Ufgar stood in front of the huge market stall, one hand fiddling with the hilt of his short sword while he let the other dangle, the fingers occasionally tapping against the small storage bag looped into his belt. He let his gaze wander over the market while he waited, nodding to the Captain of the town's guards as he walked by in patrol.
The Captain smiled and nodded back. Then he said something to the two guards following in his wake and approached.
"Duty done?" Kalkim asked, clapping Ufgar on the back. He smiled as Ufgar didn't stagger. "Getting bigger and stronger," he said approvingly.
"Of course he is! That's my boy, after all," Ufkim said as he emerged from the stall, wiping his hands with a multi-colored towel.
"Ha! Serene's more like," Kalkim shot back, laughing. "I best be getting back to my duties before I hear about it from Tranene."
"Fare thee well, uncle," Ufgar said with a nod as Kalkim strode away with a careless wave.
"So, how was it," Ufkim asked, tucking the cloth into his belt.
"She offered me a place," Ufgar said, eyeing the towel. He distinctly remembered it being white when his father first bought it. "She's got no population, though, so what's there for me to guard?"
"It's a chance, a good one," Ufkim said. He turned back towards the stall and jerked his head. "Come."
Ufgar hid a sigh as he followed after his father. Being a town guard, he was privy to more information than most, but his father still retained most of the perks of having once been the mayor. He nodded to the townsfolk who were happily buying produce and gossiping, receiving approving nods in return.
"Here," Ufkim said, stopping beside a seed maker. He handed over a brilliantly green unhusked corn ear.
"What is it," Ufgar asked, cautiously handling the ear. He'd never seen an ear so green before.
"Husk it," Ufkim said. He leaned against the table, idly manipulating the seed maker. The small boxy machine hummed under the attention.
Ufgar skillfully parted the leaves, revealing the orange silk. He frowned a little at that. Then he brushed it aside to see the brilliant red kernels packed tightly against the cob. Ufgar couldn't control the surprise on his face. He gently touched the kernels. Then, pulling out his carving knife, he gently pried one free and tossed it into his mouth.
"Blood corn," he breathed as he swallowed. He looked at his father. "I thought that they were extinct."
"The last harvest we had was when Sala was a mere kitling. The ears wouldn't seed at all," Ufkim said as he nodded. "Wound up giving what was left of that harvest to the dragons as tribute."
Ufgar frowned at his father.
"We don't owe anyone tribute," he muttered.
"True, but dragons like blood corn as much as the next predator," Ufkim said good naturedly. "It's the gesture that counts sometimes."
"So, you want me to go be a town guard because she has blood corn seeds?" Ufgar arched one eyebrow in question. "Once I'm her town guard, I'm hers."
"No, you stupid boy," Serene said, popping him in the back of the head as she passed by with a basket full of cotton. "Ufkim, go help up front. Rakim traded this cotton for forty mature ice watermelons. Nalene can't handle them all while keeping an eye on the rest of the stall."
Ufkim nodded as he sidled past Ufgar. Ufgar rubbed the back of his head as he set the ear of corn down. His mother appeared in front of him, smiling.
"Let me explain. He's nearly as bad as Sala sometimes," Serene said, reaching up to ruffle his hair.
"Mother," Ufgar complained, ducking away. He unlaced the helmet hanging on his belt and slapped it on his head. "I'm still on duty!"
"And you're always going to still be my baby boy," Serene countered. "You should go. What terms did you tell her?"
"I said that she needed some population before I came," Ufgar admitted. "Is this truly about some blood corn?"
"Not the corn, the place," Serene said. "If Sala wasn't broody, I would uproot both her and that idiot she married and ship them off there as soon as possible, but that's impossible now."
Ufgar nodded in agreement. Once a girl got broody, it was unwise to interfere. The retaliation from both her and her mate's family would be intense. Orc children were fast growing but rare, usually birthed in sets of two or three. Ufgar knew he'd only be Serene's 'baby boy' for another decade at most until she birthed her next set. Orcs tended to live until they were two hundred and were fertile for a good chunk of that. Off-setting it was the fact that they only gave birth every ten to fifteen years, and the kitlings were sickly until they passed their first few levels.
"But why? She's a mayor of an empty town," Ufgar said.
"Because it's Wilderven, Wilderven," Serene said. "We're not talking about some new place with the name pasted on it. We're talking the legend rebirthed."
Ufgar fought down the urge to scoff. He could remember the bag that the human girl had been toting. Its design had been archaic, and a simple scan kept marking it as a growth-type object which was ridiculous. No one knew how to make those anymore.
"I'm standing by my terms," Ufgar finally huffed out. "I'm no namby to be going back on my words."
"Of course," Serene said. She picked up the ear and stripped the rest of the leaves off. Instead of tossing them into a silage pile like usual, she smoothed them out and gently laid them next to the seed maker. Then she tossed the ear into the seed maker. "If you change your mind, then."
"I won't," Ufgar said, turning and stomping off. He could feel his mother's amused stare between his shoulder blades. "I absolutely won't!" He called as he passed his father who nodded at him in farewell.
He stalked through the market before coming to a stop at the fountain at its entrance. If he had to be honest, the market took up most of the town's area. Most orcs tended towards their occupations and needed an outlet to dispose of the results. The fountain had a twisted swirl of marble that spewed a refreshing stream of water at intervals.
Out of habit, he checked the fountain's status. With a small sigh, he added a mental note to tell the town's artificer to renew the water elemental stones located at the fountain's base. It'd probably been one of the kids playing with magic that had disrupted the smooth flow. At least one of the stones that was supposed to be at the bottom was missing.
As he stood there, he caught the alluring, tempting scent of wood and varnish. He didn't move, merely glanced out of the corner of his eye.
"Hello, Mr. Town Guard," came a chipper, sweet voice.
"And good day to you, Peila," he returned. The little sack at his waist suddenly felt as if it weighed a thousand tons. "And how are you this fine day?" He continued, clearing his throat as Peila sidled to a stop in front of him.
She was wearing that outfit that the females had decided was for business. It would change periodically. He could remember his mom wearing at least three or four different ones. On Peila it looked wonderful. She was wearing a dark yellow that somehow complimented her skin and brought out the molten gold of her eyes.
"I'm quite well, Mr. Town Guard," Peila said with a teasing smile. Ufgar felt as if he'd run a million miles before coming to a sudden halt. "I was wondering if Mr. Town Guard knows where someone might get a proper finial for a piece I'm making?"
Ufgar's eyes lit up. He plunged his hand into the sack on his waist and pulled out an ornately carved wooden statue of a chipmunk. He took a deep breath before holding it out.
"Would this one do, Peila?" He asked, nearly holding his breath.
"Oh, Ufgar," Peila breathed, snatching the little statue away. She held it up to the light, turning it this way and that. Then she looked at him, and while he couldn't quite tell what was different, clearly something was. "I think this will do most magnificently."
"Really?" Ufgar asked, feeling exhilarated.
"Of course," Peila nodded. She tucked the little chipmunk into a pocket on the front of her outfit. Then she looked away at the fountain. "I hear that there might be a place looking for a good woodworker?"
"And a good wood carver," Ufgar admitted, his breath hitching.
"That sounds so interesting, don't you think?" Peila asked, brushing against him as she walked by. "I might be needing another little statue," she called back.
Ufgar stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath. Today seemed like a day of miracles, first a human mayor and then Peila.
Maybe stories could come true.