Kruk
The next morning, Ozog joins me as I go to the tavern to talk to Mable.
Finn had been insistent that if I wanted to court him, then I had to get Mable's permission. Why the opinion of the woman meant so much to my mate, I didn't know. Maybe Mable was a parental figure or, worse case, Mable owned Finn.
And if that was the case, I would kill her and free my mate.
Although from the way that Ozog was smiling, I would have to fight him to get to Mable. He'd respected her wishes and hadn't gone back to the tavern in the past few weeks, but Finn had invited him along.
Perhaps he thought that Ozog would distract Mable and make it easier to get her permission.
The scent of flowers wafts over to me and I glance at Ozog, "are you wearing flowers?"
Ozog nods, "I heard that human women like when males bathe in fragrant oils. Do you think Mable will like it?"
"Since when do you care what human women like?" I snort. "You've bedded dozens and didn't need oil baths."
"Bah!" He grunts. "None of those were my mate! At least yours talked to you! Mine won't even acknowledge me," he says sadly.
"So you bathed in flower oil to get her to like you?" I ask.
He nods, "do you think it will work?"
It was odd to have him ask my opinion on these things, normally it was the other way around. I'm all my years, I'd never known him to be nervous around women, but like he said, none of them had been his mate.
"I suppose," I finally mutter. From our brief encounter, Mable didn't seem like the type of woman who much cared about flower oil baths, but female ways were a mystery so maybe she did.
I glance down at the small package in my hands, hoping my mate likes gifts. It wasn't much, just new boots. I'd picked them up days ago, waiting for the right chance to give them to him.
My stomach twists as u suddenly become very nervous about today. Maybe he didn't like gifts. Or maybe he did and was upset that Ozog had been sending so many gifts to Mable and I only had this one for him. Maybe I should have bathed in flower oil for him.
Did I smell?
I'd bathed before this meeting, of course, but only with the soap the inn had provided. It had lathered nicely and didn't have much of a smell. I'd polished my tusks until the gold tips shined, cleaned my teeth and ate a handful of mint, and combed and braided my hair. I even had a new pair of pants on, something that had been extremely hard to find in this small town since nobody here made orc clothes.
Thankfully we got to the tavern before my mind could spiral any more and as instructed, I knock on the door instead of just walking in.
It seems to take forever before the door opens and Mable glares up at me, "thought I told you not to come back."
I shuffle nervously, "my mate invited us."
"Oh did they?" She mutters, turning her attention to Ozog, "what? No cooking utensil?"
"I- I'm sorry!" Ozog stutters. "I'll go get one!"
He starts to leave and Mable laughs, "I'm just teasing you! Get your big asses in here before I change my mind."
She moves aside and I duck under the doorway, entering the cozy tavern, my eyes sweeping the room for Finn, but he's nowhere to be seen.
"Fi is getting ready," Mable tells me as she catches me looking for him. "Against my better judgment."
"Thank you," I tell her sincerely.
"I'm not his keeper and I'm not his mother," Mable says as she sits at one of the tables. "He's a grown man and will do as he wants. But I swear on all the gods, if something happens to him because of you, I will roast you alive on the new spit that your brother got me."
"You will need a bigger one if you intend to roast him," Ozog jokes nervously as he all but collapses into a chair opposite Mable.
It was odd seeing him like this. I'd watched him laugh in the faces of a hundred men, but one human woman had him fumbling and nearly unable to walk properly.
I shift my weight and the package in my hands jingles slightly. "What's that?" Mable asks, her eyes going to it.
"It's boo-."
"For me, Mable," Finn's teasing voice says from across the room. "Damn don't you have enough stuff, you gotta take my gifts now?"
I turn to his voice, my heart nearly beating out of my chest at the sight of him-
Much like the first time I'd seen him, his hair was up, that ridiculous dress was replaced with a shirt and pants, his belt hung loosely on his hips and a pair of woman's shoes adorned his feet.
Good thing I'd brought the boots.
He walks over to us, an almost imperceptible swagger in his steps. "That is for me, isn't it?" He asks with a grin.
I nod, thrusting the package at him, "I can get you different ones if you don't like them."
He takes the package and unwraps the brown paper, revealing a pair of shiny black boots with silver buckles. He looks from the boots to me, "boots?"
"You left your other ones in my room when you ran away," I explain. "They got a little.. destroyed when we were tracking you down."
"By destroyed he means a street dog snatched one from his hand and ran off with it when he was attempting to get it to track you," Ozog chimes in.
"Shut up flower oil," I growl at him.
Mable chuckles, "I was wondering what that was. It's nice."
Ozog sighs in relief, "I can get you some if you like it."
"Perfume and cooking utensils," Mable hums. "Keep it up and I may start to look forward to your visits."
A hand on my arm pulls me from their banter and when I look down, Finn nods his head towards a door behind the bar.
Following him through it, we enter a large kitchen and he puts his boots on a table and sits at one of the chairs, motioning me to sit at the other. I do, perching precariously on the small chair as he slips the boots on.
"Do you like them?" I ask hesitantly.
He nods, "I really do. I think these are the nicest thing I own. Thank you, Kruk."
It was the first time he'd said my name, and by the gods I wished to hear it everyday for the rest of my life.
"You're welcome, little mate," I tell him happily.
For once he doesn't correct me, but he does shake his head and tries to hide a grin. "So what are we doing today?"
A large smile takes over my face, "today is the Feast of Wild Things. It's a orc holiday to celebrate the wilds and all that they provide. There's a gathering of orc just outside of town and I was thinking that we could go."
"Is it safe.. for me?" He asks hesitantly.
"You are with me," I tell him firmly. "You will always be safe with me."
His head tilts slightly, his expression thoughtful. Finally he nods, "fine. If there's an orgy, just know that I do not bottom."