History Fanfic / Splint

** Rukhash lost her little daughter and infant son to Orc hunters four years before the start of the story. [[spoiler:Her brother Thraangzi]] also lost his twin sons in similar circumstances nearly eight years ago.

** Rukhash alone knows that [[spoiler:Baladnor is slowly dying of the poison that transferred into his body when she stabbed him with a blade four years ago, and she chooses to settle for leaving him to that fate as revenge. However, after his actions rescue her from being murdered by Barmund's Orc hunters, she tells him about the poison and gives him the antidote for the sake of having a future]]. Cadoc lampshades afterwards how this action proves Rukhash's nobility.

* FlorenceNightingaleEffect: Rukhash and Cadoc's relationship begins when she saves him from wolves and treats his injuries.

First published in 2011, the fanfic is currently ongoing. It can be read at fanfiction.net [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7501884/1/Splint here]] and on Archive of Our Own [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/696967/chapters/1282564 here]]. The author has on both sides several related stories, including ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/771028 Rotten Fruit]]'' and ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/699400 The Black Heart]]''. There's also a SpinOff {{Prequel}} by Zoop named ''[[Fanfic/FreedomsLimits Freedom's Limits]]''.

** Half-human/orc hybrids are called ''baalak'' by the Orcs. There are several living in the Glokong tribe, a result of crossbreeding between Orcs and the ''shara'' living among them. The examples include [[spoiler:Amani, the daughter of [[[Fanfic/FreedomsLimits Smador and Madavi]], the two children of Bogdish and Esha, and Cadoc and Rukhash's daughter Dera and (future) son Geth]].

First published in 2011, the fanfic is currently ongoing. It can be read at fanfiction.net [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7501884/1/Splint here]] and on Archive of Our Own [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/696967/chapters/1282564 here]]. There's also a SpinOff {{Prequel}} by Zoop named ''[[Fanfic/FreedomsLimits Freedom's Limits]]''.

* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Cudgel (originally Curudal until Rukhash renames her), the old mare that ends up being accepted by the Gundbarashal tribe, is noted by multiple characters to be more conscious than a horse should be.
* ArmorPiercingResponse: When Magistate Halbard first speaks with Rukhash to determine if she's a threat or not, he tells her to answer his questions honestly and promises her species won't affect the outcome of the interview. She responds that the very fact he chained her up before taking her to the courthouse speaks volumes on how she's already been judged because of her species. Halbard realizes to his own mortification that by capturing her without cause and letting her be paraded through town, he hasn't been treating her like any mannish prisoner as much as he believed, and he himself would feel as defiant as her in her shoes. He proceeds to remove her chains, and the interview continues without problem.

** [[spoiler:Rukhash and Cadoc name their daughter Dera, after Cadoc's Dunlending grandmother. It's also a nod to the fact they both have Dunlending heritage. The author's spoilery artwork also reveals that they'll later have a son whom they name Geth after Rukhash's Dunlending grandfather.]]]

** [[spoiler:Rukhash and Cadoc name their daughter Dera, after Cadoc's Dunlending grandmother. It's also a nod to the fact they both have Dunlending heritage.]]

** [[spoiler:Rukhash's mother Hegdash gave birth to seventeen children, but by the time she enters the story, she has only Rukhash, Bogdish, Botarg and Zarkug left. Rukhash's father Gijakzi also had another daughter who died in Barad-dûr.]]

* DramaticIrony: Cadoc learns that [[spoiler:Rukhash's brother Bogdish was part of the Uruk-hai unit Uglúk led against the Fellowship of the Ring at Amon Hen. He could have caught Frodo and Sam when they escaped on a boat, but he let them go and deserted, unaware that they had the One Ring (though all he knew was that they were after an "Elvish" weapon)]]. Though Cadoc doesn't tell anyone this,

* InterspeciesRomance: The central plot is the development of the romance between Cadoc, a Man, and Rukhash, an Orc.

* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Rukhash lost her little daughter and infant son to Orc hunters four years before the start of the story. [[spoiler:Her brother Thraangzi]] also lost his twin sons in similar circumstances nearly eight years ago.

* SoleSurvivor: Rukhash is the only member of her old clan who escaped a massacre led by Orc hunters. She initially believes she is the only member of her family who survived the destruction of Barad-dûr [[spoiler:but it later turns out this isn't the case. Her brother Thraangzi was also the only survivor when his clan was massacred by Rangers]].

* PsychicDreamsForEveryone: Rukhash has a dream where [[spoiler: her deceased daughter warns her she has to leave right now, because a "man in black" is coming to kill her]]. Rukhash and Cadoc heed the warning, which is just as well, as [[spoiler: the "man in black" is notorious orc hunter Dellon who is indeed on their trail]]. Cadoc also has a psychic dream of sorts, where [[spoiler: Rukhash's deceased brother – whom she just killed to protect Cadoc – makes him promise to look after his sister]].

* KnightTemplar: Dellon, the "Orc Butcher", who takes his job ''very'' seriously, to the point of hunting Rukhash and Cadoc half way across the country just because he hates orcs that much.

* RedBaron: Dellon is known as "[[TheButcher the Orc Butcher]]".

* PuppyDogEyes: In Chapter 42, [[https://www.deviantart.com/helena-markos/art/Please-Face-424483542 Rukhash tries this trick to convince the reluctant Hedon to go hunting with her]]. He's creeped out.

* CoolOldLady: Grazad, the elderly, potty-mouthed Orc healer who mentored Rukhash and takes no crap from anyone.

* FalseSoulmate: Ingrid ended being this for Cadoc. They were married and had a son together, but while Cadoc loved her, he tended to [[LovedINotHonorMore put his duty to Gondor first]] and spent a lot of time away from home. Ingrid eventually got sick of this and [[AbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder her love for Cadoc faded]]; not even a year after their divorce, she remarried to Baladnor, whom she seems much happier with, while Cadoc eventually finds love again with Rukhash, who appears to understand him on a more fundamental level than Ingrid did.

* DisappearedDad: Being a Ranger, Cadoc didn't have much time to spend with his son Holgar, which led to them becoming increasingly distant. By the start of the story, Holgar has essentially cut his dad out of his life, to the point that he's completely apathetic about whether Cadoc is still alive or died on one of his outings.

* {{Tsundere}}: [[BrokenBird Rukhash]] is mostly a Type 1 (default "Harsh"), being generally quite abrasive and blunt, but possessing a softer and more compassionate side which comes out more as she warms up to Cadoc.