Casus Belli Ch. 07: Accepting Fate

This is a story about a young woman trying to come to grips with a humiliating and very uncertain future.

Cautionary (for series): non-consent, reluctant, violence, straight sex, inter species sex, anal sex.

Setting: Nigawa, planet Mundea (Galeon III), year 3647 (local)

Note: a map of Nigawa, and a floor plan of Bromodin keep, are available, the link can be found on my profile page.

Characters:

Pryoness Cassandra, human female, 21 years old, heir to the throne, female lead

Sir Brando Boruga, human male, 27 years old, Cassandra's betrothed

Sir Marvon Marecomb, human male, 46 years old, Nigawan general/diplomat

Burgon Magwick, human male, 62 years old, Nigawan foreign affairs

Burgon Goban, human male, 49 years old, Nigawan internal security

Sir Jordan Taslan, human male, 49 years old, Trade and Infrastructure

General Kiran, human male, 42 years old, temporary commander of the army

Major Thanos Coburn, human male, 39 years old, Royal Guard battalion commander

Denora, human female, 24 years old, Cassandra's servant

Vala, human female, 22 years old, Cassandra's servant

Syldan, human female, 19 years old, Cassandra's servant

Leavy, human female, 21 years old, Cassandra's servant

Moiga, human female, 23 years old, Cassandra's servant

Polly, human female, 18 years old, Cassandra's servant

Bashuk, male orc, 32 years old, Green Vale Orcs Warlord

By the time Cassandra and her maidens had finished bathing, and were all dressed again, it was time for dinner. They ate in the living room, as usual, and afterwards they moved to the couches. Denora served them all wine, a very nice Lorasian red, and they talked about, well, absolutely nothing really. After about half an hour Cassandra had had enough of it, and decided to address the huge elephant in the room. "Listen, I know you girls are just trying to spare my feelings, but doing so doesn't leave much to talk about, now does it." Her maidens all stared back at her, wide eyed, it was almost comical. "We can skirt around the issues at hand for the next, what, nine days, but that would only make for truly boring conversation, now wouldn't it?"

Her maidens virtually froze, and after some additional uncomfortable silence she decided to get things rolling herself, "I just realized that while the wedding is off my deflowering isn't. Do you all remember me telling you that I would be ovulating on my wedding night? That I was hoping to get deflowered AND knocked up in one go? Guess what, I'm not looking forward to either anymore. And what I'm not looking forward to most is the latter. Unfortunately though, as far as I know, orcs are perfectly capable of knocking up a human female, and I haven't a clue regarding their korkumun tea policy, especially where it comes to whores. Any thoughts on that?"

The girls looked at each other, and then Leavy spoke up, "How many sexually attractive noblewomen do you estimate there are? And related, how many orc warriors do you estimate there are?"

Cassandra shrugged, "Regarding the noblewomen; some six dozen or so. Regarding the orcs; they probably started of with close to thirty thousand warriors, and they have suffered losses no doubt, but probably still more than twenty thousand."

Leavy winced, "That's a lot of orcs per whore... Even if the rank and file get pussy only once a month that would still mean each whore would have to satisfy about a dozen orcs a day." Cassandra blanched. "On the plus side that probably means they won't want the whores to get knocked up, because they'll be short on whores already."

"I don't know," Moiga reacted, "since they won't have any other females available, aren't they going to be interested in breeding their whores?"

Denora shook her head, "Six dozen females times maybe a dozen full-term pregnancies on average at most comes to less than a thousand offspring. They won't be able to sustain a tribe the size of these Green Vale orcs with numbers that low. If they were to enslave all of Nigawa, and force tens of thousands of young Nigawan women into breeding, it would be another story of course. But anyway, any children they would have with Nigawan women, those children wouldn't be orcs, now would they?"

"No," Polly said, "they would be half breeds. Also, if you cross a horse with a donkey, the offspring is sterile."

"As far as I know both half-orcs and half-elves are plenty fertile, " Vala commented.

"Yes," Moiga said, "that's also what..." She suddenly stopped, and her eyes locked on Cassandra, who looked a bit pale around the gills. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Cassandra whimpered, "Tw..., twelve a day?"

"Yes, at least," Leavy said without looking, "if they get pussy only once a month that is, if they get it once a week those numbers would..." She had turned her head towards Cassandra as she spoke, and now realized what she had done, "Oh bollocks. I'm so sorry, me and my big mouth again."

The young Kangess swallowed, and then she straightened a little, "No, don't, I need to hear the truth about all of this, and you're right. Once a week instead of once a month could easily come to over three dozen orcs per whore per day." Her bottom lip started to tremble. "Can a woman even take that much cock?" And the gods know what else they have in store for you, she added in her thoughts.

Another uncomfortable silence fell, and then Syldan offered her thoughts, "What you're forgetting is that not all those orcs will be stationed at Bromodin, or even at Iriskan. Most of them will be deployed just like our own soldiers were before this war started; along the Lorasian and Mercandon border." She swallowed, "But anyway, that means nothing where it comes to how many orcs each noble whore will have to satisfy each day. We don't know how many orcs per whore there are going to be, we also don't know how frequent they'll want to fuck, so let's just stop guessing because it'll get us nowhere."

"What's more important is what we do know, and that's that they'll want for their whores to last, so they won't 'overwork' them..." Syldan's words made sense. "Remember Marecomb telling us how Bashuk volunteered that no Nigawan slaves would be sold to the Mercandon?" she added. "It means the orcs don't appreciate the way in which the Mercandon abuse their slaves. It means the orcs will work their slaves, but they won't abuse, torture, overwork, or neglect them, especially the ones they really need and can't easily replace."

Cassandra let out this shuddering breath as her worst fears evaporated. "Thank you Syldan," she whispered, and the girl smiled softly.

Denora spoke up next, "You'll have to be compliant. Don't resist them, so they have no reason to punish you." She looked apologetic, "You'd also best try to enjoy it - the sex I mean."

An image of Bashuk and his two chieftains formed in Cassandra's mind. She remembered their beastly appearance, and their enormous size. The orcs of the protective detail that had accompanied him had been smaller, and, going by what Bragstone's commander had told her, the 'regular' orcs were smaller still, but even those orcs were huge compared to a human male.

Moiga addressed the issue before she could though, "I saw the orcs when we were at Bragstone, and they were really big. I wonder if, ehm, everything is 'to scale' on an orc..."

"I don't know," Vala replied, "but I can tell you not everything is 'to scale' on a goblin. Goblins have really big cocks for their size, or at least the ones that once tried to rape me had."

Cassandra got this vision of a horse-sized cock entering her, and went a bit pale again.

"Look at it this way," Leavy said reassuringly, "we know there are a lot of half-orcs on Mondea, who wouldn't be there if an orc cock didn't fit inside a human pussy. Like I have said before, women are flexible down there, if they weren't they wouldn't be able to birth children." She sighed, "I don't think you should be too worried about the brothel anyway, it's what comes before it that you should be worried about..."

Denora nodded, "Yes, I agree, it's this 'surrender ceremony' that worries me most. It usually includes the victors taking their revenge by publicly raping the women of the defeated." The young Kangess whimpered, and Denora scolded her, "You wanted to talk about this, so let's not beat around the bush, shall we?" The other maidens paled a little at her brazenness, and Cassandra eyes filled with tears in response. "I don't disrespect you, but you leave me no choice," Denora said softly, "we all love you Cassy, and we all want to see you through this as best we can. That starts by trying to determine what you'll have to face to the best of our ability, so you can mentally prepare for it."

The young Kangess swallowed, and then she nodded slowly. "You're strong," Denora continued, "we know this, and so did Brando when he made you promise to choose life, but you seem to have forgotten. So get your act together, and show us what you're made of." Cassandra straightened her shoulders, and nodded again, more convincingly this time. Denora smiled softly, "That's it girl, now lets address the obvious first; being a virgin and facing rape isn't a great combination. It isn't something we can't fix though..."

Cassandra shook her head, "Only if Brandon returns to me before the solstice somehow. If I'm going to be deflowered by someone I don't love it might as well be some orc. If that means it'll hurt more when they rape me, then so be it."

Denora nodded, "Good, it's an understandable choice. Should you change your mind just say so, and we'll see what we can arrange, just don't wait too long okay?" Cassandra nodded. "Alright," Denora said, "what about that other virginity, the one that doesn't come with a hymen?"

The young Kangess looked back at her senior maiden questioningly for a moment, and then she blushed fiercely. "I didn't..., do you think..., yes..., of course..." She was silent for a moment, "What do you propose we do about that?"

Denora smiled softly, and then she got serious, "There are ways to prepare you for anal sex. There are still nine days left, so we could get your backside loosened up, and we could also make sure you're well lubed before the surrender ceremony, because lube is everything when it comes to anal. Anyone taking you back there would probably notice though, which might give off a signal you don't want to give off..."

"Yes, I understand," Cassandra said, "I wouldn't want to give the impression I was some wanton whore, because doing so might cost me any compassion they might still have."

"Well, thank you," Denora reacted with a grimace.

"I..., I didn't mean..., " Cassandra stammered.

"You didn't mean to say I was a wanton whore," Denora finished for her. "Don't worry, I know you never would. I was just making fun. I will remember should you decide to go ahead with the loosening up part after all of course...," she mentioned with a grin. Cassandra shook her head, looking determined. "Good," Denora said, "that leaves the mental preparation then...."

Cassandra frowned, "What do you mean by that exactly?"

Denora shrugged, "What I mean by that is that you communicate your fears and worries, so we can address them, and either take them away or help you handle them. Like what just happened, when you were afraid the orcs would torture you, and Syldan managed to convince you they wouldn't. There will also be fears and worries we can't take away of course, because they are justified, but in those cases we can help you rationalize them, which will help you when you have to face them. Don't clam up on us, share what bothers you, so we can support you."

Cassandra took in the six caring faces surrounding her, "Whatever did I do to deserve you lot," she said softly.

That night it was Leavy and Vala's turn to keep her company, and with both maidens cuddling up against her she fell asleep easily. She was woken by the ringing of steel, to find herself on a windy meadow, cast in this eerie reddish light. As she sat up she noticed Brando nearby, his sword whistling through the air as he danced around this huge multi headed creature. It had a dozen arms, each holding a sword, but none of them managed to hit Brando's nimble form while he landed blow upon blow on its bloated hulk. She got up and started to cheer him on, and then he managed to cut of one of the creatures arms, and then another, and it shrieked in agony.

The creature started to spin around its axis, ever faster, until it became a blur. Brando stepped away from it in response, to avoid the whirlwind of swords now surrounding it. As he did the creature let go of its remaining swords that careened away in all directions. One of them found Brando on its path, but he deflected it away almost casually with his own sword. The creature then exploded into an expanding cloud of gore, while she became aware of a searing pain in her abdomen. As she looked down there was the hilt of a sword, buried in a pool of blood. She heard Brando scream, and as she looked up to where he was standing his eyes locked with hers, and they were filled with horror.

She felt dizzy, Brando started to move towards her, and then the still expanding gore cloud contracted and turned into a solid form behind him again. This time it had only two arms, and it was green of color. She screamed a warning as Bashuk lifted his enormous blade high into the air, and charged after her betrothed. Brando saw nothing but her though. Her hands closed around the hilt protruding from her belly, and she started to pull. The sword slid out in a fountain of blood, but she was too late. Before she could bring the sword up Bashuk's sword blurred as it arced down. It hit Brando from behind, on the left shoulder, and exited him just above the right hip.

Cassandra screamed in agony as Brando was sliced in two before her eyes, and her screams were answered by Leavy and Vala. Her blood red surroundings evaporated, and then a familiar room took form around her, and she found herself sitting up in her bed, with two maidens hugging her. "Relax, it was just a dream," Leavy's voice sounded soothingly.

The memory of it was already disappearing, like water through a sieve, until only one thing remained; "Bashuk killed Brando," she whimpered.

"It was only a dream," Vala echoed Leavy's earlier remark.

"If Bashuk had killed our army's commander he would no doubt have told Marecomb at the parley," Leavy added, "but he didn't."

The young Kangess felt her calm slowly returning, she swallowed, "I..., I'm so sorry..., for waking you."

Both girls hugged her, "This is what we're here for," Leavy said softly.

Vala let go and slipped out of the bed, "I'm going to get you some warm milk," she said as she moved towards the living room doors.

"It was so surrealistic, but also so real," Cassandra told Leavy after Vala had left.

The pretty brunette nodded, "It's just your fears playing up," she said, and then she hugged her again. Vala didn't take long to return, Cassandra drank her milk, and then they all went to sleep again, with the two maidens hugging her even closer than before.

The next morning Denora woke them as usual. "Did you girls sleep okay," her senior maiden asked while opening the curtains.

"Yes," Cassandra answered.

Denora lifted an eyebrow, and after a moment Leavy spoke up, "She had a terrible nightmare, woke up screaming, all sweating and trembling."

Cassandra looked embarrassed, but Denora just nodded, "Yes, I heard." Her senior maiden then locked eyes with her, "Remember what I said? About not opening up? We can't help you if you don't talk to us." Cassandra looked down. "I know you regard it your responsibility to carry the load alone, you always have, and that's to your credit, but the time has come to share. In order to get through this in one piece you're going to need all the help you can get." Denora's eyes softened, "So next time just tell us you didn't sleep well, okay, milady?"

The young Kangess nodded, "Yes, I'm sorry, I will." She looked at her two companions, who smiled encouragingly, before she looked back at Denora again, "I dreamed about Brando. He was fighting a huge monster, that part is rather vague. I got wounded somehow, Brando came running for me, and then this monster transformed into Bashuk, and he attacked him from behind, cutting him in half, it was terrible, and then I woke."

Denora walked over to the bed, and sat herself down on the edge, "So you're more worried about Brando's fate than your own, now why doesn't that surprise me..." Cassandra blushed, and Denora smiled at her, "Do you think Bashuk would have killed him in such a treacherous way? Does that fit with the mental picture you have of this orc?" Cassandra thought for a moment, and then she slowly shook her head. "I don't want to give you false hope," her senior maiden said, "but as far as I know the death of an army's commander seldom goes unnoticed on a battlefield."

She was right of course, and Cassandra nodded her agreement. "Remember what Brando told us he found, and didn't find, at the battlefield of Bagman's Crossing?" Denora continued. "The orcs proved merciful towards our wounded that were beyond saving. They took the time to end their suffering. There's also the question about what happened to your father. I think the orcs buried him somewhere, out of respect. So they either took Brando prisoner, without realizing who he was, or he escaped them somehow, and hasn't been able to return to Bromodin yet. In all those cases he might be wounded of course."

Cassandra frowned, and then her face lightened, "You're right, it's unlikely Bashuk killed him, thank you."

Denora just smiled, and then she got up, and clapped her hands. The doors to the living room swung open, and Moiga and Polly came in, announcing the usual morning ritual had just started. Leavy and Vala slipped out of bed first, after a hug. Cassandra waved after them as they left the bedchamber. "You didn't plan a council meeting for today, milady," Denora remarked.

"That's correct," Cassandra answered, "I didn't, because I didn't know then if there would be a need for one. I now do, so please arrange for a meeting at eleven, will you?" Her senior maiden nodded, and then Moiga and Polly pulled back the comforter for her, and the morning ritual truly started.

During the council meeting Cassandra expressed her fears that the Nigawan population might spontaneously rise up against the orcs in a hopeless revolt which, in her opinion, would only lead to unnecessary death and suffering. "I don't say the Nigawans shouldn't rise up," she told the assembled councilors, "I just want to make clear this isn't the time for it. When they do rise up it should be well organized, and at an opportune moment, when the orcs least expect it, which isn't now."

The councilors nodded their agreement, and then Sir Hardin spoke up, "It makes sense, but we will all be gone by then, enslaved by the orcs, so who do you propose should organize such a revolt?"

Cassandra thought for a moment, "The military. They can provide the structure, and the training."

Marecomb was the first to react, "You're forgetting they will all end up as prisoners of war, and not be released until they have sworn never to take up arms against these Green Vale orcs again..."

She shrugged, "They wouldn't have to, they would only need to instruct and coordinate..."

Marecomb looked back at her for a moment, wide eyed, and then he chuckled, "Well, you could look at it like that I suppose, but you're on rather thin ice here, because I seriously doubt the orcs would look at it like that."