Read Of Blood and Honor for Free Online

creature did not rush to tear out his heart, as he would have expected. It merely sat, reading him with its clever, knowing eyes. Tirion shuddered, feeling fascinated and repulsed at the same time. Without thinking, he blurted out the question he had been asking himself ceaselessly: “I must know. Did you pull me from the tower and lead my horse back to the road?”
    The old orc held him in his gaze for a long while and then nodded once. “I did,” it said.
    Tirion exhaled sharply. “Why would you do that?” he asked. “We are sworn enemies.”
    The orc seemed to consider the point for a moment. “You have great honor, for a human. That much was clear from our fight. No honorable warrior deserves to die like a trapped animal. It would not have been right to simply leave you there,” the orc finished. Tirion didn’t know exactly what he had expected to hear, but he was clearly unprepared for that answer. “Besides,” the orc continued, “I have seen enough death in my time.”
    Tirion bowed his head, struggling to make sense of the orc’s words.
This can’t be right,
he thought. This creature is a merciless savage. How could it speak so? Yet Tirion knew that the orc’s words rang true. He could feel the orc’s sincerity—and beneath it, deeply buried pain and sorrow. As a Paladin, he had developed a certain empathic ability to sense deep emotions from others. The curious ability had never proven to be more useful. He pulled himself together and simply went with the moment.
    “I should thank you, then,” Tirion began, wondering how to properly address the creature.
    Sensing Tirion’s confusion, the orc spoke. “I am Eitrigg, human. You may call me Eitrigg.” Relieved, Tirion replied, “Thank you, Eitrigg. Thank you for saving my life.”
    The orc nodded again and stood up. Tirion noticed that the orc walked with a distinct limp. He surmised that the cut he had given the creature during their battle was likely infected. Without giving Tirion a second glance, the orc limped over toward the ruined tower.
    “I am Tirion Fordring,” the Paladin began. “I should tell you that I am the lord of this land, Eitrigg, and that your presence here upsets many of those whom I entrust with its protection.”
    The orc laughed softly. “I wager they slept well enough before you found me,” the orc said. “I have lived here in these woods for many long years, human. I move from place to place, keeping hidden, finding shelter where I can. I have made great sport of evading your scouts and your
Rangers.
”
    The latter was spoken with distinct scorn. Orcs were not known for their fondness of elven Rangers. The cunning, forest-running Rangers had sworn to gain vengeance against the Horde after the orcs had destroyed the elves’ enchanted homeland of Quel’Thalas. Tirion wondered if Eitrigg was telling the truth.
Could this orc have remained undetected for so long?
    Eitrigg snorted and said, “It was bad luck that led you to me.”
    “Perhaps,” Tirion began, “but your being here creates a serious problem for me. My people hate your kind, Eitrigg. Your race brought nothing but misery and chaos to these lands. They would kill you in a heartbeat if they could. How, then, can I be merciful? How can I let you stay, knowing what your people have done?”
    “I have abandoned them, human! I live here in solitude—in exile,” Eitrigg said warily. “I no longer wish to pay for their sins.”
    “I don’t understand,” the Paladin replied. “Are you saying that you’ve disavowed your own people?”
    My people are lost!” the orc spat. “Truth be told, they were lost long before they ever came to this strange world. When the Horde finally fell before your standards, I decided to take my leave of it forever.”
    Eitrigg reached down and rolled a large chunk of mortar onto its side. Tirion was impressed with the orc’s strength. It would have taken at least two stout men to move the stone. The orc motioned for Tirion