Married life wasn't necessarily easy, as Erinne and Cold Hammer both came to learn, but the sex was great, and she knew she loved him more than anything, even when he was an ass. On the other hand, she was fully capable of being an ass herself. Especially now. The bigger their child grew inside her, the thinner her patience seemed to run, but she found she was just as likely to throw something at Cold Hammer's head as she was to fall apart in his lap crying over useless things like an out of place chair.
They started taking rides together, enjoying the pleasure of the other's company each day in the wilderness before they went into the clan to join hunts or help tend the children or elders. She found that the rides comforted her and brought her a measure of peace to start the day. They spent a lot of time at home, too, cleaning up, repairing it, preparing for the baby.
Cold Hammer spoke often of building rooms onto the small cabin, so their son could have a room and they could make love without waking the baby. She kept telling him to do it but he'd yet to put in the work for it. The Killerfrost Clan accepted her openly and the longer she was there, the more friends she made amongst the clan, not to mention every single dire wolf in their village now adored her. Every orc that passed through agreed it was the strangest thing they'd ever witnessed. Never had dire wolves been so domestic with any individual except their master whom they bonded with at a young age.
Every time they rode into the village now, she noticed the way they flocked around her, greeting her before returning to their masters, though some lingered, keeping an eye on the small bump of her belly. Today, Ghaug's wolf couldn't seem to stop jamming his nose right against her stomach, almost painfully so. He'd done it three times in her short walk towards Lohke's home.
They were halfway there when Ghaug did it again and she swatted at him reactively and Bukoo let loose a piercing snarl and drove the other wolf away from her. "I wish he would quit doing that." She rubbed her stomach.
"Bukoo has it handled." Cold Hammer watched the black wolf saunter back, hair up on his back in a thick ridge. He stayed like that until they reached Lohke's home and disappeared inside where he was waiting, hovering over a small table with some parchment in his hand. He looked up at them and then paused, eyeing her for a moment.
"You need new clothes, Sheobulf." He chuckled. "Your son grows strong."
She set her hand over the small bump, making no attempt to tug the hem of her shirt back down. Lohke was right, her son was outgrowing the clothes she had. "Every day." She said proudly. "You summoned us?"
He nodded and held up the parchment in his hand. "King Wren writes to us. The treaty is holding, a small town has shown interest in trading with the orcs. When the treaty was signed, Wren and I discussed with you the prospect of using you to keep the peace and creating bonds. You've been home a month now, the king thinks it's time we begin our work and I do, too, if you're up for it?"
Cold Hammer snorted before she could answer, "She's with child, she's not traveling to some piss town in human territory to broker peace. Again."
"It's not to broker peace, it's to continue it, ensure it. Sheobulf," he plead with her, "you said you'd like to help."
"I would," she agreed and Cold Hammer made a growling noise this time.
"It could be dangerous there."
Lohke scoffed, "The treaty has stood for nearly two months without issue. My orcs respect my wishes, they respect the treaty. Wren's men do as well."
"I think it'll be good." Erinne nodded. As Lohke said, she'd wanted to do this. She'd had time to rest her mind, to learn to live again. "It'll be good to see Wren."
"If you're going, I'm going with you." Cold Hammer muttered. She gave him a droll look that suggested she wouldn't have it any other way.
"We'll pack our things and prepare for the journey."
. . . .
Erinne shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. Riding every morning with Cold Hammer hadn't been so bad, but riding all day? She ached everywhere. Her body didn't like this, not anymore. She couldn't even put a name on the relief she felt as the town they were traveling to came into sight after weeks of travel.
She wanted to cry.
Pregnant and travel did not suit her.
"Carenhal." She sighed, "Finally."
Cold Hammer looked over at her as they stopped on the edge of the town. "I told you we should've stayed home."
"You're Lohke's second, his enforcer, this is part of your job."
He curled his lip at the suggestion and climbed off of Bukoo's back before he grabbed her by the hips and lifted. He lowered her to the ground smoothly and she closed her eyes for a long moment as her hips cried out in pain. "I'm never doing this again." She whimpered.
"We still have to return home."
"Cold Hammer, buy me a carriage."
He frowned, "What's a carriage?"
Kitchka, who'd come with them as well as several other orcs, said, "That's the closed wagons the human's horses pull."
"That's right."
"I'll buy you a wagon." He conceded and started forward just as the door to a large tavern opened and a small procession exited.
"King Wren! Khash!" She smiled brightly, nearly forgetting her aching body as she started forward. The guards around Wren parted and he welcomed her with open arms and she hugged him before she switched to Khash. "I've missed you, my friends."
"We have missed you as well." Khash told her and held up something. "A tonic for you."
"What is it?"
"I imagine a journey as long as yours is uncomfortable for a lady in your condition. This should soothe any aches."
"Ancestors bless you," she kissed his cheek and accepted it. "What made you so wise?"
Wren laughed, "As magical advisor to the king, many of the palace inhabitants seek out his advice for their ailments."
Khash shrugged, "I am good at what I do."
She admired his humblness and motioned Cold Hammer closer and waved at the others, "Is the village ready to begin trade with the orcs? We stopped at the neighboring village on the way here. Many of their orcs that are interested in trade came here with us. They're eager."
"That's good." Wren couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her. "We're prepared to help oversee the trade over the course of the next week or so."
"I am prepared to translate." She beamed, surprised at how eager she was to do so. It made her feel useful and important and she was excited to bring even more great changes to their world, just as she and Lohke and Wren had always planned.