His eyes bulge out and I feel his whole-body tense and his hands gets a little cooler. But he hides that reaction quickly and gives me a small nod to tell me to continue.

"I was married when I was 18, five years ago. My father and stepmother were over the moon when I got the proposal, and I was the envy of every maiden. But marriage was not what I thought it was.

I at least thought I'd marry someone who could very least like me, but he didn't. He had an affair. I knew about the other person four years ago, but I don't know maybe it could have been longer and they were tired of hiding it then.

Throughout our marriage, I would listen to them every night. I take a calming shaky breath as I remember my personal hell. Igor squeezes my hands and his eyes only house kindness and empathy.

"That day I almost drowned..." I exhale. "I had gone through the humiliation of not being pregnant again and he told me he would never give me a child because he hated me. He sent his lover to kill me that night. But I begged for my life, and I promised to disappear, and they let me run. So, I am dead." Pause a little. "I have nowhere to go." A lone tear runs down my face. I don't even know why I'm crying. My old life doesn't deserve my sorrow.

Igor pulls me to his chest, and he holds me.

"Your husband is a fool, Aria." Igor's chest rumbles.

"Yeah."

He touches my face and turns me to him. I find a small frown in his face. "So how did you end up in the river. Did you...?"

The question is understood. 'Did I try to kill myself?'

"After I ran, they sent guards after me. I think they wanted to say I was running and kill me anyway. My own husband hated me enough to kill me. When they almost caught up with me, I jumped in the river. He hated me...in the end I chose to jump into the abyss, at least I'd die on my terms. But I never wanted to end my own life."

He nods slowly and wipes my tear.

"You are a treasure, Aria. Anyone who thinks otherwise is an imbecile. You are the best creature I've ever come across and I'm glad I found you when I did."

"Thank you again, Igor. For everything." My slightly trembling hand touches his face for the first time. He relaxes under my touch, and it makes my insides smile.

"Now sleep, human. It's cold." He doesn't stop touching my face or let me go and I stay right there in his chest. We stare at each other until sleep claims me.

When I wake up in the middle of the night, I wake up alone.

Where is he?

Maybe he went outside for water.

Panic starts setting in me when some time passes. I throw the pillow on the ground, and I walk on top of it and go to the window. I look out and its nothing but snow falling silently in the night. I go back to the bed quickly though because it is very cold and its even colder without his warm body here.

I stay awake in the bed until sleep steals me away again. When I wake up in the morning, I find him back in bed and he is sleeping like he didn't disappear like a thief in the night. One of his arms is draped on his eyes. A wave of anger surges through me.

'Igor." I don't care that my voice is loud and its morning. This orc will know me today.

When he doesn't answer immediately, I poke his chest. Then I really place my hand on his chest, he is cold. Not cold as such but cooler than he usually is. His large hand covers mine and he groans and removes his other arm from his eyes.

He looks at me with question.

"Igor, where did you go at night. I woke up and you weren't here?"

His face reflects guilt.

"I just took a walk, Aria."

"In the middle of the night? And you are cold. Orc, I am not playing your games. Where were you?"

He smiles, which makes me scowl harder. "Are you going to beat me up, Aria?"

"Igor." My voice comes out harder.

He raises his one hand in surrender. "Fine." He rolls off bed. He goes to the corner to a sack I hadn't noticed. "I got you shoes and some clothes."

My mouth falls to the bed. "What?" confusion evident in my everything.

"Remember I said I'd get you shoes so you can walk, well I did. It just took longer than I thought, I'm sorry."

"Um, Igor, did you go to the villages?" I have to know.

He shrugs. "There is a human I know. They gave me the clothes."

My frown deepens even more. He knows humans. But—

"Don't overthink it, Aria. And no, I won't tell you. Just wear the shoes and the warm clothing. It is all new."

I look at him for a long moment before I decide to let it go for now.

"Fine. Thank you. It's just...you're you and I worry about—"

"Scaring your kind." He cuts me off and I am caught off guard and my brows furrow.

"Igor, what?"

"You don't have to lie to me, Aria. I've met plenty of your kind and I know the looks they all give me. Like you did that day we met. You all think I'm a monster." Then he goes for the door. I jump after him.

"Igor, that's not true." I wince a little when my feet touch the ground, but I have to right that wrong. "Igor, stop." I get to him when he just opens the door. He turns and frowns at me then he picks me up.

"Stop that." I say and he places me on the bed.

"Look, I have never seen an orc before, but I don't think you are a monster. You are the kindest creature I have ever met, but...I know my kind, Igor, they don't like anything that's different. I'm just worried about your safety, not that I think you are a freak." I lower my eyes. "I actually think you are quite beautiful."

Silence falls in the room. And after sometimes, I start getting worried and I look up to find his face twisted in disbelief and confusion.

"Beautiful?" he asks incredulously.

I burst out laughing. "Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Aria, when you almost drowned, did you see the white light?"

I laugh harder. "Do you not like being called beautiful, orc?"

"No. I find it offensive, in fact. Do you know how hard I work on my scowl, human?"

'Well, not hard enough. You know, orc, I think you've lost your edge."

He tilts his head and steps closer like he wants to advance on me. I send a challenge his way, but he stops and shakes his head. He goes to the sack and gets me the warm shoes and a coat. It helps a lot, and I am able to move the rest of the day without problem.

I am back to following him around the house and I even followed him to collect wood. The path was a bit wet, so he carried me on his back. I didn't mind this time when he carried me. We ate, laughed and in between those had our moments.

And at night, we both settled into each other's arms like the most natural thing in the world and his warmth envelopes and caresses me all night.

The next morning when I rise, he is there, and I wake up in his arms. Something is definitely changing between us, and we both know it, but none of us speak on it.

The following weeks it gets colder and colder. So cold most of these days, all our meals are accompanied by soup and not water. We still stick to our routine, but we are in bed most of the time when we don't need to do anything, and I am happy that he has been sleeping.

But with everything, something keeps persisting, I keep having the same dream every night and every night I wake up wishing it was true. Last night, it was the most intense one yet.

I keep hearing the words in my head and my private garden, like is usual these days, is abnormally wet, all the time. My body definitely needs something, and I never get it in the dream.

It always stops when I am about to tip over and I always wake up panting. Luckily, Igor is a heavy sleeper and if he's heard anything he hasn't mentioned anything.

The door opens, pulling me out of my filthy thoughts about a creature who can never want me, not in a way I am starting to want him. My body gets hot in anticipation. Anticipation I know won't be quelled by anything. I sleep in his arms everyday now, but I need more. More and even more.

More of his wild scent on me. I curse the morning light every time I see it now, but not because I will have a bad day like before, but because I will have to be away from him and his warmth. Nighttime is my favorite time now and being held by his strong arms is better than the sweetest heaven I could have ever imagined.

"Aria?" his voice makes my toes curl under the blanket where he can't see but I fight any more reactions and I find his eyes with a question.

"Huh?"

"I...Are you okay?"

I knit my eyebrows in question. "Yeah, yeah, why do you ask?"

"You look...a little... Are you sure you aren't coming down with a cold?"

"Um, I don't think so."

"Aren't you warm enough at night? Do you need anything...can I help?"

My core clenches as a shiver takes over my body. But I collect my soiled morals from the bed, and I shake my head. "No, you are doing more than enough. And I am warm enough. Your body helps." I want to kick myself when I say it.

We have never spoke on it aloud, our silent arrangement of him providing me with heat at night. Its just something we did, and we have done since.

Now its him who ducks my gaze. "Right. Right." That's all he says, and he turns and goes out the door again. I am left wondering what just happened. And why me and him are suddenly so awkward around each other. What is happening.

I decide to switch off the lamp at night when he doesn't return. I hear something moving in the kitchen and I wonder what he's doing. He comes back to bed before I am knocked out. He gets under the covers and comes close like always.

I do what I've been wanting to do for a while, and I get on top of him, and I am out like a light before it even sinks in me what I just did.

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After chapter thoughts?

Rate Aria's thirst levels here >>>>>>

So me and ReenBila talked about a double update yesterday, y'all down?