This choice: Yeah! Sounds great! Jump in as Here! • Go Back...Chapter #4Herb Back on the Farm and There's An Orc Here?! by: Theday   It had been seven years since Herb had been home and it felt a bit bitter sweet. His mother passed away five years ago and his father has been struggling to keep the farm up to what it used to be with his old age. Herb has spent the last seven years a couple of days journey down the road closer to the imperial city and attending the royal academy and staying with his uncle and aunt. Herb's parents scrimped and saved so Herb could go to the royal academy and have a shot at a better life and help improve theirs.
When Herb left he was a young boy, fresh to the world, he returns a six foot tall, 20 year old young man. Herb walked up to the farm house and was on the steps when the door opened to reveal his father. Gone was the salt and pepper head hair and beard, his father had now gone full white on his wrinkly face. Herb's father, Caine, was a true salt of the earth type of man, a bit gruff around the edges but you could tell he did an honest day's work every day of his life. He was still in good shape for an older man but he was far from his prime. Herb remembered seeing his father pick up sheep or even pigs as if they weighed nothing and haul them across the yard. Caine was still two inches taller than Herb.
"My stars, as I live and breathe!" Caine said joyous and tears welling up and he threw his arms open and rushed up to his son and gave him a bear hug.
"Hey Dad," Herb said giving his father a strong hug back, but Caine's hug was a strong bear hug that squeezed the air out of Herb's lungs.
"My god, we send you to the city to learn and you come back to the farm with dirt on your face," Caine teased as he thumbed Herb's short auburn beard.
"It's got a while to go to be as impressive as yours," Herb stated and gave his father's long beard a stroke.
"You'll get there one day, son," Caine said with his hand still on his son's shoulder and went back for another hug," I missed you so much, son."
"I missed you too, father," Herb said and hugged his father back," I wanted to come back so many times. Especially when mother died."
"I know son, I wanted you home as well," Caine said," But I knew your studies were very important."
"I was worried about you being here alone this whole time," Herb expressed.
"Oh boy, I wasn't alone," Caine said with a smile," We got help a few months after you moved away."
"Oh, you did? Who?" Herb asked.
"This might sound a little unconventional, but his name is Gorrdon, or Gour for short. He's an Orc," his father said with a smile.
"An Orc..?" Herb said a bit surprised that his father had an Orc employed here at the farm. To be fair, Herb hadn't encountered many Orcs in his travels. He had seen a few in passing, always looking like they were barbarian warriors along with adventuring parties, or eating and drinking big at the local taverns while singing odd songs out of key.
"Yes, your mother saved him when he was a young Orc-ling and he devoted his life to her and her family," Caine explained," He showed up a few months after you left and demanded to be a service to your mother. So we put him to work on the farm. He's as strong as an ox, but dumb as a stick. Heart as big as a watermelon. I think he cried for a week after your mother died."
"So if you die he would serve me?" Herb asked.
"Oh totally," Caine nodded," We're stuck with him. Better start thinking him as your bigger, greener, brother!"
Herb got settled in his old room and noticed that Gour didn't have a room in the house. Caine explained he has a room off of the barn and likes the outdoors more than being indoors. Caine also explained that Gour would be happy with pig slop for food, but Caine made sure Gour got some good food too.
Caine and Herb went for a tour of the farm and Herb could see that despite having the giant helping hands of an Orc the farm was falling behind on repairs and the wear and tare was showing. Herb was starting to put together a plan of how to help turn the farm around when he spotted Gour from across the field. Gour was bare foot with his big green feet covered in mud. Gour's shade of green was more of a muted forest green, he wasn't orange or spring grass green, a nice subtle green. He wore some dark pants with a thick belt under his big round belly. Gour wore an open chest dirty white shirt and Herb could see a handmade necklace on Gour's hairy chest, with a beat up brown vest. He was a good six and a half feet tall and built like a brick house with strong looking arms, and chest. His face had the usual two big tusk teeth followed by two smaller tusk sticking out of his lower jaw. Gour still had hair on his head meaning he was still a young Orc under 40 years old and the usual pointy ears.
Gour noticed Herb and what kind of expression did Gour have on his face?   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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