Page 89 of The Orc's Captive Bride
Khorrek’s hands clenched. “I know. I participated in some of those missions.”
“Three nights ago, he sent me to deal with a group of refugees. Families. Women and children. They’d been camped outside the east gate.”
“Deal with them how?”
“He didn’t specify. Just said to make sure they understood Kel’Vara wasn’t safe for them anymore.”
Which could mean anything from threats to slaughter.
“What did you do?”
Declar was quiet, his jaw working.
“I scared them. I showed them what an orc looks like when the Beast is close to the surface, and made sure they understood they needed to leave.”
“And?”
“And then I gave them supplies. Weapons. Told them which roads were safest. Which towns would take them in.”
Khorrek stared at him.
“You helped them.”
“I terrified them first. I traumatized children, and made mothers scream. That’s not help, that’s?—”
“It’s better than killing them.”
“Is it? They’ll have nightmares for years. They’ll probably teach their children that orcs are monsters to be feared.”
“We are monsters.”
“I know. But I didn’t want to be. Not in that moment.” Declar’s voice cracked. “They were starving, Khorrek. Sick. One of the children couldn’t have been more than five. And Lasseran wanted me to?—”
Declar stopped, his hands shaking.
“I couldn’t do it. I tried. I stood there telling myself they were just humans, and that their lives didn’t matter compared to my loyalty to the High King, but I couldn’t.”
“That’s not weakness.”
“It felt like weakness, felt like everything we were taught was wrong. Maybe we’re not supposed to be weapons after all.”
He put a cautious hand on the other male’s shoulder. “We were taught a lot of things. Most of them lies.”
“How do you know what’s lie and what’s truth?”
“I don’t. But I know what feels right. And helping those families felt right, didn’t it?”
Declar gave another reluctant nod. “Yes.”
“Then trust that. Even if everything else is uncertain, trust what feels right.”
“And if what feels right gets us killed?”
“Then at least we die as more than weapons.”
Declar pulled away, and wiped his face with the back of his hand.
“I’ll spread the word. Tell the others about Lasseran’s plans. About the choice.”
