In a remote part of a kingdom, Jarek lived alone with his mother Elara in a small cottage, just outside a village. The whole area used to be occupied by orcs, but the armies of the kingdom had driven them out. It had been many years since an orc was sighted, and people had begun to forget about them, mentioning them only in fairy tales for their children.

Elara's husband had turned into a worthless drunk shortly after their marriage and had left them when Jarek was just a boy. Elara and her son were poor, and were not very respected in the village.

Jarek worked as a woodcutter to provide for himself and his mother, and Elara usually worked on a small garden of herbs and vegetables while her son was at work.

People of the village, once united when facing the common green-skinned enemy, had become distant and more or less hostile towards each other. Theft and banditry were becoming common, and wealth was the only thing which could bring respect.

One day, when everything seemed normal, Jarek stepped outside, carrying his axe on his shoulder. His mother, Elara, hummed an ancient melody as she tended to the herbs in her garden.

"Mother, I'm heading out to finish the chopping. I should prepare a large load for tomorrow," Jarek called over his shoulder.

Elara looked up from her herbs. "Take care, son."

Jarek nodded and disappeared into the woods. The scent of freshly cut pine filled the air as he worked, the rhythmic thuds of his axe a comforting beat that echoed through the trees. He had chosen a clearing not too far from the cottage, where it seemed peaceful and quiet. He worked as usual, chopping wood.

As the shadows grew longer, Jarek put his axe down to rest a little. But just as he was about to sit on a tree trunk, he felt a presence nearby. He spun around to find a tall green figure standing before him. At first, he thought it was a woman, but then he realized the figure was unlike any human he had ever seen - her ears were pointy, her skin was green, and her eyes were a piercing shade of amber. It took him a few seconds to realize the creature standing in front of him was a female orc.

The orc's outfit was revealing, and although primitive, it had decorations made of fur, wood, stone, metal, animal horns, teeth, and bone. She had earrings, bracelets, a necklace, and a belt, made of the same material, as if she had prepared herself for a ceremony. She had a fearsome axe. Watching closer, Jarek realized that the orc was actually beautiful despite all the features that looked violent and inhuman, and she was smiling at him.

"Who are you?" he managed to ask, his voice shaking slightly.

"Gromara," the orc answered, keeping her smile.

Jarek took a cautious step back, ready to grab his axe. The orc's axe was on her shoulder, and she didn't seem immediately hostile, but he knew he had to be careful. "What do you want?"

Her smile grew wider. "Gromara has been watching the human for some time now, and today is a good day to meet."

Jarek felt his heart rate quicken. "Why? What do you want?"

She stepped forward. "Gromara lives alone in the woods. There are no orcs around anymore. There are just humans." Then she paused, as if to let Jarek think before continuing. Her language was broken and strange, but she could give him an idea of what was in her mind.

"I've been watching from shadows. I've seen how you live, and I like you. I want to mate with you."

Jarek was shocked. He had never heard of a peaceful encounter with an orc, much less one seeking companionship. He took another step back, trying to process her words. "Mate? Why me?"

"You are good-looking and strong, so our baby can become good-looking and strong like its parents. You don't have a woman except your mother in your life. And we are both in the mating age. There are no orcs around, so Gromara should mate with a human."

Her words were a strange mix of innocence and bizarreness that unsettled Jarek. He had never considered such a union, nor had he ever heard of it occurring between humans and orcs. The very idea seemed absurd, yet here she was, standing before him with a hopeful expression.

"But... why would you want that?" Jarek stammered, his thoughts racing.

"Why wouldn't? It's fun, and I want to have a baby, to not be alone anymore."

Jarek stared at her, his mind reeling. "But we're not... we're not the same."

"So what? Don't you like Gromara? I prepared myself for you."

Jarek examined Gromara carefully, his eyes tracing the lines of her form. Despite her orcish features, there was an undeniable allure to her. She was tall and muscular and seemed innocent and sincere despite her fierce exterior. Her scars spoke of a hard life, but her smile was warm, and her voice was soothing. She was wearing a revealing outfit with a lot of accessories, all of them primitive but beautiful.

"I don't know," he finally said, his voice filled with hesitation. "It's just... unexpected. This is not the way of things. If the others find out, and even my mother..."

Gromara stepped closer, her expression softening. "Mother? Do we need to ask for permission?"

Jarek paused, "Well, no, but she would be... surprised."

"Surprised?" Gromara asked in confusion, "Is surprise good or bad? In my tribe, mothers got happy when children started mating and had children of their own."

Jarek felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead. He had never thought of his mother's reaction to his potential love life, much less with a creature like Gromara. "It's just... It's not what she's used to. Humans and orcs don't..."

Gromara looked at him strangely, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

"They don't... normally... mate," Jarek said, his cheeks reddening.

"Do we have to behave like normal all the time? I told you that there are no more orcs around, and I like you. If you don't like Gromara, say it."

Jarek's thoughts swirled. He had never felt so conflicted. On one hand, the very thought of being with an orc was alien to him, but on the other, Gromara's straightforwardness and raw beauty stirred something within him that was impossible to ignore.

"If human wants, we can visit mother, to ask for permission," she told him, "In my tribe, young orcs asked mothers for permission when mating, to show respect. I can help you chop, then we go to your home … to human mother, ask her, and if she agreed, we mate."

Jarek's eyes widened at the proposal. He had never felt so torn in his life. On one hand, the idea of bringing a creature like Gromara to meet Elara was absurd. On the other hand, her confidence and directness were strangely appealing.

"Alright," he finally said.

Gromara smiled, and started chopping wood fast, with an amazing strength. Before he knew it, the job was finished. She grabbed a heavy load of wood, as Jarek grabbed what he could carry, and started heading back. On the way, Jarek told her his name and his mother's name and a little about how they lived.

As they approached the cottage, Jarek's stomach twisted into knots. He didn't know how his mother would react, nor he was sure why he had agreed to take an orc back home. Maybe he simply couldn't decide and give a straight positive or negative answer to Gromara, and needed some help. At any rate, he knew that he had to tell his mother about the encounter.

The house was quiet when they entered. Gromara followed him inside.

Elara was cooking. When she turned, her eyes widened at the sight of the orc. She dropped the ladle she was holding and yelled, "Jarek, what is this?" she demanded, her voice sharp with fear.

"Gromara," the orc replied with a smile, as Jarek was frozen.

Elara stared at her son, waiting for an explanation. Jarek finally brought himself to say something. "Mother, this is Gromara. I found her in the woods."

Elara's hand flew to her chest. "An orc?!"

"Yes... orc," Gromara replied with the same smile.

Jarek stepped forward, trying to calm his mother down. "It's okay, she's not here to hurt us. She's... she's just a guest."

Elara looked from her son to the orc, then back again. She took a moment to compose herself before speaking. "Jarek, why is she here?"

"She... she..." Jarek stuttered, too embarrassed to say it straight. "She approached me in the woods."

"Approached you? For what?"

"She wants to ask you something." Jarek managed to say, blushing.

"And what might that be?"

The orc kept her smile, and said, "Gromara likes Jarek. I came to ask human mother for permission to mate with her son."

Elara's eyes widened further, her hand still on her chest, trying to process the situation. "Mate?" she repeated, her voice quivering.

"Yes, mate," Gromara replied, like it wasn't a big deal.

Elara took a step back, the color draining from her face. She looked at Jarek with a mix of shock and confusion. Jarek felt his own cheeks burn with embarrassment. He had never anticipated this scenario, never thought that the creature from his mother's stories could walk into their lives so abruptly and with such a request.

"I didn't know what to say," Jarek whispered to his mother. "She just appeared and... asked."

Elara's gaze flicked between Jarek and Gromara with a shocked expression. She had always taught her son to be kind to all living things, but this was beyond what she had ever imagined.

"Why do you want to... mate with him?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Gromara was alone in the woods and reached mating age. She can't mate with boars and bears. They run or fight. So, she searched for humans and found Jarek, who is strong and good-looking. We can have a strong, good-looking baby together, and Gromara won't be alone anymore. If humans don't want Gromara to live with them, she can raise her baby alone in the woods and come back the same season next year to show you her baby... and for more mating."

Elara's hand went to her mouth as she took in Gromara's words. The orc's intentions were clear and simple, but the implications were anything but. "But Jarek, you can't just..." she began, but the words trailed off as she searched for the right words to express her concern.

"Does human mother like Gromara?" the orc asked Elara.

Elara studied the orc with suspicion, not sure if she was rude, naive, or simply different. "Why should I like you?" she asked, her voice steady and angry despite the tremor in her hands.

"Gromara is strong, healthy, brave, intelligent, beautiful."

Elara gave her an angry look and said, "Those are not the qualities a mother looks for in a partner for her son."

"Gromara is also a great warrior, hunter, skinner, crafter." Showing her primitive outfit, earrings, necklace, and bracelets, the orc added, "These are all crafted by Gromara."

"Oh... so you can kill animals and put some bone, stone, and wool together!" Elara said sarcastically, "Wonderful! You are the dream bride of every mother!"

"See?" Gromara said to Jarek victoriously, not understanding the sarcasm, "Mother likes Gromara!"

Elara sighed heavily, looking at her son with a mix of exasperation and concern. "Jarek, this isn't a game. You can't just go around mating with whatever creature you come across in the woods."

Jarek's face fell, the reality of his decision weighing on him. "But she's not just any creature, she's... she's Gromara," he protested weakly.

Elara's expression changed, expressing her sadness and disappointment. "Jarek, please tell me you are not seriously considering this."

"I just feel we should be more realistic. That's all," he whispered, loud enough only for her mother to hear.

"Realistic?! How is this realistic?"

"I mean... is there any real chance we can find someone better?"

"Better?! Better than what? This thing?!"

"I mean... better than someone who can help, carry her weight around... and someone more sincere. I mean... You know how the villagers are like. Is she seriously worse than them?"

"Jarek, you deserve a future with a woman who can understand you, love you, and be part of your life." Turning towards Gromara, she asked, "Do you even know what love is?"

Gromara looked confused and said, "Love? When a couple mates, that's love, right?"

Elara's expression softened. "It's more than that. Love is caring for someone, understanding them, sharing your life with them."

"I can care for Jarek, understand Jarek after I learn more speaking, and share my life with Jarek, if humans accept me."

The room was silent as Elara processed Gromara's words. She looked at Jarek, who was avoiding her gaze, and then back at the orc. Gromara's expression was earnest, her eyes glowing with hope.

"I can't believe this is real!" Elara yelled in desperation.

Jarek, trying to calm his mother, said, "Just think about it for a minute. If we keep her around, she can help me with work, increase the wood we cut multiple times with much less effort. She can hunt for meat. And look at the hides and accessories she is wearing. She said she could make them. Do you know how much the rich pay for those?"

"But Jarek, what about our village? They won't understand."

"Do they understand now? Even without the orc, they won't respect us. But if we take her in and earn a few coins with her help, that translates into respect. And even if it doesn't, who dares to disrespect a family who has someone as strong and fearsome as her? Bad people, bandits, and thieves will think twice before coming close to a family which has such a protection."

"But don't you want to be with someone who you love?"

Jarek gave her a sad look and said, "We are not living in a fairy tale. Have you ever seen love around us? In the village, relationships are getting more and more trade-like. At least we are not buying her, and she is not here for that sort of thing. Perhaps this is more honest as well. And who knows, maybe we'll like her after some time."

Elara considered her son's words. She knew that Jarek was right about the village and the way things were, but she had still held on to the hope that love could be more than just a word thrown around in fairy tales.

She took a look at Gromara, who was standing there, with a smile which revealed her teeth, and tried to imagine which of the village girls she preferred to see in her place. But none of them seemed appealing.

"What do you say, human mother?" Gromara asked again.

Elara sighed deeply, weighing the situation before her. The orc was indeed strong and seemed interested in Jarek. And she had to admit, the thought of having someone to help around the house and protect them from the village's growing dangers was appealing. Plus, the idea of Jarek finding companionship in such a cruel world, however unusual, was not entirely unpleasant.

However, accepting someone like Gromara meant throwing away any chance of finding love for her son.

"Mother, this is your house," Jarek told Elara. "I won't bring anyone here without your permission. I told you my reasons, and you have your own reasons, which are both justified in a way. So, what is your decision?"

Elara thought about the situation for a minute and made her decision.