Luka the Half-Orc (special preview)

Growing up, you had a constant companion in Luka. He was the son of your mother’s lady in waiting, so the two of you had been around one another since you were born. Luka was half orc, and his father and mother had to remain separate, despite being married. You two had all sorts of adventures together, playing out the stories that you read from your story books. To you, Luka and what you created together was the whole world.

But when Luka grew older he was sent to spend time with his father and you barely saw him again. When you went to school you would receive letters from him and hear tales about his amazing travels with his father. You felt a bit jealous he got to do all the things you wish you could.

You had gone to stay with family across the sea for a while, but you were called home one summer so you could tend to your little sister while your parents traveled. This of course wasn’t new, and you had been expecting it for a while now.

“It’s much more fun when you’re around,” she told you. “Mother doesn’t let me walk around without my shoes.”

Kitty was sitting up the branches of the tree above you while you sat at the bottom. She kicked her legs in the air for a moment then hung herself upside down like a bat.

“She doesn’t want you turning out like me, that’s why,” you laughed.

“How come? You’re practically a person,” Kitty teased.

You smirked at her then held her so she could slip back down to the ground. “Practically isn’t good enough for Mother.”

Kitty smoothed down her dress then glanced out across the pond stretched out before you. “It’s getting dark out, should we head back inside?”

You shooed her back towards the house. “You go ahead, and tell Mathilda to get some of that raspberry tea I brought home ready. I’m going to finish this bit in the book.”

You leaned back against the tree and sighed. You wanted to see the sunset more than you wanted to finish the book. You gazed out as the light reflected upon the pond and cast a golden glow upon the yard.

A hand cupped around your eyes and every fiber of your being spiked and prickled. You sat still as you felt someone slip up behind you.

“Don’t make a sound. Stay still. But try and guess who I am.” Their voice was deep and their hand was warm against you.

“This isn’t funny?”

“Oh trust me, for me it’s quite entertaining,” he laughed.

You placed your hand over his and felt a small scar along the back of his hand leading up to his ring finger. “No. It can’t be. Luka?”

The hand raised and you looked into Luka’s bright green eyes. “Very good. I was expecting you to need more guesses.”

You flung your arms around him without a second thought. It had been ages since you last wrote to him, even longer since you last held him.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” You pulled back to look at his face. Below his nose was covered by a cloth mask, but you knew those eyes rimmed by the thickest lashes in existence. His hair had gotten longer, but the curls remained the same.

Luka chuckled. “My mom told me you’d be here this summer, and luckily I was planning on a visit anyways. Looks like our paths were meant to cross here.”

You smoothed your fingertips along the straps of his mask. “What’s going on with this? Did you grow up ugly or something?”

Luka captured our hand. “Not exactly, but close enough”

Your brows pinched but he helped you to stand before you could speak.

“I’ve been traveling for days now, I can’t wait to get off my feet.” he kept a hold of your hand as you went inside.

You squeezed his hand, coming up close beside him and taking hold of his arm. “As long as you, I suppose.”

“I guess that will do,” you huffed.

Luka laughed. “I know we have a lot of catching up to do and a lot to make up for. I’m excited to spend time with my old friend.”

Later that evening, when you put Kitty to bed, you snuck down the hallway to where Luka was staying in his mother’s room. He was up and looking over his mother’s doll collection.

He set down a fancy stuffed bear as you came in. “Cheeky girl. What would they say if they caught you sneaking around like that?”

You closed the door behind you and pressed your back against it. “They wouldn’t. I’m far too good at it.”

“Mama’s collection has grown, I was admiring it,” Luka murmured.