Annika stormed into the Greatmothers' Council Chamber, dragging a fat orc behind her. She shoved him to the floor before the women. “I found this slime assaulting one of the elven women. And when I brought it to the attention of the guards of the city, looking for justice, this dog tells us you're the one that's enslaving the elves again. That he shouldn't be in trouble because they're only slaves!” Annika kicked the fat orc in the stomach. He rolled onto his side, clutching where her foot had buried into his ribs. “Why, Mother?” She demanded, glaring up at Kahia.
The elder beautiful woman rolled her eyes and looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with boredom. “That upstart is never coming back. The Titans are going to do what we couldn't, and wipe him from the world.” Kahia sat back in her chair, gesturing for a drink. An elf ran forward with a tray, cups balanced precariously on it. Annika fought her temper as her mother picked a drink and flicked her fingers to dismiss the elf. “I'm just getting an early start to put us back on the correct path. Well, and hoping that at least half the army makes its way back to us.” She took a long drink from the juice in her hand.
“You're really that stupid, aren't you?” Annika stalked up to her mother, menace in her every step. She leaned in close to her mother whispering in her ear. “You need to undo this. If Lov dies, it becomes your responsibility again. But if he survives, what is that going to mean for you?” The younger woman turned away from her mother, kicking the fat orc again as she walked past him.
Chapter Twenty Three
The young man reached up to touch his curly red hair and rub his hand along his goatee. “I'll never get used to this.” Lov said to Marta riding a horse alongside him. The young half-elf patted his black horse's neck.
The orc woman smiled, showing Lov her teeth. “What are we doing here? I thought we were heading to Heart to kill the Titanbringer.” She said, turning her head back to the front.
“We are. But I need to get myself in a position to help the orcs, too.” He eyeballed her sideways, wondering how he was going to lose her. Marta had followed through on her words, treating the young general like a child who had lost his mother. She tried to guide and steer him, but Lov was stubborn.
The young leader refused to listen to her, taking off through the farmlands and leaving his safety net behind. She was still trying to figure out how the scaled half-elf had snuck the two of them from the tent. They had walked right out the front of it, after he had made her promise not to give him away if his stupid plan worked. She and the other Talons would have to think long and hard about how to defend against this when guarding him. Maybe they could just lock him in a cage at night. It was said Nika had done it to Jarltal when he became surly.
Lov turned them towards a home he saw in the distance. The lights still shone brightly from the windows. As they pulled up, an old farmer came out of the hut. “Hello there! Is there something I can help you with?” He asked Lov as the young half-elf climbed from his saddle. To the farmer, Lov seemed a simply dressed young man, a sword at his hip and a bow across his back. Someone from the farmers' army maybe. His companion was an old woman, spry for as old as she looked but ugly as sin.
“Yes, I'd like to stay here for the night, if that's possible.” Lov replied with a gesture to his companion. “Some food and even a spot in your barn would be welcome. I feel it's going to rain tonight.”
“You hit the spot on that account. Rains on a right regular basis now. Can set your clocks to it!” The old man eyed the younger before him, “You're not in any trouble, are ya?” He asked the two. Lov shook his head, and the old man judged them for another moment before nodding. “Well, I can't let you stay here free. I need to replace my stock of seed and such when I share my food.”
Lov laughed as he pulled a large slug of silver from his pouch. Jaxon had handed him several thousand pieces and coins telling him, “You never know when you'll need it.”
“That's more than enough! I don't have anything to equal out your overpayment.” The farmer protested, putting his hands out to stop the young man before him. The old woman rushed forward, thrusting her body between the farmer and Lov.
“You don't touch him!” Marta said threateningly, it was comedic coming from such a small woman.
The farmer put his hands up, showing no threat. “Don't worry about that, ma'am. I've got a wife, and he's not my type.” The farmer still refused to take the slug of silver, but did offer to feed them, since they had offered to pay. Lov and Marta accepted gratefully, following him into the house.
Inside was cluttered but clean. The floors were swept and everything was wiped down, but everywhere you looked were little porcelain figurines. All manner of beasts and figures lined shelves all around the room. Lov was awestruck by the sheer number of them. An old weathered woman walked up to him, she reminded Lov of his elven grandmother before she had died. “Ralph, why are you always bringing back strays?” She demanded of the old farmer, before turning back to her guests. “Welcome, dears, you have to suffer through the lecture for my husband. He knows I don't like strangers, and yet he keeps bringing them in.” She turned back to her husband, “What have I told you?”
“Ma'am, your husband's not at fault.” Lov said stepping forward, realizing he'd made a mistake when the old man shook his head in a quick no.
The old woman turned back to Lov, eying him up and down. She snorted, dismissing him, then approached Marta standing admiring her figurines. “And who are you?” She asked grumpily, “Why did my husband bring you?”
“Dalanar, give me hope that this woman won't kill me.” Ralph walked over to his wife, taking her in his arms and hugging her close. “Sharan, it was one time. Years ago in the middle of a war. I'm not going to cheat on you with every woman that comes by.” He pushed his wife back, wiping the tears from her eyes. “You're the only woman I'll ever need.” Ralph kissed Sharan deeply and passionately, forgetting themselves to abandon.
Lov started to get uncomfortable when he saw Ralph's hand creeping down to massage at Sharan's buttock. The young half-dragon cleared his throat loudly, and the two old farmers jumped apart. Marta was in the corner rolling on the floor laughing, seeing the two elder humans turning beet red, and watching her young leader join them in embarrassment. She started to pound her fist into the wall, and the figurines on the shelves jumped. She only did it five times, but it was enough. Several of the porcelain figurines fell to the ground, shattering and spraying pieces in numerous spots near by.
Sharan gasped in shocked anger, running across the room to punish Marta for breaking her beloved figurines.
Lov laughed at the sight, then reached into his pouch pulling out a gold slug like the silver one before. He grabbed Sharan's hand as she was slapping his chaperone. Lov snatched the hand an inch away from the orc's face. Marta was snarling at this upstart human starting trouble with her. He placed the slug in Sharan's hand. “I'm sorry, that wasn't supposed to happen. Please, take this as payment.” He turned to Marta and glared at her. “Apologize.”
The orc eyed him like he was stupid. “What? No!”
Lov's eyes got cold and his voice grew menacing. “You broke her figurines. Apologize, now!”
Marta growled low in her throat to the young man, stepping past him and glaring down at the woman before her. “I'm sorry I broke your things.” She said, her voice full of anger and intensity.
“Do it right!” Lov chastised her, giving her a light tap upside the back of her head.
Marta took a deep breath, conquering her anger before smiling at Sharan and saying, “I'm sorry. It won't happen again.” Then turning back and slapping Lov hard across the face, “And don't you ever do that to me again, young one. You may be the chief, but you are not a king.”
Sharan was intimidated by Lov until she saw Marta slap him like that. The young man took it stoically, even smiling at the small old woman before him. “Well, glad to see he learns some manners.” She finally looked down at the slug in her hand, then looked to her husband. “What a
re we supposed to do with all of this?”
He smiled at her, “Maybe now we can get some help. Add some extensions and have the older grandkids move in here to help around the farm. Thank you, young man, you can sleep anywhere you wish. I'll even give up my bed for you.”
Lov waved the offer away, “No need. A spot by your fire and a place in your barn for the night will do. And spread the word, I come from the orc army. I'm headed to Heart to save a friend of mine.”
“We can do that. Be sure to visit more farms, let people know you mean us no harm.” She patted his cheek, then walked with her husband to their room. They shut the door, leaving the strangers to make themselves at home in their cottage.
Chapter Twenty Four
Annika looked back across the dunes to the Complex. She was following the path the army had taken, heading deep into the elven forests towards Heart. It was a long journey to take by herself, but she needed to be away. She thought back to the fight her mother had started, touching the black eye on her cheek. Kahia had become cocky and forceful with the army gone under Lov's control. The Greatmothers ran roughshod over the people, and the people were afraid to fight with their champions gone for now.
Annika planned to bring Lov back. Her mother needed to be put back in her place and learn that she was the past, no longer the present.
Nord came to in the hollow patch of a bush. The sun shone through the branches, painting a lined pattern across his face. He sat up, feeling his ears brush against the lowest leaves of the bush over him. He groaned in pain as his ribs started to ache. He looked down, seeing a bruise the size of his fist on his side. “Damn it!” he said softly as a spell of dizziness hit him. He lay back down gently, letting his body relax and losing himself in the flow of time. He was just sinking into a meditative state when he heard a loud crashing coming through the bush. He sat up, the world swirling around him as he searched for his sword. Dots swam in his vision as he reached out to pick it up, pulling the blade free of the sheath. A hushed cry escaped the blade, starting low in tone before raising to a crystalline sound. “Who is that?” Nord called out, trying to see who it was through the branches.
Peth stepped free, carrying a large rabbit. It reminded Nord of the one Lov had killed with his powers for the first time. The Anuunaki went about setting up a fire, giving the tall elf the rabbit to skin. Peth laughed at Nord's sword, gesturing to the knife at his belt. The elf let out a sigh, “Great. I'm stuck with an Anuunaki who doesn't speak common. Do you at least understand me?” He asked. Peth nodded, he was happy to be with Nord. “Why are we still here?” He demanded of the Anuunaki. Peth pointed to his head, and Nord reached up to feel bandages wrapped around it tightly. At least his caretaker had left his ears free.
Nord winced, remembering the events that had led them to this point. A crack across the top of the head with a smaller stone. That must be the wound that's bandaged. Then something hitting me in the back of the head.
“Gods, how long was I out?” Nord asked the Anuunaki, and Peth held up three digits. Nord had been out three days. Somethings did go right. Nord figured they should be able to catch up with the rest of the army as soon as the blow to his skull healed.
Peth worked quickly, grabbing the rabbit from Nord and skinning it. He set it on a spit before building a fire, smacking two rocks together to cause a spark. One of the sparks landed on the kindling, and he blew softly on it to start it going. Soon the fire was cracking and popping and Peth had to pour a little water on it to keep it from burning their bush.
The smell of rabbit wafted over Nord as he meditated to the crackling, popping sounds of the flames. He closed his eyes, looking at the white dots and swirling patterns that showed on the back of his eyelids. He felt the Anuunaki tap him on the shoulder, handing him a large piece of cooked rabbit. The elf tore into it heartily, stopping to pick his teeth as pieces of meat became stuck. He burped loudly, and the force of it pushed him back to the ground. Nord shook his head, then turned on his side to continue eating. “I think we should start looking for the army tonight.” He tore a large chunk from the meat and talked as if he hadn't. “We need to catch up to the army, start pushing towards Heart again. I know Lov is going to need us at some point. And something worries me about Sanche.”
Peth swallowed his entire share of the rabbit in one bite, shoving it down his gullet. Nord had never seen an Anuunaki eat before, and the sight was terrifying. The mandibles opened, the mouth spread wide, and the Anuunaki just pushed the meat through. The mandibles shoved the rabbit deep into the Anuunaki's mouth. Peth licked his mandibles as he finished, wiping them with a cloth to clean them when he was done.
It took everything Nord had to finish his own meal without throwing up. He choked the last of the rabbit down, then lay back to get some more rest. Sanche couldn't get in too much trouble in just a few short days, could he?
The sun shining through the branches of the bush woke the tall elf the next day. He tried putting his arm over his eyes to block out the sun, but the light refused to be banished. Nord sat up, hearing a ringing sound in his ears. His companion was nowhere to be seen, but he had left Nord a large piece of meat before leaving. Nord reached over, drinking deeply from the water skin and eating the meat quickly. The ringing in his ears subsided, and Nord became bored before long. The coals of the fire were smoldering away, so he left them alone. They'd be fine until either he or Peth returned.
He shivered in the cool morning air as the dew started to drip from the leaves overhead. Nord drank deeply from the water skin as he finished his meat, then tried to stand carefully. He didn't even have enough room to squat. If he wanted to crawl free of the bush, he'd have to do it on all fours.
So he flipped over, taking a hold of the skin of water and began searching for the easiest way out of the bush. Nord thought he saw a clear path and started through. He weaseled and wormed his way into the branches, twisting and contorting this way and that. His long lanky frame made it hard, and before he was halfway through, he wondered how the hell Peth had gotten him into this tangle without breaking a path free.
Something caught his pant leg, and Nord became frustrated. Rather than working out whatever had him stuck and pulling himself free, Nord forced it. He pulled and pulled on his leg as hard as he could, yanking it up forcefully. He heard the wood creak before his foot shot free of whatever held it, and Nord slipped, slamming his face on one of the branches under the bush. Blackness came over him.
He came to a bit later, next to the fire again. It was roaring and there was a deer over it this time. Peth had been to work while Nord was out. The bush that had been holding him was cut away, and the elf could see he had been going in the wrong direction. He had traveled deeper into the bush, smacking his head against the trunk hard enough to have torn away some of the bark.
“Sometimes I'm an idiot.” Peth gave a slight buzz of derision. “Look, I'm sorry. I just had to see the sky. It's a part of me.”
Peth nodded to the fire, gesturing for Nord to get to work cutting the deer up. The man who didn't want to be general lost himself in the ease of cutting up cooked meat and helping Peth store it for travel. The work went quickly with the Anuunaki. Halfway through he just shoved Nord out of the way and finished it twice as fast. Nord felt hurt, until he realized that he was tired. Something about hitting your head one too many times tuckered you out. He went to his makeshift bed, stretching out and pillowing his head on a rock. He reached out and took his sword in hand, holding the hilt. Tomorrow they needed to start after the army.
Chapter Twenty Five
Annika ran freely through the trees. She never realized how amazing the forest could be. As an orc, they were taught that the trees made you soft, and the only way to maintain your strength was through stone. But these trees were awe inspiring, stretching up into the sky higher than any of the orc buildings ever reached. She climbed the biggest and tallest one she could find, just to see how high she could get.
She looked back the way she had c
ome from, seeing the Greatmother's Complex of her people in the distance. It seemed small from this far away. Annika started to climb down, working carefully, when something reached out and snatched her from the tree.
It held her by the belt, hanging and flying hundreds of feet above the ground. Annika whipped her head around frantically, trying to see what had caught her, but it stayed out of sight. The knife at her belt slipped free as she rocked in the creature's grasp. A soft feminine voice filled with disdain and arrogance spoke from above her. “So, you're the one they chose to be his bride. I wonder if they tested you, to see if you are able to stand up to the challenge.”
“Test? What test?” Annika asked, still trying to catch a glimpse of her captor.
Whoever held her laughed. “Well, that answers that question. You are an orc, I guess I should take pity on you and give you a simpler test.”
Annika growled and cursed loudly. “Don't give me something easy just because I'm an orc, that's racist!” She screamed out defiantly.
“My, my, you do have a temper, though. That will never do.” Annika felt herself tossed around in the air as her captor lifted her up into a cradle of long scaly arms. The young woman felt herself pulled into the soft white underbelly that reminded her of a kegaroth's, but warmer. A dragon twisted its neck around to look at the orc she held, and Annika felt her first true brush with dragon fear. She froze at the beautiful deadliness that carried her. The dragon’s scales were purple with black streaks of lightning running down her arms. Her neck was long and thin, and two large spikes and one small one jutted out from her chin. “I'll just drop you off with the people at the Mouth of Truths, they can tell you what's expected of a dragon's bride.” Her pale blue eyes lit with an inner fire as she swung her head back up above Annika, leaving the young woman to travel in silence.
Breath of the Titans: The False Titanbringer: Complete Trilogy Page 43
