Enemies in Love - an Elf-Orc Romance

Introduction

The following story is a collaboration with another Literotica writer, Nouh_Bdee. We wrote this for the

Tales of Leinyere Story Event

.

Enemies in Love (An Elf-Orc Romance)

The king was aging, his blonde hair white and his face beginning to show wrinkles. Elves may have been long-lived, but eventually time catches up to everyone. After the audience he'd just given, the slow march of time and his eventual passing-on were on his mind. The war with the orcs had been going on for more than two decades. If he could bring his people peace...

His fine grain leather boots made little sound against the marble floors as he made his way to his youngest daughter's chambers. The scent of jasmine wafted in through the open windows, leftover from the night's flowers. The air was warm, and heavy with the spring rains. It was a perfect day to do anything other than what he was about to do. There was no perfect day for that.

He knocked on the door gently, knowing that his daughter would still be awake, writing poetry or reading ancient scrolls.

"Enter," came the soft voice from behind the door.

The king walked into his daughter's peaceful sanctuary with a heavy heart, knowing he was going to shatter her peace.

"Daughter, may I speak with you please?"

********

Elbereth sat beside her father on the window seat of her bedroom, with a look of disbelief on her ethereal face. Her large, luminous, pale blue eyes shimmered with anger and she was biting her lips to stop herself from saying something she would regret.

Her father, King Veronwe, had just informed her that their archenemy, Prince Korgak from the Zhowak Orc clan, wanted to forge an alliance with their people, the royal Elves, and had requested a meeting with the king. Immediately, Elbereth was suspicious. Surely this was a ruse to infiltrate their palace and slaughter their race?

Elbereth stood up and started pacing the room, wringing her delicate hands in front of her.

"Father, this request is most suspicious and I cannot believe that you would trust Prince Korgak! Do you not remember what happened at the battle of Darmir? The prince's late father, King Borug....." Elbereth could not help the sneer that formed on her beautiful face when she said his name, "...he ordered his army to attack our innocent people, who were living a peaceful life in the forest......thousands dead..."

Her voice hitched as she remembered the scene. Body upon body, brutally slain. Babies, young children...no life was spared. She wiped the tears that had started to gather from the corner of her eyes.

"I cannot agree to meet with Price Korgak and you should not do so either. It is a trap."

Her father stood up slowly. His gentle face wrinkled with concern. He was getting older for an elf, although he still had a good hundred years left in him, before he retired from the throne and handed the reins to Elbereth. His delicate disposition still concerned Elbereth and although she did not want to do anything to upset him, she could not keep her emotions on a tight leash.

He walked over to his daughter and put his arm around her.

"My dear daughter, it is done. I have already agreed to meet Prince Korgak in two days. He will be travelling to our palace as we speak."

Elbereth gasped and shrugged off her father's arm.

"I cannot believe you planned this without telling me first, father. This is a fatal mistake. We must get the guards ready for a battle immediately!"

King Veronwe sighed. "Daughter, there is no need for alarm. The prince is coming alone. He is willing to put himself at risk to negotiate with us. He has also agreed to hand himself over to the head of our military, to show good faith. I sent General Alvar and his troops to meet Prince Korgak, at the junction between the forest and river. If he is not alone, we will be ready and if he is alone, then he cannot fight our great army single-handedly."

Elbereth's shoulders sagged. She knew there was no arguing with her father. It was done. She started to walk out onto the balcony to get some fresh air, but the king stopped her with a surprisingly strong grip on her arm.

"Elbereth....I have to tell you also that the prince has suggested a union."

She looked at her father with confusion. "Union? What do you mean?"

The king hesitated. "He suggested marriage between himself and you, to join our realms in a peaceful treaty."

Elbereth's face turned white. "No! No, father!", she shook her head angrily, "this is preposterous. I hope you did not agree to this...union?" she spat out the last word in disgust.

"My dear, I would never do anything without your consent. This is the reason I need you to meet Prince Korgak and assess his intentions for yourself. I know you do not have the intuitive powers of your late mother, but you can still talk to him, Elbereth. You are good with people. You will see if his heart is true or not."

What choice did she have? The prince was already on his way and her father was too kind and trusting, but Elbereth was still worried. Her father put too much trust in her instincts. She did not have the strong magical powers that her mother did, as they had skipped her generation. This was probably a good thing, since Elbereth would have used her powers to plot a nefarious scheme against the prince.

Elbereth hugged her father tightly.

"I will meet him, father, but know this - I do not trust him and you must promise to never be left alone with him and neither must I."

********

Korgak shifted his legs in the saddle. He wasn't nervous, at least not exactly. Or, he didn't think he should be. After everything he'd been through with the succession, meeting with the elves would be nothing of major consequence. He wasn't even in danger! As much as many of the elves surely hated him for what his father had done, they knew that attacking an orc king at an ostensibly peaceful meeting would be enough to unite the orc kingdoms, and then the tiny elven kingdom of Melima and its capital of Vela Toré would be razed to the ground. Orcs were many things, but forgiving wasn't one of them.

Korgak looked over at Tarrak scowling in his saddle. He almost laughed, but he had learned over the last several years that his advisor had a sixth sense for danger and not to ignore it. He looked back at the third orc in their riding party, Sh'bar, his fully orc-blooded general. She was taller and broader than either of the half-elves, and a member of the fierce Red Knee clan within the Zhowaki tribe, named for, according to legend, wading in the blood of their enemies. Their whole clan was made up of the best warriors Korgak had ever seen, other than himself of course. Although, if he had to fight Sh'bar, he wasn't sure who would come out on top.

She was silent, but he could tell she was unhappy, so he nodded his head toward his worried advisor. "What's chompin' at ya, Tarrak? Surely ya know the elves wi' not attack?"

These two knew better than most orcs. They were both half-elf after all. For having such a fundamental thing in common, though, they were opposites in other ways. In a cruel twist of fate, Tarrak had been born with the breadth, stature, and raw power of an elf, coupled with all the grace and dexterity of an orc. He was by no means an invalid, but he lacked the physicality to be appreciated by orc culture at large. As a consequence, he developed the instincts and cunning of a survivor, avoiding conflict when he could and assembling every possible advantage when he couldn't. Not a lot of orcs saw value in that, but Korgak did.

The young advisor shook his head. A lesser orc may have been jealous of the tall, broad-shouldered, handsome young king with the smooth skin tone like fresh spring leaves, but Tarrak wasn't. He knew better than most that the accident of birth was just that: an accident.

"'s not t' elves I worried about. Ya only just sec'red the succession, and--"

Korgak waved his hands. "None wi' challenge the succession wi'out me there f' a duel. None would support 'em."

Tarrak looked at the king like he had missed something obvious. "I not worried 'bout our people. What if one of t' other tribes decides 'd like to take Zhowak for they own? And t' only one I wou' trust to defend her is Sh'bar, and she here wi' us!" Tarrak was more animated than Korgak had ever seen him, and it was hard to stifle his laughter. It became impossible when Sh'bar responded.

"I be touched, Tarrak."

Korgak let his deep chuckles pass and then did his best to soothe Tarrak's concerns.

"They wou' have t' muster their forces and attack 'fore we return, and we'd be home by t' end of t' week. We di'not tell anyone we were leavin' 'til this mornin'. Even if some'ne made it to our borders by...what, Sh'bar, by t' time we reach Vela Toré?"

The hulking general pursed her lips. "Even that early wou' be...unexpected. T' reach Kit Zhowak tha' early, they wou've had t' leave before th' challenge wa' resolved. No orc wou' be so dishon'rable."

Tarrak was at best partially mollified by Sh'bar's answer. "Still, once they find out what you is doin'... I don't know, my lord. I fear we wi' succeed only in unitin' many of theys again' us."

Korgak smiled. "Why do you think I'm goin' t' th' elves, Tarrak? Th' change I want t' make wou' unite 'em against us, anway, and we'll need allies."

All he got in response was a shrug from Tarrak and a scowl from Sh'bar, and the three of them resumed riding in silence.

*********

King Veronwe looked into the wood circle in disappointment. The circle was an elaborately carved sculpture of intertwining branches, made from one special tree in the forest. The elders had cast a spell on the wood circle, enabling them to see faraway events as they happened.

The magic circle was no bigger than four spread out palms of the hand and could be easily transported, allowing any elf to take it on dangerous journeys, to track their enemies.

The images of three figures on horseback swirled in the green mist within the circle. They were riding across the vast plains, just one day shy of the capital. The king could see from the great hulk of one figure that it was most certainly an orc.

With a heavy heart he spoke to General Alvar, who was standing patiently by the side.

"It looks like you were right, Alvar. I did not want to believe that the prince would deceive us, but I can see with my own eyes that he is not alone.

"Your Majesty, the orcs are cunning and duplicitous. I have never found an orc who could be trusted. What if the prince's army is following behind? We will not know until it is too late."

General Alvar was intelligent and powerful. Although his lineage was elf, his ancestors had at one time mated with humans and that characteristic gave him his own unique set of physical attributes and skills that the elves did not possess. For one, he was taller, broader and stronger than the pure elves, but his magical powers were diluted by his human genes.

King Veronwe trusted his own magical gifts and did not want to insult the general by suggesting that the general's instincts about the prince were incorrect.

"I am not happy about this either, Alvar, but I do not sense evil in the prince. I think we should go ahead and meet him as we originally planned. Prepare your army tonight."

The general bit his tongue. There was no point in arguing with the king, but he vowed to double the number of men he would take to Forest Raemaar.

"Very well, Your Majesty. We will leave at first light."

Alvar left the drawing room and walked swiftly along the corridor towards the soldier's quarters. He was so focused on his mission that he did not see Elbereth in the shadows.

The princess had overheard the whole conversation and a huge knot of anxiety had formed and settled in the pit of her stomach. Her father was so gullible! Yes, she trusted his magic, but she knew all too well how vicious and sly the orcs were. She had to do something to make him see sense, before it was too late.

She crept out from her hiding place as an idea took hold. She wanted to meet Prince Korgak and assess him for herself before her father became seduced by his lies. What better way to find out the prince's true intentions than to meet him on her own terms? A small devious smile tugged at her lips. She was not one to stand by and let others decide her fate.

**********

They had been following the river that formed the current border between the two countries for the better part of a day, stopping only to eat a meager meal and climb back on top of their horses. The ground here wasn't quite as flat as it was further into Zhowak, on the border between the forests in which Melima sat and the plains of the other orc tribes' lands. Rocky soil lined the banks of the river, but it was no trouble for the stout plains horses.

That night, they camped deep in elven territory. It was odd, being in Melima for peaceful reasons, with the permission of King Veronwe. Korgak had spent his military career on the southern front, fighting against the Rhaek. He knew his father's campaign against the elves had been brutal, and he didn't blame them for their wariness.

After a small breakfast of trail food, the three orcs were back on the road. Several hours later, as the trees were getting thicker, yet the grass was somehow still getting greener, they saw a troop of elven soldiers weaving between the trees. Both parties were approaching the river from opposite sides, meeting at the border as agreed. At their front was an elf that was a bit taller, a bit more broad in the shoulders, and wearing slightly more elaborate golden armor. Once they were close enough, this elf that Korgak assumed was the leader strode forward as his soldiers came to a stop.

"Halt orcs!"

As Korgak held up his hand, Tarrak and Sh'bar slowed their steeds to a stop. Korgak was the first to dismount, swinging a leg over his horse and stepping to the ground.

Sh'bar's voice rang out through the trees. The woman was large, nearly seven feet tall and more heavily muscled than any of the elves or half-elves assembled, even Korgak. She would've been intimidating even without her thick plate armor. Her voice boomed out from between her short, sharp tusks.

"We is here for peace, elf! And ya bring t' army!? Ya want more war!?"

Korgak glared at her, barking out to his general to calm herself, his own voice booming loud enough that the elves couldn't help but hear.

"Sh'bar! Hold! Ya know I gave my word t' come alone. Why do ya think they're here like this? Don' speak like that again wi'out my say."

The elf in command agreed. "I am General Alvar, in charge of the Royal Army and sent by King Veronwe. You were not authorized to bring these two, and especially one dressed in full armor, ready for battle!"

Korgak turned to speak directly to the elves.

"My apologies, Alfar. I've learned in t' last few weeks that a ruler is not so free as he likes. Not all t' time, anyway. When I informed my people I wou' leave alone, I was advised otherwise. I'm sure King Fferonwe wou' understand. Wi' ya call him on ya wood circle? If he don't wan' us to continue, we wi' go."

Korgak's small tusks made it a little difficult to pronounce the "V" sound in "Veronwe" and in "Alvar". He could do it; it just took a bit of conscious effort. Tarrak and Sh'bar, with their much more prominent tusks, were really going to struggle.

General Alvar's eyes narrowed as he scrutinised the orc/elf doing all the sweet talking. So this was Prince Korgak. Although Alvar had seen Korgak within the wood circle, he had not expected to find him so agreeable in appearance. But compared to the orcs, who really were ugly creatures, it was not difficult to look pleasant.

Alvar looked at the third person, almost as unsightly as the giant orc soldier, but smaller and slimmer in build than Korgak. He stayed silent and seemed deep in thought.

"If you know about our wood circle, then you will also know that it does not act as a communication device. We cannot simply call King Veronwe. Instead, I must decide what to do with you all now."

If Korgak's intentions were genuine, then turning them away would make the general lose favour with his king. If this was a ruse by the orcs, and he let the party into the castle, then he would be responsible for the potential slaughter of his people.

The general was faced with an impossible decision, but he decided that he needed to heed King Veronwe's command and put his trust in his magic and intuition.

"I will give your party permission to enter Melima, but you must split yourselves up and each be guarded by my men. I give you my word and stake my life on King Veronwe that we will do you no harm. Do you agree?"

Korgak looked at Tarrak and Sh'Bar. Without a word passing his lips, he turned back to the general and nodded.

Korgak had expected as much. To the elves, the orcs were the ever present threat, the generational enemy. Even if he'd come alone, he wouldn't have gotten a warm reception. Sh'bar grumbled, but after a stern look from him, she went peacefully.

The elven soldiers circled them in their gleaming armor, glaring at them with bright eyes. A few of them gave Korgak odd looks when they noticed his own deep purple orbs, but they didn't say anything. Korgak made eye contact with one of the soldiers, an elven woman who made him wonder what the princess would look like. He winked at her, and she returned a stare that disagreed with the slight pink in her cheeks. She was lovely, and if the princess looked anything like her then the young king was going to push even harder for this union. Korgak's dark green lips turned up in a smirk.

He looked around at Tarrak and Sh'bar, frowning when he saw how few soldiers surrounded his advisor. He didn't like Tarrak being disrespected. He held his tongue, though. It wasn't the time to insist on more guards for him, so he continued in silence.

*****

He had winked at her! What a despicable creature! How could her father conceive the notion of this hellion marrying her?

Elbereth was on horseback, marching with the army that was keeping guard over Prince Korgak. Before sunrise, she had managed to disguise herself as a soldier. Fortune was on her side since their army consisted of men and women, elves of both genders born and raised to fight for their realm. It did not take much for Elbereth to persuade one of the female soldiers to give up her armor and the simple garments she wore underneath. How could she say no to the princess, after all? The poor soldier looked terrified, after the princess threatened to dismiss her from her post. The princess only felt slightly guilty, but lies had to be told to save the king.

Elbereth had tied back her long hair and rolled it into a low bun. The female soldier had helped her put on the armor which was surprisingly heavy. Elbereth then threw on a large dark green cloak that had a hood. She pulled it low over her head, covering most of her face. Once hidden amongst his staff, the general had not given her a second glance.

When Elbereth caught sight of the three orcs, her heart started pounding in her chest. She almost broke free from the formation to chase the orcs back to their own realm. She stopped herself in time. What good would it do to reveal herself to the orcs now? She needed to continue spying on them and find out what their true intentions were.

Elbereth watched them converse with the general and when she discovered that the middle orc was Prince Korgak, she had to stifle the gasp. She had known he was half elf/half orc, but she had expected a brute, with the elegance and looks of a monster. What she had not anticipated were his elf genes being so dominant.