Kara strode towards the medic’s tent with a pace that she hoped didn’t look as desperate as she felt. The guard pulled the tent flap side with a sneer, but she paid him no attention as she ducked under the crossbar and went inside.

He was an absolute mess: bandages on his torso, bandages on one knee, a splint immobilizing the other ankle, a broken hand, and a patch over one eye. But despite all his wounds, his smile lit up when he saw her coming. He tried to lift himself to a sitting position but could only manage to shuffle slightly backwards, groaning with the effort.

“I did it,” he croaked.

“You did it, love,” she echoed.

She sat next to the bed and ran her hands over his chest, making him wince. The clan’s doctors had done a good job; human anatomy wasn’t all that different from an orc’s, really, but still Kara was pleasantly surprised. Still, his bandages were already spotted with blood and anything that wasn’t covered with bandages looked bruised and swollen.

“Oric says you should heal up okay so long as you keep your weight off that foot.”

“Bah, medics. I can heal while we travel.”

“Travel? You’re out of your mind. You need to rest.”

“Fancy hearing an orc say that to a human.”

“I’m your orc and you’re my human, thank you very much. And there’s no way you’re traveling right now. You can’t even walk under your own power.”

“Who needs to walk? I can ride.”

“Not with three broken ribs, you can’t.”

“They’re only a little broken.”

“That’s not what Trog said.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Remind me which one is Trog?”

“The youngest.”

“Ah, the short one with the stubby legs.”

“Yes, the one who threw you through a stone wall, that’s right.”

“He’s got a low center of gravity. He got under my guard.”

“You won, Will. You don’t have to make excuses.”

He smiled. “They let me win, you mean.”

“What do you mean? You knocked Durkon out cold.”

“He practically threw his face into my elbow. Are you sure he wasn’t drunk?”

“Are you accusing my brothers of throwing a fight?”

“Kara,” he said, grabbing her shoulder with his not-broken hand and pulling himself upright. “I love you very much, and I am telling you that there is no way on this earth that I am capable of beating the three toughest orcs in this clan in a fight when all’s fair.”

“Well ... okay, they might have been a little drunk.”

“I know. I could smell the grog.”

“So what? No human has—”

“‘Has ever taken the Trial of Marriage and survived’, I know. I heard your father’s speech. So how was I the first? What makes me so special that your brothers threw a fight for me?”

“I think you’re pretty special,” she said, brushing the hair out of his eyes with the back of her hand. He beamed that smile at her again, and she briefly thought about rolling on top of him before realizing how much damage that was likely to do. “Isn’t that enough?”

“Enough for you, enough for me, yes. But enough for your brothers? Enough for your father?”

“You worry too much. He likes you, you know.”

“He likes me? He threatened to throw me to the wolves the first time you brought me home.”

“And the second. And the third. And you kept coming back anyway.”

“Of course I did.”

“Don’t you see, Will? That’s why they like you. You’re not the first human to show up and claim they wanted to marry one of our clan, but you are the first to come back after learning about the Trial. You didn’t back down even when you knew there was no way you were going to win. But winning and losing was never the point; my brothers get into rougher fights than that for fun. The point was that you showed up. Do you realize that no human has ever taken the Trial in the first place?”

“I knew it!”

“It’s your fault that Dad has to come up with a new speech now. He’ll be grumpy about that, but if anything he respects you all the more for it. You’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met, Will, orc or human. And around here that counts for a lot.”

A tear formed in the corner of his eye. “Dammit, Kara.”

“What?”

“Every part of me hurts right now, and that’s the only reason I’m not dragging you into this bed with me.”

“You’re not the only one who’s thinking about it, love.”

“Seeing me lying here all bruised and battered turns you on, doesn’t it?”

“You liked getting beat up as much as I like seeing you like this.”

“I never.”

“Freak.”

“Sicko.”

“Orc-lover.”

“Oh!” he shouted indignantly. “Wait, is that an insult in Orcish?”

“No, you fool!” They fell into laughter together, doing their best to embrace each other despite the awkwardness of his injuries and the sick-bed on which he lay. She pulled him into a hug from the side, resting her forehead against his and closing her eyes, letting their breathing fall into sync.

“I guess we can stay here for a little while,” he said.

“You don’t have a choice,” she smirked.

“My parents are expecting us in two weeks.”

Her eyes widened and she pulled away from him. “Oh, no. Is that going to be a problem?”

“I mean, Mom is kind of a stickler for lateness, but I think—”

“I’ll send a messenger!”

“It’s not that important—”

“No! I’ll find one right now!” She stood and started to search the medic’s tent for something to write on.

“Kara!” he shouted, stopping her in her tracks. “It’s okay! It doesn’t matter. You can send a messenger tomorrow. It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. We’ll just tell them it’s going to be another week.” A sudden coughing fit sent him into spasms and she sat down next to him again in concern. “Or two.”

“Oh, love. You’re never going to be able to sleep tonight. I’ll get you something to drink.”

“No, wait. I mean, yes, but not yet. There’s something you’re not telling me. Why are you so upset about this trip? What’s got you so worried?”

Her eyes fell away from his. “I ... I don’t know what you mean.”