"Come on Willow, it's an easy decision" Tuma chuckled, resting his arms on the garden table as he looked at her across the chess board.
"That's easy for you to say," she mumbled furrowing her brows as she looked at the board, wondering if she should move her horse or bishop. Eyeing Tuma she reached for the horse and his right eye twitched, making her instead move the bishop.
"You're learning," he smiled impressed, but moved his queen. "But not quick enough. Checkmate."
"Aww come on!" Willow grunted leaning back in the chair with a sigh. "I thought I had you this time."
Tuma just chuckled, putting the pieces back in place while Willow glanced over at Aina and Fahima at the other table engrossed some huge puzzle. Looking up, she squinted her eyes, wondering if she should ask one of them to explore the island with her before it began to rain as Charlie said earlier it would today.
It had been three days since her family had received the news about Willow's supposed dead and almost just as long since she had seen Jack. If she didn't count the times when he sneaked into her bed due to her nightmares and left in the morning before she woke up leaving only a trace of him being there with the candy left on her nightstand and his lingering scent in the room. Jane had gleefully made it very clear that Jack did not want to see her when she had come with her suitcase the morning after the phone call. Not that Willow had minded at the time, she had locked herself in her room and didn't come out until Ian basically showed up out of nowhere earlier today and carried her outside on his shoulder. Forcing her to leave the comforts of her bed and Luna who had joined her. He carried her to the patio where Tuma waited for her. He had basically threatened her with placing her somewhere in the forest if she tried to move from the patio, because she needed the sunlight.
And she had to admit it was nice, Fahima had come out with some mint chocolate and Tuma had asked her if she would like to learn how to play chess.
"How many animals is there on the island that could possibly kill me if I decided to explore?" she finally said, slightly irritated over she hadn't already done it as she fiddled with a tread of her black denim shorts.
"A couple," She leaned her head far enough back to see Darlia come walking out on the patio with a book in her hand. "We can ask a BustyrÃa to go with you if you like, as the island is quite large if you do not know your surroundings." She smiled sitting down in the chair beside her.
"Thank you," Willow smiled, quickly moving to a more proper position than her slouching as Darlia opened the book. "But it was more because I need to do something today than sit around mourning."
Darlia looked up from her book shortly, tilting her head slightly before going back to the book.
"If you like, Jack has a mission in around an hour as he is back from Mia he went to help out with today. I can tell him to take you with him," Jack, she still didn't know what she had done to make him avoid her, but even when she had tried to get to his room through the balcony yesterday, had Ian stopped her in the door and told her to go back to her room saying Jack didn't want to see her due to the heartache he caused her. She told Ian to tell Jack she knew it wasn't his fault, but clearly it hadn't worked. "I know he's been avoiding you, and sadly Ian has a tendency to be an enabler when it comes to Jack, but you are his companion, and he cannot avoid you forever." she sighed.
"I wouldn't exactly call myself an enabler," she looked over her shoulder, having getting used to the reapers just popping in and out, out of the blue. Ian leaned on the back of her chair, his breath tickling her ear. "Though, I can see where you get it from." he slid his gloved fingers through his hair with a smile, making Darlia roll her eyes.
Willow looked from one to the other, shocked over how different their personalities were, but how perfectly it worked out. No wonder Ian was allowed to stick around, especially with the fact Darlia was unable to leave the island.
When Willow had read that she had been shocked, and sorta sad on Darlia's behalf. Darlia was the one who kept the island hidden and the leader of the reapers when Death wasn't present, meaning she had to be protected at all cost. Even though only the Gods, Death scythe apparently could kill a reaper, was it possible to hurt one and take them out of the game for a long time, and they couldn't have that with Darlia. All the lives on the island were in her hands cause apparently BustyrÃa's and companions was widely sought out in the supernatural community due to superstitions and bargain with the reapers. It also meant that not many BustyrÃa's left the island after they turned eighteen as they could, before their trip to Hell was set in stone which was only if they decided to stay. For some reason a BustyrÃa soul should look different than normal humans, outing them pretty quick, though nobody really knew what it was.
Willow still had a lot to learn about the new world she was now part of, and her next goal was to locate the books she now was sure Jack had taken about rogues and companions.
" I would like to go with him, but he isn't gonna talk to me."Willow finally sighed.
"I am not agreeing with his way of handling this, but I can see why he's doing what he's doing due to feeling guilty about taking you from your family. Though it is time for him to come out of hiding too." Ian commented.
Willow didn't want him to feel guilty, she chose herself to leave to save her brother.
"So, are you gonna help or not?" Darlia said not even looking up from her book.
"I'm on it" Ian sighed, placing a hand on Willow's shoulder. In seconds, she found herself in a bed in a room she didn't recognize, beside Ian. "Give him a couple seconds to realize you moved location." he mumbled, falling back against the pillows in the large bed.
The spacious room was clean, with large bookshelves adorned with wooden figurines, a cozy living room corner, and the usual walk-in closet and a large balcony with fragrant flowers, all meticulously cared for. Beautiful paintings graced the walls, and an old wooden desk held a couple of maps and what appeared to be travel books.
"Your room is surprisingly... simple" She mumbled surprised, pulling her legs up under her. Ian shrugged as he looked around the room loosening his tie.
"I don't spend much time in here, or have ever been used to having a lot of stuff." he mumbled suddenly sitting up and pulling Willow closer. His scent of sandalwood washed over her as she almost get pulled up on his lap. "Play along" he whispered, and pulled her face closer by the chin, tilting her head to expose her neck, seconds before a harsh voice said.
"I know what you're doing Ian and it isn't funny." She was yanked backward suddenly, and everything seemed to flip as the room turned upside down.
"It did get you out of your room though," he chuckled looking at Willow hanging over Jacks shoulder as he marched off the bed towards the door. Ian winked at her before reclining with his arms behind his head with a grin, and she realizes he did this to get Jack out of his room.
"I told you to not let other reapers touch you, I told you and of course you don't listen-" He muttered to himself in a little rant as he carried her back to her room, located further down the hall. Without hesitation, he cast Willow on the bed beside Luna, and just as she was about to sit up and respond, she noticed the mannequin and gasped in awe. "If you want to come with me fine, take it on." he mumbled as he walked towards the balcony scratching his neck before she could get a chance to tell him she wasn't mad at him.
Willow looked in awe at the tailored long black leather waistcoat as she got out of the bed. Walking around it, seeing the low slit in the back made for better movement before trying it on. The hem of the coat caressed her thighs over her knees, with zippers right at her hip to make it into a jacket if needed. The scuffs was decorated with silver buttons with the crest making her smile softly over how much detail they put into it while buckling the             double-breasted buttons stopping right at her waist. The front was open from her hips down, making it easy to move as she spun around herself giggling, surprised how perfectly it fit her. While Willow took on the black combat boots that had stood beside the mannequin Jack walked in, in his own jacket.
He strode over to her and pulled the stormy collar up and the hood over her head.
"When dealing with the one we need to check up on we don't want them to see your eyes for your sake." he mumbled, handing her a pair of black sunglasses and quickly stepped backwards when their fingers graced.
"Jack, you do know I'm not mad at you righ-" before she could finish her sentence he waved at the mirror.
"Take a look," Looking at him for a second, she finally walked over to the mirror, and she gasped loudly upon seeing herself.
"I look like something straight of some the matrix movies," she snickered, still feeling rather cool in the getup. Her face was lured in shadows from the hood and high collar, making her unrecognizable with the sunglasses too.
Jack rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, waiting for Willow to be done ogling herself in the mirror.
"When you're done playing dress-up we have a thing in like five minutes you were so eager to get too." he mumbled petting Luna while waiting for her.
"Yeah yeah yeah, give me a second to enjoy this okay?" she mumbled wishing she could show Peter how she looked, hell even Isabell, her childhood friend she hadn't dared thinking about she would never see again. "Okay I'm done. Where we going?" Willow asked trying to act like the last three days hadn't existed of them not talking and him running away from her due to what Ian said was guilt, and the fact the smell of peppermint was growing strong again.
"To DhÃccar."
"To what?" Willow raised a brow confused as he walked towards her.
"DhÃccar, a orc village by the border to the northern part of Malèsh in Enzaya, a place if you don't want to be eaten you stay close as they eat their young ones." grinning with a glimpse of mischievous in his eyes, he reached for her but she pulled away, furrowing her brows.
"That isn't what I read about this species, sure they are warlike, but that's usually against outsiders. Most is extremely family oriented, and most tribes treat their woman with respect as they can carry life, and if you hurt a child or a pregnant woman it's punished either by dead or banishment from the tribe so I doubt they will hurt me." Willow said as she had read one of the chronicles about this said species as she had been surprised, they also existed. If you're accepted by a tribe member you're accepted by the tribe, they are tight knit communities though not all tribes was as accepting about outsiders. Willow knew it was one of the so-called master races in Enzaya due to their high fertility, strength and success in battle.
Jack gave her a short smile.
"I see you're reading on the world you now live in, that's good. Boring as I can't really tell you bullshit like that, but glad you're taking an interest." At this point Willow wouldn't even see it as an interest, but more of an obsession. Her curiosity had always made her ask questions, and suddenly learning nothing was as she expected, and she could get answers for most of her questions was like a dream come true.
" it's not boring," she mumbled, catching one last look at herself in the mirror.
" Willow? I'm sorry, for everything." Before she could turn to look at him, to tell him face to face she knew it wasn't his fault, it was her own he added. "Are you gonna give me your hand? I don't mind spending time with you in your room but do prefer it to be on your bed then."
She looked at him for a second, realizing what he was doing and snorted. "Oh fuck off." She reached out her hand.
"I love you too," he grinned taking it and seconds later they stood on a snowy hill looking down at a field at the mounding of a forest with countless small sturdy simple stone houses.
A large longhouse was in the middle of the tribe, and each house had small spirally chimneys. Willow guessed from how the houses were made of stone this wasn't one of the tribes that relocate. The longhouse was the gathering place as well as eating place for most orc tribes if the book was right.
Multiple orcs could be seen traversing the narrow streets in the small village and going to the large farmhouse where Willow guessed they had their animals.
Unconsciously, Willow had yet to release her grip on Jack's hand, even as she idly played with a lock of her hair. However, as Jack began to walk, she quickly pulled her hand free, silently wishing he had given her a heads-up about the cold climate so she could have dressed warmer underneath the jacket.
The sun hung high in the sky, and the absence of wind made the cold nearly bearable, as Willow luckily had experienced German winters.
The closer Willow and Jack got to the orcs, the more imposing they appeared. Willow couldn't help but marvel at their stature, which far surpassed the descriptions she had read in the book. Most of them stood tall, towering around 6'11" to 7'3", making them loom over them as they strode through the village. Even the females, though somewhat smaller in both height and build compared to the males, possessed a remarkable presence.
Some orcs were of smaller stature, clearly Halflings, as they were commonly referred to in Enzaya due to their mixed heritage.
The majority of the orcs were built like formidable tanks, their muscular frames varying. What caught Willow's attention were their lower canines, which bore a resemblance to boar tusks, differing in size.
Their skin had a distinctive dark green hue, and many proudly displayed a collection of scars, etched into their bodies and occasionally visible beneath an assortment of armor and attire. Some wore fur cloaks that made Willow ponder whether any bears still roamed the nearby wilderness.
The orcs looked Willow and Jack with evident curiosity but chose to leave them be after giving them a customary greeting, a pair of firm fist-thumps against their chests.
Willow's eye was caught by a female orc sitting outside her house neatly brushing her long dark beautiful hair filled with beads and small wooden figurines. Willow remembered reading about the fact that orcs took great pride in their appearance and almost daily cleaned themselves as there was no greater defeat for a orc than dying of a infection that could have been prevented. Looking around she saw that even the males wore decorative jewelry in their hair, on the clothes or on their person like the women. Or Willow guessed it was jewelry as it was mostly bones with carved motives or of wood. The woman's put up her hair in a high ponytail revealing her ears with elongated pointed tips tipping slightly downwards was covered in colorful earrings.
"Willow!" the spell was broken, and she hurried after Jack, through the crowd threatening to swallow her.
Willow collided with something solid, teetering on the brink of falling until a pair of large, warm hands caught her, preventing her tumble to the ground.
"Thank you," she looked up into a pair of brown eyes shining with a light within under a pair of heavy brows, in a slender green face.
The man's long, crimson dreadlocks were secured in a bun atop his head, held together by what appeared to be a bone comb. He stood tall, akin to a young tree, with a muscular build, though notably shorter than the orcs in both size and stature.
He had high cheekbones, and relatively delicate features compared to the full-blooded orcs and smaller tucks and a slim waist revealed elvish heritage beside his small, pointed ears all elf halflings had. His captivating eyes displayed a keen interest as he tilted his head slightly, leaning down closer to peer into Willow's eyes, which held a hint of anxiety. She took a cautious step back, her gaze darting around the crowd of orcs who were now staring at her, searching for Jack amidst the crowd and trying to spot her knocked-off sunglasses.
"What are you?" he inquired with a husky voice, his head tilting even more as he leaned closer to meet her gaze, taking great interest in her eyes. His evident curiosity made her feel exposed. He reached out and pulled the hood of her and his eyebrows flew up at the sight of her full face. "Your soul is all... weird looking. What is your name little one and are you married?"
She swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words.
"My name is Willow and no," she mumbled, her frown deepening. She couldn't help but wonder how he managed to keep warm with his attire. He wore a dark bear cloak with a hood and a brass buckle holding it together, layered over a dark green tunic featuring a shoulder plate on his right side.
With a broad smile, he straightened up and let out a contented grunt. "Then I will make you, my wife."
"Hold up, what?" Willow's surprise was cut short as he suddenly hoisted her up from the ground and slung her over his shoulder, carrying her through the village like a prized trophy.
"No no no thank you, I am perfectly fine being unmarried." Willow protested, struggling to free herself from his grip.
"I do not believe you have the strength to win over me in courting battle little one," he chuckled. Willow vaguely recalled something about a ritual in certain orc tribes where a man and a woman would engage in a battle as a part of their courtship. If the man won, they would marry, and in some cases, females allowed the men to win. However, she also knew that the law allowed a woman to seek the chief's intervention if she genuinely did not wish to marry. "But if you'd like, we can proceed with the proper courting," he offered, his tone taking on a more serious note.
"But those rituals usually only work with Orc's inside the tribe, not when you're courting outsiders!" she said frantic trying to figure out a way to make him realize this wasn't a good idea. "I am not from the village!"
Before he could respond, Willow spotted Jack in conversation with a giant orc sporting large tusks and long black hair further ahead. She immediately screamed for Jack, causing him turn around, his eyes widening at the sight of the halfling approaching.
He promptly set Willow down and pulled her close to him. "She is my woman," he declared, looking at the large orc while earning a raised brow from Jack as he shifted his gaze from the orc to Willow.
Jack teased with a grin, "If I knew you liked green, I would have found some body paint." He waved for her to walk over to him. "But enough of playing around with your boyfriend, we came here for a reason."
As Willow attempted to walk towards Jack, the Halfling suddenly pulled her back.
"Did you not hear me LejÃn? You have not claimed her so I have." he frowned tugging Willow back. Looking up she had almost expected him to bare his teeth, but instead he looked down at her with caring eyes. "I will take care of her from now on."
Jack body twitched briefly, while his eyes became darker.
"I think you didn't hear me, Bryn. She belongs to me even if she isn't my wife."
Laughter erupted from the crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle.
"No man owns a woman lejÃn, not even your kind." The orc he had talked to snorted with a frown.
Jack smiled strained, his hand resting on a weapon that Willow now recognized as a reaper blade, made from the bone of dead reapers, its handle carved into a skull. "My kind can own one person, Vardoc, and this one is mine." Jack proclaimed. "That is why her soul does look different, what you are seeing is my mark on my woman."
Murmurs spread through the crowd, and words like 'soul' and 'Ertha' were whispered. Bryn finally let go of Willow's shoulder and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"My apologies, a man should never put their hand on a woman that does not want his hands there." he turned to Willow and bowed his head deeply. "I am truly sorry for my behavior, it is just rare seeing a human like you though it does not excuse my manners. Some travelers arrived yesterday and been accepted into the tribe, I wrongfully mistook you for one of them."
Willow knew he just followed the laws of his tribe, which luckily clearly was one of the kinder ones. But before she could say anything a slender woman with flowing red hair, intricately braided, pushed her way through the crowd, calling out his name. The elf woman had a willowy figure and wore a dress made of bear skin, with a dark cloak draping over her shoulders. Her striking grey eyes shone with an inner light as she questioned what was happening.
"It is alright Dawn, just a misunderstanding" Jack smiled but still pulled Willow towards him. When Dawn turned to face Bryn, Willow noticed a long tusk adorned with two red rings, hanging from Dawn's small elongated sharply pointy ear beneath her hair. It was a symbol that signified the death of her husband in battle, Bryn's father.
"I apologize on my son's behalf and ask you to share bread with us at the evening feast as a gesture of apology." She bowed her head deeply, and her gaze shifted to Willow. She turned to look at Jack who didn't say anything for a long time before letting out a sigh.
"We will take you up on your kind offer Dawn," he bowed his head shortly too before taking a hold of Willow's wrist. "But please take us to the travelers so I can do my job."
They nodded and waved for them to follow.
Pulling her along to the longhouse mumbling something about her not staying close while Willow sighed relieved of being saved from the wedding bells.
"Please don't walk around seducing orc's, Darlia would kill me if I lost you now after all the trouble." Jack sighed, keeping a watchful eye on her as they entered the longhouse. It bore a striking resemblance to the Viking longhouse she had visited as a child in Denmark with her school. An open fire crackled in the center of the expansive room, and she could see two smaller rooms at either end, which she assumed were pantries.
Two rows of posts rand down the length of the longhouse supporting the roof beams, dividing each interior room into three long aisles. Just like a Viking structure were the walls bowed out at the center of the longhouse making it wider in the center than the ends, mimicking the shape of a ship.
The central corridor of each room, between the rows of supported columns had dirt floor, an ashes spread from fire pint running lengthwise in the longhouse providing light and heat and from the cooking gear.
Surprisingly it was cozy and pleasant, on each side of the between the roof support columns and walls was raised wooden benches topped with wooden planks running the length of the longhouse. More than a couple orc sat on those with sheepskin beneath them sewing or just chatting.
The sunlight poured through the smoke holes, brightening the interior in a cheery way, making it clear this was a place for eating and gatherings in the tribe.
"Did they get the architecture from Vikings?" Willow whispered to Jack as he guided her down the central aisle towards the end of the longhouse.
"A few orcs still lived in our realm under the Viking time in the north, seen as the jotun's so there was quite a couple of wars, but Vikings did learn a lot from them and there is quite a few bloodlines today with some orc in them." Jack had a glimpse in his eyes of laughter at the last sentences. They reached the end of the aisle, where a small group had gathered around two humans who lay on the benches, looking far from well. Both of them exhibited signs of hypothermia, with their spare clothing hung by the fire and wrapped tightly in fur blankets.
An elderly orc lady, draped in a long fur dress adorned with grey hair filled with feathers and a broken tusk, was gently feeding the awake woman some warm vegetable soup that smelled delightful. She whispered soothing words in a language Willow couldn't understand. Her belt was adorned with pouches and bottles containing ingredients Willow had never seen before. Willow knew that orcs were renowned as great healers, akin to elves, and some of the females among them possessed remarkable healing powers.
The man, on the other hand, appeared to be in dire straits. His breathing was labored, and he had ceased shivering. A young girl, still far from getting her grown-up tusk that they received at sixteen, brought some coal pieces and placed them beneath the bear skin in an attempt to generate more warmth. However, even Willow could tell that the man was beyond saving, which was probably why the elderly healer was focusing her efforts on the woman who seemed to be slowly improving.
"Stupid humans not dressed accordingly to what the north has in store for them," the elderly sighed, pushing a grey lock out of her brown eyes. "May Ertha grant the female the strength to endure. You have come to claim the soul of the male, have you not, LejÃn?" She addressed Jack without even looking up.
"I am, nana Baskuz but the woman will survive thanks to your healing hands." Jack replied with a soft and respectful tone. He gave her a short, appreciative smile before approaching the unconscious man on the bench. "Can you take care of Willow while I am dealing with the man nana Baskuz? Your great grandson may have set his eyes on her."
"Do not worry, nobody touches a woman under Baskuz protection," the medicine woman grunted waving for Willow to come closer. "Come my child, sit with nana Baskuz until your LejÃn comes back."
Jack gave a short bow to Nana Baskuz before nodding to Willow and vanishing after touching the man's shoulder. Trying to keep warm, Willow observed the elderly healer as she tended to the dozing woman. However, she couldn't help but let out a huge sneeze, which drew the orc's attention.
"I'm sorry, I usually wear more clothes in this weather," Willow mumbled, embarrassed and trying to hide her face behind her collar. The young orc reached over, pulled her down, and, within seconds, Willow found herself sitting with her own skull cup filled with herbal tea.
"Such silly humans." Nana Baskuz sighed, giving Willow's cheek a playful clap before tending to the fire. The entire longhouse soon filled with orcs, and Jack appeared right beside Willow, leaning against the wall.
"You behaved while I was gone?"
"How much damage do you think I can make in a few minutes?" Willow raised an eyebrow, earning a grin from Jack. People continued to find their places on the benches, and Willow held the cup between her hands, relishing the warmth.
Bryn sat down beside them with three bowls in his hands from one of the big pots hanging on the fire, handing them one. It was savory vegetable soup with dark meat.
"It is boar," Bryn smiled urging her to taste it while Jack put some of his meat over in her bowl.
She took a bite of something that look like a purple carrot with some boar meat and smiled, pleasantly surprised.
"It's good," she smiled, shivering slightly and seconds after Bryn has put his cloak around her. "Thanks." Bryn began to eat and Willow observed him.
It's not like he's not good looking, but even if she wanted to leave Jack, it wasn't it exactly an option, nor one she wanted to make. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled by the hip, closer to Jack.
"Don't smile at other men like that, I might get jealous."
Willow rolled her eyes but stayed where he put her.