Meet the Brothers

High King Auron’s tree mansions were the grandest and most ornate of the elvan feudal estates. Immaculately cultivated elv-gardens were once a great status symbol. Teams of a hundred ‘indentured servants,’ mostly orcs and goblins but also the occasional human, tended ceaselessly to these gardens.

In the more egalitarian coalition, these gardens were not maintained. There was a hedge wall, while the grounds within were more of a simple yard. The stairs were still cultivated, which was necessary to allow access to the treehouse. Within, the elaborate manse retained a bit of its old grandeur. The furnishings were more austere. Not unlike a government clerk’s office on Earth, come to think of it. Just needed some elvan lined up to renew their carriage-driver licenses, and the illusion would be complete.

“Hail, Madam Prime Ministress,” said a commander of the regional garrison.

The governmental quarters here had its own dedicated regiment. Not unexpected for a restive province.

“I trust there were no major disturbances while we were inbound,” Lamora said.

They’d rushed to Elvwood. Chances were the Redeemers simply didn’t have time to cause problems.

“Who are these Redeemers?” Skott asked. “Do they have a leader?”

The room had gradually grown quiet once the Prime Minister’s party had entered. The average civil servant was a mid-twenties to thirty-something. Old enough to have memories of the rebellion and the formation of the coalition. All knew Skott of Omaha by description and by sight.

“Hey.” Skott said to the room, nonchalant.

“Prime Ministress.” A pair of burly half-orcs approached and gave the head of state a salute.

“Hello, corporals,” Lamora said. “And stand at ease. Please don’t be so formal with your own mother. Why, back in the rebellion’s day we—.”

The she-orc’s admonishment tapered off; she was just glad to see ‘em both. 

Skott leaned in, attentive. These two soldiers in coalition blue uniforms were broad-shouldered, taking after their orc mother. They had a particularly human hair texture, though, that made them stand out as half-orcs. Both had the same shade of eyes as Lucy-Kignora. The clan Kignora fangs popped out even in their neutral resting face. They were thereabout sixteen (the orc age of majority being fifteen; the coalition was not using child soldiers) and already they were at Skott’s height. Even half-human, they still had a ways to grow.

“We have a diplomatic meeting scheduled this evening with elvan loyalists,” Lamora said.

“But of course,” said Sethset, one of her sons.

“We were chosen for the honor guard,” said Skottson,

Hmmm. Wonder how much Skottson has sussed out based on his name, Skott wondered.

Upon laying eyes on Skott of Omaha, the junior Corporal Skottson’s eyes widened.

“It’s him,” whispered the half-orc.

“The hero from the other world?” Sethset said. “Skott of Omaha?!”

Skott waved awkwardly. Duly, he noted he had two more meetings with now-grown children to get through. The remaining daughter was away at sea, while the ‘oldest’ son of the litter was off at Mage’s College. He let out a deep breath. One paternal reveal at a time, Skott! One at a time.

“We shall prepare for the summit in earnest.” Lamora looked to a nearby door. “But first, if I may have a moment of privacy with my children…”

The prime ministress looked to the coalition army commander in charge, a dwarf of relatively tall stature.

“Corporals?” the dwarven Lieutenant Colonel said. “You’ve got an extra thirty minutes to your lunch break. Muster back in the courtyard when you’re done.”

The pair nodded. They followed Lamora, Skott, and their technically-younger sister Lucy into a back meeting room.

Skott motioned towards the vestigial remnants of a chandelier.

“Reckon this was one of those fancy elvan ballrooms.”

The Earth hero had never been to this manse, though he had been hosted in the High King’s equally lavish southern estate. And of course, they’d stormed most of the other mansions during the rebellion. You see one tree-manse, you’ve seen ‘em all.

The half-orc soldiers closed the door behind them for privacy.

“So, mother,” began Skottson, eyeing the lone human of the group with something approaching suspicion. “Do you have something to tell us?”

Oh, he knows, alright, Skott thought.

In hindsight, it would be hard for this to come as a surprise given the young man’s name.

“As you clearly know, this is Skott of Omaha. The hero from the other world.” Lamora presented Skott, who scooted forward.

“You look just like you do in the history books,” Sethset said. “Well, maybe grown a little around the midsection.”

Skott shot him a look, failing to hide a chuckle.

Lucy nodded. “And around the hairline. That, too, is changing.”

“Hey, hey!” Skott held his hands up near his brow defensively. “Just… expose me, why don’t you?”

“What brings the old hero back to Aeirun?” Sethset asked.

The brothers both had a well-disciplined military air about them. Made sense, Skott supposed. With their mom being a high-ranking politician, the pair were likely volun-told to join up. Pressure to have political leadership with ‘skin in the game’ was likely high.

“Children…” Lamora took a deep breath.

Lucy bounced on the balls of her feet in anticipation. She already knew the secret, but she wanted to know her brothers’ reactions.

“Skott of Omaha is—was—my mate. While we went over what it means to be half-human as soon as you were old enough to grasp you were different from other orcs, well, we never officially declared your parentage. It… that changes today.”

The pair of orcs looked to each other, then to their father, then to their mother, then to a giddy Lucy jumping up and down.

“Surprise!” Lucy-Kignora said.

Skott eagerly awaited a response from his sons.

+++

“I kind of assumed,” Skottson said after a time. “I mean, I’ve long wondered about my name. Still, until we met I didn’t know for sure.”

“The resemblance around the eyes is… uncanny, even across siblings,” Sethset said. “Wasn’t going to say anything until mother mentioned it, though. Seemed rude to pry.”

Skott shrugged, acknowledging the point. He turned to Lucy.

“Wait a minute. How did you not know?” he asked his daughter.

“I seldom dwell on my siblings' names.” Lucy closed her eyes and puffed up, indignant.

“You… and the hero from the other world?” Sethset asked.

“It… aye.” Lamora bowed. “Skott—your father… has been my only mate. While there was much pushback from the clan to marry into chieftainhood and bear another litter… the liberator from another world was my first and only love. My one regret is not explaining the situation to you all sooner.”

Skott’s hand drifted dangerously close to the she-orc’s. His heart fluttered. He resisted the urge to reach out for her, but only just.

Ah, got to call things off with Nessa at the very least before I go doing anything rash, he resolved. Got morals to uphold, here.

“If you have any questions, Skott and I will surely answer,” Lamora said.

“How’d you get back?” Sethset asked, sounding legitimately curious.

“It was I!” Lucy beamed. “Well, Grognar helped. But it was I who leaped through the portal between worlds to retrieve our father, Skott of Omaha, from… uh, Boston.”

“Thank you for that, Lucy,” Skott said with a smile.

Skottson’s eyes narrowed. “What intentions do you have with our mother?”

Intentions? We’ve already had plenty of intentions with each other sixteen years ag—Skott stopped himself before he blurted this out loud.

Instead, the human cleared his throat. “Ahem. I wish to support Lamora Kignora in any way possible. I feel positively devastated that I wasn’t there for you all as you were growing up. And… well, I plan to keep a permanent link to Aeirun even after returning home this time, so I’d love to keep a relationship with you and with all the siblings in whichever way possible.”

Skott stepped forward and gave another quick bow. He wasn’t sure if Aeirun even had a tradition of bowing during apologies. Still, it seemed to go over well. The twin half-orcs gave a nod of acknowledgement.

When he returned to his normal stance, Lamora’s hand brushed near his again. Their fingers interlocked, aaaaand they were holding hands. Felt just like the first time.

Gotta… take things slow, Skott thought, feeling a warm blush on his face. We’re both adults now. Lamora’s a prime minister! We’re far too busy, and far too mature, to resume our previous foolin’ around.

“So glad to meet you, father,” said the soldierly orc brothers.

“And I’m glad to finally meet you,” said Skott.

“Tell us,” Sethset began. “How did you meet our mother?”

Skott looked to Lamora, who was also heavily blushing.

“About that…” the pair began.