Green in Bed - 4 (Patreon)

It was several days before young Garen approached Tura again. Due to nerves or embarrassment or both, the lad had mostly avoided her ever since that evening in the bathhouse.

Tura let out a small sigh, thinking back to their brief moment of intimacy in the steaming waters. It hadn’t been unpleasant - for an inexperienced youth, Garen seemed to have at least some measure of intuition when it came to the female form. He was decent enough with his hands, his lips, and his tongue. Frantic, certainly, but not at all poor. The delights he took from tasting her tits revealed a glimmer of promise in the lad that Tura had been all too willing to explore. But then came his premature spilling. And after that, Garen’s very swift exit.

Tura was not surprised. Garen had experienced the touch of a woman for the very first time that day. It was no wonder he spilled so quickly - and so much! Thus his facade of the cold, commanding duke had been shattered, if only for a moment. But it was enough to bruise his ego - and throw a wet blanket over his pursuit of pleasure.

The lad had who knows how many indecent fantasies about me swimming in his head but he hardly knew his own body…

Tura pitied the young duke more than anything. Humans - especially human nobles - had strange reservations about sex. To be shy and embarrassed about natural bodily reactions was alien to the she-orc. But humans were her masters, so she simply lived with their peculiarities. Even if such a peculiarity was a teenage heir with designs on her body.

The She-Orc had mulled over such thoughts in the days since the bathhouse. She mainly blamed herself - perhaps if she’d been a touch more tender, the evening would have gone smoothly. But still… several days of hiding was excessive.

Tura found herself frowning as she went about her cleaning duties. To her own surprise, she felt frustrated. At what, she wasn’t quite sure. At herself? At Garen? At the situation? She only knew that the result of that fateful evening had been… disappointing.

Maybe the lad and I will try again, Tura wondered silently, brushing dust from the bookshelves that lined the walls of the Corvas private library. So long as I didn’t scare him off me entirely…

Then she heard the library double doors swing open, followed by the familiar sound of steady footfalls approaching her from behind. The young duke had regained his courage, it seemed. Tura didn’t know whether to be pleased, impressed, or concerned.

The she-orc turned to face the new arrival. Just as she expected, Garen Corvas stood before her. As always, he was sharply dressed in his dark doublet, fitted well to his lean body. A deep green short cape was set upon his right shoulder, fastened with a brooch pin of gleaming silver. The young duke held an air of nobility, even more now than what Tura had seen before. And his eyes, sharp and cunning as they were, were set upon her person with clear interest.

Looks like he found his nerve again, Tura thought. The she-orc was wise to keep the smirk off of her face.

“Miss Tura.” Garen greeted her, offering a short nod. Just as the last time, he deliberately drew his gaze over her form. In her years of service to human nobility, Tura had become well aware of the unique draw a maid’s outfit had. She didn’t necessarily understand it, but she knew well that it appealed to human men.

Tura pursed her lips. Breathing in, she smoothed out her skirt and stepped forward, presenting herself as available to any and all tasks he might have of her. And from the look in Garen’s eyes, she knew he had one particular request in mind.

“Master Garen.” Tura gave a bow of her head… and a short curtsy. She drew her eyes up just in time to catch a look flash across Garen’s stone-like features. Again, she fought down a smirk. “We haven’t spoken in a while. Have you been avoiding me?”

Tura wasn’t angry that Garen had commanded the pleasures of the flesh from her, not truly. In fact, she had been rather surprised when such demands never came from the Duke and Duchess in her first years of employment for them. For orcs, sexual servitude was as enduring a norm as tribal chants and clan tattoos. It was just a matter of fact. The humans, though… they liked to style themselves as more “civilized”.

But that didn’t stop Garen.

There was a tiny quirk at the corner of Tura’s mouth as she watched the young duke shift on his feet at her words. The faintest pink colored his cheeks then, but his face remained as cold and calm as ever.

“Not at all.” The teenager answered after a short silence. The blush faded quickly and the lad seemed to stand up straighter. “I’ve simply been… engrossed in my studies.”

Tura had to admire his determination - the delights of a woman were worth more to him than his ego.

“I feared that I had offended you with a poor showing in the bathhouse, young duke.” She laid it on a little thick with the apologetic tone - but it was clear to both that it was a tease.

“Preposterous.” Garen snorted, his brow furrowing. “Why would you think that?”

Tura allowed a tiny smile then, as innocent as she could manage.

“You made such a hasty exit that evening, my duke.” Tura sighed, her words coming soft and sweet and teasing. But only just enough to rib the lad. “I had no idea if you enjoyed yourself or not.”

Garen breathed in, suddenly finding the books on the shelves much more interesting than the she-orc wrapped snug in her maid uniform. Again he shifted on his feet, stewing in awkward discomfort of embarrassing - and very recent - memories. Tura watched him closely, taking careful note of how he responded to her teasing. A less mature youth might have reacted petulantly, responding with insults and barbs of his own. Had he been the boorish sort, he might have reacted with anger - or even a fist.

But Tura knew Garen well. She would never face that from him. Garen Corvas was a well-tempered young man - mostly, anyway.

“Right.” The young duke coughed, turning to face his favorite she-orc maid once again. “Well… I apologize for causing any alarm. Your performance was… more than acceptable.”

It was Tura’s turn to snort.

You’re damn right it was, lad. It may have been written on her face, but the she-orc wisely kept those words to herself.

Instead, she replied with a cool and respectful, “It was my pleasure to be of service, young duke.”

“The pleasure was all mine, Miss Tura.” Garen answered graciously.

A number of teasing responses fluttered through Tura’s head at the younger man’s words. But the loyal housekeeper kept her silence. She had teased the lad enough. But the smile remained on her face and her eyes glittered with humor. Enough so that Garen’s cheeks colored pink once more.

The lad began to pace slowly, clasping his hands behind his back. Ever formal, ever noble. For Tura, it was a small delight to watch him move about with such purpose. She was most fortunate, she reminded herself, to be in the employ of a family with such a cute and handsome heir.

“Are you familiar with orcish tribal customs?” He turned and asked her, breaking the silence.

Tura blinked. The question had come out of nowhere.

“More than anyone in the Corvas estate, I’d wager.” The she-orc answered honestly. “Why?”

This time, it was Garen’s turn for his eyes to glitter. Pools of deep blue, shining with intent. His fair skin and his jet black hair only made them stand out that much more.

“They’ve become the most recent subject of my studies.” He told her, a faint grin upon his handsome face. “My tutor has instructed me to learn more about them on my own time. I will inherit the title of duke one day. Rule my father’s estate, govern these lands. And upon these lands dwell quite a few orcish tribes. I’m told I ought to learn more about my subjects.”

Tura nodded, beginning to understand. Of course, it was just a cover for his true desires. She was simply waiting for the lad to get to the point. And get to the point he did.

“I was wondering if you would assist me, Miss Tura.” Garen inquired, in a much more clipped tone of voice. “This evening. Privately. In my bedchambers.”

The she-orc picked up the faintest hint of nervousness in his voice. Again, she couldn’t help but respect his nerve.

Bold, young duke. Very bold.

This time, Tura did not keep the smirk off of her face.

“Is this an invitation or a command?”

“Both.”

Tura almost laughed at the immediacy of the lad’s reply. Quickly, she glanced towards the library doors, checking to see if anyone else had approached without her noticing. There was no one, at least none that she could see. She and Garen were alone.

She turned her eyes back onto the bold and lusty youth, the son of the Duke who owned her contract. Such nerve and daring for a teenager, she knew. But still less shocking than his lecherous nature.

Tura pretended to ponder his invitation. As if she truly had a choice. As if my answer would be anything else.

“In that case…” She touched her finger to her lips, letting her words hang in the air. There was heat in the lad’s eyes then and they sent Tura’s belly fluttering. Her smile grew and her eyes surely glimmered brighter. “How can I say no? This will last longer than our time in the bathhouse, I assume?”

One last tease. Tura couldn’t help herself.

To his credit, Garen took it in stride. He’d already gotten what he wanted, after all.

He stepped back, heading towards the doors. As he departed, Tura caught a daring smirk curling at his lips… and his blue eyes blazing with desire.

“There will be no sudden interruptions tonight.” The young duke told her as he left. “That I promise.”