Alex went with James Macdonald and Princess Ebell to join Okami and Suijin that were near a smiling Ghar that was happily chatting with a group of female Orcs, leaving behind Shinatobe thinking on his words.
While waiting for all the meat to be smoked, Alex talked with Anika, Suijin, Okami and Bethany Mathews. Wenammy and Pearl Pearson joined them in the middle of Alex’s explanation about what to do to make sure no one suspected they were travelling with such a huge group of Orcs.
Olive Andrews told Alex that he had a shipping company working at the harbour of the ‘City of Keldunes’, and he could use some of the ships in there to take the Orcs to the island where he wanted them to live, and he vigorously nodded, visibly happy for such an easy way of fixing the problem of transporting such a big group in disguise.
After a meal and putting the smoked meat in bags, spread by several horses and Armoured Boars, James Macdonald signalled everyone, and they trotted along the dusty road with the Orcs at the back, all of them with turbans around their head and face, with Ghar and Gabriel Dawson leading them.
The night came, and they were all gathered around a huge fire, talking and drinking. The Orcs were absolutely astonished by the flavour of the wine that Alex brought from his lands, and they complained about not having enough for everyone to drink, only for a taste. Ghar took care of explaining to them that Alex or Miss Olive would teach them how to make wine, after guiding them to a safe place where they could all live in peace. That was enough to grant him a lot of happy growls, and a few interested looks by several females around.
Alex noticed that all the Orcs were carving a mark on the hilt of a sword or a dagger, and he asked Ghar:
“Is that because they helped us? It’s a mark for a Task of Honour?”
“Yes, it sure is. They will earn the right to carve another one, upon the delivery of Princess Ebell. I explained to them that we are doing an escort Quest and that we are a Party of Adventurers that do Quests for a living. That concept puzzled them because a Task of Honour is not supposed to be paid. It took me a while to convince them that a different World has a different way of doing Tasks of Honour, but they still refuse to get paid for a Task. It might take a while for them to accept the concept of a Quest, because being paid for a Task of Honour is considered by many Orcs as a dishonoured thing.”
Alex nodded while looking at a certain dark-haired female Orc that was winking at him:
“Perhaps you can tell them that a Quest is a paid job, and a Task of Honour is different. Around here, we call those Tasks as good deeds, or in your case when you killed the Orcs from your enemy Clan, it’s called an act of revenge, and that’s a bad thing. As you said, different Worlds have different rules.”
…
After diner, the Orcs made a huge circle around the campfire, and they took care of guarding everyone from any animal, Monster or criminal that could appear during the night.
Alex was near the fire with a big sketchbook, using a piece of charcoal to draw. Anika was looking at it over his right shoulder, with Wenammy and Pearl talking near Ghar, a few meters from them. Alex would glance at them from time to time to check his drawing, and Anika whispered:
“It’s turning out rather good. When will you do mine?”
“Maybe tomorrow, or on the day after. I must first think of a good pose for you. Or I could use the memory of when I saw you smiling at me inside the swimming pool, splashing your tail. That indeed shouted Mermaid all around!”
“Or if you want, I can lay naked on a bed, in a sexy pose, smiling at you.”
Alex shrugged and pointed with his head to the laughing High Fairy, that was talking with Pearl:
“I would rather draw those two naked on a bed, kissing each other. No, for you, it has to be a drawing in the water, no doubt about it.”
Anika made a slight smile and went silent again, looking at Alex filling his drawing with so many details that it was as if Wenammy, Pearl and Ghar were actually in that paper.
…
Morning came, and with that, another full day of travel. Suijin, Okami and a group of Orcs travelled ahead, to act as scouts and to hunt. They returned by lunchtime, carrying a bunch of wolves and fish, that were used to provide fresh proteins to the big group, together with some roasted potatoes and the smoked meat of the Harpies that Shinatobe killed on the previous day. While everyone was eating, Shinatobe was glancing at the Orcs, trying to evaluate their mood. Alex noticed that she didn’t look at ease, and he approached her to ask:
“What’s the matter? You have a very suspicious look on your face. Is something bothering you?”
“A bit, yeah. I was wondering, what if these Orcs get a little too restless on that island that you want to put them in, and they try to travel to the mainland?”
“I think that will happen sooner or later, it’s just a matter of trusting in time. With time, people will see them as just another Race. I am also betting on you to warn all the Spirits to look around a Magical Void when one appears, and to kill any Dark Mage they see. If a group of Orcs come out, the Spirits must try to show them they don’t need to attack any being in this World. Maybe Ghar can teach you a few words in Orcish so that you can teach other Spirits.”
Shinatobe nodded while biting a potato:
“I already talked with her about that, but their growling is quite hard, they all sound the same to me. She taught me a few things that I must be aware of, mostly about the paint the Orcs use on their faces and body, together with the beads they have entangled on their hair. I think I can recognize an Orc from her father’s Clan, and the Orcs like those around us, from her mother’s Clan. As for other Clans, she says to kill them upon arrival, because most of them can’t be trusted. I suppose she said that because of how dangerous her World is. Perhaps other Orc Clans upon arrival can live in peace like this group, but I am not sure.”
“Maybe it would be best to capture alive any Orc that arrives, and have Ghar talk with them. We will need to trust her judgement on that matter. I hope that a different Orc Clan arriving don’t bring with them old grudges. We can only hope, right?”
Shinatobe went silent again, and Alex didn’t insist on that matter, leaving future complications with the arrival of new Orcs to be addressed when they would happen.
The afternoon went by without any incident, except a few riders or merchant caravans travelling on the same road that went to the empty prairies at the side, to give space to such a huge group. It was almost night when the walls of the border ‘City of Haukagil’ could be seen at a distance, and it was also the signal for Ghar and Gabriel Dawson to guide the group of Orcs in a big curve so that they would cross the border without the need to enter the City.
James Macdonald guided the group through the gates, and upon identifying himself and his Party, the City Guards let them in while taking a peek at the window of the carriage, and they nodded at the serious Princess and her maid, disguised as simple women that were travelling in there because they didn’t have more horses.
Upon reaching the front of the stable, two Dog-kind young boys were happily waiting for them, with one of them waving at Alex the moment he got down from his horse:
“Mister Alex, welcome back! You had a good journey, I hope? Baths and beds at the Inn for everyone, right?”
Alex threw at him two copper coins with a smile:
“Four rooms, if you can manage that. If they don’t have, tell me after the bath, so that we may think about what to do.”
The young Dog-kind nodded while saying:
“Yes, Mister Alex! I believe the Inn has enough rooms, there are not so many visitors today. Most of them departed during the day, and only one caravan arrived.”
One of the boys opened the door for the immense bear of Suijin to enter the stable, followed by Okami’s deer, and the other Dog-kind boy rushed to the bathhouse, to warn the servants inside to prepare everything. Alex then saw him running to the Inn while the horses went to the stable, and he made a slight smile. Anika noticed and asked:
“Why the smile? You saw something funny?”
“No, I was just thinking how much I like the simple life in a City. People look happy, and they don’t need much to live and smile.”
Anika bit her lower lip and asked:
“About the room arrangements, I suppose you are going to sleep with the three of us?”
Alex vigorously shook his head:
“No way! I wouldn’t be able to rest a single bit! Besides, it’s too soon for such a thing, no?”
Sarutahiko Okami was near them, and she whispered while placing one arm over Alex’s shoulders:
“Tonight it’s me, considering that last time we were here I was at the walls with the soldiers, making sure everything was safe. Now it’s Shinatobe’s turn to be with Suijin and the soldiers.”
Alex glanced to the frowning Spirit of Wind:
“I don’t think she likes that idea, Okami. She seems annoyed.”
“Tough luck, tonight you are all mine. Back away, Mermaid, you had your turn already!”
Anika went to join Wenammy and Pearl that were helping to guide the carriage to the stable, while Okami was smiling at the eye-rolling Alex. Wenammy noticed Anika’s kicking a stone on the road and asked:
“What? Someone slap you or what?”
“Yeah, something like that. Okami is going to sleep with Alex, and I will have to sleep alone.”
Pearl immediately let go the reins of the horse that she was holding and held Anika’s hands with a big smile:
“Nice! You can join us! I wouldn’t mind going to sleep with you massaging my back with your tail!”
Anika made a forced smile:
“Thank you for your kind offer, but you know I don’t go that way. Besides, you and this happy Fairy might want to have fun together, and I would be in your way.”
Pearl was almost glowing in expectation:
“I would love to be with Wenammy and you watching! It sounds kinky!”
Anika gulped and tried to say something, but Wenammy placed one arm on Pearl’s shoulders and one arm on Anika’s:
“That sounds like a good idea! I won’t mind! Even if she doesn’t like to be with a girl, I bet she will still find it sexy! You can pretend to be with Alex and caress yourself if you want! Oh, I want to watch you!”
Anika gulped while the two teasing girls dragged her to the bathhouse, whispering and plotting about the night ahead.
…