Chief of You

War has a way of bringing people together, as much as it tears them apart. Llana knew this, she knew that when their kingdom was attacked they would need allies and that they didn’t have many to choose from, but she had difficulty accepting her fathers choice.

‘Orcs, father?’

King Llewyn sat in the quiet dining hall at the table’s head, his daughter to his right. No servants were allowed in whilst they had meals, something that the king insisted on.

‘Chief Gian is rumoured to be quite reasonable. He will understand the weight of our loss will affect his people just as much as ours.’ His well groomed and braided beard had begun greying recently, but he still held a regal vigour and charming looks. His rule had been uncontested for two decades for a good reason. Uncontested within the kingdom that is.

‘Reasonable isn’t trustworthy, father.’ Llana had taken after her fathers good looks, raven black hair, blue eyes deeper than the sea and lightly tanned skin. Her personality was closer to her mothers, much to Llewyn’s worry. She picked up a sword before she picked up poetry.

The King put his knife and fork down and sighed, cleaning his mouth with a decorated napkin. ‘Just be polite later. A normal orc warrior is worth five of our men, Gian has a few hundred at his disposal. If we can secure an alliance our chance of coming out of top doubles, if not triples.’

Llana folded her arms in protest, pouting. Not only would her father not allow her to lead their men into battle, he wouldn’t even listen to her opinion. She was not a child any longer at twenty two, yet often it felt as though the king saw her as just that. He had long given up trying to get her married at least, but he still wouldn’t let her have her own way.

‘What about looking for help from across the sea?’

‘Where? The Grand Islands? Famous for their hostility to literally anyone else? As any further and the reinforcements will be too late.’

Unable to think of a good comeback, the princess pushed her chair back and stood tall, fighting with the dress she wore out of politeness. She turned in a huff, before stopping to quickly curtsey before her father. She then turned back to the door.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Sword practice. I need to make sure I’m sharp when the beast comes.’

Her father took a swig of wine. ‘Not in that dress you’re not. You can’t beg me for a new dress then ruin it the next day,’ he looked up at her behind the goblet of wine with a devilish look in his eyes.

Llana became flustered. ‘I di- I did not beg. I merely requested something that suited my hair and mothers jewelry.’

She stormed out of the room, feigning offense. ‘You’re allowed to like swords and dresses you know dear?’ Llewyn teased his daughter with a headshake, going back to his meal. ‘Never thought I’d have to deal with two of you, Carlina,’ he mused under his breath.

In her room, the princess let her dress drop gently, making sure to not damage it in any way, she then folded it and placed it in her washing basket, ready for the maids to take it away. When this orc came, she wanted to be in her uniform, she wanted her sword at her side. He was surely a savage and she had been trained by the best sword masters by the western seas.

She stood in front of the body length mirror that lay against her wall. Decorated like an art piece for whatever reason. She had honed and built the body in front of her since she was old enough to walk. Lean muscles that shouldn’t be underestimated, various scars from training and calloused hands. Most men had lost interest in her, despite her status and her fathers insistence.

Not that she minded, a man too scared to date a woman like her wasn’t worth knowing. She knew one existed, her mother found her father after all. Not that he was a slouch with a blade either, it’s how he caught her attention originally.

Satisfied with admiring her form, the princess threw on her uniform, braising her belt tight to her waist. She then walked to a wardrobe separate from the one holding her dressed. She pulled the doors apart to reveal rows of weapons. Swords, spears, a few shields and even a bow. Her favourite sat in the middle though.

The last present from her mother. Starlight. A simple name for a sword, but something her mother always called her. It felt… Fitting. She breathed deeply and grasped the sword in her hand, unleashing it from its sheathe.

‘I’ll protect this kingdom. And I’ll protect father. I promise you mother,’ she whispered, head against the flat side of the blade. Feeling resolute, she stormed to the training grounds.

Even at this early hour the knights were hard at work. War stood right around the corner after all, they had to train. They had to lean the soldiers into battle, and apparently the orcs too.

‘Princess Llana!’

A familiar voice shouted from across the grounds.

‘Tori, Buxton!’ She shouted back, glad to see some of the few knights that treated her like another human.

The two knights jogged over to her. Tori, a red headed girl with short hair that wielded a sword a size too large for her with ease, and Buxton, tall and wiry, he always seemed more of a strategist than a warrior. He was handy with a sword, but purely due to his training, he lacked the talent for it.

‘Are you alright Princess? The knights are on even higher alert now we heard what the king’s doing.’ Tori wore a worried expression.

‘Like I said, it’s a good idea Tori. The more help we have the more likely you are to return alive,’ Buxton interjected, poking her round cheeks.

She slapped his hand. ‘I’ll make sure I return alive regardless. Otherwise I’m going to have to see you marry some other girl from up above.’

The two were a couple. Rare for knight orders, but then, so was a woman in their ranks. Usually a son of a noble family is chosen to join the ranks, but Tori’s family; the Dacanta’s, only had one child, and it was her. She volunteered anyway.

Llana sighed. ‘Please leave your flirting until later. I need one of you to be my training partner.’

With a bright smile, Buxton grasped both of his beloved’s shoulders and picked her up, for she was lighter than one would expect. He dropped her directly in front of the princess. ‘Have fun you two! The captain wants me to help with security during the visit later.’ He left with a wink.

Tori wanted to protest, but then she realised this was exactly what she wanted anyway. The princess could actually keep up with her, unlike most of the younger knights. The older ones generally had their own training going on.

The two girls smiled at one another, the princess a head above her training partner. She pulled a wooden sword from a nearby stand and raised it up. ‘You ready, knight Tori?’

She giggled in response. ‘Always, princess.’

***

‘Everything is sore.’

‘Well, maybe if you didn’t fight Knight Dacanta for two hours straight you might find yourself in a little less pain,’ king Llewyn replied.

He sat on his throne with his daughter by his side. His daughter who insisted on standing at attention like a guard rather than the next in line for the throne. She had indeed spent far too long in the training ground. If Chief Gian did have less than noble intentions she would not be of use.

She fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable. Still, her father couldn’t help but smile. ‘Eyes forward now, our guest could arrive any minute.’

As if on que, a scribe walked in, sweat on his forehead and speed in his step. ‘Pr-presenting Chief Gian of the Gritrock tr-’

Before he could finish, the doors burst open and three hulking men walked in. Llana’s eyes grew wide. She had been around muscular men on the training ground before, and tall men. These three however would tower over all of them. Twice and wide and at least a head or two taller. Especially the one in the middle.

‘King Llewyn I presume?’ The orc in the middle asked, a mischievous smile on his face. His voice was deep, domineering with a hint of jovial teasing in it.

Llana felt her cheeks heat up from that smile. Was he good looking? Even with those two tusks sticking out from his bottom gums? Yes, yes he absolutely was.

Llewyn smiled back. ‘Oh my. Chief Gian. I had heard you were a refined gentleman. Don’t tell me the rumours were false.’

With a little hesitation, and a cheeky glance at the princess. Gian leant down on one knee. From the angle Llana could see just how far his bulging muscles stretched from his torso. An overwhelming urge to squeeze his chest grew in her finger and heart. She felt like she had gone back to being a hormonal teenager. Why did they wear such little cloth on their chests anyway? It felt unfair.

‘Apologies needed then, King Llewyn. From one leader to another,’ he looked up through deep dark eyes at the father daughter duo. ‘I was in a rush you see.’

Quite amused, Llewyn nodded. ‘I assume you’re in agreement then? That if we don’t work together we both lose our land?’

‘May I stand?’

‘You may.’

He stood up and stretched his arms, flexing his muscles as he did. ‘Hyup!’ Llana let out an involuntary noise, though quickly covered her mouth. It did not stop either of them men from noticing however.

‘Can I get you a shirt, Chief Gian?’ Llewyn asked, unamused.

‘If you could find one that fit,’ he grinned in response.

With an eye roll, the king waved his hand. ‘Proceed.’

Gian looked over at the princess then turned around, grabbing a roll of hide from one of his guards. He pulled a string on it, and threw it onto the ground between him and the royal family. A few guards nearby reached for their swords.

‘It’s a map you idiots,’ Llewyn dismissed them.

A map it was indeed. Though crudely drawn it was an accurate map of the local region. They lived inside a large valley, their kingdom, the kingdom of Buriche being the most western, bordering the sea. In the south was Obensire and to the east Ragorn.

It was Ragorn that sought their land, they sought the coast to improve their trade and military might. The only issue being that Obensire was completely neutral, refusing a side and also more powerful than they would seem by their size on the map. So Ragorn only had one way to go. The “unclaimed” zone in between their two nations to the north.

Gian pointed at the map to a series of small red huts by a large river that cut the valley in half, right in the so-called unclaimed zone. ‘My scouts have seen a dozen or so Ragorn scouts in this area. By our count their concentrating is around our tribe in particular. We’ve built one of the few bridges in the area after all.’

‘An-And Ragorn hasn’t approached for safe passage? Or an alliance?’ Llana blurted out.

Llewyn looked over at his daughter, a little annoyed. He was curious too of course, but she could have asked in a less accusatory tone.

Gian smiled at the princess, a knowing smile. ’Aye. He approached us with a deal alright. Leave “their land” or be crushed by their army. Their king Ghuster is an arrogant man. I was hoping the fabled Twilight King Llewyn would be a little more reasonable.’

‘A title I barely deserved when it was given to me. Twenty years ago. You don’t need to use flattery Chief Gian. I intend for this alliance to go through, and I didn’t earn my peoples loyalty by going back on my word.’

The orc’s wicked smile passed between father and daughter. ‘And I wonder if the infamous warrior daughter feels the same way.’ He winked at Llana.

‘Gulp.’ Another weird audible noise escaped Llana, she hadn’t ever known a wink to actually be an effective form of flirting. She was certainly feeling embarrassed at this point now.

Llewyn however was starting to feel a little impatient, he used his left hand to push his child slightly behind his throne whilst he continued to talk. ’My end of the deal is simple, you help us win this wore, we guarantee your independence and our friendship for at the very least until the end of mine and my daughters lives.

‘Father!’

‘Enough Llana. I want you to have a kingdom left to rule when I’m gone.’

She fell silent, unable to protest again. Instead stealing glances at the orc, who watched her back with the same mischievous smile.

‘Favourable terms already, and you want to give me the option for more?’ He thought for a moment, though clearly just as a courtesy. ‘I want your traders to stop by my land. I want to have access to your blacksmiths. In return, we will always fight by your side, be your first line of defense to the east. At least whilst I’m alive, aye? Can’t say I have an heir yet,’ he commented with a sly chuckle, another teasing glance at the princess.

The King raised a brow. ‘Seems as though we’re both a little desperate for this deal. I wonder if there was a need for all these promises.’

‘The promises keep it iron,’ the chief replied.

King Llewyn tapped his thrones arm rest a few times, then stood to his feet. He walked forwards, unfearing as the true size of the orc in front of him came to light. He reached out a hand half the size of Gians.

‘The terms are more than acceptable, Chief Gian.’

The orc Chief grabbed Llewyn’s hand happily, shaking it with purpose. Any tension that was in the room faded, that is until the comparatively small human king pulled the large orc in close to him, knocking him near on his knees.

‘There is one more thing, Chief Gian,’ he whispered. ‘I pride myself on allowing my daughter a lot of autonomy. It has led to her becoming a woman I am very proud of. But, if you hurt her even a little, I will burn your home to the ground with you in it, even if it meant my kingdom was no longer mine.’

He pushed the orc back with a pat on his back. ‘Are we understood?’ He smiled.

Chief Gian stood with his mouth agape, then burst into laughter. ‘Not deserving of the title he says, ha!’ He placed his own hand on the king’s back. ‘I’d worry you’d be too stuffy for my taste, your highness. Glad to be proved wrong.’

The two men pulled their arms apart, both satisfied with the deal they struck. Llana stood by confused, having no idea what had just been spoken in hushed whispers. She watched as another Orc grabbed the map and headed for the door.

‘My people will lead you to your accommodations and show you where all the facilities are. We’ll finalise the details tomorrow over a few glasses of wine,’ King Llewyn remarked, sitting back in his throne.

‘Make it the strongest ale you’ve got,’ Gian replied.

‘I can do that.’

With a gleeful nod, Gian went to leave the throne room before stopping at the doorway. ‘Oh. And Princess?’

Llana nearly jumped out of her skin, she pulled her hair back and attempted to stand straight, furrowing her brows in weak disgust. ‘What do you want orc?’ her voice barely stayed level, but she just about managed it.

He gave her one last smile before the door closed behind him. ‘Just hoping I’ll see you at the training yard.’ She could feel her cheeks grow red again.