avelee continued, "I promise she'll, I mean we'll be respectful. You won't get forced into anything. Ghoen is a forceful lover, but she's also patient and generous. There's nothing to be scared of. I'll be there the whole time."
The darker haired girl had to speak up, "I said, ok."
"What?" the blonde looked genuinely shocked.
"It's fine. I guess. Are you ok with it, though?"
She frowned in puzzlement, "Am I... I uh... I think so. Are you sure?"
"No," Misty laughed, "But it won't be my first sexual favor and I can think of worse deals. Is she here?"
Eyes still downcast, the petite woman replied, "She's in the bedroom."
No sooner than it had been said, the large orc stepped silently into the room. She was just as imposing as ever, standing well over a foot taller than Misty. She looked down at the human with black eyes with a neutral yet stern expression.
Unsurprised, Misty asked, "You heard all that?" the green giant replied with a curt nod, "Good. I'll be your whore, Ghoen."
The orc's eye ridges twitched into a slight frown and Avelee gasped, "Misty!"
"I won't sugar coat it, Lee," then to the orc, "When?"
"First tomorrow night. Then again when I return Roaji."
"Twice?"
"First for my backing. Second for Roaji."
Misty considered, "We'll do it tonight. I want you looking for Roaji tomorrow. And we can talk about more nights depending how tonight goes and after you've brought him back."
"More than twice," the orc's dark eyes glinted.
"Maybe."
The dark haired human knew she was playing a dangerous game. She was being honest with the orc, if their fucking was pleasurable enough and did not come with any strings attached she would be open to repeats. However, she was acutely aware she was in the orcs' world now and she was still unsure how much if any control she still held over her own fate.
Misty was not gay, nor was she bisexual. However, she was both open minded and curious about sexuality. Sex with another woman was something she had thought about only irregularly, yet it had definitely crossed her mind. Her reputation among her female kinfolk had put a dampener on her ever experimenting though. It was a shame that her first lesbian experience would involve the bartering of her body.
"Oh! Um, there's a problem," Avelee interjected, "Ghoen can't perform her task for you until you're officially initiated."
The orc grumbled, "No-one will stop me."
"Don't be glib," the human admonished her lover, "When the Sibyl finds out her authority was subverted. It will cause big problems for Misty and us."
"I don't care," Misty snapped, more harshly than she had intended, "Roaji is out there somewhere, alone. He needs help."
The orc said, "You give him too little faith."
Misty scowled, "Do you want to fuck me or not?" she was not certain, but she thought Ghoen rolled her eyes at that.
"We could still make it work if another were to give Misty matronage and partake in the initiation," the blonde former teacher spoke slowly.
"Fine, you do it," the other human replied.
Avelee winced, "Oh, I can't. I was never initiated myself. I'm kept."
"You're not initiated?"
