Page 56 of Orc's Promise
Kodexand I stand before Atox as we wait for the entire settlement of Mount Racha to convene, excluding the warriors on patrol. I fully expected Atox to be here yesterday when I returned. I do not know where he went or why. None of my warriors would tell me. They must have had orders not to tell me.
Already, I’ve been cut off from full command. My future as neld is in question.
Atox hasn’t spoken to me since he returned an hour ago. I heard him ask Paloma where the human youngling is. Ethan. That means someone already informed him of where Kodex and I went, what we did.
His lips peel back, baring not the tops of his tusks but their full lengths. I’ve never seen him this mad, not even at Ryko or Baloq, the only two warriors he’s ever exiled. It appears I will be the third.
I will not initiate conversation, nor will I lie to my grak when he finally speaks to me.
Kodex’s forehead ridges rise as he glances at me. I standstraighter and await Atox’s ruling, indicating he should do the same.
When Tansey exits the mountain, her youngling walking beside her holding her hand, my eyes find her and do not return to my grak. I cannot help myself. She is as air to my lungs. I cannot breathe without knowing where she is, how she is.
The ire in her eyes does not detract from her beauty. It accentuates it. I’ve never seen her look stronger or more beautiful…more orc.
Despite the anger she levels at me, there is a peace to her now that she has her youngling. I see it from here. The smile when she talks to him, the way she walks, carefree and with joy.
I do not regret my actions, only that I defied her wishes.
“She’s wrong,” I say aloud to the gods, even though I do not believe they hear me any longer. “I didn’t do this for me. I did this for her. For Haaka, Veeya, and all those who did not survive.”
Atox turns swiftly and punches me in the face, catching me off guard.
I fall to my knees, but do not reach for a knife. This is my grak. One does not draw a knife unless he intends to use it, and to do so against a grak means death.
The talking and noise of the crowd disappear. Complete silence fills the base of our mountain as Atox grips me by my weapons harness and pulls me to my feet. “How dare you put me in this position?” he whispers. “And then invoke the names of those we lost. Those I lost because I failed to protect our people.”
“You were not responsible for the ships exploding. Your father’s forces were. Maybe the cendagi,” I reply, also in a whisper, as these are not words that all should hear.
“On this, you speak the truth, but that does not make their deaths any less my responsibility.” He thrusts me back in disgust, growls, and looks over the crowd of orcs and humans watching.
“All that happens under my rule, to any of my people, is my responsibility,” he says, loud enough that all can hear, but his eyesare squarely on me. “And now you defy me after I exiled Ryko and Baloq. I cannot afford to lose any additional warriors, especially my neld. Should I appoint another?”
“You will do as you see fit, Grak. As I did. This female needed her youngling as much as we need air to breathe. Imagine if someone took your younglings from you.”
“I’d fight an entire army single-handedly to get them back, and you vekking know that.”
“But you wouldn’t fight them alone. We would fight beside you. Die for them, die for you, as is our honor. The same must be for all of our people. Tansey is orc now, even if she refuses risha. We are obligated to protect her and those she protects. She never should have been taken from her youngling. And you would not allow her to return to him. I had no choice but to bring the youngling to her. I do not apologize for what was necessary, though I regret breaking your trust in me, Grak. I never should have disobeyed your orders, and yet I saw no other choice.”
I fall completely silent. An orc does not beg forgiveness or leniency. I knew the risk when I disobeyed Atox’s orders, and I’d repeat my transgression because it is what my female needed, even if she never speaks to me again. I will accept whatever fate my grak decides for me. His word is law, and as neld, I’m to enforce his word, even when I am the one being punished.
“No other words in your defense, Neld?”
I straighten my spine, draw a knife, and slap the flat of the blade against my chest. “There is no defense for disobeying my grak. I am guilty and accept the consequences, but I must inform you of another transgression before you pass judgment.”
“Speak, then,” he says with a growl.
“I let Warrior Kodex believe we left under your orders. He followed my orders as neld, nothing more. Had he known I was defying your orders, he would not have gone with me.”
Atox runs his eyes across Kodex’s face. The male hasn’tblinked since this inquiry began. He hasn’t spoken up in his own defense, because that would make him look weak before his grak.
“Does your neld speak the truth?” Atox asks.
“Yes, Grak.”
“Return to your duties.”
After slamming a blade against his chest, Kodex leaves us, entering the crowd to stand with the other warriors, watching and waiting to learn my punishment.
