“I did. Mina helped with the flowers.”
They poured fruit juices into cups and passed them around. Audrey received hers with both hands. Mina settled into the chair beside Audrey’s with her own cup, crossing her legs.
“How are you feeling?” she asked. “Honestly.”
“Nervous,” Audrey admitted, her hand moving to her belly. “At least the pregnancy is short, only five months, but that doesn’t make the birth any less intimidating.”
“It’s always scary,” she said. “But you’ve got all of us here. You’re not doing this alone.”
The gift opening began shortly after.
Audrey unwrapped each gift carefully, taking her time to admire what was inside. The female orcs had made tiny tunics, each one stitched with care. There were blankets woven from wool, carved wooden toys, and someone had built a cradle for the baby. Even if the male orcs hadn’t been invited, they’d contributed.
Natalie’s and Shauna’s gifts were practical. They’d brought bottles and pacifiers, packages of diapers, and adorable onesies covered in funny sayings that made everyone laugh. One onesie read “I’m new here” in cheerful letters, and another said “Mommy’s little warrior” with a tiny sword printed underneath.
When Brumis’s turn came, she stepped forward and thrust her haphazardly wrapped package at Audrey.
Audrey tore it open, revealing a wooden sword. It was beautifully made, the handle carved to fit tiny hands, the blade sanded smooth.
“The orcling should learn to fight early,” Brumis said. “It’s important.”
“You know what?” Audrey said. “I agree.”
The orc warrior grunted and stepped back, but Audrey caught the pleased expression on her face before she turned away.
Maika cut the cake and distributed the slices. It was delicious, sweet and moist with a hint of vanilla that melted on the tongue. Audrey ate her slice slowly, savoring each bite. Around the room, the other females did the same, murmuring their approval.
Brumis stuffed her face with cake, taking a second slice before she had even finished the first. Then she went back for a third, piling it high on her plate and eating with obvious enjoyment. Her usual stern expression had softened into something that looked almost like happiness.
“You’ve got a sweet tooth,” Natalie teased, nudging Brumis with her elbow. “I never would have guessed.”
Brumis grunted around a mouthful of cake but didn’t deny it. She licked frosting from her fingers.
As the afternoon wore on and the light outside began to fade, Shauna moved to sit on the arm of Audrey’s chair.
“How have things been with you and Morgath?”
“Good. Really good. Nezhar has taken over most of the mage duties now, so Morgath spends much more time with me. He barely lets me do anything on my own anymore.”
“What do you mean?” Natalie asked, leaning in from her spot on the floor.
“He’s constantly hovering,” Audrey said, but there was no complaint in her tone. “He makes sure I’m comfortable, gets me whatever I need before I even have to ask, insists on helping me with everything. It’s nice, honestly. For once in my life, I don’t have to carry the world on my shoulders.”
Angela nodded knowingly. “Raknar’s the same,” she said. “He won’t let me carry anything heavier than a teacup.”
“Hokran’s gotten ridiculous about it too,” Mina added with a laugh. “He follows me around like I’m going to break if he takes his eyes off me for five seconds.”
“You deserve that,” Shauna said, squeezing Audrey’s hand. “You deserve all of it.”
“Absolutely,” Natalie agreed. “After everything you went through, you deserve to be taken care of.”
The party continued for another hour. The females talked and laughed, sharing stories and advice about childbirth and raising children. Some of the female orcs had given birth before, and they spoke openly about their experiences. Others had helped with births in their home world, and they offered wisdom passed down through generations.
Audrey listened to all of it, soaking in the knowledge and the support. She was nervous about the birth, knowing it would be difficult. Orclings grew faster than human babies, developing at an accelerated rate that put strain on a human mother’s body.
But sitting here surrounded by these women, both humans and orcs, she felt less afraid.
The baby kicked. Audrey smiled and thought…
She was ready.
THE END