Fighting My Orc

“Come on Olivia, we have to get up,” Osiris slowly drags the sheets off of my body. Leaving me exposed to the cold air of the room.

A sense of content drifts over me and I roll onto my back, keeping my eyes closed. Osiris is skims his hands over my stomach before wrapping his arms around me and hoisting me out of bed. I grumble and stand when he gently places my feet on the cold floor.

He tosses me clothes and I recognize the work out material already. I shrug everything on in seconds and fall back onto the bed. I'm sore in every place imaginable, the last thing I want to do is get my ass beat by Osiris in the fighting ring.

But Osiris isn't having it, and quickly picks me up and drags me into the kitchen. He gives me a cup of water and a kiss on the head, "Come on Little Warrior you can sleep on the drive there."

I pretend to gag and lift my arms up and over his shoulders. Hearing him sigh before he picks me up easily.

The drive to the fighting ring is way too short for my liking, and I have to shake the sleep from my eyes when I hear the familiar sounds of cheering from the stadium.

Osiris grabs my hand, giving it a tight squeeze before mumbling, "That's weird."

"What?" I keep pace with Osiris as he practically jogs to the stadium to see who's fighting. We both peer downwards and notice familiar orcs but no one new.

It's when I turn to look at the audience that I shake Osiris's bicep, "The Fae are here."

Osiris turns around and spots the Fae Royalty in seconds. He squeezes my hand again and leads us to the tunnel that connects to the fighting ring.

When he has the chance he flags down the announcer, "Davie. Why are there so many Fae here?"

I almost laugh at the announcer's name, but am more stunned when he pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket, "They tried to bribe us with money at first," he stops talking to shake his head, "Then they pull up with an official Fae document that some prince of royalty wrote up. We can't refuse them from visiting our sector or else they will refuse orcs from visiting their sector."

I huff out a breath at the same time Osiris does. We give each other knowing glances and nod in acceptance to the announcer. Cassandra has been begging us to take her to the Fae sector again, and there is no way we are going to be the reason she can't go again.

Osiris and I wait in the hall when the announcer begins talking about the fated love story of a human and an orc. Osiris and I work hard to suppress our laughter. It's clear that the announcer is trying so hard to appeal to the Fae guests.

When Osiris and I are finally able to walk out into the ring, it's with joined hands. We separate when the announcer tells us to prep. I bare my sharp teeth at Osiris and hear the resulting cheers from the crowd.

I'm prepared for Osiris when he darts forward at the start. I block each of his blows and start to take an offensive stance as soon as I can. With Osiris's emotions on display for me, I can sense his pride when I land a hit and move out of the way.

He catches on quickly though and tries to take both my feet out from under me like he did on our first fight. I laugh as I jump over his leg and grab his arms from behind. I pin him for a second before he flips us over and smiles at me from above. I try to wriggle out from under him in the sand but can't.

The announcer helps us both up and doesn't declare a winner. Instead he declares us as mates.

I grin up to Osiris and gently pick some sand out of his hair. He does the same for me and walks with me out of the ring.

Once we are out of eyesight he scoops me into his arms and lets me cling to him. I can hear his family about to enter the hall before I see them and hastily jump down to my own feet. Osiris gives me a questioning look, but turns his attention to his family when they finally enter the hall.

They congratulate us and mimic the words of the announcer as we exit the fighting hall. Cassandra shakes my arm and points toward the Fae that are standing at the viewing benches, "Look! I heard that the Fae royalty from the northern sector is visiting!"

I laugh when her outburst causes the Fae to look over at our group. She holds her head up high when the Fae begin to walk over to our group.

I stare at one man in particular. He looks awfully familiar. He looks to me and winks which causes Osiris to growl and grip my hand firmly.

The Fae man speaks to both Osiris and me but keeps his eyes on me, "That was an entertaining fight I can see why Orcs make such a past-time out of it."

At the sound of his voice I point at him, "I remember you. I bumped into you in the Fae sector."

My emotions go hay-wire for a moment and a surge of jealousy rips through me. It takes me a moment to realize Osiris is causing these emotions.

The emotions strengthen when the Far man takes my pointed finger and unravels my hand until he can shake it, "Did you like my gift?"

There is mirth in his eyes when I answer, "What gift?" I remove my hand from his and find a purple wrapped confection in my palm. I glare in realization, "You gave me that truth serum!"

I drop the confection to the ground. The Fae man raises one eyebrow, "It only causes a truth effect if you are truly in love." He looks pointedly at Osiris, who's hand has yet to stop squeezing mine, "Let's hope she was talking about you."

A feeling of doubt comes into our mental connection and I know it has nothing to do with my own emotions.

I clench my free fist in anger, "I was. Not that you should have given me something like that in the first place."

I look to Osiris, pleading with him silently to not believe this liar. He doesn't remove his gaze from the Fae man though.

At Osiris's angry expression, the Fae man pulls folds his arms behind his back, "I am a Fae of honor. If you'd like to know the truth you should both take one."

He moves his hands back in front of him and places two wrapped confections in front of us. Osiris takes one immediately and takes a bite. The Fae sighs, "My apologies. This one is a little different," he turns to me with a look of mischief, "both of you will have to eat it to know the truth."

I roll my eyes and take the confection, "This is bullshit."

I take a bite and look to Osiris in annoyance. He should've just believed me, and not been so jealous.

I wait for the confection to settle and begin to pick at the wrapper. Osiris's family stands dutifully behind us, waiting for trouble to stir. After a few moment I notice the blue shade on the wrapper, "Wait," my own fear washes through my emotions and Osiris looks down at me with that same fear reflected through him, "this isn't the same confection."

When I look back up to the Fae man he is smirking, "You realized too soon. The sedative hasn't kicked in for the big guy yet."

He pats Osiris on the shoulder and by the time I look at Osiris he is falling to the ground. Our fingers are still interlocked when my other hand is grabbed by the Fae man.

The memory of Osiris staring, wide-eyed at me from the floor is the last thing I notice before I am knocked out by the sedative.