Silence fills the air as I absorb this new information. This giant albino trait⁸or was my uncle, Uthred's brother.
"He never mentioned me did he?" asks Bloodymaw, his voice quiet and sad. I shake my head no, and his face fills with even more anger if that was possible.
"We were leading a raid on a Ravager company that had been sweeping through the area. I was Uthred's second, his right hand, we were blood brothers.
We ambushed the company and decimated them when all of a sudden we were surrounded by three full companies. It had been a trap I guess.
Deciding to try and attack one company and try to fight our way out. We charged, slaughtering countless men. Then a dying soldier stabs his spear into my leg, making me drop.
Uthred looks back and we make eye contact. Then he just leaves me, no words, no hesitation, just leaves me to die. I wish I had died, instead, the Ravagers tortured me for years, either I was in the Pits fighting or in the cell being carved up.
Finally, after 5 years, they started to give me control of the training of new pit fighters. and they told me that everyone from my clan thought I was dead, so they might as well make sure no one could ever recognize me and burned my face.
Do you understand? He left me to die, just like he will leave you here to die" says Bloodymaw, his voice growing in anger until he is shouting at the end.
Then he grabs Wylfs body and drags it out before closing the door and leaving me in the dark cell with my thoughts.
"I believe him, Uthred puts the good of the clan above all else. He wouldn't risk the clans, warriors, to rescue one orc. I can't count on him coming to get me" I think as I slowly stretch out on the damp floor, trying to get some sleep.
I wake up go painful light hitting my eyes before I hear Bloodymaws hateful voice saying.
"Get up runt, time for more training"
I slowly get to my feet, the scabs on my back opening up, my hands swollen and throbbing.
Again we run until we all drop, but now we have to kick the poles until our shins are bruised and bleeding. The other slaves seem to have been made aware of what happened to me, and Wylf. They all avoid me as much as possible, though I do feel their stares on my back.
Taking deep breaths, I make myself shut down emotionally, finding my center and focusing only on the moment. The pain, and physical activity is a good distraction.
"Alright Whelps, time for chow" says Bloodymaw, his cruel eyes looking over us in satisfaction.
Chow as it turned out, was a large pig that we had to chase down, kill, and then eat raw. I was long used to eating raw meat when needed, but I did get to watch in satisfaction as the humans in my group started getting sick.
After chow, I was taken back to my small cave where I killed Wylf. His body was gone, but in the darkness I still imagine him laying there. His dead eyes staring at me still in shock.
The nights go by slowly for me, the days while repetitive allow me to focus my thoughts on getting stronger, pushing my body past its limits again, and again.
"6 months" I say outloud in my small cave. I recently started thinking outloud to myself since everyone else refuses to talk to me. The other orcs are from a different clan possibly even a rival one. Elves have always looked down on us orcs according to Uthred, so no surprise the two in my group ignore me. The humans are the worst though. Enslaved by their own kind, they try to put down the other races to make themselves feel better. I am a easy target so I tend to take the most of their abuse. It's nothing major yet, but I know it's coming, the confrontation, and justification I need to finally snap back at them and show them that they need to leave me alone.
"Hey Pigskin, come help us with our chores. If you dont, maybe we arrange for you to have a "training accident" says one of the humans. He is a little taller then the rest. Clearly was raised in a well off home having demonstrated that he can read Common which is more then I can say for the rest of us.
I notice the other humans have circled around me like a pack a wolves that have corned prey. I look around, and realize that the day has finally come to shut them up.
I look around me, and smile because finally I have someone to vent my anger on.
"I have been waiting for this"