“Not that good then?"

“The High Lord of that territory thinks us animals and his mind has been split. The humans in his lands suffer and starve. Yet because he sends troops to the north he is ignored by the Emperor. Better a foaming madman than one with cunning and ambition. He has stayed away from us and our warrior caravans are not disrupted on the Emperor's orders."

"Oh." That wasn't exactly encouraging news.

“The High Lords always vie and battle for power, young one. All want to be Emperor or want for independence. It is an Empire of shadows and knives. You would be better off here in the arms of my niece."

“Well from what you've told me I think I'd rather go strangle some of these idiots. But thanks for the offer."

Grolfir grinned downright wolfishly and took another swig of his ale. Then Gregory did the same and braced himself for the impact of the orcish brew. The two men clashed their metal cups together and leaned over the map to speak of the world and its state.

Humans, it turned out, were the most prolific race in the world but in past centuries they had grown less aggressive toward the other races and more prone to infighting. No human was ordinarily given the right to challenge an orc but if a human was challenged and emerged victorious then he or she was considered a member of orc society and could do as they pleased. Gregory found out that he was the only such human currently in existence. It was both a comforting thought to know he had a place here and yet something of a burden for he realised that he not only represented himself but all humanity to these green giants.

Gregory had finally worked up the courage to ask about the black orcs and learned that they had been splintered from the southern orcs long ago. A group of demons had once offered Grolfir's people unimaginable strength in exchange for their service and many had accepted. Those who refused fled south and made their home in the mountains there. The orcs who accepted the demon's gift found it came with a price and warped themselves into a horrifically deformed and wretched species that had become little more than animals. Even then the hatred in Grolfir's voice was so vicious it was unnerving when he spoke of The Lost Ones. Though they had been named ‘black orcs’ by the humans, Grolfir told them that their true colour was a wretched pallid white. They only appeared black because they spent so much time in amidst their furnaces and within the black ash of the northern volcanoes. The mutual threat of these monstrous creatures had improved relations between humans and the southern orcs and so they fought side by side along the human kingdom's northern border.

After two hours of conversation with Grolfir they were interrupted by a messenger. Gregory turned to see a young male orc wearing hardened leather armour standing to attention like a soldier as he awaited his warchief's permission to speak.

Grolfir turned and barked something at the young orc in the orcish language to which the messenger replied in kind. It wasn't a very long message and once it was finished the young male was dismissed and Grolfir turned to Gregory.

“It appears we have talked longer than I had intended. My presence is needed at the great hall. I am glad Algra found you Gregory Hopkins. Tell her..." Grolfir paused and then shook his head. "Be good to her."

“May I ask something of you warchief?" Gregory stood, the nerves of speaking to the great orc returning somewhat given what he was about to ask.

“You may ask but I may not give." It didn't seem like being asked for favours was anything new to Grolfir.

“One of the humans I came here with is being held in the pits. He attacked one of the orcs that brought him here with great dishonour. I would ask that you release him into my care.“ Asking the question wasn't exactly easy for Gregory. He was asking to free the psychotic lunatic that had bullied him for most of his life after all.

“And why, by the First, would I do something Like that?" Grolfir raised a suspicious brow at the request.

“He means something to the girl I came with. They are no longer close but I don't think she'd be comfortable knowing someone she knew so well was slowly rotting in the pit. I also feel kind of responsible for him. He came here with me. If you refuse then I'll understand but I've got to ask you to free him into my care all the same,“ Gregory explained.

“I see." Grolfir studied Gregory carefully. "If he is released to you and he causes any further danger then you will be held accountable.”

Why do I get the feeling I'm really going to regret this? Gregory thought to himself as he nodded in acceptance of Grolfir's condition.

"I will have him released. I'll send a messenger now. He will be spared the pit today and you can collect him as you see fit. Don't wait too long." Grolfir nodded gruffly and took his leave.

This left Gregory standing in the tent feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension. He was going to have to look after Freddie Lounds? That sure as hell wasn't his idea of a good time.

He walked over to Algra's chest of belongings and Lifted the handle on one of the sides to begin to pull the thing out of the tent. It was somewhat disheartening to find that apparently a trunk full of orcish armour was very heavy indeed. He wouldn't be able to Lift it to carry and since the chest was quite nicely decorated with little engravings he didn't want to drag it through the dirt and mud of the encampment. He needed an orc.

“Excuse me?" Both guards outside the tent were a little surprised to see Gregory's head pop out and address them. "Do you guys happen to speak...er..." What was he going to say? English? "Do you understand me?"

His words were met with two still stares of darkened faces before one of the orcs roared something in orcish so loud that Gregory almost fell back on his ass inside the tent. The same young orc who had delivered Grolfir's message came running from within one of the tents and looked between the guards and Gregory. A quick exchange of brief orcish grunts focused his attention on Gregory.

“What want?“ Apparently his human linguistic skills were somewhat rudimentary.

"Um...could you help me carry something?" Gregory asked. The orc shrugged his broad shoulders and nodded. Gregory slipped back inside the tent and the orc followed shortly thereafter. He Looked at the jade giant who seemed to be around his age, although it was difficult to tell since his kin were so large.