FWE Submission: LFSF: The orc paladin's wife.

Once upon a time, in the desert of Dromek, the land of the elves,

there was an elvish maiden who determined to decide her life for herself.

She did not wish to be pigeon-holed into a life she did not choose.

She wished to take a place among the intellectuals, but, as a girl, she was refused.

There was a boy of orcish race, whose parents had been killed.

Jirenzian orcs should know better than to go to Dromek, but some have too much will.

A church took the boy in because he was just a little child.

Though they taught him their religion, his orcish temper was still quite wild.

But he learned his own self-control on the day he met his god.

For the god told him he was to be a paladin, which the orc found far from odd.

Because paladins are warriors, but of a defensive nature.

They protect the church, the innocent, the weak, and all the parishioners.

He devoted himself to his god, and, for an orc, became quite devout.

But then came the first time that his loyalty was ever called into doubt.

For he met a young elf maiden, who was trying to enter a university.

In the orc's eyes, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

He spoke for her, and at his request, the wizards let her in to their school.

She thanked him, kissed him, and began her studies, which left him feeling the fool.

For her charisma was a seventeen, almost impossible to ignore, though he must.

And, despite his paladin vows and his strong faith, with her, he fell in lust.

The elvish girl asked the church to send him as her escort as she'd walk through town.

This gave her great protection from the lecherous elvish boys, and all who'd look down

on a young magician studying at a wizard's academy just because she was a girl.

And in the short time that he played her bodyguard, she became his world.

But she would not leave his thoughts, and he lost his power to concentrate.

And his lust for her grew by the moment, until he found he couldn't even pray.

So he turned to a cleric and beseeched him for advice, one who couldn't be deceived.

The cleric said, if he succumbed, he'd break his oath, and his paladin gifts would leave.

So the orc paladin suffered in silence, trying his best at self-control with her.

But she could well-read his intentions, and the pressure he was under.

So six days after they first met, she told him she could stop the strife,

and immediately asked him if he would make her his wife.

The seventh day, the orc paladin and the elvish wizard-student met

with the same cleric he had asked before, and he performed their elopment.

So on the wedding night, the elvish maiden let him have his way all night.

She did not request a break, or resist him, just let her husband be satisfied.

The vows of a paladin require that he always be merciful to his enemies.

And that he practice ritual purity, including treating all women in a manner courtly.

Paladins, like monks, must give up many earthly pleasures for the ascetic life.

For example, a paladin cannot have sex - unless it's with his wife.

The next day, the orc paladin realized as he awoke with the dawn, at last

that this maiden's life and dreams may have, because of his lust, been smashed.

He let her wake up on her own, while he sent a servant out with a breakfast order.

Then as she woke, he apologized, and asked she wished him to divorce her.

But the orc paladin's wife surprised him, as his divorce, she refused.

She told him that the marriage was a benefit to both, in truth.

For he would now get bragging rights when he went off to war,

and her wizard's training could provide his combat unit with magic arms and armor.

While she got the protection of being a paladin's bride.

For, as a student in school, without her parents near, money was always hard to find.

But now that she was married to a man who had a weekly wage with assurity,

she could concentrate on her school studies, without fear of poverty or austerity. 

And the lecherous elvish boys would always come around, expecting her to yeild.

But her wedding ring to her orc paladin would make a perfect deflector shield.

As well as the fact that she could now take a place among the married ladies clubs,

which had advantages and great social connections that, before, she couldn't dream of.

Plus, she knew well of battered wives - her mother had that fate.

And she feared this, but she knew that a paladin must control his rage.

For the paladin's ascetic vows forbid him from abusing anyone, no doubt.

Were he and she to ever quarrel, the worst he could do to her is angrily shout.

But on the other hand, when a paladin's rage is justified,

then there is no force on earth short of his death that can stave off the tide.

In other words, if any elf were to try, with lecherous intent, to force her hand,

for vengeance, she need but run home with tears and cry to her husband.

For it would not violate his ascetic oaths to turn a homewrecking a gigalo into a goner.

Even elvish courts would agree he was merely defending his wife's honor.

And her marriage to an orc, she realized, even greater protection afforded.

For who would dare accost the wife of a militarily trained orc?

So even though they weren't in love, they retained their marriage and made it work.

Though his lust was never satisfied, he proved a great provider, and protector.

And while she focused mostly on school when she was alone,

when he was present, she did her best to give him a clean, orderly, happy home.

Then came the day that tensions flared with the Rex Terran border.

The paladin was called to serve.  He arranged that half his pay would go to her.

And in return, she worked her spells into her crafted armor, shields, and arms,

blessing her husband and his elvish troop with protection from nearly all harm.

With her help, he became a general, and they bought a luxurious home, a haven.

She completed school and now works as the city's librarian.

And they are still together now, now in love, and united in one dedication -  

Using their money to give their hybrid daughter a world-class education.

And the best place, they decided, is Madame Kirustinu's Bre-ayne Island, oh yes.

For the education and knowledge of the Bre-ayne orcs in medicine and science,

and in druidic magic, there is world-class.  Brilliance is welcome, and genius, allowed!

At last report, their daughter's second-top of her class.  They couldn't be more proud.