The Orc's Consort: Book One

Chapter 9 - Filthy

Sten Ironwarg

"What do we do, Jasper," I growled in a hushed tone. All I saw was red. These insolent fucking humans. The veins in my neck bulged as my heart pounded. I'd love to slaughter the mass of them. I felt stupid for being blind to the possibility of these fucks pulling something like this. I just wanted a win. We needed a win for once. I'd had enough of these humans pushing us and playing these fucking games. They had taken so much from us despite our strength. They were like a molted crustation, soft and exposed. Easy to wipe out. I reached over my shoulder to grab the hilt of my sword until Jasper's words stopped my wrath.

"Nothing- bloody hell, Sten. Put that way. There are too many of them." As usual, Jasper was my voice of reason. It's a wonder I haven't died an early death from my own stupidity and impulsiveness. "There's a reason we've been at war with all these fucks for damn near five centuries now. We might be stronger than they are, but they have numbers."

"We can't just let them fucking roll in here ready to fuck us in the ass," I hissed. "Look over there. They are bringing in a fucking catapult."

"We're not going to do anything but head back. We've got to get our borders secure. Then call the Elders to the war table, prepare, and come back here and stomp their asses."

I nodded in agreement. I got caught up in the glory. We mounted up and lurked away silently. I should have listened to Jasper's judgment. Jasper tapped his heels against his warg's sides to speed up once we were away from the tree line. "Come on, girl." He tapped her sides again, expressing his urgency.

***

"Open the gates!" Jasper's voice boomed.

That familiar horn drowned out the sounds of the forest around us. The gates began to rumble open. We nearly jumped off our wargs before they had fully come to a stop. A few young stable hands were just inside, waiting to greet us. Jasper nearly knocked one of the lads over as he shoved his bag into the boy's hands. "Get this to my quarters, will you." Without pause, he turned to one of the guardsmen. "You, Torvald. Send word to get more fucking archers out here, will you? No, get the entire fucking wall secure. No, the whole fucking mountain range."

"Sir?" Torvald looked confused. "Why?"

"No matter why. I don't have time for this shit. Did I not put you in charge of the guard!"

"Uh- yes, Chief- I only mean to know what's going on."

"I don't have enough answers yet. Just do as I say. Get an orc at every fucking post on this wall. I don't want to take any chances." Fuck, Jasper. You didn't have to bust his balls like that. He turned and glared at me. Fuck, had I said that out loud?

"Sten, I know you are my second and should be in the war room with me, but I need you to do something," he said sternly. "Get a couple of extra men out there. Explain to them what's going on. Get some eyes on those bastards so we'll know if they even hold their dick across our borders. Then meet me in the war room."

I nodded to him and watched him storm off. I followed my orders and planned to get to the war room once finished.

***

Later That Evening

"Sssss, Aaaah". I had just finished another pint of ale. I knew I'd need to slow down soon. I couldn't be getting wasted on ale tonight. I needed to be sharp for tomorrow. I'd been dying for some action around here, I'll admit. But there was something off about this, and Jasper and I had just scratched the surface. I'm not the brightest of orcs, but even I was worried about this.