The Orc King Ch. 01

Anything forbidden has always interested humans. The desire to test boundaries of the world has driven humanity to both prosperity and war. But now, as humanity walks the line of extinction, there are some who still strive to find that upper limit.

Those were the thoughts that rang through Mina's head as she sat at the dinner table. Across the table sat her mother, Lucia queen of Eros. Mina looked exactly like her mother, almost to the point where they could be confused as sisters.

"I decided to cut my hair to distinguish myself from Mother, but was it a mistake? The nape of my neck is quite cold," Mina thought to herself as she played with a strand of her blond hair. Taking a quick glance downward, "Sisters... if only my breasts were as big as mother's, we could easily be twins."

For the third time during the meal Mina's amber eyes shifted to the knight behind her mother, the current head knight of the kingdom, Icarus. Mina raised the spoonful of soup up to her mouth and paused. It was not unusual for Icarus to accompany them during mealtime; however, there was an uneasiness Mina felt as his eyes connected with hers. What was even more peculiar was that Felipe, the princess's personal knight, was absent from the meal.

She glanced over to her mother and asked, "Mother, when are the suitors from the other kingdoms set to arrive?"

"They arrive tomorrow evening," Lucia answered, placing her spoon in her bowl. "Though I can already predict the outcome of their attempts to court you."

Eros was one of the last human kingdoms throughout the land of Eve. It was also the only kingdom where the royal bloodline was passed from mother to daughter. Several nobles from the neighboring countries often sent their sons to Eros in an attempt to woo Princess Mina.

"My Queen, if I may be so bold," Icarus interrupted. "If the Princess cannot find a worthy suitor, I could easily provide a list of knights more than capable of being a suitable mate."

"You speak out of turn, Icarus," Mina retorted. "I will not be paired off or have my husband selected for me."

"My apologies, Princess," Icarus said as he bowed, his long hair falling across his face. "It was not my intention to insult you. It shall not happen again."

"Be sure that it doesn't," Mina responded, as she stood from the table. "Goodnight, Mother."

"Goodnight, Mina," Lucia answered. "Icarus, you may also take your leave."

"Yes, my Queen." Though he answered the queen, his eyes never left Mina as she walked out of the dining hall.

"Mate? What does that imbecile think I am, a cow meant for breeding?" the princess vented as she entered her room. The princess then slowly stripped off her gown and undergarments, letting everything pool around her feet. She slipped off her shoes and walked over to her bed, leaving her clothes on the floor.

Stepping over to her mirror, Mina took a look at her naked reflection. Her hands instinctively went to cup her breasts, a little more than a palmful. Massaging away the stress of the day, her fingers eventually traveled up to her pink nipples, causing them to stiffen.

"If only this could make them bigger," she wished. Once she finished her inspection the princess made her way into the bath. The princess lost all sense of time as her bath melted away her cares.

"Tonight's the night," Mina thought as she dried herself off and slipped on a short black dress and shoes she prepared earlier. She then opened her drawer; grabbing the knapsack she packed. It contained the knife her father left her, a book on the different monster species, a map and some bread.

It was almost time for the guards to change their shifts. For a few moments, the hallway would be empty and Mina would have her chance. She heard the bells toll and threw on her cloak over her dress, slinging the knapsack over her shoulder. Slipping into the hallway, Mina quickly made her way toward the secret passage she discovered through one of the castle blueprints hidden in the library.

"So far so good," Mina thought to herself. It took her weeks to memorize the blueprint, and maneuvering through the secret corridor at night was an even greater task. When she reached the end, she pulled the cloak's hood over her head and shoved open the stone door. Her plan was almost flawless. Mina stifled a scream when she saw the knight waiting in front of the exit. He turned to her, his face sullen.

"A little late for a stroll around the castle, isn't it Mina?" the knight asked, his silver armor shining in the moonlight.

"Filipe! Why are you here?" Mina whispered, relieved that he was alone.

"I asked you first," Felipe retorted, running his fingers through his short black hair. "Be quick, the guards should be here soon."

Mina was stuck; she didn't know why he was absent at dinner and how he found out about the secret exit. There was not enough time for her to think up an excuse, not that Felipe would believe her.

"I wish to leave the walls," Mina answered truthfully.

Surprise painted the knight's normally calm visage. "For what purpose? You know the dangers beyond the walls!"

"I wish to see with my own eyes the monsters my people fear."

Felipe had known Mina since they were children, while he was just beginning his life as a squire. Orphaned at a young age, he was taken in by Mina's father, the head knight at the time. The two children became fast friends, always getting into trouble together. Felipe quickly learned that once Mina set her mind on something, it was impossible to dissuade her.

He relaxed his shoulders and sighed. "Very well, let's go."

The pair made their way to the servant's exit, which was the only unguarded route that led to the Forest of the Lost. Not many servants used the exit nowadays, due to the fear of the monsters that dwell beyond the safety of the walls. The only interaction Eros has had with the outside world was the occasional trader or the many suitors asking for the princess's hand. The pair only stopped to catch their breath once they found a safe clearing.

"This is amazing." The princess put down her knapsack and took a seat on the soft forest floor. Glancing around, Mina could finally take in the different trees and plants that made up the forbidden forest. The moonflowers were in bloom, their fragrance filling the air. She turned to Felipe and asked, "How did you know where to find me tonight?"

"You are not as discrete as you think. At least return the book in the library once you are finished reading it." Felipe shook his head, his blue eyes shining like crystals in the moonlight. "Of course, it took weeks of checking before I caught you."

Mina threw her head back, erupting in laughter. "I shall try to be more careful next time."

The pair took the next few moments to simply enjoy the scenery. This was the princess's first time outside of her country's walls and she wanted to absorb everything. Each new sound and scent was etched into her memory. Felipe was content knowing she was safe, glad that he was able to catch her before she ran off into the forest alone.

"Look at the stars," Mina said in wonder, tracing them with her finger. "There is never this clear of a view from the castle."

"Yes, it is quite beautiful."

There was a rustle in the bushes that broke the peaceful moment between the princess and her knight. Felipe's eyes darted over to the area where the sound originated, his hand already gripping the hilt of his sword. The knight could feel a knot in his stomach and his instincts warned him that they had overstayed their welcome.

"Mina, the forest is dangerous. We cannot stay any longer," Felipe said, getting up and walking over to the princess.

"If you are frightened, then you may leave. But I wish to enjoy my first time outside of the castle walls."

"Is that so?" a high-pitched voice asked. "I'm sure we can show you a good time."

The voice startled Mina, causing her to jump up from where she was sitting. Her eyes locked on the rustling bushes at the other end of the clearing. Mina was not ready for the shadows that emerged from the foliage. The moonlight quickly revealed a group of five human like creatures. They were gangly beasts with bluish-gray skin and were wearing nothing but loincloths. Scanning the five intruders, Felipe noticed that all of the creatures were carrying blades and other weapons.

"Goblins," Felipe whispered, unsheathing his sword.

"My, my! What a pretty thing we have here," one of the goblins said with a click of his long tongue. "It's been a while since we had a human woman."

As the group of goblins inched closer, Mina moved behind Felipe. This was Mina's first encounter with something other than a human, which caused her heartbeat to race and her breath to quicken. Eyes wide, she took in the sight of the grotesque creatures, her stomach to churning at their stench. Five pairs of lust driven eyes were trained on her, and it made her skin crawl.

"Kill the knight!" a goblin with a skull necklace yelled. "Make sure there isn't much harm done to the woman."

Hearing this, Felipe turned to his childhood friend and yelled, "Stand back!"

With a howl, the goblins lunged toward the young knight. The clang of steel on steel echoed throughout the forest. Mina could only watch as her friend took on two of the goblins at a time. Felipe was one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom, but even he was merely a man. The goblins were able to use their lanky bodies to quickly dodge any oncoming attacks.

While watching the battle unfold, Mina didn't notice a goblin with a spike through the bridge of his nose was on his way toward her. She quickly grabbed the knife from her knapsack and held it out in front of her. Gripping the handle was all Mina could do to keep her hands from shaking.

"How cute, she thinks the knife's going to scare me," the goblin laughed. "How about you put that down before you get hurt."

Fear gripped the princess, and she could barely move. She then thought, "I am pathetic. This is what I wanted; I wanted to see the monsters that terrorized humanity. But now, as I stare in the face of this goblin, I cannot help but feel terrified."

The only thing Mina could focus on was the goblin's cackling. She couldn't stand to hear the goblin's laugh for another second. It was as if each chuckle was confirming the princess's weakness. In a single moment, all fear drained from Mina's body as she cocked her arm back and released the knife. The laughing finally stopped when Mina's knife found its way between the goblins eyes.

"Goddess..." Mina whispered. "What have done?"

Mina felt the weight of her actions bearing down on her soul. She had just taken her first life. Throwing the knife was an instinct, honed by her father's instruction. She never intended for her attack to be fatal. Mina stared at the corpse for a few moments before a scream brought her back to her senses.

The scream came from Felipe, who was clutching the left side of his face, blood dripping through his fingers. Mila retrieved the knife buried in the goblin's brow and grabbed the sword of her fallen foe. Before she could run over to Felipe, her arm was jerked back and she dropped her weapons.

"Where do you think you're going?" the goblin with the skull necklace asked. He brought Mina's arm behind her back, causing Mina to cry out in pain.

"Stop!" Felipe yelled, turning back to Mina's attacker. He was only able to run a couple of steps before a blade was embedded into his back, piercing through his armor. Pain radiated throughout his body, but he could only think of saving his princess. The three remaining goblins pushed the knight onto the ground, a groan escaping from his lips.

"No!" Mina screamed before the goblin's hand shot to her mouth.

"Now be a good girl and cooperate," the goblin snickered, his tongue tracing Mina's ear. The goblin pulled the young princess against his chest and she could feel something warm and hard poking her. "If you do we wont kill the knight, for now."

The goblin began rocking his hips back and forth, guiding his erection along the crack of Mina's ass. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the fear he was instilling in his prey. Taking it a step further, the goblin slipped his free hand under her dress and cupped Mina's butt, giving it a rough squeeze.

"You have such nice, fair skin," the goblin huffed. He dragged his tongue to her neck, licking the pale exposed skin. "I wonder how it will look after we're done with you."

"Goddess, help me," Mina prayed silently, resigning herself. The fact that this monster was fondling her made her sick. The other goblins cheered on their companion, telling him to hurry.

As if her prayer was answered, Mina heard more rustling in the bushes. She felt a whoosh of air pass her cheek, and the next moment, the goblin's grip loosened. Breaking free, Mina turned back and saw an arrow through the goblin's eye socket.

"Who's there!?" one of the remaining goblins yelled into the thrush.

It was as if darkness incarnate emerged from the bushes. All eyes were on the obsidian armor that made its way into the clearing. The armor radiated evil, as if it was created from the very depths of the abyss.

"Who're - " the goblin didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as the knight swung his sword, bisecting his foe.

"Run!"

The remaining two goblins began running to the opposite side of the clearing when they stopped dead in their tracks. What emerged from the forest this time was something Mina never thought she would witness. The ground trembled as the new creature walked into the moonlight. The beast looked like a being of pure muscle, almost as tall a tree with dark green skin and tusks protruding from its bottom lip. In a swift motion, the creature reached back and grabbed the giant battle-axe strapped there.

"An orc..." Mina whispered to herself. Mina remembered reading about orcs in a few books while she was planning her escape.

Orcs were creatures that were known to raid and pillage human villages, often taking the women as trophies. Orcs were seen as one of humanity's main enemies, second only to the dragons. Mina held her breath, her eyes darting back and forth between the orc, the goblins and Felipe on the ground. She at least wanted to save her friend before she was taken away.

Mina heard more rustling and she noticed another figure standing next to the behemoth. It was about her mother's height, less than half of the orc. The figure seemed human, though she'd never seen a human with such pure white hair. Once the figure stepped into the moonlight, Mina could take in the woman's beauty. Her skin was dark, and she was wearing nothing but an open robe.

As the two newcomers walked into the clearing, both goblins became stiff with panic. Falling to their knees and bowing, "P-p-please King Caius, spare us!"

The orc huffed, his eyes filled with anger. His fingers tightened their grip around his weapon and raised it above his head.

"You know the law. This forest is sacred ground, where no humans are to be harmed," the woman explained. Her voice had a soothing effect, calming Mina's nerves. Without another word, the two goblins were sliced in half by the orc's axe.

The orc then turned his eyes toward Mina, "Get them."

There was no chance for Mina to panic or run away. Once her eyes locked with the woman's, exhaustion overcame Mina. The last thing she remembered was falling into someone's arms.