Herrtikuk - Mouse/ Graham.

[illy]

Only a short few hours into the night and Mouse was harshly woken by a kick against her leg. A maid yawned as she took her apron off next to the table was under. "You have slept for far too long again Mouse. Go help in the kitchen. The cook needs stuff from the pantry and you are supposed to help. REMEMBER?" Mouse cringed at the tone of the words. The kick hardly seemed to bother her, at least she did not show it. She knew very well that if she'd react to it with a cry in pain or by pulling her leg back she'd get another kick. But the words, those hurt her the most.
Mouse scrambled upon her feet as soon as she could and made way to the kitchen. It was still dark outside and quiet inside the Mansion but the morning cook already started with the baking of bread and prepairing dishes for breakfast. The working girls who had no guests over for the night did not eat until the end of the morning and that was still hours away. Some of the guests though got up early and needed a good breakfast. Especially Graham, he looked like he could eat out the entire pantry if he'd wanted to. For Mouse this was the one moment on the day where she could get herself something decent to eat. Not in amounts, but the spilled bits and pieces were better than the small bowl of water made porrigde she had for food every single day.
Her eyes scanned the kitchen constantly for food she could pick up. The cook was a little sloppy today and she could quickly snatch away some applepeels before they even dropped upon the floor. She hid them behind her back and quickly ate them when she thought the coast was clear.

Mouse helped the cook by collecting ingredients from the pantry, and cleaning out the heavy copper pots and pans he used. She wasn't allowed to touch the cooked food, the cook handed out the filled platters to the maids whom left the kitchen straight away to serve the food to the guests. The halfelf girl imagined how the food would taste. A smack to her head woke her from her daydream. "Stop sleeping on the job, you moron!" the cook yelled at her. He muttered some more while he collected the peels, leftovers and crumbs into a bucket, "dumb halfwit of a halfbreed.." and he emptied the bucket outside in the pigs pen with a hungry Mouse watching him.

[darkpigeon]

Graham wanted to do some trading today before the sun was high in the sky. The rest of the day he wanted to spend in his personal piece of heaven, the book store. The girls that were to keep him company giggled as they helped him in his clothes, and their laughter would only grow when Graham swatted their hands away when they got a bit to handsy for his liking. They kept trying to have him do more than just his regular eating, sleeping, talking, and reading but were met by his true Orcish stubbornness. "Come on Mista Graham!!" the girls said simultaneously as they did there best to pull his pants of him as he tried hard to get it on. "No no, Graham not do that" The orc said as he rolled his eyes and hopped away on one leg. The girls laughed and gave him a gentle push and made him drop on his bed. He knew by then he was in the danger zone! He quickly tried to get on his feet but was to late. One of the girls was sitting on his belly and opened her top. The others who were feeling rather jealous of their quick colleague giggled and came to sit down next to the tall orc. Graham gave up for a second and muttered angrily to himself that he had let these human females win from him so easily. As the girl removed her top Graham was seeing something he did not want to see on a human... ever.... really never!

She truly was a beauty, a dark skinned female with long black hair that reached far down her back. As he looked at her breasts he quickly picked her up and simply placed her next to the bed. She blinked rapidly while the other girls laughed at her while Graham quickly pulled his pants up and made sure he was as far from the bed as he could. The girl pouted, and angrily pulled her top back on as she watched the other girls tending to Graham. This was how it always went and he would never tell anyone how much he secretly liked all the attention while simultaneously hating how the girls kept touching him where he did not want any human to come near.

As he left the room and walked down the hallway all the girls followed him. He greeted some of the other costumers while some of them nearly got an heart attack as the friendly tall orc walked passed them. He liked that, it gave him a sense of power in a place were he was out numbered. If the humans were to try anything against him he truly had a problem. But they never did, and as the years went by they became quite used to the orc and even a few would consider him a friend. The only thing he needed besides the bag that he carried on his person at the moment was his cloak. "You want your cloak sir?" One of the girls asked as they saw him standing still and seemingly lost. "Graham very much like his cloak. Keep bad weather of" He said gently, hoping that his cloak would be dry and not as cold as a wet cloak would be. The girls immediately started running towards the small room were the cloak was left to dry to find that it was still very much wet.

[illy]

The girls shouted out at their finding. "Mouse! Get here!"
The flimsy half-elf opened the door from the scullery and hesitantly stepped into the cloakroom. Her eyes pinned down staring towards the floor. "Yes?"

The dark skinned girl Samira stepped up to Mouse quickly and lifted her hand to smack her in the face. Mouse quickly reacted by ducking out of the way of the hand, it smacking the door instead. The girl cried out in pain, grabbing her hand as tears start to run down her face. The only thing Mouse could think of was "This is not good..." and she was right there. Samira glared at Mouse angrily screaming out that she'd hurt her and the other girls moved in to get their revenge on the poor Mouse.
Soon she was down on the ground, receiving kicks and hits silently. Samira smirked, she was still disappointed that Graham didn't want her attention.

[darkpigeon]

Graham did not like the sudden scream that he had heard from the cloakroom. He could hear one of the girls cry out in pain he walked towards it. He was not to intervene too much but he wanted his cloak and it already was taking way to long. As he entered he watched the girls kicking and beating the poor little red headed one that laid on the ground. He felt the hairs in his neck rise up and he angrily let out a deep dark growl. The girls stopped and as the looked up at the somewhat angry looking orc they felt their legs wobble and turn into instant jelly. Graham was large, so very very large.. and those muscles. Graham was angry alright, if anyone was down you only had two options; kill because you have too, or take your victory like a true orc and stop your attack. There was no honor nor strength in beating a opponent and these girls had ganged up against the pitiful,little, weak half elf girl. It was something that just did not sit well with him.

The girls whimpered as the most important guest at that moment was displeased because of them. They all knew that they had been wrong, even if it was 'just' Mouse who was the lowest of the lowest inside these city walls. A half elf like her truly was a abomination and for that she was treated like one. Simara pointed at Mouse on the ground and was near tears as she said "She has hurt me, look at my hand" and walked over towards him to show that it was slightly redder than the other. Graham raised his eyebrow and shook his head, humans truly were such dramatic weak creatures that he still could not understand why they had the upperhand in this world at the moment. He simply ignored the girl and walked over to Mouse and with a single hand he lifted her on her feet and turned around to see that his cloak was still wet. "Graham goes outside without cloak, was very wet cloak.. takes days to dry if Graham is unlucky" he said and let out a long sigh. "Girls go work now, Graham is going to leave" he said with a gentle smile and watched a few dash out the room as fast as they could. They did not want to be near the orc now he was having a temper.

Simara staid, she hoped that after the orc left she could get her hands on Mouse a second time. Her trusty side-kicks Olive and Ginger stayed with her like they always did. Because of all the screaming and Graham being there Vincent came walking into the small room and raised his eyebrows to see the small collection of people standing there. He smiled gently, he was not to talk to his girls with his best client there and patted Graham firmly on his shoulder. "Going out I see" He said and gave Mouse an angry glare. She was not supposed to be seen by guests and that she knew! Graham nodded and pointed out is wet cloak "Graham is hoping that weather is good today" he said happily "But Graham is strong, little bit of wind and cold not bother big orc" Vincent laughed and patted him firmly again. "We will be having that dry and all brushed up before you leave for home my big old friend" Graham smiled happily, that was something he was happy about to hear. "Graham would like to bring girl into city, she tell him were good food is. Or lift tiny things that Graham does not carry himself" Samira and the other girls smiled as they heard this and happily stepped forwards towards Graham. Vincent smiled from ear to ear hearing this, Graham was taking a liking to one of his girls and he was pretty damn sure it was Samira.

Graham turned around and looked at the tiny scared girl standing next to him. "Graham like to bring this one, she not cry when getting little bit of pain like dark girl does" he said with a rather snide tone "Maybe we eat good food, go read books, go look for new clothing for Graham.." he said as his smile grew. The girls truly were offended by the idea alone while Vincent just smiled and was feeling very confused. "Well.. of course!" he said and gestured to the small woman to follow the orc. Graham turned around and gently placed his large hand on Mouse her shoulders and started leading her outside. While behind them the girls were angry as hell, and Vincent did not understand what was going on.

[illy]

Mouse shivered as she felt the warm big hand on her shoulder. It felt strange to her, a gentle touch. It has been years since she felt her mothers hands, her mum died years before the young master was born.
She had nodded as Youngmaster Vincent motioned for her to go along with Master Graham and she walked out the door of the cloackroom, through the main hall and she opened the frontdoor, stepping outside onto the street with Graham walking behind her leading her in that direction. Her heart throbbed in the back of her throat and she kept herself haunched over slightly making herself appear small as usual. Once outside her eyes darted left and right, noticing the smallest details. She heard an early songbird singing his first spring song, while the wind seemed slightly warmer than the day before. It could just have been the lack of rainshowers of course.

She was unsure of where to go to next. She heard the door close behind her and she dared to look up and noticed Master Graham letting go of the doorknob. He must have closed it while she was peering around. He turned and looked her way, looking her in the eyes while his hand was still on her shoulder. She swallowed with some difficulty and she quickly clasped her hands onto eachother for she did not want to show him that she was shaking because she was terrified.
"Where to, Master Graham?" She asked him with an unsteady voice. Her eyes had a little green glow retuning into them as she returned to look at the big orc. Did she even try to look away? No she didn't... "Why not??? Ow deary me, I should look away..." Her head went into overdrive as thoughts passed by faster than a speeding boar on the run for a pack of wolves. Yet she did not look away.
The big orc looked at her differently than all the others did. Perhaps even kind. She blinked, her breath and heartbeat picking up some speed as it seemed to take minutes as she stood there, feeling the weight of his hand on her shoulder.

[darkpigeon]

Graham was happy to be outside, it meant that he could start his trading for the day. He had been hoping to find some books to bring home. But first things first, and that was trading his own made weapons, and mountain beer skins for coin. Ever since Graham was able to trade with the humans in the city they had stopped raiding it and started fair trading instead. It was far easier and less time consuming. The orcs found that the Humans needed to get their heads out of their asses and stop being so darn scared of the tall barbaric looking orcs. They truly were not a aggressive race, nor were they cruel. But their survival instinct drove them to raid and plunder human settlements to keep the fast growing human race far away from the orcish settlements.

He looked at the downright terrified girl and wondered why he was helping this little weak looking thing. Humans truly were making him to soft. "We go to weaponsmith, he and Graham trade strong orcish blade and big bear skins for silly human coin or ores of metals orc can not get from big mountain" he said as he gestured her to walk next to her and follow him into town. "Trading very good for orc, first we raid villages.. very time consuming and sometimes we loose good friends or strong fighters. Now we trade like human and dwarf do and we get good trades. Orcs benevite of friendship Graham has with people of Herrtikuk. Maybe we eat good meal to, hope you like chicken.. Graham really likes chicken himself. You very scrawny and tin, must eat at least whole chicken today" He said with a smile as he had figured that the girl hardly got something good go eat.

[illy]

"Chicken?" She looked at him wide eyed. "You will give me chicken, for real?" Mouse hurried her step to get next to him as he seemed to want that. It took her a little while to get used to his pace. Not that he walked particularly fast, he seemed rather relaxed, but his legs were a lot longer than hers and she was used to take small steps so she would not walk faster than the humans amongst which she lived.
She looked up to his face, for some reason she felt safe enough around him to do so. "Why did you ask me along? No one ever took me outside. I'm just the slave, not one of the working girls." She blinked as a realisation started to sink in. "Ow.. do you want me to... uhm... Like the others, you know?" Her heartbeat flew through the roof at that moment, what if he said yes? She was not in the position to refuse, but she really did not want to end up in bed with him. She'd listened in on stories from the others and she did not want that. At all!
"Chicken. Think of food, happy thoughts. You are a slave, no one wants a half elf slave in their beds. It's a miracle you are still alive. Just be... darn..."

Mouse diverted her look from him. She could hit herself for even asking him that. What if she'd gave him an idea by bringing it up. It was weird enough that he was nice to her and took her out. He even seems to be planning to buy her food. Real food! Not scraps stolen from the kitchen or the tasteless watery leftover porridge she normally calls a meal. She stared at the ground shortly, but her curiousity took over and soon enough she started to look around again.
The town was new to her. She seldom came outside, mostly restricted visits to the mansions courtyard and for work purposes. The people her eyes met on the way stared her down. A few kids started to follow the odd couple of Mouse and Graham at a little distance while they made their way over to the smitthy.

[darkpigeon]

Graham softly chuckled at the surprised behavior of the half elf girl. What did she expect? Him to bring her back first? or to eat alone? He was not that cruel, and rather curious as who this girl was. Now that he thought about it he had seen her before. Though those memories were vague at best. She seemed happy, nearly running as she finally figured out to walk next to him, not somewhere behind. "You not like go outside? ... Graham likes company but working girls very in his face. Graham does not like that." He explained her, though he said nothing about why he had made the choice to bring her along. As she asked if he wanted to 'have' her he laughed. He simply could not help himself as he looked down and saw that smile of her face disappear and make place for fear and nerves. "No no!! Graham now want that with girl.. or any human girl. Only orc, Graham old-fashion that way" he said with a small wink and patted her gently on her shoulder. "You very funny girl, and yes.. we go have chicken and cheeses and bread. Graham like cooking of 'the wild boar' tavern. They like have Graham around, they now can say 'even the orcs like our cooking'. Graham wonders how that is good advertisement. Many human not like orc.. or think we eat very dirty" He let out a small sigh.

He was used to be looked at and did not even notice the many stares he got. He was an orc, in Hertikkuk coming to trade. Even after all those years it still amazed most people. Some would come up, ask him to trade or even be a gladiator in some of those bigger city's. He saw it as the most honorless kind of bullshit and would growl at the mentioning of these arenas. He looked down at her again "Graham not care you slave. Orc do not have slaves, we frown upon that kind of thing is sign of weakness and bad leadership." He shrugged and took a sharp left turn towards the trading center of the town. "What is name of little girl, Graham like to call name.. not say little girl all the time" He said with a smile

[illy]

She glanced over her shoulder, finding out the crowd of children following them was growing steadily. One of the kids threw a rock into her direction. With almost lightning fast reflexes Mouse kneeled, having the rock soar barely an inch over her shoulder. She got back up and continued to walk as if nothing had happened.
"I really love to go outside, but I am not allowed to. Just in the courtyard, out of sight of guests and townsfolk really. And only when I need to do so for working. I love to smell the different scents, hear the sounds of the birds and see the sky without having to peer through a window. The Masters rather keep me hidden, this is the first time I was ever allowed to go this far from the house. They really like you a lot, sir."
Mouse curiously peered into the street after they took the turn. An array of shops and street vendors appeared before them.

"My name is Mouse," she replied. She grinned faintly, his calm attitude and straightforwardness had a relaxing effect on her. "And appreciated for not calling me little girl. I'm smaller than you are so the little is in place, but I'm most likely older than you."

[darkpigeon]

As the second stone flew towards Mouse Graham caught it and turned into dust in his hands. As he let the wind blow the dust out of his hands the children stood quietly and quickly scattered away to tell their friend and family about what they had seen! Grahams expression never changed as he had destroyed that little stone into nothing as if it caused him no strength at all. He listened to Mouse chat away about how she was not allowed outside all that much. He found that strange, he thought Vincent to be a better man than that. It disappointed him, especially because he knew that there was so little he could do about it. This was how humans lived after all... such idiots. "Graham like's coming to your masters house, always good chicken and company from man you call master." he said with a small smile.

He laughed at her cheekyness. For a slave she easily came around, he patted her rather firmly on her back and nearly send her tipping over. "Most races older than orc! orc not get very old, we do not want to grow old, we find battle and die the proper orc way" he said as he kept chuckling. "Nice meeting you Mouse, Graham show you around town today okay? Away from those dumb girls and walk under the.. " he looked up, and slightly pouted as he saw no sun. "... well, it is behind clouds.. so we still walk in sun" he said with a positive attitude as they came towards the large trading center in the heart of Herrtikuk.

It was still bright and early, most shopkeepers were howling about their low prices and better quality goods. This Graham liked, the hustle and bustle of men and women running about always seemed to entertain him. He was the tallest by far on in the marketplace and stuck above everyone else with head and shoulders. Most shopkeepers knew him by name and started howling louder to get there wares sold to the orc. They knew he had coin, and good quality goods to trade. But he was not interested in them, here was only one weapon smith he traded his weapons with and that was Andrew.

As Andrew spotted Graham he started calling his name with much enthusiasm. As Graham heard the man he quickly made his way over to his human friend and took the man into a tight bearhug. "There you are you big fool!!" Andrew howled "There you are you stinky human scum" Both laughed as they let one and other go and patted each other firmly on the back. "How have you been mate! I was just talkin' bout ya with the misses. Got some costumers for them daggers ya make" Graham smiled from ear to ear and gestured Mouse to follow them into Andrews workplace. "Sit down sit down, no trading before you had something to drink Graham" The man said happily. "Always drink first with Andrew, Graham think he might have problem" They both laughed at the joke, one only they seemed to understand. Graham pushed a chair aside for Mouse and beckoned her over to come and sit down. Andrew was surprised to see the girl, he frowned upon it slightly. But as Graham seemed to want her there he said nothing off it and got an third mug.

[illy]

Mouse looked around the workshop with huge eyes. In the dimmed light the returning glow in her eyes was very much visible, it emitting the greenish glow onto the skin surrounding her eyes. A lock of hair fell in front of her face as she looked over to the chair Graham pulled in for her. She was to sit there as an equal? She did as he wanted her to and took a seat. Andrew hurried back, carrying a third mug with him. He poured it just as he did with the other two and passed them both a mug before raising his own. "To friends and trade!" Mous peered into her mug curiously, having no clue what the liquid was that she had in her mug. She lifted the mug smelling it and making a little face. She looked up finding out that both Graham and Andrew were looking at her with a frown. Graham because he held his mug out for her to toast with and Andrew because he did not often got to see someone like her. She looked between the two and lowered her gaze, feeling guilty for she must have clearly done something wrong for them to stare at her like that. She lowered her mug onto the little table and lifts her hands to accept Grahams so that she could put it on the table, for that must surely be what he wanted.

[darkpigeon]

Graham toasted his mug gently against that of Mouse and Andrew. He did not want to scare the little woman into running off. He took a big gulp of his ale and messily wiped is lips clean. "Andrew has to tell Graham his wife is. Little one born? Graham not sure if it is already" Andrew beamed proudly and leaned back in his chair. "It did.. it did.. a little lad!" Andrew said proudly "Called him Oliver! Misses is doin' just fine. Little tired from all them little kids running around, but we manage" Graham smiled, he knew each and every single child that Andrew had and was happy to hear that the last one was born without to much trouble. "So who is this las ya brought with ya Graham. Did not think you took a liking to 'our' girls" He said with a cheeky smile. Graham shook his head and made a face "No, Graham only like orc women. Big strong women, can break head with one hand. Graham is friend of this girl. She work in the brothel, she is for cleaning and such" Andrew nodded slowly as he listened and looked at the strange looking girl. "She is named Mouse, like small grey animal. Not good name Graham thinks, but he not sure if it is good human name or not. So he does not judge" Andrew nodded firmly and took a big gulp of his ale. "No... it is not a normal human name.. but she's no human now ain't she?"

Both men looked at Mouse, half elves truly were a rarity and hardly ever seen. If they were born they would be killed as soon as it was clear that it was an halfbreed. Why she was still alive, that truly was something that both men found fascinating. "Graham not sure, Graham things she is part elf.. part human" Andrew shrugged as he looked at the girl. Graham gently patted her on her shoulder, she did not seem to feel all that safe with them talking about her. He looked at his friend and finished his ale in one single gulp. "Enough about girl, very rude to talk about person" Andrew agreed and finished his ale in one single gulp as well.

"So trade! What did you bring me this time my friend" Graham picked up the large heavy looking bag. It could easily fit two full grown humans and was filled to the brim. As he picked it up it hardly seemed to weigh anything. "Graham bring beer skin and of big mountain elk. Some weapons made my Graham too! Very good axe.. not as good as Grahams own but still very good" The weapon he spoke of was left at the entrance of the city. He was allowed to bring it in, but as a gesture of trust he would always leave his pole-axe at the gate in the safety of the guards.

He placed some of the weapons down on the table. They were very unlike any Orc weapon that one would normally see. He was very minimalistic and made weapons that were both strong, light, and useful. He did not like adding any decorations and beamed proudly as Andrew looked each and every one over. He was the only one Graham trusted to sell his weapons, Andrew was a honest and righteous person who just like Graham believed in honour. The bear pelts were enormous, the mountain bears were easily three times bigger and heavier than the normal bears that lived far down the mountain. Andrew seemed very satisfied with the goods and patted his friend on his back, since his shoulder was just to darn high up. "Graham wants same like last time" He said rather matter of fact. Andrew nodded and agreed "good.. same as last time." the man said and walked off to get the human coin.

As Andrew left the two behind Graham looked at the small girl. "Andrew good friend of Graham. First Andrew hate Graham, because Graham orc. And Graham hate Andrew because Andrew called him very bad names. Graham does not like being called names.. well.. only if it is in good jest.. but much humans mean bad things they say." He smiled and sat down next to her. "Now Graham and Andrew friends, we always drink and trade. Then I go to see if I can find wares to buy for my tribe.. and sometimes" he smiled at the idea lone "books..Graham really likes his books" He looked at her and rested his arm on the table and his head in his hand. "Does Mouse like books... or does Mouse like something else?"

[illy]

She lifted her mug quickly when she realised that Graham ment to toast his mug against hers instead of wanting her to hold his. She sniffed at the contents of her mug, ale. She did recognise the scent from the dishes at the mansion, but she never tasted it. Well, a first time for everything it seemed and she lifted the mug having a small sip. Well, that was, uhm... another sip while the others two spoke of family. This tasted interesting. As she lifted the mug to take a new sip she turned to be the subject of conversation. She lowered her mug onto the table, feeling ashamed of drinking from it. She looked up finding that both men were were looking at her. Mouse did not dare to look at Andrew and glanced up at Graham, very thankful as he changed subject.
His hand on her shoulder felt warm and pleasant. The last gentle touch before today was years ago, her mothers hands. At some days she couldn't even remember what her mum looked like. But she never forgot her mothers hands.

While the men talked about business Mouse peered around the workshop. It was filled with tools, a forge and piles of junk. At one wall there was a weapons rack fitted with all kinds of weaponry she had never seen before. Things with spikes, spikey things on a stick, spikey things on a chain, weird looking knifes of some sort, swords and axes.

"Humans hate me for I am an half elf. I don't think I will ever get friends with humans, I am a slave and slaves seem to make bad friends they always tell the others at the house." Mouse takes a few sips from her ale, thinking on an answer to his question. "I can't read and I am not allowed to touch the masters books. So I don't know if I like books." Her face lights up and a little smile curls up the corners of her mouth as she realises that there is something that she likes. "Animals, I like animals. And plants too! Yes, I like to be with them, talk to them, plants and animals don't judge a person on how he looks, like humans do." Happy with her answer she lifts her mug and takes an enthousiastic swig from the ale, having her break out into a coughing fit. She wipes a little tear from her big eyes after she is finally able to breath normally again.

[darkpigeon]

Graham listened to her story as he sat down himself again, waiting for is old friend Andrew as he was to collect those silly human coins for trading. He did not feel sorry for her, if she wanted her life to be different than she should be doing something against her master. She should just go, prove herself in a world that would hate her for what she was. He was disliked greatly by numerous humans in this city, people that wanted him gone. Saying that 'once an brute, always a brute', as they just knew that he would start a rampage of violence when his true nature would unleash.

Idiots, all of them were a bunch of idiots.

Than you should go, live in forest with plants and animals. Not hide behind fear of human and their hate. You weak, not going to fight. That make you slave, not your master" He said rather matter of fact, not hiding his true feelings or what he thought of her. What she was to do with it was her own choice, and not for Graham to make. As Andrew returned with the coin he threw it towards Graham. "There ya go Graham, hopefully you can find on the market were you are looking for" The man said gently. Both of them looked up rather startled when Mouse started a coughing fit. It took them both less than a second to realize what had happened and both started laughing loudly as they saw her wipe the tears out of her face. Graham took her ale away and finished it and gave her a big crooked smile "Ale dangerous for little mice, better get her some buttermilk instead" Andrew roared with laughter and shook his head. "Now out with ya both! I have work to do!" the man chuckled wildly as he pushed Graham towards the door.

 (( Moving to The shadow of Shashallah Marketplace))