Skirmish (Bitrayuul): Decision

Skirmish (Bitrayuul): Decision

Follow along each week for Skirmishes of characters of the Orcblood Legacy Series. These are real events that take place during the story’s timeline but are not detailed in the book.

Bitrayuul took a deep breath. He was uncertain of whether his response would be what the council wanted to hear. He turned to Tormag, though knew that every action he took was being scrutinized. 

Tormag nodded to him. “Tell the truth, lad. Like I always taught ye.”

Turning back to Myra, the half-orc let out a sigh. “I don’t know why I went after the senator.” A few gasps and whispers came in response, prompting Bitrayuul to elaborate. “Tormag told me not to, for my own safety. But I couldn’t just let Theiran get dragged away! He saved me, in the battle. How could I just watch as the trolls took him? No one else was going after him, so I felt I had to do it.”

Myra leaned back in her chair. “Dwarves fight in a strict formation. It is known that if one of us be removed from the formation, they are lost. We cannot risk the battle fer the life of a single warrior—senator or not.”

Bitrayuul looked down at the ground. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

This time, Theiran chimed in. “No, lad, ye didn’t. But I’ll be thankin’ Bothain every day that ye chose to act anyway.” Once again, the council members began to dispute. 

Myra finally rose from her seat and smacked a small mace against the dias in front of her, claiming everyone’s attention. With the senators silent, she turned her gaze back to Bitrayuul. “What is your name again?”

“Bitrayuul, senator.”

“Were ye named that fer a reason?”

The half-orc shifted uncomfortably. “Yes, but not for my own part.” Myra motioned for him to explain. “My father is an orc, my birth mother a human. My conception was not known by my real mother.”

Myra seemed curious. “And where is yer father now?”

“Dead, slain by Tormag before my birth.”

Taking her seat once more, the senator finally offered a smile. “Well aren’t ye a bundle of family trauma? Yer adoptive father killed yer real father, and still ye follow him?”

Bitrayuul nodded. “To the end and back.”

Myra turned to her colleagues and nodded. Next, Theiran stood and called down to Bitrayuul and Tormag. “Right, step outside fer a moment, if ye please.”

Tormag pulled the confused Bitrayuul toward the door. Once outside, the half-orc seemed to explode with stress. 

“Oh no, did I say the wrong thing?! Are they going to reject me?” Bitrayuul’s heart raced in his chest as he realized he may have driven the council to a negative decision. He began hyperventilating and would have collapsed to the floor had Tormag not caught him. 

“C’mon, son. Ye’ll be alright. Everything went fine. Ye told the truth, and that’s what matters.”

Bitrayuul looked at his father and finally noticed that the dwarf’s face was lined with tears as well. At first, he immediately assumed that Tormag was crying because he knew that the council would expel them from Tarabar. But Bitrayuul could see that they were tears of joy from the half-orc’s words. 

A moment later, the doors to the chamber opened once more and Theiran called for them to enter. Tormag pulled Bitrayuul to his feet and looked him in the eye. “To the end and back.” 

Together, the pair passed into the chamber, holding the other firmly. Once inside, Theiran allowed Myra to offer the decision.

Standing once more, the senator smiled down at them. “Welcome back, Bitrayuul. We’ve come to a decision. Ye will be positioned in the Dwarven Regime, under Tormag, who will resume his title of Commander. Ye will learn our ways, and ye will know what it means to be a dwarf. Also, ye are to live under Tormag’s roof. Ye will be monitored and any sign of threat will result in yer death or expulsion of Tarabar. This be agreeable?”

Bitrayuul stood staring around the room, trying to process everything. He had heard Myra’s words, but didn’t fully comprehend her meaning. 

Leaning forward on her dias, the senator simplified her approach. “It means ye get to stay, Bitrayuul.”