The Baroness and the Orc Ch. 02

A giant statue of Atrix, Goddess of the orcs, built from wood and gold. She stood the height of a deity, towering over the room, and she resembled a powerful orc, complete with breasts and penis, yet had two big goat horns coming up from her forehead. Two enormous wings like those of bats spread out from behind, spiked points along the ridges as if Atrix was some kind of dragon.

"Goddess Atrix..." whispered Emily, her heart beating faster. "Such beauty, such might."

The veteran thralls went about doing other tasks through the great hall, filling cups and plates for the few lounging orcs who remained. Then they saw to the buckets of the captured humans, filling or emptying them appropriately. Emily noticed the leader of the cultists she had conspired with coming her way.

"Ah, Baroness," he said softly, kneeling close.

"It's good to see you," said Emily, smiling and grasping his hands as he held them out.

"How are you holding up?"

"Well, thank you. Things have been...more intense than I was expecting. But I'm still happy with the way everything has gone. Praise Atrix."

"Praise Atrix. And yes, life under orc rule can be a bit overwhelming at the beginning, this is true. Being a communal thrall is especially hard, as you all are now. They are treated with little respect and considered the lowest in the social classes of a tribe. Most chained now are considered slaves, but the orcs are seeing which ones will end up being genuine thralls, voluntarily worshiping them. But I see your Priestess has been claimed by the Chieftain already. That's good for her."

They both looked back to the lord's chair where Raines slept.

"Yes." Emily smiled awkwardly. "I do have to say I was hoping I would be the Chieftain's thrall, to be honest. You know, as we're both of the ruling class and all."

"Ah, but that's the past. The orcs care more about your body than your history. They prefer larger, more sturdy frames that can hold up under their treatment more. You are a very small woman, my Baroness. But don't fret, maybe one of them will take a liking to you. Smaller women are considered trendy to own by some orcs, more like pets than thralls. And if not, a communal thrall is still an admirable life for a human, as short as it may be."

Emily considered it for a moment. She hadn't truly thought of the possibility of never being chosen by a specific orc. She had been looking forward to that personal relationship between mistress and servant, orc and worshiper. But she supposed being a communal thrall would be fulfilling as well. She would make many orcs happy instead of just one.

"They're going to have a celebration tonight, a feast," the cultist went on. "And they'll need more human servants. I heard they're going to pick some of the newly conquered ones to help assist with the drinks and food, as well as provide entertainment. The better behaved ones. I'm allowed to give my thoughts on who they should choose. I'll pick you, and maybe you can make an impression."

"Yes, thank you. And..." She looked around the crowd of chained humans. "The woman to my side here, Charlotte is her name, pick her too, if you can. And...and my fiance just a couple spaces over there, him as well." She thought of her mother, but with her bad back that would be a poor idea. And also Hannah, but with how she was taking things, that wouldn't be a good decision either.

"I will. Praise Atrix."

"Praise Atrix."

When he left, Charlotte scooted over as far as she could in her chains. "What was that? It looked like he knew you. What did he say?"

"He...he recognized me as the Baroness. He was just letting me know there will be a celebration tonight, and that we've been chosen to help serve drinks and food."