Gregory was dreaming. He was dreaming he stood upon a great ship and the waves beneath were causing him to sway from side to side. He could smell the salt in the air and feel the sunlight on his face as he looked over his ship and saw his crew of orcs below. Algra was with them. He watched his beautiful orc, dressed like a pirate, as she climbed down the rigging andnded on the upper deck beside him. She moved toward him with slow seductive steps, lifted her hand to stroke along his cheek, and then quickly pped him hard across his nose.


    “Ow!” Gregory sat upright in his bed and found himself looking into Talina’s bright green eyes. “What the hell?”


    “I tried shaking you but you wouldn’t open your eyes.” The dark haired courtesan chided him with a little pout on her alluring mouth.


    “So you decided to go with the right-hook?” Gregory rubbed his nose.


    “Oh please, it was barely a clip on the nose. Besides, if that bothers you then I’d suggest running away, given what you’ve gotten yourself into.” She folded her arms across her breasts and offered him a stern look. She was clearly none too happy about his current predicament.


    “Greg?” Jte’s voice was somewhat murky beside him.


    He looked down to the formerly sleeping beauty at his side and noticed for the first time that Algra was gone.


    “She is with Grolfir,” Talina quickly filled in.


    “What’s happening?” Jte’s voice took on a sudden urgency as she began to remember the events of the night before.


    “Master is going to get himself beaten into pudding. I do not like pudding.” Talina had an almost usatory tone.


    “Will you be quiet!? I’ve had all this already once from Algra. I know. I’m a dumbass. But I’m a stubborn dumbass, so will you do me a favour and ease up on the punching and the cold stares until after breakfast?”


    “Very well, master.” Talina offered a somewhat mockingly respectful bow.


    “I’m not anyone’s master anymore, Talina.” Gregory reached for his trunks and found them resting beside a set of fur boots.


    “You are mine. I obey you and no one else. If the orcs have troubleprehending that then I would invite them to see what happens when they try to make me serve another.”


    Gregory had been in the process of shoving his boots on his feet when he heard the downright icy tone in Talina’s voice. Ever since he’d met the woman, she’d always proven to not be quite what she seemed. He’d seen through her first mask but he suspected that she didn’t wear just the one. The sudden shift from her usual yful and seductive nature to a woman forged of frost and steel was almost enough to send a chill down Gregory’s spine.


    So, instead of chiding her further, he slipped on his boots and raised up to his feet to step over to her and settle his hands upon her slender shoulders. Her green eyes met his and carried with them a fierce determination. Oh yes, there was definitely something underneath the masquerade that this woman performed for the benefit of others. Something strong and dangerous.


    Gregory ced his lips upon her brow and inhaled the sweet mild scent of the oils and soaps Talina, Lydia, and Fiona used upon each other. The action apparently took the woman somewhat off-guard as she had been expecting to start a very angry shouting match with him.


    “Thank you. I’ll try my best not to get beaten into pudding.”


    Not quite knowing how to react to that, Talina’s eyes glimmered with a sh of uncertainty before she turned and took her leave.


    “Greg, what the hell was that all about? What’s going on with pudding?” Jte had also risen and was settling her new cloak over her shoulders.


    “I… uh… kind of have to join the orcs in training. After everything that happenedst night, Grolfir made me a child in the eyes of the orcs. I need toplete some kind of rite of passage before I can get all my stuff back.”


    “Oh, so what do you have to do?”


    “Well from what I can tell it’s some kind of fight.”


    “With an orc?”


    “Several actually.”


    “Are you insane!?” Jte hefted her cloak from her shoulders when she lifted her hands up in exasperated outrage.


    “I’m getting that question so oftentely that I’m honestly starting to wonder.”


    “Jeez, I wonder why?” She stormed around from her side of the bed to stand before him and jabbed him in the middle of his chest with her index finger. “We’re leaving. Right now.”


    “And going where?” Gregory kept his tone calm and reasonable.


    “Gee, I don’t know, how about somewhere where they don’t want to set angry orcs after you?”


    “They’re not being set on me, Jan.” He tried to step around her but she quickly put her gorgeous body between him and the entrance to his tent again. He met her steely, furious gaze and lifted his hand to touch her cheek. “I have to do this.”


    “No, Greg, you really don’t.” She folded her arms over the skimpy bra that was barely managing to reign in the generously proportioned breasts beneath.


    Gregory privately decided that Jte wasn’t cute when she was angry, she was downright gorgeous.


    “Look, I almost hurt these people. It was my decision that let Freddie do what he did. I have to take responsibility for what happened. If I don’t, then they’ll probably punish someone else for it and I don’t really want that on my conscience.”


    “So you’re going to go get your head caved in?”


    “Oh ye of little faith,” Gregory sighed and moved forwards. This time as Jte tried to get in his way he tactfully swung himself around her and walked out of the tent.


    “Greg!” It wasn’t over by a long shot as far as the redhead was concerned. “Don’t walk away from me!” She caught up with him and smacked his chest hard. The quick contact left his skin lightly pink and her hand ringing with pain from hitting what was perhaps unexpectedly hard muscle.


    “You’re getting your feet dirty.” Gregory looked down between them as the rmed girl had run out of the tent and into the mud wearing only that skimpy bra and equally skimpy thong of hers.


    “I don’t give a shit about my feet. Stop walking, dammit!” She put her hands on his chest and attempted to stop him. The only effect she managed was to slide her feet backwards in the mud. She would have fallen t on her ass if he hadn’t caught her arm and kept her bnced.


    He knew the camp was watching them. Their fallen master and his former ve girl arguing out in the open. He didn’t really care. Jte’s efforts might not have given him more than a physical stinging sensation across his chest but he was having great difficulty not feeling the hurt in her voice or the desperation in her eyes. It was only when he saw those twin sapphires of hers beginning to glisten with tears that he faltered in his path.


    “Jan, I need to do this. I don’t really know what’s going to happen but I’m not going to back down and let someone else take the fall for my screw up. It’s just not in me.” He lifted his hands to settle on her upper arms and his touch was warm and strong against her cool skin. Then, he gently pushed her out of his way and continued on to leave her looking understandably worried.


    She watched him walk out of the camp toward his escort of two enormous guards encased in that ominous ck-metal armour of theirs. Gregory was led away between them to start his training as Jte felt the first tear slide down her cheek.


    “He did this to save someone’s life, you know.” The voice came from her side and she turned to find herself looking on the well-weathered form of Emmet.


    The old man, along with most of the camp, had seen her try to stop Gregory from leaving and had quickly snatched up arge nket which was quickly offered to the scantily d girl. She took it and only realised how cold she was when its warmth settled across her shoulders and wrapped around her body. The linen was coarse against her skin but it kept the breeze at bay. A little sniff of her nose was given before she used the nket to wipe away her tears.


    “You should not mourn such bravery, dear child.” Emmet turned to look upon her, his eyes were still keen despite being set in an aged and wrinkled face.


    “He’s an idiot.” She felt a sudden rush of spite rise up inside her. It felt better than the pain of thinking about her lover being hurt and so she weed it.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    “Perhaps. Perhaps not. You should go inside. I will send Talina to keep youpany and to keep her out of mischief. Do not let the tears rise again. All is not so terrible as it seems.”