Mirror of Remorse
By J. CA
Author's Note: OK, before we start, let me thank Ira first of all for his suggestion. I'll stop doing the Ardomael/Aszune alternating chapters. I'll probably collaborate all Ardomael chapters and then go for Aszune chapters. I'll let you know later. Here we go:
I touched the water
It rippled and waved
I saw a vision
Of things that could not be
ARDOMAEL: CROOKS
Jadece sat inside the house. Even through the door and the walls, her sharp elven ears could hear the low voice of her husband outside. Her son was gone, and he left no note. Ardomael was a well-trained warrior, but she and Thrall still worried for him. Many unforeseen things could happen.
She was afraid that she was the reason harm came to her child.
Eighteen years after her marriage, certain conservative individuals within the Orc territory of Durotar still did not accept her as part of the Horde. They talked behind her back and accused her of nasty things, but that was all they did. They dared not do anything to the Warchief's wife.
Jadece knew it would be hard to be the only Night Elf in the village, yet she did her part, be a good wife and a friendly neighbour. Many Orc women began to like her as soon as they got to know her better. Many others loved her simply because she was the woman their Warchief chose.
"My apologies, Warchief," Said one of the scouts to Thrall outside the house, "We have scouted the territory, but we could find no trace of Master Ardomael."
Thrall was silent for a moment. Jadece could pick up his sigh.
When the Warchief did not speak, the scout asked, "Should we search again?"
"Ardomael has legs," Thrall muttered, "Either he's in the Night Elven territory, or in the Desolace. It's gonna be a long search."
"We could send a message to the Night Elves..." The scout caught himself. This was only the personal problem of the Warchief, and he might not want to wave it around.
Thrall apparently did not want to make his decision yet. He just asked the man to keep on looking, and he went back into the house.
"You don't think he was kidnapped?" Jadece asked him softly.
Thrall shook his head, "No, I think he ran away."
Jadece looked away in sadness, "If it's because he's unhappy about the way the Orcs are looking at him, it's..."
"Stop talking like that," Thrall snapped. It sounded almost as harsh as a command. His wife shut up immediately, and he could tell that she was angry at him. He muttered an apology, "I'm sorry."
"No worries," The tension eased as a shadow of a smile appeared on her lips. Sometimes he was edgy, but he was so easy to forgive.
"Maybe we should go out and look for him," Thrall suggested, and Jadece was ready to agree. He ordered a carriage ready, and he helped her in there--she had lost her legs in a great battle nineteen years ago and could not walk. He joined his scouts in the search.
^*^
Leo'karpo sharpened his long knives by a bonfire. While he and the crooks he led were having 'fun' with that girl the night before, one of his brothers was killed by the anonymous wanderer who spoiled it all. Then, the Flute Witch appeared the next day and took down two of his men. The crooks were down to six--darn it! It's all because of that girl--Tevelai? Whatever her name was, no matter. Leo'karpo will find her and *teach* her something once he was done with that wanderer.
He was no match for the Flute Witch, but he did not think the same for the wanderer. Whoever he was, he would go look for him and avenge his fallen brother.
But the problem was where to find him. The Ashenvale forest was huge. It would take days to walk through, not to mention to track down someone who probably would not sit around and wait for someone to come and cut out his heart.
Leo'karpo, of course, was not a man with a big ambition, or he would be trying to beat the Flute Witch. He picked on small people, the loners and the weak, and he had fun. He made a lot of people's lives miserable, especially the Elflings. He would make sure they grow up with their heads bent down, not ever seeing the sky. Tevelai was a good example.
Through bullying other people, he could feel empowered. It could help ease his childhood pain a little...
Sensing that he was lapsing into sentiments again, he thrust his hand into the fireplace. The flames licked at his skin and the pain restored manliness in him.
He could smell it in the air--Orc flesh. Then came the noises of a rumbling wagon.
"Let's have some fun, boys."
Picking up his knives, he and his mates prepared to raid the trespassers.
^*^
Jadece stopped the carriage and scanned the forest area suspiciously. She had lived in the Orc village for so many years, had only little contact with her people, yet her Night Elven instincts were still sharp as ever. The words formed on her lips, "We're being watched."
Thrall and his grunts clutched to their blades. If there was going to be an ambush, they were ready. Jadece sent her magical owl up to a tree and revealed six shadows amid the trees.
"Shit!" That was out of the crook's expectation. With their positions given out, they had but one choice.
"Attack now!" Leo'karpo bellowed, and his friends picked themselves up and darted forward.
Thrall cast earthquake on the floor in front of the crooks. Three of them could not stop in time and ran into the trembling mass of land. The other three, Leo'karpo included, continued charging at the Orc Warchief and the grunts.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jadece shouted at them in Elvish, which stunned them. It never occurred to them that a Night Elf should be running around with a band of four Orcs.
"None of your business, woman!" Leo'karpo pushed her carriage over.
"Jadece!" Thrall ran to her, but someone hit his head from behind, and he collapsed onto the floor.
Seeing their Warchief and Lady floored, the grunts lost their morale. Leo'karpo and his boys managed to beat them and took the Orcs captive.
^*^
When Thrall woke finally, he found himself lying on the floor beside a bonfire. Through the fire, he could see two figures talking. One of them sounded distressed, "We're in dipshit man. If this guy is the Orc Warchief, we could have caused a war."
"There's no turning back now, is there?" The other one, whom Thrall recognized as the leader, said, "We just have to keep on."
Jadece! Where was she?
Thrall tried to get up, but his limps were bound. Hell, the Warchief of the Orcish Horde held captive by a couple of lads who were still wet behind the ears? What a shame?
But then he was sixty years old. Got to cut himself some slack.
He had to find his wife and his men. He struggled to free himself, careful not to make too much noise but was still discovered anyway. Leo'karpo kicked him in the stomach.
"That's no way to treat an old man, lad," Thrall retaliated verbally.
"Get up," Leo'karpo dragged him up by the collar to a sitting position, "You listen to me, and I'll tell you about manners."
"Where's my wife?" Thrall demanded, unthreatened.
"Your wife? That lame bitch?" Leo'karpo mocked, "She's sure as hell a talker."
"I want to see her," It was time to get realistic and use some of his warchief authority.
"Go to hell," Leo'karpo punched him in the face, "You might find her there."
Thrall pretended to be amused, "Oh, finally you got rid of that ol' bitch for me."
The crook leader half expected him to get all hysterical and plead. *Strategy*, he guessed. He was facing an experienced leader and a warrior after all.
"You know what?" Leo'karpo struggled not to lose his ground, "I can really go and kill her this second. You understand me?"
So Jadece was still alive. After making sure of that, the rest was just an easy game of politics. Thrall smiled inwardly. Laddie here looked as if he was about to pee his pants.
Questions/comments, pls email Jen H. Concept at jenconcept@yahoo.ca or ardentsq@hotmail.com.
Author's Note: OK, before we start, let me thank Ira first of all for his suggestion. I'll stop doing the Ardomael/Aszune alternating chapters. I'll probably collaborate all Ardomael chapters and then go for Aszune chapters. I'll let you know later. Here we go:
I touched the water
It rippled and waved
I saw a vision
Of things that could not be
ARDOMAEL: CROOKS
Jadece sat inside the house. Even through the door and the walls, her sharp elven ears could hear the low voice of her husband outside. Her son was gone, and he left no note. Ardomael was a well-trained warrior, but she and Thrall still worried for him. Many unforeseen things could happen.
She was afraid that she was the reason harm came to her child.
Eighteen years after her marriage, certain conservative individuals within the Orc territory of Durotar still did not accept her as part of the Horde. They talked behind her back and accused her of nasty things, but that was all they did. They dared not do anything to the Warchief's wife.
Jadece knew it would be hard to be the only Night Elf in the village, yet she did her part, be a good wife and a friendly neighbour. Many Orc women began to like her as soon as they got to know her better. Many others loved her simply because she was the woman their Warchief chose.
"My apologies, Warchief," Said one of the scouts to Thrall outside the house, "We have scouted the territory, but we could find no trace of Master Ardomael."
Thrall was silent for a moment. Jadece could pick up his sigh.
When the Warchief did not speak, the scout asked, "Should we search again?"
"Ardomael has legs," Thrall muttered, "Either he's in the Night Elven territory, or in the Desolace. It's gonna be a long search."
"We could send a message to the Night Elves..." The scout caught himself. This was only the personal problem of the Warchief, and he might not want to wave it around.
Thrall apparently did not want to make his decision yet. He just asked the man to keep on looking, and he went back into the house.
"You don't think he was kidnapped?" Jadece asked him softly.
Thrall shook his head, "No, I think he ran away."
Jadece looked away in sadness, "If it's because he's unhappy about the way the Orcs are looking at him, it's..."
"Stop talking like that," Thrall snapped. It sounded almost as harsh as a command. His wife shut up immediately, and he could tell that she was angry at him. He muttered an apology, "I'm sorry."
"No worries," The tension eased as a shadow of a smile appeared on her lips. Sometimes he was edgy, but he was so easy to forgive.
"Maybe we should go out and look for him," Thrall suggested, and Jadece was ready to agree. He ordered a carriage ready, and he helped her in there--she had lost her legs in a great battle nineteen years ago and could not walk. He joined his scouts in the search.
^*^
Leo'karpo sharpened his long knives by a bonfire. While he and the crooks he led were having 'fun' with that girl the night before, one of his brothers was killed by the anonymous wanderer who spoiled it all. Then, the Flute Witch appeared the next day and took down two of his men. The crooks were down to six--darn it! It's all because of that girl--Tevelai? Whatever her name was, no matter. Leo'karpo will find her and *teach* her something once he was done with that wanderer.
He was no match for the Flute Witch, but he did not think the same for the wanderer. Whoever he was, he would go look for him and avenge his fallen brother.
But the problem was where to find him. The Ashenvale forest was huge. It would take days to walk through, not to mention to track down someone who probably would not sit around and wait for someone to come and cut out his heart.
Leo'karpo, of course, was not a man with a big ambition, or he would be trying to beat the Flute Witch. He picked on small people, the loners and the weak, and he had fun. He made a lot of people's lives miserable, especially the Elflings. He would make sure they grow up with their heads bent down, not ever seeing the sky. Tevelai was a good example.
Through bullying other people, he could feel empowered. It could help ease his childhood pain a little...
Sensing that he was lapsing into sentiments again, he thrust his hand into the fireplace. The flames licked at his skin and the pain restored manliness in him.
He could smell it in the air--Orc flesh. Then came the noises of a rumbling wagon.
"Let's have some fun, boys."
Picking up his knives, he and his mates prepared to raid the trespassers.
^*^
Jadece stopped the carriage and scanned the forest area suspiciously. She had lived in the Orc village for so many years, had only little contact with her people, yet her Night Elven instincts were still sharp as ever. The words formed on her lips, "We're being watched."
Thrall and his grunts clutched to their blades. If there was going to be an ambush, they were ready. Jadece sent her magical owl up to a tree and revealed six shadows amid the trees.
"Shit!" That was out of the crook's expectation. With their positions given out, they had but one choice.
"Attack now!" Leo'karpo bellowed, and his friends picked themselves up and darted forward.
Thrall cast earthquake on the floor in front of the crooks. Three of them could not stop in time and ran into the trembling mass of land. The other three, Leo'karpo included, continued charging at the Orc Warchief and the grunts.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jadece shouted at them in Elvish, which stunned them. It never occurred to them that a Night Elf should be running around with a band of four Orcs.
"None of your business, woman!" Leo'karpo pushed her carriage over.
"Jadece!" Thrall ran to her, but someone hit his head from behind, and he collapsed onto the floor.
Seeing their Warchief and Lady floored, the grunts lost their morale. Leo'karpo and his boys managed to beat them and took the Orcs captive.
^*^
When Thrall woke finally, he found himself lying on the floor beside a bonfire. Through the fire, he could see two figures talking. One of them sounded distressed, "We're in dipshit man. If this guy is the Orc Warchief, we could have caused a war."
"There's no turning back now, is there?" The other one, whom Thrall recognized as the leader, said, "We just have to keep on."
Jadece! Where was she?
Thrall tried to get up, but his limps were bound. Hell, the Warchief of the Orcish Horde held captive by a couple of lads who were still wet behind the ears? What a shame?
But then he was sixty years old. Got to cut himself some slack.
He had to find his wife and his men. He struggled to free himself, careful not to make too much noise but was still discovered anyway. Leo'karpo kicked him in the stomach.
"That's no way to treat an old man, lad," Thrall retaliated verbally.
"Get up," Leo'karpo dragged him up by the collar to a sitting position, "You listen to me, and I'll tell you about manners."
"Where's my wife?" Thrall demanded, unthreatened.
"Your wife? That lame bitch?" Leo'karpo mocked, "She's sure as hell a talker."
"I want to see her," It was time to get realistic and use some of his warchief authority.
"Go to hell," Leo'karpo punched him in the face, "You might find her there."
Thrall pretended to be amused, "Oh, finally you got rid of that ol' bitch for me."
The crook leader half expected him to get all hysterical and plead. *Strategy*, he guessed. He was facing an experienced leader and a warrior after all.
"You know what?" Leo'karpo struggled not to lose his ground, "I can really go and kill her this second. You understand me?"
So Jadece was still alive. After making sure of that, the rest was just an easy game of politics. Thrall smiled inwardly. Laddie here looked as if he was about to pee his pants.
Questions/comments, pls email Jen H. Concept at jenconcept@yahoo.ca or ardentsq@hotmail.com.