The Realm of Order and Chaos Pt. 04

Chapter 5

(I give up on tags. This shit gay as fuck. Get over it. I have.)

Colborn was the first to rise, waking up in Kilroy's arms, huddled against his chest. His eyes came into focus on the embering fireplace, then the tiny shaft of light cascading through the mouth of the cave. He went to move, but the hulking Orc holding him tightened his grip.

"It's time." Colborn poked his breast, expecting the beast to wake and open his eyes. Instead he just tightened his hold, his eyes refused to budge.

"I don't wanna play 'wake the bear'..." Colborn spoke quietly.

"Then stay here with me." Kilroy mumbled, hoping to go back to sleep.

"Just because you drank too much?" He teased.

"No, my nuts are still trying to replenish. Need to sleep in." Kilroy smiled to himself.

"Then you need breakfast, not sleep." Colborn poked his chest again. "Besides... I'm sure you got a few loads left in there if you really need 'em."

"I'm only gonna need one if you keep it up." Kilroy wrapped his legs around Colborn, locking him in place as much as he could.

"Well you're welcome to suck it out of my dick if you really need to." Colborn didn't have much recourse, but didn't seem concerned.

Kilroy cracked open his orange eyes, seeing Colborn look up at him with slight annoyance. "Please?" Colborn murmured, as if he didn't want the others to hear. Kilroy relented, releasing him from the death grip. "You are lucky you're my favorite bottom."

"I've been your only bottom for a long time." Colborn reminded Kilroy, even if he knew he was just saying it to say it. He took the opportunity to rise out of the bedroll and begin a half-assed attempt to find his clothes.

"That's a good point, you gonna hit the road so I can find another?"

Colborn pulled his underclothes on, struggling to get the last little bit over his ass. "You'll have to kill me first."

"That... sounds like a lot of work. Guess it's just easier to fuck you." Kilroy rolled over to his other side, after Colborn raked his trousers over his thighs.

"Suit yourself." Colborn wasted no time once he was dressed, it was time to make a meal for three orcs, two elves, and a human. "I guess the elves prefer their own company." He noticed their tight embrace as they slept.

"Could have fooled me." Kilroy figured if he was going to lay alone, he would get no sleep anyway, and decided to rise. "I never knew you liked the taste of elf, Colborn."

"Only cute ones." He replied, unphased by Kilroy's teasing. He had quite a lot of notches on his belt when it came to that.

Once Kilroy was fully dressed, Colborn was already knelt by the fire, bringing it back to a roaring inferno with the bed of embers and a few pieces of firewood. The alpha caressed Colborn's face, and in response Colborn rested his head against Kilroy's leg.

"Will it ever change, Kilroy?" He asked.

"What?" Kilroy looked down at him.

"This." Colborn put his hand on Kilroy's leg.

"Oh. I don't think so." Kilroy was more laissez-faire in his tone.

"You don't think so. Not very comforting." Colborn pulled his head away and focused on the fire again.

"These elves... they've complicated things." Kilroy was never one to mince meanings.

"Yes, you need a few more loyal Orcs." Colborn had accepted that. "So... Lyra and Orien could."

"Like you said, loyal Orcs." Kilroy pressed the wrinkles out of his tunic. "It's her clan they're for, remember? Do you expect family to kill family by my order alone?"

"Maybe if you order them to, super tough like. I give you permission to use your pillow-talk voice." Colborn had gotten the fire going again, physically and metaphorically.

"We both know where this is leading, best not to fight it. Just let it happen." Kilroy ran his green fingers through Colborn's smooth hair gently.

"I didn't mean use pillow-talk to me, right now." Colborn moved away from his touch.

"Very funny." Kilroy decided to let him be, and walked out of the mouth of the cave. The sun was just petering over the horizon, most of the sky still grey and blue. The rays of light warmed the wet forest floor, filling the air with the smell of moss. He took a deep breath of the fresh air, eager to start the day now that he was up and about. It wasn't particularly warm, but Orcs were naturally resistant to the cold. Even as the draft of wind climbed up his spine, Kilroy barely felt a thing. His gaze fell on the pile of logs he'd been working on the past while. They still need to be peeled, shaped, stacked. He knew exactly where the first structure was going and its purpose. A clan hall, right in front of the rock face that formed a split in the path to the campsite.

"Chieftain." A rugged deep voice spoke, behind Kilroy.

When Kilroy turned around, the world seemed to change each time his eyes set themselves on the scenery. Standing there was an Orc, slightly darker shade of green than Kilroy. He was in full iron armor with fur sticking out, a sword tied to his waist, shield on his back, orange eyes staring back at Kilroy. "The Herlar raid will be here soon. We should prepare."

Kilroy's body stiffened, noticing the collection of tents behind the Orc. Various humanoid shapes moved to and fro, campfires and pots roaring. Children of all different mixes intermixed with the adults. Orc guards stood at the mouth of the cave, spears and shields in hand. He returned his attention to the Orc addressing him. "Who are you?"

If he was confused, the other Orc did not show it. "Very funny, Father. You should be watching from the gates." He went to walk past Kilroy, only an inch or two shorter.

Kilroy grabbed his armored arm, finally noticing that he too was wearing armor. Kilroy's suit was hardened steel, while the other Orc was banded iron. "Tell me your name."

"We don't have time for this." After the Orc figured that Kilroy wasn't going to let go until his question was answered, he relented. "It's Colroy. Recognize me, old man? Your beard has gotten more grey than I realized."

"Colroy..." Kilroy's gaze softened, and he let go of the Orc.

"Come now, Mother is waiting." Colroy hurried past Kilroy, toward the wooden wall that separated the settlement from the tall northern pines. Next to it was a clan hall, three stories high, sitting against the rockface that led to two separate wooden walls. Dozens and dozens of Orc warriors filled the in-between, guards at the entrance to the hall, and at each wall and gate on either side. Some were lime green, others more emerald.

Kilroy felt a massive weight on his back, but even he recognized the feel of a greatsword in its sheath. He touched his beard, pulling it into view, seeing it was at least half grey. He felt the same, but there was no way for him to tell how old he was now. What foul magic is this? Colroy noticed he was still standing there and shouted for him.

He decided to play along with whatever path this... vision was leading him down. Kilroy followed Colroy, closing the distance while they approached the western wall. A long stairwell led to the battlements, and on the right side was a small tower where archers could fire down. Kilroy looked back into the settlement, where a battalion of soldiers formed, a sergeant giving orders with a banner holder at the front of the lines.

Colroy tapped Kilroy's shoulder plate and led him into the small watchtower. Inside were half Orcs, armed with elven bows and arrows, looking out the murder slits. And behind them stood a gilded, slender armored woman with platinum blonde hair flowing down her royal steel chestpiece. When she turned to see who had entered, she smiled brightly. "Ah, my heroes have arrived." Aravaris still had her fiery passion, but it was redirected through a glass of affection. She hugged Colroy briefly, and closed the distance to Kilroy with speed and grace. "Welcome to the war." She kissed Kilroy with exuberance, her slender fingers running through his thick beard.

"Aravaris..." Kilroy hid his true feelings of shock and confusion. "Where's Colborn? Cirdan?"

Her eyes flashed with emotion, which one he could not tell. "Oh, are you having trouble remembering again, my love?" Aravaris turned to Colroy. "You didn't warn me."

"I'm sorry, Mother. I thought it might pass." Colroy sounded truly apologetic, not an emotion that came naturally to Orcs.

"Well, no matter." She turned back to Kilroy, both her hands holding his jaw, beard and cheeks. "I'll stay with you til it passes." Aravaris whispered so sweetly, kissing him again. "Colroy, hold the tower for me, dear."

Aravaris led Kilroy by the hand, down the stairwell and past the small army of Orcs and half Orcs forming, toward the clan hall. The entranceway was carved into an arch, with the facsimile of Kilroy, Colborn, Orien, Aravaris and Cirdan painstakingly crafted into the wood. The guards and people walking around noticed the two, but made no motion to stop or impede them. The elf woman brought him into what looked like a war room, with a large table in the center. On it was the terrain of the entire province painted, pieces sat near each settlement, showing the collection of opposing forces. She sat Kilroy down next to the map, pulling a chair up in front of him so she could sit with him, and hold his hand. "How are you feeling, Kilroy?"

Kilroy couldn't understand anything around him. The buildings, the people, the forces amassing. He felt like a child lost in the marketplace. "What happened, Aravaris? What is all this?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" She asked, holding his hand tighter. The golden bands on each of their hands rubbed together.

"I woke up... you came to our camp last night. You and Cirdan. You were so... cold." Kilroy now didn't know if this truly is a vision, or his reality that he couldn't remember.

"Oh, such a long time ago, my love." She laced her fingers together with his. "Good memories, when we were all still together." Aravaris had such a strong presence, no sign of aging on her face. She looked exactly the same, but her hair was longer. A tiny crown sat on her head. The gems and engravings on her armor made her look like a queen.

"Orien and Lyra?" Kilroy asked, but it was like reaching for something he knew he wouldn't be able to catch.

"I guess I should tell you. It does help you remember. You have to understand..." Her voice sounded perfect, but he noticed that tiny shard of weakness hiding so deep inside. "It's not always easy for me to go through it all in my head again." Kilroy wouldn't have even known if he didn't see it, the tear forming in her eye. Without thinking about it, he used his free hand to dry it.

"You always do that, Kilroy." Aravaris smiled, meeting his hand with hers.

"I wish I did remember. If it... would stop your tears." Kilroy didn't know where the words were coming from, a raw emotional longing was stinging in his heart, and he didn't know why.

"Well, why don't I tell it like you don't remember." She took a tiny gulp and started talking again. "The day after I arrived, Lyra's clan came back, you see. Everyone was eating breakfast that Colborn cooked, I still taste it, it was a memorable meal. You were cutting trees for this hall, and everyone came outside to help and make sure you ate. You were talking to Shalia, and then as we approached... they just started attacking us."

Aravaris's hands clenched tightly onto Kilroy's.

"Only Cirdan had a sword. I casted as many spells as I could. You killed quite a few with your bare hands. Just when we thought they might retreat, Lyra joined them. Orien wouldn't go with her, Lyra killed her. Colborn barely survived, Cirdan was captured." She spoke as if each were a member of her family.

"Oh... you know I don't like to talk about Cirdan. We tried to save him, we all did. They... they wouldn't even let us bury the body, Kilroy." Even Aravaris the cold queen couldn't stop the tears flowing down her face. "Colborn never recovered, even the best healer in the Meadowlands couldn't save him. It took years before you really accepted that he was gone. Visiting his grave helped."

There was something about the way Aravaris cried, the walls around her heart crumbling in front of him. It sent a lightning bolt through the mental barrier he had around his feelings, melted any strength he had inside of himself. "And... we've been fighting and killing each other ever since." Kilroy knew how the rest of the tale played out. "Humans, elves... nothing else really matters to us. They're just pawns, unintended consequences, while the blood feud rages on. I'm willing to put my children on the front line, just to satisfy our thirst for revenge."

She struggled to return his gaze, holding his hands with the grip of a terrified wife. "I never wanted this to happen, Kilroy. But I couldn't just leave after that. That kind of evil, it has to be eradicated. You thought so too. That's one of the reasons I fell in love with you." Aravaris blinked away her tears and tried to emphasize her closing statement.

"I should have never let you join my clan." Kilroy didn't say it with venom, but he didn't need to.

Aravaris let go of his hands, pulling away from him. "How can you say that? We've been together for twenty years."

Kilroy stood up to his feet, anger filling his veins, his expression, his very being. "How many of my children have died fighting this war?! Hundreds?! Thousands?! All of their lives snuffed out, for my vengeance?!"

Aravaris got to her feet, trying to contain her emotions. "Our children, Kilroy. Our children. Don't be so selfish, do you think this is the life I wanted for them? Don't you think I would give anything, including my life, to change things?"

Kilroy grabbed his wedding band and pulled it off his finger. "I never wanted to be your King. I just wanted peace." Peace after a lifetime of bloodshed. "Not dedicate the rest of mine to war."

A guard started pounding on the door. "Chieftain!"

Aravaris pointed at his ring. "Put that back on." The golden band floated back onto his finger. "Before I snap some sense into your head."

Kilroy drew his sword, and spun toward the door. "Show yourself demon! I'm done with your tricks!"

Once he turned around, he was much lighter, and had nothing in his hands. The cold, damp morning and all of his familiar surroundings returned, the entire settlement and all the people gone in an instant. Kilroy almost stumbled, catching himself at the last second. His orange eyes searched frantically for sight of the demon, but he was alone.

The pile of logs oriented him, but for once he didn't know what he should do. Whether it was a vision, or his destiny, or a possible future remained a mystery to him. All he knew for sure was that Shalia Herlar would be here soon, and he didn't have much time.

Kilroy wasn't sure if it was seconds, minutes or hours he had. He sprinted toward the mouth of the cave, his feet pounding and head swimming with thoughts. When he stepped through the mouth of the cave, he didn't know what he was so afraid of seeing. All huddled around the fire, eating, was Colborn, Cirdan, Aravaris, Lyra and Orien. Talking, smiling, laughing.

Colborn noticed him first. "You must have been hungry, running in here like that. Well don't worry we left you some."

Kilroy grabbed his sheathed greatsword lying against the cave wall. "No time. Get your weapons and armor on, all of you!" The group could tell he wasn't joking by the tone of his voice. Cirdan was the first to go for his armor and weapon, and the rest followed suit.

Kilroy took the lead and stood at the mouth of the cave, fully armored, holding his sword with two hands. Aravaris and Colborn had bows, Cirdan had his blade, Lyra and her two blades. Orien stayed in the cave, arming herself with a leftover sword.

From the mouth of the cave, they couldn't see much, but eventually Shalia and her party of Orcs arrived. From their approach, they couldn't see the armed party until they were right on top of them. Shalia led her group, the first face Kilroy met eyes with.

He charged forward, each member of his column following his lead. The other Orc party tried to get their weapons and shields into their hands, but it was too late. The first swing of Kilroy's giant sword, limbs and blood filled the air, fire arrows following quick after. In the confusion of the charge, there were no lengthy fights, no flashy tricks, not even a parry. They moved through the Orcs like a carving knife on a carcass.

When Kilroy ran out of standing targets to slash, cut, maim or murder, he looked for Shalia's body. She was dead, but it took him a moment to notice. Now that the confusion of the battle subsided, Lyra dropped her weapons and rushed to her mother's body.

The other wounded and dying seemed trivial to the she-Orc. An emptiness filled her gaze, and standing next to her was Kilroy, her chieftain. "The queen is dead, long live the king." She was uncharacteristically somber, soft spoken, apathetic.

Kilroy sounded angry. "I am no one's king." He made sure there were no other enemies in his view, close and far off. "You know where their camp is, Lyra?"

"Why bother to kill them all? You're already their chieftain, Kilroy." Lyra looked to the survivors of the attack, as those who could stand changed to a bow.

"Chieftain Kilroy, we await your orders." The oldest soldier spoke first.

Kilroy sheathed his greatsword. "Take your dead and leave, and do not return." He turned away from them and returned to the cave, leaving the rest of the group in the aftermath of their battle.

Cirdan and Aravaris both exchanged looks, unsure of what to make of it. Orien came out of the cave, trembling hands no longer carrying a weapon. Lyra stayed exactly where she was. Colborn followed Kilroy, back into the cave.

There, Kilroy was already taking off his armor and leaning his greatsword against the cave wall. He took one glance at Colborn and spoke. "This is not a matter I wish to discuss."

Colborn stopped dead in his tracks, then Kilroy turned away to do something. The bottom grabbed and pulled Kilroy back to face him. "You might have to discuss why you murdered Lyra's mother, sorry to burst your bubble."

"It was necessary." His orange eyes were unflinching, like he really believed it.

Colborn had doubt written all over his face. "Not good enough."

Kilroy punched the cave wall next to Colborn's face, probably breaking a bone in the process. "I can't explain it to you..." He pulled his hand back to himself. You should have seen it for yourself, but you were dead, so... tough luck I guess. Blood flowed down his hand. "I can't say I killed her without a scratch, now." Kilroy walked over to where they kept the bandages. To be honest I'm just glad she's dead.

Colborn followed him, persistently and unphased. "What, did you kill her to brag about it? Doesn't sound like you. Try a better lie."

Kilroy wrapped a makeshift cloth around his bleeding hand. It hurt him to lie, to hide the truth from Colborn of all people, but no one would believe him. Certainly not Lyra, or the elves, and who knows what the human thinks. "A warrior owes nothing to his bottom, you know that."

Colborn slapped him as hard as he could, a thunderous sound and stinging red handprint followed. "We're more than that, or haven't you figured it out yet?!"

Kilroy grabbed Colborn's hands, not out of anger but with a methodical touch, and put them on either side of Kilroy's burning face. "I did it to save you." He kissed the Orc boy on his lips, harder and more passionately than he ever had before. Kilroy wrapped his arms around his back, Colborn's hands moved to Kilroy's neck. Even when they stopped to breathe, he wouldn't let Colborn move an inch away.

Colborn was stunned, in more ways than one. "Save me?"

"Let's... talk about it later." Kilroy kissed him again, but shorter and sweeter. "I'm already having a shitty day."