April

Finding the guards had put Gob off exploring the tunnels for now. He decided to lay low for a bit and took to exploring the books that had been dumped. He found nothing of importance but he enjoyed the rest and relaxation.

The dungeon master had done as was told and Gob found a sack full of chains and cuffs. He took them home to sort through them. He was no magic user but he knew enough to spot the difference between those that had enchantments and those that were just normal prison equipment. He decided to keep the basic stuff handy and put the good stuff back in the sack to show the Maou.

Thinking about the dungeon made him think about Tallie. His queries about his cum made him eager to experiment and Tallie might just be the perfect person to do that with. He couldn’t rush though. He needed her to be **** to spend time with him and eager enough to please him to keep him coming back and fighting for her freedom so he peacefully waited for the demon lord to return and to be summoned.

The first night the Maou was back at the palace Gob was sent for. He turned up with his sack of shackles and together they examined them. “Is this really all you could find?” the Maou asked disappointedly.

“Yes, sire. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of knowledge had been lost in peaceful times. The dungeon keeper was no help at all beyond providing these.”

The Maou had tried on one of the stronger looking shackles only for it to provide only slightly more resistance than the ones he had summoned himself and once he had initially snapped the chain they lost all their enchantments and were less than useless.

They sat together in thoughtful silence until Gob said, “Could you have some new ones made? They were very old.”

“Maybe,” mused the Maou. “It’s not something I would want to be made outside of the palace. It sends the wrong message to any spies who might find out and make us look weak. If the knowledge has been lost though, I’m not sure it will help. I may have to start researching it myself. Beyond just my desires I think it’s knowledge we should have.”

“It seems a waste not to ask, sire,” said Gob, a little put out by how defeatist the Maou was being.

“You are right Gob. That’s your next job then. Head to the palace forge and find someone who can help.”

The next day Gob found himself in a very unfamiliar part of the palace. The palace was the size of a town and it was easy to not have visited particular neighbourhoods. This part of the palace was where the guards were trained. Gob realised he was close to the outer wall of the palace and beyond that the walled capital city.

In this part of the palace were the workshops. Tools, weapons, armour, uniforms, saddles and any other manufactured goods the palace could require, all of these were made in the palace workshops. Gob went searching for the smith.

When gob found the head smith he turned out to be a troll. Large bellied and toad-like but also extremely tall with a big mouth and fat rubbery lips. “If it’s not a sword or some other weapon I’m not interested,” he told Gob.

“It’s for the Maou,” said Gob, slightly shocked at the refusal to help.

“I don’t give a damn. I make weapons and armour. I’m not messing around with magical prison bracelets. Go and speak to April. She’ll be in the back making a mess with her experiments. This sounds much more like her sort of thing.”

Put out that the head smith had turned him down Gob went in search of April. He couldn’t find her until a sharp bang caught his attention. He headed towards the noise and walked into a workshop filled with steam and smoke. “Hello,” he coughed. “I’m looking for April.”

“Yes,” came a coughing reply, “That’s me, where are you? Oh?” A figure emerged through the smoke and Gob was shocked to be face to face with a woman the same height as him. She was clearly just as surprised by the sight of Gob. “I’m April,” she said, pulling off her right glove and extending her hand to Gob. “Who are you and if you don’t mind me asking, what are you?”

“I’m Gob, It’s short for Goblin and I’m a goblin. The last of the goblins. I don’t recognise your species either.”

“Naa, you wouldn’t. Not many of us in the demon lands. I’m a gnome,” she said, pulling off her goggles. Gob gave her an appraising look. She was stumpy but curvaceous. She was wearing leather trousers and a white blouse under a leather apron. All of her clothes were covered in soot. She had a rosy, freckled face and auburn hair in a braid down her back. She had an open and warm expression and bright blue eyes. Gob had never had the chance to look a woman straight in the eye before. He thought she was rather lovely. It made him a bit nervous.

“I’m, er, I’m here from the Maou,” he stammered.

“The Maou? What does he want with me?” She looked intrigued and a little worried.

He tried to explain quickly to put her mind at rest. He explained about the need for restraints of some kind that would be capable of holding a being of incredible strength both physical and magical. He explained how the dungeons weren’t currently capable and the knowledge of how it might have been done in the past seemed to be gone.

April’s eyes lit up. “He wants me to build these, does he?”

“He wants someone too. Are you interested?” asked Gob.

April took his hands and jumped up and down. “This is the most exciting thing anyone has asked me to do. I can’t promise I’ll get it first go but I’m game to try.” She dashed over to get a notepad and charcoal. “What dimensions are we talking about?”

“Human, elf, true demon sized,” he suggested.

“Okay, that falls within a good range and I don’t need to make them massive. What sort of physical strength?”

“Dragon or giant.”

April raised an eyebrow at him. “You serious?” Gob nodded. April smiled a little. “You are setting the bar high but I like a challenge. What about magical strength?”

“As high as possible. It could be for someone who would pose a threat to the Maou so think his level.”

“I have to be real with you, I don’t think that’s possible. If we are talking just restraints. Maybe as a whole system of containment, multiple worn items and fortified cells.” She seemed a little disappointed.

“I’m sure the Maou will be pleased with whatever you can come up with. If you have any ideas I’m sure he would love to know about them.” He was eager to please the buxom gnome.

She smiled and his heart melted. “Great, I’ll try my best. I’ll need a few days.”

“I completely understand. Can I check back in a few to see how you are getting on?”

“Sure sugar, you’re welcome any time,” she said with a slap on his shoulder.

“Great, I’ll be off then,” he said but didn’t move.

“Okay then, see ya,” she said with a smile and watched him expecting him to go.

Gob realised he was being awkward and made his legs move. “Oh, just send a note if you have anything to show off. Just put Goblin on it and it will find me.”

“Will do.”

“Okay then. Okay, er, bye.” He finally started walking out. He heard her giggling as he left. He suspected that she thought he was just awful and he berated himself for the rest of the day for being so fucking awkward.