Roderick and Gorlana Pt. 03

...

Roderick looked through the leaves over at Nardill and detected a sense of annoyance, either by scent or a subconscious change to his otherwise flat green face.

The orc confirmed it with a quiet snort, "You're a better scout than Stoneheel I suppose but I don't think we will surprise any enemies by bumping into their back."

"I thought I was doing well enough, sorry," Roderick replied with a chuckle, having been somewhat proud of his navigating the dense forest without snapping any twigs.

"Better than most humans I suppose," he admitted. "I wonder if you can climb a tree better than most of them too," he suggested with a toothy smile looking up. "This tree should be large enough. Your eyes at least should be able to see over that rise to the gully beyond. The stream there would be a place where any band in the area would likely fetch water."

Roderick nodded, "Between my eyes, and your nose and ears, we hopefully won't miss anything."

He watched the big burly orc climb up the tree with surprising skill and grace. He followed afterwards and only slipped once but it was enough for Nardill to give a low snicker before he reached him at the upper branches, and a comment on his lack of claws.

Orthalia was beautiful, even if much of it was dangerous and untamed, he thought, as they looked out over the forest. He reminded himself that simply because it had not been cleared for agriculture did not mean it was completely wild and unclaimed. The orcs simply subsided on hunting, gathering and a type of horticulture that left the forest mostly intact. Though that was starting to change.

"Maybe the more time I spend ranging through Orthalia-proper I'll start to show my orcish side more truly," Roderick said with a chuckle.

Nardill shook his head and gave him a more solemn respectful look, "You are true to your nature, Lightbrew, and should feel no shame for it. It is all we can ask of our high chief."

Roderick took a doubtful gulp. "Do most of you still believe I remain your high chieftain then?"

Nardill's short pause told him enough, though he wondered if he smelled something akin to nervousness as well. "Most... yes. We would be as broken as this countryside is, if we did not."

"And those that don't?" Roderick asked.

"You know of those that will never accept you, for your blended heritage alone. You surely know by now that to me, and Korboq, and the others who fight with you, that your acts - true to Orcish honour - prove your right to lead us more than your blood. That is why you will be a truer Orc than any of the Rechlinger scum who have tried to curse your name to the Northern Orthalians as an example of our Southerners' alleged weakness."

Roderick hadn't heard that particular piece of news, but simply raised his eyebrows and nodded in appreciation.

"Even so..." Nardill continued. "As you seem to fear, there ARE some now, though they still swear their swords to you, who worry about the humans' new title and rank they have granted you. They wonder if you will be stretched impossibly between two promises, and a sacrifice of one honour will need to be made for the other. Much as you did to us when you won our chiefdom and we needed to choose between you and our Queen in Orthanhall."

Roderick nodded thinking back to those confusing weeks after he had won his duel against Stonefist those few years ago, and the chaos that eventually had resulted in him representing those Southern Orthalian clans.

"Well the King at least isn't making me choose between the two, but I know what you mean. Thanks for your honesty Nardill, you're the first I've heard speak of it."

"We are safely out of earshot of Korboq right now," Nardill said with a low chuckle. "He believes in you so fiercely that he's been threatening to bludgeon any who even hint at any of this openly."

Roderick sighed, "Gods bless his green heart but he has the tact of a donkey in a pot shop sometimes. I hope you others know that I never told him to, and I'd rather discuss this kind of problem than let it fester."

"So you will remain the chief in our lands while leading your kings army in his city at the same time then?"

"I hold both titles-..." Roderick stopped himself, realizing he was missing the point with his words.

"To be fair, many of us did not worry ourselves, but now, if you and the Princess become mated you will be even more closely tied to your capital, rather than our Southern Orthalia.

Roderick nearly fell out of the tree.

"Why would you... assume th-..." his voice fell away as he saw Nardill's unconvinced frown, all but rolling his eyes.

"I am not noseblind, Lightbrew. None of us are. Though I think even some of your human soldiers suspect."

Roderick sighed, "I'll tell you what I told Korboq that even if there is some tension and... attraction between us. If every two humans that had that got married, Andralia would be a very different place."

Nardill's silent shrug spoke loud enough.

Roderick sat there in irritation, trying to think of how else to convince him, and perhaps himself as well, but before he could speak or think on it further, Nardill's nose twitched.

"Something in the gully?"

"No. From back to the east."

Roderick looked in that direction, squinted hard and swore, "Smoke. I think. Can you see it too?"

"No, but that is what I smelled."

"We need to head back."

He nodded and they rushed down the tree and away.

As Nardill and Roderick found their way back towards the encampment they realized the smoke was not quite in that exact direction. They slowed their pace a little when they realized that, somewhat relieved, but still concerned. They still kept a tiring speed though, veering north towards the smell and the sight of it rising above the trees.

They heard the sounds of battle as they approached and quickened their pace again, getting their weapons ready.

As Roderick came over the last rise he stopped and took in a scene of a small but bloody battle. What had likely been a small orcish camp hours earlier was mostly on fire, and toppled, the clan fighting bitterly against his own forces who were here in almost their entire number.

He swore again, wondering why they would attack without waiting for him to return. Nardill rushed forward with a growling yell, flashing his sword and jumping into the throng. Roderick followed not far behind until he heard a female scream.

He turned and saw, halfway up the hill on the outer edge of the scene, Princess Valessa at the top of a tree. She was in her full leather armour and even a helm, with a bow and quiver, evidently having been supporting the attack from there, but she was being dragged down from the tree by a tall angry orc with two others waiting at the bottom.

She let out a cry of hopeless pain as she hit the ground, crawling backwards and slashing out with a long dagger, but looking with teary-eyed futile despair as the orc closest to where she'd landed slashed out and knocked the dagger away. She had let go just in time to avoid losing any fingers but she flinched her hand back almost as if she had. She let out a blood-curdling scream as he lifted his glinting curved sword for the kill.

The sword suddenly tumbled down from his fingers as Roderick's spear entered through one pointed green ear and out the other and he was body-checked away from the cowering princess. He fell lifelessly to the ground as Roderick's yell ended and he sucked in a furious breath. He tried to pull the spear out from the skull but it stuck and he gritted his teeth as the dead orc's head lifted off the ground with it. One of the other orcs roared as he charged and Roderick saw him over his shoulder, pulled again at the double-pointed spear as if to desperately try to dislodge it again, but the feint worked and when he suddenly lowered the other sharpened end down he pierced the other orc through the shoulder.

The orc was now stuck on the other end of the spear from his fallen brother, but he still finished lowering his sword to slash at him. Roderick fell away from it, the sword glancing across his breast-plate and as he hit the ground, grabbed the other orc's dropped sword and lunged forward to slice through this orc's throat.

Princess Valessa hadn't been able to bring herself to stand but had crawled backwards enough to reach her dagger and throw it at the third orc who was approaching her. To Roderick's surprise it was a good throw, but the orc knocked it away before it hit his chest. It slowed him down though. Enough for Roderick to run forward and meet his attack before he could reach Valessa. He sparred with the orc for a short minute, not as used to the orcish blade as he was with a spear, but skilled enough to whittle him down and finally knock the other's sword from his bloodied hand and kick him against the trunk of the tree.

The orc growled in defeated pain and looked up at him with angry eyes, and perhaps Roderick subconsciously smelled a touch of respect from the green brute as he held his sword out. The orc didn't lunge at him in a suicidal attack like some did, and Roderick felt a hope that he could talk and learn something, when suddenly an arrow sprouted from one of his orange eyes and he spasmed and growled before collapsing in a dead green heap at the base of the tree.

Roderick looked back to see Valessa with her bow, breathing a sigh of relief.

Roderick bristled in frustration and shouted, "I was going to question him! W-"

Her body struck him and wrapped her arms around him, shaking in relief and terror as she cried. He subdued his anger and held her, looking around to see if there was any more immediate danger, but it was clear the fight was dwindling fast. The few remaining enemy orcs were being surrounded and finished off.

"Put out those fires!" Roderick yelled when the last swords were finally still. "And somebody tell me what the hell is going on here!"

...

"You what?" Roderick exclaimed in disbelief.

Valessa somehow seemed to stand as if looming over him even though she was a full head shorter. Her tears were dried up and the shock of the battle had mostly left her. She still seemed more anxious and on-edge than he'd ever seen her before today, though now it was under the surface of her proud defensive appearance.

"I ordered our men to attack that band of orcs. We had little time to react. After you left, one was spotted but escaped after seeing us, and they would tell the others and word would obviously spread from there. They were closer than we thought, and we knew we had far superior numbers so it was a sure victory. Though... I did not expect the ferocity of their counter-attack, and I admit I misjudged how close I let myself get to the main battle, but I did not want to simply sit safe in my tent after giving such an order."

"Kill them all so they don't spread word of us?" Roderick confirmed. "I guess I can't say you didn't warn me."

"Would you have disagreed?" Valessa asked challengingly, "And let them put us at risk? Yendell agreed with me."

Roderick looked at his lieutenant who stood silent and didn't meet his eyes.

Valessa continued, "And even Korboq and the others did not raise a word of argument."

"You ordered them not to leave anyone alive..." Roderick confirmed.

"Of course. We wanted no one to escape."

"We could have questioned at least a few of them. Even if a peaceful negotiation was off the table."

Valessa shrugged, "I didn't think that likely to work. It wasn't worth them getting away or killing more of us."

"They looked to be fleeing a previous battle rather than set to be making one. There were more than just fighting men among them Valessa," Roderick said.

"You will refer to me as your highness," Valessa said, getting red in the face and her cold demeanour almost starting to break. "And yes, but you know as well as any that all orcish women are warriors to some degree, not to be treated as innocent bystanders. And as for..." She looked away and crossed her arms. "I will not apologize for ensuring our safety, at whatever the cost."

"You still should have waited for me," He said stubbornly.

Roderick turned away from her, speaking to the others, "Gather whatever supplies we can salvage and make sure we're ready to move quickly. We don't know who else might have seen the smoke. Hopefully we can put more miles between us and this place before nightfall."

He gave one last glance at Valessa before trudging away, telling himself he didn't need his nose to detect the hurt behind her look of otherwise proud confidence.

...

Over the next two days they made their way somewhat slower and more carefully through forested hills. They were still able to make a steady pace to the southwest, angling strategically to gradually bring them closer to their own territory. He and Valessa had a couple more spats in which she reminded him of ultimately who he worked for, and he felt his only 'victory' was that he resisted admitting that what she had done was technically to their benefit and the right thing to do, even if it felt wrong. Since then, no further arguments had taken place, but an over-polite tension had stained each of their conversations. Though she was starting to try to break the ice now and mend things with a few enticing smiles and acts of kindness and it bothered him how effectively it seemed to work, at least in the moment.

Perhaps this extra drama was a blessing in disguise, to distract him from the all too pressing reality that their lives were all on the line, and any moment they could happen upon a clan of a large enough number and a bolstered-enough battle-lust in this boiling civil war, that would end their lives swiftly and completely.

His thoughts swam through his mind as he stared at the evening fire, until he realized he and Valessa were once again alone. He wondered if the others were leaving them that way deliberately. He looked over at her, sitting silently and hugging herself, and thought to himself that the night wasn't particularly cold. His eyes were brought magnetically to her flawless face, and he saw the reflection of the fire was shining more brilliantly off her eyes, perhaps moist... though her face was as stony and regal as it had been throughout the day.

Suddenly he realized those eyes were looking back at him and he stopped his staring abruptly and stood up.

"We should be off to sleep to get an early departure in the morning," he said, gathering his things.

"I haven't been sleeping well the last two nights actually," she croaked.

The strained sound of her voice gave him a brief pause but he continued preparing to leave, "Even so, we should try. Goodnight, Your Highn-"

"Roderick wait..."

He looked over his shoulder and saw she was standing up. He turned to her and she took a cautious step forward, like she was almost afraid to approach. She opened her mouth but words never formed. Suddenly her mouth contorted into a look of fear and regret and she rushed forward and threw her arms around him. She sobbed against his chest, and once the surprise wore off he gently put his arms around her as well and held her as she cried.

"Thank you for saving my life," she croaked quietly. "I'm sorry I haven't said that yet."

"I... It was my duty, Princess."

"Stop that. Call me Valessa again, please, it's grated me these last two days,"

He chuckled despite himself, "Alright. Valessa..."

She felt so good with her arms around him. He hadn't appreciated it consciously after the battle, but now, under the starlight...

"It's just... I'd never been so close to violence and death like that,"

He frowned, "You were there when the Rechlingers attacked,"

She shook her head, "Todrin sent me away almost immediately, I only saw and mostly heard the beginnings of the attack. My body guards fought off three pursuers but it was more like a duel, and I'd seen plenty of those before. I'd never been... IN, a battle like we were two days ago."

Roderick resisted mentioning that their recent skirmish barely qualified as a battle but nodded back with a cautious grin.

"They say you killed four of them with your bow before they found you and pulled you out of the tree," he offered.

Her sour distant stare told him that didn't offer any solace.

"I'm glad I was able to get to you at least," he said.

Her far off gaze turned to a slow smile, "You did. I also must apologize Roderick... I wasn't sure how much of the tales of your battle prowess to believe. Of you killing the Orc chief in the duel... But now, seeing how bravely you fought. I believe them," she whispered, looking up at him with wide glistening eyes. "I don't know how you do it; how you face that without it breaking you, but my one reassurance is that I have you near, and that you can."

He stared into the deep pools of her eyes and felt a discomforting warmth despite the cool night air, he cleared his throat, changing his tone, "Honestly your shock is the more normal response. I worry how hardened this life has made me."

She brushed her hand on his and gifted him a small brave smile, "Don't worry, you're still tender enough."

Her curving, red lips and teary, immaculate eyes drew him forward like a moth to a flame, and without even the chance to second-guess the rationality of it, he felt his head and neck bending to kiss her.

She stiffened the moment before their lips met, but for a flicker of an instant her soft, lush lips touched his, tasting like a forbidden fruit he'd stolen from the Gods. He wasn't sure if she indeed kissed him back for the briefest of moments, but she pulled away with a gasp.

She blushed, "I'm sorry, Roderick I wasn't meaning to lea-"

"I'm sorry, princess, er, Valessa, I... that was... idiocy,"

She shook her head apologetically, "No it was... Roderick we can't. We simply can't. I'm not trying t-..."

He let go of her and waved his hand dismissively, "I know. Please forgive me."

"No, don't worry. I didn't realize how much I was-...," She cleared her throat and let out a long shaky breath. "We need to focus on getting ourselves out of this place. Don't let me be a distraction for you."

"You're... not," he said, tasting the lie on his breath.

"Roderick that was the next thing I was going to say, actually. That... I'm sorry I've needed to be cold and confrontational to you since that battle, but with the way you attacked my decision and my authority with others around... Cohesion is going to be key if we have any chance out here, and rank means something to that. I promise you I will not go second-guessing all of your decisions, but when I make one, and I need you to respect it, at least publicly."

He gulped, still too embarrassed to feel any irritation at her words and simply nodded, "Thank you for explaining that at least. It should make it a bit easier."

She flashed him a cute dimple but still had a regretful, almost pitying look on her face, as she leaned up and pecked him a quick, cordial kiss on the cheek. "Please, let's just work on getting out of here alive."

He gave her a resigned, sober nod, as the tingles of her kiss subsided.

She turned away and he headed back to his tent as well. He walked through the darkness trying to shake off the sting of rejection and bitter embarrassment that coursed through him, and eventually, somehow found sleep later that night.

...

Valessa gave a frown that was almost approaching a pout. "I know I eat less than most of you, but I've been suffering no less for our rations. Even so, should we not cut back even more, in case we are longer getting back to Southern Orthalia than you predict?"

Roderick shook his head, irritated at the length to which they were discussing what should have been a simple straightforward decision, "We need to have enough food in us to be able to march and stay alert enough to stay out of danger, let alone fight if we fail at that. We can continue to hunt, and the orcs have gathered a surprising amount of forage."