Night was beginning to fall. Blemish had not moved from the table, though Meriel and Jennifer had tried to encourage him to take a bed. He said simply that he didn’t want to be a problem and went silent after that. He barely moved and didn’t eat much. If Titania came into the room, he perked up slightly, but didn’t speak unless spoken to. He wouldn’t admit it, but Blemish’s mind was at war with his soul. So many questions running through his mind at once, and contradictions to things he’d always known to be true. He spent most of the day laying still and allowing himself to think.
Titania had left for the evening to hunt, leaving Jennifer and Meriel to guard the house. Jennifer had her misgivings, and finally, after an hour of listening to her daughter strum her lute, she coughed and spoke, quietly enough that Blemish couldn’t hear.
“When should we go?”
“We’re not going.” Meriel answered firmly. “We talked about this, mom…leaving now is too dangerous. We need a plan.”
“We have one! Escape to Serindal!”
“Without Titania as a guide, we’d be caught and turned back into slaves when we pass through the slaver city.” Meriel argued.
“We’ll go around it! Sweetheart, the longer we’re here, the more likely that Jessai finds out where we are!” She pointed out.
“He won’t! And even if he did suspect we escaped to Titania, what will he do about it? He wouldn’t risk his soldiers for just two slaves. Titania is a threat and Jessai knows it.” Meriel giggled, a little proud of the simple brilliance of it all. Jennifer hissed under her breath, clearly angry.
“You don’t know the way those animals think…orcs are envious an gluttenous savages…it doesn’t matter to them if there’s a risk, they’ll run headlong into hot magma if they thought they had something to gain!”
“Not Jessai….he’s too cunning for that.” Meriel argued.
“Neither of you are wrong.” Both squeaked in surprise, Blemish was sitting up now, his mask back on as he rubbed his wounded side. He had been listening quietly…and dared only now to speak. “Your mom is right that Orcs are savage creatures…and I have no doubt that if they knew you were here, they’d try to come get you. But….but Meriel is right too. Jessai is a high orc…an orc with above average leadership skills and intellect. He’s sharp…”
“And how exactly would you know?” Jennifer asked coldly. Blemish frowned behind his mask and turned away from them.
“Mom!” Meriel snapped. She lowered her voice and spoke calmly and gently to Blemish. She remembered what Titania had said…he may look 14, but inside is an 8 year old boy. “Blemish, why do you think Jessai is more cunning?” It took Blemish a moment before answering.
“When I went that night to kill him, I found few guards between him and the room. I ran in and plunged a knife into the orc sleeping in his bed…but when I looked, it was not an orc, but a dwarf slave, hidden by blankets and pillows. The moment I removed my blade, orcs poured into the room with Jessai at the front. I was overwhelmed and forced to run.” He answered slowly. “He knew I was aiming for him…knew to set bait…knew to draw me in. He’s not stupid.”
“All the more reason we should go now.” Jennifer argued. “If Jessai is clever enough to set a trap for an Arch Angel and wound him, he’s clever enough to find us here and get us back. I won’t be a slave again!”
“But you can’t go.” Blemish whispered.
“What?” Jennifer asked, shocked he spoke up again.
“Sorry but, Titania is right…it’s not safe to leave now.” He muttered.
“Why? More Inquisition spies we have to worry about?” Jennifer demanded.
“Mom, stop it!”
“No, I won’t stop!” Jennifer snapped back, rising to her feet. “I’m tired of this! I’m tired of being yanked around like fishing line! First we’re ordered about by Jessai, then by Grognor, then by Titania, and now by this assassin!? I’m tired of being told what to do! I’m sick of being stuck in this hell hole any longer! Meriel, we have to get out of here sooner or later, and I say sooner!”
“Mom, would you just understand that Titania and Grognor are trying to HELP us!? And Blemish is just trying to-”
“I KNOW!” Jennifer cried, tears rolling down her face as she sat back down, burying her face in her hands. “I know, alright? I…I just feel so helpless. First Gregory and then….then…” At the mention of her fathers name, Meriel sat beside her mother and hugged her tightly.
“We’re not going to die Mom…it’s going to be okay.” Blemish watched the two for a long moment and felt an aching in his chest. As Jennifer wrapped her arms around Meriel and the two embraced, a pain split open inside him, and it wasn’t from the injuries…he felt a familiar need for the same. A piece of him wanted to walk over and embrace them as well, but he knew better and stayed back. But why did this hurt him so? Why did he…like this sentiment? He felt jealous of them, but also happy for them. It was something he could not explain.
Suddenly Blemish went rigged. He smelt it…the stench that didn’t belong out here. It smelled of musk and blood. He climbed to his feet and staggered to the far wall where his broken armor was. Meriel glanced up at him confused.
“Blemish? What is it?”
“Shh!” He hissed. “There’s an Orc nearby.”
Meriel and Jennifer both went pale and looked at each other fearfully. An orc was here!? Had Jennifer been right? Blemish wasn’t wasting time thinking about how, but was now deliberating what to do. He grabbed one of his swords from the doorway where Titania had left it. Meriel took her mother and hurried to the kitchen to hide. As they ducked behind the counter, there came a slamming fist on the door. Blemish ducked down beside the door handle, ready to attack whatever walked through. The smell of orc was much stronger now…it was just there.
“GET OUT HERE YE UGLY DEMON BITCH!” The voice shouted. “I KNOW THAT GOOD FOR NOTH’N IS IN THERE WITH YE!” Meriel gasped, covering her mouth as she recognized the voice.
“Th-that’s Hija…he’s one of Jessai’s guards.” She whispered.
“I SAID GET YER UGLY MUG OUT HERE!” Finally he slammed his fist into the door and it broke. In stormed the tall and furious orc. His light green skin looked darker in the night background and he wore leather armor over his shoulders and waist, but nothing over his chest or rotund belly. In his hand he held an axe. His tusks were dripping with liquid…likely spit, and his breathe stank of grog, the orcs preferred alcohol made from toxic chemicals and herbs. Orcs have a high resistance to poisons and lethal toxins…making them more adept to survive in murky and bog like landscapes. As he stormed in and looked around, Jennifer whimpered and Meriel clung to her mother tightly, hiding as low as they could. “I know you’s is here….I know that lil runt visits ya! You come out with him an I’ll go easy on ya! Might even have some fun with ya before I string up yer neck! Yer a demon, but ye got a pussy like any other wench, eh?” Despite his lewd threats, Blemish didn’t move a muscle…he melded into the shadows, waiting…waiting for his back to be exposed. Hija lumbered into the hall and finally, lowered his axe slightly, letting down his guard.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Blemish lunged fast, aiming to shove his blade just behind Hija’s heart….but the pain in his side flared up like an angry fire and he staggered. His blade only sank into the small of Hija’s back! His injuries weren’t fully recovered. Hija let out a roar of pain and spun around, flailing at the young boy. Blemish ducked and rolled out of the way, yanking his blade free. His sudden and rapid movements only made the wounds hurt worse, and red stains could be seen building on his bandages where they’d been reopened.
“YER THE LIL SNOT WHO TRIED TA KILL JESSAI! LOOKS LIKE THE DAMN DEMON IS HID’N YE!!” He smirked. “But ye ain’t look’n so good, is ya!?” Blemish said nothing, continuously using his free hand to raise his mask up to cover his face. He must never show his face to the enemy…his enemy must only know the face of death. But with his single hand holding a sword, and his eyes swimming with pain…what chance did he have against an orc this size and strength!? Hija moved towards him fiercely and Blemish side stepped fast, slashing at his legs. Hija moved just in time and swung at Blemish. Blemish ducked the blow, but grunted again in pain, tripping over his foot. Damn it!
“Looks like ye ain’t gonna get away from me!” Hija laughed. “Jessai’s gonna reward me good with your head given to ‘em!” Blemish raised his sword to defend…knowing he would be helpless to block this next attack. But better to stand defiant than cower in defeat. “SAY YER PRAYERS YA LIL SH-”
“RAAAAAAH!” Like an enraged beast, Titania burst through the doorway and slammed her full towering body into Hija, smashing him into the wall, sending splinters of wood everywhere. Hija roared back and swung his elbow at her, which she blocked with her hand. Her eyes were red with fury and her sharp fangs were bared like a savage animal. Titania grabbed him by the arm and flung him out towards the door of her cabin, knocking him like a pile of rocks into the door frame. As he tried to get up, she kicked him hard in the gut, launching him out of the cabin again. Blemish stared in awe at the performance of savagery, but then realized Titania had dropped her weapon. Quickly he held out his sword.
“Here!” He called. Titania shook her head.
“No…I’m not gonna kill him.” She answered. Before Blemish could even question her sanity as he wanted to, she ran out after him. Hija got up and swung his axe at Titania, who caught his arm and judo flipped him to the ground. She climbed on top of the struggling Hija and began slugging him in the face with as much force as she could manage. Her bellows of rage could be heard for miles, and Blemish began to wonder if this was the same Titania from before…the same sweet woman who had treated him with such kindness. This looked more like the ogres he’d fought in the past…only perhaps a little more wild.
“Filthy demon!” Hija bellowed.
“UGLY SWINE!” Titania roared. “You come near my cabin again and I don’t care WHO your son is, I’ll break every bone in your body and leave you to the wolves!”
“You’re hiding the goddamn assassin.” Hija smirked through bloody teeth. “Jessai ain’t gonna ignore that…he’ll send more. Even you can’t fight all o’ us! Hand over the boy, and I’ll never come back. I swears it.”
Blemish watched this exchange silently, leaning on the battered doorframe and amazed by Titania’s strength…but preparing himself to flee. Titania would turn him in to save her cabin and the elves. He’d have to leave as soon as he could to avoid that. Titania got up off of Hija and then grabbed him by the throat with a single hand, holding him up with unmatched strength.
“Listen to me, you ass faced traitor!” She roared. “The boy is under my protection. You tell Jessai if he wants him so bad, he better bring a goddamn army. I’LL BUTCHER YOU ALL AND BE DONE WITH IT!” Blemish froze. She claimed him….she wouldn’t hand him over. With a roar, Titania hurled Hija away and to the ground, as his body slammed against a tree.
“Well ye better kill me then…cause I won’t go back quiet, bitch.”
“I can’t kill you…that’s Grognor’s job.” Titania bellowed.
“Heh, yer a dumber bitch than I thought….the runt ain’t got the guts ta kill me.” Titania didn’t answer him, but simply snarled in a territorial display of power. She wouldn’t back down. Hija calmly picked himself off and limped away, laughing hysterically about his discovery of Blemish. As he wandered away, Blemish walked out to Titania and blinked.
“Why didn’t you kill him?” He asked.
“He’s Grognor’s father.” Titania answered. “It’s not my place to punish Hija…that’s Grognor’s choice…and he asked me to not hurt his Dad…at least not yet.” She then turned to Blemish and looked him over. “Are you okay!? Your wounds opened up. I’m sorry I wasn’t back sooner. Let’s get that cleaned and….and…” Blemish was weeping. Behind his mask, tears were falling slowly but surely. The mask finally dropped from his trembling hands and he did something he’d never done before…something he didn’t think was possible for him.
“B-Blemish!?” Titania cried. Blemish threw his arms around Titania’s neck as she knelt down to inspect his bandages. He hugged her as he cried into her shoulder…cried like he’d wanted to for so very long. This ogress…who could easily have spared herself…had protected him…had declared him her own. No one had ever wanted to own or protect Blemish…and now…now he felt like she wanted him around. Why did this feel so good? He should hate this woman for what she was…and yet he adored everything about her.
“Titania…th-thank you.” He whispered. Titania, uncertain of how to respond to Blemish’s tears, very gently patted his head.
“No problem…um…but we should really patch you up, okay?” Blemish didn’t move, so eventually Titania had to pry him off just to walk back inside with him. Blemish scooped up his mask again and followed Titania in, holding his bleeding side and smiling to himself. Though he put the mask back on for Meriel and Jennifer…he vowed to himself that for Titania, he’d never hide behind it again.