Story Notes: Here it is! My first fanfic, it took a little while to work on, but oh well...keep in mind this is just the prolouge, so expect more in future chapters.
Quick note on orcs: My portrayal of Orcish culture is a bit different then that of the typical big dumb brute we see them typically fulfilling. Make no mistake, they are still a vicious and wild people, but no longer are they slavering, stupid beasts. Since the world in which my RPs take place is a bit uh..."modified" any changes worth noting will be stated before the story starts. That said, let's rock.
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A torrent of flame and chaos made up what originally was a small and quaint villagethat had now beentorn asunder by the ferocity and strength of his mighty people. In the brute's plain line of sight he could see several of the human soldiers vainly attempting to fight off his tribe's superior warriors. Speaking of humans…one of them charged at him, roaring a pathetic battle cry if the orcish barbarian did say so himself. He was no expert on humans, but this one seemed older…his hair was gray and his face wrinkled like old leather. Yet he…yes he was still young…much larger then this frail human. He did not even bother to lift his blade to defend himself, as the human brought his sword down, he thrust his large green arm forward and wrapped his hand around the man's comparatively frail wrist. With a look of vague disinterest he briefly dropped his axe to the ground and reached for his belt and withdrew his dagger, shoving it through the weakling's abdomen. The human let out a weak shriek before crumpling into the dirt like an old piece of paper. He guffawed in triumph, sheathing his dagger and grabbing his axe from the dirt. These humans had nothing to offer! He came to realization that he'd found no treasure or any spoil of war since his party had entered the village, after all…that's what they did this for. Fighting for the sake of fighting was always great, but the promise of riches made combat all the more tantalizing. Bored of the slaughter, he began randomly tearing through the weak doorframes of these human establishments, searching briefly for anything of value. Nothing, nothing at all…just a few screaming children or old humans…along with a few relatively worthless shiny yellowish items. Humans were bizarre creatures, keeping things which served no real purpose, then again…from what the orc could tell this actually was a traditional custom in many of the cultures of his blood enemies. Orcs took these "treasures" sometimes, but merely for the purpose of showing them off as war trophies. Thinking back to this strange custom of other races he remembred it wasparticularly common amongelves to carry such dainty ornaments…he loathed elves. Skinny, little, weaklings they were! The orc always made it a case to rip any elf to shreds in a particularly painful manner when encountered one of their pointy eared kind. Yet only humans had been seen in this establishment so far. He also hoped to meet some dwarves, he did not hate dwarves nearly as much as elves…in fact he almost respected the little people, of course they were still nowhere near as tough as an orc. He was now aimlessly running down the dirt road of this small town, having ransacked almost every house he came across. He approached the last standing home and grunted, slamming his massive frame into the door and sending it crashing to the ground. He ducked his head, swooping under the door and entered.
From what he could tell this was a rather nice home a far as human standards went, little pictures hung on the walls and furnishings not made of wood lined the walls. At the end of the room there was a stairwell. The orc grumbled to himself, tearing through the small room, he destroyed the furniture, ripped the pictures from the walls and overturned the table in the center of the room…nothing. Growling in frustration he firmly grasped the outline of the doorframe and yanked with all his might, ripping it from its hinges, he grunted in frustration, tossing it to the side as it the ground with a clanking noise. His lips twitched upwards upon his discovery…he'd found the human food storage. Large racks of beef hung from hooks on the ceiling…and there were some of those sissy plant foods humans ate too…but they were of no consequence. He tightly gripped a loose piece of flesh on the slab of meat and pulled it off, quickly shoving it into his mouth. He stripped the carcass down to the bone, leaving only a few pieces of grizzle. He let out a satisfied belch, and grabbed his dagger, using it to pick out his teeth. With his belly filled he thrust his dagger back into its sheath and left the food storage and ascended the stairway wondering what other goods awaited him. As soon as he reached the top of the stairs his senses were hit with that of a human. A human woman. The scent came from behind a large doorframe, and as he had done before, he slammed his powerful body into the door, sending it off its hinges and onto the ground. As soon as the contents of the room were revealed to him, his mouth spread in a wide grin, exposing his sharp canines.
She was rather tall by the standards of human women…he assumed her to be about 5'11" or so. Her hair and eyes a deep shade of brown, and her skin was a medium tan color, probably from many days spent working in the hot sun. She was a beautiful woman, she seemed tough and hardy…yet delicate with high cheek bones, large eyes, full cherry-red lips, and a petite nose. He himself was quite fond of the various skin-tones human took on, ranging from the pasty white of snow, to the dark brown of tree bark, most orcs considered it rather bizarre but he found it rather unique and fascinating. Physically she was slender…as most humans were, but it was still quite easy to tell by the standards of humans she was probably quite physically tough…yet nowhere near an orc of course. These women were so easy to overtake…he strolled in, his weapon put away now, to show he did not fear her. Her manner of dress was typical of humans from what the orc knew, a light tan tunic and a long brown skirt…he thought that's what they were called anyway. What happened next caught the large orc off guard.
"Get away you bastard!" She shrieked in the human tongue, which he spoke…if not very well. In the next instant she charged him and thrust a dagger for his chest, without much time to react he bobbed out of the way to avoid the full impact of the blow…but he still felt the dagger pierce his skin. Luckily, he'd been wearing his ogre armor, which as the name implied was made from the bones and skin of ogres. At first it had a foul scent, even almost unbearable for the orc. He had to boil the armor in water for several days before the stench was finally dissipated. As the blade raked across his chest he growled and tightly gripped her by the arm, rage present in his blood-red eyes.
"You little bitch!"He snarled, throwing her back onto the ground. He swooped in to pick her up, the whole time she screamed and struggled, fighting like a cornered rat. Finally beginning to lose his patience he hoisted her up off the ground, firmly holding her in place. She was light in weight, at least to the orc, who carried her down the stairs and out of the house, just to meet up with some of his fellow tribesmen. They were grunting to each other about their conquers…but none had women. It was his time to gloat.
"You little bitch!"He snarled, throwing her back onto the ground. He swooped in to pick her up, the whole time she screamed and struggled, fighting like a cornered rat. Finally beginning to lose his patience he hoisted her up off the ground, firmly holding her in place. She was light in weight, at least to the orc, who carried her down the stairs and out of the house, just to meet up with some of his fellow tribesmen. They were grunting to each other about their conquers…but none had women. It was his time to gloat."Skel!" One of them called out to him, a grin on the orc's face. The orc had real no name, but he was merely known as half-tusk as one of his tusks was sliced off in battle. "Ah…you've found a woman." the orc reached out to touch the woman, but instead he received a swift kick in the gut and a snarl from Skel.
"She is mine half-tusk." He growled in defiance. Frowning the orc backed away. Krusk, the other one looked as if he wanted to do the same but had no desire to be torn apart by the already pissed off Skel.
"We're done here, the chieftain wishes we return back to the camp." Krusk was a bit more civil then most orcs…of course that's not saying much. Around the tribe he was known for being a sissy, and Skel himself knew he was not already dead because he was such a boot-licking lapdog.
The trip back to the encampment was uneventful, if not boring. By now the woman he'd found had tired herself out and her once fierce struggling was now nothing more then some half-hearted swipes and swings from time to time. Once back at the camp…which was a decent camp as far as orc camps went. A large circle of numerous leather tents on a cleared out space, in the center a large ceremonial circle for various events such as war rallies or arranged battles for those wishing to attain chieftain. He took his prize to his tent, wasting no time he tossed her onto the ground. The combination of her heavy panting and chest slowly rising up and down excited the orc greatly. Fortune had certainly smiled upon him this day! Looking back he was supposed to report to the chieftain with the other soldiers. He growled in anger and stomped his foot.
"Damn chief!" He shouted, stepped out of the tent…before looking back in and saying what human words he could.
"you try and leave, guards kill you!" He grunted…yes that sounded right. Stepping out of his tent, he weaved in between the other numerous tents and found himself back in the meeting center, just outside the chieftain's tent with the other soldiers. He paced back and fourth, growling in impatience. He stopped as the chieftain stepped from his tent.
The chieftain was a shining example of what an orc should be. He was a ferocious and vicious warrior. His tusks were thick and large He currently wore the finest of clothes taken from human establishments and the skin of a dire bear was draped over his body, serving as a cloak. He was older then many of the other tribesmen, his body was covered in scars. He wasn't quite as ideal in appearance as the chieftain however…his tusks were not very large and quite thin, not so much thicker then his pinky and not even reaching up to his snout. His lower jaw did not protrude far, he lacked sufficient body hair compared to kin, his brow ridge did not jut forward as much as was attractive in an orc male…but most of all his skin was soft…and free of scars. He cursed his ugly appearance. After the chieftain had led the orcs in a series of war cries and (poorly sang) songs, he gave a fairly stereotypical speech, detailing to glory they'd brought to themselves and the great lord Gruumsh. Skel pretended to pay attention, even so much as fostering a fake war whoop. At the moment his mind was practically screaming for him to sprint back to his tent and finish what he started. Upon the completion of the gathering the young orc practically tore through the crowd, racing back into his tent. He slid into his tent and closed the cover with caution. Before him lay the human woman, she stopped and looked up at him, her brown eyes going wide. In a hassle she scurried back, jabbering away. It was of no consequence however. He seized her thin wrists in his large hand and pressed his large frame against her, she cried out, most likely out of fear. The orc didn't really care, he began to wildly grope her body with his free hand….
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He stood outside his tent, only wearing his animal rags which he called leggings at the moment, inside his tent he could hear her sobbing. It was good…really good. Grinning to himself and toyed with the notion of being able to nail her and get her somehow to be willing! All the struggling really takes some of the pleasure out of it…shifting he groaned, waiting for her to sob it out. Most orcs didn't have nearly that much compassion or consideration, yet he did…not that it was much really, he just really didn't feel like hearing it, and he was kind of hot and had to leave the tent for a moment to cool down. He looked up at the sky, wondering what more the future would bring.
As the month went by, little happened that was exciting or notable, Krusk ended up getting killed in battle, his corpse was left for the buzzards. Skel's slave (or simply "girl" as he called her) had not attempted to escape at all. The Orc however noted significant changes her in behavior, she became highly moody and her personality and temperament would sway with the wind. She seemed to be getting sick lately, throwing up for no reason and eating tons and tons of food. One rainy day he was returning from a hunt, having successfully caught a large boar which he going to prepare for him and his…slave. He treated her quite well for a slave, feeding her decent food…not the grizzle and leftovers most orcs left to their slaves.
Hell, he treated her more like his mate then his slave. Shrugging the thought off he took a look at her, she was laying against the rack of battleaxes, a distant look in her eyes as usual when his eyes traced down to her waist…which was bulging slightly, was she getting fat?
Suddenly it hit the orc like a ton of bricks. He dropped his carcass to the ground, getting a startled shriek out of girl. She looked up at him, slight fear in her eyes.
"She's pregnant…" He said slowly. Half-orcish children were not necessarily uncommon in orc tribes, he was not the only orc with a human slave girl. Although they were still somewhat rare. Many of them did not survive past childhood either, and they were also known to be partiularily dangerous when being born to human women. They were large like an orc...and the small bodies of human women could sometimes not handle him. This meant his trophy was in danger of dying! Glancing down at the woman he shifted over to human. "You being mother soon, eat more!" He stumbled over the human language, he'd learn it long ago from a group of human soldiers working with his tribe. Turning over to the stone fire circle he kindled a flame and began sizzling the meat away. He wasn't so much concerned with the child on the way, but with his limited knowledge of the anatomy of a woman during pregnancy, much of the nutrients she ate were split with the child, and this made him fear that she would become ill and wither away. He was not worried about her of course, but she was like any trophy…taking good care of it was vital. As soon as the boar was finished cooking he ripped a large chunk of flesh from it and thrust it into her arms. "Eat!" He growled.
Over the next 8 months or so that made up her pregnancy, Skel became fiercely protective of the woman, and fought off males attempting to steal her with intense ferocity. Girl stopped cowering in his presence, she never seemed to love him or possibly even care for him, but she did not fear the orc, even looking at him as a protector. He made certain she was well fed and away from any danger until the final day came upon them…
Girl writhed and screamed, the pains of labor hitting her like a ton of bricks. Skel sat impatiently outside the tent, he could hear the orc women helping her birth the baby grunting and growling at her and at each other. After what seemed like an eternity he heard the cries of new life. Orc men were not supposed to see their immediately born babies but at the moment he didn't really give a damn.
"You're supposed to wait!" One of the women said loudly.
"OUT OF MY TENT WOMAN!" He roared back, causing the two to scurry from his tent, she held a baby…male he was, the umbilical cord just freshly cut. He looked over at the small baby in Girl's arms.
"His Name?" He inquired, getting a confused look from the human woman. "Name the boy!" He barked, in living with the woman for that long, he'd learned to speak human a bit better then previously. Girl looked up at him with a smile, something he'd never seen on her face since he'd found her. She paused in thought before glancing back at the baby.
He inquired, getting a confused look from the human woman. He barked, in living with the woman for that long, he'd learned to speak human a bit better then previously. Girl looked up at him with a smile, something he'd never seen on her face since he'd found her. She paused in thought before glancing back at the baby."…Carth." Came her humble reply. Skel was overjoyed, although he did good at hiding it. He already was planning raising the boy, teaching him to fight for his food and training him to be a great warrior. It was truly one of the happiest moments for the orc. He stopped, feeling something sharp dig into his back, he didn't scream…his lung pierced, but instead tumbled onto the ground, getting a loud gasp from Girl and an even more intense squeal from his newborn son. He looked back outside of his tent…seeing a human soldier holding a bow…an arrow, it was an arrow that was plunged into his back. Outside the tent the sounds of battle raged, he could hear his people being slaughtered…the humans had beaten them. Laying there dying, he noted two human soldiers storm into the tent, stopping and looking at his child and his mate.
"Oh gods…we've found a survivor!"
"Are you alright miss?"
"…Yes."
"What of your young babe? Is it okay?"
"Carth is fine."
"Good. Addams, get the commander, tell him we got a human slave who needs some new clothes."
"Right away."
"Right this way miss."
"I…I just birthed this boy."
"…Is he…one of them?"
"Yes, his father is him."
Skel noted his wife pointing at him. The soldier looked down at him and then at the baby, frowning.
"And you wish to keep the boy?"
"I do."
"…Very well, I shall fetch a cart for you and your child to rest in."
Skel watched the human leave, and then glanced back at Girl. A look of sadness on his face, his son would grow up with humans, not with his proud warrior race. He reached out to girl, who's eyes were watering.
"Skel, goodbye…" She said slowly. The orc slowly nodded, in the time that he'd spent with her, her hatred of him had grown into dislike, and then into reliance, and then into preferring his company to the other orcs…would it have continued to progress? The entire thing baffled him, he'd taken from her home...he'd forced himself upon her, and out of sheer necessity to protect her...her scorn and hatred of him was replaced. In those moments, he also realized he came to her as more then just a trophy. They rarely spoke to eachother...but she did not attempt to hassle or attack him as every other person in his life did. He was safe around her...With a heavy groan of pain, he crawled forward, leaving a trail of blood and put his hand forward, gently touching the baby's arm.
"Goodbye Carth…" He uttered, wiping some of the blood from his lip. Somehow, he'd become weak over the course of meeting this woman. He showed attachment to her and certainly would have shown attachment to his son be he allowed to live. "Raise him…to be…proud…" The orc took in his last breath, and slumped to the ground…dead, his last thoughts going to his family, that is what they were to him when it came right down to him.