Keep a low profile until the barge arrives

Ingund turned out to be a passable cook. She conjured a plateful of blood sausages, some eggs and a thick slice of cured ham after sweating in front of the fireplace for some time. Gizol washed the food down with a tankard of piss-poor ale before questioning the girl further.

The worst shock was that his sojourn in the Abyss had lasted over a century. One hundred and eleven years, to be exact if Ingund was to be trusted. Things had certainly changed in the realm. Elves were hiding in their forest while the dwarves had all but disappeared. Gizol was the first gnome that Ingund had ever seen though Sky-Spear wasn't the first orc. Apparently, orc raiders were not as uncommon now as they once had been. Interestingly, Ingund had only ever heard of a single wizard - Maddox - who served as an advisor to the ruling council of the Star Republic at Wartika. There had been no Star Republic when Gizol had stepped inside the tomb, all those years ago.

At one point, Gizol nonchalantly sat on the edge of the table and had Swift-Wind serve him with her mouth once more. He had always been a bit of a randy goat but now his lust seemed to have been multiplied. Meanwhile, Ingund showed the full spectrum of emotion on her face as she kept staring at the mutely standing skeletons, the diminutive gnome, the muscled orc sucking his cock and the cooling corpse on the corner. It was clear the young woman was thinking furiously as well.

Thus passed the few hours until sunrise and then the early dawn: Gizol making plans, questioning Ingund and enjoying blowjobs from Swift-Wind. In fact, the orc spent more time nursing his dick than she did guard the door - though this did not concern Gizol much as it seemed clear that Ingund had been right about the lumberjacks.

The sun had risen fairly high when a shrill whistle broke his concentration.

"Right, time to depart. The cursed grass-eaters are hopefully long gone but be alert in any case, Swift-Wind. I would not put it past these dullards here to try a little ambush when we start moving", Gizol advised her as he closed his shirt/robe. It was a shame that no children lived in the camp as he was getting quite frustrated with not having proper clothes.

"I'll send the skeletons out first, then we follow. We'll head straight to the pier and see how the river captain reacts", Gizol ordered. Just as Swift-Wind was getting ready to open the door, Ingund spoke out:

"Please take me with you! I hate it here at the camp, serving the filthy woodcutters day and night! My mother died here and I'm afraid that the same fate will happen to me!"

Gizol almost said no, out of habit, but then he actually paused and gave her plea some thought. She wasn't dull-witted by any means, was fair on the eyes, and he could certainly use a cook-slash-maid. And as good as Swift-Wind's blowjobs were, two mouths were better than one.

"Well, I'm inclined to agree but I hope you know what you're going to join. I'm not exactly the noblest of masters as you surely have noticed by now", the gnome said.

"Servicing half a man beats servicing twenty men, whether in a kitchen or in bed", Ingund replied bitterly - which told him all he needed to know about her life here.

"In that case, you have just been hired. Though the next time you call me that, I'll whip your bottom until you can not sit for a day!"