Chapter Nine: Kestian

Kestian could not keep their mind from wandering back to Cotton and her final whispered word as they walked back through the city to the orange tree lined streets of the pleasure district. She hadn't said it in the hearing of anyone else. But she had called them lover. In thinking about it Kestian was not surprised by the way Cotton had acted. She was shy about intimacy. Kestian could not fault her for this. They knew their religion made their upbringing different than most other people's. Shame and shyness weren't things they ever remembered feeling about their body. Confidence and knowledge were things that they had gained through experience, and there were few outside of her religion that had the same opportunities for those things as they had.

Cotton had had some experiences, that much was clear, and she certainly knew what she liked from herself. However, Kestian gathered that Cotton's experiences on the whole had not been as positive as their own. Cotton knew how to say no and had, that more than anything else gave Kestian hope that they could make something beautiful together moving forward. She had called them lover. And lovers they would be.

"Kestian is that you?" A light voice called from behind them.

Kestian turned around to see a halfling woman walking with an orc.

"Thephanie, Garek!" Kestian called out and walked back towards Egeria’s parents.

"Kestian," Garek said and lifted them in a hug.

"Egeria didn't say you would be in town." Kestian said as he put them down.

"No we're surprising her" Thephanie said. "But you look like you've had a lovely day in the sun. Where are you coming from?"

"I have had a lovely day in the sun," Kestian said, "I went on a hike and a picnic with a new friend, a new lover actually."

"How wonderful," Thephanie said. "But I think we're all going to the same place so there's no need for us to be stopped here in the street." Thephanie walked about five steps before her husband picked her up with one hand and placed her on his shoulder.

"I am capable of walking Garek" Thephanie said.

"Yes dear but slowly" he responded.

At nearly eight feet tall Garek was over twice the size of his wife. Kestian agreed that if the halfling were to be setting the pace it would take them much longer to reach the Gilded Vine. The size difference between Egeria’s parents was extreme but they were by no means unique as a couple. Half orcs were entirely too common for that to be true.

The orcs as they had been since the singing of their creation were an exclusively male born race. This meant that to have children and continue their family lines they needed woman of other races to agree to bare and hopefully mother their offspring. Thus, in order to find these wives and mothers the gods who had created and had domain over the orcs decreed that every orc must prove himself worthy by a great act. Any woman who would accept his great act he would treasure and respect as the mother of his children for as long as she would have him.

There were many orcs that showed their martial prowess in their great acts. They slayed great beasts, fought bands of bandits, or toppled war lords. Others showed their strength doing the work of what might take five men a week in as little as a day. Others still composed great works of history, music, or poetry. Still more toiled in a skill for years to create a masterwork they believed would be worthy of the mother of their children.

Garek had come to Thephanie's village, bought a nice plot in the town with enough room for a house and a garden, purchased several wagonfuls of supplies and tools, and then, after a night's rest, set about single handedly building a house. When the sun set on his second day in town Thephanie walked from her mother's house to the one he had built and told him he needed a garden, and some chickens for the yard, and curtains for the windows as well. She walked inside her new home, and he followed after. Egeria, with help from clerics of Valaethira, arrived within a year’s time. For the aid of Valaethira’s clerics in the pregnancy from conception to delivery Garek and Thephanie named their baby girl after her prophet and first priestess, Egeria. She, in her own time, joined the worship of the goddess herself.

They arrived at the Gilded Vine and Kestian led the way in through the back door. They spied Egeria on the upper landing talking to someone with her back to them.

"Egeria!" They called up, "surprise for you!"

"What kind of surprise?—mom, dad!" Egeria came rushing down the stairs. "You didn't tell me you were coming." She said as she picked her mother up in a hug.

"That is because you are so fun to surprise my little princess." Garek said picking up both his daughter and wife in an embrace.

Egeria laughed "but put me down. I have work starting soon, I won't be able to take you anywhere tonight."

"It’s all right big girl we just wanted to drop by to say hello as soon as we got in" Thephanie said.

"Is that my favorite couple I hear?" Fernando said coming out of his office. Fernando, the owner and proprietor of the Gilded vine was a man of southern heritage he wore his hair cropped short and his facial hair neatly trimmed and though he was know for his rules and strict scheduling had an ever inviting air about him.

"De Sandoval" Garek said taking his hand and shaking it.

"Garek, Thephanie." Fernando said.

"And how has our girl been?" Thephanie asked.

"Exemplary in every way. But I am afraid we will be opening soon so she has preparations to make."

"Well it’s no trouble we can come back tomorrow. We'll just go get dinner; you have a good evening everyone."

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"What dinner? At this hour?" Fernando asked "the best places will still be serving lunch. No, I won't hear of it. Come to my office we can have a drink and catch up."

"I suppose, if you're offering." Thephanie said. "Well see you tomorrow dearest" Egeria bent so her mother could kiss her cheek, "and you have a good night as well Kestian."

"Good evening Thephanie, Garek" Kestian said.

"I’ll see you two tomorrow." Egeria said.

Egeria's parents disappeared down the hallway and into Fernando's office.

"It’s so nice to have them visit I really should go see them more." Egeria said. She turned to Kestian "but you! You had a date with your circus girl. I need to know absolutely everything."

"I need to get dressed for work."

"These are not mutually exclusive activities." Egeria said "besides I actually have something for you for the latter."

"What?"

"Come on we’re wasting time." Egeria said and took Kestian's hand and headed up the stairs and into their room. Kestian did not need privacy to change, least of all from her friend and lover. They began undressing.

"So, what were you saying about having something for me for getting dressed for work?” as they laced their pants at their waist over their stays.

"One moment." Egeria said and disappeared into the hallway closing the door behind her. She was back quickly with a small wooden crate.

"Your smith friend came by with this for you."

"David brought something for me?" Kestian asked taking the crate.

"Didn't he come by to see you the other night?" Egeria asked.

"He did." Kestian answered. They set the box down on their desk and used their dagger to pry up the nails and open it. Inside nestled in straw was a shining pair of bracers.

"It’s armor" Egeria said

"It’s art." Kestian replied. They took one out and admired it.

"He saw where that asshole cut you when he was here the other day didn’t he?"

Kestian looked down to the now nearly invisible scar on their arm.

"Yes," they answered.

"And he made you armor so you wouldn't get hurt again? Alright initial judgment reversed. I like David." Egeria said in a dreamy voice.

"I like David too." Kestian said with a smile.

“And what about circus girl, do you like her?” Egeria asked.

“Her name is Cotton, and yes I do.” Kestian said as they buckled the bracers onto their fore arms. “I like her quite a lot.”

"The same way you like David?"

"No" Kestian said.

"More or less?" Egeria asked.

"Oh come on Ria you know it’s not like that."

"Do you love either of them?"

"First, it’s too early to tell. Second, there are lots of kinds of love."

"So what are the loves you have for each of them?" Egeria asked.

"You'd never be jealous Egeria?" Kestian replied.

"No, just protective of a friend who loves too easily."

"There is no such thing as loving too easily." Kestian said.

Egeria rolled her eyes in apparent disagreement. "Well then even if it is too early, what are the loves you have for them?"

"David is fun. We have similar interests. There's nothing quite romantic I think there, or at least I did not think before these. I love the way he talked to me about the armor I was wearing already assuming I knew about it. I loved his immediate acceptance. His eagerness. I love that he can pick me up."

"Strong lad," Egeria smiled. "Only a few can do that"

"You just said you liked him. Be nice." Kestian said.

"I am being nice, can you not tell the difference between sarcastic mocking and genuine admiration in my voice?" Egeria asked.

"No." Kestian said.

Egeria laughed out loud "well I was being genuine I promise. I am lucky enough that the list of people who can't lift me is probably about as short as the people that can lift you. I don’t mind though, most on that list of mine are gnomes and they excel in other ways."

"Oh?"

"It’s true what they say, they are dedicated, tenacious, and good with their hands...and tongues."

"Did you learn from one of them?" Kestian asked.

"Benefit of growing up near the Greatwood. But you are avoiding finishing the answer to my question."

"Am I?" Kestian asked.

"Cotton." Egeria said. "What is the love you have for her? And what did you learn about your love and its object today?"

Kestian took a breath and considered. "She’s shy."

"I thought she was a bard." Egeria said.

"I mean she doesn't seem shy when she performs but when it’s just the two of us there is this little quietness to her."

"And how do you feel about that quietness?"

"I want to know more about it. On the one hand she exudes confidence and control. Her circus is tightly run. Everything is planned and in its place. But then when we're away from it there is this side to her that is sweet and small, and that I just want so desperately to hold and protect.” Kestian paused before they continued unsure if they should say the next part. “She is shy about worshiping, but really just about receiving."

"So in giving she is..."

"Quite soft and gentle." Kestian said "today was our first time. She would not let me reciprocate for her, but she let me watch her. And she called me lover."

Egeria smiled "you’re not typically the kind to take it so slow."

Kestian thought back to that first night with David and smiled. They indeed were typically not the kind to take it slow. "Some things are worth working towards. I don’t want to scare her off."

"Because there is something romantic there?"

"I think so?" Kestian smiled shyly.

"You’re actually blushing." Egeria remarked.

"I know, and it’s ridiculous but, she taught me to swim."

"You can't swim?" Egeria asked incredulously.

"I grew up in a city. The opportunity did not present itself."

"And she taught you to swim in an afternoon?"

"She taught me to float. I wanted to save something to learn later."

"You’ve got it bad." Egeria said

"There’s nothing bad about it." Kestian replied.

"Indeed there's not." Egeria said. "Well I still have a few things I need to do before the evening starts. I'll let you have a moment for yourself as well."

"Thank you Egeria," Kestian said, "for caring"

"Of course I care Kestian, I love you."

"I love you too Ria." Kestian said. They stepped close and kissed her. "We can talk more later?" They asked.

"Yes, yes we can." Egeria said and left the room closing the door behind her.