An Orc's Slave

This chapter doesn't have much focus on our main character. Mostly because nothing special is happening him right now, so instead there's a lot of third person perspectives of other characters. After writing in first person for so long that feels wrong, but it's the only way I'll be able to go on in the situation I've put myself in. Also, it's been an unusually long time since the last chapter. Sorry about that.

*****

In a deep and dark part of the mine where little to no silver was to be found, Edmund, Richard and Nils were mining in vain. They were alone in this cave, separated from the other prisoners that could tell them what was going on. And maybe even what had happened to Thomas.

Then a bandit entered the mine, holding a torch that blinded the three friends that were all used to very dim lighting. Without a word he drew a short sword and walked closer. His three victims slowly moved away in fear.

"W-what are you doing with that?" Edmund stuttered. "We've done what you wanted us to do, right?"

"I guess," the bandit answered passively. "But sadly, boss doesn't need you anymore. So just try not to struggle and this won't hurt that bad."

Then a voice called from the tunnel leading out of the mine.

"Don't kill them!"

The bandit turned his head towards the voice while keeping an eye on the prisoners. Another bandit came running through the opening.

"Oh good, I wasn't too late. The other miners were killed before I got there."

"What is it now?" the bandit holding the sword asked impatiently.

"Change of plans. Boss needs some prisoners alive. She says she'll need some non-wanted faces for her plan."

"Did she say how many?"

The bandit shook his head.

"I see. Well, in that case I ain't getting any blood on my hands," the other bandit said and sheathed his sword. "Guess it's your lucky day, prisoners."

*****

As evening came, Ebba and I were sitting in the camp eating our dinner, some more bread.

"I'm so sick of this stuff," Ebba complained. "When I sell this silver, the first thing I'll buy after paying off my bounty is a big, juicy steak."

I was still worried about my future with Ebba. In theory it sounded pretty nice to be close to someone rich and pretty while also being her "fuckboy", but I doubted that she would keep me around for that long. She'd find someone better to sleep with. Someone better to help her with merchant stuff. I was replacable. And I didn't like that.

Also, I couldn't stop thinking about Bologal. I still felt bad about betraying her, and I found myself... missing her. Those times in her bed when I was sleeping with her warm body against mine, that kind smile she had given me... I even missed the sex. How was that possible? Right now I got to have sex with a real woman. Without any cock. Had I become gay? No, the thought of sleeping with a man was still revolting to me. It had to be something about Bologal. But what?

"By the way, thanks," Ebba said.

"What?" I asked as I was brought back to reality.

"You've helped me out big time, y'know. Couldn't have pulled this off without your help. Thought I'd show some gratitude for all that. Just don't get used to it, fuckboy."

"Well... You're welcome, I suppose," I mumbled. "By the way, how do we know when Bologal has been... captured?"

I still hated that idea. Bologal getting arrested and executed. And it would all be because of me. Ebba had thanked me partly for killing Bologal.

Ebba shrugged. "We'll stay here for maybe another day or two, and then we'll go to town so you can go check. Then we keep that up 'til she's no longer around."

"And if she's never captured?"

"If we're here for too long without any news 'bout her we'll just make sure to sell all this silver quick and buy some bodyguards. I ain't waitin' forever to start my new life."

I nodded silently. I thought about my possible future scenarios. Ebba could become rich and decide to keep me, and then we'd both live happily ever after. Or she could grow tired of me and kill me. Or Bologal could show up and kill me. Or forgive me, in which case my future would be uncertain.

I decided not to think too hard about my future. I didn't like my odds right now.

*****

The next day, Bologal and her bandits were walking through the forest. The bandits were carrying everything they had brought from the mine, mostly silver. Bologal was holding three chains with her prisoners attached.

A bandit that had run ahead came back to report.

"There's a watchtower up ahead, boss. Two guards outside, probably more inside."

"Good, then we'll send our new captives there to get some information. Those guards should know where the captain is."

"Are we really gonna look for the captain? Revenge isn't worth that risk!" one of the bandits protested.

"Whoever betrayed us got away with a lot of silver. So this isn't only about revenge," Bologal responded and returned her attention to the scout. "Show us where the watchtower is.

*****

Edmund, Richard and Nils cautiously walked towards the watchtower. They had been given very clear orders from Bologal. They just hoped they could carry them out without anyone getting hurt.

The guards spotted them and when they got close enough one of them spoke.

"Something wrong, citizens?"

"Yes," Richard said, trying to sound convincing. "Our caravan was attacked yesterday. We'd like to report to the captain."

"I see," one of the guards said. The other turned to his collegue.

"Lots of people in need showing up here lately, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Nils asked.

"Well, a fellow came running here the other day saying he had escaped from a mine -"

"Was his name Thomas?" Edmund asked, full of hope. He knew that the bandits couldn't hear them, so it was safe to ask.

"It was. Are you friends of his?"

The other guard knocked the one that had just spoken on the shoulder. "We're not supposed to give out information like that."

"Come on, they clearly know him. What harm could it do?"

"Do you know where he is now?" Edmund asked.

The guards shook their heads.

"Anyway," Richard said. "We need to know where the captain is. Could you tell us the way to him?"

One of the guards put a hand on his helmet where his chin was, meaning it to make him look suspicious.

"Tell me, how do you know the name of the young man? He claimed to have run away from a pack of bandits."

"We're not bandits!" Nils said. "We were captives as well!"

"Possible, but in either case we'll have to take you to the captain. In chains, just to be safe. But if you speak the truth, you got nothing to worry about."

"You don't understand, we cannot go there! We just need to know the way!" Richard said, knowing how suspicious it sounded but also remembering Bologal's instructions.

Bologal, who was watching from the forest with her bandits, noticed that something was wrong. The guards were drawing their weapons and pointing them at the three men.

"They must be trying to get themselves captured so they can tell everything," she mumbled. "Come on, let's stop them."

She and the bandits came running out of the forest and attacked the surprised guards. Bologal grabbed the first one's weapon and threw it away, wrestling him to the ground. They would need one guard alive.

While the bandits killed the other guard and entered the watchtower searching for more, and some of them grabbed their three captives, Bologal interrogated the guard.

"You are now going to tell me everything you told my pets," she said in a threatening voice.

"Or else what?" the guard spat out.

Bologal gave him a sinister smile. "Or else I'll fuck you until you tell me."

To illustrate her point she pulled her flaccid but still huge dick out of her loincloth, laying it flat against the guard's visor.

"Okay, I'll tell you!" the guard promised, the smell of Bologal's dick filling his nose and fear of having it inside of him filling his mind.

Once the guard had told everything, Bologal stood up. It had been him. It had been her slave. Why was she feeling... betrayed? Not in an angry way, but a sad one. Had she really trusted him? How naive she had been. Of course he would run and try to stop her as soon as he got the chance. Everything that had seemed friendly about him had been an act.

In an outbreak of rage, she lifted the guard from the ground, held him over her head and threw him back into the ground with a roar.

"Where do we go next, boss?" one of the bandits asked once she had calmed down a little.

"I don't know," Bologal whispered, partly to herself. "He could be anywhere now."

Something still didn't make sense. Why and how would he take so much silver with him? Shouldn't he have been focused on escaping, or at least try to save his friends? Someone else had to be involved. Like that Ebba the bandits had mentioned. Bologal wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that her slave hadn't betrayed her.

*****

That night, when Bologal and the bandits had made camp in the forest and Bologal was asleep, the bandits that were still awake were beginning to doubt their leader.

"She's lost it, I tell you. She's reaching for straws. We should just take whatever silver is left and slit her throat."

The other bandits agreed. One of them drew his dagger.

"So who's gonna do it?" he asked.

None of them seemed like they were up to the task.

"What if she wakes up?"

"The things she'll do then..."

"Yeah..."

Disappointed, the bandit sheathed his dagger. "Well, I ain't doing it either. That orc scares the shit out of me. Let's just take the silver and leave. Then we can try to steer some guards in her direction to make sure she won't follow us."

The bandits agreed, liking the sound of that plan.

"What about them?"

The bandit who had spoken nodded towards the three prisoners. Bologal had intended to punish them severely before they explained the situation to her, that they hadn't been disobeying her orders.

"Let's set them free. They'll probably tell on boss and send the king's men on her."

*****

In the morning, Bologal woke up to a most unpleasant sight. No bandits. No silver. No captives. It was all gone. They had run off.

Infuriated, Bologal stood up and stomped at the ground. "Ingrates! Traitors! Everyone betrays me! Why!?"

When she calmed down, she took a moment to consider the situation. She had no minions, no silver, no supplies, all she had was the clothes on her body. Which was barely anything.

Yup, this called for some more rage. She continued stomping at the ground and punched a nearby tree, furious. She would find them. All of them. The bandits, her slave, and anyone else who might be involved. And she would make them regret what they had done to her.

*****

It was afternoon when Ebba and I came back to the camp. We had been to the closest town where I had gone to listen to gossip about newly captured criminals. There had been talk of some bandits occupying a mine, but no mention of any orc, which had relieved me.

Ebba sat down in the camp, letting out an annoyed sigh.

"The orc must've gotten away. Now she could be anywhere. Maybe we should go to plan B at once..."

I sat down in front of her. I was still worried whether or not she would keep me alive for plan B, but I had already realized that I had no power in this anymore.

We sat in silence for a while until a sudden sound of feet against grass made me tense. Ebba turned her head towards the sound like a dog reacting to a whistle.

The sound was coming closer. I knew that whoever or whatever was making it would see the valley any second now. And therefore us as well.

Ebba seemed to be thinking the same thing. She silently grabbed my wrist and gave me some sort of cue with her eyes, and then she quickly got to her feet, pulling me up with her. Then she let go of my arm and ran away from the noise.

I knew that she expected me to run as well, and I did. But I wasn't as fast as her. Why was she running, anyway? She was leaving behind all the silver. Of course, she had only a dagger to defend herself with, so she must be looking for a place to hide so she can take the intruder by surprise.

Once I was out of the valley I was no longer running uphill, making it a little easier. Ebba must already have been far ahead, because I could no longer see her. Maybe she had hidden, like I thought. But if so, where?

Then I tripped on something, maybe a root, and hit my head in something hard. My vision lit up with stars and then it went black as I slipped out of consciousness.