- Reforging Alliances -

"MMPH"

Kiri'el let out a muffled cry as a plated fist struck her again. It was all she could do to scream helplessly into the makeshift gag that had been stuffed into her mouth by her captors as the assault continued. A sickening crack told her that one of her ribs had finally given way a mere moment before the pain registered.

This wasn't how things were supposed to be. She wasn't supposed to die like this. Helpless and at the mercy of someone that was supposed to have been her ally. The bond between the Orcs and the Blood Elves had never been strong, but they each filled a need for the other, and so they were tolerated. But this Orc was no ally. She wasn't even sure he could be called an Orc. He was a monster even by their standards and worse, - as if she were in a nightmare - she found herself completely at his mercy, or lack thereof.

Her wrists were bound above her head, tied to a rafter so high that she was nearly off her feet. Her amber hair hung sloppily over her face, dyed a deeper shade of red where it had mopped up so much blood that it had become saturated, and what was left trickled down around the edge of her mouth and dripped off. One of her eyes was swollen shut and the other was closed from exhaustion.

The Orc glanced her over for any area that hadn't been properly thrashed. Her armored chest plate had been removed and tossed unceremoniously into a corner, leaving only a cloth undershirt that had been nearly shredded in the beating. Where it had been white before, it was now stained red and covered in dirt. One of her legs hung limply, broken early on with a good kick. He had taken great pleasure in achieving that while she still wore her leg plates, and he gave it a kick again for good measure – and to hear the sounds of another muffled scream.

"No one can hear you" He said, grabbing her chin and forcing her gaze into his eyes.

"Scream all you want. Beg, plead, pray for a savior." He teased, moving his hand down to her broken ribs.

"Go on…amuse me." He said with a grin as he began to squeeze her side, drawing another agonizing cry.

The Orc's name was Karzak. Normally he wouldn't go out of his way to torture someone like this, but this particular blood elf had drawn his ire, and he was not one to be crossed. He didn't know who she was, not even her name, but she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. That alone had guaranteed her death, but it was her reaction afterwards that had angered him.

Anyone could be expected to fight back when you tried to kill them, he supposed. Over the years he had mastered the art of showing his prey early on that resistance was futile and the best they might hope for was a painless death, something he usually granted not out of mercy or kindness of heart but simply because he was busy, and trifles like this took up more of his time than he liked to admit if he allowed himself to indulge.

But this time…this elf had gone too far. That she would strike him was an annoyance, but she had allowed one of her wild swings to behead his goblin business partner. Not only would that cost him quite a bit of money, but he would have to see the Trade Prince about the entire matter and play nice to ensure their agreement remained intact. He barely tolerated the Goblins when they were making him a profit, but to have to explain to them how one of their barons had died? To have to apologize to them? The thought made his anger boil over again.

Another swift kick to her leg drew a surprisingly dull reaction and he grabbed her hair and pulled her head back to see her eyes glossed over, barely conscious. His fun had run its course it seemed. Too bad, he wasn't quite pacified yet. Maybe he'd steal away one of the slaves the green skinned fool had been delivering before he lost his head. Not like he was around to argue anymore.

Oh well, he thought with a sigh.

"Mok nog" He said simply to the dark in his gruff native language, and out from a corner stepped another Orc, his gaze indifferent.

"Clean this up." Karzak said simply, turning without any further thought and withdrawing from the room.

Kiri'el had regained enough consciousness to register the Orc's hand move to his side, and to recognize the dagger that he withdrew. Her eyes grew wide and fear overtook her as she tried to squirm away, pleading into the cloth that had been stuffed into her mouth.

"MMPH" she cried.

The Orc's gaze remained passive as he stepped over to her.

"MMPH MMNH" She shook her head, trying desperately to twist out of the ropes that held her.

He grabbed her shoulder, forcing her still and gazed at her with contempt, as if to show his annoyance at the chore of ending her insignificant life before plunging the dagger into her side. Shock overtook her at the sensation of several inches of metal forcing its way into her body, and she froze as she began to fade away. The Orc watched her only open eye droop, waiting patiently for it to close before withdrawing the dagger and stepping away to clean up the mess.

Before long there was almost no trace of the entire ordeal. The only proof that it had even happened was the small elf hanging limply from the rafters, and he rectified that with a quick slash at the ropes, catching her as she fell and wrapping her up quickly in a large cloth.

He carried her out the door and across a small clearing to a waiting cart, slung over his shoulder like a bundle of furs. He dumped her roughly in the back before climbing aboard and setting out, heading deeper into the hills and away from any nearby settlements. Nearly an hour later he stopped, gazing around before deciding the spot was secluded enough. Turning and climbing over the seat, he unraveled the sheet and slid her to the back of the cart before giving a hard shove and sending the elf's broken body tumbling off to the ground.

With that he turned back to the cart and departed, his job done. The wolves would find her eventually. Or they wouldn't. He didn't really care. His business with her was done. Tomorrow was fast approaching and he had other matters to attend to which had been delayed by his master's hobby. The spot where he had left her faded away as he let his mind drift away from his actions.

Same old story, he thought. It was always someone who had seen something they shouldn't have seen, been somewhere they shouldn't have been, said something they shouldn't have said. Unfortunate for them he supposed, but as always…not his problem, and not Karzak's.

But for once, it wasn't the same old story, and it was very much their problem. For once there was a twist.

They just didn't know it yet.