Chapter Four: Victims

William's accommodations were not fit for a Prince, and he felt insulted, to say the least. Prince Varian, as royalty, ought to have been treated as a guest.

It was a cage, about six feet wide, tall and long, and it was near the kennels where even now he could hear hounds. Observing, he watched as the orcs leg forward a particularly fat peasant. The man was thrown him into the kennels while a girl screamed at the sight. She tried to run after him, but the orcs dragged her back laughing. William could not see what happened next, but he heard the screams and the snarls.

More meat was thrown down into the kennel as well. Then the woman was led away toward an auction space William had passed while being led here. Other slaves were led by, now and then. Most of them were either fat, old or beautiful women. The former to were always herded into the kennels to be devoured, while screams could be heard from the women later.

William's blood boiled, but he stayed calm.

Eventually, however, the day wore on, and business became slower. William spent the time checking his cage for weaknesses. Much to his disappointment, there had not been any he could see. He'd tested the bars, and they were all very firmly put in place. Whoever had the keys to this cage was nowhere to be seen. Then he looked at the ground and realized that it was made of dirt, albeit a very cracked kind.

With that in mind, William tried digging with his hands. But the dirt was backed hard, and he was unable to make much of a dent in it. If he got halfway to digging out, someone would notice him. And anyway, these seemed like temporary lodgings. When Father replied, he'd be put somewhere else, more secure.

He had to escape now, but he could not see a way.

Then he noticed an orcish peon, working on hammering in a support to the wall. He was using a hammer and nails with considerable skill. And around his neck was a symbol William knew well. It was the symbol of an Ankh, cut into wood.

"That's the symbol of the church of light," said William suddenly. "Are you a practitioner?"

The peon looked up warily. "Me not supposed to talk."

He was surprised that the peon could speak Arathorian. How had he learned that?

"I'm just interested," said William, deciding he ought to share something about himself. "I am a follower of the God sect, but I was not aware there were any among your people who believed."

"Missionary come by sea to village," said the peon. "Heal sick and injured, teach young ones to do it. Shamans not work anymore, and warlocks and necrolytes don't care. We take for common healing."

"Shamans?" asked William. He'd never heard of any orcish shamans. Though the trolls had some.

"Long ago, orcs live on another world, Draenor," said the peon. "It have plains and growth and plenty of food. Then warriors screw up."

"How did they screw up?" asked William, wondering if the information was valuable.

"Peons used to trade with Draenei for nice things," said peon. "Then orcs go to war with them, and Draenei start killing us. Fields use to grow food of all kinds, then warriors kill spirits, and that not work. Eventually, warriors had killed world.

"So Gul'dan open up portal to this world and order an invasion."

"So they destroyed your world and now want you to help them conquer this one," mused William. It sounded like what an orc would do. "What happened to the missionary who gave you that?"

"Dead," said the peon. "Gul'dan crucify."

William remembered hearing stories of missionaries venturing into the Swamps of Sorrow. That had been well before he was born. They'd sought to convert the orcs and never been heard from again. Several more missions had been sent out, but all in vain. "...I'm sorry to hear that. So what are you doing now?"

"Me is shoring up supports on warriors hall," said the peon. "Once me finish, me can get back to making house."

"Houses for the warriors?" guessed William.

"House for family," said peon.

William sat up. "I see.

"Then you've only just recently come to this place, haven't you?"

The peon said nothing for a moment. He looked around warily. William had to do something to earn his trust. He needed the peon to think of him as a kindred spirit. "I may know something of the feeling. My family, House Gabriel, has only recently come to Stormwind ourselves. We were once nobles of Lordaeron, but, well, a civil war happened, and we had to flee here.

"I suppose our families are meeting in the middle."

"Me peon," said the peon. "Warriors say we are of no use and force us to grow food for us. Beat us when we try to keep food for ourselves.

"If have more than three children, they take them and turn them into warriors."

"What do you mean?" asked William.

"Gul'dan make children grow up in hours," said the peon. "Steal away years and take for himself. Then send child to train in barracks. Given axe and sent to die."

"Has this happened to you personally?" asked William.

"Yes," said the peon. "Fourth son taken away. Not even remember family afterward. That years ago."

"Why did you come out here, then?" asked William.

"Once had house with farm and many pigs," said peon. "Warriors took half the pigs and forced us to leave home. Me Blackrock Clan, that means me have to go where Orgrim say.

"Could be worse.

"Could work for Stormreaver Clan. Gul'dan their head, he use peons as ritual sacrifices when not enough captives brought in."

William realized suddenly that the orcs were not only a menace to Stormwind. Their brutal warrior culture was a terrifying tyranny over their own people. What if the warriors were wiped out and the peons swore service to King Llane?

Perhaps that was why William had been brought here. God often brought people to strange places, after all. He might plant the seeds here. "You know, King Llane has a philosophy, He believes that the purpose of the rulers is to serve the ruled. A King must focus on taking care of everyone and ensuring that his realm is prosperous. Sometimes he has to do things that are unpopular, but he still has to do right by his people."

"Warriors only respect strength," said the peon. "We not strong, so we not respected."

"You seem strong to me," said William.

"What you mean?" asked the peon.

"Well, the orcish Horde would fracture and fall to pieces without you," said William. "Warriors need to eat, after all. And you seem to have been pulled from your homes and forced to start all over. All while still building the warriors fortifications.

"That takes strength.

"Just a different kind from what Orgrim has."

"Nice to say," said the peon.

"What do you think would happen if all the peons disappeared?" asked William.

"Warriors starve in wilderness," mused peon.

"Now," said Willam. "What would happen if the warriors all left?"

The peon shifted. "Me should not talk about this."

Good answer. If the peons actually started a revolution, the warriors would slaughter them. They could not overthrow the likes of Orgrim on their own. But they might make valuable agents for humans. William paused. "...I've heard some strange things. Orgrim mentioned some dwarves during the journey here. What do you know of them?"

"Dwarves live in Black Morass and hide in secret ways, orcs can't find them," said the peon. "Blackhand try to wipe them out, but dwarves evade and stage ambushes. Give up after time.

"Now, just shoot when finding."

"And where are they?" asked William.

"No one know for sure," said the peon. "But mostly warrior bodies found in southern reaches."

And then someone hit the peon from behind, and he sprawled as a warrior loomed over him. "No talking with the prisoner, you worthless peon!" snarled the orc in orcish. "If the defenses aren't finished by the end of the day, I'll use your bones to patch the holes in them!"

Then he marched off without seeing whether the peon had obeyed. He'd probably just been looking to hurt someone to feel powerful.

"Me have to get back to work," said peon, standing up.

"Of course," said William. "Tell me, though, what is your name?"

"Mubgrub," said the peon.

"God, or the light, go with you," said William.

Mubgrub moved off to perform his duties, but as he picked up his tools, a spade slipped out of his pack to land by the cage. It was well within reach. Mubgrub glanced at it, then moved off. "Need new spade."

William snatched it quickly and lay down on it. He would not make his escape yet.

The day wore on, and darkness began to creep in. He spotted the demoness surging out into the skies above with a message. That meant she wouldn't be around to help. Taking up his spade, William moved over to the edge of his cage and began to dig at it. Working as quickly as he could, he found his efforts were hard to do. Even so, he little by little increased the amount of dirt he moved. Soon he had a shallow hole for his sweat, and that hole became larger with his burning muscles.

Then he stopped and looked around.

There were lit torches on the walls of the barracks beyond. And to the side was the kennel where innocent people had been fed to it. It contained the mounts of the orcs, and without it, they would be unable to fight as well. Or pursue him. With a smile, William began to dig faster and faster.

At last, he had a hole that might be big enough to crawl through.

Lying down, William wormed and dug through on his belly. His face rubbed in the dirt before he came out the side. He nearly bashed his head on the wall when he stood up. Slowly he slid to one side and saw the stairs up the wall. Gazing over to the torch, he realized it might be of use.

Snatching it up, he brought it over to the kennels and looked in.

Was it really right to kill these animals? Beasts did as was their nature.

Then William noticed the gnawed bones all over the floor. The wolves were holding them. In disgust, William stepped back and hurled the torch into the kennel roof. It lit a fire at once and soon spread. As it did, William ran for the stair, wishing he'd kept his spade.

"FIRE! FIRE!" screamed a lookout, right before William reached the top of the palisade. The orc looked at him in shock and drew his sword. Before he could, William vaulted over the palisade. For a moment, he was falling, then he landed in a roll. Tumbling down the hill, he rolled to a halt, sore and cut in several places.

Standing up, he looked around and saw an area where he might be able to take cover. A forest where he could hide. He didn't know which directly he was heading, but he made a run for it. Risking a glance back in his exhausted sprint, he saw the flame rising high over the walls. Apparently, it had spread, and the pained howls of wolves could be heard.

Yet out of the gates were coming warriors, wielding huge axes.

And William realized he was not running quite as fast as he thought he had been. He sprinted with all his heart, strength, and soul and cleared more and more terrain. Yet he could hear the orcs footfalls behind him.

At last, he surged into the woods, sprinting deeper and deeper into it. As he did, he found his strength failing him. Slipping, he fell into a bog of filthy water. Scrambling out of it, he climbed beneath the shelter of some roots and lay still. As he did, he heard the sound of the orcs coming into the forest.

Their harsh voices were there, but he could not make them out. Pulling himself further into the rooms, he scrambled to throw leaves over himself.

He did not remember when he lost consciousness.

Author's Note:

So yeah, I've decided to make hating orcs fresh and new. Tell me how I'm doing.