Orc Boyfriend: Moreno (special preview)

You don’t know the reasons why, all you know is that when you were a newborn you were abandoned. You were found crying in the bushes by a hunting dog who took you to his master. The hunter Andre was out with his son, Moreno, and the two of them took care of you until they could return home. They took you to Baia who had just lost her son suddenly. Baia says that though you came from a stranger, she knew right away that you were her’s and she was meant to be your mother. Though you were human and she was an orc, all that mattered was the love there.

Your father was a woodworker and furniture maker while your mother crafted fine ales and lagers. Both were highly respected in the community because of their crafts. You learned from both of them, but your father’s main pupil was Moreno, who had been part of rescuing you as a baby. While you learned from your father as well, it was more important to learn your mother’s craft. Her family had been crafting beers for generations, and each who learned eventually would create their own draft. Your mother’s was a dark ale known throughout the village of Rivaden as the Final Feast. She only made it for the winter festival, but it was so highly sought that she sold barrels of it instantly.

Moreno was often in the house, a source of contention for you. You saw him as a rival for your father’s affection. Since Baia and Rueben had no sons, Moreno was often doted upon by your parents while he was there. As you grew up you would admit that it was petty, but your rivalry with Moreno started from a very early age.

It was hard to admit that he was extremely gifted in the craft. Your father made beautiful pieces of furniture, but Moreno made art with a bit of wood. He was able to craft pieces that went on to be the homes of royals. The royal family in Charbagne had them build every piece of furniture for their child’s nursery and he was still just a young boy. You already didn’t like him, but the fact he was outshining your father made you even more leary of him.

Moreno didn’t do much to soothe the tension between the two of you either. He enjoyed teasing and scaring you at every possible moment. He knew you didn’t like frogs or slimy things, so he often carved frogs and left them around to scare you. He would tell you scary stories when you were able to be in the workshop with your father. He also wasn’t above calling you names or picking on your appearance.

“Look at those golden curls, it’s as if you’re asking to get eaten by bears!” Moreno loved to poke fun at your hair. There were old myths that bears, having once been human men who gave into their wild sides, had a predilection for blonde hair.

“Shut up!” You would fuss at him. “That’s isn’t true!”

“You never hear tale of orcs getting eaten by bears do you? None of us are blonde save for those in the Polar. You only hear stories of young girls getting eaten.” He continued to torment you until your father would scold him.

Even as young adults this continued, only you got better at countering Moreno. You verbally sparred until someone had to intervene, usually one of your sisters. They learned early to keep the two of you apart.

Then, one day, Moreno was hired by the Charbagne royal family to be their onhand craftsman. He was still young, barely eighteen. It was an extremely high honor. At first, Moreno was afraid to take it, but your father convinced him that he was ready and had been for some time. Moreno decided to go, and the night before his departure Rivaden threw a party in his honor.

Though celebrations were going on and you thought you would be relieved to have him gone, you were shocked to find that you were saddened. It should have been a relief, the two of you had been mortal enemies since you could walk. But there was a deep heavy sadness that settled onto your heart. But you couldn’t tell anyone this, who would believe you? During the party, you snuck away, going into the workshop where it was quiet. You thought you would be alone, but you found Moreno in there, sitting at his old spot.

“Why aren’t you at the party?” You asked him quietly.