Roderick and Gorlana Pt. 04

Roderick knew one thing they didn't though. That the Andralian army must already have been mustered and heading east, likely close the mountains already. It was the only way they could have come so quickly. Valessa's pigeon had sent word to them long before Roderick was kidnapped. Had she instructed them simply to come rescue her? Or, had their initial goal been to attempt to conquer Orthalia while the civil war had it in disarray?

Another piece of troubling news in their distressed arguments, was a report that more forces might be amassing to the south. If it was indeed Southern Orthalia rallying to the same cause, then Orthanhall was indeed at risk of falling, if an all-out battle began. So much blood, on both sides, if that came about. I'm not worth this, Valessa, he thought to himself.

None of the Orcs he listened to knew how to approach this. All tradition and precedent seemed thrown out the window now, having already been stretched to the limit before. In the end they were running out of time. They needed to meet Faringoll and Valessa before the day was done, in what might end up being the moot in truth. Gorlana would speak for them primarily, being both Roderick's captor, and the expected Queen prior to this. Roderick was worried of what she might say, but more worried of what her fate might be at the end of it all.

They finally stopped marching as the grassy slope they were descending seemed to gradually even out. They were sheltered from the wind now, and he finally realized what he was smelling. Humans. He hadn't really noticed it as a distinct sense before now, always being the baseline of what was around him. Being so long among nothing but orcs though, now he actually noticed it for the first time. He had felt very distinctly human during his capture, compared to those around him. He was now feeling much more like an orc.

"Roderick!" a voice called from in front of him.

It was Valessa, her musical, delicate female voice seeming so strange among the gruff low voices he had been used to. She was arguing with someone now, demanding to approach him, but she eventually relented that their discussions needed to come first. He was moved and heard shuffling and footsteps around him until they finally seemed to be arranged appropriately. His sense couldn't tell him exactly how many were around him, but he guessed it was most of the higher chieftains from all sides, perhaps close to twenty in all.

"It's alright Valessa, I'm not harmed," Roderick called back to try to placate her.

Zurgana's voice spoke, "You have gifted this spoiled princess a bear?! What right does she have to such an honoured animal? It should belong only to the one who tamed it!"

Darganya spoke proudly. "The bear IS with the one who tamed it."

Several orcs scoffed in disbelief.

"You see, I do not ally with those undeserving," Faringoll said with an implicating and accusatory tone.

There were more grumbles and low excited muttering around him.

"Why is Roderick blindfolded?" Valessa asked in clear affront. "It's bad enough you have him tied like that."

"It is our way," Faringoll reassured her.

"You may do with him as you like, once you have convinced us to give him to you," Gorlana said.

Valessa scoffed, "Is this army somehow not convincing enough for you? We have been building the components of siege weapons gradually during our race here. It will not take long to assemble them. Though your walls are less impressive than I expected. I expect that you have also started to hear reports from the south. It took very little convincing to rally Southern Orthalia to attack when they learned you have their high-chieftain in chains."

Zurgana growled an orcish curse and Gorlana sighed as Valessa confirmed their fears.

"What are your conditions then? Simply hand your lover back to you and you leave quietly?" Gorlana asked.

"With Faringoll as your Queen," Valessa said confidently.

Growls and exclamations erupted around them.

"A human CANNOT demand such a thing! We await our moot!"

"I can demand whatever I wish! I have your city essentially under siege, or soon to be, if you insist on it. My forces will be fully arrived within days and the Southern Orthalians within a week or less if they make haste. They can both make adjustments in their approach to strategically attack if battle is what you desire."

"We do NOT wish more death, but we have limits to our honour," Iringoll said with a stern caution.

Faringoll stepped forward, "Then let this be our moot. All are present who need to be. It has been held on these very plains in the past."

There was a wet scoff, "You chose this location on purpose then!"

"And why not?! This meeting will decide who holds power here, no matter what we call it. If you want to scoff about propriety and fairness, you had all but given your assent to Gorlana before I even arrived!" Faringoll defended.

"You cannot hold a HUMAN army behind you as an honour-horde."

"Again I ask why not?! TWO of you sided with the bloody Rechlingers. I simply did the same as you, Gorlana. I took an enemy poised to threaten us and turned them to our side."

"To YOUR side!" Gorlana argued. "And the Rechlingers did not threaten Orthanhall itse-..." Gorlana's words stopped as she seemed to realize her words were somewhat mistaken.

Iringoll broke the awkward silence, "And what fate will become of Gorlana if Faringoll is crowned?"

There was a troubling pause, until Valessa spoke, "Whatever the queen decides. Whether it's execution, banishment, or... perhaps a gracious demotion to a lowly position, under a watchful eye, at the very least I would hope," she said, seeming to drip with implication to Faringoll.

"You CANNOT expect us to suffer this dishonour. This insult!"

Valessa replied confidently, "Which of you can say you would not rally your hordes against Andralia if we had kidnapped the mate of your queen? That you would not march into our lands if you had the strength and the means? I do so, as you would do, but with the intent of peace, and with the understanding to allow one of your own to remain ruler over your lands."

"We deserve our Southern lands back, in exchange for him!" Zurgana shouted.

"No. You are in no position to negotiate such a thing." Valessa insisted. "We will accept Roderick in exchange for agreeing to retreat from your lands with your capital intact, and the assurance of a peaceful Queen. Then a meeting in 6 months to negotiate the precise terms of our ongoing peace in a treaty."

There was a murmur and Roderick could tell that Valessa was beginning to convince some of them. Iringoll was whispering something cautiously reassuring to Gorlana. Zurgana was growling something quietly in frustration, but none were shouting anymore.

Roderick felt a wrongness though. Was it only concern for Gorlana? He didn't care anymore. He thought quickly, and before they could begrudgingly agree, he spoke up instead.

"Valessa, no. This is wrong."

The murmurs around him died.

"He does not have a voice in this negotiation, one human is enough!" Zurgana spat.

"Let him speak," Iringoll said with a curious tone.

"Roderick, it's alright," Valessa said. "Faringoll reassures me they will not bloody this ground today, or kill you in spite. Let me-"

"No! Valessa that's not it. Can't you see how this twists their honour?"

"I have not enacted this unilaterally. Both Faringoll and Darganya have been counselling me and reassuring me that this can and will be honoured."

"Fine. It CAN be, but it shouldn't. You're asking them to hold their moot with only one real option under threat of attack? How could Faringoll feel stable as their queen with that kind of animosity and compulsion behind it? Gorlana has treated me with as much honour as she could. I was not tortured, and when I suffered it was because of my own words and actions. She does not deserve execution or even to be treated as an enemy."

"Not an enemy? Roderick she has you bound and blinded! Have they corrupted your mind already? My demands are my demands. You will be handed over, and Faringoll will be queen."

"No. I refuse these terms," he said stubbornly.

Valessa gasped, "Roderick!"

"Valessa, your making a mistake here. If you love me enough to do all of this for me, then please, respect me enough to trust me on this. You need to let their moot happen with full honour. If you really want true peace with any chance to last. Place yourself in support of Faringoll, fine, but you need to declare that you will respect the outcome of their vote, whether it's Gorlana or anyone else. As long as whoever is crowned does not attack us, and allows us to leave peacefully."

There were more murmurs now, the scents and words around him seemed to be convincing.

Valessa exhaled in irritation. "They would have to all agree to this. All the candidates for the throne. And, you still get handed over today. I'm not leaving this meeting without you in my arms," she said, her voice almost breaking in an emotional desperation near the end.

Roderick's heart twisted, knowing all that she had gone through and done for him, "That's fair, and wise. Thank you Valessa," he said with a grateful smile.

He couldn't make out her scent well from this distance but she seemed to give a satisfied sigh, "So. There it is. What do you all say?"

Iringoll spoke first through the low growls and whispers around her, "I will agree. If I am crowned I will allow you safe retreat, and to meet and negotiate for a treaty in the spring."

After a small pause, Zurgana spoke next, "What? Don't look at me like that, I know when to sheath my sword. Despite your opinion of me, I will not sacrifice Orthanhall for my glory or pride. Yes. I will agree. Though I will not sign ANY treaty, and I trust everyone here is wise enough to know that peace is not guaranteed to last forever."

"Of course," Valessa replied with cool understanding.

Faringoll grumbled, "This was not what we agreed to, Valessa."

Iringoll spoke up before Valessa could. "Come now sister, we're impressed nonetheless. Would you really have expected us to speak to you without resentment ever again if you took the Goathorn chair by sheer bloody force? You may still win it, and better to do so with the honour of a true moot."

Roderick heard Darganya's voice from further back, "She speaks truth, chieftain. I have a sense that Lightbrew will not agree to anything else."

Faringoll replied with a sigh, "If this is the wish of my allies, then I will agree."

There was a longer pause now with low mumbling and whispers, until Faringoll asked, with a doubtful tone, "Gorlana?"

They all seemed to stop in a hush. Roderick frowned. Gorlana was the only one yet to agree.

Iringoll spoke now, "Gorlana, it's the only reasonable way. We've all agreed."

More silence.

Zurgana cackled, "And you thought ME too prideful. Gorlana, when even I can see too much carnage in the alternative, you have to trust that this is the only path."

Roderick spoke in growing concern, "Valessa, retract what you said implying Gorlana's execution, or banishment. Faringoll, will you agree to hold her in equal honour to any of the others if you win?"

Valessa scoffed, "She should be grateful I am not demanding her head. They have a right to do with her as they wish, Roderick."

Faringoll spoke after a brief silence, "I will hold to that if you offer me the same promise."

Gorlana replied, "Yes, but this is not my concern. He is... mine. He is worth so much," her voice rasped in increasing strain. "Am I to give him away for nothing?"

"Thousands of spears leaving unbloodied is not nothing!" Valessa retorted.

"Gorlana," Iringoll replied, "Your sacrifice in giving him away to spare our city will not go unrecognized in the moot. We all know this."

The silence strained on. Roderick could detect Gorlana closer to him now, a distress in her scent. Suddenly he felt her hand on his side, and her breath on his face, standing close.

"Gorlana please," he whispered.

"I don't want to," she whispered back in a stubborn sorrow. "I've changed my mind. I don't want her to take you. I forgive you. I love you. I want you to stay," her almost panicked whisper was barely audible.

"What is she doing?" Zurgana asked.

"It's fine," Carthala's voice said with a sudden air of authority, from further back. "Let the generals give their parting words to each other."

Roderick thanked Carthala in his mind, breathing in Gorlana's affectionate scent and feeling like his knees would give out.

Gorlana whispered again, "Do not think she is the only woman that would move armies for you; who would spill blood for you."

Roderick gave a small stiff nod, and whispered back, "I know. I know you would Gorlana. I will always know. Please don't prove it today."

She gritted her fangs and took one last shuddering breath. He heard what sounded like the slide of a blade and suddenly her hair tickled his face and he shivered.

"What did she take from her hair?" Valessa gasped. "She has a knife! Stop her!"

Roderick already felt the blade near his wrists, and shouted back, "It's fine! She's releasing me." His next words caught in his throat as Gorlana seemed to use the excuse of reaching behind him to press closer to him and her wide bosom pushed softly on his chest and he let out a low rumbling sigh as his eyes rolled back. He felt a lock of her hair being discretely placed in his hand and he squeezed it with a tight cherishing grasp.

He let out a breath and cleared his throat, projecting his voice, "I have simply promised her that I would do my part to maintain Andralian honour in this. I know Valessa to be true to her word but she doesn't, and so I will swear we will honour the moot. And..." his hands were suddenly free, and instead of throwing them around Gorlana like he wanted to, he simply grasped her hand behind his back. She squeezed back, digging her claws in painfully as she exhaled, but he squeezed back even harder. He continued, "We will meet again. I promise." He felt her nod next to him, knowing he said it for her. "...In the spring. And treat with you justly and honourably, for ongoing peace."

He finally let go of her hand before anyone could notice it and put the lock of hair in his pocket. Her hands went to his blindfold, more delicately and caringly than she needed to, brushing over his cheek and his ear with her claws and then slicing the blindfold free, along with a lock of his hair that she palmed discretely.

He squinted in the bright sunlight, and then slowly focused on her face. It was finally revealed to him in all it's green beautiful glory. Not shrouded in the shadows of the dungeon torchlight, not briefly flashed to him the lightning storm, but simply there, fully real and detailed in front of him. She was more beautiful than he could have imagined. Strong, passionate and intelligent, he tried to burn her image into his mind. Her eyes refused to leave his, seemingly caught in the same admiration of his unbound face.

She finally spoke, loudly for everyone to hear, "I agree. He is yours." Then she stepped to the side and walked quickly away behind him, before her hesitation could be scrutinized any longer.

It took all of Roderick's strength not to turn and follow her. He simply turned his head to briefly look over his shoulder and then finally gazed upon the crowd around. Valessa stood next to Darganya and an orc-woman who he knew must be Faringoll on the opposite side of the large circle. Valessa met his eyes and gave a wide immaculate smile.

She was wearing that same armour, crafted like a dress but with orcish metal components, and he could not help but admire, as any warm-blooded man within eye-shot would not be able to resist staring, he was sure. He knew she wore it to try to seem less out of place in Orthalia, but the way it amplified her royal flawless beauty made her seem out of place within the mortal realm. Her hips swayed as she walked forward and her pale bosom bulged in mouthwatering confident breath as her excitement rose. He walked as well, still slow on his healing leg, but without splint or crutch. They met in the center of the circle and she threw her arms around him.

They collided in a tight embrace and a passionate heavy kiss. Valessa's arms clung to him as hard as she could, and her nails dug into his neck. Before the last few weeks he might have thought the embrace aggressive, but her small frame made it still feel delicate and tender. She moaned in high-pitched lustful satisfaction and then pulled away breathless. Her luscious red hair blew back in the wind and she looked up at him with a relieved smile, brushing a smooth finger across his cheek, then giggling with a cute dimple and leading him back to her side of the circle excitedly. Their mixed army cheered and clanged their weapons. Faringoll gave a nod and smirk. Darganya gave a knowing mischievous smile and a respectful nod to Valessa as she clanged her sword along with them. Roderick dared not look back. He knew he would not be able to bear seeing Gorlana's face, and fought off the thought of her pain at their celebration.

The chiefs gave a few last words of respect and agreement, and parted ways. They would meet the next day for the moot, and no battle would take place.

Roderick was relieved. He had to be, he told himself, again and again. As his perfect beautiful princess walked with her arm around him back to their victorious camp. He tried to let the feelings of relief at their peaceful agreement grow in him, pride at her amazing accomplishment to get here, love for her sacrifice and devotion to him. He tried. It was all he could do.

...

That night Valessa sat next to him around the fire in their main army's camp. Her arm was wrapped tightly around him, under a warm blanket, snuggling, pecking him kisses, and letting her fingers wander delicately into certain places under the blanket that made his body react instinctively in excitement. It was a type of evening he would have fantasized about, sitting around their campfire earlier in their journey, and he tried to bask in the pleasure of its realization. When he commented on his surprise that their betrothal was suddenly official she gave him a blush and a beautiful admiring smile, kissing him deeply and passionately, saying the moment she lost him she had lost any and all doubts as well, and that Andrapolis could judge her rushed decision however they wanted, she would not care. He could only kiss her back, and convince himself to smile and admire her perfect caring eyes and hold her close and warm against the cold. He told himself that her love and affection was beyond anything he should want, more than he could ever have dared to dream of for a wife; that he would have believed that with little to no doubt not that long ago, and that with time, he would again.

Her young pet bear slept warmly at their feet. She had explained that when they returned and found Roderick missing from the dead mother, the cub had returned and not known to fear them. She had taken it in out of pity and guilt over the mother, and it had grown fiercely loyal to her already.

The rest around the fire were all in high spirits, laughing and singing and telling him stories of their ventures through and around the mountains to get here. Yendell and Korb told of their stealth mission up the Orthalian side of the range, while Valessa and Darganya had lead the main force north, in parallel, on the Andralian side. Nardill wasn't there, and instead had been one of the small group that headed south to rally the Southern Orthalians to move northward.

He didn't press Valessa on what the specific intent of the Andralian army had originally been, but confirmed that they had indeed already been close to Roancliff when she and Darganya arrived at the other side. They had already been instructed to try and clear the pass again if they could, in an effort to make it into Orthalia more quickly. They had brought supplies and craftsman enough to engineer a bridge over the wrecked portion of the road, after the rocks had been cleared, the orcs simply helped it to happen much more quickly.