14 Remove the Helme

Jukzuk asked Ragnath, while Ragnath humbly opened Phillip's cell. He walked in, and patted the heaving Phillip on the back, as he spoke, "Phillip. Breath. It's alright. It's important. Breath."

"I... I can't... It's... Blood..." Phillip continued to cough and belch strong acids up.

Hellie heard the voices and made her way over. Ragnath at the edge saw the one of the Orc Princesses and backed away without a word.

She found her target and walked in to see the tin can on all fours with yellow bile seeping out of his helmet.

"DID THAT HUMAN USE POISON!?" Hellie's voice echoed into the other cells, as many heads popped up, but none of them could see into Phillip's cage.

"Hell-Hellie?" Phillip continued until darkness took him into her embrace, and he slumped to the side.

"Calm down, girl. Phillip's just... Coping." Jukzuk raised his head, "Ragnath, is he done for the day?"

"...coping...?" Hellie shifted from foot to foot.

Ragnath shook his up and down to indicate yes, while his fat jiggled on his face.

"Let's take him to his burrow..." Jukzuk bent down to pick him up, as Hellie spoke, "Let me carry him."

Jukzuk brows furrowed, but he chuckled, "I know what you are thinking, but please leave the Man some pride." as he slung Phillip over his shoulder, "We need to get him home quickly. We can bandage up that sword wound as well." He noticed blood running down the leg of Phillip.

As Jukzuk and Hellie left quickly, they came across Demze's frail frame.

Hellie spoke, "Sister? Why are you here?"

"I want to see this Legbreaker too... Where are you taking him?"

"Too his burrow, come on."

Demze sighed and followed along.

As the three walked out from the underground lair of the arena, the Orcs leaving the upper arena going home or going to the gambling house to collect payment couldn't help but watch Jukzuk the Traitor, followed by two of the three Princesses of the Clan leaving... With the Human called Legbreaker!

Demze called over another female Orc and whispered quickly to her. Demze took the idea that Hellie yelled of poison and spread it through this servant of hers.

Like wildfire, all the Orcs believed the treachery of Humans using poison... Poison had no right in the arena. On the battlefield, alright, but the arena... Many spat, and decided that they would bet on this human, Legbreaker, next time.

They still stared with envious expressions as the two princesses moved out of site.

*******

Jukzuk greeted Gnarg and Gnath at the doors with a grunt. They both saw Phillip knocked out, but still alive, as they heaved a sigh of relief. In this week, they learned that this human was better than most Orcs.

In the foyer, Jukzuk laid Phillip on the cold stone floor. Hellie already knew the layout of the burrow, and when to collect the first aid. Demze simply walked to the couch, sat down, and crossed her slim green legs, while propping her chin, as she observed Phillip with interest.

Hellie came back and between her and Jukzuk, they cleaned Phillip's sword wound. Hellie personally stitched it and wrapped it.

Jukzuk saw the care of Hellie's, he shook his head, as he didn't understand... Why out of all the Orc did she take a liking to Phillip... Unless...

"...Remove his moving cage..." A bland voice sounded behind Jukzuk. Jukzuk turned to look at Demze slightly surprised.

"Don't look at me like that... You think so too, right?"

Jukzuk nodded, "Niece is, indeed, well read. I think so as well... I also think..."

"Me too." Demze agreed, the two of them leaving Hellie guessing at what they were saying.

Jukzuk turned back to face Hellie, "Go tell one of the guards to bring me some tools. Metal sheers, a hammer, a metal chisel, and anything else they think of..."

Hellie thought the smell from tin can helmet was fierce, so she nodded, and left quickly.

Without looking back, "If he is... What are your plans? Don't say you don't have any, because even ghosts wouldn't believe it." Jukzuk spoke looking down at Phillip.

"...Can I actually tell you? You have to remember your title is 'The Traitor.'"

"...That hurts, Demze... I remember the day you three were born. I was there. I helped clean the amniotic fluid from you're face personally that day. I held you while your mother held Midka, and your father held Hellie... We swaddled you joys... And... You call me this today." Jukzuk's eyes became red at the corners, but his face remained passive as if he was talking about the weather.

Demze looked down to the floor, and her usual resting smirk wiped off, "Uncle... That year when father died... You weren't here... You only came back now. I needed you that year... We, three, needed you that year."

"I'm back now, Little Dem-Dem... I'm back now." Jukzuk sighed.

"I know... I'm... Just give me time."

"All the time you need, but I can't help you if you don't tell me what your plans are... And I know you're plans include him." Jukzuk pointed to Phillip who laid on the floor.

"If he's what I think he is..."

"Then tell me."

"...I plan to marry him and use him as my puppet..."

"..."

"What about Hellie?"

"...What about her?"

"Are you going to share? You know your Sister likes him, even though..."

Hellie came flying in with tools, and tossed them beside Jukzuk, while she asked, "Okay, how do I help!"

Jukzuk had Hellie oil around the base of the helmet, and he attempted to unscrew the helmet. Seeing that it didn't give, he studied it a bit, and then he began to instruct Hellie to hold the side of the chest armor, as he began using the metal sheers to slowly cut open the armor.

Sweat beaded up on Jukzuk's face, as he continued. It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough, but the control not to hurt the flesh underneath the sheers that worried him. In a rare show of affection, Demze went to the bathroom and returned with a moistened washcloth and dampened the forehead of Jukzuk. Jukzuk did not pull his attention from his work on Phillip's armor, but the edges of his lips curved upward.

Finally, Jukzuk made it to Phillip's helm. He nicked the bottom of the helm where it was rusted in place, and with a bit more oil, now in the groves of the helmet from the nick. Pressure, then more oil, until finally, it gave with both Jukzuk and Hellie's combine strength, though restrained not to rip off Phillip's head, did the helmet gave.

They finally screwed the helmet off, and all three looked upon the face of Phillip, each with a different set of emotions.