《Hope-Bringer, the story of Lork Hammerfist》 The Village The crush of the Horde. The smell of battle. The promise of the blood and death to come. The blacksmith stood on the battlefield, his axe by his side, his brother Orcs beside him slavering and chomping their jaws, anxious for the fight. Lurgak fidgeted restlessly with his axe, sniffing the air, feeling the battle rage rearing in his bones. Eventually, finally, after what seemed like an age, the Horde¡¯s horns sounded, and the charge began. At first a walk as the rear ranks pressed forward, then a trot, then a run, then finally a snarling, roaring mass of green flesh and blood as the slowest were trampled by their own side, desperate to be into the fray, to taste human meat and blood. The human village never stood a chance. Standing quietly and peacefully in the mid-morning autumn sun, it was the gentlest of places. Men worked in the golden fields while children laughed and shouted around their feet. Women worked at their weaving and spinning, lighthearted chatter passing between them. The smell of freshly baked bread hung in the air. Until the Horde. A child saw them first. Screaming in fear, she drew the attention of the adults, who one by one, turned and saw the mass of green bodies approaching. Before they could react, the Horde was on them, tearing, gutting, killing. The women, taken in the streets where they stood, skirts forced up around their heads, multiple orcs swarming, grinding on top of them. They died where they lay, screaming, in pools of blood and gore. Children were laughingly driven onto spikes to be roasted later while their screams rang in the ears of their parents, themselves forced to watch. The men were slaughtered and most of the women raped. A few, however, were herded, rounded up to become slaves to the Horde. Lurgak found himself placed as a guard to these women, most of whom cowered in fear from him. One, however, was watching him carefully. He found himself staring back. She was different than the others, paler skinned, blue eyes and dark, curly, waist-length hair. He shifted his position, gripped his axe, and turned his attention back to the horde. But he continued to feel her eyes boring into his back. The killing seemed to go on for an age. At last, the Horde was satisfied. Meat was passed around, ale taken from the tavern in the village was broken open. The higher ranks of the horde were given the flesh of the children, with the lower ranks taking what morsels they could find. A passing orc sneered at Lurgak, and tossed him the roasted hindquarters of a sheep. ¡°No human for you, Lurgak¡±, he sneered. ¡°Maybe this is enough for your soft belly! Get them ready, we march in an hour.¡± The orc walked off laughing, and Lurgak shook his head, before turning to the women behind him, who were clinging together and weeping. But not the girl. She sat a little to one side, her head slightly cocked, watching him with a curious expression. He sighed, and tore the meat in his hands into strips. He reached out to her, a strip dangling from his fingers. She hesitated, and looked at it suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s just mutton.¡± He said, gruffly, but with a tenderness that surprised her. ¡°We have a long walk ahead of us. You should keep your strength up.¡± ¡°Why? So you can kill us later?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°No. Those who can work will be taken to be slaves. Those who cannot be slaves would be put to death working in the mines.¡± ¡°And you would rather see us as slaves?¡± ¡°I would rather see you free. But given the alternative¡­.¡± At that, she blinked and stared at him. He dropped his eyes, and continued cutting the meat up. ¡°You aren¡¯t like them, are you?¡± She asked, motioning to the other orcs of the Horde. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°no, I¡¯m not.¡± Hesitantly, she reached out and took the strip, testing it between her teeth. Finding that he told the truth, she tore it up further and distributed it among the other women, encouraging them to eat, as Lurgak handed her the remaining strips, keeping some for himself. She made sure that all the women had some, although some were too frozen with fear to understand her, she forced the meat into their hands. ¡°You must eat too,¡± Lurgak urged her. She nodded, and took some strips for herself. Lurgak smiled, and for a moment, she saw his face change. ¡°What¡¯s your name, orc?¡± ¡°Lurgak. It means¡­¡± ¡°Defender of the weak.¡± ¡°You know Orcish?¡± ¡°Some. But isn¡¯t that a strange name for an Orc?¡± ¡°It¡¯s typical orcish humour. They think I¡¯m weak for not wanting to take part in¡­.this. What¡¯s your name? You¡¯re brave to speak to an Orc like this.¡± ¡°You would know the name of your food? Isn¡¯t that a bit¡­ non-orcish of you?¡± ¡°I told you, you¡¯re not food to me. I would rather see you all freed, but I have no choice. I¡¯m not like the others, but I am still bound to the tribe,¡± his voice was bitter. She paused, watching his eyes, Large and brown, they seemed open and honest.¡°Elen. My name is Elen.¡± ¡°Elvish for Star.¡± ¡°You speak Elvish?¡± ¡°Some,¡± he replied with a wry smile, and his eyes twinkled. She smiled back, slowly, her blue eyes meeting his brown. ¡°Get them up! We march!¡± A harsh voice cut across the pen, and Lurgak scrambled to his feet as a huge orc, scars across his face and one ear missing, lurched into view. Lurgak immediately bowed to him and the orc snarled. ¡°Yes, my chief. At once.¡± ¡°Better prove your worth in something, Lurgak. Although, these axes¡­¡± He tossed his axe in the air and caught it deftly, the bright metal gleaming as it caught the sun. ¡°You did well with these. You¡¯re a skilled blacksmith, even if you¡¯re a damn lousy Orc. Remember that, that¡¯s the ONLY reason we keep you in the tribe.¡± ¡°Yes, my chief.¡± Lurgak waited until the orc had passed, before turning back to Elen. ¡°Gortag. Our chief. Come on, help me get them up before the Whipmaster comes along.¡± The arrival The march back to the tribe¡¯s hold was brutal. Many of the older women collapsed on the way, dead before they hit the ground. Those that fell by the wayside were pounced upon by the orcs behind - Lurgak tried to prevent the prisoners from seeing what happened to those bodies, but it was impossible to block out the sounds. The remaining women huddled together in fear. Elen cast a look at Lurgak, who moved closer to her. ¡°It¡¯s not far now.¡± He whispered. ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure that I can.¡± She whispered back, pain in her voice. She was beginning to stumble. ¡°You can. You must. Lean on me when you can. I¡¯ll get you through this, Elen. I promise.¡± She leaned against him, gratefully borrowing his strength. ¡°Why are you helping me, Lurgak?¡± Before he could answer, a shrill horn rang out, and the marching column shuddered to a halt. Lurgak quickly herded the women off the road, to a little patch of grass, where they sank to their knees weeping. Behind them, the orcs were fanning out, finding cool places to rest and drink. ¡°One hour!¡± came the command from the front of the column. ¡°Then we move again!¡± Lurgak sat with the women, and Elen sank to her knees beside him, grateful for the cool grass, and the shade of the tree overhead. ¡°Rest,¡± Lurgak said. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, but it¡¯s not over yet. Rest, sleep, get your strength back.¡± He turned to Elen. ¡°You too.¡± Elen nodded, waves of tiredness washing over her. She sank forward, and the last thing she recalled before sleep took her was the strong arm of Lurgak catching her. As Elen surrendered to sleep, she swayed forward. Lurgak put out his arm, and caught her, pulling her to him. She sank against him, warm and soft against his calloused body. Fast asleep. Defenceless. Helpless. It would be so easy. He looked down at her body, young, firm, and felt the monster growing within him. His eyes began to darken, but he shook his head. ¡°No. I am not like them.¡± He breathed deeply as her scent filled his nostrils, then snarled suddenly as a younger Orc padded closer, pawing at her ankles. The younger orc smirked, made a rude gesture, and walked off laughing. Lurgak closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm, as Elen stirred in his arms. She woke, her body warm against the solidness of his, and she suddenly jerked upright, her eyes darting from left to right. Stolen story; please report. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Lurgak¡¯s voice behind her was gruff, but calm. ¡°You¡¯re safe.¡± She turned to face him, tears in her eyes. ¡°Safe? How can you say that?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m here. And I won¡¯t let anything happen to you, Elen.¡± He stood up and crossed over to her quickly. Kneeling, he took his hands in hers. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is. I don¡¯t know why I feel this way. But every ounce of my being wants to protect you. Elen, I won¡¯t lie - what is come will not be¡­.pleasant. But I swear, I will fight every last orc in my tribe if I have to, to keep you safe. Stay close to me. Lean on me if you need to.¡± She paused, looking into his eyes. ¡°You truly mean that. I see it in your face. Lurgak¡­¡± ¡°Hush. Later. For now, we need to get you to safety.¡± She nodded, and allowed him to help her to her feet. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too far now. The ones most likely to fall, get them to walk on the inside. Let the others hold them up. I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± As the order came down the line to advance once more, the orcs fell back into line. The women obeyed Lurgak¡¯s orders, the younger, stronger women to the outside, supporting the older women, preventing them from stumbling or falling. Eventually, as night began to fall, and Elen¡¯s eyes and steps were growing heavy, Lurgak moved beside her again. He put his hand on the small of her back and whispered to her. ¡°Courage now. We¡¯re almost there.¡± He paused, before continuing ¡°I can do no more for them. Once the sorting happens, they¡¯re on their own. But you - stay close to me. And remember, do as I say. It won¡¯t be pleasant, but I promise it¡¯ll be fast.¡± He added, almost under his breath, ¡°One way or the other.¡± ¡°Lurgak¡­¡± She looked up at him, and he smiled, sadly. Suddenly, orders rang out in the night air. The women were peeled away to one side. Elen made to go with them, but Lurgak kept hold of her arm, and shook his head. One by one, the women were brought forward to an orc with a nasty leer, known as the Whipmaster, holding a whip in one hand and a branding iron in the next. He looked each woman up and down, deciding if they were fit to serve, or condemned to the mines. The ones deemed unfit to serve were wrenched to one side, their arms laid bare, and branded with the tribal mark. Their screams pierced the night sky. Those who were to become slaves were marched into a holding pen. When the last woman had been inspected, an old grandmother with few teeth, and sent to be branded with the others for the mines, the orc turned to the slaves. ¡°You have had your last night of freedom.¡± He snarled. ¡°But now you must know your masters. Now you will know how we conquered you!¡± He threw his head back and laughed as a group of orcs ran to the pens, pushing the women to the ground, tearing their clothes from them, laughing and yelling as they took turns in raping them. Lurgak turned Elen away. ¡°You don¡¯t need to see this.¡± He said, gently. The Breeding Pit ¡°What about HER?¡± The orc that had pawed at Elen¡¯s ankles earlier in the day yelled out above the noise. Hundreds of eyes turned and fixed Lurgak and Elen with hostile stares. Lurgak stepped in front of Elen, baring his teeth. His eyes turned black, and his fists clenched. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± He growled. Orcs began laughing, but the Whipmaster strode over to Lurguk and looked him up and down, noting the colour of his eyes, the sweat on his skin. ¡°Well, lads.¡± He said, and turned to face the rest of the orcs. ¡°Looks like Lurgak¡¯s got some belly for the fight after all. Who else claims this woman?¡± Half a dozen voices from the younger orcs rang out. The whipmaster grinned, then turned back to Lurgak. ¡°To the breeding pits!¡± Orcs grabbed hold of Elen and pushed her forwards. Lurgak snarled at them and they backed off laughing. Lurgak turned to Elen. She was startled to see the change in him. His eyes, that had been so warm and liquid brown, were entirely black. His skin was studded with beads of sweat, he was trembling, and when he spoke, it was with a great effort. ¡°Elen. Stay to the back wall. I¡¯ll protect you. Trust me.¡± Elen had turned white at the thought of the breeding pits. She had heard tales of those. Orcs fighting each other to the death to be the first to rape a poor woman. And the sight of Lurgak frightened her - she had almost grown accustomed to his steady, calming presence, and now, he was something feral, wild. But something in his words steadied her. With those words, ¡®trust me¡¯, she laid her hand on his chest, and replied, ¡°I do.¡± Lurgak blinked, and for a fraction of a second, his eyes lightened to their previous colour, before darkening again. The orcs parted, and she saw them. The breeding pits. Orcs, with black eyes, in the same state as Lurgak, were jumping down into the first pit, tearing their clothes off as they jumped, green flesh shimmering with sweat and moonlight. Already fights were breaking out among them. An orc behind Elen gave her a shove, and she slipped over the edge of the pit, landing with a squelch at the bottom, her foot trapped under her. Another round of raucous laughter came from the orcs as Lurgak threw himself in, landing in front of Elen, facing the other orcs. They snarled at each other, pacing back and forth, like wild dogs scenting their prey. Lurgak hunched onto all fours, defensive. One orc broke from the pack, flying and Lurgak. With a leap, Lurgak met him halfway, and buried his teeth in the other orc¡¯s throat. With an animalistic roar, he pulled back, tearing and ripping with his teeth. Blood spurted from the orc¡¯s throat and again, Lurgak pulled and ripped, until, with a gurgle, the light faded from the other orc¡¯s eyes. Lurgak dropped the body on the ground and sized up the next attack. They all came at once. With yells and screams two orcs fell on Lurgak, trying to bring him down. One slipped past him and made straight for Elen. She screamed, unable to move, and Lurgak immediately found a sudden burst of strength. Throwing off his attackers, he slammed against the orc who was about to thrust himself into Elen, a maelstrom of teeth and nails, leaving the shredded husk of the orc behind. The remaining two orcs circled him, then attacked at the same time, trying to bring him down. One went for his front, and was met with Lurgak¡¯s teeth. The other threw himself onto Lurgak¡¯s back bringing his hands around the blacksmith¡¯s throat, trying to choke him. Lurgak slammed him into the wall, impaling him on one of the iron spikes that stood around the edge of the pit. The crowd roared their approval. Lurgak turned his attention back to the final orc, wiping blood from his eye after Lurgak¡¯s teeth had turned him blind. The last orc snarled and ran at Lurgak, who met him head on. The two grappled and wrestled in the dust of the pit, back and forth, one on top and then the other, churning the dust until it was impossible to see who was who. Suddenly, finally, there was a sound, one that Elen wished she would never hear again, a popping, followed by a ripping and tearing, and a horrible, horrible squelching. Elen held her breath as the dust cleared, and a single orc loomed out of it, holding the head of another. In the dark of the night and the dust of the pit, she couldn¡¯t make out whose head it was. The orc dropped the head, and it rolled towards her, coming to a rest at her feet. With a shudder, she steeled herself, and forced her to look at the severed head. It wasn¡¯t Lurgak¡­ which could only mean¡­. She almost fainted with relief as he came closer. But the relief was momentary. As he stood over her, covered in blood, every inch of him erect and pulsing, she shrank back in renewed fear. He snarled at her, possessively, lowering himself onto all fours, pushing himself on top of her. As he came closer, the smell of blood, death, and his own sweet scent mingled in her nostrils. Instinctively, she reached out her hand, touching his chest. He blinked, and stopped. ¡°Lurgak¡­it¡¯s me¡­. It¡¯s Elen.¡± she whispered, in fear. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Elen¡­¡± His voice was husky and gruff, but something seemed to spark in his eyes. He sat back. And whispered her name again. ¡°Elen¡­.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s me.¡± She put her other hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. The darkness still swirled in them, but she could see flashes of brown every time he spoke her name. ¡°Lurgak. Come back to me.¡± ¡°Elen¡­. My star. Elen.¡± The darkness in his eyes began to clear. He was no longer erect, but his whole body trembled. The orcs around the pit were booing, feeling robbed of their sport, yet for both Lurgak and Elen, nothing in the world existed apart from each other. The orcs, growing bored and knowing their sport was over, wandered off. To those few still remaining, the whipmaster cracked his whip and yelled ¡°Show¡¯s over, lads. Lurgak¡¯s shown his belly for once. He¡¯s won her.¡± He sneered down at Elen before stalking off. Elen wrapped Lurgak in a warm embrace and he buried his head in her hair. And still, Elen and Lurgak stayed, kneeling together, bringing Lurgak back from the brink, until the first hints of dawn crept over the horizon. The Bond Eventually, Lurgak raised his head, and looked at Elen. Although there was still some darkness to his eyes, they were mostly back to a soft brown. ¡°Elen¡­. You didn¡¯t¡­.leave me.¡± Every word seemed to be a struggle to say. ¡°Where would I go?¡± She replied, gently, smiling slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ still not¡­. Safe.¡± He said, though breathing heavily. Elen swallowed, but helped Lurgak to his feet. ¡°Nonsense. You swore not to hurt me. I¡¯ll hold you to that. Now come on, you¡¯re wounded, and you need to heal. Where do you live?¡± Lurgak smiled down at her. ¡°Has anyone told you how wonderful you are?¡± ¡°Every day.¡± She smiled at him, glad to break the tension. ¡°¡®And you¡¯ll keep doing it, if you know what¡¯s good for you. Now come on, before you get delirious. Let¡¯s get you home.¡± Lurgak smiled wearily and directed Elen to the edge of the village where a small hut stood, overlooking a meadow. Elen didn¡¯t have time to take in the view, however, because as soon as she crossed over the threshold with Lurgak, he collapsed to the floor. Elen immediately set to work. She couldn¡¯t lift him onto the bed, so she gently laid him out on the floor, pushing the musty pillow from the bed under his head. She washed him, and cleaned his wounds, blushing slightly as she cleaned his penis and he let out a small moan, even in his unconscious state. She did it quickly, and deftly, before covering him with a blanket. She tore her dress to make bandages, and dressed his wounds. As the day wore on, and he still did not wake, she looked around for things that would help. The hut was a single room - a bed in one corner, a hearth with a roasting stake and cauldron in the other, and a single table and chair. Sparse, but could be cleaner. She set to, stoking the fire. She found a ceramic jug leaning in one of the corners of the room, and after extracting a family of spiders from it, she recalled seeing a small stream at the bottom of the meadow. Casting a quick glance over at the still-sleeping form of Lurgak, she picked up the jug and went to fill it with water. As she stepped out into the meadow, she was struck with the peacefulness of where Lurgak had made his home, compared to the horror that she had seen in the main camp of the tribe. The meadow was quiet, save for the sounds of birds singing, and the merry tinkle of the stream as it burbled away. She took a deep breath, and smiled sadly to herself. She walked to the stream, filled the jug, and stopped to pick a few herbs before walking back to the cottage. She slipped in, closing the door gently behind her. Pouring the water into the cauldron, she bought it to a boil, before throwing in the herbs. She let them brew and stew for a while, before fishing them out. The leaves she bound into poultices, which she applied to Lurgak¡¯s wounds. Taking some large spoonfuls of the remaining stew, she scooped some into two bowls, before using the remaining water to scrub down the flag stones, the table and the fireplace. Soon, the cottage smelled of fresh herbs and every surface sparkled. Satisfied, she knelt beside Lurgak, gently lifting his head into her lap. He began to mumble softly in his sleep, and she gently stroked his cheek. ¡°Elen¡­..love¡± Her hand froze as he murmured those words, oblivious to her caressing him. She paused, looking at him, then a gentle smile unfolded on her face. She bent her head over his, her hair falling in soft brown waves around them, and gently kissed his lips. ¡°Lurgak. Come back to me. Come back.¡± She laid down beside him, wrapping her arms around his green body, her head on his chest. A few hours later, she woke, violently, as Lurgak thrashed in his sleep. Hurriedly, she sat up. Lurgak¡¯s body was twisting, contorting, his face a vision of pain, though he still remained unconscious. Suddenly, there was a rapid knock at the door, and even before Elen could rise to her feet, an old woman barged in. She took one look at Lurgak, and at Elen, and nodded. ¡°I see.¡± Her voice was crackly, dry, but friendly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, my dear. I¡¯ve seen this before. Not with dear old Lurgak, of course, but others of his ilk. Hmm¡­¡± she looked Elen up and down, before smiling at her. ¡°Yes, yes I think he¡¯s chosen well. Not that one ever HAS a choice with love, of course¡­¡± She broke off, laughing. ¡°Tell me, he hasn¡¯t mated with you yet, has he? No, no of course not.¡± she continued, not even allowing Elen a chance to respond. ¡°You¡¯d be a mere smear on the wall if had, in his state. Well, easily fixed, dear, easily fixed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m..I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elen stumbled, ¡°but - who are you? And what do you mean¡­. And what¡¯s happening to Lurgak? What state?¡± ¡°Ah, forgive me, my dear. Too long living in these woods alone, I¡¯m afraid. And of course you don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. Why would you? Come, sit down, away from him. Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t hurt himself. It¡¯s you being too near that¡¯s driven him to this state. He¡¯ll calm down once there¡¯s some distance.¡± The two women retreated to the bed in the corner of the room, and perched on the edge. Sure enough, Lurgak quickly settled, his breathing dropped back into a slow state, and he slipped back into a quiet state of unconsciousness. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°What¡­.what happened?¡± Elen looked at her visitor with wide eyes. ¡°You, my dear. You happened. And love. Mainly love.¡± The old woman smiled. ¡°Let me start from the beginning. My name is Eldra. I¡¯m a herbalist, a wise woman living in these woods.¡± ¡°So close to the orcs?¡± ¡°I¡¯m old, my dear, and past my prime. They don''t bother me. Besides, I¡¯m useful to their women when their time comes to bear children. I have seen all of their rites. And that is why I¡¯m here, my dear. Of course the story of the gentle Lurgak stepping in to secure his claim over a woman was instantly all over the camp. I was delivering a baby on the other side of camp when one of the female orcs came bursting in to spread the news. And it caused great hilarity when the punchline came - that his woman was a human.¡± She shook her head sadly. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t know what to expect, and so I have come to tell you. Because none of those kravk will.¡± ¡°What to expect? You¡¯re right, I have no idea.¡± She looked sadly at Lurgak. ¡°I had no idea - being so close¡­ I was killing him.¡± ¡°Yes, my dear.¡± Eldra said sadly, and put her hand over Elen¡¯s. ¡°You were.¡± ¡°Will you help me? Will you help Lurgak?¡± ¡°Oh my dear, of course. That¡¯s why I''m here. But first, I need to explain the mating rites. You have already seen the breeding pits, of course.¡± Elen shuddered at the mention, and Eldra nodded sympathetically. ¡°I know, my dear, I know. Horrific places. But there you would have seen Lurgak¡¯s eyes turn black, yes?¡± Elen nodded, and Eldra continued. ¡°They call that the mating rage. You have seen what it can do. Normally, while still in the grip of it, the male and female orc will mate in the breeding pit. This has often been done for sport with humans, as there is no way they will survive a breeding pit mating. Lurgak, somehow, managed to pull himself out of that state long enough for you to get him back here.¡± Elen looked up at Eldra at this. ¡°He¡­spoke my name in the pits. Again, and again. Called me his star.¡± ¡°And indeed you were.¡± Eldra smiled. ¡°His guiding star. You brought him back to himself, temporarily, at least. Long enough to get you both to safety.¡± Elen looked at Lurgak lovingly. ¡°And now? What happens now?¡± ¡°Well, my dear, that is up to you. The mating rage does not end until a bond is made - a blood pact between the pair. Or, you can leave. You can try to escape.¡± ¡°What will happen to Lurgak if I do?¡± ¡°The mating rage will destroy him. The choice, as I said, my dear, is up to you.¡± Eldra stood up, and crossed to the door to leave. As her hand reached the handle, Elen, who had never taken her eyes from Lurgak, suddenly cried out; ¡°Wait!¡± Eldra smiled, and turned back to Elen. ¡°This blood ritual. Will¡­you help me perform it?¡± ¡°Are you certain, my dear? It will bind you for life.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elen¡¯s voice was suddenly strong, certain. ¡°Lurgak gave himself for me. Promised to protect me. I can at least do the same for him.¡± Eldra smiled warmly and nodded. ¡°Well done, my dear. Very well. Come, kneel by him. Do not fear, the bond will take hold quickly. Neither of you are in danger.¡± Elen quickly moved to Lurgak¡¯s side. Eldra nodded, and produced a small knife from a belt at her waist. Taking Lurgak¡¯s left hand, she deftly ran the knife across, leaving a thin trickle of blood. She handed the knife to Elen. ¡°Now you.¡± Elen did the same, wincing slightly as the blade slid across her skin. Eldra took her hand, and clasped it into Lurgak¡¯s hand, who shuddered slightly. ¡°Now, repeat after me. ¡°My blood to your blood, my body to your body, our hearts as one.¡± Elen spoke the words after Eldra, and again, Lurgak shuddered and let out a slight moan. ¡°Good. It¡¯s working. Now, to complete the bond.¡± Eldra lifted Lurgak¡¯s hand, the blood collecting in his palm, and offered it to Elen. ¡°Drink, and let him taste from yours. Then the bond will be sealed, the curse of the mating rage lifted, and you will be bound together for life.¡± Elen lifted Lugruk¡¯s hand to her mouth, and gently licked away the blood from his palm. Cupping her own hand, she let some of her own blood drip into his mouth. Instantly, his tongue swept across his lips, tasting her. As his blood passed into her, she felt some of his lifeforce enter her. She blinked, and watched as Lurgack gave one last shudder, coming to. Eldra stood up, smiling. ¡°And now I leave you. It¡¯s best if I¡¯m not here when he wakes up. The first person he sees should be you. Well done, my dear. Very well done.¡± Without another word, she slipped from the hut, leaving Elen and Lurgak alone. Elen slipped Lurgak¡¯s head back into her lap, and when he opened his eyes, they were the warmest chestnut she had ever seen. The Truth ¡°Elen¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Elen, my guiding star, my light¡­ my love.¡± He sat up and turned to her. He took in the bandages on his body, the fresh cuts on his and her palms, and paled. ¡°Elen¡­. You didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Hush. It was my choice. We are bonded now, you and I¡±. ¡°Oh, Elen¡­.¡± He stroked her cheek and bent towards her, wrapping her in his strong arms, giving her at first a tender kiss which deepened into a passionate, longing kiss. She surrendered herself to him, completely, and as he rose from the blankets and picked her up to carry her to the bed, he was fully erect and pulsing once again, but this time, she wasn¡¯t afraid. She knew he wouldn¡¯t hurt her. He gently laid her on the bed, and, with her gesture of assent, parted her legs as he lowered himself into her. She gasped as he entered her, and he moaned in pleasure. He paused, looking down at her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. The kiss that he gave her then said everything she could ever want to know, everything that couldn¡¯t be put into words. It was a kiss of love, of apology, and of a promise. The two moved together in harmony, their life forces and bodies entwined. He was gentle, strong, and tender and she relished every moment in his arms. Eventually, spent, they lay in each other''s arms, listening to the sound of the birds outside, and the burble of the stream. ¡°Elen..¡± Lurgak pulled himself onto his elbow and traced the curves of her collarbone. She smiled at him, resting her hand on his hip.¡±But what I don¡¯t understand, my sweet, is how you knew.¡± ¡°About the bond?¡± He nodded, and smiled. ¡°It was Eldra.¡± At that name he jumped upright, his fists clenched. ¡°Eldra? That hag?¡± Shocked, Elen nodded, sitting upright. ¡°Yes. She helped me perform the bond. But I don¡¯t understand, she¡¯s just an old woman, what..¡± ¡°No, my love. No, you don¡¯t understand. She¡¯s a hag. A crone. The orcs don¡¯t touch her because they¡¯re scared of her.¡± ¡°But then¡­why¡­.¡± ¡°To use you, to get to me. I don¡¯t know how, I don¡¯t know what she has planned, but I¡¯m a ¡®traitor to my people¡¯. She wants me gone.¡± ¡°Lurgak. If that was the case, why didn¡¯t she just leave you to die on the floor? Instead, she helped me to save your life.¡± ¡°Yes, Elen. She did.¡± He crossed back over to her, and stroked her face gently. ¡°And that¡¯s what makes it all the worse. She wanted to use the one person I love to hurt me.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°How, Lurgak? I will never hurt you. I swear it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, my love. But never trust a hag.¡± Elen reached up and pulled him to her. ¡°But you can trust me.¡± She placed his hand over her heart. ¡°Trust this.¡± Lurgak nodded, and melted into her embrace. As night fell, Lurgak smiled at her, and led her out into the meadow. ¡°Look up, my sweet.¡± Elen raised her head to look at the stars. ¡°What is a night sky, without stars?¡± Lurgak turned her head to him. ¡°Nothing but a void. You are my star. You shone the brightest when I was in the mating rage. It was your name, your voice that called me back. So yes, my love. I trust you. Now, and for always.¡± Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and Elen and Lurgak lived happily together, a quiet existence at the edge of the village. Elen avoided the other orcs as much as possible, and took to reading, sewing or spinning quietly in the meadow by day, and wrapped in the warm embrace of Lurgak at night. He was always gentle but always passionate and deep. One day, as she was spinning, she felt a sudden pain in her stomach that made her drop her spindle. Bending over to pick it up again, she felt another spasm of pain, more intense than the last. Helpless, writhing in agony, she heard, rather than saw the approach of Eldra. ¡°Ah.¡± The old woman¡¯s crackly voice sounded above her. ¡°At last. Took you long enough.¡± ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening to me?¡± Elen spoke through gritted teeth. Eldra laughed, kneeling down by her head. ¡°Why, my dear. You didn¡¯t think that mating every night with your beloved orc for months wouldn¡¯t have any consequences, did you?¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°I know humans are thick, but are you really this stupid? Yes, my dear, you have a little orc growing in that sweet belly of yours. Not so little, actually. First it will tear your womb. Then break your bones. Finally, it will claw its way out, leaving you crying, desperate for death before the end. But it doesn¡¯t end there, oh no. You will be lying in shreds, in agony, and there is nothing you or your beloved Lugrak can do about it. You will bleed out as your own child takes your life-force. You will beg for it to end. If Lugrak cares for you, he will kill you himself to spare you the agony. And how will that leave poor Lugrak? A broken orc, the one thing in this world that he cares about dead, and by his own hand. You have brought about his end, my dear. And don¡¯t think about trying to abort the child. It¡¯s too late for that. I think you have about a day left before this child is born. Oh, orc gestation is very short, did I not mention that? Spend that time saying goodbye to your loved one, my dear.¡± Eldra stood up, leaving Elen still sprawled on the floor, the pains in her stomach still rising. ¡°Wait¡­.¡± Eldra looked over her shoulder at Elen. ¡°At least tell me¡­why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a traitor to his kind. A non-orc. I have no use for him. This is a fitting punishment. I should thank you, my dear, for being such a willing executioner.¡± With that, Eldra turned, and left. Hope-bringer Elen lay, clutching her stomach, tears pouring down her cheeks, until eventually she began to slip into a state of unconsciousness. The last thing she heard, before darkness took her, was Lugrak¡¯s running feet, the sensation of being carried in his arms, and his voice, gently calling her name. She woke, some hours later, to Lugrak sitting by the fire, watching her, an unreadable expression on his face. ¡°Eldra¡¯s been.¡± He said, without any preamble. His face was wooden, expressionless. ¡°She told me. Revelled in it too.¡± ¡°Lugrak¡­¡± Elen reached out to him, and in two steps he had her wrapped in his arms, tears flowing down his face, and into her hair. ¡°Elen.. I can¡¯t lose you. But there isn¡¯t another way - Dammit, she¡¯s right. And I never saw this coming. It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± ¡°No, Lugrak, no it¡¯s not. Please. Listen to me. I¡¯m carrying your child. Do you know how happy that makes me?¡± ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°Yes, my love, happy. I don¡¯t care what happens to me. When this child is born, then part of us will live in him forever. Part of me, and part of you. The best part.¡± She smiled sadly. ¡°Promise me this, my love. No matter what, let nature take its course. And when he is born, take him outside and show him the stars. I will be watching you both.¡± ¡°Elen, my star. You will be the brightest star in the sky.¡± ¡°All the brighter for knowing your love, my darling.¡± Elen arched her back in pain, a scream pounding in her ears. Lugrak gripped her hand, tears flowing down his face. She smiled, through the pain. ¡°I will bear it for you, my love.¡± Another spasm, another scream. ¡°Name him¡­. Name him Lork.¡± The sheets underneath her turned red with blood. Her grasp tightened in Lugrak¡¯s, her face pale and her hair clinging to her through the sweat. She screamed again, bloodcurdling, her pelvic bones splitting as the child forced its way through. ¡°He¡¯s coming. Our child. Our Lork.¡± Another push, another scream, and more blood as flesh and matter came flooding out of her. She locked eyes with Lugrak. ¡°Love him. As I love you.¡± Lugrak, weeping, kissed the top of her head. With one last, shuddering breath, she smiled, and closed her eyes. Lugrak screamed in grief and pain. He held her to him, rocking back and forth. He screamed until his throat was raw, and his eyes couldn¡¯t squeeze out any more tears, then laid her gently down. He lay beside her, he didn¡¯t know how long for, consumed with grief. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The child yelled. Lugrak looked at Elen, peaceful now, then picked up the screaming baby. In his rage, his pain and his grief, he meant to take the baby outside and drown it in the stream. But something stopped him. ¡°Part of us both. The best part.¡± Elen¡¯s words came back to him, breaking through the pain. He looked at the child in his arms and sat heavily on the edge of the bed. The child was smiling - her smile. And his eyes - her eyes. ¡°Lork,¡± he whispered. ¡°Hope-bringer.¡± He looked back at Elen, one last time. ¡°I swear it.¡± He promised her. Turning back to Lork, he smiled at his son. ¡°Come, little one. Your mother wanted me to show you something.¡± Taking Lork outside, he looked up at the stars, just beginning to appear. A new star had appeared on the horizon, brighter than the others. Seeing it, Lugrak fell to his knees and pointed it out to Lork. ¡°See there, my boy? There is your mother. She is watching over you from that star. As I will, always. I promised your mother. But I don¡¯t have a choice. I feel it coming, my boy. I fear one day, you will too. The darkness that drives us. Your mother was a pure soul, never touched by it. But we, we are driven to the dark. You must always fight it, my son, you have your mother¡¯s goodness in you to do that. But without her, I am lost. I cannot fight it. Hope-bringer, she named you. Live up to that. Live well, my son. Fight well. And if it comes to it, die well, in the goodness that she has given you, and in the strength I have lost.¡± He picked Lork up, carried him to the edge of the village, and wrapped him in his cloak, carefully tucking a piece of paper into it, on which was written a single word. ¡°Bagra will be along soon. He¡¯s not so bad. He¡¯ll take care of you. I¡¯ll say hello to your mother for you.¡± With that, Lugrak turned away. His eyes grew dark as the madness descended onto him, and he ran. His body was found, three days later, impaled on the spikes in his own forge. After Lugrak left Lork, Eldra stepped out into the light, and approached the child. ¡°Well done, little one.¡± She whispered. ¡°And now, for you.¡± She touched Lork on the forehead, and he began to cry. ¡°A little gift, my sweet. You will remember everything that happened to your parents this night. Everything, for the rest of your life. You will know that it was your fault that they died. May the madness take your useless mind as it did your father.¡± A footstep broke a twig nearby, and Eldra quickly stepped back into the darkness. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching, little one. Watching with great interest¡­.¡± The Forge A rather portly orc came around the corner, carrying a flaming torch. As the light fell on Lork¡¯s face, Bagra gave a small gasp. ¡°What are you doing out here, little one?¡± He quickly picked Lork up and bundled him into his coat. ¡°Orc or not, one this young will find himself food for the wild ones. You come with me, little lad. Falas will want to meet you. But first, you just stay quiet in there until I finish my rounds, hmm? I¡¯m nearly done, just one more street to go¡­¡± Lork, warm and comfortable at last, quickly fell asleep. Bagra smiled. ¡°All right, little one. Let¡¯s get you to Falas.¡± Turning down a street of the tribal village, Bagra quietly slipped inside the end house. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time.¡± A female orc was stirring the pot over the fire. She turned to face Bagra with a playful smile on her lips. ¡°What time do you call¡­. What¡¯s this?¡± Bagra had raised his finger to his lips, and removed Lork from his coat. He laid Lork on the table, carefully unwrapping the cloak. ¡°That¡¯s¡­Lurgak¡¯s cloak. Oh gods. Do you think¡­.¡± Falas leant over Lork and spotted the slip of paper. Holding it up to the light, she soundlessly mouthed out the word. ¡°Lork.¡± she whispered. ¡°They called him Lork.¡± ¡°He¡¯s half-orc.¡± Bagra said, sitting down heavily. ¡°And they left him with us.¡± Falas stared, open-mouthed at the baby. ¡°That can only mean¡­ he¡¯s an orphan now. Poor bairn. But¡­ do you think¡­ he can pass as full orc? Could we raise him as our own?¡± Lork stirred, and opened his bright blue eyes. Falas and Bagra stared at each other, crestfallen. ¡°Not with those eyes.¡± Bagra said, miserably. The years passed. Lork grew quickly, thanks to his orcish blood, but he was always smaller than the other boys, his blue eyes, paler skin and lack of height marking him out as different. As soon as he was old enough, Bagra took him to his father¡¯s old forge. ¡°The tribe hasn¡¯t had a blacksmith since your father died, Lork.¡± He said, gesturing at the cobweb-laden tools. He was a damn good one, too.¡± He turned to look at Lork. ¡°Lad, you¡¯re almost full-grown now. But you still haven¡¯t had your brazzkt, your first kill.¡± Lork looked away, an expression of disgust on his face. Bagra nodded. ¡°I know. You¡¯re as gentle-hearted as your mother, as your father was. The brazzkt indicates how you will be held in the tribe. A human brazzkt, and you become a warrior. A beast, and you become a hunter. The more powerful or strong your brazzkt is, the more renown you gain in the tribe. Without one, Lork, you will be the lowest of the low.¡± Lork looked at Bagra then. ¡°I¡¯m a half-orc. A non-orc. Am I not already the lowest, of the low?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bagra stepped forward and clasped Lork by his shoulders. ¡°Never say that. Your father never had a brazzkt either. But he earned his place in the tribe in other ways. So can you, Lork. Learn his skill. Become the best blacksmith you can be. Earn their respect with your skill. Come, let¡¯s see what you can do.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Lork nodded, tears in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll make him proud.¡± Heaving a deep sigh, Lork looked around the forge. Sweeping away the cobwebs, he inspected the bellows of the forge, tested the fire wood, and satisfied it was dry, began making a fire. Something came over him as he did so, as if a hand was guiding him - helping him to choose the best wood, the right metal, to know when the fire was at the right temperature, when to strike the metal and when to quench it. Bagra watched Lork in silence as the young orc forged a great battle axe, strong and sharp, elegant designs running into the handle, the perfect height and weight. Bagra picked it up, tested its balance, and nodded proudly at Lork. ¡°Your father¡¯s son, indeed. Well done, Lork. Now, make something you can present to the chief. When you come home tonight, we¡¯ll go together. We¡¯ll present you to the Tribe.¡± Lork said nothing, but turned back to the forge. A sudden longing was in his heart to make something more, to never stop at the forge - to feel the hand of his father on his once more. Night fell, and still Lork worked, turning metal into objects of destruction, but with it came a peace that he had never known. As the stars rose, and the fires in the forge still burned, he turned to the east, and saw the bright star creep over the horizon. As he had done every night since he was able to, he stopped, and turned to face it. ¡°Father, Mother. See me now.¡± ¡°See me now!¡± A nasally, whining voice came from behind him. ¡°Oh, mother, my poor dead mother, see how pathetic I am, see the dirty half-orc.¡± Lork turned to see Calax, the son of the chieftain, behind him. Calax continued in a mocking tone, ¡°and father, my poor, pathetic father, see how I turned out just like you.¡± Calax¡¯s voice returned to normal as drew up to Lork, spitting the words, ¡°Weak. Pathetic. Non-orc.¡± He punctuated each word by jabbing his finger into Lork¡¯s chest. ¡°A disgrace to the tribe. Just like your father was. He and your pathetic mother. And you, past age without even a brazzkt to your name.¡± Lork gritted his teeth and growled into Calax¡¯s face. ¡°Say that just one more time.¡± Calax grinned, lowered his face to it was inches away from Lork¡¯s. ¡°Weak. Pathetic. Just like your parents.¡± He spat into Lork¡¯s face. Lork felt something stir inside him for the first time. It started in his bones, then his muscles. A white heat, searing, boiling his blood. He had heard of the battle rage, of course, and seen it take hold of others, but this was the first time experiencing it for himself. Suddenly, nothing mattered except for the enemy. Calax stood before him, grinning stupidly. For Lork, time seemed to slow as he grabbed the battleaxe he had made, and swinging wildly brought down onto the head of Calax, who never even saw it coming. Again, and again. The rage roared in his ears, the blood sang in his veins and the orc side of him revelled in triumph. Lork stood, panting, as the rage dissipated, and he surveyed the scene before him. Calax, the chieftain¡¯s soon, his brains splashed against every surface in the forge. Lork staggered backwards, frantically looking around. He had his brazzkt now - but what had it made him? He looked back at the dismembered, mutilated corpse, and wanted to vomit. Rain began to fall, pooling with the blood and the brain matter, rivulets of gore running towards Lork¡¯s feet. This had been his doing. And the chieftain would call for his head, or worse. His grip tightened on the battleaxe as he turned, and ran. Pelting through the streets, the rain hammering on his head, and his heart hammering in his chest, he made it to Bagra¡¯s house. He slammed the door shut behind him, and leaned against it heavily. His eyes shut, blood and rainwater dripping from his clothes, collecting on the stone floor. Flight ¡°Lork.¡± Falas¡¯s voice was tight, controlled. ¡°Lork, look at me. What have you done?¡± Bagra stood beside her, his face pale. ¡°Lork¡­¡± Bagra stepped forward. Lork flinched and stepped back. Bagra held up his hands. ¡°Lork, you may not be of our flesh, but you are still our son, adopted or not. Let us help you. What happened?¡± Lork threw the axe down on the floor at Bagra¡¯s feet. ¡°You wanted me to have a brazzkt. Well, I did! I did¡­.¡± The shock and horror of what he had done hit Lork, and he collapsed to his knees, sobbing. Immediately, Falas was by his side. Bagra bent down, and picked up Lork¡¯s axe, looking at it. ¡°Lork. Tell us.¡± Falas said. ¡°I..¡± Lork stammered through his sobs. ¡°Calax. It was¡­Calax.¡± Falas and Bagra immediately exchanged glances, horror and concern clear in their faces. Bagra knelt down beside Lork, placing the axe in his hand. Lork tried to recoil, but Bagra clasped his fist about the hilt. ¡°Lork. I know I¡¯m not your father. But I still love you like a son. I cannot deny, I am immensely proud of you what you have done. Calax has had that coming to him for years. But, my boy, your brazzkt has marked you for death in the Tribe. You cannot stay.¡± ¡°I have no-where to go.¡± ¡°Not true. You are strong, Lork, stronger than even you know. You must flee the Tribelands. You¡¯re small, and quick for an Orc. Stick to the hidden ways. Go south to the lands of men. Find a mercenary group.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°I won¡¯t kill again.¡± ¡°Then, find a small village, somewhere out of the way where you can make a quiet living. You¡¯re a natural blacksmith, Lork. But you¡¯re still a half-orc. You may have no choice than to become a mercenary. However you make a living, Lork, it will be better than facing your death here. Now go. The patrols will be out soon, and will find Calax. Then the hunt will begin. You must be far from here by then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pack you some food.¡± Falas stood, tears running down her cheeks, and busied herself packing bread, cheese, and some meats in a small pack for Lork. Bagra opened a drawer in a chest and drew out a package, wrapped up well. He shook it out, and handed it to Lork. ¡°Here. Your father¡¯s cloak.¡± Lork, swallowing a lump in his throat, took the cloak, and fastened it around his shoulders. The cloak was long, a dark russet red, furred across the shoulders. It was good quality, warm and waterproof. Falas handed him his pack of food, smoothed the cloak over his shoulders and stepped back. ¡°So much like your father.¡± She smiled. ¡°He would be so proud of you, my dear. Your mother too. They named you well, Hope-bringer.¡± Bagra nodded, putting his arm around Falas. ¡°They would be proud indeed. As we are. Go now, Lork. Be well, son.¡± Lork, fighting back tears, nodded, and with one last look back at Bagra and Falas, lit by firelight, slipped into the wet night. Quietly, quickly, he made his way to the village edge, the battleaxe strapped across his back. Heading south, he crossed the meadow where his father¡¯s hut had stood - burnt down now by the orcs after he had died as the spot was considered ¡®unclean¡¯ - burnt with his mother''s body still inside. He paused, staring at the spot where it once stood, before the sound of horns behind him brought him back to himself. He turned back to the woods and sprinted into the cool sanctum of the undergrowth - but not before he had caught sight of Eldra, standing at the edge of the village, her arms crossed, watching him with a cruel smile on her lips.