Being able to dictate the terms of the peace, it did not take long for the treaty to be drawn up. Janus had been authorized by King Connor to sign it, and when he did so, the war was over. Janus departed and Chief Turogg and Jeanette began the process of incorporating the Duchy of Braden into Zentara. Chief Turogg named his most trusted and able orcs to take command of the cities and castles in the Duchy. Word was also sent to have the orc women and children brought through Zentara for settlement in the Duchy. Most of the humans had fled, and those that remained were female prisoners of the orcs, who would be taken as slave wives by the new orc masters.
Jeanette also made arrangements for land grants in the Duchy of Braden to be given to humans from Zentara who wanted to migrate. While living under the dominion of the orcs wasn't attractive, the thought of free land and fewer obligations to the noble overlord did attract settlers. This was necessary because the orcs had no real history of tilling the land or performing many of the duties necessary to run a feudal Duchy. Indeed, many of the first settlers were former soldiers who had fought alongside the orcs and come to see them as being no different than humans. She also had castellans brought in to assist the new orc nobility in managing their property, as well as teaching them what would be required.
Jeanette and Chief Turogg's procession back to Ruar was even more jubilant than when they marched to war. Flush with victory, the people celebrated them at every town, and commoners lined the roads, cheering and clapping for the Queen. Jeanette made sure to thank Chief Turogg and give him credit for his skill and bravery, as well as the important and integral role the orcs played in the battle. Jeanette assured the people that victory would not have been possible without the orc alliance, and that the orcs had proven themselves invincible on the battlefield.
By the time they reached the capital, Jeanette was confident that no one would object when she named Chief Turogg a noble and gave his orcs land in Zentara. This pleased her, as it would make things even easier for when they announced their marriage to the people. Jeanette did realize that marrying into the royal family was not quite the same as entering into the rank of the nobility, but she thought it would be something that could be swallowed one piece at a time.
By the time Jeanette reached the castle, the army had melted away back to their homes. Most of these veterans had seen the prowess of the orcs and would not be keen to fight them if there were objections to the marriage later. Even less so if it was over something as trivial as a marriage, which would not directly affect them.
As Jeanette approached the castle, she shook in excitement at seeing Agmar again. It had been months since she last saw her baby, and now she was going to have another. The first thing that Jeanette noticed when returning to court was the change in fashion. Many of the young ladies were emulating the dress she wore at her coronation, much to Chief Turogg's delight. They wore silks in vibrant colors, showing off thighs and bottoms, cleavage and side views of their breasts. While the older ladies at court were shocked at the new fashion, there was little they could do if that was how the Queen dressed.
While she had never intended to wear that style again, its acceptance at court meant that she might have to, especially if Chief Turogg had anything to say about it, which she was certain he would. She wondered for a moment if wearing pants would also become a fashion, since she wore them to go on campaign. Jeanette pushed these thoughts away to focus on the task at hand. She had to award Chief Turogg his new lands, plan the wedding, and of course, continue to plot to get rid of Sir Drake.
Before any of that, she would go and see her son. Agmar had grown in the scant few months she'd been away, much faster than a human child would. He was already crawling, and eating more regular food. He smiled when he saw his mother though, recognizing her. Agmar stretched out his arms towards Jeanette, and she lifted him up into an embrace. He was so heavy, and strong! He was going to grow up to be a powerful warrior.
After seeing Agmar, Jeanette wondered who she should see to that first, to give her greater control over the awarding of lands and the wedding. She had been steadily working on Chief Turogg on the journey back to Ruar, and believed he had come around. It shouldn't take much more to push him over onto her side completely and convince him that he needed to be taken care of. Unfortunately, like with the Duke of Braden, it would have to mean his life. He simply knew too much to be let go. He would run first thing to the King of Heste and tell him that Zentara was bluffing and that Thesta and Sandora would not honor the alliance. Then war would resume and thousands more would die.
Jeanette ended up being surprised when it was Sir Drake who pushed the issue to a head without her having to do anything extra. Shortly after their return, Sir Drake arranged to have her and Chief Turogg meet with him in a secluded dungeon chamber. "It is so good to see you again, Chief Turogg. You as well, Your Highness. I've been waiting a long time for this." Sir Drake grinned and stepped toward Jeanette, a coiled whip hanging at his belt. "It's time for me to get what we agreed upon, Chief Turogg. I want my time with the Queen!"
His time? What had Chief Turogg promised him? "What do you mean by that, Sir Drake? Who do you think you are to demand my time?" Jeanette eyed the whip on his hip warily, as well as the cruel glint in his eyes.
Sir Drake lifted the whip off his belt, and let it uncoil to the floor. "I've been watching you a long time, Your Highness. Since you were a young woman. I've watched you touch yourself when you thought no one was watching, and watched your licentious displays with the orcs. You're a dirty, naughty, sexual little girl, and I'm going to teach you the pleasure you can feel from my whip!"
Jeanette look to Chief Turogg, who looked back impassively. Jeanette turned back to Sir Drake. "You cannot believe I will submit to such a thing. I am the Queen, not your plaything!"
"Chief Turogg made me a promise, a chance to have you for one night, to do as I wish in exchange for all my help in the negotiations!" Sir Drake raised his voice in anger. "I mean to have what is mine!"
Chief Turogg still said and did nothing. They were alone down here, no guards to come and help her. "I am pregnant with his child! You cannot beat me in this condition!"
That seemed to give him pause, but after a moment, he grinned even wider. "That is perfect, the final result of all your depredations; all the more reason for you to feel the touch of my whip!" Sir Drake advanced closer to Jeanette, and then raised his arm, readying to strike out with the whip.
In a flash, Chief Turogg lunged forward and seized Sir Drake's arm. He looked at the orc in shock, genuinely surprised that his desire was being impeded after all this time. Shock soon gave way to fear, as he felt himself being lifted up by the massive orc. Before he could open his mouth to protest he was dashed against the wall, and then flung across the room. Chief Turogg sprinted over to him and kicked him hard, knocking the wind out of the human. The fight was over before it really began. Chief Turogg smashed his head against the floor and it was finished.
The orc then looked over to Jeanette and grinned. "He was more trouble than he was worth. You were right about him. He thought he could use me, that he could be in control. But we will rule this Kingdom, together."
With Sir Drake removed from the picture, the first problem was taken care of. The next, bestowing titles and land upon Chief Turogg would be easier to deal with. At the royal feast celebrating the victory in the war, Jeanette named Chief Turogg as the Duke of Braden, with authority to name all counts, barons and mayors in the Duchy. He was also awarded a tract of land to the east of the city, with authority to build one castle and three cities for the settlement of some portion of his people.
The bestowing of land and titles on Chief, now Duke, Turogg was met with passive acceptance by the nobles of Zentara. They understood the need of binding the orc warriors to Zentara. With the understanding that the bulk of them would be settled in the Duchy of Braden as a buffer against the Hestens, they were willing to accept a token orc lord in their midst, especially one who was a celebrated military hero. Now that Duke Turogg was a lord of Zentara, in fact, the most powerful lord in the Kingdom, he was on paper at least a perfectly suitable prospect to be her husband. All that wanted now was the planning of the wedding, and informing the populace.
Jeanette's heart thumped madly in her chest as the big day dawned. Jeanette had sent out a proclamation calling all the great families of the realm to court for a special announcement. For days they had been arriving to the city, though Jeanette had kept secret the reason for their summoning. Chief Turogg and Jeanette had decided to spring the news of their marriage concurrently with the actual ceremony, to prevent any resistance or opposition to the wedding from the noble families.
