A dialogue with the chieftain Gruk...

Seeing the predatory, fanged grins on the faces of the chieftains of the steppe orcs-nomads, Isolde didn't dare utter a word.

These gray-skinned, muscular monsters towered over her (each one was about half a meter taller than the weak human woman), exuding the stench of sweaty male bodies and uttering incomprehensible words in their crude, barbaric tongue.

Tears slowly dripped from the beautiful, piercing dark brown eyes of the queen, who had been captured.

Gruk noticed this and, with a satisfied expression, uttered an incomprehensible phrase in the orcish language - after which the other three chieftains burst into frightening, loud laughter.

Then the tall half-orc approached the trembling human beauty and embraced her in his muscular arms. The touch of smooth, dark green skin is hot...

Isolde lets out a soft moan in surprise.

The infant Kael, whom she holds in her arms, continues to suckle greedily, his lips clamped around her nipple.

"Are you afraid?" - Gruk's deep, booming voice rings in the queen's ear.

"Yes... I fear for my life and my son's life... Our son's life..." - she whispers quietly in response.

"Now I will take you to my yurt..." - green-skinned half-orc replies.

After these words, the half-orc's strong, muscular arms lift the queen's body.

Gruk carries her and her son through the entire orcish camp.

Seeing the multitude of armed orcs, weapons, and steppe wargs, Isolde realizes that all of this is clearly preparation for a great war. Finally, the half-orc approaches a large yurt woven from the hides of many steppe animals, likely trophies from a dangerous hunt.

Stepping inside, Gruk carefully places Isolde on a large canopy bed (apparently a trophy captured during one of his raids).

Gruk smiles at the infant, who has stopped sucking and appears to have fallen asleep.

Isolde looks at the half-orc warily and says: "After all, my son and I are prisoners here..."

"And what would you both be in the place where the king ordered you exiled? Glen Yara Castle - isn't that right? What would you both be there? Prisoners? Or corpses?" - Gruk replies with a grin.

"Duke Henry wouldn't dare do that..." - queen says, her voice trembling.

"Are you sure? Just one unfortunate incident – ​​and there's no heir with obvious signs of half-orcish appearance... The Duke isn't the only one interested in this... The King himself would be only too happy about it..." - Gruk says.

Isolde falls silent, trembling slightly, realizing the validity of his words.

"You think true power is based on inheritance? Of course it isn't! If your son lacks might, he won't have a crown, or even his own head! Have you seen how many warriors I've managed to gather in this camp? This is only a small fraction! Numerous warriors from four tribes are already gathering from across the steppe! And do you know why?" - half-orc's voice is loud and confident.

"For what?" - queen says in a quiet, terrified voice.

"This horde of warriors is gathering to secure the crown of the Kingdom of Eborvair for Prince Kael! They will silence all enemies by force of arms! And do you know why? Because Kael is my son and yours!" - after these words, Gruk squeezes Isolde's shoulders with his muscular arms, then kisses her long and passionately on the lips.

Then he leaves the yurt, saying as he leaves: "I'll send you servants so you'll have less trouble with the baby..."

For ten minutes, Isolde simply lies on the bed, hugging her infant son and trying to process what's happening.

The sound of footsteps distracts her from her thoughts.

A thin hand pulls the bed's canopy aside...

Isolde recoils... but then sees the thin silhouettes of some people.

Looking closer, in the semi-darkness, she notices that they are two young human girls, each wearing barely any clothing except a small piece of dirty cloth around their hips.

Their graceful bodies are thin, dirty, and covered in abrasions, scratches, and bruises. Each of the girls (one blonde, the other redhead) has her hair tied in long braids.

Their small breasts are completely bare...

Around each girl's neck is a collar of some kind of metal.

Isolde also notices tattoos on each of their bodies (on their foreheads, stomachs, and lower backs), tattoos typical of steppe orcish tribes, clearly holding some meaning unknown to the queen.

"Master Gruk has ordered us to assist you, Mistress... We are ready to fulfill any of your orders..." - blonde girl says quietly.