Sentenced to

"HAHAHAHAHHAHA" the roaring laughter from Zihan fills the open air as he hears my request. Cutting through the laughter is a distraught "what are you doing?" From Quinara, her tears are now flowing freely, it hurt my soul to know I had upset her but I wasn't going to leave her to her fate. "It's the only way" I say solemnly trying to disguise my fear, "you'll die" she sobs her lack of confidence might have hurt if it weren't for the fact I wholeheartedly agreed. "That might be the first time my wife has ever been right about something" Zihan says coming down from his laughing fit, I turn to face this towering monster squaring up to him. "I'm going to kill you" I say trying to be menacing, it wasn't but I needed to say something to him, Zihan keeps laughing "aww you're adorable runt, can you even use that sword?" His pale eyes staring into my soul and unsettling me deeply, "yeah Quinara taught me well" I reply causing him to laugh even harder "trained by a woman? Gods it would have been easier to just say no" he says drawing a laugh from one of the guarding orcs. Zihan then reaches down and softly strokes my hair, I jerk away "you have pretty hair runt, fiery. I think after I kill you I'll take a lock of it and tie it here" he says gesturing to an empty space on his axe amongst his other trophies affixed to it, the prospect of being reduced to a trophy on his axe sends a chill down my spine.

"Enough!" The firm voice of Quinara's brother cuts through our spat and forces our silence, he turns to the guard "how long to prepare the circle for a rite of paramour?" The guard looks at thinks for a second "with the ritual and gathering the clan... About an hour" the guard says Semta nods "prepare for the rite" he turns to us, "you have an hour, use it how you wish". Quinara rushes to my side, "I'll help you get ready" she says openly flaunting whose side she was on, Zihan grabs her by the arm and yanks her away "no you won't, your place is by my side." Quinara protests and tries to wrench free but Zihan was bigger and stronger, Semta steps in "you'll stay by your husband while he prepares and that's final" he says his tone brooking no argument. Quinara is left no option but to relent as she's being dragged away she calls out her final message "I trust you Huck. I love you" it was to reassure above all else but it wasn't unwelcome.

With Quinara gone, the other orcs follow to prepare for the rite leaving me and Semta alone, "she really cares for you" he says as he watches her leave. "Huh?" I say not quite sure I heard him, "my sister, she cares" he reiterates, "I feel the same about her". He nods "that's why you have to leave", I look at him confused as he continues "I will leave you unguarded" he points behind me "through there is a gap in the rocks, go and run. I'll make sure you aren't followed." Rage fills me "you want me to abandon her?" I ask him pointedly "it will break her to see you die" he admits "it's better if you leave, she will be happier" my hands clench into fists "if you gave a shit about her happiness you would kill that monster yourself. How could you let him near her?" I rage Semta scoffs "you're a human, you don't understand orcs. He will be good for her" I glare at him "Quinara has taught me about orcs, I don't think he's a monster because he's an orc he's a monster because of how he treats her... what he did to her." Semtas eyebrow raises he likely didn't think I'd know what Zihan did to her, the fact that he knew what Zihan did and Zihan was still breathing was enough to make me despise him almost as much as Zihan himself. Taking his silence I press on "he will be good for her" I say mockingly using his words "you don't care about her, if you did you could never say that" venom spewing with each word. "If you love her you'll let her go, consider my offer" he says leaving not addressing my points about his friend, I want to believe it's because he know Zihans actions are indefensible but deep down I know he doesn't care, he would rather condemn his sister to a miserable life than address it... I mean he was the one who arranged the marriage I doubt Zihans nature blindsided him, he knew who he was wedding his sister too and he didn't care.

Once Semta leaves I am truly alone, just me stood outside the cage that I woke up in. I have a shameful second where I consider taking Semtas offer, I was terrified of Zihan he was everything I feared about orcs growing up and now I was waiting to fight him to the ****. I knew I couldn't run, I couldn't leave Quinara; I probably wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did. I consider taking out my sword and doing a few practice swings but ultimately decide it's pointless, I wouldn't beat Zihan in a straight fight, he was too strong, experienced and skilled for that. No a far better use of my time is to figure out a plan to get in his head, Quinara had told me how panicking means you make mistakes and I wasn't winning this fight unless he fucked up. But how would I make him panic? That was the question and I knew that I was never going to physically intimidate him, however I had picked up on a weakness, an insecurity I could exploit; Zihan cared immensely about his reputation, if I could humiliate him in some way perhaps he would make a critical error. I think long and hard about how could I humiliate him and then remembering the strangers words I begin recalling my dream, these dreams had shown the future but they weren't exact and the stranger had told me to pay attention so I scour my mind trying to figure out what I could take from this one. Eventually I think I figure it out but it was certainly risky, however everything about the upcoming rite was risky, one misstep and I was dead and Quinara would be trapped. I couldn't falter here, the stakes were too high, our fates were in my hands; my trembling hands.

I try to calm my nerves and steady my shaking hands, I was terrified but I knew if I panicked this would be over and I'd be little more than a trophy on that monsters axe and a memory for Quinara. I can't help but liken my situation to when I was sentenced to **** in Hearthwood, I remember sitting in my jail cell feeling the exact same dread over the prospect of dying. It's a comforting thought as back then it seemed like my fate was sealed yet I made it out, perhaps the same would be true here. It's not long before my jail guard returns "follow me" he commands, I fall in behind him and let him lead me, the knowledge that this could be one of my final moments on this mortal plane sitting heavy on my mind.