Upon seeing Gregory, Torren’s eyes widened considerably for a few moments before he jolted to attention and gave the young man a respectful bow. Gregory noted that although the cksmith bowed to him, his eyes quickly darted to Talina a few times. Well, it wasn’t like he could fault the guy for that.


    “Master, how may I be of service?” Torren kept his head bowed as he spoke.


    “I’m just wandering around, trying to get to know Bolut’s camp a little better. I thought I should know the folks I’m supposed to be responsible for.” Gregory slowly extended his hand for Torren to shake. He didn’t want to startle the fellow again. “I’m Gregory by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”


    For a moment Torren didn’t quite seem to know what to do with the gesture. He simply gawped at Gregory’s hand somewhat nkly. Just before things were about to get awkward, the smith finally sprung to life and timidly shook the offered hand. The man had a disturbingly feeble handshake, especially considering that the huge hands upon the cksmith could probably have crushed Gregory’s own with ease.


    “So what kinds of things do you forge here?” Gregory looked about to see several wickedly shaped swords of orcish ck steel lining the walls.


    “Weapons and arms mostly.” Torren became somewhat more rxed as the conversation shifted toward work. “I do some asional fixing but the orc warriors generally prefer the orc smiths in the camp. I learn what I can from them and style my wares in the orcish fashion for Bolut. Most of it gets sold in the human kingdoms. Orcs prefer orcs, not humans, making their armour.” The bias of the orcs didn’t seem to bother Torren too much, though it was clear he would have preferred to have a little more trust amongst the savage giants.


    Gregory settled his hands on his hips casually as he looked over the swords. He knew very little about cksmithing but the des Torren had made for disy were definitely of a high quality. He’d seen better wares from the cksmiths in the camp but he’d seen plenty worse too. Curious, Gregory stepped up and pulled one of the swords from the rack. It was big of course, far too big for him to have wielded properly and yet not nearly as heavy as it looked.


    “This is impressive. Is orc steel very light?” Gregory swung the sword testingly.


    “Not especially. Valise gives me this stuff that I weave into the metal. Makes it lighter. Orcs don’t like it. They reckon if it’s not heavy then it’s not going to be as good for swinging at someone.” Torren shrugged those massive shoulders.


    “Valise was the woman I met this morning? The kindly blondedy handing out birth control?” Gregory respectfully reced the sword upon the rack as he spoke.


    “Yes. She is our alchemist. Very rare profession. No one knows how Bolut managed to find her,” Talina interjected.


    “Well let’s go pay her a visit then. Thank you for your time Torren.” Gregory gave the man a little nod and Torren picked his buckler back up to offer a grateful smile.


    Gregory walked away from the cksmith with Talina at his side. Once they were out of earshot he broke the silence between them and spoke his mind.


    “So how long have you known Torren?” He turned his head to look at the slender beauty beside him.


    Talina was quickly caught in the act of peeking at Gregory out of the corner of her eye with a somewhat entranced glint in her gaze. Upon hearing the question she blinked and took a moment to consider it before offering a small shake of her head.


    “I’m not sure really. He’s Emmet’s son. Bolut brought him here a while back but couldn’t bring the rest of the old man’s family. I don’t see much of him. Then again our paths don’t cross that much. I think he prefers men.” Talina absently brushed a few stray strands of hair from her brow.


    Gregory winced inwardly. It had taken all of thirty seconds to see that Torren was absolutely madly in love with Talina. It was true that he’d barely looked at her for the entire time she’d been there but the way he’d seemed to tremble wasn’t because he feared Gregory but because he feared his own reaction to her.


    “You’re sure he prefers men?” Gregory tried to sound casual.


    “Reasonably sure. He never visits us. Even in the revels, where wee out of our tents to y, he avoids the courtesans.” A troubling thought then urred to her and her eyes suddenly narrowed upon Gregory. “He’s not… well he’s not your type is he?”


    “What? Huh? No! No, I’m definitely exclusive to thedies.” Gregory tried not to look sheepish. He failed.


    “Well then we’re d to have you,” she teased. “Let’s go see Valise.”


    Valise was the woman who had given the little potions to Algra and Jte that morning. She was seated behind her own little stall set slightly apart from the rest. Gregory guessed the reason for this was due to the many fragile ss bottles of various shapes, sizes and colours set upon a green table cloth that covered the stall. He privately thought that the delicate little collection would probably havested all of ten minutes on the pathway with the rest of the stalls with orcs lumbering by.


    Valise offered a weing smile as they approached, her golden blonde hair wasbed into silken waves that framed her pale, alluring features.


    “Good afternoon master,” Valise’s rich melodic voice rang through the air. “and Talina, it is always a pleasure to see you my dear.”


    Though the woman seemed to be freshly sprung into middle age with a few sparse lines settled around glimmering eyes, she was also a truly enchanting beauty. Talina offered Valise a familiar wiggle of her fingers in greeting.


    “Master, in his enduring wisdom and refined handsomeness,” at this point, Talina yfully lowered her head to bow before him “would like to know more about the camp. I am to introduce him to his new ves whilst he leaves me to whimper with my pussy all wet. It isn’t fair.” Talina pouted despite the mischief still prevalent in her eyes.


    Gregory’s eyes nearly popped out to bounce over the ground. His cheeks quickly started to burn hot at the brazen words of his guide.


    “Now Talina, have mercy on the dear boy.” Valise lifted her fingertips to her lips andughed a soft sweet melody.


    “But I’m horny!”


    “Hush dear.” Valise gently chided before turning her attention to Gregory. “I make and sell potions here in the camp as well as asionally helping Emmet and Bolut with certain tasks when their workload bes too heavy.”Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Gregory tried to take his attention off of Talina, who had slid herself up against him once more. She seemed to be doing some very naughty things with her fingers underneath her cloak, or so it seemed from her half lidded eyes and the hot breaths she kept blowing against his neck.


    “W-what kinds of potions do you sell?” Greg could barely form a coherent thought right then and was slightly amazed at still having the mental faculties to ask that question.