The Orc Warrior and the Soft Man

Unsteady Negotiations

A sense of forbidding hung in the air as Ian packed his bags. 

"Stop staring mother, I'll be fine."

"Will you? I'm not so sure. "
Sister to the king,  she continued to nit-pick and second guess the decisions she had no control over and it drove Ian to anger. Even though he had intellect, it had taken a lot to position her son here.

She continued, ignoring him as usual. 

"You are unmarried and worse than that you have left no heir.  Why was this not considered beforehand?"

"Because it's not always about you.  We will do this and we will do it because we have been asked by our king to do so."

"Ian!"

"Mother! Hush!"

She continued, ever the obstinate one. Her son felt sorry for her but he allowed her to exist in a world she thought she still controlled. 

"Orcs are known for taking human men.  I don't want that to happen to you.  I want you to come back."

"I understand mother.  Life cannot be lived by fear.  You must pray to the gods.  It will all work out.  My safety was negotiated.  Now hush.  This whining does not honor our family.  Hush.  Help me prepare rather than hinder it."

She nodded. Ian hugged her.

"Come on.  Everything will be okay."

She left the room with several tasks to accomplish before her only son left for orc country to be gone for a year and a day. 

She felt such devastation as she went about it. 
—————
Official peace terms had been settled between the two species and terms had been sent back to the orc king, ahead of the main caravan for which Ian would join. 

The King now continued negations for those terms, the detail in which they were carried out.

He bantered with the lesser orc secretly disgusted by the whole lot of them.  He hated that they were sending his nephew but he had talked them down from joining his youngest son to the eldest son of the orc king.  That had been quite a an intense moment, one which he would have rather never experienced. 

The orcs clearly had a slight upper hand. While the humans remained strong some appeasement did happen on their part.  It was such a delicate balance. These negotiations were part of that balance.

He winced as he thought back to negations with the orc king's son. 

"I have seen your son, Caleb. Would not a joining of two houses help to further establish peace?"

"Caleb does not prefer males."

The orc prince half smiled (if that was even possible). "Oh that would not be a problem.  We are able to work with them and join to them eventually it just takes a bit longer. Besides, he seems like a man better suited to be mated to a males."

"Im sure his contentment would be important to you, however, Caleb has been promised to an Elvish princess to the East of us."

"I can see why, he is fair."

Ever the diplomat he responded "Thank you my Lord."

"If he joined with me we would guarantee his happiness although it would take sometime.  Docca training is the only way an orc and human may live together in our land, even for nobility."

"I have heard of the docca training.  I am not sure it ends with happiness."

In his mind he abhorred the training.  And wanted no family of his to be part of it.  He felt it barbaric and besides it was unnatural for male and male to join.  He voiced none of these thoughts however. 

"True, it is a rough and brutal training but the results are always strong for both involved.  We have perfected it. Our docca men lead satisfying lives with their orcs and they are vital to our way of life."

"Joining to a human in this way would pollute your line would it not?"

"Not at all we believe our line and our life would be strengthened by it."

"Would you consider one of my female nobility for joining?"

"Orcs who carry two cocks are the only ones allowed to join with human females."

"Why?"

"It is our way.  It is what the counsel says is best.  For the longest life mate."

"I am able to join with a human man or a female orc.  The time nears for me to do one or the other. I prefer the human man. Maybe perhaps next year we might find someone for me, with your great help."

The king knew this wasn't a request but another call for appeasement.

"I see.  I will begin to consider this for our negotiations in the future. I have however something you might consider even more valuable than a life mate... "

The orc gave the king a curious look.  "More than a docca? Never."

The king began to explain why Ian, their engineer, should be sent with them and all he might do for them.  After some discussion the orc prince was moved to accept. The two then decided on the amount of time. 

The King whittled the orc down to one year and a day. 

"I will return him in the same condition as he is now a year and a day from now in our next peace negotiations."

"Agreed."

The king had bought some time. He would have to find a nobleman to join to the orc nation.  A sacrificial lambs of sorts.

"We leave tomorrow, have him ready.  He will be under my protection. Do not fear for him.  We are a wild species but my people follow my commands."

————-

Back in his room, Ian continued to pack his supplies.  He pushed his glasses up his nose and blinked.  He was simply going to a meeting about his work he told himself. A really long meeting.

The orc prince went directly from the negotiation table to his men.

"Bring me Galek.  I have a job for him."

——————-

"Here my Lord."

"Galek we have negotiated for a human to return with us."

"This is good news is it not?"

"Yes.  But he must be kept alive.  He is to live in our land for a year and he is not to be defiled."

"I see my lord."

Galek was one of his most trusted.  The orc possessed knowledge in battle but also intellect similar to orc nobility.   He was a natural orc and his family had once been in line to the throne.  But families rise and fall and now the house of Galek were proud warrior leaders. 

While most of Galek's duties consisted of pure gut force he was also a leader and unlike most orcs he used his mind to carry out his orders. His thoughts always seemed to be right on the edge of realization. His mind was lacking but this was not his fault, he was an orc. Galek possessed one trait that gave him intellectual footing- he questioned.

The prince explained.

"His life and your life will be bound together.  Nothing must happen to him.  He must be kept in tact, no loss of limbs or violations to his body.  His mind possesses knowledge we need.  He will share it with us.  We have pledged to not harm."

"I see my Lord.  It shall be done."

Orcs were no stranger to death and dying.  The order that their lives were joined did not surprise or anger Galek.  It was simply orc custom and he would carry it out. 

"We leave tomorrow.  Ready yourself, your charge, and the others."

"Yes my lord."