It was a lovely day.

One of those where something terrible was bound to happen.

Or that was at least what Amphitryon the Orc assumed.

Amphitryon (or Ape as most called him) was a pessimistic orc. He worked with constructing buildings, and he had witnessed enough work accidents to come to the philosophical belief that everything bad that could happen would happen unless you were prepared. And the long hard work he did with his bare hands did not exactly make him a ray of sunshine.

But he was in a better mood than he had been for a while though.

It had been about two years since the orcs had reclaimed the capital city of Nesredna. But that also meant that in order to make the most important city of the kingdom into one for orcs, the king had... well, not ORDERED his subjects to move away from Todirep, but he had strongly urged orcs of specific professions to move to Nesredna to bring life to the city now that there lived no humans there for obvious reasons. And most would not decline a request from a king since that would be unwise.

Ape was a construction worker, so guys like him were much needed in the very damaged city after the invasion.  Ape would once in a while mumble that it was ridiculous to tear the city apart just to rebuild it... when he was alone, since he was a smart enough orc to know that sharing that with others would be stupid. So Ape kept his unpatriotic opinions to himself despite his great annoyance over not having seen his wife and kids for over a year since they still lived in Todirep.

And then there were all those dwarfs. Not that Ape had issues with them as such, but they were just... different. And the fact that they looked like short squished humans (admittedly a bit more hairy) made him somewhat uncomfortable.

Ape however got along with Flint the Dwarf. Ape would even go so far as to say that they were friends. The dwarf was a traveling salesman, so he spent a lot of time on the road, meaning that he could relate to Ape’s situation to a degree.

The two of them sat at the edge of a fountain that was now short of a statue of a human tailor. Ape took a bite from his placenta cake as he sat next to Flint. “So... you are going home?”

“Yeah, and I hope to at least spend a weekend with the family.” Flint cleaned his surprisingly little beard. Sure, it was full grown, but not as long and full as most dwarfs’. He had explained that it helped make a good impression when he tried to bargain with not-dwarf creatures. “My wife may not be the greatest cook in the kingdom, but I miss a homemade meal. And by Terra, do I miss her! She might be a lunatic inventor, but she is my lunatic. And I worry my kid might forget my face.”

“I get what you mean. Last time I saw my son... Well, not like he forgot my face... but he was awkward around me. As if I was...”

Flint sighed as he dried his mouth for crumbs. “A stranger he knew?”

Ape nodded. “Yeah… that’s a good way to put it. I took this job to help my family, but it feels like it is going to cost me my family instead.”

Flint stood up since he would otherwise not be able to reach the tall green man’s shoulder that he patted. “Ape, this is temporary. Once there are enough houses here, you will get one for your family.”

Ape scoffed. “Hopefully before my kids grow beards.”

Flint took a small bottle from his bag. He opened the lid and raised it in the air. “To you and your kids’ health.” He took a sip and then offered it to Ape.

Ape raised the bottle as well. “And here’s to your stay in Jadedale.” Ape took a sip and almost choked as he returned the bottle to Flint.

Ape waved as Flint left, then dried his face with the back of his hand and returned to the construction site.

Ape walked past a dwarf with an eyepatch pushing a wheelbarrow filled with sun-dried mud bricks. The street that would soon become a dwarf neighborhood was practically without buildings now. Or rather, buildings in the classical sense. Dwarves preferred to have their homes underground, burrows if you will. Something about them thinking they had a spiritual connection to dirt, Ape couldn’t recall the details. But that meant that “normal” houses had to go so new ones could be made. So Ape and the other workers had spent weeks demolishing the human-designed houses, partly through planting enchanted seeds in cracks of walls to soften up the bricks when the seeds sprouted.

It had cost them sweat and tears, but the area was finally ready to be dug up. The creation of underground homes could finally start.

As Ape and his crew fetched their shovels, the dwarf with the wheelbarrow was on his way toward them. Ape recognized the dwarf from earlier because of the eye-patch. And that was the moment he realized two things.

First of all, that it was too early in the process for bricks since they were still digging holes, so why would the dwarf go around with bricks that were not needed yet? Second, Ape realized as he looked at the dwarf... was that he wasn’t a dwarf at all.

He was a very short human with a fake beard.

Abe was no expert when it came to explosives, but he was sure that the big, black ball that was revealed under the fake bricks in the wheelbarrow was a bomb. Abe decided to jump into the hole and cover his head, hoping his tough orc-skin would save his bacon.

***

King Bathala placed a hand over his scar on his left cheek. It was an old habit of his when he was in a situation where he felt threatened or received bad news.

He sat on his throne as he listened to the captain of the guard who informed him of the most recent human terrorist attack. It had been the third one this month.

Bathala sighed. “How many died?”

“Only one casualty, my lord. But seven were seriously injured by the bomb.” Captain Corinth stood on one knee in front of the orc king while he lowered his head. Corinth was broad-shouldered, even for an orc. But he looked very small and humble at that moment. "I can’t comprehend how that human managed to get past security. Forgive my incompetents, or at the very least let me and me be alone be held responsible. My men are fine guards-”

“That’s enough.” Bathala raised a hand as he interrupted Corinth. “Leave.”

After the captain left him alone, Bathala stood up from his throne and walked to the middle of the room. He looked around the walls. There were wall paintings of great orc monarchs (and one satyr queen), his ancestors. The artists who had decorated the walls had done a very good job of replicating the wall paintings from Bathala’s old home. And just like the originals, these paintings seemed like they were glaring at him.

It made the orc monarch feel tiny and inadequate.

The humans had been at their weakest after their queen had died. And instead of having a fierce warrior to lead them, they were stuck with a sniveling weakling.

But Bathala had not thought of what would happen afterwards. Or rather, he had been too optimistic. He had the fool Pater locked away in a hole, and that was enough to make the humans disband their army and make most of them leave the country. If not out of loyalty to their king then for the father of their queen-to-be. That, and the humans thought he had the human princess locked up as well. They wouldn’t dare from a new army and attack if they thought he had the hair to the throne’s life in his hands.

But even though there were only few humans left in the kingdom Nesredna, they had recently become a problem. They made small acts of terror that hindered the progress of making the capital city a true orc town. And the attacks became more and more frequent.

Bathala returned to his throne and buried his face in his hands. Then, he heard the door being opened up.

Bathala groaned in annoyance. “Guards. Escort this person out and let it be known that the throne room is not available for any more audiences today.”

“Um, father. It’s me.”

Bathala looked up and saw his twelve-year-old daughter at the door. Her hair was damp, so was her green skin. She had probably just washed herself after finishing her mother’s training program for the day.

“Mayari...” Bathala sighed. “Now is not a good time for me.”

“But father, it is time for my lessons.”

“I know... but we have to cancel your lessons today. I simply can’t muster up the energy for it.”

Mayari pouted, was about to leave... but then she changed her mind. “Father, you have postponed my lessons for a week now.”

“Little jadestone, please-”

“We have barely seen each other in days. You do not even join mother and me for dinner.”

Bathala slammed a fist against the wall behind him. “WELL, I’M SORRY FOR HAVING MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS TO ATTEND TO THAT YOUR BLASTED LESSONS! I'M TRYING TO KEEP THIS CURSED PLACE FROM FALLING APART!”

Bathala regretted his outburst instantly as his little girl looked terrified at him and took a step backward.

Mayari gulped. “I’m sorry, father. I... I did not mean to bother you, I just... I miss you.” Mayari left the room and closed the door.

Bathala blinked. Then he stood up and rushed to the door and almost tore it open. “Mayari, wait.” His daughter had not gotten far. “You two.” Bathala gave the orc and dwarf who stood guard at the throne room. “Leave us.” After the guards had left them, Bathala got down on his knees and took his daughter by the chin and looked at her. She looked like she was about to cry. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you, my little jadestone. I’m just... tired. You know how important you are to me, don’t you?”

Mayari looked her father in the eye. “I know.”

She lied.

***

Mayari’s mother had deemed her daughter ready to train with sparring partners twice a week. Her sparring partner this day was a Beltex-type satyr named Harley. She made Mayari look like she was a helpless toddler.

Harley danced around Mayari and made her miss every single punch she threw. The purpose was to teach Mayari how to "cut the ring off" in order to stop Harley from running circles around her. Mayari had at first thought of it as somewhat fun, like playing tag. But now she gasped after air. Then, as the exhausted orc princess threw a left hook, she was unprepared as Harley landed a solid hit on her stomach, blowing out what little air was left in her and sending her to her knees as she leaned against the ropes on the training ring.

“Sorry, your highness.” Harley smacked her gloves together as she practically tap danced backwards to her corner.

“Get up, daughter.” Queen Lakapati stood behind the corner and clapped her hands three times. “Again.”

“Mother...” Mayari stood up and gasped while still leaning against the ropes. “She... she wasn’t suppose to... hit me.”

Lakapati nodded. “Yes, I told you that she would dodge your attacks and nothing else. And that is why you let your guard down.”

Mayari gasped as she finally could stand without support. “But... We are just sparring, that’s not fair.”

“Fair?!” Lakapati glared at Mayari. “You are not naïve, daughter, so don’t pretend to be. You always have to be on your feet, always have to keep up your parades, you can not do anything half heartedly. Life is not fair, so quit whining.”

“But mother...” Mayari looked like a lost puppy. “I’m exhausted.”

Lakapati looked at her daughter for a moment, then she sighed and ran a hand over her bald head. She took a wooden stool and placed it near a corner before she bent through the ropes to enter the ring. she gave the satyr girl a nod. “Thank you, Harleen. That will be all for today.”

Harley bowed, then she exited the ring and took off her head gear and gloves as she left the room.

“Mayari...” Lakapati made Mayari sit on the stool and crouched in front of her as she took off her headgear. “I know it is hard. And I know that I push you to your limit. But not many years from now, your father will step down from the throne and you will take his place. You must lead with strength. I’m pushing you beyond your limit because I care. You know that, don’t you?”

Mayari looked her mother in the eye. “I know.”

She lied.