Respite

While Dinae and Duuhra were working in the kitchen, the door to the house burst open and Zar stormed in. He dropped the supplies he'd picked up on the table, and stood watching the two women working in the kitchen area of their home. He'd been fired up, wanting to explode at someone about what he'd learned that day. Seeing Duuhra and Dinae working closely together, talking quietly, gave him pause. It wasn't Duuhra's fault that his brother tried to give her to another. They thought he was dead, and Duuhra had handled the situation. She'd remained loyal in the hopes that he'd return. He forced the rage down, for now. The women in his life were not the right target for that. But, he did have to talk about it.

"Saw Mak and Tuchahk today," Zar said when he had gotten a handle on his emotions. "She killed the minotaur in the pits."

Duuhra turned, "That's impressive, even for Tuchahk."

Zar nodded.

"Something else is on your mind," Duuhra said, putting down the cleaver she'd been using to chop meat, she approached Zar.

"That obvious?"

"I've known you long enough to be able to tell when something is bothering you."

Dinae listened to them talk, but kept her eyes on her work to give them some privacy.

"I heard what happened with Turag," Zar said.

"I see," Duuhra sounded uncertain.

"Of course, I'm not angry with you," Zar assured her. "I know how you reacted."

Duuhra chuckled, "Should have seen his face."

Zar smiled and seemed to relax a little. "This could be what I need to get Aasha back."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a plan, Duuhra. Several actually, and I'm going to need everyone's help."

"Plans for what?"

"To save everyone," Zar said cryptically. "But, I need time to figure it out."

"The other elves, you plan to take them back?"

"I do, Duuhra," Zar looked her in the eye. "They are important to me, and Dinae. But, we must be of one mind on this. I cannot do this without you."

That statement was all Duuhra needed to hear. Knowing he needed her confirmed what Dinae had told her.

"I am with you, whatever you need," she said.

Dinae smiled while she cut potatoes for the stew. Zar was going to keep his promise, and Duuhra was going to help. She just hoped that it would be soon.

Zar started to pull items from the sack on the table. A small bundle leather, the pile of delicate chain, a jug and some other items. Duuhra watched him as if checking to make sure he got everything right. When he was done she nodded, satisfied with what he brought home.

"Dinae, it is time," Zar said, turning two chairs so they faced each other.

Dinae turned, feeling nervous all of a sudden. Time for what? His tone wasn't angry, just left no room for question or debate. It was a tone of command he rarely used with her.

"Sit," he gestured to one of the chairs while he sat in the other.

Dinae grew more uneasy when she saw what was on the table. Metal rings and chain, a thick needle and crude clamps rested next to a bundle of leather, a collar and a clay jug.

"Zar?" She was growing scared, and hesitated.

"Sit down," Zar pointed to the chair. "This will all be over before you know it, and less painful if you do not fight."

"Here, pet. Drink some of this."

Duuhra lifted the jug and uncorked it, handing it to Dinae. The elf lifted the jug to her mouth and felt the fire of the orcish spirits wash across her tongue. She lowered the jug and coughed, but took another drink before setting the jug down. When she sat back, Duuhra rested her large hands on the elf's shoulders and pressed her firmly back into the chair.

"Try to relax," Zar said. "I know you have the strength for this, and it must be done."

"This will protect you among our people, tell everyone you belong to us," Duuhra explained.

Dinae was still scared, but their calm voices helped. She took several deep breaths, still unsure what was going on but knowing that it was going to involve pain. They didn't sound like they were going to torture her, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She reminded herself that she trusted Zar completely, and was growing to trust his mate as well. She was strong, she reminded herself. She was proud, and brave. She was going to be the mother of Zar's child so must be all those things for him, and for the baby. After another minute to steady herself, she nodded. She reached up and grabbed Duuhra's wrists with both hands and closed her eyes.

"I'm ready."

She heard Zar grunt and then heard him moving items on the table. She peeked once, and he seemed to be soaking some of the metal items in the alcohol. Unable to watch, she squeezed her eyes shut again and waited for whatever painful custom the orcs were about to perform on her. After another moment of waiting, she felt his thick fingers grab her left nipple firmly.

"Zar?"

"Shhh," Duuhra rubbed a thumb on Dinae's shoulder to comfort her, but didn't let go. "Relax."

Her nipples were almost always hard. Being pregnant and exposed all the time made her overly sensitive. When Zar grabbed her it sent a shock through her body, but right away she could tell he wasn't doing it for fun. He deftly locked a metal clamp on her nipple that pinched it firmly and held it distended. It was painful, but also deeply pleasurable. Her heightened nerves and wildly overactive hormones were sending shockwaves through her, and at the epicenter was that hard nipple pinched in the clamp. She couldn't help it, she had to look again.

Zar had the needle pinched between his thick fingers. He took hold of her clamped nipple with his other hand and looked at both sides as if sizing it up. It began to dawn on Dinae that Zar was going to put that needle into her nipple, but why? Then she remembered, Duuhra had a metal ring in her nose. She remembered seeing orcs with metal jewelry through their skin. It was a strange custom, not practiced by her people, but orcs had many strange customs. The other slaves! They'd all had chains and collars, like the one lying on the table, but she'd never been close enough to see how they were attached. This was Zar and Duuhra claiming her.

"Duuhra?" Dinae was on the verge of panic. She knew this was coming, just not what form it would take. Suddenly, her sense of survival was trying to take over her conscious desire to be with her lovers. Her masters. She'd accepted her fate. There was no other way to remain with Zar, to save her friends, and to have her baby. None of that mattered as adrenaline pumped through her and she tensed up.

"Hush now, pet," Duuhra soothed. "It will be over before you know it, but you must relax."

"Dinae," Zar's voice captured her attention and she looked up into his dark eyes. "This is the only way you can remain with us. I do not wish to hurt you, but it is unavoidable here. It will hurt more if you tense up and fight it."

Dinae nodded. Zar was right, it was the only way. She took a deep, shuddering breath and forced herself to relax. Then she took another, preparing to let Zar know she was ready. When she let that breath out she felt a sharp, biting pain in her nipple. It lasted no more than a heartbeat, but the pain lanced all the way through. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, but couldn't keep the tears from springing to her eyes. Zar released the clamp and blood rushed to her nipple, driving an entirely new feeling of exquisite pain to her tortured nub. Her nipple was on fire as she watched Zar deftly replace the needle with the silver ring on the table, sliding the ring on as he removed the pin. When it was through, he crimped the ends of the ring closed with a small tool that pinched the metal together tightly.

The weight of it should have been nothing, but suddenly it felt like the whole world was pulling at her with that ring. That was it, no turning back, no changing her life. From that point forward she was truly someone else's property. She still trusted, and loved Zar'ahk, but she was forever changed by this. She had always expected to have children. To love, to marry, to live with someone were all events she had expected. Not this. It all flashed through her mind in an instant. What if she hadn't gone into the woods that day? What if she hadn't helped the wounded orc? She would still be with her people, destined to marry some elven warrior she might have loved. Living in Trulean until the end of her days. Would that version of her have wondered what would have happened? Did it really matter? The decisions she'd made led her here. She couldn't change them. She could only move forward.

"Almost done," she heard Zar say through the pounding in her ears.

She felt him clamp her other nipple and that mix of pain and pleasure rushed through her again. The anticipation of the pain made her want to crawl out of her skin, but she fought it. She took several deep breaths until she no longer felt the shudder of fear in her throat. This time, with her eyes squeezed tightly shut she nodded. As she took another breath, and let it out, she felt the piercing jolt of the needle puncturing her flesh. She groaned, but didn't cry out. The pain was there, and gone in an instant, replaced by a dull ache in her chest.

Dinae felt Duuhra's hands loosen their grip to rub her shoulders. She opened her eyes and saw Zar securing the other ring through her sore nipple. She felt a sense of relief, though the ache still remained. He set the tools down and picked up the delicate silver chain.

"Almost done," Zar said. "This is not just the mark of your place among us. It is the mark of our responsibility."

Dinae looked into his eyes, "What do you mean?"

"It is our responsibility to protect you," Zar explained. "This is a duty we do not take lightly. I do not want to put these chains on you, but until we get our friends back it is the only way you will survive. The only way any of us will survive. When we have Tessyn and Aasha, the five of us will decide what to do. When that time comes, you will not need these."

Dinae realized how serious this was for all of them. They were creating a bond here that was more than just servitude. Zar and Duuhra were putting their lives at risk for the elves, their enemy, beings that orcs believe are inferior. She believed him when he said he didn't want to put her in chains, and could see the struggle in his eyes. She reached up and took Duuhra's hand in one of hers, and touched Zar's face with the other.

"I know," she said, barely above a whisper. "I trust you both."

Zar affixed the chain to her new nipple rings using small silver clips. The single chain had a larger ring in the middle, which fell toward her growing belly. The weight of even that delicate chain was enough to send shocks through her sore nipples. Next, he put a leather collar around her neck and attached a third chain which connected the collar to the ring between her breasts and pulled it up. It helped relieve some of the pressure by taking the weight off the engorged tips of her heavy breasts. Finally, Duuhra picked up the folded leather garment.

"Stand, pet."

She stood, and found her knees shaking. The adrenaline rush had faded, leaving her light-headed and feeling weak. Zar stood to steady her and handed her the jug. She took a quick drink without making a face or coughing, handing it back with a nod of thanks.

Duuhra unfolded the garment, which was essentially two long, wide pieces of leather attached to a belt. She opened the belt and wrapped it around Dinae's waist, buckling it over her right hip. It served to cover her in front, and back, though her nethers were still open to the air, reminding her that she was still naked. The split up each side let her legs move freely.

When Duuhra was done, Dinae looked down at herself. She had to admit, there was something alluring about the jewelry displayed at the tips of her growing breasts. The silver chains and collar felt wrong, but in a way, erotic. She was constantly aware of her nipples, tingling and sore, distended by the jewelry. Being covered, but not, it all drove tingling waves to her pussy. By the looks of it, both Zar and Duuhra also appreciated her new appearance and could smell its effect on her.

"Come," Duuhra said after a moment. "Let us finish dinner."

She led Dinae back to the kitchen area while Zar put the tools away. They cut the rest of the vegetables into the stew, and Dinae began to prepare the herbs they had picked on the way back from the springs earlier that day.

"Mistress," Dinae croaked, keeping her eyes on her work. She'd known her station before that moment, but the weight and pressure on her nipples made it more real.

"Hmm? Speak up, pet."

"Mistress," Dinae cleared her throat and started again. "Why are we not permitted more clothing?"

Duuhra looked over at the elf, considering her question a moment. The orc woman understood a little of what the elf was going through. It was not something a lot of orcs seemed able to do, but Duuhra found it easy to imagine the feelings of others. To think of what it would be like in their situation.

"Pride," Duuhra said simply. Dinae shook her head, not really understanding, so she continued. "A poor master will punish their slaves because they cannot manage them any other way. It is a sign of shame when a slave is scarred from the whip, or wears clothing to cover it. Some do not care, but many orcs take pride in how we treat you."

"I think I understand," Dinae said.

Duuhra reached out and touched Dinae's cheek, then her collar bone, and finally dragged the back of her fingers down the side of the elf's swelling breast.

"And, in your case, pride in you," Duuhra smiled. "You are a unique, and delicate beauty. Why hide it? Be proud of it."

Dinae smiled and nodded. It seemed odd, but she was growing used to being exposed all the time. At first, she was self-conscious, but she realized she was starting to forget about it more often than not. The two women finished making dinner and brought everything to the table, setting a bowl of stew and a cup of steaming tea in front of Zar. Duuhra sat down with her own cup.

"What is this?" Zar waved a hand at the cup, looking around for his usual mug of strong beer.

"I told Dinae about our trouble with having children. It is a medicine used by the elves to help them get pregnant," Duuhra said, lifting her own steaming mug to her lips.

"Why do I have this?" Zar looked confused. He gestured to Dinae. "Clearly, I am capable of fathering children."

Duuhra's face darkened and she set her cup down, looking ready for a fight.

"Master Zar," Dinae said carefully. "It is not that simple sometimes. Some people are more compatible than others when it comes to creating life. It is possible that it was luck, or I am just more fertile than average. It is no one's fault, and both of your responsibility to fix this."

She was nervous, but felt she had to be direct. It was bold, but Zar had appreciated her honesty before. Zar was looking at her, staring into her eyes, and she couldn't read him at all. Was he angry? Had she crossed the line this time? Finally, he sighed and looked at Duuhra.

"She's right," Zar said. He picked up the cup and sipped at the warm concoction. Duuhra settled back and they all began to eat.

"How long before we know it's working?" Duuhra asked.

"If it works, it could be soon, or it may take some time," the elf said. Then she smiled and winked at Duuhra. "We will just have to try often."

***

Aasha trudged along the dusty street behind her master, Turag, First Axe to the chief of the orcs. She tried to keep up with his long strides for fear he would tug on the leash again. The leash that was attached to a chain, which in turn was attached to rings through her sore nipples. He'd had one of his other slaves mark her, a rough and painful procedure. He then decided he wanted to parade his new treasure through the town.

The elf was in her own version of hell. Her body reacted to the pain and humiliation in ways that she didn't want. Having her nipples pierced, the weight of the chain, and reminder of the leash all served to trigger arousal deep in her gut no matter how much she tried to resist. She felt like her body was betraying her. Turag had discovered her body's involuntary reaction to pain on the march from Trulean, and enjoyed making her gasp and moan in creative ways. He never hurt her badly. It was more humiliating that she had so little control over her reactions to it.

Turag led them toward the roaring of the crowd watching the latest match in the fighting pits. Aasha looked around as much as she could, hoping to catch sight of Zar or her friends. All she saw were more orcs and their slaves. Slaves of various races and genders, all marked with chains and leashes like she was. Her master greeted some of the orc warriors they passed, and growled at others. It was apparent that he wasn't popular with everyone in the stronghold, but he held power that kept them all out of his way.

When they reached the carved stone terrace that served as seating around the arena, the roar of the crowd became deafening. In the pit below two combatants circled each other. One was a large ogress, tall enough that the top of her head was almost level with the rim of the pit. She was naked, covered in a sheen of sweat and dust, and everything about her was massive. Aasha had never seen an ogress, much less a female, but she recognized the monster from stories. Muscles rippled under the creature's gray skin. Her legs were like tree trunks, and her arms were as big around as the elf. Her hands could probably wrap entirely around Aasha's torso. Even the ogress's breasts were staggeringly large, and for a moment Aasha wondered that they could crush a smaller creature just with their weight. She wielded a massive club, and a snarl on her ugly visage.

Facing the ogress was also a creature Aasha had never seen. Both beautiful, and horrifying, she had the upper body of a woman. Her face was lovely, with a small, almost flat nose and pert mouth. Her eyes, though, were piercing and the pupils were split rather than round. She had a mane of long, thick hair that fell over her shoulders and naked breasts. Down her back, her skin was marked with scales that flowed into a serpent's tail which made up the rest of her body from the waist down. She was athletically built, like Aasha, and held a barbed spear low and ready. Aasha was fascinated by the creature.

"Ah, just in time," Turag tugged on her leash, sending jolts of lightning through Aasha's nipples.

With a whimper, she followed him toward a shaded seating area where the crowd was thinner. On a large stone seat in the middle of the shade, Chief Gor'zahn reclined among a retinue of servants and slaves. He had trays of food and drink all around, and a few high-ranking orcs lounged around him under the overhang and watched the entertainment below. When Turag pulled her through the crowd into the exclusive area, she saw Tessyn right away. Her friend was chained just as Aasha was, and sat at Gor's feet. Her eyes were on the ground, and the chief's large hand was absently fingering the blonde curls of her head.

"Your prized fighter looks to have a challenge on her hands today," Gor said when Turag sat down.

"I'll put money on Sithkah any day," Turag shot back. He shook Aasha's leash. "Bring me a mug of ale."

Aasha looked at Tessyn again, but the blonde elf didn't raise her eyes from the ground. She didn't look injured, but for the obviously sore nipples pierced by metal rings and attached to her chains. The dark-haired elf retrieved a mug of beer from a nearby servant and carried it to her master. He took the mug and pulled her into his lap, his eyes locked on the scene below.

"One strike from that tree the ogress wields will crush your snake's spine," Gor laughed.

"Ah, but she'll have to be quick to do that," Turag shot back.