Smitten Ch. 02

Chapter 2

Shaghar was a delight - and a revelation.

She was a half-orc twice over: Coopah's grand-daughter, and the daughter of his friend Rogek. Shaghar was Ditgurat's niece and also her cousin (she tried to explain all of the family connections, but I was hopelessly lost).

She had frequently been mocked as a child, for her height, but especially because she lacked tusks. Not all orcs had them, she told me, but most of the Red Knees did. I could easily sympathize with her - my own brothers had bullied me unmercifully until I grew big and strong enough to thrash them.

- "I like the way you look." I told her.

- "You like humping me." she said. She was smiling as she said it.

- "Of course I do. You're beautiful." It would be a while before I learned that orc females prefer to be complimented for their strength more than their appearance.

"I also like kissing you - all over."

- "Will you ... do that again?" she asked, her voice a little husky.

- "That depends. Will you bathe in the stream with me again?"

Shaghar laughed.

- "Now?"

***

I spent the rest of that day with Shaghar - and all of the night. I convinced her that since she was tasked with watching me, she could best perform her duty by staying close to me. Very close.

As in, atop me. Or under me. Or with my face between her legs. After the third time, Shaghar was grateful enough to inquire if there was any way to return the favour. She learned that there were benefits to not having tusks. I was only too happy to get re-acquainted with her rhubarb bush.

She slept next to me. I woke to find my arm around her, holding her close. I could hardly believe how I felt: one day in her company, and I was already smitten.

I spent most of the next day with her, too.

She was willing to answer all of my questions. Shaghar explained the kinship bonds between herself and Ditgurat, and Ditgurat's daughters, who were away hunting. She also told me of the factions in their clan: the full orcs, some of whom had refused to mate with humans, and then with the offspring of humans. There were only a score of them remaining; their numbers had dwindled because of the shortage of males.

Then there were orcs who had mated with half-orcs. Umog was the daughter of an orc and a half-orc. Some of the first half-orcs (the children of Coopah, Rogek and Dint) clung to the old ways, and refused to mate with humans again.

But there were some who embraced their mixed heritage. They learned to speak the common tongue from the three humans, and mixed with them again. Ditgurat became the acknowledged leader of this group. She was, quite simply, the toughest and cleverest.

After the disappearance of Grushnag (the last chieftain), along with most of the remaining males, Ditgurat claimed the leadership. She'd had to fight and kill two older males, and then an orc female.

- "She was a good Chieftain from the very start." said Shaghar. "Everyone says so."

- "And where is your mother? Her sister, you said."

- "Dead." Shaghar didn't seem particularly sad, because she was very proud of her mother.

When Ditgurat became pregnant, she could easily have been overthrown by a challenge to combat. Her sister Yotul took on the challenge instead, and defeated a half-orc male. Yotul protected her sister when she was with child, and Ditgurat did the same while Yotul bore Shaghar.

When Ditgurat was pregnant with her second child, another male - a full orc named Gulzob - challenged her. This time, unfortunately, Yotul did not prevail. She was killed.

Ditgurat, still heavily pregnant, had to flee, along with a number of children - and the three humans, because Gulzob might have killed them. He could not purge all of the remaining half-orcs, though - by that point, they were the majority in the band.

- "Ditgurat gave birth to Ogash - her second daughter. When she had recovered, she came back and challenged Gulzob. It was so exciting." said Shaghar, her eyes alight at the memory. "She slit his throat, and then took his ugly head. Would you like to see his skull?"

I had forgotten where I was. Shaghar was a lovely, shapely female. I had converted her to the joys of bathing and oral sex - but I wasn't going to be able to bring her back to Portoa with me, to introduce her to my family.

Then again, did I really want to do that?

Shaghar also let me take a long walk with her. We were followed by two other females.

- "Ushug is the big one. Ghorza is the smaller one. She is very fast. You cannot outrun her."

- "I won't even try."

- "Good." she said, with a bright smile. "I want you to stay."

- "With you?" I teased.

- "As often as we can." she said, completely earnest.

I was touched. "I would like that." I said.

- "Now?"

We stopped and lay down together. Ushug and Ghorza gave us space, even if they watched from a distance.

***

Late in the afternoon, Snak found us.

- "Shaghar! Smit!" she shouted, as she ran towards us on her little legs. We stopped to let her catch up. She was out of breath when she did. It took some panting to get her words out. The gist of it was that Shaghar was summoned to see the Chieftain, while I was instructed to see Coopah.

I found myself looking at the old man a little differently. At first, I'd found it vaguely repelling that he and his friends had had sex with orcs. And then more sex, with each other's daughters. But look at me: only a few days here, and I'd already lain with three half-orcs.

Granted, it wasn't all a matter of choice (though, knowing what I knew now, I would've chosen Shaghar over most of the human females of my acquaintance). And then there's the old saying: when the Gods give you grapes, you eat them - or you make wine.

- "Did you tell Snak that she was a sweetheart?"

- "Uh ... yes. Because she is. You yourself called her a sweetie."

Coopah nodded. "I know. But you have to be careful, Smit. They tend to take things very literally. Sarcasm can get you killed. If you're going to say something, it's better if you mean it. Now Snak thinks that you like her."

- "I do."

- "Fine. But you may not want her by your side at all times of the day and night ..."

- "Ah. I see your point."

- "Sometimes I just tell her to go make wind with her ears. You might have to do the same. But there are others who won't go away when you tell them to - even if you ask nicely."

- "You've lost me there." I said.

- "You and Shaghar were pretty noisy, down by the stream."

I was beginning to smile, at the recollection - but Coopah was completely serious.

- "I'm sorry." I said. "I didn't think that ... that there was some sort of ..."

- "No, there's no taboo against semi-public sex. You'll find that complete privacy is quite rare. But I'm fairly sure that just about everyone heard you."

- "Really?" I was tempted to smile again. I was a young male: how could that be a bad thing?

- "Most of the clan don't mind. Sometimes it's hard to keep it quiet. But when I say 'everyone' ... that includes Umog."

- "Oh." Damn, but I was stupid.

- "She may feel the need to re-claim you." said Coopah. "Especially if she's been bragging to her cronies that she took possession of you the other day."

Oh, no. "She wouldn't ... she wouldn't go after Shaghar, would she?" I suddenly realized that I'd been careless - reckless, even. "Is that why she's seeing Ditgurat now?"

- "Relax, Smit." said Coopah. "I just wanted you to be a little more aware that the things you say and do can have repercussions."

It was my turn to nod. I remembered Shaghar's story about her mother's death. Coopah, his friends, and their children had all had to hide from the orc who'd killed Yotul - Shaghar's mother. If they'd been found, they likely would have been slaughtered.

I'd been fucking around - literally - without a thought for the consequences. Worst of all, though, I might have been endangering others with my ignorance.

Coopah saw my reaction. He reached out to put a hand on my shoulder.

- "It's alright. I'm just putting a bug in your ear. Better to be careful than sorry, right?"

- "Absolutely."

- "So Ditgurat wants to see you. Just wait outside until Shaghar comes out."

I was three steps away before I remembered my manners.

- "Thanks, Coopah." I said.

- "You're welcome."

I waited for some time; it was almost dusk before Shaghar came out of the Chieftain's cave - and even she had to duck a little.

- "Smit?" She seemed surprised to see me.

- "Shaghar - I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I might have put you in danger -"

She stepped forward, and placed her finger on my lips.

- "Stop." I did. "Zug ... what are you saying?"

It all came out in a rush. Noise, everyone hearing, Umog, my worst fears ...

Shaghar put her finger on my face again. I was a little agitated: she missed my lips, and almost stuck a digit up my nose.

- "Be calm, Smit." she said. "I am not afraid of Umog."

I was stunned. Shaghar was tiny. Well-built, of course, but small, compared to many of the orcs I'd seen around the Blasted Tree. Plus she was a sweetheart, where Umog was ...

"She could come for me." said Shaghar. "She would beat me, but I would hurt her. My cousin Lagakh would hurt her back. And then I would recover, and slit Umog's throat while she slept. Or, she could kill me. Then my cousin would kill her." Shaghar put her hand on my cheek. "Don't be afraid. It's fine."

- "You're sure?"

- "Yes. But I like that you worry about me."

- "Of course I worry about you!"

- "Mmm ... you make me warm. I look forward to our next bath." Shaghar gave me a kiss that curled the hair on my toes. "Go see her - she waits for you."

Ditgurat was sitting on the same dirty mat, waiting for me. I had no idea if she'd heard what Shaghar and I had said to each other. The Chieftain simply pointed at the mat in front of her. I sat down.

She looked me over. I realized that this was one of the secrets of her success: she didn't rush into things. Ditgurat was absorbing new information, and withholding judgment until she worked out all of the possibilities. My admiration for her rose another notch.

- "You like Shaghar." she said. It wasn't a question.

- "Very much."

Ditgurat smiled. "I know. We all heard her."

- "I didn't meant to put her in danger." I said, quickly.

Ditgurat stared at me for a moment. "No danger. But Coopah warned you, no? Be more careful."

- "I will."

- "What did you do to her?"

- "Uh ..."

Ditgurat simply waited for me to answer.

I had no idea what to say. I just started to sweat. Was there some penalty for going down on the Chieftain's niece that I didn't know about?

"She says you used your tongue." said Ditgurat. She pointed at her crotch. "Here."

- "Yes." I admitted.

- "Shaghar said it was ... good. Better than fucking." The chieftain was still staring at me. "You like doing this?"

- "Umm ... yes. I do." What else was I supposed to say?

- "You do this with all females?"

- "Uh ... no."

- "Not with Umog? Not with me. The stream is ... ne'ssary?"

- "Necessary?" I said. "Yes. Only after a bath."

- "Hmm." said Ditgurat. Then she studied me once again.

"You are sure there is osh where your ship sank?"

Osh was iron. She was switching the conversation rapidly - from sex to shipwrecks (although that might not always be a change of topics).

- "The ship was carrying iron ore, and pig iron as ballast." I said. "That's not iron - but it could be made into iron."

- "Es'plain." said Ditgurat.

She was a clever woman. Female. Half-orc. I didn't minimize the difficulties. I would have to recover a fair amount of ore from the wreck. Then I would have to set up a forge - which would require charcoal. I knew the process, but I'd never done it myself before.

Multiple hurdles. There were sure to be unexpected problems. I could easily fail, several times. It wasn't just a daunting task: it was a series of daunting tasks. I tried to communicate that to her.

- "You need help? How many?"

For the first stage, I would only need help carrying whatever ore I could recover back to the Blasted Tree. I didn't know how far the beach was, either.

- "Four." I guessed. Then I gambled. "Could I have Shaghar as my assistant? She understands everything I say."

Ditgurat enjoyed a hearty laugh. "No." she said. "You would do no work."

I was disappointed, but that was a pretty fair assessment.

- "You are taken with her." said Ditgurat. "An' she with you." For a moment there, I saw the person beyond the chieftain. Ditgurat didn't mind that Shaghar and I were ... close. In a way, she approved.

- "I'm very fond of her." I said.

- "Fond?" Ditgurat wasn't objecting to the sentiment - she didn't know the word I'd used.

- "I like her. Very much."

- "Mmm. Do you like me, Smit?"

- "Yes." I said. It was only the truth. Ditgurat was fair, and Shaghar trusted her. I was lucky to have been found by her band; I could readily imagine what it would have been like for me if Umog was the chieftain. Or some male orc ...

- "Enough to bathe with me?"

I didn't hesitate. "Of course. I meant to all along. I just wasn't sure how to ask you ..."

- "Shaghar said ... she invited herself. So I do the same."

- "Anytime you want." I said. Stupid, that: of course it would be whenever she chose.

- "Now?"

- "As you wish."

To my surprise, Ditgurat stripped off her shirt and loincloth before leaving her cave, and indicated that I should do the same. Nothing to it: a little naked evening stroll down to the stream. No clothing - but Ditgurat brought her weapons.

There wasn't much room for both of us in my little swirling pool, but that only meant that we had to stay close together. She didn't duck her head under the water, and wouldn't let me touch her hair, but Ditgurat was perfectly happy to have me wash her from the neck down - and by wash I mean stroke, fondle, and caress.

She especially liked my lips on her nipples, and my fingers between her nether lips. I think that she was genuinely surprised by the orgasm that I coaxed from her.

I started to lead her towards the little grassy sward where I'd first gone down on Shaghar, but the chieftain stopped me.

- "Bath is done?"

- "Yes."

She dragged me in the opposite direction. Ditgurat collected her weapons, and took me back to her cave. I don't know if it was shyness about performing in public, or concerns for her own safety that prompted this relocation, but it made little difference to me - wherever she was most comfortable was undoubtedly best.

I did like Ditgurat. My life was in her hands, and yet I felt reasonably safe.

I'd always felt that Nara had been the fulfilment of my 'older woman' fantasy. Now, though, I realized that Ditgurat was significantly better-looking - despite the tusks. Her mature body was more appealing, and her face reflected her years of experience, as well as the dangers she'd survived. And, believe it or not ... I think that Ditgurat already cared more about me than Nara ever had.

But the chieftain had never experienced a man performing oral sex on her before. Ditgurat seemed a little stunned, at first; she kept touching my head, as if to make sure that I was real.

I was in no hurry, and I amused myself by teasing her just a little. She growled at me, once, and then took hold of my hair to keep my head in place. Her fingers tightened noticeably as she approached her peak.

- "Aagh!" She also said a very bad word, in orcish. I didn't learn what it meant for several days.

Ditgurat was mildly disoriented for a few moments. I hate to admit it, but I forgot just who I was I with. I climbed between her knees, and spread her legs a little more ... her eyes opened wide, and she flipped me over, onto my back. An instant later, she was astride me.

Ditgurat grinned as she grabbed hold of my erection.

***

The chieftain selected my four helpers. Oag was a massive male who made my upper body look scrawny by comparison. His thick tusks curved together, almost meeting just under his ugly nose. Slagip was a tall half-orc, much leaner than Oag, but he was also intimidating in his own right.

Ushug and Ghorza had been Shaghar's assistants, tasked with keeping an eye on me. Ushug was huge: she was tall enough to look me in the eye, and her shoulders were a match for mine in breadth. She had the biceps of a smith, but I believe that my forearms and wrists were more powerful.

Ushug was a half-orc. She had dark brown hair, light blue-grey eyes, and a surprisingly refined nose over small, sharp tusks. Her breasts were enormous, and she was thicker about the waist than Slagip or I were. Thick - but not fat. I wouldn't have wanted to risk punching her in the stomach, for fear of hurting my hand. Her thighs were like tree trunks.

Ghorza was a half-orc as well, but no taller than Shaghar, and considerably leaner. She had bright red hair, red eyes, and her ears were nearly vertical. She had a ring in her nose, two more in each ear, and another in her eyebrow. Her tusks were small, but sharp.

Ditgurat told me their names, and then the six of us set off for the beach. The chieftain was coming along, this first time, to see for herself.

I was ... completely disoriented. I didn't remember any of the terrain we passed over. There were some obvious landmarks; not a single one of them registered with me. Ghorza led the way, and I followed, in a mild daze.

It wasn't all that far: perhaps two hours' walk. I recognized the beach the moment I saw it. It was an utterly useless expanse of sand, too shallow to make a decent harbor, or to let fishermen launch their boats ... the only possible use for this place was a smuggler's haven - and for small-scale smuggling at that.

It might have had some appeal as a private trysting-place for lovers. Other than that, locations like this served absolutely no practical purpose.

The stern of the Pelican was still in one piece, some 100 yards from the beach. There were bits and pieces of flotsam (and the requisite jetsam) on the sand, including about half of the foremast.

Ditgurat was duly impressed. She studied the scene for some time. While she did that, I found a few worthwhile items on the beach - mostly pieces of wood that Coopah might have a use for. Then I told the chieftain that I was going into the water.

- "Zug." she said.

I stripped off my shirt and loincloth. It would be easier to swim without them, and Ditgurat had already seen me naked. I suspected that Ushug and Ghorza had, too, when I was with Shaghar.

The water was surprisingly cold, which encouraged me to get moving. I decided to start looking at the remains of the ship's stern. I swam out to the wreck, and dove alongside it. Almost immediately, I came across some of the ship's ballast.

Some ships carried a valuable commodity as ballast: bricks, for example, or paving stones. The problem for those captains was replacing their ballast with something else for the return voyage. Round stones were preferred (no sharp edges to damage the inside of the vessel's hull). The Pelican had had some of those.

But like many ships from Portoa, they'd used pig iron as well. It was plentiful, and cheap. What I hadn't realized until now was just how big the damned things were - or how much they weighed. Swimming with a 20 kg weight in my arms wasn't going to work very well.

I know that because I tried.

There had to be a better way. Actually, there were probably several better ways, but I wanted to get one of the weights ashore so that Ditgurat could see what we were dealing with. I grit my teeth, and carried the stupid thing as far as I could before I ran out of breath and had to surface.

It must have looked silly to Ditgurat and the others, as I repeatedly dove and surfaced, popping up like a crazed sea otter. Finally, though, I got the weight into the shallows. I was exhausted. Fortunately for me, Slagip waded in to help me bring the pig iron out of the water.