RP:Casualties of the Orphan Wars

Casualties of the Orphan Wars

Emilia was a common face amongst most of the people of Gualon. Wild blonde curls always a tangled mess flowing freely past the rear end of the short woman barely reaching over five feet give or take a few inches. Bright blue eyes and a freckled face with a smile that could charm nearly any being that caught sight of it. Today, the human was partaking in a game with the orphans of the city. One she’d been asked to join upon her arrival to the city some time earlier in the day. Worn leather boots made light sounds as the blonde ran across the way with a group of five children behind her. Each of the six on this team with a red bandana tied about their heads, marking them different from the second group. All of them carried fake wooden swords while the female carried a child sized bow with dud-arrows. Coming at them from the other direction was a mass of orphans easily out numbering the human’s side. There came the loud war cries of both sides. Seconds later there was the sounds of wooden swords hitting against one another as the children practiced their sword lessons while making a game out of it. Orphans paid up against each other. Two or three against one, scattering away from the way as they did so. Wars never stayed in one exact place the blonde had learned from the children. That left the blonde standing in the way with her itty bow drawn and aimed at another orphan whose fake sword was at the ready. Just those two facing off left in this part of the way. Mind you, Emi’s real dark wood bow was on her back. To any passing through or just arriving into this section of town it might look like the duo of adult versus child was a real fight about to happen.

Nothrobalug heard shouting and a ruckus being caused from his bar stool within the familiarity of the Grogshop. The noises were originating from just outside and it was enough to alert the massive orc and send him charging out of the door in a hurry. The sight was not exactly what Noth had expected to see. Nobody was being threatened or in real troubles and danger. The entire wayward path and area was littered about with orphans wielding wooden implements of war. Battle cries and yelling filled the air and Noth began to laugh. This was no emergency, it was just the orphans playing a battle scenario with what seemed like an adult human woman overseeing and partaking in the festivities. Nothro looked closely as a few of the orphans were even using proper sword techniques that he had himself instructed them in. The battle seemed to be a bit loop sided as one sides team was clearly outnumbering the other. The large dark green skinned beast of a man for a moment considered joining the mock fight to help even out the skirmish, but soon took better notice of the woman. It was not her obvious beauty that had drawn his attention. Not her fair lustrous freckled skin, nor her angelic blonde hair that reminded him of fields of golden wheat. No, it was the ranged weapon that she had pointed at on of the children. Unknowing of the item being a safety styled toy version, Noth approached the woman with a rather stern look upon his face. It was after all, his job to police the city and maintain a certain level of security to the people of Gualon. Nothro was also very fond of the cities orphan population and was at anytime prepared to lay down his life for any single one of them. The thundering voice of the orc shouted out as he approached the woman, "Hey! What is the meaning of this? Do you mean you shoot that arrow at this child.....woman?" The last word was paused, for Noth did not know this woman, her name or origins.

Emilia was about to fire the fake arrow at the boy standing across the way staring at her with those bright green eyes of his when Noth made his way over to the petite woman. He had startled her enough that she broke her stare down with her fake opponent. Bright blue eyes shifted to look at the orc towering over where she stood. His words were rather loud to her human ears. In silence she stared up at the man unblinking. He was rather intimidating for the farm girl standing there with her fake child’s bow in hand. All the while Evan, the orphan boy with the sword, broke out with a wide grin across his face. His teacher, Noth, had distracted Emi from the battle game that was in progress. In silence he took off to close the gap between himself and the woman, sword at the ready. In a swift run with a well-practiced swing of his wooden sword came at his opponent. The wooden object hit the gap between the arm of the human and her side. That unblinking silent stare shifted from Noth to the one that had just managed to ‘hit’ her. A blink. Then she collapsed to the ground with a small thud with eyes closed, clearly playing dead. The fake bow with arrow made of a simple stick whose end was capped with what looked to be a marsh mellow fell from her hands to the feet of the orc. The underweight human just laid there with the sword held between arm and side while Evan let out a high pitched whistle. “We win!” He screamed loud enough for all to hear.

Nothrobalug could see that he had placed the young woman into a state of surprise induced shock. It was not fear though, Noth knew the look of fear and this was not it. The eyes starring up at him were startled yet unafraid. There was passion in them also as well as strength. Passion and strength that seemed to swim about in the seas of the sparkling blue eyes. Much as a puppy would, the large orc tilted his head off slightly to the side as the woman cast her frozen shocked gaze upon his brutish face. Nothrobalug noticed many familiar faces amongst the orphans and recognized the child whom this woman had been drawing down upon with her ranged weaponry. A bit shocked himself, Noth laid witness as Evan made his swift and agile approach for his well timed attack. The orphan seemed rather pleased to take advantage of this opportunity and was one of the best students when it came to battle time strategies. The lads wooden instrument of melee fighting made contact with his target, the beautiful human woman with eyes of azure and hair of dazzling blonde shades. Nothro watched in wonder as this woman broke her gaze away from his beastly orcish features and seemed to return to the land of the present reality just in time to react to the orphans strike. Noth simply scratched at his head and starred back and forth from Evan to the woman who had seemingly pretended to fall in battle, slain by the orphans sword skills. Upon closer inspection of the ground positioned woman, Noth saw the weapon she had been wielding for what it truly was. The item was not at all a real ranged weapon, but a simple toy with ability to cause little harm, if any at all. Noth let out a loud and unexpected fit of laughter as Evan chanted his phrase of victory. The orc had come to realize there never was any danger and this human beauty had meant no harm, but was playing along with his little friends and their war games. Nothro bent down upon one knee and leaned in closer to the woman, now speaking in a calm and softer voice, "Forgive Noth, I no understand what happens here til now. Should me help woman up, or do you wish to remain playing dead?" Noth made a grunt as a few of the orphans took opportunity to leap upon his back since he was in a crouched position.

Tristram did not willingly come upon the scene. Instead, he was prodded by wooden sword point from the marble, multi-tiered checkerboard in the middle of the city, where he'd been playing human chess with a few of the other orphans. Naturally, he was one of the kings (this, despite the queen having all the power, as he repeatedly told the orphans), and his side had lost. He had his hands up behind his head, gamely playing along with the chess, which had sort of disintegrated and was dissolved into the larger game of war happening nearby. Wes, one of the older orphans, called out to Evan, "Huzzah, the city is ours! Hey Noth!" Tristram lowered his arms to his sides as he approached the orc, and oh, hey Emilia. He grinned down at the farm girl. "You, too, huh?" Wes, meanwhile, was conspiring to raid Tristram's kitchens, because what was winning a war without getting some of the spoils?

Emilia waited until Evan had announced that he’d won before she opened her eyes again. The blonde too lazy to just jump right up onto her feet again. Running around out numbering by orphans for a good time had worn out her legs more than the travel to visit the city had. There was that awarding winning smile as she cast her bright gaze upon the orc as he’d crouched down to apologize to her. A faint bit of a giggle as she realized he hadn’t caught on right away to the game being played. Light country felt giggle as was the accent that laced with her words as she replied to him, “Pleasure to meet you, Sir Noth.” She’d say while extending a small freckled dusted hand in his direction. “I’m Emi.” Should he take her hand to complete the simple introduction act he would find that for a human her skin was cold, too cold for having been running about with orphans playing. It was at this time that Tristram had appeared. Shifting that bright blue stare away from the orc to the male she flashed him a warm smile, “Oh! Mister Tristram! I’ve been looking for you…” Well, not really. She’d come to see the man, but had never gotten to finding him before she’d been called off to battle. You can’t ignore the call to duty. Once her hand was back from Noth she’d roll press her hands to the ground pressing up to form a bridge with her tiny figure. In a swift motion one leg went up into the air followed by the next. A moment of standing on her hands before she landed back on her feet, dashed off to grab something wrapped in brown paper sitting off to the side before rushing back to shove the item gently at Tristram. Were he to unwrap the gift he’d find a charcoal portrait of himself on a large sized canvas. It almost looked like a black and white painting over coal.

Nothrobalug laughed as the woman giggled and was pleased to now know her name. He meant to help her up but was distracted as Tristram was led to their location by another squad of wooden sword weilding orphans. Noth was able to offer a pointy toothed orcish smile to the woman named Emi and greet Tristram just as several other orphans joined the two already on his back. The massive orc spoke the best he could through his continuing fit of laughter. "Nice to meet you Emi. And greetings to you Tristram man! Noth is going to have to teach the orphans about wrestling combat now it seems." The now four children on the back of the orc quickly turned to a large dog pile and Noth was burried by the still ever growing mound of orphans attacking him. Only the arm of the orc was now visible from beneath the pile of various kids. Muffled noises instead of words come from the orc as he says something. To which one of the people it was directed was unclear.

Tristram took a step back as Emilia acrobatically sprung to her feet. He watched her scamper off, glancing once at Noth before back at the farm girl as she returned. Upon unwrapping the paper from the sketch, he marveled, showing it to Noth and the rest of the orphans who hadn't yet moved off on their next city conquest. "This is fantastic, Emi. Did you do this?" He glanced toward Noth again, but the orc was buried beneath orphans, which prompted a laugh from the Governor. "I never knew the secret to slaying orcs. I thought them rather indestructible until just now." He grinned as he directed his attention back toward Emi, now that the orphans were properly distracted in felling an orc. "How are things, Emi? Everything well? How's X?"

Emilia nodded when she was question about the gift and if she’d been the one to make it. She had a little bit of talent beyond growing things from the ground. Another earthly giggle watching the orphans pile on top of Noth. She’d never met one like him before and had no idea what he was until Trist had called him an orc. Research was in order. Shifting as he asked more questioned of her the farm girl moved to hug the man. A common greeting of hers. “Well…we are both alive. So, things are good.” She flashed a smile at him. It was a smile that gave way to the idea that something had happened to make being alive wasn’t always the case prior to this moment. “How are you, Sir?”

Tristram crouched to gather the bow Emilia had dropped, which he handed to her. He grabbed a few abandoned wooden swords and held onto them, to return them to their owners, later. "I can't complain. Except that you keep calling me 'sir' or 'mister' and I keep telling you to call me Tristram." He stretched, drawing one arm up to work out a kink in his shoulder, that seemed some kind of holdover from a recent flight. "How's farming going? I've finally got some time to chat with you about a farm here now."

Nothrobalug stood up abruptly and let out a gigantic roar as many orphans tumbled to the ground laughing and scattering. A few held tight grips to the orc's muscular arms and hung from them with all thier might as Noth stood. The large orc yelled and laughed at the same time. One orphan clung around his neck like a human necklace as Noth made a few steps closer to the Tristram man to inspect the artwork. Noth then looked back at Emi approvingly. "Noth like Emil lady picture work. Noth does art works with stick and pig blood on canvas. Orphans teach noth painting, but Noth sort of do it own way!" The orc struggles with the neck wrap orphan and feels a bit choked by him. With a snap of his head, the orc lowers himself and sends the boy toppling over to the ground. The action done with just enough force as to not harm the child in a violent manner, but not exactly soft either. Noth shakes his finger at the orphan, but the child sticks out his tongue and runs. Clearly the youth was not hurt or afraid of the large green skinned being. Noth glances back at Emi, "Me pleasure to meet Emi Lady." Noth bows his head then turns to Tristram. "That was manners Tristram man! Noth is gentleman." The words even make the orc chuckle at saying them.

Emilia offered an apologetic smile toward the man after she’d accepted the toy bow back from him. Running a hand through her tangled curls with a small shrug as a tint of pink flushed those freckle dusted cheeks of hers. “Sorry. I guess it really is a bad habit…I will try to work on that.” A hopeful smile was offered next. “Farming is going rather well over at the farm in Venturil. I can’t wait to get one going here too. I am sure the crops would really help out around here. I was going to ask some of the orphans if they wanted to help keep it going when I’m between farms.” Turning now to look at the orc as he spoke the blonde couldn’t help but smile to his compliment about her art work. A moment later and she was hugging the orc. The human was rather fond of hugging people she liked. “Just call me Emi, Sir Noth. I’m nothing special to have such a title. Just a farm girl, nothing noble about me.” Letting the male go from the hug she turn to look at Tristram with a raised brow before yet another smile. Then back to Noth, “Oh, I would love it if you painted something to hang on the wall for my house. They are rather empty and could use some prettying up.”

Tristram took the sketch and wrapped back in its paper before nabbing an orphan cast off from the orc's back and charging the child with delivering it safely to his estate. "Thanks again, Emi, I love it. I'll have to put it somewhere. Maybe you can help." He fell silent again, letting the orc and farm girl converse without interruption, until Emi had finished speaking, and Tristram felt as though he ought to intervene, for both their sakes. "Brilliant manners, Noth. You're quite the gentleman. But the picture ... maybe not in pig's blood, Noth. I'm not sure fine ladies like Emi would not care for blood on her walls."

Nothrobalug has never been hugged before and does not know what to say or how to react. His first impulse is to respond with a bear hugging motion of his own, but thought better of it as not to crush the life out of the small human woman. Noth just stood there turning several shades of red beneath his dark tinited greenish skin. He gave Tristram a look that seemed to plead for some helpful advice. The orc just stood there grinning from ear to ear speachless at the human contact of affection. The Gualortan tribe did know how to treat ladies when affection was offered, yet somehow Noth knew that would be far out of place to treat Emi as his tribe would an orcish female. Affection and violence were very often intermingled with the race. Noth just stares blankly with a dumb grin on his face then responds to the woman, "Noth paint Emi lady picture of orphans playing war time." Noth again uses the term lady, but does not understand it to be a title of nobility, rather than just using it as observance that Emi is in fact a female. Noth looks to Tristram as he explains that the pig blood might not be the best choice of medium used to create Emi a picture and thinks of a better choice. "Would berries and muds be better to use for Emi lady picture, Tristram man? Noth spose that he could make picture like that for her." Just then several orphans have regathered their forces and begin a strategic attack on the large orc. Some attack low whilst others high. The orc just stands there as they bounce off of him. Noth shakes his head and continues to ponder methods for painting.

Emilia had to turn to look at Tristram when he’d chosen to call her a fine lady. That look she gave him was one of him being rather crazy to even suggest such a thing. “Mister Tristram. I’m far from a fine lady. Besides I’ve lost count to how many times I’ve stuck my arms up inside a cow or horse to help get their young out. A bit of blood on the wall isn’t any bother to me.” A small giggle. “Tell you what. I’ll help you place that if you come to the farm and help with the foal that is due soon.” Turning to one of the orphans she beckoned him over from throwing things at the orc man. With the help of the kid it wasn’t long before he was able to have the light weight female sitting on his shoulders. Long enough to lift her tall enough to kiss the orc’s cheek for being so kind as to want to paint her a picture of the war game. “Use whatever medium that you please to use, Sir Noth.” A smile for him before she leapt off the shoulders of the boy with his help to pounce at Tristram for the fun of it.

Tristram scratched at the stubble on his chin as he considered the best substance that could replace blood. Noth had the best idea, and it found Tristram agreeing. "Berries, yeah." But Emi chimed in with her acceptance of any manner of blood or gore, and Tristram could only shrug helplessly at the orc. The farm girl was pouncing on him moments later, and he was forced to think fast to catch her. He nabbed her in mid-air and carefully set her feet on the ground. "You minx." He looked past Emi and Noth and saw an orphan playing tug of war with the charcoal drawing with another orphan, prompting Tristram to step away. "I'll have to catch you guys later. They are already wreaking havoc on my painting." He kissed Emi's cheek, patted Noth on the shoulder, and headed off to stop the fight before it caused destruction.

Nothrobalug is again confused and speechless due to the kiss from Emi. He watches as Tristram chases away after the orphans set on ruining his newly received panting gift then stares back at Emilia. There are no words in the Gualortan language to describe the feelings being felt by the orc at this time, thus Noth just drools and grins as he is once again overtaken by a flood of flying orphans. The pile of children consume the orc and he is helpless to fight back. His face no longer green, but fully red from blushed reactions to the farm girl's kiss. The mighty Noth defeated by a single act of affection from a human woman and a squad of attacking orphans.