Page 29 of Finding Her Heart
Giving her what sounds he could, he purred for her, the sound immediately easing some of her anxieties, making her not care about her questions. But it also sank into her skin, relaxed her muscles. Reminded her of the last time they had bedded down together. Would there be more of that tonight?
She felt her face go hot.
Nudging her hand holding the dried meat, he encouraged her again to eat. She ate, not looking at him.
"Annabell Roe, you should be embarrassed,"Mama's voice said. But it was Benjere, dear Benjere, standing there shaking his finger at her, glaring and judgmental.
She should be embarrassed or ashamed. But this was her Orki, the male she had fantasized about for years. After her parents' death, as the daughter of a prominent family, taught history and science at her father's knee, she had strike after strike against her, setting her up as different from all the other girls of her community. She'd had no female friends. Instead, surrounded by older brothers, their friends, and their brothers. Their desires embarrassed none of them. Not one.
Benjere disliked the Orki because he took part in sending an envoy out, rather than waiting for a hunting party's trade visit. His greed had been the death of a man, and it made him bitter.
The community went without a decent historian or teacher to teach them better, let the differences between the two races grow into fear.
"Lack of education breeds ignorance, ignorance breeds foolishness," Mama said to her sons when they didn't want to attend classes, and instead begged to be outside, moving, doing, working the farm, building things, making things.
Annabell loved learning. She'd excelled at school, above the other boys and girls. The schoolteacher complimented her memory. Sent from the steel city of Green, Minister Agate told her she was an intelligent young woman. He encouraged her not to sign the humble life contract. Picking her out in class, he told them all how she had the potential to become more than a farm wife. Life as teacher's favorite did her no good with the rest of her peers. It added to her strangeness. But she hadn't noticed. Hadn't felt it. Or cared. And the day by the river that she met Doku-ni, she had welcomed him, for it was what she had always wanted.
Until Benjere told her it would ruin the family name, shame them, and hurt them all more than the death of their parents. Until he told her everything was all her fault.
Observing her carefully, Doku-ni handed her the water pouch. She drank, swallowing down her thoughts. She knew Benjere loved her. But he liked things his way. There was no doubt about that.
Zerzer returned from wherever she had been smelling of sunshine, and her neck bristles ruffled so that she looked even bigger and very prickly. She shook, the thick, rod-like bristles rolling side to side, shaking them flat again, and scattering water. She circled where they sat, curling around Annabell and blocking her view of everyone else.
Standing, Doku-ni went to his gear and got the thick pelt that served as Zerzer's saddle blanket. He snatched up the red bladder also, bringing it back with him. Since she was distracted, watching him, Zerzer took the opportunity to be funny. The big beast purposely bumped Annabell in the shoulder, nearly knocking her over. Saying all kinds of words Annabell couldn't begin to decipher, the war beast stuck her big muzzle against Annabell's chest, then lower, sniffing loudly.
Woofing with a variety of growling sounds, Zerzer looked at Doku-ni, talking to her rider.
"What are you telling him?"
Zerzer made a wheezing sound, like a laugh, snuffling Annabell under the chin, lowering her muzzle, inhaling again, and then snorting out a hot, wet breath. Not intimidated at all by the big maw in her waist, Annabell tried to push her away.
"Quit that."
Zerzer licked her from chest to face in answer.
"Ugh!"
The beast turned away, chuffing and wheezing, laughing all the way, she was sure. Annabell grumbled at Doku-ni, who looked at the animal like a friend, his eyes soft and amused. For the first time, Annabell saw him do something with one hand, moving his fingers rapidly in different shapes. Zerzer answered with a noise, and he responded with hand and finger movements.
Like a conversation. He was talking to the war beast.
The two of them were a contrast. His Orki body scarred in slashes on his chest and one arm, that deep scar at his neck, that metal piece, skin as pale as snow, and the war beast, gray and black, with her own white slashed scars at her muzzle and paws. Their sizes and muscle tone and power were an exaggeration to everything she knew, but they complemented each other. Their opposites matched like a set. If Zerzer stood on her hind feet, she'd be the taller of the two, but not by much.
Zerzer yipped happily at him twice, laying down next to Annabell.
Feeling left out, Annabell said, "You two were talking, weren't you? Were you talking about me? You were, weren't you? It is rude to talk about a person, but to talk about them when they can't understand you, right in front of you?"
Doku-ni grunted and Zerzer yipped and laughed.
Annabell huffed, "I don't see how that's funny."
Taking her hand, Doku-ni helped Annabell stand and moved her to the side. He spread out the saddle blanket before sitting down, drawing her slowly to him, into his lap as if they were riding the war beast again.
It was a curious feeling. Not unpleasant, but strange, to be surrounded by him, held by him this way. She took the red bladder when he finally handed it to her, leaning back, her head under his chin. Not unpleasant at all.
Tipping the red bag, she drank. This time, he didn't stop her until she had managed several gulps. It entered her stomach hard, sour, and lumpy, but his purring turned the mixture to cream. On the third swallow, her head started to ring and a glowing bonfire had started in her belly. Whatever this was, it was stronger than any of the wines.
Red was a ceremonial color for the Orki. Her father told her they had sealed the peace deal with red. "What does it mean? I know it is important. Does it mean I am your wife? Will I have to keep drinking it?"
