The Lore Of Ihnak

chapter 7: Punishment is for the weak only

Having said that it ain't necessary to say that I dont believe in it.It is very much the truth I faced and lived by until now.So you see being weak the only things you get are humiliation,injustice and punishment.Thats how the orcs went by and would go on.No matter how hard our regime tries to enforce equality and reforms since the time of our Founding Emperor Kapoue they always failed at the grassroot levels.For every Ihnak like me there would be the Khasnah brothers.Being born weak is not a sin dying weak is.Strength is life and weakness is death.

The weak even get punished for the mistake of the stronger ones.Never understand that weak means being physically weak weak means the inability to raise your voice and staying silent even when you are right.Having said that let me continue my story.

As I was sleeping so carelessly on my roof and casually strolled down the stairs hoping to tell my tales of accomplishment and the crazy day I just heard.As soon as I climbed down the flight of stairs.Shock greeted me.Yes shock greeted me.Never have I seen a crowd of more than forty people at my home.Some faces I could recognize.They weren't here to have tea at my house neither have a friendly chit chat with my father.They were here for a nasty purpose.The anger and their facial expressions were enough to tell me that.I was trying to slip towards the balcony by a lame excuse for fresh air.

My dad caught me and made me sit down.And the court began.

“He let me sheep out” roared the Fobhao the butcher

“He entered the hammam” A few ladies screamed.

“bathed the road along wid me wifey and kiddies” A troll roared

“slipped my kegs of wine” the goblin said

My father looked at me.I knew I had nothing to say.I looked down.

Before I was about to say something I felt something stinging, something powerful something sharp in my belly.

In a few moments I was sprawled on the floor and gasping for breath.

“cant you see dumbass ?Are your eyes pebbles?You broke my heliograph.It was rare and I received it  as a gift from a human traveling peddler.I was learning the art of heliography  and you had to break it. You dont want me to do better than you.You want me to be a disappointment like you”My sister screamed at the top of her lungs.Even the uninvited guests got scared and their discussion lowered down for a while.

She broke down into tears and ran out of the room.This was definitely not a good signal.I had to check for my belongings if they were safe but first I had to get out of here this mess.

My neighbor pushed past the crowd and shouted,”Thanks for your flying gift.This is what we get for being peaceful neighbours??”Peaceful I wanted to protest but I realised I was in no position to speak as he was in bandages and he was walking with support.

Everyone was coming down upon me untill I shouted “THE KHASNAH BROTHERS ARE GUILTY THEY WERE CHASING ME ALL ROUND THE TOWN.THEY STARTED THE WHOLE MESS AND I ACTED IN SELF DEFENSE WHICH WAS NATURAL”

My dad whacked me in the head,”Apologize son you already humiliated us a lot.I should have died in some workshop accident. Oh Goddess Sidgdwili if you are listening to mePlease take me to the afterlife please.This son will send me to my grave…”

My mom came to the scene and started crying intensely,”I don't know what sins we committed to have such a son like him.”

At that moment I wished I would have died somewhere along the way.It was such a guilty moment for me.The parents I tried hard to make them proud of myself were asking to die.

Suddenly two armoured speared orcs pushed along the crowd and asked if this was my residence.Hearing my name from a lot of people's mouths I was happy I became a celebrity everyone in town knew about me but at the same time I knew they knew me as a troublemaker and a pervert,destroyer and all the bad words you could imagine or your vocabulary could allow.

Next I remember I was tied both hands and legs and carried on a pole to the courthall.

Time for justice and my grand entry.

I saw the complainants-The battered and limping Shkahil and Sgahlak.This seemed to sooth my injuries.The judge asked me if I was guilty of the mayhem I caused.

I related my whole story in front of the gathering.

The judge looked at me with disdain.

Then he heared the statement pf the Khasnah brothers who were limping and crying in feont of the judge. Sgahlak winked at me while Shkahil purposely touched at his pockets indicating he could buy the Judge's verdict.The judge seemed to catch the hints fast.

I could tell he was experienced in corruption.

The verdict was no surprise to me,”Khasnah brothers and their servants have been declared innocent as charges against them are not sufficient to tell they have been preying on Ihnak.Their plea that they were doing a friendly act..”

I couldn't take this no longer.I cut short the judge in between and added my points which were valid.”There are projectiles outside the hammam panel I used to enter inside.Your team could check I am not lying and this is the evidence of their friendly play.The whole town is witness to the fact they were chasing me all around.We all know they were behind me..”I could feel one or two thumps as I spoke.Yeah people were supporting me.

The judge then roared and his guards raised me above the platform close to his stinking mouth.

As I lay struggling.He asked me “DO YOU THINK THAT MY CAREER AS A JUSTICE PROVIDER IS A WASTE?DO YOU THINK THAT I AM LYING?DO YOU DISTRUST THE SYSTEM YOUNG LAD?DO YOU WANT ME TO OPEN MY MOUTH AND SPEAK MORE ABOUT YOUR ACTIVITIES.DO YOU WANT ME TO???” His highness was panting and the whole audience was calmed down.

“No my honor you are right I was wrong they chased me and ..”

“SO MY FINAL JUDGEMENT IS THAT THE KHASNAH BROTHERS WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE BAZAAR AND THIS YOUNG LAD HERE HAS TO PAY FOR THE SHEEP,THE STREET,THE KEG BARRELS AND THE DAMAGES TO YOUR NEIGHBOR.COURT HAS BEEN DISMISSED GO TO YOUR HOLES ALL OF YOU RIGHT NOW” The judge then fell back to his chair panting for air and I fell down to the ground speechless.I could hear the accountant goblin discussing costs with my father who was about to faint.I tossed him my pouch of gold and whatever little I had save the sabretooth coat,Tusk and my crossbow.

I could see the brothers and the judge exchanging glances but was glad they had to pay for the bulk of the market damage.

My dad has to pay for what I had done.The amount of money going every month would be a lot.The judge just put me in the guilty party while the brothers were innocent as sunflowers.That is what the punishment for being in the lower strata.I got it that was the society I stayed in.

I was numb on the floor.