Tusktaker's Secret Part 13

“I asked you a question, you little punk!” Jor'ak growled.

Thomas was sweating bullets. A full grown angry orc dad was the last thing he wanted to deal with, especially since Jor'ak was unaware of his relationship with Lorka. Thomas and Lorka shared a panicked look before Radha sighed and stood up from the table.“His name is Thomas, he's one of Lorka's classmates and her English tutor. I invited him over for dinner so I could have an opportunity to meet him.”

Jor'ak bared his teeth. “Why does she need help with that garbage! She speaks it just fine, she doesn't need to worry about that crap when I'm trying to get her a guild license for hunting.

Lorka winced as her father brought up his dream occupation for his little “bone splitter.” There was no way she was going to spend the rest of her life as a beast hunter. Hunting could be occasionally fun, but the monsters beast hunters had to kill were way too dangerous for her taste. She'd seen a lot of veteran hunters missing arms and legs, or as they called it “retirement.”

“Jor'ak, there is a lot we need to discuss. I think you have been so wrapped up in the future you want to give our daughter that you've forgotten she is going to be the one that makes her own choices.

Jor'ak didn't say anything for a moment, Thomas could see gears were turning in his head. “Thomas…I've heard that name before. Wait, you're that little weak runt Lorka used to screw with! The little pansy that spends all of his time reading books!”
Lorka  jumped up from the table. “Father! Do not speak to him like that! You have no right!”

“Don't you dare tell me how to act in my house, Lorka! I come home to find a human here with no explanation and no word from your mother! Somethings going on , I can tell”

Thomas didn't know what to say. He was sure Jor'ak would probably snap him in half as soon as talk to him, so he did his best to stay quiet.

Radha placed a hand over her face as she shook her head. “This has all gotten so heated. Husband, love, can we just calm down and talk? There's a lot going on that we need to discuss. We can't do that if you are pointing fingers and shouting.”

The huge orc pointed to Thomas. “Then why is he here!? I want a straight answer, not some bullshit about him being a 'tutor'!”

I guess it's now or never, Lorka thought to herself. She walked over to Thomas's chair. “Thomas you should probably stand for this.”

He stood by her right side and  Lorka placed his hand in hers as they both looked into Jor'ak's eyes. “Dad, I've been trying to think of away to tell you this for a couple months. Thomas is…” Lorka's voice chokes momentarily before Thomas gave her a reassuring squeeze, giving her the strength to finally tell her father the truth.  “He's my Aru'ka.”

Thomas was expecting a lot of things. He was expecting Jor'ak to be confused or angry. Very angry. But the look that crossed the orcs face was more akin to betrayal.
“Is this some kind of joke, Lorka? Because this isn't funny.” Her father said.

“It isn't a joke. Thomas and I have been dating for the past couple of months. We fell in love and…I tried to think of a way to tell you about us, but you get so mad when humans get brought up …”

Jor'ak cut her off, his voice quivering with anger as he spoke. “So you thought lying to me and sneaking around behind my back with this 'human' was the answer?”

“Husband, please!” Radha exclaimed.

Jor'ak growled as he turned and pointed a finger at his wife. “Don't even get me started on you. You knew about all this and you kept it a secret from me.  You are my MATE, Radha! How could you keep something like this from me?” Thomas could tell by the look on Radha's face that Jor'ak's words had cut very deep. He could see her shiver slightly.

”Dad…Father,  don't be angry at Mom. I asked her to keep it a secret.” Lorka explained.

Her father gave her a cold, hard look. “I can't believe your throwing away your life on this little runt! What about the hunting guild? What about the clan?”

Lorka averted her gaze as she spoke, too ashamed to look her father in the eye. “I don't want to be a hunter, Dad! I only do it because it was something you loved, and because it was part of being a Tusktaker. I want to be a scientist and apply all the stuff mom taught me about plants from the Homelands. I'm sorry. I know that isn't what you would have chosen for me, but it's what I want to do.”
“So that's it? You're just going to cast aside being a Tusktaker…a real Tusktaker because of this little humie?”

Lorka bared her teeth in anger. “This isn't even about him! I've never wanted to be a hunter! I've had to hide who I  am my entire life! I like reading and going to human movies that aren't just about fighting and hunting! I like science and literature and doing unorcy things! I like being with Thomas. He understands me!”

Jor'ak shook his head in disbelief. “I can't believe it's gotten this bad.”

“It isn't bad! There's nothing wrong with liking unorcy stuff! I can still be just as much as a Tusktaker and like humie things.”
“No, Lorka you can't! That's what I've been trying to tell you!”

“You're such a stubborn idiot! Why-” Jor'ak lept towards Lorka and slapped her hard across the face.

“Don't EVER talk to me like that! I am your father! I care about you! I'm trying to look out for you!”

Lorka was stunned, her hand covered the large green hand print that was forming on her face.

Thomas felt his blood boiling with anger. No one treated his Aru'ka like that while he was around! He was trying to be levelheaded, but he couldn't keep silent any longer.“Your daughter just poured her heart out and told you a secret she's been keeping in for years, and your solution is to slap her across the face and belittle her for the choices she's made?”

Jor'ak turned his gaze on Thomas, his crimson eyes filled with hatred. “How fucking dare you, you pale skinned little shit! You come into my house, trick my daughter into giving up on everything I've worked so hard to pass on to her, and then you act like I'm in the wrong?”

Thomas fear evaporated as outrage trumped self preservation. “Lorka once told me the most orcy thing you could do was to stand up for the people or things you hold most dear, no matter what. So does that make her the unorcy one or you? Because all I see is a father bullying his daughter into the life he wants her to live.”

Oh fuck. Why did I say that? Oh Jesus, he is going to murder me, Thomas thought.

Jor'ak roared “Don't you dare fucking lecture me, boy!” Thomas barely had time to duck as Jor'ak threw a cross at his face. Before he could  react, the giant orc followed up with  a left handed hit to his sternum. Thomas's reflexes saved him from the full force of the punch by falling back slightly, but the blow still hit him with enough force to send him halfway across the dining room. He wheezed slightly as he clutched his ribs.

Jesus Christ, Jor'ak hit like a truck. If he touches me again, I'm dead, Thomas thought.

The massive orc let out a guttural yell as he lunged at Thomas. He managed to thrust his leg into Jor'ak's stomach, turning the orc's own momentum against him. Disturbingly, The pain barely even registered on Jor'ak's face as he reared back his fist in a hay-maker…only for Lorka and Radha to slam into him, knocking him off of Thomas.  The two shook as he tried to force them off. He could easily escape…but only if he hurt Lorka or Radha. They were playing a dangerous game, gambling that his love for the two of them would outweigh his desire to harm Thomas. “Let me go!” he shouted.

“No husband! This has gone on long enough! You are an adult, and an orcish adult at that. He is a human teenager. Use some common sense. You could kill him!” Radha yelled.

Jor'ak's anger seemed to fizzle, replaced by resigned bitterness. He gave a harsh chuckle as he eyeballed Thomas. “So this is it,huh? Betrayed by my own family for this little gobshit.”

“I'm not betraying anyone, Dad! You're the one acting like a crazy person! Thomas hasn't done anything wrong!” Lorka exclaimed.

“So Lorka, what's next after this? You go to college, leave the clan behind while you rut with this little humie? Cut ties with your culture and become soft and weak just like your boyfriend? Become a black sheep to most of the clan? Give up on everything I've worked so hard to give you?”

Thomas felt his Jor'ak's words hit harder than his punch to the chest. Was his relationship with Lorka really hindering her this much? Was he worth all this trouble? He knew Jor'ak wasn't going to like him,but he didn't expect it to be this bad.

Radha growled at her husband “Jor'ak, how can you say all that? What about A'kua's mate?”

“Chuck worked hard to prove himself to your parents! He didn't sneak around behind their backs, he was upfront with what he wanted!”
“Dad…” Lorka tried to say something, to assure her father she wasn't going to turn her back on her roots and forget the clan, but she knew it wouldn't matter. He was beyond reason at this point.

Jor'ak sighed, and he relaxed his muscles. “Let me go, I'm not going to touch your precious 'human', I promise.” The two orcesses let him loose. The older orc walked to the door, picking up his bag of hunting gear before he opened the door.
“Husband, where are you going?” Radha asked.

“Out.” was all he said. A couple pictures fell off the wall as he slammed the door behind him.

Radha looked like she was about to cry. “I've never seen him like this before. Thomas, I think you should leave. We probably all need a little space to cool down from all that.”

Thomas wrapped his arms around her back and gave her a big hug. She was surprised for a moment, but then her lips curled into a small smile.

“I am so sorry for causing all this.” he said.

“You didn't do anything wrong, Thomas. Thank you for standing up for Lorka. I think you make an excellent Aru'ka.”

Thomas blushed slightly as he let go. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

“You too. Now run along home, dear.”

Thomas made his way to his car, with Lorka following closely behind. He looked up into his Aru'ka's eyes and noticed a tear running down her cheek. He brushed it aside and gave her a concerned look. “I'm really sorry for all of that.” he said in a low voice.

“Like Mom said, it's not your fault.”

Thomas wished he could say something to reassure her, to tell her he could fix this somehow. Truth be told, he was just as scared as she was, but at least could show her he cared. He leaned up against her and gave her a kiss on the lips. Lorka was surprised for a moment, then she returned the kiss with ferocious passion.  After a moment, the two broke their embrace and Thomas looked into his lover's eyes.

“I love you, Lorka.”

“I love you too, Thomas.” She gave him one more kiss before he got into his car.

As Thomas pulled out of the driveway, he looked at Lorka in his rear-view mirror. She looked so forlorn, it made his heart sink. Thomas could tell she was shaken. He hated seeing Lorka like this.

“This is all my fault.” He thought to himself.