[Queen of Orcs 02] - Clan Daughter

by Morgan Howell

  Fathma burned brightly within the fading shell of Dar’s body. It’s time to pass it on. Dar knew exactly where it must go—to the glowing spirit before her. If I only had the strength. Then a hand lifted her head, and strength poured down her throat. Eventually, Dar felt able to bestow Fathma. She marshaled all her strength and rose up to grasp the bright spirit.

  The spirit wasn’t there! The faceless forms before Dar were not worthy to receive Muth la’s gift. Dar cried out. “Naug…” Where… Before she could say more, the forms darkened and expanded, becoming a void that encompassed everything. Dar’s strength dissipated. As she sank down, all she could perceive was Fathma glowing in the dark.

  Forty-four

  Muth-yat and Zor-yat sat in the Great Chamber. The sun’s last rays streamed through the windows, illuminating the throne with golden hues. Zor-yat gazed at the royal seat and sighed. “I was certain either you or I would sit there.”

  “Instead, your daughter will,” said Muth-yat.

  “My daughter.” Zor-yat pronounced the word with a bitter twist. “You said she’d die.”

  “Didn’t you also think so? You heard her vision. She had hole in chest. Her spirit was pouring out of it.”

  Zor-yat nodded. “Indeed, it seemed she had foretold her death. What happened?”

  “Who knows? Perhaps healing magic saved her. Perhaps Muth la.”

  “Why would Muth la spare Dargu and not our sister?” asked Zor-yat. “Zeta was queen, and Dargu was just some washavoki.”

  “Don’t you believe she was reborn?”

  “I don’t understand magic, and I can’t see another’s spirit. Dargu may be urkzimmuthi inside, but all I see is washavoki.”

  “She has clan tattoo,” said Muth-yat.

  “Hai. Otherwise, she looks same.” Zor-yat wrinkled her nose. “Smells same, too.”

  “Since you knew magic would only change her spirit, why did you agree to become her muthuri?”

  “It seemed wise plan when you asked me,” said Zor-yat. “And I thought things would turn out differently.”

  “My plan didn’t entirely lack wisdom,” said Muth-yat. “I spoke with washavoki that brought Dargu here.”

  Zor-yat wrinkled her nose again. “One who smelled of atur?”

  “Hai. Just like your brother’s son. I spoke with him also. Both had interesting news. Dargu was busy in Taiben. Mother rules washavokis now. Urkzimmuthi sons will no longer kill for them. King is dead. So is Black Washavoki. He wasn’t just Dargu’s enemy. He threatened all urkzimmuthi.”

  “Hai. Hai. But what do those things matter compared to Velasa-pah’s prophecy?” said Zor-yat. “Admit it, Sister, we’ve been fools!”

  “Things have gone ill, but how could we have foreseen it? Velasa-pah’s prophecy didn’t seem to apply. He spoke of queen, not some wandering washavoki.”

  “But Dargu’s queen now, so doom approaches.” Zor-yat sighed. “If only we hadn’t made that magic.”

  “Don’t despair,” said Muth-yat. “There’s hope yet.”

  “Could her wound still kill her?”

  “Healer says she’ll recover. But new-crowned queens can perish for other reasons. Custom is unforgiving, and Dargu is newly born. In some ways, she’s as naive as an infant.”

  “As in her feelings for my brother’s son?”

  “Hai. Dargu is unaware how close disaster looms.”

  “Well, she’s great mother now,” said Zor-yat, smiling for the first time. “It’s not our place to tell her.”

  In Taiben, Valamar and a new recruit entered the great hall, bearing a stretcher. “A word of advice, lad,” said the seasoned guardsman. “Never cross your murdant.”

  “Is that why you pulled this duty?” asked the recruit.

  “Aye. All because of a tavern wench.” Valamar grinned. “But she’s worth it. Come on, let’s get this foul task over.”

  The two guardsmen crossed the hall and unlocked the room where the parley had taken place. The light was fading, and the bloodstain on the floor resembled a shadow creeping toward the mage. His body still lay where it had fallen.

  The recruit shivered. “It’s freezing in here!”

  “Aye, it’s unnatural cold,” said Valamar, his breath visible in the frigid air. “They say Black Crow’s tower was the same.”

  The younger guardsman peered at the mage. “You sure he’s dead?”

  “Look at him! He’s burned to a cinder.”

  “But his robe isn’t even singed. And his eyes! I swear he’s staring at me!”

  “You’ve had no dealings with the slain,” said Valamar. “I’ve seen whole towns full.” He casually leaned down and closed the mage’s eyelids. “There. Does that suit you better? Now give me a hand.”

  The two guardsmen lifted Othar’s body onto the stretcher. When they did, the mage’s boots remained on the floor. Like his robe, they were unaffected by whatever had ravaged him. Valamar picked up one and up-ended it. Ash poured out, mingled with charred bone. “Fancy a pair of boots? They’re almost new.”

  The recruit shrank back. Valamar laughed and tossed the boots on the stretcher.

  “Where are we taking him?” asked the recruit.

  “We’re to dump him in the pit. He killed our king, so he can rot with criminals and vagrants.” Valamar smiled. “Our new queen’s gentle. I’d have dumped him in a cesspool.”

  The two men carried their gruesome burden out to the courtyard where a horse and cart were waiting. They put Othar in the back and drove off hurriedly in order to return before the city gate closed for the night. The pit lay outside the city walls, just far enough away so its stench didn’t bother Taiben’s inhabitants. The royal mage’s funeral ceremony consisted of a quick toss into the hole followed by the guardsmen’s hasty departure.

  Night fell. Thick clouds obscured the moon and stars. Inside the burial pit, Othar opened his eyes.

  END OF BOOK TWO

  Glossary of Orcish Terms

  armor Warfare was unknown to the orcs before they encountered humans, and their armor is based on human designs. It is strictly functional, being devoid of ornamentation, and more massive than its human counterpart. Orcs call armor loukap, which translates as “hard clothes.” The basic item consists of a long, sleeveless tunic made from heavy cloth reinforced with leather and covered with overlapping steel plates. The plates are small and rounded at the lower end to permit ease of movement. The effect is that of fish scales. This tunic is worn most of the time in the orc regiments. Its protection is supplemented by additional armor strapped to the arms and legs. These pieces tend to be worn only while marching or in combat. A rounded helmet completes an orc’s armor. Simple in design, it encloses much of the head. There are small holes opposite the ears, and the area about the face is open to permit good vision and communication. Some helmets have nose guards.

  Orcs regard their armor as a tool necessary for distasteful work. They take no pride in its appearance, allowing it to rust.

  atur noun—The scent indicating love. Also see “sexual practices.”

  bah noun—Eye.

  Bah Niti proper noun—The night of the new moon. (Hidden Eye)

  Bah Simi proper name—Orcish name for Murdant Kol. (Blue Eye)

  bakt noun—Orcish tool for working stone. It is similar to a hammer.

  bathing As opposed to humans, orcs bathe frequently. If given the opportunity, they will do so daily. This fondness for cleanliness is probably related to their keen sense of smell. Orc settlements have communal baths where both sexes often bathe together.

  biting of neck A practice where one orc voluntarily and permanently submits to another. The relationship is similar to that of a mistress or master and her or his disciple, although strict obedience is expected from the bitten individual.

  Blath Urkmuthi proper noun—Orcish name for Urkheit Mountains. (cloak [of] mothers)

  blessed adjective—Human translation for vashi, the Orcish word for “married.” The term refers to the fact that an
orc couple’s union must be approved by both their respective muthuris. In practice, a muthuri will seldom reject her daughter’s choice of husband. A son’s muthuri is more likely to oppose a marriage. Also see “sexual practices.”

  blooded mother noun—An orc female who has received the Gift, or monthly period, and is thus considered an adult. Some clan lore is revealed only to blooded mothers.

  brak noun—A tuber with crunchy yellow flesh that has a nutty flavor. Called “groundnut” by humans.

  cape, as a sign of leadership. See “military ranks and units—orc leaders.”

  chest Orcs consider the chest, not the heart, to be the site of emotion. Their expression “to have big chest” means one is brave. A lover would say that his or her beloved “fills my chest.”

  clan noun—Related orc families that form the principal social unit of orcish society. A mother’s offspring belong to her clan, and her daughters will spend their lives in her household. When sons marry, they move into their wife’s household, but retain their clan affiliation. Each clan is headed by a matriarch who assumes the name “Muth” upon her election. The matriarchs are subordinate only to the orc queen, and they form a council that occasionally meets to advise her. Every clan has a distinctive tattoo that is marked on the chins of its members when they reach adulthood.

  cursed one The human term for an individual afflicted by the “rotting curse,” or leprosy. The cursed are feared and shunned, but the belief that their affliction passes to another upon death insures they are not slain. The cursed carry bells to warn of their approach and live off the offerings given to speed their departure.

  dargu noun—Weasel.

  Dark Path proper noun—The human term for the afterlife. Also known as the Sunless Way, it is conceived as a plane of existence that parallels the living world. Spirits of the dead travel the path on a westward journey to the goddess Karm, leaving their memories behind in the process.

  death song The human term for the thathyatai, a song sung by orc males prior to going to war. Though mournful, it is not principally about death. Its purpose is to cleanse the spirit and beseech Muth la’s comfort. The origins of the song are lost, though it undoubtedly dates from the beginning of the washavoki invasions.

  deception Orcs do not have words for any form of deception, such as “trickery,” “lying,” “betrayal,” etc. Sometimes lying is called “speaking words without meaning,” but the understanding of this expression comes closer to “speaking nonsense” than to “lying.”

  depyata noun—Orcish soap that is used in a paste form. It is unknown to humans, who use herbs or flower petals in bathwater on those rare occasions when they wash. (dirt go)

  falf noun—Water.

  falfhissi noun—A potent distilled spirit flavored with washuthahi seeds and honey. It is often drunk at the conclusion of a feast. (laughing water)

  fath noun—Spirit or soul.

  Fathma proper noun—Muth la’s gift to the orcs, it is a unique spirit that confers sovereignty. Passed from one queen to the next, Fathma transforms its recipient’s spirit by mingling with it. The queen comes to regard all orcs as her children and becomes dedicated to their welfare. She also receives part of the essences of all the past queens. As a queen approaches death, her ability to perceive the inner qualities of others becomes enhanced. This allows her to choose a worthy successor. Because the queen’s spirit and Fathma are intermingled, once she transfers this gift to another, the orcs consider her deceased. Henceforth, they will not openly acknowledge her existence.

  Fathma was lost to the orcs when their queen was slain during the fall of Tarathank. For several generations, there was no queen, and the orcs suffered a period of chaos. Fathma returned to the orcs when a child who possessed it was born in the easternmost settlement. She was a member of the Yat clan, and afterward, that clan became the Queen Clan.

  Flis Muthi proper noun—Orcish name for the bridge over the Turgen River. (leap [of] mother)

  funeral practices Orcs send the bodies of their dead to Muth la in the same state they entered the world—naked. Corpses are cremated or left upon the ground (Te far Muthz la—On Muth la’s breast). In the latter case, the body is placed within Muth la’s Embrace (see separate entry), preferably under a tree.

  Gift noun—Orcish term for a mother’s monthly period. A mother receives the clan tattoo after her first period, for she is considered to have reached adulthood.

  goblin noun—Another human word for “orc.” This term is mainly used in the western kingdom.

  Goblin Wars proper noun—The human name for the orcs’ attempts to retake their lands after the washavoki invasion. Savagely fought by both sides, this conflict lasted several generations. Most of the fighting was in the form of raids. When it ended, no orc settlements remained south of the Urkheit Mountains.

  goldenroot noun—A root, tawny in color, that is a staple crop among humans. It resembles a turnip, is filling, and can be eaten raw.

  great mother noun—The orc queen. Also see “Muth Mauk.”

  hai adverb—Yes.

  hanmuthi noun—A circular room with a central hearth that is the heart of orc family life. Meals are eaten there, and sleeping chambers adjoin it. Its outer walls constitute the Embrace of Muth la. The ranking muthuri heads the hanmuthi and commands the obedience of all its members. (hearth [of] mother)

  hard milk noun—Orcish term for cheese.

  healer noun—An orc who practices healing magic. This “magic” is based on an understanding of the medicinal properties of herbs and other practical therapies. It does not involve sorcery. Both sexes may be healers, though the most skilled healers are mothers.

  high murdant—See “military ranks and units.”

  high tolum—See “military ranks and units.”

  hiss verb root and noun—To laugh, laughter.

  human noun—Human word for washavoki.

  Karm proper noun—Goddess worshipped by humans. Called the Goddess of the Balance, Karm is supposed to weigh one’s deeds after death.

  kefs noun—A pair of short capes of slightly differing sizes that are worn by orcish mothers. In warm weather, the smaller cape is worn on top of the larger one so that the breasts are exposed. In cold weather, it covers the chest.

  kip noun—Orcish tool for working stone. It is similar to a chisel.

  latath noun—A clan mother who bestows the clan tattoo.

  man noun—There is no equivalent term in Orcish for a human male, although they are sometimes called “hairy-faced washavokis.”

  military ranks and units Orcs never developed a highly organized military, and all the following terms are of human origin. In the orc regiments, all the officers were human.

  general—The highest-ranking officer. The general for the orc regiments was called the Queen’s Man because the orcs believed he derived his authority from their queen.

  high murdant—The highest-ranking noncommissioned officer. A high murdant reports directly to a general.

  high tolum—Usually commands a regiment.

  human ranks Ranks in ancient armies were less specific than in contemporary ones, and the modern equivalents are only approximate.

  military units An orc regiment was composed of orc fighters, commanded by human officers. Human soldiers served support roles, and women served both the orcs and men. A shieldron was the basic orc fighting unit. It consisted of thirty-six orcs. The term was also applied to a shieldron of orcs and the humans that commanded and supported them. An orc regiment had six shieldrons of orc fighters, accompanied by a human contingent of officers, support troops, and serving women.

  murdant—A noncommissioned officer, the equivalent of a sergeant.

  orc leaders Orcs had no officers or murdants, but did recognize leaders among their own kind. Such leaders lacked the authority of human officers and led by their example and through the use of persuasion. They wore capes as a sign of wisdom. These capes were bestowed by the consensus of their comrades and could be taken away
in the same manner. The authority of Wise Sons derived from the clan matriachs who appointed them to act in their absence. They guided the orc males in nonmilitary matters. Outside the orc regiments, they had no more authority than ordinary orc males.

  sustolum—The lowest-ranking officer, the equivalent of a lieutenant.

  tolum—The equivalent of a captain. Usually commands a shieldron (see below).

  min noun—A male orc, regardless of age. Usually translated as “son.”

  minvashi noun—Husband. (blessed son)

  moon noun—Human word for bahthithi, which translates as “silver eye.” The eye referred to is Muth la’s.

  mother noun—The human translation for the Orcish word muth, although the two terms are not completely equivalent.

  murdant—See “military ranks and units.”

  muth noun—Often translated as “mother,” it is the word for any orc female, regardless of age or whether she has borne children. Orcs occasionally use this word to describe human females. Mothers wield the real authority within orc society because Muth la’s guidance always comes through them.

  Muth proper noun—This is the name a mother assumes when she becomes matriarch of a clan. Thus the head of the Yat clan is always named Muth-yat. The orc queen also assumes this name. However, she is called Muth Mauk, which means “Great Mother.”

  Muth la proper noun—Orcish word for the divine mother who created the world and all living things. Muth la sends guidance to mothers through visions.

  Muth la’s Embrace proper noun—Human translation for Zum Muthz la. This sacred circle symbolizes the Divine Mother’s presence. It may be temporary or permanent. Orcs always sleep and eat within its confines. A wall, upright sticks, stones, or even a line drawn in the dirt can mark the circle. Orc dwellings always incorporate Muth la’s Embrace and tend to be circular for this reason. The Embrace is hallowed ground; the dead are placed within it and worship takes place there. It is said that mothers are more likely to receive visions within Muth la’s Embrace.