Dragon Blood

Prolog

 The rain and wind pounded the windows of the orphanage as thunder echoed in the distance. Rose sate starting out the window towards the dark forest where the trees bent in the wind. What she was looking for she didn't know, but something told her that presence was lurking in the dark trees waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Rose was about eight years old and stood about 40 inches tall. She had long black hair that she keeps tied in a long bread. Her skin was slightly tan, and her eyes were an unusually vivid emerald green. When you looked into those eyes they didn't look like they belonged to an eight-year, but someone much older. She had seen a lot in her short eight years of life. She had watched her parents die a violent death at the hands of a necromancer when they wouldn't give him the information he was looking for. She was only spared because her mother had hidden her in a potato cabinet, that she put a protective charm around. At the time Rose did not remember what had happened after their deaths, but she had somehow found her way to the Honey-Blossom orphanage. This place had been her home since she was 4.

As Rose sat listing to the rain, she felt something heard hit the back of her head. The force of the blow caused her to lurch forward and hit window as well. Lights flashed in front of her eyes, and laughter rang in her ears as she looked up to see Brandon with his friends Vorgak andTarfu standing behind her. A bucket of balls sat at their feet.

Brandon was tall, muscular for a boy around 8. He was an orc after all, and stood 53 inches tall with brownish-gray skin, short black hair, and brown eyes. Brandon had been left on the steps of the orphanage when he was just a baby. His friends Vorgak and Trafur were 12 years old, they stood a few heads taller than Brandon, and were as muscular.

"Nice one Brandon," the boy on the left (Vorgak) said clasping Brandon on the shoulder.

"Ya, nice one got her right in the head" the boy on the right (Tarfu) said raising his right hand to throw another ball.

Rose raised her hands to shield her face, but Tarfu was not aiming for her face instead she felt the ball hit her square in the stomach. All the air left her body as she doubled over in pain. The laughter got louder as Rose tried not to cry.

"Oh look I think she's about to cry" Vorgak sneered "Brandon throw another ball at her, I think one more should do the trick."

Vorgak waved a hand at Brandon. He was not taking part in the torment but instead encouraged the other two boys to pelt her with balls. Unfortunately for Rose was a favorite pass time. It was an ideal pass time, because Rose had gone mute, and would only talk to Lady Renee, so they knew she would never call out for help.

Brandon and Tarfu continued to pelt balls at Rose all the while chanting "Crybaby Rose." It seemed to last forever until Rose heard a booming voice say

"BOYS THAT IS ENOUGH!"

Sparks appeared out of the floor as Rose looked up from the floor to see Toktok and Lady Renee standing at the top of the stars, with looks of fury on their faces. Toktok was an elderly orc who stood about 720 inches tall. He had a long white beard with no hair on the top of his head, his skin was the same color as Brandon's, and he had dark brown eyes. He wore a long road that was a dark blue color, and in his left hand, he held a staff that looked like a gnarled looking tree branch. A small scorch mark had formed on the floor where the staff had hit it.

"What do you boys think you are doing?" Lady Renee asked running to Rose and helping her off the floor to inspect the bruises that had started forming.

"Ah, we were just having some fun" Vorgak continued glaring at Rose " Weren't we Rose?" Rose nodded her head. It was easier just to agree and not make things worse for herself.