Part Ninety-Four
It had taken a day just to make proper introductions and it took two days to agree on what they were met to decide and by what margin a vote must carry and whether any votes deserved more weight on certain matters. It took three further days of meetings to discuss what each party knew and when they had known it and whom they had offended in past wars and whether any would honor Lady Lenaduiniel's agreement with the Orcs.
After six days, a recess was called for one day, for parties to rest and plan their next speech or proposal. It had been decided by some majority that those peoples and kingdoms represented would recognize some Orc sovereignty or homeland, but they were far from agreeing on where or when or in what manner these lands would be granted.
Dale had not attended the council in person, but he had assured that his opinions would be known and remembered, as he had delivered them in most unusual way. He held one of the seven seeing stones, and yet he used this only to listen and concentrated on keeping his thoughts secret. To communicate his votes and position to the council, Dale sent his butler carrying a message to the council, which some other there would read.
It was the appointment of this servant that caused the most speculation and confusion. Dale had by some means gained Jareth's service and even fitted the slender half-breed Orc with severe looking combination of Elven garments and Orcish gear. Jareth carried the messages to the council, running from the guest house, and delivered them to The Grey, who attempted to seem most impartial.
Since his Orcs had left and Duma had cut his whip, Jareth had been of a status less than a pet, and so, to become one who served a chieftain was a great rise in status among Orcs. Some called Jareth Fool, out of earshot, but when he was on Dale's business, the Orcs treated him as a Chieftain's messenger, which could be cruelly, but never enough to risk the loss of the Chieftain's property. The Elves, if they were noble, treated Jareth, when they met him, as any Lord's servant. Those Elves who were of lesser houses often did not know what to say to the news that Dale employed the Orc whose Clan had murdered Tashmetum. The Men thought perhaps this Jareth was working off a sentence or debt to Dale.
Dale had done little to convince Jareth, only said, 'Be my Orc,' and Jareth had seen the advantage in it. Jareth would give service and provide for his Chieftain, and his Chieftain would also provide for him. Jareth had been a follower before. Dale told him when it was best to sleep, of where he might find food, and if he should wash, and Jareth did as Dale said, and found things bearable. His belly was full enough. The clothing kept him warm. He was allowed to sleep, but not encouraged to be lazy. Dale gave him many tasks, and he was to run to complete them, and so Jareth did not fear his body would become weak and unable to battle if the time for it came.
The Orcs had seen Dale at the feast days past and at the river the morning Tashmetum was sent into the river and many Orcs spoke of him. They passed through their camp such news that Dale was sick, but recovering and had survived an attack by a Wizard and earned great scars that could not be seen. They spoke of the strange recent absence of his Orcs Duma and Ugarit and rumors that they had each been spotted in the wood, but not at the little house, and not together. The Orcs spoke of Jareth and how he was smart to go into Dale-Chieftain's Clan. They wondered what Jareth had brought to Dale, or if he had been properly jumped in. They argued amongst themselves whether Fei or Setsugekka was Dale's pet, now the Wizard was gone, or if Dale was perhaps without any pet or female. It was commonly believed by the Orcs that Dale would not have made Jareth a pet, but only 'his Orc'.
To be a pet was to be of very low rank among Orcs, to be judged most useful as a hole for seeking pleasure. Sometimes a pet also had value as a warrior and might even act as guard to his Chieftain, as Dog or North, but this was not the most common way. Most who were long pets were for whatever reason Orcs unsuited to being warriors or skilled at making things. To be the pet of the Chieftain was better than to be the pet of an Orc of lower rank, but one was still a pet. Yet, one who was the Chieftain's pet might hold more status among Orcs than some Orc who was no one's pet, because the Chieftain must be strong and smart and the Chieftain thought that one was the best for giving pleasure.
It did not occur to Orcs that Dale would give Jareth any honor. In truth, Dale had no desire at all for Jareth, or for any other but Tsuki. And so he found it irritating when various females and lowly ranked Orcs began visiting the house and sending messages in with Jareth. Several times females convinced Jareth to let them into the house, and Jareth, thinking it good females sought to pleasure his Chieftain, did not understand Dale's anger or refusals.
However, Dale did not reject the gifts of food. There was no debt for a Chieftain that took anything from other Orcs, whether it was offered or not. He was Chieftain and he could take what he wanted until he was challenged.
In the couple days prior to the recess, during the discussions on granting the Orcs land, Dale had laid part of each day in a hammock strung from trees supporting the Treeweaver's house. Lain said they did not often use the hammocks in winter, but all the Elves believed fresh air would be good for Dale's health and encouraged him to make use of the hammock and also of many blankets.
It was more difficult to ignore the Orcs when in the hammock. Some were barely afraid to near an Elf house, which in itself seemed a bad sign to Dale. He wanted peace, but he did not truly want Orc and Elves fearless to approach each other's resting places.
Orc culture was as it was; Orcs in the absence of Masters to give them roles and ranks, sought to prove their worth and status to each other and to themselves. Status among Orcs was difficult to explain to Elves, but that made it no less important to the Orcs. Dale understood that. He had been an Orc, perhaps as much as he had been an Elf. The females in particular seemed to think that bearing a child was a way to earn status and that bearing a child to a Chieftain must bring more status. Marduk himself had recently been overheard to say that Duma was black-blooded and an Orc, and if Marduk acknowledged the half-breed as an Orc, it must be acceptable for Orcs to breed with Elves to produce such offspring. It was clear to the Orcs that Dale had mixed his seed with that of Orcs to make Duma.
Dale tried not to be overly cruel. He wondered why they didn't pursue Duma, but then, Duma likely seemed one who already had a female ready to bear his child. The Orcs did not understand about Tsuki really. Dale did try to explain. The females seemed offended that Dale did not want to have the honor of taking pleasure from them; they seemed more interested in breeding than in pleasure or joining Dale's Clan.
An Elf would be proud to bear a child. It would be considered a blessing and a great life change, alike to the shifting of one season to another or a plentiful year that was recorded in a tree's rings. It was unheard of that this would happen without marriage. The very act of conceiving a child, for Elves, was considered marriage, if it had not already been vowed. The Elf would feel blessed, but not simply because they had exploited some physical ability to reproduce, as animals could, but because their life had branched and they would have many years to cherish and teach their child and to watch them grow to do the same.
The Orc females seemed overly proud of the very ability to bear children, but perhaps this was because no Orcs of previous generations had been able to do so. Dale told himself it would be considerate to remember this, but he was already weary of finding strange Orc in his bed. He had nearly killed several before realizing what was happening and sending them away to tend their wounds. No one was smart to disturb his sleep.
Perhaps this was why they came during the day now.
Dale was in the hammock again during the day of rest, when those who had been six days in council could return to homes or camps. Dale had his Star Stone and Old Rabbit's bones, each in a pouch tied to his belt, but he did not dwell on the council, or Tsuki, too much. He truly intended to rest his body and mind.
Aladima showed herself. She had not been one to disturb Dale's sleep; those Orcs had seemed even younger than Ugarit, perhaps recently of breeding age and intrigued by stories of Death-shadow they had heard daily while in Marduk's Clan. Aladima had come for two days already and she came again and looked on Dale in the hammock. She offered a skin filled with liquor, or Dale assumed its contents from having sampled the previous gifts.
"I see you, Aladima. What do you bring to enter my camp unchallenged?"
"Good medicine, Dale-Chieftain, to help an Orc recover from battle with a Wizard."
"Bring it to me."
Aladima glanced at Jareth, crouched attentively nearby, and seeing he made no challenge, walked toward Dale. She stooped, and though half Westerner, could have run on four limbs if she wished to. Some Mine-dwellers and Easterners did so. Their bodies were joined the same as other Orcs, but their proportion was different, legs slightly shorter and arms slightly longer than other Orcs, in respect to the torso.
Duma would have known better if she was pretty. Despite his years in a legendary Northern Clan, Dale was a poor judge of Orc beauty or lack of it. He knew enough to guess breed and judge strength and reach. Aladima carried a small axe. It was a short-handled weapon, meant to be wielded one-handed or thrown, and Aladima's reach would be greater than one inexperienced with Goblins would guess.
Dale took the skin and then several gulps of liquor. The terms 'liquor' and 'medicine' were interchangeable, because they were Mannish words borrowed by Orcs used to describe something that was not precisely alike to anything made by Men. It was more alike to Wizard Art than to the herbal infusions of Elves or Witches or to any brewed, fermented or distilled beverages made by Men. Every Clan had a variation of the stuff and some were more or less potent or beneficial.
Dale could tell by the small sampling that Aladima was skilled in making the liquor and perhaps had been trained by some Orc in the mines and assigned the making as a chore for whatever Chieftain she served at the time. He had taken smaller doses of the Grey's potion, but had not stopped taking it, and he knew enough to guess it was unwise to mix that potion with Orc liquor. After those few gulps, Dale only held the skin, but did not drink from it.
Dale said the medicine was good, and told Aladima of some ingredients he knew that should improve the flavor, which was already better than most Orc liquor, without having a great effect on the working of the medicine.
Bau came, as they were talking, and crouched near the hammock. She had been here before, and again had brought meat as her offering. The Elves had allowed the Orcs specific hunting grounds, and today Bau had found a game bird with an arrow.
Dale signaled to Jareth. His Orc rose and came closer to the hammock to listen. "Tell Bau that I eat my meat cooked, unless I have no fire. Tell her if she will cook it that I will share she and I will share the meat together. She can go into the house if she will cook for me."
Jareth gave the message to Bau. She remained a while, watching Aladima and Dale, and then went into the house.
Dale had no interest in breeding, but he was interested by the Orcs, and wished to hear what those who would visit might say of their camp. He also was not against visitors during his convalescence. Now it was known he was ill and recovering from a Wizard curse, there seemed no need to hide or keep the Orcs distant.
He was far from well, but he had strength to defend himself against one attacker at a time.
They talked for a while of other things, things Dale was interested in, and then Aladima said, "You have no pet that serves your pleasure and no female for breeding. Duma is an Orc and strong, but he is only one. If he dies, your Clan is small. Are you going to seek an Elf female? I do not think Orcs will recognize any of Elf blood as Orcs and grant them rights of Orcs except for you who it is told were made an Orc in the manner Wizards knew by Dumuzi over length of time."
"The Wizard pleased me," Dale said, "His body has not been found. He may live. My Clan is small, and a little one was lost, but Duma and Ugarit are yet able to have a child, and they live. If Duma dies, I will protect Ugarit, as Marduk did in her youth, until I know some Orc who can keep her. If Ugarit dies, I think Duma will grieve and turn to Elves."
"Turn to Elves? Would they have him?"
"They may. It is best for my Clan if Ugarit lives. But, no enemy may destroy the clan by taking Ugarit so that Duma will go to Elves. I have Jareth. He was brought in properly and has scars to show for it. Jareth is my Orc. He only needs a female and the Clan will grow, as it will if Ugarit bears a little one."
"Jareth looks strong, but no Orcs think he is smart. He is not even a Leader. No females want him."
"Well, that is only because few females have been spawned, birthed or found yet. Soon, there will be more, and there will not be so many Chieftains and Leaders for each female to have mates of such status."
"The best females will be mated to the best males. That is the way the breeding should be done."
"Yes, that way would seem proper for Orcs," Dale agreed. No mentions of love, he thought, that was for Duma and his strange bride. "But, some females and males will not be thought best, and they will perhaps turn to each other and have much breeding and pleasure. That is the way it is done with Men."
"Then, the best males should have more than one female," Aladima said, but her facial expression was clear to Dale, who had lived long among Orcs. That idea disgusted her. She did not wish to share.
"You seem attractive for your breed and you brew good medicine and I have heard you even have some experience in battle. I hope that you find some Leader or Cheiftain who can keep you, as you deserve. You should go now. I must go eat the meat Bau has brought me."
"You will not breed with Bau either."
"That is correct, but it is not disadvantageous to meet with her, or with you, is it?"
"If it is true you will have no female Orc, than no one can be of more status than another because you chose her. You will not choose any Orc female."
"Yes."
"I will go now, Dale-Chieftain."
Dale watched Aladima walk away, toward the Orc camp. When she had gone far enough to be said outside his camp, Dale got out of the hammock and walked with his stick to the house. Nightmare was nearby, unfettered and currently having a feedbag strapped to his muzzle. Dale stood in front of his horse and unbuckled the bag. He lowered it to check the contents and saw it was near empty, with only a small amount of barley within. Dale tossed the bag to the stone portion of the house's wall. Nightmare tossed his head once and then walked forward and put his head down beside Dale's
Dale laid his cheek to Nightmare's cheek and reached up to smooth his mane. He whispered to the horse in Vale Elven. "You will have more to eat later, Friend. I ask you to be my guard. I will see if I can have Moon-shadow brought to you again. Tsuki said I should keep all his things, and it must include his horse."
Nightmare agreed.
"One of us should be getting some." Kato, Tsuki and Laurel were all distant, and Dale did not think Priestesses were intended to keep lovers. Well, perhaps Gwindor or Lenaduiniel had found a lover among the Elves. Gwindor must have made his relationship with Galadhiel official and known by now, Dale thought. He wondered how Duma and Ugarit were doing.
Dale looked up into the trees. There were black birds perched on the roof of the house and in the branches of the Treeweaver's home. They had been within the wood in great numbers before the battle, and Dale could only assume they had been present over the corpses. There were some now, for Dale saw them, but not in such numbers that he worried. When they were equal or greater in number than the people, he would worry.
Dale contemplated sending spies to seek Duma, but did not do so. His child should have privacy as long as he wished.
Dale patted Nightmare's neck and went into the house, left hand on his walking stick.
Jareth and Bau were both crouched near the circular stone hearth. Bird roasted over the low fire on a spit. It smelled good to Dale. He liked his offerings more burnt than bloody, even if he had done such things as lust for blood in the past.
Dale thought of Tsuki and closed his eyes for a moment. He reached into the pocket of his coat and felt the rabbit fur pouch and the shape of the bones within it. He had a vision of Tsuki standing near tents made of skin over grass, and then the vision was gone. Dale opened his eyes.
"Tell your Orc to stand away from us," Bau said. "I have new to give to a Chieftain."
Dale gestured to the door and Jareth stood and went to stand near it. He could still hear and see them, but it was enough to honor Bau's status. She was not only female, but a Leader of her own Band of Orcs under Dog-Master-Chieftain. Dale understood this made her status difficult to establish or maintain, because there had not been any female Leaders previously. Though Leaders took pleasure in Orc of lower status, it was, as had become so obvious to Dale recently, not the way of females. As a female Bau would want a lover of high status, and as a Leader, could not risk seeing subservient to another Orc by pleasuring them. Her own Chieftain did not desire her, for Dog had his fire tender and warm body to sleep beside in North.
If Dale were in Bau's position, it would probably seem smartest to go to another Chieftain, not her own, and offer to share pleasure with them, but even this decision must be carefully considered. She would not want to offer herself to one who would simply dominate her, claim her for his Clan and deny her a whip and Leadership. She must seek a Chieftain who had no female of their own and who could stand to gain status from keeping a lover of high status and who did not desire to build their Clan through domination.
Even being an Elf, Dale must seem the best choice. Yet, Dale did not really believe Bau was attracted to him. He believed she was smart and thoroughly an Orc and thus visited him and his bed for political reasons.
Dale had no intention of having sex with a female Orc, but it was still
to his advantage to allow Bau to visit. She was among Dog's Leaders and
Dog's Clan, though rather new, had established a reputation as skilled
in gathering information. Other races might think Orcs brutish, but they
grasped such things as interrogation and espionage very well. It was true
most Orcs valued strength or knowledge more than the skill to gain knowledge
from others or to manipulate, and some called such tactics Elvish, but
they still respected such skills.
"I saw Ugarit," Bau said. "I have heard some Orcs have
seen Duma also."
"I sent them away," Dale said, "they stay in another part of the Wood."
"We know. I do not say we know the place they stay, but it must be in the east of the Wood, as we see them come and go from that direction. Duma has been to the bathing place and also to the Elf forge."
The forge would be a comforting place to Duma.
"Ugarit has not been seen bathing in the shared place, but she has been to the place garments are washed and has met with Lady Swan along a path for Elves and has been acting strangely." Pregnant, Dale wondered. "It is not the strangeness of being with child. She eats snow packed in her hands and avoids speaking. We think it means Duma has marked her with jewelry, some new piercings were seen on her, and some Orcs acknowledge Duma as a Master of this craft. There is some argument whether she has suffered this to prove strength or because Duma has marked her as a…as his."
She did not say pet, for the females did not prefer to use 'pet', 'slave' or other Orcish equivalents in reference to their gender, but this was what she wondered. Piercing was more Duma's expertise than Dale's, but Dale had worn much Orc jewelry before he had been taken in by Elves and had it removed. It was more common that jewelry worn by Chieftains, Leaders or warrior Orcs was spiked or barbed in shape and designed to look menacing and to demonstrate their tolerance for pain. Slave jewelry was most often in the form of rings, sometimes linked by chains, or else in placement and shape designed to increase their ability to pleasure a Master.
Duma was no one's pet, but the jewelry he still wore was all slave jewelry. Dale had not seen many piercings on Ugarit; she was young and wore trophies to demonstrate her strength, but he remembered seeing bone plugs in her ears.
"I have not seen this new jewelry, but whatever the shape, I do not believe Duma claims Ugarit as one any more subservient than another female. It is likely placed to enhance sharing of pleasure or to demonstrate their union to other Orcs, so they will know Ugarit has a male to protect her and keep her. If it does appear of the slavish type, it is only because Duma wears the same, and if he has placed warrior jewelry on her, then it is likely because Duma wishes to have others know her strength so they will not challenge her again, as those Goblins did. If he has not changed his own jewelry, perhaps this means Duma is willing to 'serve' Ugarit as protector and mate. He has been exposed to many customs of Men and Elves and his regard for females is not quite like that of other Orcs, though it does include the belief they are precious."
"This sounds smart, the demonstrating of belonging to warn other males that they must fight not only the female, but her male, to claim her."
"She has a ring. But such rings are only known as tokens of unions to nobles among Elves and Men. Many common folk cannot afford them. It seems sensible to have some other token."
"I say it sounds smart, but we do not know it yet. Duma and Ugarit have not been seen by Orcs together."
"I have not seen them or had word from them. I sent them away."
"You sent them away to be placed together, without others, so they would be encouraged to breed. It is not so different from what wolf-tamers do with creatures they wish to breed. Male and female are set apart from others. They lost a child that they had made their own. You thought they should make another."
"I thought they should have the opportunity, if they wished it. I am no Wizard breeding Orcs."
"It does not take a Wizard. We know these things. All the females know, even if old Orcs do not. The traits of male and female who take part in the breeding activity will be mixed in the offspring."
"I do not wish to breed with any Orc female, even if I value Duma, who is half Orc and black-blooded."
Bau made a slow nod.
"Bau-Leader, if you seek one to give you pleasure and cannot find one of desirable status among your Clan, use Jareth. His status is arguable, as he is neither Leader nor pet. He has no female."
"Jareth is disgraced among Orcs for failing to lead his Clan. He is lucky we do not decide he led the Goblins in their attack; he would be dead."
"That matter has been settled. Jareth is in my Clan and ranked below Duma, but this puts him third from Chieftain."
"It is a small Clan, and surely Ugarit has more status than this messenger boy of yours."
"Ugarit and Jareth have both in their own manner shown deference to Duma, and as they have not tested their strength against each other, I can say as Chieftain that I rank both after Duma."
"He was Chieftain and lost his rank."
"Snagrat usurped command of the largest portion of the Clan, but not by testing strength against his Chieftain. Snagrat's strength was only tested against Duma, and he died. This only proves that both Snagrat and Jareth were of lesser rank than Duma among Orcs. It does not prove that Jareth was weaker than Snagrat."
"It does not make Jareth seem smart."
"And yet you are both here seeking my favor."
Bau hissed, but she could not deny this.
"You are a Leader. I give you leave to use my Orc. He will not object. Make use of Jareth and there will be no need to leave your Clan. He will remain mine and you will remain Dog's, and if you bear a little one, feel justified in keeping that one in your Clan. I will make no claim."
"And I will have no protector for myself or my child."
"You have nothing to trade me for Jareth, but if you do become with child, I shall send Jareth to you to protect you and the little one in exchange for some future favor."
"I am Bau. I am Leader and female. I am strong and smart and serve the cunning Dog-Master. I do not have to purchase one to breed with."
Dale laughed. "Listen to me bargain like an Elf! If you carry Jareth's child, I will send him to protect you, for no promise of favor in return, because you and the little one will be precious, especially during that time, and all Orcs should do what they are able to protect Precious Things."
"I do not say I will make use of your Orc, but if I did, I would take from your Orc what I want and have no debt to you."
"Yes. Jareth will not disagree. He will pleasure you and remain my Orc. If you wish him for your Clan, I will ask payment then. Jareth does have debt and duty to my Clan. You see? He is a good mix of Northerner and Westerner. Common mix, proven successful. Better for one who is Leader and female to seek pleasure in one who is distant and discreet than to risk loss of status."
"The meat is cooked," Bau said, avoiding further discussion of the topic.
Dale was fairly certain she would come to Jareth later, when Dale was not watching. He must remember to have Moon-shadow brought near the house. Setsugekka did not seem to want a lover. Perhaps it was enough for her to serve Dale and wait for Tsuki with him. At least they had a sort of companionship together. Dale hoped that Fei would soon be joined with Laurel again. Perhaps when Kato and Beryl were both healed they would continue as lovers. The Elves that had traveled with him must surely have found companionship, if not lovers, in the Wood. Perhaps Duma and Ugarit had seen sense and stopped avoiding each other.
"It smells good. Do you prefer darker meat, or white?"
Bau looked at Dale as if he had said something rather lewd, or it seemed how a female would react to a lewd comment; Orcs usually laughed at lewd things.
Dale laughed. "I will take this portion of the breast for my Orc, Jareth, and eat this other myself. I am not opposed to it. I will leave the rest to you."
Whether the council was in session or on recess did not matter to Duma. He had spent several days feeling miserable and not talking to Ugarit and watching Ugarit feel miserable. He had left the half-charred tree house as much as possible and felt all the more miserable for the fact that he an Ugarit were expected to share a fire and a bed chamber.
The last several days since had been much more pleasant. Granted, there had been one transition and downright violent day in between, which had seen blades and claws breaking skin on the both of them, turned to needles and fangs piercing flesh and ended with something that had not seemed Orcish at all.
But, the last few days had been very pleasant. There had been some pain, but it had seemed good within the pleasure they experienced.
And then Duma had met Lain and Loriol at the bathing pavilion in the morning and been informed that their Lord wished to see him.
"What did they mean 'join his outing'?" Ugarit asked. She was crouched near the circular metal dish that contained the fire and experimenting with making pigments from found substances. Her hands were presently red.
"Well, I gather the council is not meeting today for some reason and Lord Greenleaf is to take his companions into the Wood somewhere for social activity of some kind and he wishes me to join the party."
"Only you?"
"I think they are all male."
"It had better not be some of that queer Elven sharing."
Duma laughed. It could not be that, though he had suspected it also, only for a moment. "They do not engage married Elves in such activity. I suspect he has some other motive. Why should he ask me to go with them? Now?"
"You mean, he wishes to get information from you."
"Perhaps." Duma was not certain.
"Go. The Elves will not like if you reject their Lord's invitation, I think. Also, you may get information from him. The Elves find you interesting. Surely their Lord is one who has a vote in the council. You must convince him the Orcs need land and he should not fear to grant it. You do want to know where we will make a home?"
"Of course." They had decided they would attempt to have no children until they had somewhere to call home, whether they were able to secure such in the valley Vale Elves had once lived in, in some Orc Lands, or in a Mannish city. "It is just, I feel I am always being compared to Greenleaf. Lena said often I remind her of him, and I even have his cast off bow. My father fought for his father in the war, and Dale would not even have gone to serve the Elf-King had Greenleaf not gone to a council held by Dale's Lord and joined some quest. They went through the mines, when I was there, and the demon pursued them, and I had seen that demon also. I think I will feel…uncomfortable meeting him. What if he is better than me?"
Ugarit laughed quietly and licked her fangs. "The only thing he could be better at is being an Elf."
"It would be good if he would like me and want to vote to argue to give the Orcs good lands."
Ugarit looked up at Duma. "Yes. You knew you wanted to do it. You just wanted me to say I thought it was advantageous and smart. Go do this social thing. Lena and Beryl gave you lessons, and they are very crafty Elves."
"I suppose I should wear something impressive."
"Something between feast clothing and battle clothing."
"Beryl would know. I will have to try to think what Beryl would tell me to wear."
Ugarit washed her hands in the already tinted bowl of water at her side