Ogres and Ogresses Ch. 09

He put a hand on her shoulder. "We had been bartering with the ShaShanen to figure out how best to deal with him. Given that we now have a keromedio, it seems apt that we put him in your care."

Zyra blinked. "...what?"

Etaceh gestured to the green men and the stepped back, leaving the shackled ogre forward. "You will take him into your tribe land and care for him until natural death, or until we fetch for him," she said dismissively.

"What?"

"You can treat him as a slave or a servant if you like," Etaceh offered. "...but you must prolong his life."

Him, they kept saying him. This creature was male and considered himself a man. She was almost certain in fact that she knew him, that he was the ogre that had accosted her in the forest. Now he was being delivered to her in chains. If she could just see that gold earring in his ear then she would know, but his hair covered his ears.

To her surprise Hanto spoke on her behalf.

"No," he declared. "Impossible, their tribe strictly forbids men and she is not Chieftess. She cannot perform this duty."

"You refuse our first task?" Etaceh said with mock horror, glancing at Zyra. "Then perhaps the cure should..."

"No!" Zyra interjected. "The Ursie does not speak for me. I...I agree."

Hanto looked at her angrily. "Zyra..."

"Silence Hanto," she barked viciously.

He would need to put his pride aside or she would break it.

"Good then," Etaceh said beaming. "Let us allow the Shashanen to say their farewells."

The group enclosed the prisoner and spoke to him in hushed voices. When they parted the ogre woman stepped forward. Zyra saw she was old and hunched over, even though she was still taller than her. Her eyes were a cool amber and she reached out a hand shakily toward Zyra.

That was when she realized the ogre woman was blind. She stepped forward and the woman's finger nicked her, but she didn't complain. The woman let out a strange sounding howl, obviously smelling the blood and Zyra could sense her pain. She enclosed her hand with hers and the woman immediately did the same. Bending over she kissed Zyra's hands, tears falling on her fingers.

"Please," she whispered in a rough foreign tongue.

"I will," Zyra answered squeezing her hands.

There was no need to explain. The woman smiled and pressed a warm motherly kiss on Zyra's forehead. The loss of her own mother began to way on her and she was happy when the elderly woman released her hand. She noticed her tattoo flash white and saw that her wound was gone.

Clearly, her life had changed forever.

Caligula stepped toward her and gave her instruction on how to properly exit the border, to mash leaves and water with the elixir, and then drain the remnants in both Zyra and Kyzu's mouths. The pulp could be used for further fever. She would be immune to the contamination but the others had best stay back.

"You may proceed," Caligula ushered. He put in her hand a small silver key. She added it to her necklace. The group dissipated and Zyra

hesitantly stepped forward.

She didn't want this. She didn't need this. Why...

She reached forward to grasp the chain that held the ogre and he lifted his head.

Diamond shaped cat eyes cut through her soul, glowing like the embers of a forgotten dream, forcing her back into the moments she feared the most.

It was him.

The chain jingled as she stepped back. It was several arms long. His eyes didn't leave her face as she turned from him to her huntresses.

"Will you be alright?" she asked Gharla.

She looked that saw Enui was gone. "Where is...?"

"Being cured," Gharla said unhappily. "I will be fine. Don't worry about me."

"Don't worry, we will not harm them," Caligula said, suddenly in their conversation. He eyed Gharla with amusement. "We cannot. They are under your protection remember?"

She seemed to be protecting a lot of people lately. Zyra could only nod, holding back a heavy, world on her shoulders sigh. She gave Gharla a bone crushing hug, then without a word she, Rell, Hanto, and the ogre went back into the woods.

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The trip seemed shorter as she followed the witch's shortcut. In fact, in a matter of minutes they were back across the border. Apparently being welcome had its privileges. Now the real journey had begun. It had taken them a day and night with rest to make it to the border the first day.

"We're not going to stop unless it's for water or relief. Minute stops only. " she announced.

Her companions said nothing, Rell studied her whilst Hanto eyed the ogre. They travelled quickly and all seemed well at keeping their pace. Rell seemed in better shape, most likely a result of both their days of travel, combined with whatever enhancements he received from being her retainer.

The ogre didn't look at her again, instead keeping his eyes forward, aware of the animosity that steamed off of Hanto. She was glad he was shackled in the front because he was able to meet his own needs. As they hurried through the forest she began to think of the unanswered questions left behind.

What did he eat? Did he speak? He did, but how long would he pretend he didn't? Was he voracious? A danger to a tribe of women if his sexual appetite was not fulfilled? Or his other appetite? Could he be trusted? What was an ogre anyway?

Zyra did not travel across the border just to bring back a plague upon them. Maybe he was meant to be a slave. Perhaps only a firm hand could handle him. Even so, Zyra had too much responsibility as it was. She had little desire to care for another life.

Looking beside her she saw Hanto glaring at the ogre, then at her. Now that she had lost her helpless act it was evident that he was hopelessly confused.

Hanto's hand surged out violently. "Hand me his chains!"

She noticed the ogre stiffen from the corner of her eye.

"No, he is my burden," Zyra said in a no nonsense tone.

Hanto let out a sigh of frustration. "Let me just ease your toil for a few moments."

She looked at him with disdain. He was beginning to get on her nerves.

"He is walking Hanto. I am not dragging him. I can hold onto a simple chain."

"I am simply saying..."

She stopped dead in her tracks and released the chain of the ogre. She faced Hanto with a finger pointed vulgarly at his face.

"Do not do this."

She turned back towards the ogre and gathered his chain before storming off. If Hanto only knew how much she wished she had left him in that valley. She was not going to let Nima die again. The witches said they had time, but if they kept delaying they might not. The ogre was keeping up nicely. Truthfully she wished he'd run away when she'd given him the chance.

When the sun began to set Zyra grew desperate. She knew where they were and yet it was still away from their destination. Panic pooled inside of her and her distress was noticed only by a pair of yellow eyes.

When darkness fell Zyra broke into a sprint. She ran, content on releasing the chain if she felt it tug at any moment. It was unnecessary, as the ogre continued to keep up. She could hear Hanto yelling for her to slow down, or calm down, or some other down she didn't wish to obey. Rell spoke roughly to him which brought her some peace. Perhaps berating him for his selfishness.

She was a bit surprised when she felt herself trip forward. She had readied her hands to take the scraping but was caught by a pair of bound arms. The ogre watched her silently and she responded in his fashion, mutely righting herself before resuming her run.

The moon was high when she arrived to Kyzu and Nima's tent. The chain dropped from her hand and she tore open the flaps. Kyzu watched over Nima as they both appeared to be wasting away. They were alone as most contaminants were. Kyzu's eyes grew wide as she took Zyra in.

"Zyra? Zyra...is that really you?"

Zyra didn't answer instead reaching into her necklace for the vial. In the corner she saw what appeared to be healing sap in a small wooden bowl. She scooped it out and instead placed in the leaves she had gathered and the water from the skin she had carried. Using a stick she ground it up as best as she could before adding the elixir.

Kyzu watched mystified as Zyra worked. She flinched when she touched Zyra's arm and saw the strange markings she now carried.

Their eyes connected for the briefest of moments.

Understanding.

Then continuity.

When Zyra finished a clear smoky broth rose above the leaves. Kyzu tilted up Nima's head and pried apart her dry lips. With a spoon they forced the broth down her mouth in tiny sips. Nima didn't respond, but the potion entered her all the same. Zyra gave her half of the potion before feeding Kyzu the other portion.

Then they waited. It seemed like an eternity as they sat together in that tent. Rell and Hanto had arrived but they stayed their distance to avoid disease. When the birds began to chirp and Nima's eyes did not open Zyra felt her hope vanish.

It was a trick. A cruel trick. Why had...

A flinch, Nima's hand flinched. Then her nose twitched. Slowly her long eyelashes fluttered open. The first face she took in was Zyra's. Her pink lips parted.

"Z-...Zyra?"

Her first word, and it was her name. Zyra felt tears running down her face as Kyzu exclaimed, holding her child to her.

"Oh thank goodness," she whispered.

Then all her strength left her. She welcomed the darkness as a dear friend.

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When she awoke she could tell it was deep in the day because of how bright the sun burned on the tarp. Looking around she saw she was in Ginger's tent. Her tattoo had been covered up with a bandage and her body had been cleaned and adorned with new clothes. She was in a pair of brown leg pants and a white loose shirt.

She stood, feeling ravenous and opened the flaps of the tent. Immediately she heard shouts.

"ZYRA!"

"She's awake!"

"Zyra's awake!"

In a frenzy, arms and lips embraced her. Her tribe condensed upon her filling her with their love and tears of joy. This is what she had fought for; this is why she kept fighting.

With a smile that threatened to overtake her face she learned that she had been asleep since early yesterday. Kyzu and Nima had made rapid recoveries and since her utterance of her name, Nima had said several words. Mother and Auntie, being prominent among them.

Rell and Hanto had filled in the villagers of certain details, and they accepted her and her huntress' sacrifices with pride. Hanto was resting, as they would venture home in the morn, and Rell was watching over the ogre. It was a bold move that Zyra appreciated.

She stuffed her face while in the arms and laps of many of her sisters before she checked on Nima and Kyzu. The glow had returned to their faces and Nima's eyes were alight with childish glee.

"Zee-raw?" she said in raspy, but warming high pitched voice.

"Yes Nima."

"Awn-tie!" Nima ran to her and she clasped her in her arms tightly, giving her all her love.

"Yes Nima. I am your auntie."

"Awnnie Z-ka!"

"Close enough."

This moment would no doubt chase away her nightmares.

Zyra was reluctant to find the ogre. Even so, she knew that he was her responsibility and she could not let Rell cover her forever.

She found them by the lake. Rell was staring at the glistening water with a frown while he absentmindedly fed the ogre. His hands were still shackled and the chain was looped around a tree. The big ogre was complacent, relaxed even in the company of the slight man that sat next to him. Rell didn't notice her approach, but the orge did, his eyes snapping to hers.

"Rell?"

Rell turned, startled once again. "Will you please not do that?" he asked exasperatedly.

She hid a smile. "Yes, of course."

I won't do that for the rest of today.

He wiped his hands on his pants, the food gone. She spied his wrist, also bandaged.

"They think it's best if they stay covered," he said touching the bandage that peeked out of her shirt. "Bad luck or something."

"I've come to relieve you of your duties," Zyra said holding Rell's wrist hand. Slowly she enclosed his hands with hers.

"Thank you."

Rell held her head affectionately. "Thank you. For saving me. And...for everything you did back there."

She released his hand and waited until he was a far distance away. Then she advanced on the ogre. She loosened his chain and led him wordlessly into the forest. When she was a decent distance away from the Rovian tents but close to the river she turned to him. She would not be afraid of his size. She had taken him down before, unaided in the darkness. Now, she was even stronger.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

There, she had said it.

He watched her emotionlessly with no visible intent on responding. He acted like a dumb and deaf brute.

"Answer me!" she snapped in irritation. "I know you can speak ogre. Answer me!"

He remained passive and she gave him the nastiest glare she could muster.

"I swore I'd kill you the next time I saw you. Now I'm responsible for prolonging your life. Incredible. It's just incredible. I should have speared you when I had the chance."

Clearly her annoyance had been amusing enough. A smile slowly crept onto his face and mischief poured into his eyes. He tilted his head coyly.

"I knew you wouldn't forget me."

She could see the earring now; she could remember the low honeyed voice.

It was him, no doubt about it. Not that she had had doubts before but now there was irrefutable proof.

Yet there was no way to respond, she didn't know how to respond.

Hey, thanks for fingering me in the forest can you not do that again? Oh and what do you eat? Not children right?

All she had were questions, but more than that, she had the inkling that she had added a particularly large burden to her list.

"I'm only going to say this once," she said narrowing her eyes.

"I don't care about the witch's agreement. If you harm any of the members of my tribe, I will kill you."

He nodded, a pointy tooth hanging over his lip. She could see now his mouth consisted of sharp interlocking fangs that were not huge as she had thought, but deadly none the less.

"Of course."

She watched him for another moment before reaching for the key around her neck. Silently she unlocked his shackles. The heavy manacles fell to the floor and he rubbed his wrists. She could see lines and pinkness around them. She steeled her heart to him, refusing to feel concern. She would not forgive what he had done, but she could move on.

"The land to the south is Rovian land. North is back toward your home."

She pointed to the stream. "Along this stream are several bushes in which wild fruit and vegetables grow. If you need to hunt, there are several animals that usually scurry about here. You can use anything you like, so long as it does not disturb us."

Comprehension seemed to dawn on the ogre and his smile dropped.

"You mean I am to fend for myself?"

"Yes. Should you need anything you may come to me with your request."

"What about your sis..."

"You will not go near them," Zyra growled.

The ogre's eyes narrowed and he bent over to study her.

"So I am not to be brought into your tribe? As was the deal made with the Dark Council?"

Her own eyes narrowed further.

"He said tribe land, not tribe,and you are clearly on our lands. We had the option of making you our slave but we decline."

She turned from him and walked back towards camp, back hopefully to a remnant of her happiness.

"So that's it?" he asked angrily.

She didn't turn. "Just try not to get in my way ogre. You'll regret it."

He watched her back, the power in her stride, the sway of her bottom as she sauntered indignantly off.

In her way...that was exactly what he wanted.

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Hope you liked it! Like always comments are desired strongly! Thank you!

-Ms. Stubborn ^^