From The Isle of Orcs

A green elbow hit Jasmine across her jaw, stars exploded in her vision. It was followed by a kick to her back. She broke the grapple she had with her partner and went stumbling away. She was in ecstasy.

“When did you get so flexible?” She huffed and shook the sweat from her brow.

“Come now.” Juniper smiled, her tusks shining in the morning sun. “It has always been so.”

Jasmine giggled and got back into her stance. “It’s always been more enjoyable than this.” She rushed forward. “Let’s go!”

Juniper braced her back leg, and curled up her front. Throwing her full weight into her attack she planned to stop the princess’ advance cold.

Jasmine however recognized the kick and as her lover sent it out she placed her palm under juniper's calf as she dodged it. She **** all her momentum forward and up through her arm, and sent juniper’s leg up into the air. The green-skinned beauty was flexible enough to hold the position, but balance was another story entirely. She toppled to the ground and in the next moment had Jasmine on top of her.

There was a slow clap from off to the side. General Fox Glove, resplendent in her armor gave a cocky smile. Her blue hair blended in with the azure sky above. “More wrestling? What are you up to, three bouts a day?”

The two orcs blushed and disentangled. Jasmine spoke next. “Sister, we only spar in the morning, as Silophan demands.”

The general grinned. “And in your beds at night, and from what the philosophers say you two duck out of seminars to spar in the afternoon as well.”

Jasmine groaned. Did she really have the philosophers acting as her spies now too? It’s bad enough her captain wrote a weekly report on her. “We’re simply engaging in the vigorous exercise expected of warriors. We don’t want to revert to goblins, now do we?”

Fox Glove gave her kid sister a friendly shove on the shoulder. “Well you shan’t avoid that fate behaving like goblins.” She smiled kindly. “I approve of this pair.” She have Juniper’s shoulder a gentle slap. “But I won’t stand you missing classes for trysts in the garden. A good warrior needs to be knowledgeable and strong, this is what Silophan demands of us.”

Jasmine scoffed. “I’m the greatest warrior on this island. What could they have to teach me about fighting?”

Foxglove shook her head, grin still pasted on it. “Well then mighty warrior, spar with me. I’ll use my wits to defeat you, and if I do, you attend your classes.”

“And if I win?” Jasmine was grinning now too.

“I’ll write up the command: Jasmine The Unfallen unique in all of Orcdom is thus excused from classes forevermore. You’ll be free to get as stupid as you please until Silophan himself smites you. You’re nearly there already.”

Jasmine looked to Juniper and rolled her eyes. “Your terms are acceptable. Choose your weapon.”

Foxglove took her place in the circle. The others on the training field excitedly gathered around to look and squall. “Hand to hand of course. Do you know how to disable a woman you’re not sleeping with?”

Jasmine took on her own stance. “I hope so. You’re not my type.”

Foxglove shrugged. Then suddenly lit up. “Oh I forgot to tell you! The Prince has chosen to award you one of the weapons of legend for your use on the quest.”

All thoughts of the battle immedialty vanished from the orc's mind. A weapon of legend? Her? The quest was honor enough, but the very idea of one of those blades in her hand, sent her mouth a-drooling. Jasmine hopped out of her stance, face painted with excitement. “Really?!!”

In the next moment she was sprawled out on the ground, gripping her throat. Foxglove stood over her, fist still smoldering from the blow. “A study on the third treatise of Lemongrass Ungduan begins at 11. Hurry along and procure a scroll from the library."

Jasmine nodded and wheezed from her spot in the floor. “Yes sister.”

——-

Jasmine adjusted her victory laurels in her braided hair. She smelled of flowers and some baby blue powder the prince’s stylists provided for everyone. She had the drappings of her toga clenched in her hand, so impractical the whole uniform annoyed her.

“I look like a diplomat.” She mumbled to her herself. “Oh but sister the diplomat is the sword and shield of their country, able to disband armies and move borders with the flick of a pen.” She gave her sister’s counter-argument out loud as well. To be fair.

She sniffed her armpit again. “Flowers…” she mumbled, setting her arm back down. A shame humans controlled the beauty standards of society. They were afraid of letting an orc bask in her true musk. Oh well, it's not like she was looking to hook up with anyone during the quest. Home had spoiled her with powerful sexy orcs, in comparison the strange menagarie the Prince had assembled in his court had nothing to intrerest her.

“Ummm excuse me!” Came a high pitched voice to her side. Jasmine looked down to spot a little goblin staring up at her. “Umm, is this where the princesses line up?”

Jasmine grunted, at least this stinking little thing was perfumed as well. She raised her foot to stomp down on the pest. “Figure it out runt!”

“Aaah!” The goblin dodged out of the way. “Apologies!” She scraped out a deep bow, and scampered off to safety.

Jasmine shook her head. There was a special loathing for goblins in the heart of orcs. They were everything the orcs weren’t, weak, pitiful and unfocused. The Orcs had made a great society of art, literature and philosophy, while the goblins were still living in huts. Not that Jasmine was very interested in engaging with her society’s civic accomplishments, but the point is they were there.

She mentally promised herself to tour the library at some point in her stay here. Just seeing that pathetic creature trembling beneath her drove a fresh fear in her heart. She’d do anything to avoid that fate… even study.

“Mistress, it’s your time.” A servant said with a low bow.

Joy at last flicked across the orc's face. “Finally.”

There was a trumpet blast, and her herald gave the traditional introduction for her nation at these events.

——-

“Your majesty a daughter from the Orca Islands approaches. Honor demands a duel or these two forces shall not break bread. Lady Jasmine who do you pick as your champion?”

Jasmine entered the hall, sandals flapping on the carpet. “I fight for myself!” She was a rolling strutting tower of confidence. Gabe gulped insticually afraid of this woman when she was a human, as an orc he was terrified.

“You’re majesty! Who will your champion be?”

Gabriel gave a confused look Skye. “Huh?”

The goddess floated to Gabriel’s ear. “It was five hundred years ago. Your ancestor took to the field with his armies to put an end to the mother of dragons. Silophan had just uplifted the Orcs and sent them to aid his cause. However the new found people were proud, and their leader Orca demanded to see the skills of her Allies before she would join. She suggested a skirmish but your family has long broken willful women to their aims and convinced her to make do with a duel. Ever since it has been tradition to begin partnerships with the orcs with a duel.”

“Who won?”

“The orcs.” Announced a Jafar-looking mother fucker on his other side. “Always the orcs.”

“Is it to the ****?”

Balthazar the court wizard shook his head. “Just to submission my lord.”

Gabe nodded. “And I can pick anyone?”

“Indeed.”

Gabe looked around. “Do I have like… a court knight or something.”

“Of course, my lord but the greatest warriors at your disposal are the princesses.”

“They’re level one!”

The wizard nodded his head enthusiastically. “And what a mighty level it is, my lord.”

“Right.” Gabe understood. In order for the adventuring part to feel powerful, everyone else has to be useless jerks.” He rubbed his chin. “She just happens to be my best unit too… I mean team member.”

Lana shook her head. “Don’t look at me, I’m the support.”

Anna crossed her arms. “As am I.”

“It has to be one of you two.” Gabe hissed. “You’re my only party members.”

Skye nodded. “Bad luck on the order, for sure.”

The herald looked from Jasmine to Gabe nervously. “My lord, your champion?”

“Fuck it.” Gabe stood to his feet. “I fight for myself.”

The court swooned.

Gabe didn't know how important winning the respect of these people was to the game, but he'd earned some points there. And why not? Who doesn't love a hero?

Anna placed her hands together in reverence. “My lord!” Her eyes were sparkling.

“Are you crazy?” Lana stood in front of him. “You don’t have any stats.”

Gabe brushed past her. "This is a resource burn. If I send one of you, you’re either knocked out, or we need to use a heal on you. There are no mechanics for me, so we should be good.”

“Wow.” Lana laughed. “I didn’t understand any of that. Try not to get your arms ripped off.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “I didn’t know Bard had a Debbie Downer subclass.” Though she was pretty much reading his mind. Jasmine could have kicked his ass as a human. That was a foot and fifty pounds ago. Just approaching the green-skinned marvel was difficult. The cut of her muscles, the way her chest expanded with each deep breaths. The smile…

“That was a brave move.” Gabe was struck by her tone. There was something about it that struck him as familiar. She was being friendly. She liked that he chose to fight her himself. He felt a drop of pain, she really had been a fast friend for him in the beginning, until he ruined it.

“My friends are saying it was a dumb one.”

She took on a stance. “They can be one and the same.”

Gabe shrugged and channeled two years of middle school karate as he got into his own stance.

He found that Jasmine was not looking for a quick victory like he’d been hoping. She stood in her spot and waited for him to attack.

There were 14 years of not stretching and a motorcycle crash between him and the last time he’d thrown a kick, but he threw it.

She blocked it, of course, and smiled. The fight was already won. “Come on.” She waved for him to try again.

This time she grabbed his leg, and threw him onto the ground. He grunted as he landed on the carpet.

“My lord!” Anna cried out and ran to join him. “Let me heal you.”

Gabe blushed and waved her away. “Lana snap her out of it.”

Her using a heal is exactly what he was trying to avoid.

“So this is why kings don’t fight their own wars.” Jasmine grinned and offered her hand to Gabe.

His Pride wouldn’t allow him a smile, but he took the help. “So you win?”

“Not until you submit.” She cocked a challenging eyebrow. The situation was clear as her face. He could choose defeat and end the pain, or keep fighting a hopeless battle. Either way, he was done.

"Then get back on your line... Orc." He became very familiar with the floor that afternoon. It was painfully obvious to everyone in the court that he didn't stand a chance. Yet there was something charming in the display. The two fighters connected almost immedialty and were quickly laughing, as they traded blows. Before long the duel had turned into a training session, and Jasmine was teaching the prince how to throw a proper kick.

“Come on, kick through me.” She said throwing one of his kicks aside. “Commit all your weight.”

“I’ll be off balance if you dodge.” He huffed, face ruddy.

“That’s why you only attack when you know it will connect. Choose your moment.”

Gabe waited, and waited, and chose! He kicked his leg out, and the next thing he knew, his back hit the ground, and Jasmine had his shoulders pressed to the ground. “That was not it.”

He grunted and shifted to see if he could move anything. “Yeah, I noticed that a little too late.” He took in a deep breath. A scent caught his nose, and he realized that if he couldn't beat her physically, maybe a little mental warfare was in order. “You smell like flowers.”

Jasmine froze, and felt a blush creep across her face. Then she scowled at the weakling and burped in his face. “What do you smell now?”

Gabe laughed and turned his face away. "Okay! Haha okay, that’s enough to get me to submit. You win…”

The crowd was quite charmed by the whole display and gave Jasmine a loud cheer as she stood victorious. “Maybe I’m a diplomat, after all.” She thought as she got to her feet. Jasmine reached out for Gabe’s hand. But once she had him halfway up she let him go, dropping him back on his ass.

“Oww, that was kind of sore winning.” He joked. Then he looked up and saw Jasmine staring off into this distance, tears were dripping from her eyes. “Jasmine?”

She gasped and looked down at him. Her face had noticeably shifted. Where a moment before she'd had the youthful vigor of a carefree warrior, her faced was now creased with the silent injuries of an adult. The old Jasmine was back. “Good game.” She mumbled, joining her teammates, and leaving Gabe alone on the floor.

“Good to have you back.” Lana smiled up at the orc.

Jasmine didn’t say anything she was too busy shifting through memories.

Anna gave a sympathetic smile. “It’s trippy huh?”

The orc just nodded.

“You look great.”

“Thanks…”

Anna felt a bit of her class flare up inside of her. A soul was in pain, and she should comfort them. This was as alien a thought to Anna as her morning prayers would have been, and yet she felt her heart aching for that sympathetic release. “I know this is awful, Jasmine, but we’re going to need you to lead us through this. You’re still our manager. Just push whatever awfulness is associated with your character out of your mind. It’s not you.”

“I know…” Jasmine sighed. “It's my memories that are the problem. ”