Meeting a monster

"Ugh" I groan as I regain consciousness, I rub my sore jaw and with my tongue check to see that no teeth had been knocked out, thankfully all my teeth were still intact. I groan some more as I feel the hard ground beneath me, pushing myself into a more comfortable lying position I open my eyes. Blinding light fills my retinas as I open my eyes to the midday sun, looking around I see the iron bars of a cage around me. "He's awake get Zihan" I hear a voice and turn to see one of two orcs guarding my cage leave, his words send a chill through me but not for me for Quinara. "Where's Quinara?" I ask the orc guarding my cell, as I push myself to my feet, "with her husband where she belongs" the orc replies gruffly not even turning to face me, I just had to stare at the back of his green bald head.

Eventually I see an orc approaching, the orc from my dreams or well my nightmares he towered over the other orcs as he approaches. The guard addresses him as Zihan but I already knew who he was, jet black beard, braided hair, forearms coated in scars he was exactly how the dream depicted him. Most chillingly was his axe, the single bladed serrated edged weapon coated in trophies, that dream had ended with him decapitating me with that so I certainly hoped it wouldn't come true. Zihan rests his axe against my cage and lowers himself to my eye level, his pale eyes staring directly into my soul, "where is she?" I ask holding his gaze, he laughs "you know runt, that's not what I expected from you", I maintain my stare "answer the question" I say my voice low and measured. "Wow, you're a real angry one aren't you" he laughs, before lunging forward shoving his hand through the bars and grabbing my neck, it was like a vice on my neck as he hoists me off the ground one handed. "But let me be clear runt" he spits, "I am asking the questions" he drops me and I gasp for breath as my legs give out and I land on my ass, I rub my sore neck and gulp down the precious air I was denied.

"You kept my wife company and you led her back to me so for that I thank you" Zihan says standing to his full height, "however you do understand why I have to kill you, I need to punish her for disobedience". I seethe silently at his comments but I know better than to interrupt lest he actually kill me this time, "I wish I was there when they found her, they were going to throw you on the fire you know? The only reason you're alive is Quinara dropped to knees and begged them not to do it, I'd have loved to see it that woman hates being on her knees, haha" he chuckles at his crude joke. "You're a monster" I say unable to contain myself, Quinara had told me he was and he was living up to his reputation. Zihan grabs his axe "open the cage I'm gonna split him in two".

The guard grabs his keys, as he does that I hear a shout "RUNT!!!" I look past the guard and Zihan to see Quinara sprinting towards my cage chased by another orc, she sprints to me and shoves her arms through the bars of my cage "Runt! You're ok" she says relieved I step into her arms and she holds me through my cage, "I'm glad you're ok too" I say hugging her back. "I TOLD YOU TO KEEP HER IN MY TENT!" Zihan berates the orc who had followed Quinara, I look past Quinara and see an orc with a bloodied face and what looked like a broken nose "I-I tried, I really did" the orc stammers it was clear how afraid of Zihan he was. I almost felt bad for him trying to contain Quinara was an unreasonable task, this was always going to end this way for him. "Bah no matter might do her some good to watch me kill the runt" Zihan says, Quinara stops hugging me and turns to face her husband she stands directly in front of him preventing him from taking another step towards my cage. Quinara looks up at him, which was a surreal sight for all my time of knowing Quinara she towered over everyone but her fellow orcs made her look normal sized and Zihan made her look small. "Let him go" Quinara growls at her husband, Zihan laughs before coiling his fist in her hair and yanking her aside "you do not give me orders! It seems you have forgot your place" my blood boils "get your hands off of her!!" I yell at them drawing the attention of everyone.