Read [Queen of Orcs 03] - Royal Destiny for Free Online Page A

It spoke in the tongue of mothers, albeit poorly. “Ma pahav Zna-yat.” I say Zna-yat.
    Zna-yat rose, and approached the washavoki. It seemed familiar, but most washavokis looked alike. It bowed politely and spoke again. “Ma nav Sevren.” I am Sevren.
    Zna-yat nodded and replied in Orcish. “I am Zna-yat.”
    The washavoki bowed again, and continued speaking in the tongue of mothers. “I…take Dargu-yat…” It imitated a galloping horse with its fingers. “…take her to…” It seemed unsure what to say next.
    “To hall?” said Zna-yat. “To healer?”
    The washavoki made a puzzling gesture with its shoulders. “You hear? She live? She kill?”
    It wants to know if Dargu lived or died , thought Zna-yat. He replied as if he were speaking to an infant. “You there. You see.”
    “I no see. Mother say go. Dargu-yat live? Dargu-yat kill?”
    “I do not know,” replied Zna-yat. When the washavoki looked confused, he added, “Mothers no say. I no hear.”
    “You no hear?”
    “Hai.”
    The washavoki bowed low. “Shashav, Zna-yat.”
    Zna-yat watched the washavoki depart. It was a strange encounter, and he didn’t know what to make of it, other than the washavokis knew no more about Dargu’s fate than he did. Zna-yat thought Quengirta might have sent the washavoki, since it wore the colors of her guard, but he suspected it acted on its own. Zna-yat’s time with Dargu had taught him to recognize washavoki expressions. It was sad , he thought. His orcish sense of smell also detected another, more puzzling, emotion. It was in love.
     
    A group of guardsmen waited for Sevren at a safe distance from the orcs’ quarters. Valamar stood among them and grinned when he saw his friend returning. “Pay up, lads. He made it back in one piece.”
    As Sevren approached, the men paid Valamar their bets.
    “What of the orc wench, Sevren?” asked one of the losers.
    “Mind your tongue,” he replied. “She’s a queen now, or at least, she was.”
    “A queen of piss eyes,” said the man. “Hardly royalty.”
    “More like their whore,” said another.
    Sevren knocked him to the floor. He was about to deal another blow when Valamar restrained him. “Calm down, Sevren. Thrashing Wulfar won’t change anything. The whole army’s named her orc wench. And worse. You can’t fight them all.”
    Wulfar rose, trying to look menacing.
    “Come, Sevren,” said Valamar. “I’ll stand you an ale at the Bloody Boar.”
    As the two headed for the tavern, Valamar spoke. “That woman’s made you foolhardy, and tonight’s a fine example. It’s wise to avoid orcs. A few days ago, one nearly killed a serving man. Broke both his arms.”
    “He was sent by fools who should’ve known better. Orcs will na abide men serving food.”
    “Why should we change? If they’re supposed to be guardsmen, let them act like guardsmen.”
    “They’re na men, so they can na be guardsmen. Could you become an orc?”
    “You claim Dar did,” replied Valamar.
    “Aye, and she thought it an improvement.”
    “Did you?”
    “’Tis unimportant now.”
    “So, what did the orcs say?”
    “I’m still learning their tongue and lack skill in it, but it seems they know na more than we do. I fear she’s dead. She seemed nearly so when I last saw her.”
    “Since you returned their queen, why wouldn’t the orcs let you stay? That seems common courtesy.”
    “A queen’s death is momentous. To them, I was only some washavoki.”
    “But to question you and turn you out? Your regard for them is overblown. They’re called brutes for a reason.”
    “This summer, who used their own troops as bait? Who pillaged Karm’s Temple? Mayhap orcs are brutes, but they’re honest ones.”
    “I wouldn’t trust an orc,” said Valamar. “Dar addled your wits, and that’s for certain. Still, I’m sorry she’s gone. You were right—she had spirit.”
    Sevren sighed. “Aye, she did.”
    The two men entered the tavern, where Valamar purchased the