Alban the Orc (special preview)

I’ve noticed one of the regular patrons has taken a shining to Silke and it’s not one I would recommend polishing. He’s a rough type, and not in the usual orcish way that is accepted. I don’t like the way he looks at her, nor the way he sneers at his friends when she walk away from the table. I’ve told Silke to stop being so nice, not everyone understands is hospitality, but she would always appear with that smile again and that charm she refused to turn off for anyone.

“If you want to stop serving that table, all you have to do is ask and I’ll have one of the elf girls run it,” I told her.

Silke looked up at me with those soft eyes of yours suddenly going sharp. “I’m fine with it, Alban,” you huffed. “Stop worrying so much, I told you I can handle myself.”

“A short, soft thing like you is like cake in these parts, I told you that when we first met,” I grouched back. The two of us have been like this since I hired her, but I always need hard workers in my tavern, and Silke worked just as hard as me most days. “I keep you around for a reason, Softy, I don’t want you getting scared off.”

“I am fine,” Silke rolled your eyes at me. “He’s just a flirter.” You walked on while I eyeballed the table closer.

If he was just flirting, I don’t think he’d make the hair on the back of my neck stand up the way it does. The fella sets off all my warning signs, and I know I am rarely wrong.

Later the evening I went across the tavern to speak to a friend, but as I was leaving I heard that rough orc guffawing to his friends.

“I figured with the reaping coming up, she would be eager for me to come and grab her. She’s always so happy to see me, I figure she’d love to see me in bed then too.” My guts churned and tightened as they laughed. This brute was not using the reaping for its traditional purpose, Silke deserved better than that. I quickly left the table, urging Silke to join me in the back.

“I’m busy, what’s up your butt now, Alban?” she huffed.

I looked her up and down, knowing full well this could start an argument between us that could last for days. “That patron I keep telling you to stop being nice to-”

“Oh my goddess, you need to stop! He doesn’t mean anything to me!” Silke huffed. “I’m just being politepoltie, stop acting jealous because I-”

“I’m not being jealous! What does that even mean? That’s not the point, Softy, I just heard him saying he’s going to take you during the reaping!”

Silke’s face went flat, then her brow pursed and she brought her hand to her mouth.

I cleared my throat and tried to be supportive. “I heard him say he’s going to take you just so he can get you into his bed. I don’t think you want that.”

Silke was looking away from me, her eyes focused off beyond the corner we were behind. She then looked ahead, staring at the wall as she began nibbling on her finger nails. I took her hand, pulling it away from her chewing teeth.

“I never thought anyone would wanna take me for the reaping.” Silke’s eyes flicked back up to me. “I’m just being nice to him, what makes him think I wanna-” She cringed and made a face.

“Can you hide at home during the reaping?” I asked her. “Just stay there and don’t move all day.”

“What about work?” Silke huffed.

Of course she would be worried about that. “Forget about work! I don’t want my best employee being mauled by some dick brained brute! Stay the fuck home, Softy or I’ll fire you.”

“No!” Silke blurted. “What if he finds me at home?”

My guts did that weird thing again where they were both hot and cold while flipping around. “How about I come and get you? I’ll pretend I’m reaping you. Stay here a few days, then we can just say it wasn’t a good match.”

Silke looked me up and down, and I had never felt so humiliated by a gaze. “Is faking a reap even legal?”

“That’s not the point! I’m trying to stop you from getting kidnapped and held hostage all your life. Do you want that, or do you want to play pretend?”

“Alright alright,” Silke huffed. She placed her hands around her mouth again. “I live near the market square. I’m in one of the lofts. You can come get me there.”