75 Freedom
1534 Words
"I tire of your pleasantries girl. Where is my daughter? What's to say that you haven't stolen her away from me yet? She hasn't been here in months, and we're in the middle of the crisis." Said the Earl.
Eamon Valdor was in his fifties. He had silver hair and was thinly built with long and slender limbs. His mustache was carefully groomed and he had a long beard with a turban wrapping up his long hair.
"I assure you Lord Valdor, that your daughter is safe. She must needs to attend to something important this morning, and will arrive any minute now." Yvaine pretended to sip her tea, for fear of poison, while mustering the willpower to ignore how the Good Lord called her girl.
There was a proper time to be sharp and abrasive, but this wasn't it. Her Father had lectured her about it, in a life that seemed forever ago.
"Now what am I supposed to do? All of these treasures you have sent me is for naught if I am left with a country in ruins. I should have never let those greenskin savages and stunted halflings into our walls." He paced back and forth, with a handful of servants following him. They carried large fans that looked like palm leaves, which they used to fan air to the Earl wherever he went.
The morning sun wasn't so pleasant in Gaddi, with its eastern border surrounded by harsh desert lands.
Yvaine herself wasn't given the same treatment, she was sweating under her elegant gown, the one she used during her previous duties as a diplomat. It had a low neckline and was held by a tight bodice.
Blast it, I should have listened to Lady Haruna and wore something a little looser.
But no, I must be calm. Yes, they're running late, but I'll need to hold the fort for Janus' plan.
"I'll have you know that the same issue you are worrying about right now is the reason why she isn't here. I assure you, we will have her right here in no time, with your coffers full, and your problems swept into the wind." She said.
"Empty words. I swear if I don't----"
There was a handful of yells and screams from below that grew louder and louder. The guards seemed to be arguing about something. Yvaine heard a voice that relieved her of her doubts.
Thank the Almighty Herald you're here, but could you have not arrived sooner dear brother?
#
Janus hid under his hood. Following Haruna carefully and trying to look inconspicuous. It was quite easy, he blended well with his five other companions. Besides, all of the attention was on the chained orc, who was surrounded by palace guards as they moved towards the Palace halls.
They entered a large rectangular room with giant windows displaying the beauty of the sands and palms below. It was a good sight, if not for the overwhelming noise.
"They've captured their leader!" said a random citizen. "The savages are caught!"
"How did they do it?" said another.
"We are saved from the scum!" cried another.
Lord Gragosh's bruised eye concealed half of his vision, and his limp was getting harder and harder to watch. But they had no choice, this was the path that guaranteed the best outcome, so they were forced to follow it through.
"Father, I'm back. I have their leader chains. Sorry for not returning sooner, I've been waylaid by my studies." Haruna said.
"Haruna-- what? Is this the Orc warlord? How?" Lord Eamon was stunned. His servants stopped fanning him, their mouths agape.
"We came in the night, invaded their hideout, and subdued them before they even realized what was coming. My friends were there to help, but Prince Janus of Wayward Home was there as well. We amassed a force of elite soldiers and rounded all of their members along with their families. It took up most of our time. They are all downstairs now, surrounded by the troops."
Janus and his companions all undid their hoods. Their glamours faded. Yvaine winked at him and took a large sip of her tea.
The Earl looked utterly confused.
"Cornelia... Lysie... Bulb boy... What in the? You caught them, that easi--" The Earl cleared his throat, and composed himself.
"I mean, well done your Highness." The Earl did what looked like a bow, but he was looking towards Sir Arthan.
Janus heard Cornelia's failed attempt at hiding her chuckle. It sounded like wind passing through vents.
"I am afraid you are mistaken my Lord. For I am but the brawn that serves as security for our brains. Might I introduce to you Price Janus Blackfiled, of Wayward Home."
Lord Eamon looked from the knight towards Janus, towards her daughter.
Haruna nodded.
"Ahh yes, forgive me, Your Highness. You see I have not been having enough sleep of late." Lord Eamon said.
"Oh, it is nothing, Lord Eamon. In fact, your daughter did the same thing when she first met me. But that is beside the point. She is back safe and sound, and the menace that haunts your people is now bound in chains. I hope this is enough recompense for having your daughter stay too long in our village. She has a knack for learning about other cultures, and I am in need of magical training myself. You see, we don't have any spellcasters in our village, and it's not exactly a stone's throw away. We need all the help we can get." Janus said.
"But of course my dear Prince. I myself have had a chat with your dear sister in here, and she has explained to me the wonders of your settlement. You understand my wariness though I assume, amassing a force in an untamed land can be quite threatening to its neighbors."
Janus spied Yvaine subtly roll her eyes at the Earl.
"Well as you can see my Lord, my troops are indeed well-armed and skilled. But this the fruit of living in such harsh conditions, we need to adapt or we will perish. I can assure you though that our forces are merely used as a security force for our village, and the occasional aid to our allies. As I hope to assume, we already are at this point."
The Earl looked through the stacks of chests before him. All the glittering gemstones and bars at his feet.
"Very well then, our trade relations with Master Roban have previously been very limited. I'll see to it that they will be relaxed even further. As for the prisoners in chains. You can entrust them to the captain of the guards. I'll soon have them executed."
"No! You call us savages, but look at what you've done," Gragosh yelled. "You pink skins are the worst of the lot. Filthy----"
"That's enough of that." Cornelia said as she enclosed the orc inside a barrier, dulling his voice before putting him to sleep.
Before the orc collapsed to the ground, Arthan carefully caught him by his harness and laid him down gently.
"Actually Lord Eamon, I have another plan for them. If you would hear me out for a moment..."
#
"We pulled it off!"
"Almighty save me we pulled it off!"
Yvaine cheered as they marched back beyond the outer gates of Gaddi, where they set up camp for the night.
Cookpots were burning with sweet potato noodles, as well as a load of stews with everything on it.
They arrived like a small army, but what would return looked like a small village.
Lord Gragosh was awake with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. They were sharing stories by the fire, but the Clanchief wouldn't stop crying.
"Free at last. I thought I'd never see the day when we would be free at last!"
Yvaine and Lady Haruna were both sobbing, as well as Pazeem and Lyse. Cornelia however, was unperturbed, sipping her noodles as nothing happened. Aiden was frantically recording the events that occurred earlier while asking questions here and there about details that he forgot.
Thankfully the Earl was kind enough to send away these so-called "savages" his way. Janus had to tell the Lord that he meant to use them as slaves, but Chief Gragosh had already known their plan the night before.
It wasn't easy convincing the orc that the village of Wayward Home was safe. Even though rumors were already circulating in Gaddi at how they were housing dwarves and goblins with humans alike. Cornelia had to cast a spell that flickered through images of the village to convince him that the rumors were all true.
Janus offered them the same arrangement. A plot of land to call your own. Food and shelter, surrounded by nature. Equal opportunity through merit, at the cost of hard work, and a few catastrophes in the way.
They numbered seventy in total. With around thirty orcs, with the rest a mix of goblins and dwarves. There was plenty of lands still to be reclaimed, and Wayward would undoubtedly welcome them.
After explaining that her problems with magic would be solved by being exposed by the energies at Lakeside. Lady Haruna was free to come and go as she pleased. Provided that she was ready to go back home whenever she was called upon.
They signed on a treaty establishing peace and trade relations.
Three birds in one stone. Janus couldn't believe they pulled it off.
"Free at last! Free at last!" They ate and drank through the night.
- Writer
