Fuu Attempts to Apologize

Fuu felt her heartrate spike in panic. How could she show her face to the others after what she let happen on her watch? If they killed one prisoner, whose to say they wouldn’t have killed others? Would she have also let them die? She let herself fall to her knees and then further as she leaned forward to press her forehead into the cold floor of the cave. “I’m sorry!”

Gruul’s frantic movements stopped as he turned to face her. “For what? What are you doing?”

Fuu sat up. “I am begging for forgiveness. They killed your sister because they had me. I was sitting in this spot when it happened beyond those doors.”

Gruul moved forward, closing the iron doors behind him. “You didn’t kill my sister. Why are you taking the blame for it!”

Fuu’s face burned as she spoke. “Because I could have done something! I was too busy sucking Gnoll cock and wishing for them to fuck me to do anything else.” A tear ran down her face as she admitted it, but she had to be honest. He deserved to know her humiliating failure.

Gruul didn’t even bat an eye at her admission. “No, you couldn’t have.”

Fuu was knocked out of her spiral for a moment. “Yes I could! I could have…”

“Attempted to, unarmed and naked, fight three heavily armored Gnolls and the Shaman to rescue a Gnoll that you didn’t know?” Gruul cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

Fuu felt like a scolded initiate at the temple. “I could have tried.”

Gruul nodded. “And lost whatever protection you have. Your word is your bond, right. It’s why you are so attached to that stupid mating ritual.”

Fuu fumbled. He was completely right, but why wasn’t he angry? Something was unsatisfied in Fuu’s heart that wouldn’t allow her to let go. She pressed her face to the floor again “Then accept my apology as the leader of the Bravos. If we did our jobs right, your sister would still be alive and..”

“I saw that fight, you were going to have trouble regardless.” She heard him getting closer.

Fuu sat up again to stare up at his face only to find his cock laying across her face. Judging from the confused look on his face, it wasn’t on purpose. After a few tense moments, he stepped away. Fuu could see his cock harden from just those few moments of contact.

Fuu licked her suddenly dry lips. “What can I do-“

“Stop.”

Fuu blinked. “I am trying to do the right thing.”

Gruul looked down at her and scoffed. “You are trying to punish yourself. Even I can see that. Stop it.”

Fuu’s mouth moved uselessly for a moment. “What? No, I am trying to make up for my failures.”

“Then focus on your actual failures.”

Fuu was confused as he reached for her. Just like during the ritual, he didn’t grab her to push her down, but to lift her. Gruul pulled her up to her feet. Fuu stared into his pale green eyes. “I am.”

Gruul shook his head. “You failed to plan but all of your objectives were completed.” Gruul pressed a finger to her lips before she could cut in. “You had no knowledge of my sister or her situation. Even if you had won, you would have gathered the girls and probably wandered right back to town.”

Fuu couldn’t argue with that but something was still bothering her. She grabbed Gruul’s hand and pulled it away from her face. “But then you could have saved her.”

Gruul laughed darkly, “No, it would not have worked that way.” Fuu tensed slightly, confused but not letting go of Gruul’s hand. Gruul took her silence for a request for more information and continued. He leaned down to put his face right next to Fuu’s “She would have killed me.”

Fuu blinked. “Why?”

“Because I raped her Fuu.”

The simple statement struck Fuu in the gut. “You? Was it the Shaman?” Fuu didn’t let go of him. In fact she grabbed his hand with both of hers.

Gruul sighed before nodding. “So, if you want to play the ‘what if’ game, I will beat you.” He shook his head ruefully. “If I had resisted the Shaman’s magic and tore out his throat, then none of this would have happened and you would be on a totally different adventure.”

“You can’t blame yourself for-“ She stopped at the look in his eyes, both amused and exasperated, Fuu really did feel like she was an initiate again, trying to learn a lesson from a much too patient teacher. “Oh.”

Gruul smiled and patted her on the head with his free hand. “Yes. ‘Oh’.”

Fuu stared at him for a moment, smiling slightly. The Gnoll may believe himself a monster, but he was very kind. Such a doting partner. The stray thought had returned but she didn’t mind it as much this time. “The ritual.”

Gruul sighed. “Just because it was a possibility, doesn’t mean we should be counting on it.”

“Why are you so against it?”

“Why are you so for it!”

“Please answer my question.” Fuu didn’t know the answer to his question. Perhaps it was trying to make sure he didn’t go jump in a river when he had nothing left to do.

Gruul grumbled but he had yet to pull away from her or break the grip her hands had on his own. “You are part of a religious order right? Aren’t you on a mission from your god?”

Fuu nodded. “Goddess, but yes. I am here to travel the world and slay evil.”

Gruul was losing his fight against a smile. “Of course you are. You realize I would just get in the way of that?”

Fuu knew what he was saying, but she had made an oath and she would stick to her understanding of the deal. The harder he argued for her own benefit, the more she argued back. “You are strong. You could join us.”

Gruul cackled. “I am no adventurer. I am a nomad hunter that would get in the way of you finding work in most cities.”

Fuu took a step forward and wrapped her arms around his back. She knew he was right, but she wouldn’t admit that quite yet. “There is more evil in the backwater places.”

Gruul grumbled even as he wrapped his arms around her. “Please stop. A few months ago I would not have seen you as anything more than an enemy or potential trade partner. The idea of a mating ritual between us would be laughable.”

Fuu pressed her head into his chest. “You think this is temporary.”

It wasn’t a question but Gruul answered anyway. “Yes. There is no telling what enchantments will end after I leave this place.”

He didn’t want her to be shackled to him if he wouldn’t care about her. Fuu marveled at how kind the giant beastman was. “What of the child?”

Gruul was quiet for some time. “I can tell you where my camp is. I won’t remain here long but I can take the pup on my travels, should it come to term.”

Fuu looked up at him. “When?”

Gruul shook his head. “If the seed took root, around six months. I will be traveling for about a week to take my sister home. If you get confirmation, we can make plans.”

Fuu sighed, letting the tension seep from her as she leaned into him. “Okay”