Free Fallen Crown (Orc Destiny Volume II) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) by Jeremy Laszlo Page B

shone there were not hidden well by the smile the king gave. No.
The goblin king did not mean him harm, but it was obvious he was not a man to
cross. No matter how small his stature.
    Approaching the small king, Gnak was caught off guard when
the goblin leader stepped from his chariot and knelt before him in the sand.
Every single goblin echoed their leader’s move, and not knowing what to do in
return, Gnak nodded, lowering his own head in respect to the king. Gnak watched
the goblin king rise and appraise him, before the small man talked.
    “My friend, Gnak. We haves much to discuss,” said the goblin
king with a toothy grin.
    “Come. Goblins make camp,” Gnak replied turning to point
back down the dune behind him. “Have food. Goblins eat. Get rest. We talk.”
    Having invited his ally to join their camp, Gnak turned and
walked across the sand with the small king. He watched the man at his side as
the goblin raised a hand and gestured with his fingers as goblins behind them
began shouting orders. Down the side of the dune they walked, Gnak taking
smaller strides than was natural, allowing the smaller man to keep pace. It was
not until they approached the base of the dune, with all the Orcish clan having
come out to witness the arrival of the goblins, that the goblin king began
speaking again.
    “Me sees you gots the armors,” he said gesturing to the
heavily laden carts still unpacked at the edge of camp.
    “Yes. Gnak think is good. Gnak thank goblin king for armor.
Gnak no understand why goblins come. Want know what goblin music say. What
goblin king vision?” Gnak said, voicing his concerns aloud.
    “Yes, we talks all this in private. I tells you what me sees
in vision. What me thinks it means.”
    And with that the two walked into the Orc camp. Gnak paused
only momentarily to instruct Bota to have the Orcs help the goblins in striking
camp, and extending it in the way the Orcs had begun. He also gave the order to
see to it that as many Orcs as possible were armed and armored with the new
equipment. Before even walking away, Bota was delegating to the captains their
own sections of the camp in which to lead the Orcs in assisting their apparent
new allies.
    Before Gnak and the goblin king could make it through the
camp to his tent, the mounted goblins rode in, both contingents becoming one as
they closed in upon the north side of the camp, opposite where they had begun.
Gnak watched out between the tents as the goblins dismounted, and working
together they dragged to the edge of the camp several Orcs bound by ropes.
    One of the goblin’s apparent captains came running down the
isle of tents, and dropping to a knee before his king he spoke.
    “We catches spies. We brings them. Whats we do with them?”
    The goblin king did not even respond, instead turning to
Gnak for an answer.
    “Keep tie. Hold spies. Gnak talk goblin king first.”
    Up the goblin sprang before sprinting back the way he had
come. Shouting orders, the goblin pointed towards the sand outside of camp and
within seconds poles were being driven down into the sand, the prisoners being
dragged up to them and lashed round and round their bodies, holding them still.
Gnak admired their efficiency.
    As the task was being completed he again led the goblin to
his tent and once inside they seated themselves as if they were old friends.
Though before Gnak could begin his questioning anew, the goblin spoke.
    “Tells me, Gnak. What happened afters you left me city? I
have heard a tale, but wants to hears it from you. Then, I will tells you my
tale.”
    It was a fairly simple request, and with all the goblin was
apparently offering, it was a trade Gnak couldn’t resist. Reaching inward to
caress the power that was Jen, he soothed himself, allowing his mind to stitch
together his story in chronological order.
    He told the king of his return to camp and how Jen, the
human he wished to save, had been brutally treated. He told of her murder and
his killing of