The Orc and the Elf: Aj and Magnus Fanfic
There was once a world dredged in war, many people were scoured across the nation, separated into territories due to their race, orcs to the north, elves to the east, humans to the south, and dwarves to the west. There was a time many lived in peace, but its has been so long, that the people only see hatred in each other's eyes. Market places are the only areas that remain neutral but only by law. But its here that the world will have a glimmer in a change of fate, for all races, and even in terms of one right to live as they are.
An elven cleric enters the marketplace, seeking new stones to use for his spells, only to be stopped by two proprietors of the shop, Orcs no less.
"Your kind is not welcome here elf, why not go back to your pinnacle of luxuries and leave the market to the real adventurers?"
The elven man stands firmly in his position smiling at both orcs, responding with a snarky grin.
"perhaps you both could use a trip to my healing springs, I smell not only the blood of your enemies, but the stench of flailed trout coming from your pits, I can't tell if I'm weeping from pity, or your stench"
Enraged at such a remark, one of the merchants pulls out his battle ax ready to strike the elf only to be stopped by a smaller orc grabbing his arm.
"that is enough, what have I told you about scaring customers, now go to the back and take inventory."
the merchant pulls down his axe and tries to make an excuse for his behavior.
"he said we smelled though, we smell like every other orc."
The small orc looks at him with a stern look reminding him whose boss.
"I said take inventory, now go, I will clean up your mess once again."
turning to the elven healer.
"I apologize for that outburst, that normally doesn't happen, might I offer a nice sapphire and opal as a mean of reconciliation"
The elven man smiles taking the jewels out of the orcs hands.
"youre an orc, but well mannered, not to mention your hands are strong but gentle, as a healer I know."
The orc blushes a bit and looks at the elven man.
"I was raised to know the way of treating others respectfully by my mother, as such I despise those who appear at my shop working as if they spent the night in a tavern."
The elven man chuckles.
"sorry for the laughter, I just never met a orc who didn't partake in the nectar of the gods."
the small orc turning around showing several battle scars on his back ready to close his shop.
"I don't particularly enjoy the sight of what it can do to a man, so I refuse to injest the poison, apologies I was getting too emotional, especially with a simple customer."
The elven man looks into the orcs eyes and sees both his joy and sorrow brought from both the past and present.
"you carry many scars but carry on being the man you are, your highly respectable and it's a pleasure to meet you, orc merchant, my name is Alasdair of the of the Lady in whites nurse sector."
The orc looks at Alasdair and puts his hand out for a handshake,
"my name is Johann, no last name, never really knew"
Alasdair gladly shakes Johann's hand smiling.
"well that's a great name regardless, Johann the merchant, meeting Alasdair the healer, I thank you for the hospitality and hope we can run into each other again soon."
Johann smiles showing his pointed teeth.
"that would be quite a surprise, if you buy anything the next time around."
Alasdair collects his jewels and heads down to his living quarters for the evening, a small inn on the base of the town, near the port side, he plans on leaving the next day for the East and collect an rare herb grown near dwarves territory, although a early start is needed, or he must make the trip on foot, and it would be far too dangerous in the current state of the world. Looking at the sapphire and the opal given to him by Johann, he realizes that there isn't much that can be done with either.
"Ugh, forgot again what I needed, far too late to continue shopping now, ill just end with this one, but still, these are beautiful stones, I wonder if I can meet that man again."
Elsewhere, Johann is busy packing his caravan up with his two associates waiting for him to board.
"must you two always be trashed to no believe, we ride in the morning and your going to be worse than today, and gods help you if there are any incidents to more of our customers, remember why were leaving here in the first place."
The two orcs continue drinking and ignore Johann who rolls his eyes at the situation.
"why must I deal with such simple minded beasts all the time, regardless of our bloodline, we can still stop perpetuating that every orc is the same, but by the gods I cant even tell the two apart when their like this."
As he enters his small tent to sleep, he wonders if he will meet Alasdair again.
"never met someone who treated me with this much respect, must be how the elves are, wonder If all of them are as kind as that."
The following day Alasdair is woken by the sunlight pouring into his room and immediately bolts up looking at the clock on his shelf.
"OH NO, I overslept."
Grabbing his gear he rushes out the door to the ships seeing his ride sailing off, knowing he slept too late and now must wait for another ship to go to the dwarves territory. Heading to a shipmate he asks the crewman if there will be another ship ready by the afternoon.
"apologies for the interruption, but I need to get to the dwarves, is there anyway a ship will be here by evening?"
The shipmate shrugs his shoulders and looks at Alasdair with remorse in his eyes.
"afraid not, the next ship wont be here for another week."
Alasdair buries his face in his hands and looks at the shipmate knowing there is nothing that he may do about the situation and decides to head into the merchants grounds to see if there will be another way. Seeing the gem shop closing down he goes to find the men he insulted the previous day and notices they give him a look of anger and contempt.
"excuse me fellow merchants I was curious if you'd tell me where a trading post would be, I am looking for a ride to another land and I was hoping it would be around here with a caravan."
The orcs ignore him and walk off with their gear ready to head out. as they pile their ride up, Johann appears carrying three satchels of gold needed for the renting agreement he made.
"oh Alasdair, seems like our paths crossed again, how are you this fine day?"
explaining the situration, johann could not help but see how desperate the young elf was and pats him on the head with a smile on his face.
"worry not, were heading to a smithing town in the dwarven empire, you may ride with us as far as youd like there is no charge except a honest yes or no."
Alasdair looks at johann as his smile widens knowing he is being sincere but cant help but notice that the other two are looking at them as if they are a couple of freaks.
"would your people not enjoy my company after all, elves and orcs don't particularly get along well."
"well why would there be a concern, I am their boss and they must do as they are told regardless, so don't worry, I will be sure they accept you as our companion, plus we can use a healer with us on these trips, those monsters always get hurt hunting food, or starting fights in the taverns."
Alasdair bows his head in thanks and gets into the caravan ready to head out.
The trip is pretty sound, Alasdair and Johann are talking in the front conversing of interests and family, both seem to come from different worlds. Alasdair came from a monastery and raised by priests to heal but was given freedom to explore and find his own place in the world. Johann was raised by a loving mother, but an ex barbarian father, who took to drinking after losing his arm in battle, trading a prosthetic for a bottle. Johann smiled at Alasdair all the while saying he never told anyone about it cause it would have been seen as disgraceful to explore an emotional outbreak like that. The two looked at one another and noticed that nightfall was upon them. Seeing as there were only two tents, Alasdair bunked with johann as the other two bunked in the other, as the night waned, the temperature dropped and Alasdair began shaking. Johann hearing his shivering, held him in his sleep, smiling as he fell back asleep.
"Don't want anyone getting sick on the trails, may be bad for anyone looking to steal."
Alasdair looked back at Johann who has begun snoring and falls back asleep.
"at least he is warm."
The following morning the two set off to find breakfast, despite the bountiful winter approaching, the two were able to find berries and a stream full of fish, if not frozen. Johann takes his bare fist and crushes the ice leaving a perfect circle and takes out his sword waiting, in moments he thrusts it in and gathers four fish on his sword, enough for a hearty meal for all four. Walking back, they notice the caravan has gone missing and the two other orcs have packed their belongings, leaving no note or explanation. Alasdair looks at Johann with a look of concern and wonders if he okay.
"I can help find them, they couldn't of gotten far Johann."
Johann looks back at Alasdair and pats him on the head.
"ah it's okay, may be a setback but times get tough sometimes, wouldn't be the first time, and certainly won't be the last."
Alasdair looks in confusion as Johann takes brush from the woods and starts a fire, smiling back at Alasdair who actually is looking madder and madder the more he smiles.
"HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU BE SO CALM!?, your men took your wagon and even went on to leave without you in winter as well as stranding you to die in the cold, your always so upbeat, why not be angry and upset, what are you?"
Johann looks on cooking the fish and stares at the flames.
"I'm different than others I guess, I grew up to a human mother who raised me to see the good life gives and not to dwell in the negative, or I might end up like my father, unable to cope with reality, losing the ability to fight, and taking to the bottle instead of raising a son."
Alasdair walks over to the flame and sits beside Johann, who for the first time has a tear in his eye, apologizing for his outburst; he looks and sees Johann once again smiling.
"There's something about you Alasdair, something that makes me open up, I know you less than a week, but you made me feel better and allowed me to finally vent for the first time in a long while."
Alasdair looks back and Johann patting him on the back and telling him he has always been a little over the top when trying to get people's attention, and that was the reason he doesn't have a party joining him. The two eat and relax until the flames begin dying out, Johann gets up and decides that its time to go, as a blizzard will enter the area soon, and there is no shelter for miles. Collecting what they can they set off down the path, following the tracks the caravan has left behind, hoping they find a town they can stay in until the storm subsides. Walking through they hear whimpering coming from the bushes, as the two draw their weapons, they slowly approach and move the brush to find a small dire wolf pup tangled in thorns. Alasdair slowly untangles the small pup and places him in johanns arms.
"Poor little guy must have been abandoned by his mother."
Alasdair pulls bandages from his bag and tends to the pups injuries.
"its not threatening but he won't survive in this weather."
Johann thinks to himself and places the pup on Alasdair's head pulling his hood over and looks at him.
"Really Johann you put the wolf on my head for safe keeping?"
Johann laughs as the pup licks Alasdair's face.
"See he likes you, and now neither one of you will be cold."
Alasdair stares blankly at Johann as he sees drool dripping down his face
"I think it fell asleep."
The two continue down the path and attempt to cross the bridges over to the dwarven countryside, as they began crossing a troll approaches them asking for money, knowing that both had nothing from their gear stolen, they requested that she let them pass, or at least hoped that was a female.
"who dares try crossing over my home, its people like you that have no business stepping over my boundary"
Johann and Alasdair just look at her as they don't see her as a threat more so an annoyance and walk past her. Running in front of them she complains she hates being ignored.
Johann facepalms and looks right into her eyes, looking stern and serious for the first time in his life.
"leave us alone you roach, you wonder why no one gives you money its because your trying to impede on their lives without living your own, now move aside."
Alasdair looks away from the troll and notices there is more than the happy go lucky side to the orc. As they…
"AJ, Time for dinner."
"okay pop be down in a minute."
End of part 1