Fade to Black

[Luptar Smash!]

The miner girl Irania was standing by the depot in the shop. Makdalena, athletic and tall, muscular, repulsing to a human eye in every way, and absolutely beautiful in her military grace to the eye of an orc, watahced her carefully. Like the orcs have agreed, she would wait till the night served her a cover, and then she would strike. The payment was already received.

* * *

The farmer halfling at the southern gate of Troll's Bane was just about to finish his evening preparations, shovelling snow off the farmland, and as he was to go back to the tool shed, a green gigantic paw dove upward from the snow, and sunk his head into it. In several seconds, the halfling was tied up, knocked out, and his mouth was tightly gagged. Yet he was alive, for killing was not necessary. A large figure of an orc emerged over him and just as quickly, submerged into the snow covered sunflowers.

* * *

The orcess crept to the depot, having spotted her well described target almost an hour ago. Avoiding Felix, and a couple of old speaking citizens, she made her way to the shop. A dagger and a sword on her belt, a set of ropes and rappel gear, and a warrior's full outfit, made of studded leather - were on her.
She surprised Irania with a quite "pssst". Irania turned her head.
Quietly, not to attract anyone else's attention, and deciding that it is now dark enough, the orcess spoke:
"Yoo bes miner girl, 'Rania Belarus?"
"I am." - Irania replied, "What's your point?"
"I hab messig fur yoo."
"From who?"
"An importun orc, come ere, tis' a bit private, dun wan stoopid oomies to hear."

The orcess stepped back towards the hedge, deeper into the shadow of the wall, motioning Irania to follow. Now, they two were but mere shadows in the street, unnoticed completely by the late townfolk.
Irania the Sultry Vixen placed a hand on her hip and looked up to the orcess. She was almost 1.75 meters tall, and her complexion did not promise anything exciting. She looked around, which made Irania maybe just a little nervous, with all the years of experience. She warily reached for the shovel handle sticking out of the depot. Her other hand was in her pocket, on the hilt of a small knife.
"What's the message?" - She asked cautiously, watching the orcess's every move.
"Messig be dis: Luptar Smash." The move was too quick to follow. Makdalena swung a fist with all her prowess and stroke at Irania's temple before she could blink, and immediately a second strike to the jaw followed. The girl was no match for a trained bandit.
Irania blinked as the orcess's lightning quick hand fell back in place at her waist. And the world faded to black.

* * *

Luptar counted the coins, everything was prepared. With his club and sword he had already knocked out the guards at the gate, and the Travel Book salesman was off duty due to disappearance of all his ink, he had to visit the shops. Luptar hoped his comrade would make it in time. She had a difficult task to fulfill, which was dangerous and would take all her focus and strength to accomplish.

* * *

Irania took the strikes and fell, hitting the ground, completely unconscious.
The orcess quickly looked around again and put a wooden branch into the woman's teeth, tying it as a gag in her lips with a piece of rope, then quickly scooped her up, threw the woman over her shoulder.

Now the hard task would begin. Running fast was not an option. She had to carry a live hostage through a town at night. But also, she was a trained rogue and a strong athlete. Besides, if Luptar took care of his part of the operation well, she would be able to remove her burdain right at the time when she'd run out of breath. Fortunately, Irania turned out to be lighter than expected, her lithe tiny figure hardly had weight, it was delicate and sweet.

Makdalena hugged the wall as she crept through the streets. Whenever Irania moved, she would put her on the ground, knock her out with the hilt of a sword again, and resume carrying her. The orcess was not shy of beating. Twice she almost ran into Felix, and had to crouch and sneak in the hedge to avoid the light of the tavern.
She calculated route and picked the pig farm as the least dangerous place to pass. Taking the time to place Irania in a bush, she crept to the drunken farmer in the pig pen. Taking him out took some five seconds.
The Travel Book salesman walked by and heard the noise, carefully sprinting to the pens to investigate. He found the farmer unconscious, and decided to proceed further, noticing Irania on the ground. That was his mistake.

Both men now unconscious, Makdalena stepped out of the hedge and put her sling away. Picking Irania up, she stealthily walked her way past the hospital, and towards the southern tower. She climbed the wall, giving Irania another punch to insure she tayed on the ground prone. From the tower, the orcess gave an overlook for any movement. All was clear. She climbed back down, tied a rope around Irania wrists and ankles, locking them in a knot, and pulling the rope through a loop in her rappel gear, securing it with the chains on the openings on each end. A metal coil was thrown around Makdalena's neck like a bow, and on each end of the coil was a loop, through which she inserted and put through Irania's hands. This way, Irania was suspended on her back like a backpack.

Then, Makdalena started climbing. It was difficult. She reached the top of the tower, carried Irania across the roof, and started climbing down, to the outside of the city. Reaching the ground, she ran out of breath and took a breather for half a minute. Luckily, nobody noticed. Then, she threw Irania over her back again and sprinted to the farm, where she kawed twice like a crow.

A raven's low kaw replied in the darkness. It was Luptar's answer signal.

* * *

-Gud work! Now we be paid!
-Dun forget mes cut.
-Mes nub forget!
-Dis right girl?
-Yub. Tis.

Luptar chuckled.

-She pretty piece a meat too. Mabbe Luptar has a feast!
-Dun forget to call me ben cuttin needs done.
-We not be paid to kill er. Only hab fun.

Irania started coming to her senses. She looked around. She was on her knees, in the middle of the frozen farmland. The orc and the orcess were towering above her. He was by far larger than the orcess was, and his massive hands looked like they could crush stone. Irania's eyes widened.

-Yoos 'Rania. A man wants yoo to tell somedin. We need to talk business!

Irania wasn't expected to answer, for she was tied up and gagged. Forcefully, one she could only assume to be Luptar, removed her gag and retied her hands behind her back in such a way that she could not move her elbows. Makdalena helped him and soon disappeared. Now it was him and her.

-But mabbe mes hab little fun too. Mes got paid silbers to make yoo suffer. But mes not cruel. Mabbe mes make yoo enjoy too. If yoo enjoy orc flesh. Yoo enjoy orc flesh, pretty oomie beast?

Luptar thrust two of his inch thick fingers into Irania's mouth as soon as she opened it to speak, or perhaps to try and feel her jaw still being in tact. The fingers immediately triggered gag reflex as they went all the way into her throat and stretched her lips. Luptar took her by the lower jaw, sinking his skin into her teeth, and shook her head.
As she held her steady, his other hand's palm connected to her forehead in a powerful concussion blow.

Then, Luptar threw her over his back, lifting her like a feather, and started hauling heels. He ran like an animal, taking secret paths and forest shortcuts. Past the fields, trees, jumping over rocks and streams, he ran.

* * *

Irania awoke in the darkness. She was tied to a pole with her hands high behind her back, twisted in such a way that she could not move without hurting them or popping her joint out. Her ankles were tied to a heavy chest, and she was hanging suspended on a wooden frame next to some drying meat. The orc was with her. As soon as she awakened, he hit the middle of her ribcage so hard she thought she would no longer breathe. It felt like being hit by an anvil. She coughed for some moments before she could again take in air.

"Why are you doing this?" - she cried - "What man wants information from me?"
"Nub worry. Yoo get to meet him soon." - the orc seemed to have finished writing a letter and sending it off with a raven through a tiny door in the ceiling. It was still night time outside, but it was clear they were underground.

"Now, tis time for sum fun. Mes like mixing work un pleasure!" ,
The orc said as he sunk his claws into Irania's torn dress, and threw it off completely, together with a small bit of flesh, discarding it to the dirty stone floor .

[Irania]

Irania cringed when she saw the orc Luptars figure moving through the darkness, closing in on her. As he lit a torch, illuminating his appearance, her fear only grew for he was certainly an immense beast. Such a size was this orc that were Irania on the ground he surely could double her size.

"Please...I don't know what information you seek...and I...where is this man you spoke of" Her voice was a mixture of desperation and terror. "Surely he should have come by now..." Again she shifted her wrists in their ties, in yet another attempt to free herself and run from whatever was to come. "I am begging you...let me go...I've done nothing..." She could not, even in the torchlight, help but lower head head down and hide a smile.

[Luptar Smash!]

Nub me problem, little beast. Beg or no beg, me just do de' job.
Man come soon, yoo meets him un' talks. Till den, you're mine.

Luptar's raven kept circling around the dark cavern room with the note in its beak, then returned to Luptar's shoulder.

Stoopid brrd!

The orc grunted and snatched the note angrily, before putting on a wide hooded cloak with a cape, throwing a piece of meat to tied Irania's feet, barely in her reach, in such a way that she would have to get on all fours like an animal, naked and with hands fixed in place, to eat it. With that, Luptar crawled out of the hidden basement.

Under the night's cover he pinned something to the town wall.

A letter written in print, with a piece of Irania's torn dress and a tied strand of her cut off hair - attached to it. The letter's contents are:

To whom this may concern. Irania girl is in my custody. Reply to me and come down to meet her. Bring the payment you promised.
Your friendly orc.

[Faladron]

Strolling through town, Faladron spots the newest messages on the townwall. One particular one catches his curiosity, especially the items attached to it. Could it be? Yes, he knew that kind of cloth, plentifully he knew it. The message below leaves no doubt, and his face grows long as he reads rereads and reads it again.

Collecting all three, the message, the hair and the piece of cloth, he makes off his way to... yes to where? He had no clue who this orc was nor where to find him.

Pinning a note on the exactly same spot that reads:

I thank the friendly orc for his concern and diligent fulfillment of his task.
I lost the contact though, leave a note at Borgate to fresh up my mind as
I forgot both meeting place and payment. Borgate however will have a
part of the payment ready, if I recall the amount right. Bring more of
the "trophies" to identify yourself to Borgate, he will know.

He hoped for the best. Explaining in brief to Borgate why he should talk and more than that give 30 good silver pieces to an orc in exchange for some piece of cloth or a strand of hair struck him odd, but after a brief discussion he pocketed the silver with an "Arr!" tending back to his usual tasks of staring around, grumbling and waiting for customers.
Faladron however, withdrew down to his room and upon closing his door behind him beat it rather harshly with one of his fists.

Stupid girl.

[Luptar Smash!]

Luptar palms his face. "Argh... Amateurs..."

At night he once again creeps to the wall and posts a note in reply:

"Friendly reminder to my man with short memory.
The payment was 50 silvers, and the meeting place is south gate of Troll's Bane near the farms. Borgate and his tavern should stay out of it, for the safety of all operating staff. You come to farm, you pay me for service, we go get you girl.
Friendly orc."