Ziura had joined Kelly and me about a month ago and I have to say, she made a great addition to the team. She was a talented hunter and outdoorswoman, a powerful warrior, and could be surprisingly personable when necessary.
But there was one problem that loomed over all my interactions with her.
Ziura was a orc, which was fine in and of itself. I had technically won her by accident when Kelly and I had defeated her clan, and as per orc traditions, we were now married. And according to orc traditions, the explicit purpose of our marriage was so that I could give Ziura my child, who would inherit my strength, and that child would return to the clan and make it stronger in the next generation.
Needless to say, Kelly found this absolutely hysterical and teased me about it incessantly.
Mind you, it's not that Ziura wasn't attractive. But I had not intended to get married, let alone father a child, with an orc woman, as was now expected of me.
On one particular day, Kelly went out to investigate something relevant to a mission, leaving me and Ziura alone at the inn. Having been together a month at this point and not yet consummated our supposed marriage, she took this opportunity to press the issue.
"Alex, you do remember why I am here, don't you?" she asked as we sat across the table from each other sharpening our various blades.
I didn't answer at first, but I knew the question wouldn't go away if I ignored it. "Yes I do," I replied, glancing across the table at her. Her crimson eyes were focused on her whetstone, and her messy black hair was pulled back in a loose braid, the way it always was when she needed it to not be in her way.
She didn't look up at me. "I understand that this isn't a normal part of your culture, but it is an important part of mine. I would greatly appreciate if you would just indulge me and get it over with."
"So you're ready to be done with us then?" I asked in the teasing tone Kelly and I usually used to speak to each other. "Ready to move on as soon as you're able."
"With you maybe," she replied dryly. Ziura's sense of humor was more stoic sarcasm than ours, but we all understood each other just fine. "But I can't run off with Kelly until I'm done with you, so here we are."
I chuckled at that, which prompted her to smile and glance up at me momentarily. The angular features of her face gave her a normally very serious or even harsh look, but the tusks that protruded from the corners of her mouth made her occasional smiles all the bigger and brighter. I know some people find orcs disgusting on principle, but it's very hard not to be taken by her smile.
Ziura finished before me and returned all her items to her pack. She got up and walked her pack around the table towards the door behind me. I didn't follow her with my eyes, just returning to my blades. I was surprised when she came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my chest. She buried her face in my neck, her hot breath sending shivers down my spine as she kissed me. I was stunned for a moment, leaving her plenty of time slide her hands down my body.
"What are you doing?" I asked lamely.