Racing through the ruins

"I challenge you to a race" you state clearly to the warlord, pointing your route "From here, to the old gates, and back. You on your war mount, and me on mine"

The challenge was met with heavy laughter in the pack. Even the wargs seemed amused at the idea. As you looked behind you, any sign of confidence you were hoping to find was absent. For her part, the leader of the warpack was stone faced by contrast, her only movement to scratch the furry head of her mount.

"I wouldn't call your gray ghost of a horse a mount of war any more than I would call a coward hiding in armor a warrior" She said loudly enough for all of her soldiers to hear, receiving loud applause and amusement "Still, I will accept your challenge. We could all use a good bit of entertainment. And when we're done and you're roundly defeated, my wargs will feast on your horse's hide, and my men will have their way with your Charlatan Queen." She pauses for a moment, adjusting the leather cloth covering her privates, grinning menacingly as she reveales a great surprise. A cock, quickly becoming erect and already larger than yours. "That is, after I have my way with you both." There was a deep, morose chuckling from the pack, that only deepened the concern. Whatever doubts you had, that helped solidify that this was serious, possibly even deathly so.

You gulp down your insecurities, steeling yourself against the threats made, and face her, trying to not let your fear show as you move to a starting position, and wait as she follows suit

"Michael!" The queen calls out at you "No! Stop this! What are you doing?"

"Trying to keep you safe, milady"

"The fuck you are!" She replied in a shocking outburst "This is what safety looks like to you!? With them?"

You manage to keep a cooler attitude "There's a better chance a succeeding at this than fighting them all off."

"They're still Orcs!" the eyes and ears of all peaked up as the next words flew out of her mouth "What chance do you really think you have of trusting them?"

You make a quick look over your shoulder at the pack leader and respond plainly "This is a matter of honor, Your Majesty. You can always trust an Orc to keep their honor. **** before shame is their way"

"Very Good" The pack leader says loudly before you "I'm surprised, and impressed. You're very knowledgeable for an Imperial lapdog."

"And you're less blood thirsty than most Orcs, so it would seem we're both having good days."

"That luck is about to run out, boy" The pack leader took off like an arrow from a bow, with an uproar of hoots and hollars from the pack. A moment of disorientation passed before you sped off, **** to get ahead of her. Humiliation was the least of your concerns now. As you start to close the difference, you see her turn back to look at you, an evil, gleeful smile on her face. Grabbing her war club, she raises it into the sky to knock off a chunk of an already crumbling pillar, impeding your path further. She takes a sudden turn down a narrow alley, and you quickly lose sight of her. Your mind focuses and clarifes as her intent and tactis are now clear to you. No longer focused on simply following the same path as her, you gallop at full tilt to find a shorter path. This was a challenge in of itself, in that she was likely more familiar with the terrain and pathways.

After a few short shifts and turns delay your speed, your faithful horse is as eager to make up the time as you are, even putting you at risk. Running through the remnants of a building, the make shift passage was large enough for her, but not necessarily you as well. You hold your hands up in front of you and prace for impact of an inevitable collision at full speed. The wooden wall being nearly entirely rotten, it falls apart easily, leaving you unscathed in your armor. Regaining your awareness, you see the gate you pointed to earlier, marking the halfway point. You also see the pack leader, closer now than she had been, which fills you with hope. The second half would be strenous, but the path back would be mostly straight back to the top. With the second half being almost all uphill, it was a matter of endurance as it was speed; a sprint may only lead to exhaustion, and by consequence, defeat. Your opponent didn't seem to consider this, pushing a greater lead early on.you bide your time, seeing the lead taper off after the first minute or so. Holding off, all you need was an opportunity to over take. in the last moment, you take the moment. Heading through a market area, it was artificially flattened out, giving you a chance to sprint in the last second. It lets you take the lead, and hold it until the end. Pushing for every second, you return victorious, against all odds. Despite being a clear victor, being a survivor is less clear. The soldiers were livid at the display, and the Queen paid no mind in angering them further as she celebrated your triumphant return.

The pack leader ignored you completely as she returned, seemingly trying to quell dissatisfaction and disloyalty in their native tongue. The outcry abated, she turns to you

"A fine display horseman, you've won the contest. Now, what are your demands of us?"

"None, beyond your name. I fight in the name of my Queen" You gesture towards her, receiving a snort in returnn

"You two are comitted to your tale, I see" the orc hops off of her exhausted war beast, and walks to you both slowly "I am inclined to believe you both. Our shaman spoke of a fierce wind that would would change the course of the river Destiny. I am sure he spoke of you" She gestured ina full bow "if you are not the Forgotten Queen, the Orcs of the Darkfoot clan will still take any opportunity fight alongside a friend against the Empire"

"We welcome your friendship" The Queen began "but this is not the time to fight. It is a time to repair, to build anew. Let this friendship be the foundation upon which a new kingdom is built, not replacing what was lost, but different, stronger, and better, so that all of our ancestors may look down in pride, and celebrate."