Love Found Amidst Violence: Chapter 3 – Judgement and Execution

Chapter 3 – Judgement and Execution

Since we’ve been traveling for a while, Matilda, Grimgothica, and I have decided to set up camp for dinner to rest for a bit before continuing on. Grimgothica takes out various pieces of seasoned meat from the poaches on her horses that we cook over a fire. Once we take a bite, both Matilda and I look at each other in surprise and continue to dig in eating each piece of shared meal as fast as possible.

“Do you like it that much?” Grimgothica asks.

“Well, it’s just that I’m hungry and it tastes better than the usual rationed meat we get,” I admit.

“I guess my superiors were treating me better than I thought and I never realized it, but I guess I should have since they’ve always done that ever since I was born.”

“You must’ve not had a normal childhood because of being the kind of half-breed that you are,” Matilda says.

“I was. Men and women from all races complimented or disdained me from looking differently than a normal orc. Some thought I was pretty and elegant while others called me an abomination of nature.”

“Speaking of elegance, how do you fight so well in that dress?”

“It’s not as cumbersome as it may seem and it does provide some protection as if it were light armor and the materials that it’s made of that come from Unser Sieg, Polypus, and Canis make it immune to my fire and ice spells. It’s also a gift from my superiors that I trained under, who are masters of combat from Bernhard, Polypus, and Canis.”

“I can’t imagine wearing that even if I will get married.”

“Speaking of that, you two seem to be close. How long have you known each other?”

“I don’t know. We’ve known of each other ever since we were put in the same unit, but never got to know each other until now.”

I nod in agreement and then say, “It’s God’s Providence. I assume He didn’t give us the idea to talk to one another while we were focused on missions. Couples who fight together are usually distracted by each other’s presence and will focus on protecting their lover over saving their friends and completing the mission, and it’s a good thing we weren’t distracted during the missions we were on.”

“Do tell me about them.”

“There was one where we were in the fiery lands of Canis jumping on rocks trying to avoid the lava coming from an active volcano and going after traitors from that region. I envy our brothers in Canis who can walk across the lava and aren’t harmed by it. That was probably the most dangerous mission we were on.”

“We had to wear lighter armor for that mission so we wouldn’t sweat to death, but I thought the one time we cleared an undercity of ratmen was more dangerous because of the many traps and ambushes that there were, and let’s not forget the city, walls, and ceiling falling on us at the end,” Matilda says.

“I recall having to save you several times during that chaotic battle.”

“I think you mistaken me for someone else in that pitch-black environment. If you want to talk about saving someone, I remember having to save you during our mission in Corvus against those undead bandits and skeletal animals.”

We laugh and share more stories of battle along with Grimgothica who shares some of her own.

Looking up at the sickly sky of Unser Sieg, Grimgothica says, “For all the luxuries I’ve been given, I have to say that I wish I had simple pleasures like these. I must admit I feel jealous for not having normal lives like you’ve had.”

“I wouldn’t say my life has been normal,” Matilda says. “I’ve been competing with my eleven other siblings to be as tough and heroic as our father who fought in the war against Vicar Sylvatic.”

“I have a legacy to live up to as well,” I say. “My family is comprised of knights, guards, and blacksmiths, however, there were some who defected and became traitors and mercenaries, not all of which repented from their ways.”

“I see. Still, I wished I saw other people than business acquaintances, military leaders, and family. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy their company. I just wish I had…friends to spend time with and talk to about things I can’t say to anyone else.”

I look at Matilda who also looks at me and smiles.

“We can be your friends,” Matilda says.

“Yeah. After this, we can grab drinks at a taverna and you can complain all you want about whatever is bothering you. I know one really nice place in Munster that has the best meats and beer from all over the world,” I say.

Grimgothica looks astonished at us before smiling and rubbing her face as if holding back tears.

“Thank you, both of you,” she says teary-eyed.

Once we’re done resting, we head back out but are almost immediately covered in an unusually dark fog.

“Be on your guard,” Grimgothica says while slowing us down.

Before we know it, we see dark elves manifesting themselves from the fog in an attempt to easily kill us, however, we’re quick enough to kill them, but not quick enough to effectively dodge the rain of fire that comes at us, causing us to be knocked down from our horses. Once the dark fog clears, we see that our attackers are dragons, wood elves, and other traitors from Bernhard, Canis, and Draco.

“I figured there’d be more of them,” Grimgothica says as she readies her fire and ice spells.

“Give up what you have and we may let you live, orcs,” one of the dragons says.

“I only have one thing to give you and that’s your death!”

Grimgothica spews fireballs and ice spears from her hands that impale the enemies in front of us, some of which dodge her attack while others perish. Leading their charge are soldiers from Phasianus, the only other Asian kingdom that’s more of a servant kingdom than an independent one. Its soldiers turn their bodies from solid steel shields back into their human form but now morph parts of their arms and faces to have blades, shields, and bows. Matilda and I meet their charge with our own while Grimgothica continues using her ranged spells to pick off our enemies from a distance and throw them off their guard. I crush and cut the arms, heads, and torsos off many of them while Matilda weaves through them like a deadly dancer as she avoids their blows while impaling them through the chest or cutting their heads off with her counterattack.

Even though we’re carving through their numbers, we’re still outnumbered, however, backup suddenly arrives comprised of orcs in heavy armor and those who can use spells similar to Grimgothica. With them, we’re able to fight off our attackers and kill them all.

“Are those friends of yours?” I ask.

“Yeah, I did say that I figured there’d be more of them. These people are too important to not keep secure and the bodies of the people we killed will be used to link them to their conspirators,” Grimgothica says.

“Why didn’t you have these people with you to begin with?” Matilda asks.

“Moving with a group doesn’t exactly lend itself to subtlety. That, and they’re supposed to be a backup since I can handle myself as you’ve seen.”

Our allies take the bodies of our enemies that we just killed and Grimgothica directs them toward the town that we were just at to collect those bodies as well. We go back home and are rewarded richly by our and Grimgothica’s superiors with extra payment, an increase in rank, special armor and weapons, and a place at Grimgothica’s side as her guards, all of which we gratefully accept. During the days we wait for our superiors’ decision on what to do and their investigation of the bodies, Matilda and I take Grimgothica out on the day we promised to give her the taste of a normal life. It’s also during these days that I propose to Matilda and we plan the day of our wedding. For the most part, the planning goes smoothly except for the typical arguing over how many children we should have and what or who they should be named after that happens between orc families. I’m fine with the typical ten children, that’s an average for orcs though some in Matilda’s family argue that it should be around twenty, which is the maximum amount in the average.

The day for our superiors’ decision comes and Grimgothica invites us to be a part of it to witness history and be her personal guards. Many royals and guards from all kingdoms come to the Vatican to see and be a part of the event. Tensions are high as people take sides and murmur among themselves obviously nervous or tense to see what happens. Once the opening prayers and introductions are done, the king of Bernhard, Keule, who is dressed in royal garbs and wearing his gold and black spiky armor immediately steps forward without being called by anyone to speak.

He slams his hands down on the railing in front of him and then says, “We demand justice for the many innocent people and honorable guards and soldiers that defended them who have died in Unser Sieg. You all have the names of the people who have hired and allied themselves with the scum who carried out these attacks and their co-conspirators. Bring these co-conspirators to us for immediate execution for their crimes against God and neighbor.”

All the orcs, including Matilda, Grimgothica, and I yell out in agreement and we don’t quiet down until our superiors tell us to.

“You will get your justice in due time,” the emperor of Draco, Guo, says as he stands up. He is dressed in dragon armor that is colored red and gold and carries two spears on his back. “We only ask that you honor due process so that the people you accused of this crime may defend themselves.”

“We’ve already gone through due process. The evidence is all here, even the bodies of those who attacked my knights. Would you like to see them in the basement?”

“I see you’ve written names and stories paper and piled hundreds of mangled bodies for everyone to see, but do you have more proof? What of your witnesses that connect the conspirators and their allies to the crimes you accuse them of?”

“We have witnesses from my allies and agents and knights of my own who are here today to give further testimony if needed.”

“Yes, orcs are trustworthy people, aren’t they?” a wood elf from the group of elves says as he stands up.

“Excuse me?” Keule says.

A dark elf stands up and says, “Your sort are hardly different from Vicar Sylvatic’s ratmen who reproduced like rabbits and spread your kind over all the kingdoms.”

“Don’t be jealous because orc knights are preferred over those from other kingdoms. No offense to anyone in the room.”

“There’s also the matter of your kind preferring violence over negotiation and peace such as now since you’re making demands rather than stating your case so it can be approved by the Pope, bishops, and other kingdoms,” a high elf says.

“What more else do you want of us? I also think it’s funny that you speak of going by the rules when you have spoken when your king has not. Evander. What do you have to say?”

The king of the elves stands up with his bodyguards beside him. One is a normal-looking woman with black and red hair while the other two are a high elf who seems to be a half-breed and a dark elf beside her. The two elves seem to be a couple since I’ve seen them hold each other’s hands, kiss, and catch a glimpse of rings on their fingers. Evander is dressed in a black and gold robe with gold roses decorating it.

“I say that you’ve done all you need to, King Keule,” Evander says with a smile and a bow. “You should be given what you’re asking for, especially since the blood of many innocent people has been shed. You will see no argument or resistance to your will from me.”

The elves appear astonished by Evander’s decision except for those closest to him. To be honest, I didn’t think Evander would agree with us given his secretive reputation. I guess the oldest living man alive is as wise as he seems. Now it’s the elves who have to be told to calm down as the rest of the kingdoms let their thoughts known. Leo, Equus, and Serpentis are in support of us as was to be expected since they’re in our debt for defeating Vicar Sylvatic and his ratmen in Unser Sieg, which is a toxic region that “normal” humans like them can’t enter without quickly getting sick and dying. As for Canis, Corvus, and Polypus, they agree to support us as well. Canis was a no-brainer given how they’re our closest ally and the neutral kingdoms of Corvus and Polypus who don’t usually bother with anyone agree with us given how our wants don’t involve them since none of the conspirators who are still living come from there.

I’m also surprised to see support from the independent ratmen and beastmen and some of the bishops. Before the Pope can even decide, the commotion that’s been building reaches its boiling point resulting in a break period where the kings, queens, and royals talk to their own to finalize their decisions and their supporters let their thoughts and grievances be known.

“How could you all support these barbarians?” a voice says in the crowds. “They can’t even control their own people. Many of the bandits and traitors out there are orcs for a reason.”

“Look at what they’ve done to us by making us argue like this,” another voice says.

After the break is over and the discussion is resumed, certain people in other kingdoms who agree with us have second thoughts. The majority still support us, but that majority is about half now. What happened during the break that changed their mind? I don’t think that the chaos itself is the reason for it. While the arguing was happening, I think I saw people sneak into each kingdom’s group and whisper something to them. Were they being bribed or threatened by those people? What is going on?

“It looks like we may soon come to a stalemate,” Emperor Guo says.

Keule slams his hands down on the railing in front of him as he stands up and says, “That’s not going to happen. Do you know why? It’s because some of the guilty we seek are in this room. Their names are written down on your papers, and my men know who they are and what they look like. They’re going to die today whether you all agree to it or not.”

“There it is ladies and gentlemen. The savage king shows us that he doesn’t care for laws and is going to kill and act on his own in our kingdoms without our permission.”

“This doesn’t have to end in undue bloodshed. Those who don’t get in our way won’t face our wrath, however, those who do will die since you are defending murderers and manipulators.”

“Enough!” the Pope says as he slams his papal staff down and stands.

His Holiness stands from his chair of honor at the front of the room and all eyes are on him now. He’s dressed in royal papal robes and armor that are colored black, red, and gold, and an orc, though not the first orc to be the Pope with the first couple dying in battle. Despite his race, he’s been impartial in making decisions when it comes to Bernhard and has given the other kingdoms what they want even if they go against our wishes, so we’re all waited with bated breath to hear what he says.

Looking up at the light that’s coming out from the windows, Pope Landsknecht says, “My people and all those caught in the crossfire because of the vendettas held against have gone too long without justice for the crimes committed against them. Politics, fears produced by prejudices, and greed for land have clouded the minds of many and killed many more. Tell me, why should we have these laws when they prevent God’s justice from being carried out? As such, by my rule, Bernhard will be allowed to avenge the innocent and execute the guilty and those who dare to defend them.”

Chaos erupts in the room louder than before as the knights and leaders of Bernhard yell out in victory and unsheathe their weapons ready to kill those in the room we know who are guilty.

“We refuse to recognize this decision!” Emperor Guo says. “It isn’t done in the terms that was agreed between kingdoms and the Church!”

Many people from the other kingdoms agree with Emperor Guo’s choice but our allies decry his decision as turning his back on God and the Church.

“His Holiness has spoken and we will carry out God’s will. As stated before, we will not harm you if you get in our way, but if you do, we will declare a short war on your kingdom until justice has been satisfied,” King Keule says.

Now, more people have taken out their weapons as they prepare to face us or fight on our side with both sides telling the other to stand down.

King Keule continues, “Excuse me for my lack of etiquette with my words. It will not be a short war. It will instead be what we like to call in Bernhard, a Schlachten.”

The men of Bernhard and I chant the words Schlachten or slaughter over and over again until a fight starts to break out with both sides going at each other’s throats with very leaving, or at least trying to. Even Pope Landsknecht is actively participating in the fighting as he uses his serpentine papal staff as a pseudo-two-handed mace to crush bones and skulls alike. By the end of it, the room and the surrounding area outside is a bloody mess with us and our allies standing victorious over the traitors. Some escaped while others are still hiding in our kingdoms. Knowing this, King Keule commands us to spread out and kill them wherever they may be, a command to which we cheer as we head out on our hunt, or rather, to slaughter.