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“So, faced with letting me die and being alone forever, you decided to save me?” I ask for the benefit of the crowd. It’s obvious what she chose.
“Even if this is true, which it cannot be,” Verrick interrupts, “why leave? Why not ask for resources to save your mate? You are the king’s cousin. He would have helped you and you could have stayedwith the Horde.”
“You forget, Warchief,” Dura retorts, some of her fire back in her words, “none of us wanted to save humans, least of all enemy soldiers. We all felt a great hatred for the humans, in light of their aggression and invasion of our lands. My King felt that rage more powerfully than any of us and, as his cousin, I knew it. He would have argued, like you are, that it wasn’t the Recognition and would have let him die. Besides, even if it wasjustthe Mating Instinct, would you have just left your own mate to die?”
“Leave my mate out of this,” growls Verrick.
“Exactly,” she says triumphantly. “Why do you expect me to make a sacrifice that no one would willingly make? I faced an impossible decision and in the end, I chose to believe in the Recognition.”
“The Recognition!” rages Verrick. “Stop claiming it was the Recognition. Half-elves cannot experience the Recognition!”
“Yes,” says a new voice, “they can.”
Everyone in the room pivots toward the voice. It is an orc, obviously a half-elf like Dura. He has fangs like hers and high cheekbones. Standing with a lazy sort of confidence, he has a bored look in his eyes, but I get the feeling this attitude is a show. He must be here at Adalind’s request.
“Your Majesties,” I declare, “I wish to call this orc as a witness.”
“Come forward, Gunag,” says Adalind. She still sounds formal, but there is a light in her eyes that wasn’t there before. This is definitely a part of her plan.
The orc, Gunag, steps forward, standing to the side of Dura. They almost look like they could be siblings.
“Gunag,” I begin, “what did you mean, that half-elves can feel the Recognition?”
“You all know me,” begins the orc, holding his arms out wide like he is performing. “I am the King’s Axe, his right hand. I am also a half-elf, though I do not like to admit it. I ignore all parts ofthat side of my heritage and reject it. So whenIexperienced the Recognition, I fought against it, decided that it was anything but that. I thought I just wanted her as my female, or that, like Warchief Verrick said, it was the Mating Instinct. But the Mating Instinct, if there is no Claiming, goes silent after a time and finds a new subject to chase. Not so with the Recognition.”
This orc certainly has a knack for showmanship. He has the room eating out of the palm of his hand.
“So these feelings did not go away, I take it?” I ask, trying to guide him back to the point.
“No, they grew stronger and more forceful each day, until I had no choice but to admit to myself that it was not mere Mating Instinct that drove me, but the Recognition.”
“Are you mated now to yourAsh’ka?” I ask, genuinely curious. His mate might be another good witness to call.
He surprises me by shaking his head. “Not yet. Mine is a stubborn and fierce female, a human with the heart of an orcress. Though she runs from me now, I will never forsake her, for she is mine and I am hers.”
With that, he looks very deliberately behind me. I turn, almost aghast, thinking he might be looking at Adalind. In which case, I am sure that his king will kill him. But no, when I see where he is looking, it is to the side of Adalind at Dame Zera, the captain of her Gold Guard.
It can’t be. Dame Zera is famously devoted to Adalind. She has sworn never to marry, to stay unattached at all times so that she can stay close to her queen. But as the room looks at her, her eyes widen and her face turns pale. She glares angrily at Gunag, then looks at Adalind, leans down, and whispers something in her ear. Adalind frowns, but nods and in a moment, Dame Zera has left, exiting through the door closest to the thrones. A guard comes up from the side of the throne, an orc with horns, and stands in the place whereDame Zera was.
I turn back to my surprise witness, who just shrugs. “As you can see, I have an uphill battle with that one. But I will win. I always do.”
Though I do not know Dame Zera that well, as we were in different guards, even I could tell Gunag that his swagger and confidence will not work with her. But that is his folly to discover, not mine to tell him.
Verrick interjects into our conversation. “Gunag, isn’t it possible that it is the Mating Instinct, just a very strong one, and you and General Dura are mistaken?”
Gunag shakes his head. “I’m sorry, old friend, but there is no mistaking it. My Oath that it is the Recognition and nothing else. I will also say that I do not blame General Dura for her actions. In her position, I would have done the same, duty be damned.”
A shocked murmur goes through the crowd. Those are strong words from Gunag, especially now that Dura has already explained about Orikesh Oaths. Coming from someone in such a prestigious position as the King’s Axe only gives it more weight.
I press my advantage. “As you can see, Your Majesties, the circumstances behind General Dura’s leaving were dire. Uncontrollable, once-in-a-lifetime circumstances that were decreed by Fate itself. General Dura is no coward. No traitor. If she were to go to war tomorrow with the Horde again, they could trust her to always have their back and to fight beside them. She is who she has always been: an honorable shieldmaiden of Orik.”
“Be that as it may,” Verrick says, “the Horde must have justice. A well-intentioned betrayal is still a betrayal. We must have punishment or there can be no justice.”
It’s a good point and well said. I look at Adalind. There’s nothing else to say. All I can hope is that I have done enough.
Adalind and her husband exchange a look, and then Adalind stands. “The king and I must confer, based on the words of the advocate and adversary. Then we will render our judgment.” Theystand and the room stands with them, not sitting again until Adalind and the orc king are out of sight. Then the room erupts in whispers, all the court having something to say about what they just witnessed. Verrick goes back to Pellia’s side, and she slides her hand into his. They must be together. I go back to Dura, pulling her into my arms, and she willingly comes to me.
“Are you alright?” I whisper, not wanting the close guards to hear our personal exchange.
