[ TT ] The dragons and smallfolk have finally brokered peace through an exchange of hostages : two hatchlings for 20 children . Well , 19 children . They sent you back .

The baron pointed his finger at me and said, `` No. We do n't want him.'' The children, including me, froze. Even the dragons stared. Baron Whitehall continued, `` He's been an ugly troublemaker since before he was born. We're better off without him. Keep him.'' 
 
 Smoke rose from Draella's nostrils. `` You do not wish us to return your man-child?'' 
 
 `` Look at him. He's no man-child. He's an abomination. The deal stands, so long as you take him with you.'' 
 
 I called, `` Take me back! Please, sir!'' Baron Whitehall ignored me. I caught myself rubbing my jaw. My enormous, monstrous, inhuman jaw, which jutted out from my face and always reminded me I was half-orc. I tried to pretend I was wiping something off of my face, but that did nothing to cover up my green-gray skin. I looked in the crowd of humans for my mother. I had always admired her sunny hair and ruddy skin, and at times like these I tried to remember that I had some of her blood in me. But when I found her and met her eyes, she folded her arms and turned away from me. 
 
 Draella nodded her head. `` It is done. Your man-child will be our servant.'' 
 
 Draella's eldest son Kiriloth opened our cage. There was a crush of arms and legs as the 19 other human children—the 19 human children, I corrected myself—pushed to get out. Knowing it was my only chance to escape, I tried to follow them, but they shoved me back, and I stumbled and fell to the cage floor. The cage door was still open, so I got up and tried to run out again. Johnny, who at sixteen was three years older than me, waited at the entrance. I tried to rush past him, but he kicked me right between the legs. Then he slammed the door shut and Kiriloth locked it. The human children raced to their parents, to their families, and to their friends. The two dragon hatchlings that the village had captured were released from their chains and flew to their mother and brother, where they reunited with nuzzles and playful nips. Then Draella picked up my cage. I shouted, `` Mother!'' but she did n't look as I was taken away. 
 
 The dragon nest was on top of a mountain ringed by cliffs. They had only one task for their new servant, which was to get rid of their dung. Normally they would n't even have defecated near their nest, but they enjoyed watching me struggle to clean up after them. If they had allowed me a shovel and a wheelbarrow, the work would n't have been so hard. But since I did n't matter to them, they expected me to use my hands. 
 
 Kiriloth was particularly sadistic. `` Man-child!'' he would call, because that was all they ever called me. I would run to him, because if I did n't I would get no food that evening. `` I have a gift for you!'' Then he would point his bottom at me and expel his dung. I would try to dive out of the way or to hide behind a rock, but more often than not I would be covered in the foul, sticky excrement. 
 
 Within weeks, I was terribly sick. The dragons did n't care. Draella even laughed when my vomit came up bloody. `` The man-child will die soon,'' she told her brood. `` See how weak they are! There's no point in feeding him anymore.'' 
 
 I knew I had to escape that evening. Late that night, after they had fallen asleep, I crawled away. The moon was covered in clouds that evening, so I could hardly see. I went to the cliff edge and peeked over. It was close enough to vertical that I could n't make out a path down. I went along the edge of the cliff, straining my eyes for a handhold. When I had made it halfway around the mountain, I saw a ledge. It was too far down for a comfortable jump, maybe twice the height of a man away. But beneath it, the cliff was n't a sheer face anymore. I shivered. The wind up here was freezing, and I knew I was feverish. I looked for handholds on the cliff face, but there were none. Then I looked back towards the dragons. `` Oh, Mother,'' I said. 
 
 I laid on my chest and swung my legs over the edge. I searched for footholds with my toes, but again, there were none. I eased myself backwards a hand's breadth and dug my fingers into the dirt to give myself some purchase. I checked again for footholds, then inched further backwards. Eventually my hips were balanced on the edge of the cliff. I could n't look down without losing my balance. As I lowered myself further, I slipped. The cliff face spun across my vision, and I crashed onto the ledge below. 
 
 I lay on the cliff face for a moment, breathing hard. Then I checked my arms and legs to see how badly I was injured. I could still move them and put weight on them, so it would be just bruises. I sat up, aching and dizzy. The way down from here was steep, but manageable. 
 
 By the time morning came, I was halfway down the mountain. I hid underneath an old, gnarled tree with broad branches and thick leaves, and I slept. The dragons, I knew, would n't bother to search hard for me. I awoke shivering. I moved into the warm sun, but I still felt cold. My head felt like it was full of wool, and I could n't keep my balance well enough to stand. I began to crawl. 
 
 I found a river and quenched my thirst. The river was my best hope to find people, so I crept along the bank on my hands and knees. My vision began to blur as I went, but I stayed near the sound of the rushing river. Late in the day, as the sun was nearing the horizon, I found a small dirt road. I could see tracks on it where people had forded the river. There were people near! I let my aching body collapse at the edge of the road. 
 
 I awoke to a kick in the ribs. A huge figure, silhouetted against the morning sun, stood over me. He grunted something. I mumbled, `` Mother,'' and got another kick in the ribs. I vomited blood into my mouth, then choked. I was too weak to lift my head, so when I spat out the blood I ended up putting my face in it. The silhouette turned and yelled something. By now my eyes had adapted to the light and I could make him out. He was a full-blooded orc. His jaw was bigger than mine, his skin was full green, and his fangs stuck out from beneath his lip. Behind him looked to be an orc raiding party. 
 
 The orcs surrounded me. One of them shouted in my ear. I did n't speak Orcish, so it was just gibberish to me. The orcs jabbered among themselves for a moment. Then they tore off the rags I was wearing and searched them. When they found nothing, they shouted at me again. All I could do was whisper, `` Mother.'' One of them kicked me in the back and the others snickered. Then a club crashed into my ribs, and another into my legs. My kneecap shattered. Pain took over my world. The orcs beat me, breaking my bones and tearing bloody gashes into my skin. Then one of the clubs hit my head and everything went black. 
 
 When I awoke I felt warm. I stood up, easily, painlessly, and looked around. The orcs were leaving. When I looked down I saw my broken body. The last blow had split open my skull, and my brains were spread across the road. 
 
 I lifted myself into the sky and flew home. I landed in front of the cottage I had shared with my mother, stepfather, and half-siblings. My mother was inside spinning thread. `` Mother!'' I called. `` I'm here!'' Mother did n't look up. When I put my hand on her, her life jumped through my mind. I saw the day she went into the forest alone. I saw my own conception, and I felt her terror and shame. Then I felt her resentment and hatred for her son, and her years of self-loathing for the hatred she bore. Finally I felt her relief when I had vanished, captured by the dragons, and her regret for how she had treated me. `` Oh, Mother, I always loved you,'' I said. I embraced her. When I touched my forehead to hers, I gave her—I do n't know how—a feeling of peace. 
 
 Suddenly I felt pity for the orcs, and the dragons, and for Baron Whitehall. So I left the village and flew away, looking for others who were like I had been. For outcasts who were hated by everyone. They are my family now, and I keep watch over them like a father, guiding their hearts and giving them strength.
