Orc Dominion: Rebellion Ch. 02

Frederick, the Duke of Haverset, grunted softly as he settled into the comfortable chair by the roaring fireplace in his solar. The last eight years had aged him considerably, but as Thomas the Duke of Swetford, sat beside him he began to feel young again. "I've received word from Heste. Their planned invasion of Braden has started. How are things on your end?"

"Well enough, Frederick. I have three hundred mounted knights ready to move when you are." The Duke of Swetford was about the same age as Frederick, and the two had been friends since their youth. Their Duchies neighbored each other, though in the years since they took their seats, their politics had brought them apart. Swetford had long been a supporter of the old king's desire for an alliance with Heste, while Frederick believed that Zentara should seek a closer alliance with Thesta or Sandora. It didn't matter now though, as events had made the issue moot. Queen Jeanette had chosen an orc alliance instead.

"I can bring four hundred and fifty. I wish it were more, but we daren't trust any of the men-at-arms or levies with this. They are too loyal to the Queen."

"Whether we like it or not, her reign has been good for the peasants and the merchants. Well, not counting those in Braden of course. But the writing is on the wall, even if they cannot see it. All one has to do is look to Braden to see what will happen if we allow the orcs to continue to gain power in court. While the Queen can keep them under control, when the crown passes to her son the hand will be off the reins. Already the greater orc chieftains are starting to marry into the lesser nobility. By the time the young prince seeks a bride, they will have infiltrated up even into the Dukedoms."

Frederick nodded solemnly as he poured Thomas and himself a goblet of wine. This talk was too sensitive to be having servants overhearing. "Which is why we need to take him in hand now. A strong regency and a good, proper, upbringing will turn him into the kind of King Zentara needs. But first we have to wrest him away from his father and all the orcs at court."

"Seven hundred and fifty knights ought to do it. The strength of Zentara will be marching on Braden to confront King Connor. We know that Jeanette will not march with them. The capital will be practically undefended, and we can take the Queen, the royal family, and the capital into custody. If Turogg turns around to return, Heste will fall upon his back. If he presses forward, he will dash himself against Connor's troops in the pass." Thomas grinned jovially and took a long swig from his goblet. "We have them just where we want them!"

Frederick smiled, though there was a hint of wariness in it. "Do not underestimate the Queen. She will have noticed that we did not send our knights and levies to aid in the war. She expected it, given how things have been between us, but she won't have overlooked it. For all her bad decisions, she's still clever and intelligent, and dangerous, until she's in our power."

"As you say. Has anything changed with the Lords? Do you still expect them to offer no resistance when we pull this off?"

"I shouldn't think so. Willem has seen the refugees spilling onto his lands through the Pass, and knows what orc misrule has brought to Braden. He cannot openly defy the Queen, but will accept a regency for the prince. The other Dukes are the same, or will be when their people return with tales of what's been happening in Braden. It is the merchants we need to be concerned with. They've amassed a fortune with the stability brought to Thesta and Sandora, and through the orc trade connections beyond the March. The Queen is still quite popular with the commoners as well. She has brought them peace, stability, and wealth."

Thomas shrugged away the Frederick's concern. "Do not overestimate the love of the people for Jeanette. It is true they hold her in great affection still, but they also mock her, even if good naturedly. You've been gone from court so long Frederick, so you do not see it. The way she dresses...they way she acts...in taverns across Ruar men call her 'the orc's whore', and in brothels they have special shows where women dressed up as the queen get ravished by orcs. It won't take much to turn them against her." Thomas paused there, a more pensive look crossing his face. "I am more worried about Thesta and Sandora. Have your emissaries learned anything about their intentions regarding Heste?"

"They have not heard anything official, but I am sure they will wait until the Queen contacts them. Unofficially, I do not think they will intervene. Their treaty with the Queen does not require it, and they are only too happy to see the balance of power restored to what it was. As long as we can assure them that the orc tribes will not be returning to the old ways of raiding their borders, we should be fine. How do you think we can turn the people against the Queen?"

Thomas leaned forward and took another sip from the goblet. "We start by turning them against the orcs. Violently against the orcs. Most men already dislike them to begin with, but they accept them because they are strong, and they provide wealth to the merchants, which means work for the commoners. We need to make the people see the orcs for what they truly are. The most violent orcs went to Braden, and have shown their true colors. The more peaceful orcs, the traders, the herdsmen, the educated ones, they went with Turogg into his new lands. They have been peaceful, even productive. The commoners are simple people, they don't see the damage the orcs are doing to our society. We have to make them see."

Thomas paused again, draining the rest of the goblet. "Did you know that there is an orc caravan traveling through your city even now? It's carrying goods from the Elfish Isles to Ishiantar, beyond the March. But it is also carrying women, human and elf, to be sold off as concubines to the nobles there. We can use that. We can show the people how the orcs are carrying off women, despoiling them, plundering our wealth and shipping it off. We turn them on the orcs, and Jeanette will have to defend them. Then they will turn against our Queen."

Cindy turned the street corner looking for a likely customer. Though she wasn't sure exactly how old she was, she knew she was too young for the lines that had begun to appear on her face, or for the luster to start fading from her golden locks. Working as a prostitute ages you, especially when you have to work the streets instead of a nice establishment. The Duke of Haverset didn't approve of prostitutes, and didn't allow brothels in his city. Women had to work the streets to pick up any trade, and even then they had to be discreet. Most guards would look the other way, but they usually wanted 'consideration' for the favor.

Working the streets of Shropfordshire was driving her to an early retirement, or at least, an earlier one than she ever intended. Still, it was preferable to staying in Ruar after the Queen passed her new laws. Cindy spotted an overweight merchant shuffling down the street. He was dressed in fine robes of Elfish silk and bedecked in jewels. Perfect, she thought. Cindy sauntered towards the merchant, a bright professional smile on her face. "Good day Milord, fancy a bit of company on your walk?" Cindy leaned forward, the loose bodice of her peasant dress flashing a generous amount of skin to the merchant.

The corpulent man's eyes dropped to the exposed breasts. "Uh, erm, y-yes of course, miss..." Cindy wrapped her arm through the merchant's, walking along the street beside him.

"I'm glad Milord, on a day like this, in times like these, a young woman needs a big strong man to protect her. And I can just tell you're a big strong man who can take care of a girl like me." Cindy resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and instead kept the smile plastered on her face.

The merchant recovered from the surprise solicitation and began to get aroused. He reached his hand across his chest to lift and squeeze Cindy's breast as he turned them to walk down a secluded alley. They way her dress was loosely tied in front allowed him to push his thick hand into the top to grope her warm flesh directly. His broad fingertips pressed down on Cindy's nipple as he leered at her, beginning to feel more confident. "How much then, dove?"

"Four bits and you can have me any which way you like, Milord."

The merchant barked out a harsh laugh. "Four bits? I wouldn't pay four bits to fuck the Queen herself. I'll pay you one, and you're lucky to have it."

"Three then, Milord, and I'll treat you extra nice."

The merchant squeezed Cindy's breast a little harder and pressed her against the stone wall of the alleyway. His hand bunched up her skirt until he could slide it beneath and stroke up her thigh. "I'll be generous and give you two, whore, but you suck me like the Queen does her orc."

A shudder ran through Cindy at his words, but she at least managed to keep from blanching. She nodded her head, and the merchant pulled out the two pieces of silver and shoved them into her hand. Two bits was average, but with so fewer customers here than in the Soiled Dove, she was making half as much a night.

Cindy sank to her knees, running her hands along the merchant's fat thighs. She quickly found his cock and began to rub it through his pants. The man was already hard, which boded well for her. The faster she could get him off, the faster she could hopefully find another client. Her free hand worked the man's breeches, untying them to release his member. She gave a strangled cry as she saw the circular cork-screw design of the orc's cock, her hand sliding up the grey flesh.

"A bit bigger than you're used to?"

The merchant's coarse laugh snapped her out of it. It's not an orc, she thought, this isn't he Soiled Dove. There are no orcs here.

Cindy leaned in and wrapped her lips around the pink head of the merchant's shaft. In Ruar she might have spent more time giving a client attention, but here she needed to be quick about it. She welled saliva in her mouth to help lubricate the cock, and began to suck it with forceful dedication. Her hand worked the loose skin of the shaft, gliding up and down as the tip of her tongue flicked underneath the head.

The merchant's grunt of pleasure made her heart race, as it sounded much like a damn orc's. She wrapped her fist around the base of his shaft and began to pump it faster, eager to get him off and be done with him. Her full lips slid along his glistening shaft as she bobbed a little lower down the length, running her tongue back and forth beneath it. Her mouth and hand worked in tandem to stroke his meat, faster, wetter, and hotter.

The merchant grabbed the back of her head, holding her in place as he groaned in satisfaction. Cindy's skilled lips brought him to climax, and his salty seed splashed into her mouth, spurt after spurt erupting onto her tongue. The taste and smell of his seed made her head swim and formed a pit in her stomach. Today is not going to be a good day, she thought as the merchant tidied himself up and left her sitting in the alley.

Cindy spit the man's cum onto the street and rose up from the ground. She should try and find another client before it got much later, but after dealing with the merchant she needed a drink. It's all the orcs' fault, she thought. I've not had any luck since leaving Ruar. Cindy's hand went to the hilt of the small knife she kept for protection. Holding it, knowing it was there made her feel better. I know what to do if they try anything again.

Two bits wouldn't get her very far, and less still if she spent it on drink. But today is a bad day, and ale would help smother the memories. A few months after the Queen returned from the war, she passed a series of laws to help integrate the orcs into the population. She decreed that every brothel had to have girls on staff to service her orc subjects. She knew it didn't make sense, but she could have sworn that when the royal messenger brought the degree into the Soiled Dove with the decree he looked directly at her.

The Madame came to her very night and told her that she would have to start taking orc clients. Obedience was compulsory under the law, as it wouldn't be right to discriminate against the orcs who helped save the kingdom. A squad of the brutes was already there that night, eager to enforce the Queen's law. They took her upstairs, and took her every which way. They treated her like that dark haired slut, the one who first agreed to service orcs in the brothel, though Cindy could no longer remember the girl's name. Filthy beasts, she thought, they've ruined everything. Sure, she got paid well for her services, but she was not going to stay there and be taken endlessly by the rough beasts.

Cindy left the very next day. The Duke of Haverset's falling out with the Queen was well known, so she figured Haverset would be as good a place as any to get away from the orcs. If only I have been able to stay in the capital, she thought, I could have saved enough to get out of the trade by now.

Cindy looked up and found herself in a noisy tavern. She ordered a flag of ale and quickly began to drink it down. She looked around, wondering if there was anyone in the cheap dive that would make a likely client. The place was brimming with excitement, but none of it seemed sexual. In the corner of the bar a crowd had gathered around a well dressed man.

Cindy made her way to the back of the crowd and asked the nearest man what was happening.

"They're saying an orc came through with a bunch of human and elfish slaves and he's gonna sell them beyond the March!"

Cindy's heart leapt in her chest as panic washed over her. "Those poor girls! They can't just be carried off like that! How can the Queen let orcs carry off slaves? What is the Duke going to do?"

"No one knows yet. The Duke is calling the people to the market square to tell them what's what. Everyones s'posed to start making their way there."

The well dressed man who brought the news stood up on a table. "Now listen everyone, I have to continue spreading the word. Everyone head to the market square. I assure you, the Duke is not going to let this stand!"

A great cheer erupted, and deafening though it was, Cindy's heart swelled. She felt as if on fire, and her heart raced as excitement swept the room. People on all sides were talking, and the mass of people began to spill out from the tavern. As one the crowd surged towards the center of town, moving faster and faster with each step. The buzz in the air intensified as people began to swap rumors and share stories about what they had heard orcs do to women.

Cindy said nothing to all this, not wanting to share her own story. She simply became angrier and angrier as the crowd entered the market. Two gentlemen were standing on a cart, with a retinue of guards surrounding them. She recognized the older looking one as the Duke of Haverset. The other was shorter, a little rounder, but just as well dressed as the Duke.

Men and women were spilling into the market square, filling it up from every direction. First dozens, and then hundreds. When the square was full, and crowds were bulging out into the surrounding streets, the shorter noble raised his hands and shouted in a surprisingly booming voice, "People of Haverset! As many of you have already been told, there is a great crime unfolding here tonight! A vile, pernicious, orc slaver has captured dozens of human and elf girls and is taking them to his lair out in the Angrian March."

The crowd erupted in angry shouts before the nobleman could continue, and it took several moments before he spoke again. "I know you're angry, His Grace the Duke of Haverset has called you here today so that you know that at least in this part of the Kingdom, orcs are not above the law!" The crowd cheered at that, making the man smile. Next to him though, the Duke of Haverset looked stiff and uncomfortable, and was slowly grinding his jaw.

The rounder noble gave the Duke of Haverset a pointed look, and though he hesitated for a moment, the Duke finally began to speak as well. "The orc slaver has established a camp for himself outside of the city gates. We cannot, and will not, allow him to carry off our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters. Will you come with me to deliver that message?"

The crowd cheered, and made a hole for the Duke as he led his guards through their midst. Finally, Cindy thought, someone is going to do something! Cindy shouted ecstatically as the Duke passed by, reaching out to touch him. She fell in line behind his guards and it seemed as if the whole city was on the march.

When the townsfolk reached the camp, an older looking orc stood in front of the others. A score of women were gathered around fires, and a half dozen orcs stood nearby. The leader looked confused, and even frightened. The shorter noble besides the Duke stepped forward. "Orc! We will not allow you to kidnap and enslave these honest women! We demand you release them at once, and leave this lands immediately!"

The orc raised his hands, trying to calm him down. "Slaves? These women aren't slaves, they're whores, bound for the cities beyond the March. Human and elfish women from this are in great demand there, they volunteered to be great concubines-" The orc's lies were too much for Cindy, and before she knew what was happening, the empty clay mug she had in the tavern was flying through the air until it shattered on the orc's head.

As the crowd roared the Duke of Haverset spun around, trying to calm the people down but it was too late. The mob surged forward and attacked the orc merchants. The women around the campfires screamed and started to run, while the people kicked, punched, and battered the orcs with stones. Cindy drew out her small knife and fell atop the felled leader. Raising it in both hands, she slammed the blade into his body, stabbing him again and again. Blood splattered on her dress and face, but she didn't care. As she straddled the orc's waist, she saw the faces of the orcs who took her so many years ago, and stabbed each of them again and again.

It wasn't until she felt arms pulling her off the dead merchant that she remembered the rest of the crowd. The merchant's wagons were being overturned and burned, and his trade goods looted by the angry people. Cindy wandered from the riot in a daze, the anger starting to drain from her body. She sat down on a nearby rock to watch the fires burn, and saw something glistening in the light. One of the girl's must have dropped this as she fled, Cindy thought. She picked up a small ruby pendant and hung it around her blood splattered neck. She idly stroked the stone as she watched the crowd lift up the dead orcs and toss them into the fire. A small payment, she thought, but it's a start.

Jeanette grunted with pleasure as Grahk pumped his fat orc cock inside her hot ass. Turogg assured her that Grahk had the largest cock of any of the orc tribes living in Zentara. The king still did not mind sharing her, even got some pleasure out of it. However, he was still the only one allowed to take her pussy. Turogg wanted there to be no doubt that her children were his children as well.

Jeanette's breasts, swollen ever larger from the seven children she bore, bounced and swung about beneath her as she was taken from behind. With Turogg having left the capital to gather soldiers and march on Heste, she had precious little available to satisfy her sexual cravings. Eight years of marriage to the licentious orc had given her depraved and insatiable cravings. Her moans got louder as Grahk gripped her hips tighter.

She looked back at him, her eyes traveling up his muscular grey chest to the jutting tusks and upturned nose. A shiver ran through her as she studied his inhuman face. Even after all this time, she still felt that naughty, dirty thrill at the sight of her orc lovers. Jeanette, naked except for her gold crown and royal jewelry cavorted with Grahk in the middle of her solar, her pink flesh slapping and rubbing all over his taut grey form. The flush of her cheeks spread down her neck to her chest as they began to move faster. A large rough hand reached around to cover her breast, rubbing it in his strong grasp.