A Conspiracy is Planned by chrissystriped

A Conspiracy is Planned

Sharû cocked his head as he looked at the numbers on the file.

“Sir?”, he said to Mormirion who sat behind his desk and was writing something.

“Hm?”, the Maia hummed.

“There seems to be something wrong with the numbers”, he said. “I’ve noticed this before. It’s never by much, but there’s always more food ordered than actually is in our rations — and we already eat better than most soldiers.” And that was thanks to Mormirion. Sharû knew he was making certain they were living well and saw to it that the men knew it, too.

Mormirion made a weird sound, like a cat coughing up a furball.

“The numbers aren’t wrong”, he said sharply. “You must have counted wrong.”

With every other superior, Sharû would have backed down — or not even mentioned it in the first place — but he knew it wouldn’t get him into too much trouble with Mormirion.

“I went over it thrice”, he said firmly. “I’ve watched it for a while. What’s going on that you aren’t telling me? I thought you trusted me.” At least that was, what Mormirion had said on the occasion of Sharû’s appointment to Colonel, a higher rank than any other orc had.

“I…” Mormirion sighed and rubbed his face. “Fine. But you have to give me your word that this is going to stay between us.”

Sharû nodded firmly. “You can count on that.”

“I’m feeding the slaves”, Mormirion said throwing him a measuring look. “I’m requesting more food than you eat, to give extra rations to them.”

Sharû let the files sink and stared at him. “That’s dangerous!”, he said violently. “You could be tried for treason, if it comes out.” ‘And what happens to us, when you are gone?’, he thought.

“I know! But…” Mormirion looked at him with haunted eyes. “I can’t just let them starve.”

“They are your people, too”, Sharû heard the echo of his mother’s voice say in his mind. “I want to help”, he said before he could think better of it. “Let me do something for them, too.”

Mormirion’s eyebrows rose. “Why?”

“Because…” Sharû gritted his teeth. He felt vulnerable admitting that he felt bad for the slaves, that he didn’t hate elves. “You’ve seen my little brother”, he finally said.

Mormirion nodded slowly. “Yes, I remember. I think, I understand. And thank you for the offer, but that’s too dangerous for you, Sharû.”

“And it isn’t for you?”, Sharû shot back.

“It is.” Mormirion sighed. “But that’s my life. I don’t want to be responsible for your death.”

“I know the risk. I’m already in it, anyway. I found this out. I won’t report you. So if this ever comes out, I’ll be considered an accomplice, whether you let me help or not. I want to help! And I’m sure there are more among our men, who would too. You have a good eye for choosing soldiers who treat the slaves decently.”

Mormirion had taken command over the overseers in the slave quarters and work sites and he’d quickly started to transfer more violent orcs to posts where they didn’t have close contact with slaves. Sharû couldn’t say he was surprised that he was feeding the slaves better in secret, it fit what he knew about Mormirion.

“How do you distribute that food currently? Me and my people could just give it to them during meal times, no one would notice.”

“I hesitate to let too many people know.”

“But I already know. If you don’t want to tell the soldiers, I can just say those are extra rations. They won’t question an order.” Sharû met Mormirion’s stern gaze. “We don’t have to drag the others into it, though I think many of them would be glad to make life a little easier for the elves.”

Sharû knew he’d have been already dead for finding this out, with any other superior. They wouldn’t have risked him knowing, having a leverage on them. But Mormirion was different. Sharû knew it was foolish to trust him, but since the day he’d helped him to smuggle his little brother out, the Maia had never betrayed him. He didn’t think he’d start now.

Mormirion sighed and rubbed his temple. “Fine. I’m currently just leaving the food at their doors at night. But your suggestion is much better, of course. I do not want anyone else to know this is not an order from above for now.”

“As you wish”, Sharû said seriously. “And thank you.”

They were taught to hate the elves, but Sharû had been brought up with the knowledge that orcs and elves were not so different. He was glad that he had a superior who was kinder than anyone else Sharû knew.