Roderick and Gorlana Pt. 02

Roderick stood motionless and tried to decide if he understood what the man was saying, but the Sage obviously read his face and replied.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. You hide it well," the man said in a half-whisper.

Roderick took a step back and almost dropped the books to run, but stood stiffly again.

"But not well enough for me. Though it took me a few minutes to see it. You've got the ears worked flat quite well, and the fingernails are ALMOST deniable. If I didn't have my spectacles on I wouldn't have noticed the very slight orange hue to the edges of your irises, and I'm used to the light in my office enough to trust the slight green hue to the darker parts of your skin. It comes through just below your ears and between your fingers. You might want to work at that. But honestly it's quite well done. If I'm the first one to see it I wouldn't be surprised."

Roderick's pulse was racing. His eighth-orc pedigree being laid plain before him, all the telltale signs he worked so hard to hide being stated outright. He almost had an instinct to bludgeon the man and hope he forgot, but his tone seemed conciliatory, without any hint of accusation.

"I... You're the first... human to be able to tell," Roderick croaked, hoping to the Gods the man didn't ask his name and he could still walk away anonymously.

The Sage smiled, "First human. Why of course, any orc would smell it up close. And if a human knows what they're sniffing... It's alright, I didn't catch a whiff. And again, you don't need to worry. I'll keep your secret, if you keep mine... Which is that I secretly wish there were more of you about," he said with a wink. "To have both brawn and brains. An army of your type would be unstoppable. Not that war is an advisable way to solve anything... If there were more mixes openly about then perhaps peace might be an easier hill to climb. I digress. The point is, you're fine. Please wipe that panicked look off your face."

Roderick tried, but it was hard. He took a long breath and finally replied, "Thank you. I should be going though. I have a meeting,"

"Yes yes, of course. I apologize but I couldn't resist it. Take it as a penance for barging in here. Anyway. Please return the books before you leave the city, and I do mean it when I say you're free to stop by my office at the college. It's not as grand as the University but as a satellite college it has a respectably fine architecture."

"Yes... thank you. I really should be going though," Roderick said, honestly wondering if the Princess was searching for him at this point.

"Indeed. The gods know I have letters to translate and edicts to scribe. Then if I'm lucky, perhaps a minute of time for some ACTUAL scholarly work for once," he said.

Roderick gave a final nod and left quickly as the Sage sat down at his large desk with a sigh.

...

"What do you mean you don't know where he is? You had ONE job."

"I beg your pardon your majesty but I have MANY jobs in this palace."

"The most important of which on this day was to bring this young general immediately to me so he didn't start flapping his tongue to whichever skulking nobles might be wandering about before I could debrief him and now he's vanished?! Is there a curse on our generals for them to be dropping like flies?"

"I assure you he will be alive and well, my lady. I will have my servants start a search immediately,"

"I was just making a point Navarin, I don't think he's actuall-..."

Roderick cleared his throat as he stepped around the corner, having paused both out of nervousness and curiosity listening to the chamberlain talking to a woman he suspected was the princess. As he looked upon her he was sure it must be so. Though she wore no crown, he was stopped dead in his tracks by a beautiful and piercing set of blue eyes that seemed to immediately demand his obedience. Her thick red hair bounced it's shining spirals as her head spun and she frowned at the sight of him.

"Excuse me, are you lost?" she asked.

Roderick ignored the twist in his stomach to smile and chuckle, shaking his head, "Well I WAS until just now-"

"Lord of Light! Look at you. Is this the state of decorum the lieutenant is keeping his men? That armour looks like it hasn't been polished in weeks, and your hair and beard are at least that long overdue for the barber. Your boots look like they were polished by a child in a rush to sneak off to the market..." she gave a sigh, "Navarin, escort this incompetent soldier back to the barracks and report him to the Lieutenant, AFTER you set your servants to finding my general, please and thank you."

Navarin sighed and gestured towards Roderick. "Princess Valessa... May I present to you, General Roderick of Highquarry, just arrived from what I have presumed was a hard journey to the capital."

Roderick stood with a hard set to his jaw, trying to decide how much insult to allow himself to express at the princess's words. Valessa stood with her red plump lips gaped open, and her long eyelashes blinking in disbelief, looking back at Navarin for confirmation before closing her mouth in annoyance. Roderick kept his eyes almost defiantly calm and respectful, making care not to glace at the tight contours of her dress as it rose and fell with her bosom as she sighed. It was high-necked but fitted precisely to the curves of her body that seemed sculpted like a statue under the shining blue fabric.

"I apologize your highness. I presumed I would be given time to make myself more presentable before I met with you," Roderick said with a simple nod, deciding that if she expected him to bow after that introduction she could remain disappointed.

"Of course," she said with a slightly sour twist to her mouth. "Thank you Navarin, that will be all."

"Your highness," the chamberlain said, and quickly turned to leave them.

"Follow me," Valessa said curtly, and spun on her heel to walk to the doors of her meeting room.

As Roderick followed behind, he allowed himself a glance at the dress which was custom fit over the lower curves of her body just as well as the top, before taking a breath and clearing his mind, reminding himself his career might be on the line. The room was moderately large and covered in expensive decorations with a long meeting table in the center, but Valessa simply spun around again to face him with no hint that she wanted to sit down. She looked him up and down again.

"What's with the books?" Valessa asked, a less formal tone to her words now.

"What? Oh, right," Roderick said, almost forgetting that he was holding them. "That's what I was doing. Er, I had to use the washroom, and then I ran into your Sage. He gave these to me." Roderick said, trying not to shrink in the shadow of the shining confidence from this young woman's eyes, that seemed to send tingles over his skin when she looked at him.

"You know Professor Beleros?" she said, cocking her head to the side.

"I... do now I suppose," he replied.

Valessa gave a befuddled look and then shook her head, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, you need to take seriously my point that you CANNOT go wandering about looking like this. I'd prefer you not be randomly wandering about at all, but I suppose you're a free man, and likely wouldn't enjoy being tied down in my room for your stay."

Roderick fought off a blush and glanced away uncomfortably before setting his feet, "As I said, someone made me come directly here instead of freshening up."

She crossed her arms under her breasts, "And SOMEONE should have taught you how to present yourself with decorum when you became a general, let alone before you led your grimy procession down the city streets, with orcs in tow no less, though we'll talk about that later, so-"

"I've done what I could to get here as fast as possible," Roderick interrupted with irritation that surprised even himself. "Now can you please get to what was so important to rush me here?"

She widened her large blue eyes and shut her mouth in surprise, looking him over from head to toe with what seemed like a new curiosity. "I can't tell if you're talking like this on purpose to make a point or as a strategy, or... if you simply have no sense of propriety."

Roderick took a breath and reminded himself of where he was and who he stood before, and brought himself back to earth, "I apologize your highness, I was off-put by our awkward introduction, which I admit was largely my fault. Please forgive me, and I am grateful for the honour of your immediate attention on my arrival here, and... it is an honour to meet you, my lady." He genuflected in front of her and grasped her hand to place a kiss on it, feeling her unbelievably soft skin and taking his rough lips away quickly, feeling like it was maybe a step too far.

He stood up again, closer to her now, and was surprised to see HER looking flushed and embarrassed.

Valessa cleared her throat, "Yes, well. It's reassuring you can begin to play the part, but a general would bow, not kneel, just so you know."

"My deepest apologies your highness,"

Valessa gave an annoyed sigh, "No you can... stop that now. When we're alone, I actually like it when you... er, I appreciate the blunt honesty, it's... refreshing. Just don't talk so boldly when we're in public, even around Navarin."

Roderick relaxed a little and nodded with a slight smirk, "Okay, I'll try to mind my manners out there."

She surprisingly smirked back while looking at his eyes, and he was ensnared by their beauty for a split second, before she seemed to catch herself and look away, seeming almost flustered again. "Alright. ...and you're right, I should get down to business. Now, I..." she met his eyes for a moment again, then looked away and stepped back with an annoyed sigh. "Dammit you're tall. Come... come sit down." she said, gesturing to the table behind her.

Roderick complied and sat down, but she didn't take the seat next to him and instead loomed overhead and put her hands on her hips.

"Roderick of Highquarry," she said sternly. "You lost more than two thirds of your army, having gained no ground or tactical advantage in Orthalia, and ended your campaign retreated over the Roancliff pass which is now destroyed. Defend yourself and your actions."

Roderick was suddenly glad he was sitting, as he would have taken an involuntary step back if not. He still had to fight to stay sitting straight under the shimmering heat of her accusatory stare.

He took a breath and set his jaw, "We did the best we could with the situation we were given. When th-"

"No. Not we. You. Take responsibility. You are a general, new or not, you must not try to spread the blame among your underlings," Valessa said, crossing her arms more tightly under her unwavering stare.

Roderick gritted his teeth for a moment, "Yes, that's fair. I take responsibility and I apologize f-"

"No. Don't apologize. Defend. Continue."

He squinted his eyes in further annoyance, but kept his composure. "When we set out from our allied Orthalian territories, into the enemy's provinces, our goal was never to take new ground. We were to weaken existing enemy encampments and holds, and discover any newly built ones, simply to ensure the ongoing safety of our new border. When we reached our furthest planned distance from the border, we came across a large enemy army that had seemingly been sent to attack the border in a full out assault, to win back their territory I presume. We had NOT been given preparations or supplies to even defend such a force from a hold, let alone meet them on the open battlefield. To have taken any more with me would have left those back on the border too vulnerable. We had not been given anywhere near the amount of supplies or reinforcements we had requested weeks before from the capital for-"

"No. Stop that. Don't blame your superiors either. You're trying to win their respect and confidence, and they will not take well to being shamed. Leave that part out," Valessa instructed.

Roderick narrowed his eyes, starting to realize what she was doing. She raised one sleek eyebrow signalling for him to continue.

"The fact that we surprised them as much as they surprised us, being so far into their own territory, might have been my only saving grace. I was outnumbered and needed less-open terrain to face them more strategically if we had any chance, so instead of retreating south over the steppe, we went east towards the mountains' foothills, hoping to face them on better terms. Their general was... skilled however. More than any other I've faced. Springsnake..."

"Yes I've heard of her."

"Her?..."

"Are you saying you admit you were outstrategized by an orc?" she said, tilting her head with a judgmental curiosity, though it didn't grate him as much now that he knew what she was doing.

"In this case... almost." Roderick said, holding back from a simple self-deprecating 'yes'.

Valessa seemed to read his mind and let out the hint of a smile, with what could have been either approval or amusement. It made his chest twist, and he glanced away to continue.

"I underestimated him... or her if you're certain, at first, and assumed it was just luck but after the second loss and forced retreat we found a way to stay ahead of them and whittle them down in a controlled retreat. If all their generals become as skilled as this one we may have a serious problem on our hands. In any case, I tried to send riders to warn the holds at the border to the south, and ask them to send reinforcements if they could, but I still don't know if any made it, and any help would have come too late if they did. I still haven't heard whether the remnants of the Orthalian force went south to attack the border after our last battle."

"That wasn't their plan," Valessa said. "They had been heading for Roancliff pass all along, you only just happened to veer North enough to catch them on their way. I had thought you knew that, and assumed that was why you destroyed it. How DID you manage that by the way?"

"...THEY destroyed it," Roderick said.

"What?"

"By accident. They were knocking boulders on to us from an unstable cliff."

She regarded him with a more sobered stare, as if only now imagining the battle itself. "I see. Well it worked out for the best. You stopped what might have been a bloody disaster for your home province. The pass was treacherous even before then, and only passable by small forces for three months of the year, but they obviously were trying to take advantage of it anyway, and we had been foolish to leave it undefended as it was."

"Yes... WE were," Roderick said, now raising a meaningful eyebrow at her.

Valessa gave a sudden cute laugh before reining herself in, and tried to resume her firm demeanour, but a lingering dimple gave her away, "So, young general. Would you say that since their army suffered significant losses and failed their desperate excursion into Fringeland, now being cut off from doing so. Would it not be a good time to make a full out assault on Orthalia, to take even more territory or even the whole country while they're licking their wounds?"

"WHAT?!" Roderick lurched forward in disbelief, his growing respect for her suddenly hitting the floor. "Absolutely NOT, even if we HAD the men and supplies left on the warfront, and it would take MONTHS to get them there, which would give Orthalia time to recuperate..." He let out a long breath and relaxed his fist on the table. "Your majesty, with all due respect what IS the purpose of this war?"

She cocked her head in a peculiar interest, with none of the fury he expected from the question, but did not respond.

So he continued, "Is it really the annihilation of the Orcish population? A genocide? Complete and utter destruction? Or, domination? Subjugation somehow against all of their wills?"

Her narrow gaze intensified but so did the dimple on her smooth cheek, "Do you think that's what it is? Is that what you think it should be?"

"No. It's impossible. Even if it was ethical. Their country is too large, we would need ten times our population and resources, and even then, the quagmire we would be left with after the fighting stopped..." he paused, looking at her face which had unexpectedly formed into an uninhibited wide, and beautiful, smile.

"Which leaves our options as...?" she asked expectantly.

"Peace!" Roderick said in exasperation. "Some type of peace. Somehow. How could it be anything else?"

Roderick sat with his pulse racing from his outburst, never having imagined being this blatant with anyone, let alone the princess herself. He wasn't sure if it was only the adrenaline alone that made his heart flutter as Valessa's eyes seemed to tunnel through into his mind as she held him with a fascinated smile. Suddenly she sat down to face him and crossed her legs, sliding her arm along the table and making her bosom rise and fall again with a long satisfied sigh.

"Fuck, it feels good to be right," she said.

Roderick almost flinched back at her sudden change in attitude.

"I've been waiting for years for a general to have the intelligence or the balls to say that and I had you pegged for one that might at least understand when I explained it, but then you just went and made my entire argument for me,"

He cautiously shared her smile and nodded.

"Don't get me wrong," she said reining herself in a little, "I have no love for the orcs and though we are allied with SOME, your little display today was a step too far. I understand you're grateful for their support, but too many of our men have been killed by their ranks for us to parade their ilk through the city as heroes, as though all could be magically forgotten. However..." she continued on, ignoring his mouth opening to retort, "I am a ruler of practicality. This war of attrition that my father has stretched on with through the years with his sycophant generals offering nothing other than verbally shaking their spears, while we slowly beggar the realm, simply cannot continue indefinitely. And, luckily, now both our countries are in the same situation, with wounded armies and even more wounded economies, and by some miracle the Orcish queen not only realizes it but is willing to admit it. At least implicitly."

She reached behind her to slide a piece of parchment over to him on the table. "THIS is why I called you here right away today. To see if you and I could agree, and be on the same page, so to speak, as we convene with the council, about this."

Roderick looked at the paper, "Is that from...?"

"Queen Malgora," Valessa confirmed, "The orcish queen and I have agreed to an immediate armistice and a meeting in two months to discuss terms of ongoing peace."

Roderick's eyes widened "That's incredible," he said, now looking this young woman up and down himself, with a new appreciation. "Of COURSE I'll support it. Or... what are the terms?"

She raised an eyebrow again, "Well that's just the question isn't it? We will see when we meet her."

"She's coming here?"

"No. I'm going there."

"...To Orthanhall? Their capital?"

She nodded.

"Has any human ever been?"

"In living memory? No. Not free of chains in any case."

Roderick looked off in thought, "What do the other Generals think of this?"

Valessa closed her eyes and grimaced. "Generals Follander and Demeron are both dead."

Roderick couldn't help his body from jolting, then asked through a clenched jaw, "When?... How?"

"I'm sorry to have to be the one to break the news, though I'm not sure whether to be glad of our success in stifling the rumours or disappointed at your lack of connections."

"I HAD heard a rumour about Follander, but it didn't seem legit-... What happened to them?" Roderick asked, feeling flustered again. He had no love for the men, but the news was still jarring.