Decline Astrid's Offer

“I appreciate the offer Astrid but as hard as it is I will have to decline.” I shook my head. Partly because I was sure someone would come down or wonder where the two of us had gotten off to. Having her kids walk in on us in the middle of fucking didn't sound like it would end well in my head.

“Pity. Can't blame an old girl for trying.” She smiled and slid off of me walking toward the staircase.

“I wouldn't say old. Not in the least.” I shook my head.

“Standing offer then.” She shrugged and looked back giving me a wink. I went up after blowing out the lamp hanging on the wall and caught back up with her.

“Well if you are going to be staying a while and are looking to make some coin I could always use some fresh meat. You clearly have a knack for tracking and hunting and as you can imagine we never have a shortage of bellies to feed upstairs.” She shrugged.

“I just might take you up on that.” I nodded. It put a little coin in my pocket.

“Hey, handsome,” Helga said as I came out into the Taverns main room as she stood behind the bar.

“Hey, Helga.” I nodded and walked around taking a seat.

“Thanks for finding the lute for Arwen. It means a lot to her.” She smiled and touched my hand.

“Glad I could help.” I nodded. She poured me an Ale and I sat talking with her for a bit till she went back to waiting tables as new patrons came in. Arwen came out from the back with Terra who was all cleaned up in a dress that was slightly too large for her. It hung slightly off of one shoulder and went down to her ankles. The sleeves were rolled up some so her hands could stick out. Despite that, she looked cute.

“Look at you. You look even nicer all cleaned up.” I smiled.

“Thank you, master.” She nodded.

“How would you like to work here dear?” Astrid asked as she looked at the goblin.

“If master wants me to, I will.” She smiled.

“How about you just try it out for now. They were nice enough to give you the dresses for you to wear.”

“Okay.” Terra nodded and looked back at Astrid. “What should I do?”

“We could use someone to wash the dishes?” Helga said as she brought some empty mugs over from a table where the patrons had just left.

“I can do that.” Terra smiled.

“Come along. I will show you how,” Astrid said taking her hand. I shook my head at her. Least here she would be treated far better then she was used to.

“Here, I want you to have this,” Arwen said as she stepped forward and set a book in front of me as she took a seat beside me.

“What is it?” I said opening it up.

“A book on magic. You can read, right? I didn't think about that till just now. I would feel like a fool if you couldn't,” she said getting a little flustered. It was funny that I thought of elves as wise mature beings but she seemed just as human as many other human girls I knew.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Good.” She smiled. “When I healed you the other day I thought I sensed some magic in you but I wasn't sure. I felt it again today so it's definitely there.”

“Really?” I looked at her and smiled then turned back to the book.

“Yes. How much I can not say, but it is there. I can't do much beyond healing magic myself but this is a good book for beginners,” she replied.

“I will give it a read and get it back to you.” I nodded as I looked at her.

“No. Just pass it on. Knowledge should be shared despite what many of my kind would think.” She shook her head.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. You got my grandmother's lute back for me.” She smiled.

“It wasn't too damaged I hope?”

“No, just needs a new g string and I will be able to play it while I sing.” Arwen nodded.

“Good to hear.” I gave her a grin. “Want to spoil the book for me? Tell me how it ends?”

“It's not that kind of book.” Arwen shook her head at me.

“I meant talk magic.”

“Okay. Where should I start?” She touched her chin looking up.

“What shouldn't I do would be good.”

“As good as any.” She gave a little shrug. “Nothing destructive at first. Being able to light a fire with a snap of your hands sounds cool unless you set something or even yourself on fire. Until you have some control that kind of magic would be like giving Terra your longbow.”

“So walk first then run.” I nodded as I tried to picture Terra holding a longbow in my head. “Second?”

“Start small, though most can't do advanced spells right away, the fundamentals are key. After that, I would say emotion and personality are the most driving **** in magic?”

“Really?”

“Yes. My mother says I am good with healing magic because I like to connect with people like through my music. This magic is even stronger when I have a connection with someone who is hurt that I care for personally. However, I can't do any magic of an aggressive nature because I don't typically hate others.” She shrugged.

“Worry can increase healing magic?”

“Yes. Well, more of a concern for others. Just as anger can boost attack magic, fear can increase defensive magic. Mastering that kind of magic is hard because one can lose control of their magic just as easily as their emotions. You can't really know how powerful your magic will be no matter how much you practice. Elves are sometimes thought of as emotionless because they control their emotions. Discipline their mines because of their natural connection to magic can make it dangerous. While others like me embrace those emotions because it makes us powerful in our own way.” She smiled.

“Makes sense, I guess.”

“So which chapter is there for someone who is gullible and keeps getting suckered into quests for other people,” I teased flipping through the book.

“Stop. Helping others isn't a bad thing.” She gave me a little bump with her elbow and laughed.

“Not for you maybe. I keep getting stabbed and cut by goblins.”

“Here. For next time it happens.” She said taking my hand. “One of the first healing spells in the book. Solacium.” She touched her fingers to my palm and ran them slowly in circles.

“Feels nice.” I smiled.

“It's supposed to. It eases pain. Even if it is only temporary it can provide comfort to the wounded.”

“What are you two love birds talking about.” Helga popped up out of nowhere behind us.

“Magic.” I smiled.

“So it would seem.” Helga teased as she looked at Arwen holding my hand.

“Helga.” Arwen blushed. We talked for a little bit more. Magic had three principles to be cast effectively. Thought of mind, word of casting, and direction of hand. One had to visualize with their mind what they wanted to do. Just throwing your hand out without focus would be like shooting a bow blindfolded. Or that's how I understood it. Words were used to invoke the magic used, such as Solacium could ease pain. The last was the direction of the hand. Magic was a tool like any other. A sword could stab, slash, or bash with the handle and magic was no different. One could focus Solacium to their fingers to ease the pain in a focused area or to the whole hand to cover a greater area but to a lesser effect. I sat in my room reading by lamplight about a wind spell trying to cast it over and over and managed to cast small gusts of wind so I kept reading. I heard a knock at the door.

“Come in,” I said and wondered who it would be but had my coin on Helga and sure enough it was her.

“Hey. Still up?” She smiled as she came over across the darkroom.

“Yep. Can't sleep.” I shook my head.

“Figured you would be. You looked like the learned type.” She smiled and set a small cask and a cup on the table. “This should help. With the sleeping part anyway.”

“What is it?”

“The mead you saved. Just not distilled like we serve the guests. I figured you should have at least some of it. Just don't drink a lot at once or you will hate me for giving it to you tomorrow.” She laughed.

“Thanks.”

“You're welcome.” She nodded and leaned over slightly as she put her arms and tits on the desk.

“Book of magic. You read?”

“High gnomish ruins. I can only read and write a few words in lowlander. Arwen tried teaching me some little but I don't have a lick of magic in me.”

“I don't know about that. I think you can be very bewitching.” I smiled and glanced at her tits.

“Thanks.” She grinned. “We put Terra in the attic with us girls. She was pretty tuckered out and passed right out the second her head hit the pillow.”

“She had a big day.” I nodded.

“So I heard. She is a hard worker at least.” Helga said. “Holy crap. Where did you get that?” Helga pointed to the knife the princesses guard had given me.

“The knife?”

“This is isn't a knife. It's king forged steel. A blade like this would cost at least five gold.”

“That much?” I said looking at it. I figured it was worth something but five gold.

“Yes. You get at least half that if you sold it. Where did you get it?”

“It was a gift for someone I did a favor.” I shook my head. I wasn't sure if she would even believe me if I told her I had meet the princess trying to sneak out of the city.

“You must do a lot of those.” She shook her head at me.

“You could say that or so it seems lately. Guess it's becoming a habit of mine.”

“Well, I appreciate it.” She touched my hand. “Speaking of which I have something to ask of you? Not a favor really.”

“Name it.”

“It's a bit awkward. I don't know if you know this or not but elves have a special connection with nature.” She shrugged.

“Yes. I have heard that.”

“What most people don't know is that they once a year they experience certain needs like that of many animals. Carnal needs.” She played with my hand as she talked.

“You mean they go into heat?” I said feeling shocked at the thought.

“Yes. Essentially. Most people don't know this and I am the only one who Arwen has ever told so I would appreciate you not telling anyone.” She glanced up at me.

“I promise. So what is it you want me to do?”

“Isn't it obvious. Arwen needs a good fucking. To put it bluntly. She would never ask you herself so I am asking for her.” Helga shook her head. “I kind of put her up to it but it isn't like she would say she doesn't want to do it. I saw the way she was looking at you."

“And she agreed to this?”

“She is outside listening to every word.” Helga nodded with her head.

“You can come in,” I said. A split second later Arwen came in. She was blushing brightly as she held her arms in front of herself.

“I will leave you two alone.” Helga nodded and walked by Arwen taking her hand and giving it a squeeze before she left. Helga nodded with her head for me to do something before she closed the door. Arwen walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

“So it is true...?” I said as I got up and walked over.

“Yes. Normally my desires are never this strong. Typically I can dull it with potions or through other means.” She played with her hands.

“Such as?” I asked as I sat down putting my hand on hers.

“Self-gratification and other methods.” She blushed slightly.

“How long does it normally last?”

“About a week at most once a year. It's the only time we elves can get pregnant if you choose to.” She shrugged and looked up at me making eye contact.

“Why me?”

“Because you are a good person. You embody many of the qualities I hold most dear. You have a good heart.” She touched my chest. “And you're a stranger.” She frowned as she said it. “I know several men whom I can trust who would gladly take your place but they might want more from me then I can give them. Normally my kind go to any of our sanctuaries during this but there are none around here and it is too late to make the pilgrimage. I know this is a lot to ask but...” She trailed off and bite her bottom lip.