So It was not a dream. I really got reincarnated as an orc. It influenced my mental fitness at first, but now with time, I seem to have recovered. Orcs are not different from humans. They are just bigger and more captivating. Orcs and elves are the same species one chose jungle while the other chose plains. With time as they evolved, Elves became smaller, and the pigment that made them green disappeared.
It has been three months since I've come into this world. Till now, I have learned the orcish language. Well, it's not that hard. Orcs with simple minds basically have a straightforward language. I deliberately made my first-word mama and tara to make my mother happy. That radiant face is imprinted in the back of my mind. Soon after my first words, I started walking. Because of that, they have hailed me as a fast learner.
Our family lives in the biggest and most luxurious house in the tribe as my father is the chief. Every other family only has a longhouse made of wooden logs and bushes, but our house comprises three long houses in an inverted U shape. One wing of the house is for my father and uncle Uuk, and the other is for my siblings and me. They are twins born to my mother's younger sister. In orcs, it's okay to have multiple wives as there are fewer males than females as many males die during hunting or fighting. There is a small garden between our three longhouses where we siblings play in the evening.
My name is Uric here as well. They named me after my uncle, who sacrificed himself to save our tribe and us. Our house design is simple. There are two gates in my room, one from the garden side, another opposite on another side of the wall, which leads us outside where we wash up. I have two nice blankets made of fur as night is freezing in the woods. I have continued my daily routine in this life as well. There is a simple routine that I have. I wake up early. Then I take a well-deserved piss, and after washup, I train in the garden, which impressed my father and our shaman.
Today is the same. I woke up, took a right from my bed, and went outside the gate where all the unnecessary extra things in the rooms were kept. In my section, I have the topmost room or one most distant from the lateral position. The middle chamber is for Uncle Uric's son. The closest room to the lateral part is reserved for the youngest ones, who are my half-siblings. There were already a few containers there filled with water early morning by the female hobgoblins who work in our house. "Lol, I'm really the prince here. They set everything up for me." I took one of those containers to the lavatory, which was effectively a dry pit made by us. Afterward, I went to a stream behind the lavatory, where we bathed and cleaned up.
I looked at my face while looking at the creek. That's a really handsome face that could rival Kim Taehyung. I really got my mother's look. Of course, initially, it disappointed my father that I didn't have his masculine features, but he calmed down after witnessing my talent and growth. To general belief, orcs are very immaculate and clean. But they can't remain so because of training and work. The same is the case for pigs. Contrary to general belief, pigs are inherently clean animals. They have different places for eating, sleeping, and excreting. That's because they can't sweat. So they need a mud pool to cool themselves and protect themselves from the sun.
After cleaning up, I went back to my room. My blankets were arranged, and they placed new clothes and jewelry on top of it. These are perks of being a prince. I don't need to do anything. Just eat and train. There was a white top and a pair of brown pants. A bracelet made with rabbit and goblin teeth and a locket made of long, shiny canine. I know that's a magic beast canine just by its length and shine. We had a few knowledgeable lectures by my mother till now.
After washing and dressing up, I train till noon in the garden, but today is special. Today our siblings will be officially introduced to the tribe, and they will take us to our storage to give us our first weapon and training guide. They say after a year, we will be able to learn our family's fighting techniques. Well, who wants to learn an orcish way of fighting? They just gonna charge in shouting waagh. That's how I remember orcs from the Warhammer series. But till now, they are the exact opposite of the Warhammer orcs. After dressing up, I started towards my mother's room. As I removed the leather curtain to enter the corridor, I saw aunt Urmi with Darg. Darg is a mature kid. He is not a problematic child.
"Ready Already?" I smiled and said to aunt Urmi. 'Brother? You look so handsome today." Darg replied in awe while putting up his shoes. He is 2 weeks younger than me. Orcs speak and walk just after a few days of their birth. The nature of the jungle has made them so to survive.
" Darg is right, Uric. You look so good today. These jewelry suits you the best." Aunt smiled and said while beholding my ornament on my wrist and neck, She doesn't smile much. My mother says she rarely smiled after my uncle passed away. My name is also Uric, so I guess she has a special corner in her heart for me.
"I didn't know if they would suit me. So mother arranged it for me."
"Sister Tara did? That makes sense. She has a perfect dressing sense. Before marrying your father, she had all the tribe as her suitor." She said as she giggled. I smiled in return. What else could I say to these embarrassing words?
"Now go to your mother. She must be waiting for you." It made my heart warm to see her happy. As I moved closer to the lateral part, I approached the third room where my half-sibling stayed. Daru and Dani are mischievous. Dabi is the stubborn one, while Daru is a knobhead. Daru, for once, can be controlled, but Dabi can't. She will do everything she wants. You just can't stop her. I saw aunt Tara, who is also my second mother saw, struggling with them. I hope she gets them dressed up before the ceremony.
Finally, I arrived in front of my mother's room. Mother and aunt live in the lateral part of the house. Each longhouse has three rooms. As I removed the leather curtain, I saw her combing her hair. Combs are rare, as ironworks are rare in the wild. The basic structure of the room is the same, but her room looks way more luxurious than others. She has a few wooden logs that are filled with accessories. Well, she deserves it. She is basically the queen of the tribe. When she turned, I got stunned by her look. A black top with shiny iron armor on the upper body covering it with a furry black cloak. She looked majestic.
"Ready?" She said with a smile. She moved towards the wooden log, picked up a small comb, and started making my hair. They were long. I felt she straightened them and made a small pony like David Beckham on the back. I felt something in my heart. Was it love, or it was a feeling of safety? A mother's love for her child? Or it's a feeling that there is someone so majestic to protect me. I continuously stared at her while she made my hair.
"It's done. You look good with long hair." She was happy while speaking, and I kept staring at her.
"What happened? Don't you like what your mother is wearing?" She noticed my stare and finally asked. I shook my head vigorously in disapproval.
"No, you are looking fantastic. I think the major attraction for today's ceremony will be you instead of us."
"Pfft… you have my good looks and intelligence. I wonder from whom you got that flattering skill? Your father is not that good at it." She said as she was laughing hard.
"I wonder if I learned this skill from uncle Uuk." She laughed even harder at my words.
"Come on, I think the tribe is already gathering up. Your father also has something important to announce." She put her arms on my shoulder and turned me towards the gate. I grabbed her hand as we walked out, which made her extra happy, and I was less nervous.
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The bigger problem is not that I was nervous before the ceremony but that I was born in the Ironblood tribe in 'Aaron's Quest,' the same novel I was reading before I died. So I had an ominous feeling that the plot was looking similar. But my family member's name has confirmed it. Truck kun has reincarnated me in the novel called "Aaron's Quest.
Damn it, why is it happening now just when I thought my life was all set as a prince? But, wait, it's not time to panic. I knew by reading countless reincarnation novels that I'll have to work my ass off from starting, and I was ready for it. But I only imagined having hegemony in my surroundings, but now I'll do something extraordinary to survive.
I looked at Darg, who was also nervous about the naming ceremony, and remembered Darg's age was 8 years when Aaron invaded the Ironblood tribe. So we have eight years to make my preparations before we fight humans again. I don't know what we will do, but I know one thing for sure: I'm going to protect this family even if I have to use all the tribesmen as fucking shields or even if I have to make a deal with Devil. There is no way I am losing these all after finally getting it. So let's see what can we do to avoid it. Finally, we arrived at the venue where the tribe had gathered.
Today, our tribe has gathered in a forest glade. It's like city hall in this tribe. My father is standing on the small mound in front of his tribe. To the left, there are a few warriors. One is my uncle Uuk, who continuously smiled at us as we stood there nervously. The others standing there were Three orc commanders and an orc shaman, a hobgoblin. Basically, he's the head of goblins and a goblin shaman. There are about 140 orcs in front, and the majority are young orcs and pregnant females, as I have yet to see an elderly orc. I wonder what they are like and where are they? And then there are hundreds of goblins, and, if all are present, a dozen hobgoblins.
My mother told me there are only a few independent goblin tribes. So when an orc tribe approaches a goblin tribe, they just surrender and become their servants. This also solves their problems. They get to eat good food and have orc's protection. However, they'll have to do menial work for orcs like wood gathering, medicine, herb gathering, tailoring fur clothes, cleaning, etc.
"I Umok have gathered you, tribesman, here for the naming ceremony of my children." My father said in a loud voice. Whoo… woo… an ear penetrating sound entered my ears. All the orcs and goblins were cheering and shouting as my father held out a hand to stop their cheering. Orcs knew they had to stop once the leader ordered. However, some still carried on shouting, especially goblins. They are a super excited bunch of critters. It's kinda cute btw, watching them screaming and bouncing.
My father gave an indignant look to my uncle Uuk. He then unsheathed his heavy sword and went down at an unnatural speed, considering the orc's heavy body. Uncle Uuk swings his sword, and we can see a gust of dust as we see his sword is deep in the ground. It made an enormous impact and a depression in the ground, as seen after the dust cloud settled down. There was a pin drop after that. Uncle's sword looked very rusty and dull. Well, it will work fine on goblins. However, I wonder if it's gonna be of any use against Humans or any other outstanding warrior. Again, there was a pin drop after that, even from the goblins' side. I wonder if we can control them without violence. Most of them wouldn't even know why we have gathered here. I bet they think we have compiled here because there is a feast after the ceremony.
"You will also have children in a few days, and our tribe will grow even more powerful." Again there was shouting after his words, but this time they all stopped at my father's signal. Everyone cares for his own life, be it orcs or those little critters.
"Now, I will officially name my children in their birth order." My father said and looked at us. My mother 'Tara' gave me a little nudge in the back, showing me to go towards my father. My mother told me to kneel before my father and look toward the ground while receiving a name.
"My first child's name will be Uric." He spoke in a proud voice. I knew it because that's what they are calling me back at home, but it was my first introduction to the tribe. Well, it can't be helped. So I humbly received my name and went back to my mother. She was standing there with a proud look on her face.
So the naming ceremony continued. Father then named all my half-siblings. After hearing their name, I got to love my name. First, I thought my siblings' names were nicknames given at home, but that's what my father named them officially. The orc's name could be ridiculous. Seriously. My half-siblings were Daru and Dabi, who were twins. And Darg, my uncle's son. Till now, this life has at least given me something little to cherish.
Suddenly my father started his Speech again. I really hope he will make it short. "You all know how recent wars with Humans go. We lost too much for the gains we got. But it was not all in vain. Now we know humans don't and won't fight fair. They fight cowardly and smartly. A warrior's honor is nothing to them. And they are right." There was tension on every face, but his last words had everybody guessing. Even I want to know what's on that mind.
"Yes, you heard it right. Humans and their ways are right. BECAUSE THEY HAVE WON THE WAR, NOT US." He shouted those last words at the top of his lungs. I already have goosebumps, and I am sure everyone else below also feels the same.
"They are right because it's not their people and family member who died. It was not them who lost their territory. It was not them who got their subordinates slaughtered while escaping." He almost choked on those last words. Few eyes, including my aunt's, were already in tears. Few eyes were beaming for revenge.
"They are right because it is not their women who will become a plaything of men. They will write books telling their generation that evil orcs got jealous of their cities and left the jungle to capture their territory. Ultimately, their Duke and army bravely defeated those evil orcs and saved their country." By this time, no one was looking into his eyes.
"Everyone must remember how those humans sent an assassin squad and murdered the chief commander. They even corrupted our tribesman, who betrayed us and usurped the chief's position." There was a pin drop. All the orcs and goblins were listening carefully and with complete focus.
"My father, mother, brothers, and sisters with other elders led our forces to fight humans and died in that battle alongside your family too. It was the same cunning humans who killed our chief commander. You must remember them. You must remember those elderly who sacrificed who were killed by humans as they sacrificed themselves so that the younger generation can live." Said, my father.
Man, they hate humans. He is not even trying to blame his old subordinate for betraying him. I knew the gist of it. I knew there was recently a war between humans and orcs in which orcs lost severely. But I never knew that my other uncles and grandfather died in that war. Also, that explains what happened to the elderly ones.
"We will also have to become like them. We must, in order to survive. But I don't want to only survive. I want my revenge, and I will get it. Our Ironblood tribe will get stronger and kill those traitorous orcs of Soumaira, and we will also take revenge on those humans of Roan." My father again shouted at the top of his lungs and punched his fist in the air. This led to another ear-piercing cheer from the crowd, who had been dead quiet for some time. They get easily motivated.
"Tell me, do you want the same thing?" he asked. "WE DO… WE DO… WE DO… " everyone shouted in answer. "Tell me, what do you want?" "REVENGE… REVENGE… REVENGE…." I wonder why does it sound like déjà vu? I am not dreaming, that's for sure. But these things sound more familiar than he is speaking. Maybe it's because I have read the novel.
Basically, what happened was Duke of Roan kingdom, who is the grandfather of the novel's main character, sent a suicide squad into the orc region to kill the orc war commander, bringing the war to an end, and they even made a second in command of several tribes revolt for benefits. Of course, orcs are not going to like it who were winning cities after cities until then. The course of the war changed after the commander's death and the Duke's entry. Orcs are still angry about that.
"I might not fulfill our dream in my lifetime, but I assure you, our future generation will surely get it for us. It's also their revenge. My brothers, I can already see that day when my son Uric takes our revenge. He has time and talent for that. But we can't leave everything for them. We must build a firm foundation for their revenge." A loud cheer continued with every sentence he spoke.
"We have a few years to get stronger. After that, we have to fight a war even if we don't want it at that time." The Speech continued, and my father added a few points on how we might strengthen our tribe, which impressed me. Yes, we will have to strengthen up if we want to face Aaron and Sabina. That might not guarantee but can indeed improve our survival. I guess I'll have to say goodbye to this life of a young master for now.