Bruger, the orc tyrant ruling over the city of Grunthree, paced back and forth in his chamber, his chin held in deep contemplation. "Should I wear the brown or silver?" It was a rather challenging decision for Bruger Frathgar, who usually struggled with such choices. At this very moment, he detested any interruption to his train of thought. His daily attire must always be grand, befitting that of a lord, a title he bestowed upon himself. Bruger fancied himself the new lord of the lands, a position granted to him by the great tyrant Azuk Smolg.
Having grown up in poverty, Bruger had risen through the ranks due to his connections, ultimately becoming a key figure in Azuk's plan to establish his own kingdom. Despite his humble origins, he now possessed enough wealth to indulge in whatever he desired. However, there was one small problem: Bruger's obsession with his lordly persona led him to mimic the mannerisms and attire of nobility.
"Not a single soul will ever assume I came from poverty," he would whisper to himself. "You there, human girl! Which of these two looks the finest?" he bellowed, gesturing to his attire.
In the corner of the room stood several maids, clad in fine uniforms but burdened by heavy chains. They were not present for cleaning but rather for Bruger's personal gratification. None of them were orcs; Bruger ensured that non-orcs were either executed or enslaved. Most of those spared death were subjected to his particular desires.
"Yes, master, I believe the umber one would look nicest," the maid with brown hair replied, her voice trembling.
"The umber one, you say?" Bruger pondered her response, unable to recall the exact hue of "umber." His frustration mounted, and his patience wore thin. The maid's comment failed to satisfy him. With deliberate intent, he strode over to the line of maids and seized the slave with his right hand, gripping her neck and lifting her off the ground. She struggled, her chained wrists preventing her from reaching the floor. Fear etched across her face, she closed her eyes, hoping the ordeal would end soon.
"How dare you use words too complex for me to understand? Are you insinuating that I am too poor to know what 'umber' is?" Bruger's voice seethed with rage. "You stupid human, do not presume superiority because your kind is considered the most intelligent in this world." With each word, he tightened his grip, making it difficult for the maid to breathe.
Tears welled in her eyes until Bruger finally released his hold. His rage was well-known to the maids, and they understood the consequences of invoking his wrath. Typically, he would subject them to beatings or lashings, but on this busy day, he saw fit to spare his hands the effort.
"I'm going with the brown one. Now, you beautiful maids, report to Stuob. He'll prepare you to move into the new manor we are acquiring," he stated, adjusting his clothing to appear as wealthy as possible. Without another word to the slaves, he exited the room.
"Are you okay, Clementine?" One of the maids rushed to her aid after Bruger had left. She was a member of the Coney race, a mix of human and rabbit. Her long brown ears, nose, and whiskers made her heritage evident. The Coney, like other races, lacked fur but had skin and walked upright.
Clementine, the human maid, coughed slightly, trying to ease the sensation of her blocked airway. "Y-yes, I'm fine. Thank you, K-Kabi," she replied, struggling slightly.
The other maids followed Kabi's lead and surrounded Clementine, protecting one another as they had no one else for company. They had learned to care for each other, as was necessary for female slaves owned by Bruger.
"I... I just can't anymore! I want to leave, far from this place," Clementine screamed, tears of anguish streaming down her face.
In the land of Rovkree, orcs constituted the majority of the population, with some beast men and a few other races also present. Unlike many orc cities, Rovkree was not very diverse, and the number of non-orcs was low. These individuals, however, were not permitted freedom within Azuk Smolg's new kingdom, which Bruger wholeheartedly supported due to his belief in orc racial supremacy.
"I know it's hard, Clementine, but we can't. These chains keep us here."
"Yes, if we didn't have these chains, I would fight to escape even if it meant dying. Anything is better than this torture."
"Get her some water!"
All the maids gathered to help Clementine up off the ground and ensure she was comfortable enough to drink the glass of water.
Meanwhile, Bruger walked proudly through his "fortress," ensuring everything was in order. If he passed by a guard who was slacking, he would have them killed or do it himself. The guards were kept in-line not by morale, but by fear of Bruger. Aside from Bruger, they feared Azuk the most, as he was the only one capable of overpowering Bruger and pinning him down when he made a mistake.
"Sir!" The guards exclaimed in unison, standing straight as per routine in Bruger's presence.
"Hello, morons, any news?" Bruger's voice cut through the air, addressing the guards.
"None, everything is in order," they replied in unison.
"And have they finished moving my bags to the new manor?" Bruger inquired.
"Not yet, Lord Bruger. There are still quite a few things left here," one guard responded.
"Well? Then get on it! You all have legs and arms, get moving!" Bruger ordered, prompting the guards to swiftly leave their posts to comply.
"Unbelievable! I have to yell at everyone in this damn place to do their jobs! I'm sick of it! The next person who doesn't obey will be KILLED!" Bruger shouted, ensuring the guards heard him loud and clear. They walked faster out of fear. Every guard knew that Bruger was always short-tempered and didn't want to risk getting on his bad side, especially when he was already in a foul mood.
"Hello, Bruger, how did you wake up this morning?" Okurnion greeted him.
"Oh, it's you, Okurnion. I slept rather well. Beautiful morning we're having, don't you think? Everything is so fresh. Today is going to be a good day. Sometimes the feeling of having a fresh new home makes me feel more optimistic," Bruger replied to his second-in-command, known as Okurnion Gori, who was renowned for his position among all orcs in their new kingdom, particularly for his brutality.
The hierarchy of fear among the average orc guard was set so that they feared Azuk the most, followed by Bruger, and then General Okurnion.
"Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but I have some bad news," Okurnion said.
"You've got to be kidding me! Why today of all days? I'm moving into my new manor, and whoever caused a mess today will pay for testing my patience," Bruger exclaimed.
"Haha, you need to calm down, Bruger. Look, it's probably just some hungry assholes from this rundown dump," Okurnion reassured him.
"Oh? What did they do?" Bruger inquired.
"We found four of our guards dead in one of the inns they usually stay at."
"Four guards dead?"
"Yeah, not a brutal kill or anything. Just a few arrows to the chest and blunt damage to the head."
"Well, judging by how much the people of this dump hate us, it doesn't surprise me. What surprises me most is how they managed to kill four of them, and with arrows? Something doesn't feel right about it."
"Do you think it was an organized group attack?" Okurnion inquired.
"Perhaps. If it were a regular citizen, they would have fallen short of killing all four. They are deprived and starving, so I doubt they'd be strong enough to kill my men," Bruger brilliantly deduced.
"Shall we respond accordingly?" Okurnion asked.
"What of the innkeeper?" Bruger questioned.
"She wasn't found anywhere near the inn," Okurnion replied.
"Can we assume that she was the culprit?" Bruger asked Okurnion.
Okurnion pondered the question, knowing he needed to give a good answer, despite not being as clever as Bruger. At times, Bruger would try to challenge or compete with him when it came to wits. This was possibly one of those moments.
"I would say no. The lady of the inn is said to be old and on the heavier side. Although she is one of the lucky poor people who has the pleasure of having food to eat, she is nowhere near strong enough to overpower four of them. Not to mention there was little to no struggle or show of fight from the guards, which shows that it was someone fast. In conclusion, the innkeeper isn't involved," Okurnion replied, after taking his hand off his chin.
"Impressive, but not quite. Let's say that the innkeeper wasn't entirely responsible for slaughtering my men, but she was nevertheless involved. Think about it, how would the attackers know where exactly the guards were? Perhaps she grew angry at my men and hired some muscle. Tell me, what was found on their bodies?" Bruger added.
"More like what wasn't. One of the guards who was with them a while before their murder said they stole a large amount of coin from the old innkeeper."
"That's it! Someone paid her for information!"
"But who would carry that much coin?" Okurnion asked, falling short of an answer.
"Oh, my Okurnion, this is why I am your superior! Think. This might be from the group that fled with Org Frey. They are the only ones who took several supplies, including their coin."
"What?! But we haven't heard a word from them for quite some time now."
"It looks like they grew tired of hiding inside the Bloody Forest. Sound the horns! Let every one of my men know that they should be on full guard and watch for any orc that isn't skinny and starving. They started the war by killing four of my men. Let's respond by executing four innocent souls. After all, I did warn that Org. That should draw them out," Bruger proclaimed.