A few days later...

It had been a few days after the orcs' successful invasion of Nesredna.

Seemed like no one in the kingdom felt the difference. Life just went on, just with fewer humans around.

One minotaur however very much felt like his life had changed drastically as a result of the change of power.

Ivan had drenched himself with a bucket of water near his well after a couple hours of work in the workshop and went to his house to make lunch. As he was about to open the front door he heard a familiar voice call for him. He turned around and saw that Nora had returned. Only this time, she was dressed in a more practical brown worker dress and she was wearing a chullu.

“You come to take her?” Ivan felt instant regret over the question, but he had hoped the short elf would do that one of these days.

“What? No.” Nora raised an eyebrow at the minotaur who blushed. “She is not that bad, is she?”

“Well, no. No. Dimi is easy to handle… sorta.” Ivan sighed. “She doesn’t say much. I let her sleep as long as she like and I only knock on the door to her room when I make food for myself. I worried she would be picky, but she just eat whatever I place on a plate. She only talk to me when I talk to her, and barely. It is as if...” Ivan groaned in frustration. “As if someone... I don’t know, drained her face lifeless! I don’t know what to do with her!”

Nora took off her glasses and cleaned them. “I’m sorry Ivan, but you have to look after her.” She placed her glasses back on her nose. “No offense, but stop whining.”

“You could move in if you like?”

“No, I have to keep a low profile and the authorities expect her to be with me. As far as I understand, the description of me and Dimi is "little human child and elf" which is not very specific but specific enough that us being together is a risk. Luckily, they assume we left the country like most of the humans, no one will think to look for her out in the boonies. Again, no offense.“

Ivan rolled his eyes. “None taken. But shouldn’t you at least hide somewhere far away from here?”

“Don’t worry. They are looking for an elf.” Nora pointed at her hat. “I got a fool-proof disguise.”

Ivan was confused. “I don’t get it, why would a hat be a dis... Ooooh.” Ivan had to restrain a small laugh as he understood.

Nora looked tired. “Yep, I’m short and plain-looking. My pointy ears are the only clear sign that I’m not a human.” She narrowed her eyes at Ivan in annoyance. “And I HATE that I didn’t have to explain it to you!”

Ivan couldn't help but snort a bit. “Sorry... But will you be okay?”

Nora shrugged. “I can write better than most, that should help me find a living of a sort. If nothing else, I can moonlight as a nurse with what I know of healing herbs. OH! That reminds me...” Nora took out a piece of paper from her shoulder bag. “This might interest you. News about the capital city.”

Nora left and Ivan studied the paper as he entered the house and went to the kitchen.

Dimi sat at the kitchen table. She took a glance at Ivan as he entered the room, then looked at her empty plate with a alarmingly neutral expression.

"I just need to read something, then I will make us some food. You hungry?" Ivan made a smile at the human child.

"Sure..." Dimi replied, not looking up.

Ivan sighed, then took a seat at the table as he studies the content of the broadsheet Nora had given him.

Dimi took a look at Ivan, seeing him narrowing his eyes a bit while reading. "What is it?”

“Not sure, it’s kinda long.“ Ivan could read a little after an old priest he had shared a prison cell with had taught him. “I think it is about what is going on at the capital. I can read, but I’m a little slow-“

“Can I read it?“

Ivan stared at the ten-year-old princess. He was baffled. “Wait… you can read?”

“Um… Yes?“ Dimi looked at Ivan somewhat surprised by the question since she did not realize that when Ivan was around her age, a proper education was a privilege. In some corners of the kingdom, it still was.

Ivan gave Dimi the paper and went to the stove. He activated the heat crystals to boil water so he could cook some griffin eggs. “Could you read it for me?”

“It’s a broadsheet. It says that the orc king Ba... um, Bathala rules the kingdom now. And that if someone sees a human child with an elf then to report it to the authorities.” Dimi bit her lower lip, then she kept reading. “It says that there was an official crowning ceremony. But before he was declared ruler of Nesredna, he said that anyone could challenge him to…”

Dimi stopped talking. She made wide eyes as she read the broadsheet. Ivan looked at her. The girl looked somewhat… excited?

“What?“ Ivan carefully poured the water out of the pot he had the eggs in. “What does it say?“

After finishing reading the sheet of paper, Dimi smiled for the first time since she had arrived at the blacksmith’s home. Color had returned to her face that had been pale for days. “Ivan, we are going to save dad!”

Ivan got careless and dropped the eggs in the barrel he was pouring the boiled water in. “Sorry, what?”

Dimi did not look sad anymore. She seemed somewhat… determined as she held the paper in her hand. Her voice was no longer timid. “Ivan, you used to be a boxer!”

“WHAT?!“ Ivan dropped the pot on the floor. “No, I mean... Who told you that?“

“Dad did!“

Pat, you big fat blabbermouth! Ivan internally cursed at the former king. “Alright, I used to be a boxer, long ago. So what?”

“It says here that the orcs have an old tradition. That before an orc is getting crowned, anyone gets to challenge them to a trial of combat in the style of boxing match!“ Dimi smiled triumphant.

“What? It doesn’t say that. Gimme that!“ Ivan took the paper from Dimi and skimmed it. He quickly noticed the word boxing and read that part of it. “It actually says that? It’s the dumbest thing I've ever heard.“

“So what if it’s stupid? Anyway, it says that when the orc king’s daughter turns eighteen, then she will become queen and then someone can challenge her in order to win the crown. And she is ten, just like me!”

Ivan looked at the little princess. She was so happy that he couldn’t recognize her. “Dimi, what are you talking about?”

“Ivan, you will teach me how to box!“ Dimi smiled as she punched the air as if she was fighting an invisible enemy. “And then I will beat up te orc princess, become queen, kick the orcs out of the kingdom and SAVE DAD!“

The little princess looked at Ivan, obviously very proud and satisfied with her little plan.

Ivan wanted to tell her that it was a bad idea.

He wanted to explain to Dimi that orcs-kind were famous as the greatest hand-to-hand fighters of all species. That they were born with tough skin, and that the only reason why humans had been able to fight the orcs was their talent when it came to magic.

But then he looked at the little human girl, beaming with hope who already imagined how she would get her kingdom back throught the use of her bare hands. He didn’t want to be the wet blanket when Dimi had gained hope of a sort.

“You want me to train you?“ Ivan lifted an eyebrow.

“YES!“ Dimi lifted both her fists in the air.

“Alright. Have it your way.“ Ivan smiled. “Training starts tomorrow. But you have to do everything I tell you. No whining, got it?“

Dimi grinned. "Got it! Anything you say, Ivan!"

Ivan knew Dimi would hate him for what he had planned.