Fighting My Orc

Mom refused to let Osiris or his family into her house. I stayed in the van while the interaction played out.

When everyone piled back into the van, no one spoke. Everyone quietly felt the resignation of my family disowning me. Osiris held tightly onto me the entire drive back to the Western sector. Placing kisses on my forehead and running his hands through my unbraided hair.

After falling asleep and waking up to the feeling of being carried, I reach up and feel Osiris's calm heartbeat, "Are we home?"

He nods and lays me down on our bed. We fall asleep contentedly in each other's arms until the next morning when a bout of nausea hits me.

I'm wiping away the sweat and tears from my face when Osiris wakes up and joins me no the bathroom floor, "So much for an easy human pregnancy."

I lean back into Osiris as he laughs, "Orcs never take anything easy."

"Hmm," I cough harshly and jump forward to spew vomit into the toilet bowl again.

The front door to the house opens and Osiris shouts for his family to come to the bathroom. I can hear the excited voices of Odera and Hunter.

I weakly slap his arm, "Don't bring them in here. I feel awful and I must look awful."

Osiris kisses me forehead, "Don't forget smell awful too."

He chuckles when I glare at him from over my shoulder. Odera comes into the bathroom first and hands me a water bottle, "Thought of a name yet?"

I shake my head, "Not with my head in the toilet."

Odera sits on the floor with Momma Gena, who is unpacking a bunch of vials full of healing liquids. I pick one up that has a bluish tint before she takes it away, "That is for numbing," she replaces the bottle with a yellow one, "this is for nausea."

Osiris removes it from my hands, "And it tastes like piss."

His mom smacks his head. Odera and I laugh at his disgruntled face.

I laugh at his disgruntled face before he hands it back to me. I'm more hesitant to try it but decide that the taste would be better than hurling any longer.

True to his word the healing liquid did taste like something organic.

After I've swallowed the putrid liquid I'm too busy chugging water to hear the door bell ring. When Hunter can be heard shouting from room's away, Osiris stands up to find out what is happening.

Momma Gena pats my leg, "It's probably nothing Olivia." I can tell she is focused on listening though, which almost makes me laugh.

I nod while my nausea subsides. Osiris comes back through the doorway a few minutes later and crouches down in front of me, "Osiris? What's going on?"

He pushes my hair behind my ear, "It's your dad. He wants to talk to you."

I stand up slowly, and lean against Osiris, "Let me see him."

Osiris helps me back to bed. Momma Gena stands beside the bed and begins brushing my hair, re-braiding it loosely for me.

Odera sits on top of the bed sheets with a pissed off expression and we wait for my dad. When he comes into the room he stands awkwardly at the door as two female orcs and his daughter glare at him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Awful," I laugh quietly. He steps forward and pats my feet.

"When your mom was pregnant with you, she would always comment on how much you moved around," he rubs the back of his neck, "Cinnamon bread really helped her."

I nod, "My baby won't be moving around until a few months from now."

"Right, right," dad sits on the edge of the bed.

"Dad?" I place my hands on my stomach, "Why did you come here?"

He sighs, "Your mother... has wanted you to follow in her footsteps since before you were born."

I scoff, "Yeah, that didn't really happen."

"And I am so proud of you Olivia. I want to meet my grandchild."

I nod, "Thank you Dad. I- I can text you updates every once in a while."

He nods, "That would be nice Olivia." He checks his wrist watch, "I need to get going if I want to get back before your mom notices."

He begins to walk out of the room, but I stop him, "Do you think she'll ever come around?"

He nods his head and smiles sadly, "She just needs time Olivia. A lot of it."

He leaves the bedroom and I can hear the front door close. Momma Gena pats my back and runs a cool towel on the back of my neck.

Osiris comes back into the bedroom with Hunter. Odera stands up from the bed, turning to look at me, "We're going to pick Cassandra up from her training group."

I gasp and jump up from the bed, which makes Osiris hover over me. "Cassandra is fighting in the arena today!"

Momma Gena and Osiris try to push me back onto the bed, "You need to rest."

"I can rest at the arena! Please let me go," I put my hands together and pout at Osiris.

Osiris crosses his arms, "No. You need to rest for the baby."

"Carry me?"

Osiris looks at me with a tired expression before looking above my head to his mother. I turn around and give her a pouty face.

She shakes her head and points at the bed, "We will celebrate Cassandra's win later tonight."

I groan and sit back in bed. Osiris looks at my braid and decides to re-braid it, which makes him mom laugh.

Once everyone leaves Osiris jumps into bed with me. I give him a mock glare, "Shouldn't you be training too?"

"Not until you feel better," he tucks me into his side and lets me take a nap in his arms.