[Queen of Orcs 01] - King's Property (2 page)

“At least he listened to the murdant today,” said the first soldier. “This one came easy enough.”

“That’s ’cause she’s like you,” said a soldier with a grin, “worthless.”

His companion regarded Dar. “You worthless?”

Dar’s face reddened. The soldier leered and answered his own question. “Well, you’re good for one thing.”

“Unlike you, Tham,” said the murdant. The others laughed.

“At least my mum cried when I marched off,” said Tham. “I saw only dry eyes today.”

“Not like yesterday.”

“Aye,” said the murdant. “Get one that won’t be missed—that’s what I told the tolum. Hey birdie, will you miss them?”

Dar remained silent.

“Maybe she’s happy to be gone from that dung heap,” said one of the men.

“Sure,” said another. “It’s fun being a soldier.”

A soldier laughed. “Especially if you’re a woman.”

“I’ve heard no talk of war,” said Dar. “When did it begin?”

The murdant grinned. “For sooth, you’ve lived under a rock. Kregant’s been at war since the day he was crowned. Soldiering’s been steady work.”

“What’s the king fighting over?”

“Whatever he wishes. I just follow orders.”

“And what will I be doing?” asked Dar.

“Cooking.”

“You marched all this way to get a cook?”

“The tolum’s commander wanted mountain girls. Said they’re tough.”

Dar regarded the murdant and the others. They bore the look of men who lived hard.
It would take a strong woman to serve with them
, she thought. Yet a glimpse at the murdant’s eyes warned Dar he wasn’t telling all the truth.

“How long will I serve?” she asked.

“Not long,” said the murdant, his gaze fixed elsewhere.

For a while, the route was familiar to Dar. It crossed the valley, climbed the far ridge, and followed it. By noon, they left the ridgeline and descended into a winding valley Dar had never visited. At the lower altitude, the trees had already leafed out. The marchers halted by a stream for a brief meal before moving on. By early afternoon, they reached camp. The tolum paced about the clearing where his horse grazed. Several soldiers stood nearby. One was tending a small fire. A short distance away, a blond-haired woman sat with her back against a tree, facing away from Dar.

“You took your time,” said the tolum.

“The girl’s barefoot, sir,” said the murdant. “She slowed us down.”

“That’s no excuse, Murdant!” The tolum shot Dar an irritated look. “By Karm’s tits! How can you not own shoes?” Then he took the murdant aside, and they talked in low tones. Afterward, the tolum returned his attention to Dar. “Lie on your back.”

“Why?”

“You don’t question orders,” said the murdant. “Soldiers who do are whipped. Now, lie down.”

Dar obeyed. The murdant nodded, and a large soldier walked over, straddled Dar, and sat upon her chest, pinning her arms with his knees. Another soldier grabbed Dar’s ankles. A third knelt down and gripped her head between his knees like a vise. From the corner of her eye, Dar spied another soldier approaching. He bore something in his hand that glowed. She fought to free her arms, but the man on her chest shifted more weight to his knees until the pressure was excruciating. “Don’t struggle,” he said.

Dar grew still, and the soldier on her chest eased up a bit. By then, the fourth soldier stood over her, and she could see that the glowing object was a brand. Its end resembled a five-pointed crown outlined in fire. As it came closer to her face, Dar closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. An instant later, she felt a searing pain on her forehead accompanied by the smell of burned flesh. Dar fought against crying out, but failed. The men released her, and she sat up. The pain was intense.

The murdant tossed her a water skin. “Pour water on it,” he said. “It helps.”

The water eased Dar’s pain just enough so she could control her voice. “I came without resisting. There was no need to do that.”

“All women in the orc regiments are branded, lest they run away.”

“Orc regiments!” said Dar, her pain momentarily forgotten as she recalled the nightmare tales.

“Correct,” said the tolum, “and a branded head bears a bounty. To keep it on your shoulders, you must stick with your regiment.”

“What do orcs want with women?”

“I have no idea,” said the tolum. “I fight alongside men, not monsters.”

“They have women wait on them,” said the murdant. “I’ve seen it often.”

“You also told me I’d not serve long,” retorted Dar. “This brand betrays that lie.”

“Aye, I spoke false,” said the murdant. “But now that you’re marked, I have no need.”

“We’re done here,” said the tolum. “Chain her to the other girl and move out. We must return by the morrow.”

A soldier went over to the tree where the woman sat and pulled her to her feet. Then Dar could see that the woman’s ankles and wrists were bound and an iron ring was locked around her neck. Attached to the ring was a long length of heavy chain from which dangled several bells. The soldier removed the woman’s bonds, but not the iron ring. Using the chain, he led her closer to Dar. At the far end of the chain was a second ring, which he locked around Dar’s neck. “You’ll wear this till you reach your regiment.”

The chain wasn’t overly burdensome, but Dar saw how it would hinder an escape. The belled links were noisy, and, off the road, they would tangle easily. She approached the stranger at the other end, who appeared several years younger. Dar’s fellow captive was well dressed by highland standards; her clothes were clean and almost new. She also wore shoes. She turned to gaze at Dar. Beneath the angry brand on her forehead, her eyes were red and puffy from weeping.

Despite her pain, Dar tried to smile. “I’m Dar.”

“Leela,” replied the woman in a nearly inaudible voice.

“Move out,” commanded the tolum, who had mounted his horse. He urged his steed forward, setting a brisk pace for the soldiers and women that followed.

Dar gathered up the links of chain so it wouldn’t snag on something and so she could walk next to Leela. When they were side by side, she saw tears flowing down Leela’s face.

“It’ll be all right,” Dar said.

Leela stared ahead, oblivious. Dar gently touched her arm without getting a response. The girl’s face was emptied of every emotion except sorrow. Its desolation made Dar wonder how Leela’s parting differed from her own. The bundle that Thess had prepared was an indication. At lunchtime, Dar had inspected it. Within the worn cloak were a spare undergarment and a shift even more ragged than the one she wore. Dar’s footwear and good shift were missing, as were the beads her mother had given her. Leela’s garments bespoke a loving sendoff, one that made Dar both envy and pity her.

Soon, the tolum’s pace had Dar panting, and she gave up trying to start a conversation. She trudged along, concerned only with keeping up and her own misfortune.

Two

The sun was low when the tolum called a halt for the night. Leela and Dar were allowed to rest while the soldiers set up camp. A fire was built, and grain was boiled in a small pot to make porridge. This was dinner for everyone except the tolum, who also had wine and cheese. The soldiers ate first, then gave the pot to Dar and Leela, who dined on what was left using their fingers. When a soldier came to retrieve the pot, he said to Dar, “Use the bushes before I chain you for the night.”

After Dar squatted in the undergrowth, the soldier placed a manacle around her ankle, looped a chain around a large tree trunk, and locked both ends of it to the manacle. Since Leela was already chained to Dar, the soldier didn’t shackle her further. His work done, he headed back to the campfire and his companions.

Dar lay down on the ground. “Share my cloak. We’ll both be warmer.”

Leela moved close, but she didn’t lie down. “The tolum will give us to the orcs tomorrow,” she said in a terrified voice. “
Orcs!
”

“Maybe they’re not as bad as the tales say,” said Dar.

“They’re demons. Not even human.”

“An evil reputation gives an edge in a fight. Perhaps the king uses orcs because they frighten his foes.”

“They’ve earned that reputation,” whispered Leela, “from eating human flesh.”

“Who told you that?”

“My cousin has a friend whose brother saw it. They don’t even kill the people first. They just tear them apart and eat them raw!”

“That can’t be true,” said Dar. “The murdant said we’re going to cook for them.”

“He lied. Can’t you see why we’re branded like cattle? We’re going to be devoured!”

“You’re crazy, Leela.”

“It’s supposed to be a secret. That’s why they take girls from the hills—so word won’t get out.”

“Then how did you learn about it?”

“I told you. He hid and saw it.”

“Tomorrow, you’ll see you’re wrong,” said Dar, trying to sound confident.

“Tomorrow, we’ll be walking the Dark Path.”

“Get some sleep, Leela. Things will seem different in daylight.”

Leela lay down, and when Dar pressed against her for warmth, she could feel Leela trembling. Despite her fatigue, Dar had trouble falling asleep. Her forehead throbbed and her thoughts were uneasy. The savagery of orcs was legendary.
They say orcs pull out hearts with their bare hands. Might not they eat them also?
Dar had no answer. Lying branded and chained in the dark, she began to wonder if Leela was right.

The moon had risen, filling the clearing with pale light, when Leela shook Dar awake. Dar looked at her stupidly. “What’s the matter?” she asked in a sleepy voice.

“Nothing,” replied Leela. “I just need your help.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now. Don’t wake the soldiers.”

Dar was puzzled, but the look on Leela’s face reassured her. Dread had been replaced by calmness. “What do you want me to do?”

“Help me up to that branch,” said Leela, pointing to a tree limb several feet above Dar’s head.

“Why?”

“There’s something I need to do. Come on. Hurry before someone sees us.”

Still foggy from sleep, Dar rose and entwined her fingers to form a stirrup with her hands. Leela stepped into it and rose to grab the tree limb. Dar watched as Leela pulled herself up and threw a leg over the branch. After a brief struggle, Leela stood upon the limb, grasping the next higher one. The bells on the chain were silent; Leela must have stuffed them with grass.

“Leela!” whispered Dar. “What are you doing?”

Leela didn’t answer, but climbed until the chain prevented her from ascending higher. She stood balanced on a stout branch, steadying herself with one hand on the tree trunk. “Dar,” she called down, not bothering to lower her voice. “Grab the chain with both hands and hold on tight.”

Dar was about to ask why when she guessed the reason. “Leela!”

Too late. Leela stepped off the branch and plummeted to earth. The chain and the iron ring about her neck jerked her to a stop before she hit the ground. The chain dug into the bark of the branch that Leela had stood upon an instant before; otherwise, Dar might have been pulled upward and strangled. “Help!” she cried. “Someone help Leela!”

As the soldiers stumbled toward her, Dar looked for signs of life. Leela’s feet kicked spasmodically, but her neck seemed unnaturally long and her eyes stared from a head held at a strange angle. The murdant arrived first and spun the dangling body so it faced him.

“Get her down!” said Dar.

“No hurry about that,” said the murdant.

The tolum strode over. “What’s going on?”

“One of the girls killed herself.”

The tolum kicked the dirt. “Shit! Shit! Shit!” He stared angrily at the still twitching corpse, then drew his sword and swung it with both hands. Leela’s body dropped at Dar’s feet, while her head tumbled in another direction. He stood glaring at Dar, sword in hand. “You stupid bitch! You let her do it!”

For a moment, Dar thought he would decapitate her also. Instead, he released the sword hilt with one hand and slapped her so hard that she tasted blood. He seemed about to strike her again when the murdant asked, “Sir, what will we do?”

“Stop on the way and grab another girl.”

“Our commander wanted highland girls.”

“He also ordered me to report tomorrow. We don’t have time to go back to the highlands.”

As two soldiers dragged Leela’s body away, the tolum found her head and picked it up by the hair. “He wanted two mountain girls? Well, we got two—both properly branded.”

“What will they do with a head, sir?” asked the murdant.

“They can eat it, for all I care. I fulfilled my orders.”

The tolum sauntered over to where Dar was chained and thrust out Leela’s head. “Take it and see that nothing drags it off tonight. Tomorrow, you’ll carry it.”

Dar was too cowed to disobey. Despite her horror, she grasped the long, blond locks. Leela’s eyes glistened in the moonlight, staring at something beyond living vision. They seemed peaceful, and Dar imagined their owner’s spirit walking the Dark Path, clad only in memories, and shedding even those as she traveled westward.

Three