Let Me Sleep On It.

“I don't know. It's all a bit sudden. Let me sleep on it.” I shook my head.

“That's fine. Just think it over. No rush.” Gwen smiled.

“How long do I have?”

“A week give or take. It's not an exact science but we know when it hits us because are sexual desire is amplified.” Gwen shrugged.

“Tell me about it. My tongue is starting to go numb if this keeps up.” Heidi teased.

“Heidi.” Gwen blushed brightly. I made my way home and did a little reading before I crashed. The next morning I got up and went over to the tavern but as I walked through the door Astrid saw me and pointed to a table were I saw Sura sitting with a goblin who I recognized. He was the one I had let go at Stonehills.

“Hello Sura.” I said and took a seat.

“This thing was looking for you?” She nodded with her head and took a drink.

“Good human, kind human. You spare me life remember?” He said. He looked a little fidgety but he had seen the two of us kill about a dozen or less of his kind.

“Yes.”

“I needs your help.”

“Me?”

“You are brave warrior but just. Many goblins you kill but spare me and let others run away. Me no tell you then but me is prince.”

“You?” I smiled. This was the goblin prince who had led the escape. Guess he played to his strengths.

“Yes. Me father is goblin king. Rule whole of goblin town.”

“This should be good.” Sura said setting her drink down since it was empty.

“Helga can you get us some drinks.” I said as she came by and held up three fingers.

“Right away sugar.” She smiled and gave me a wink.

“So spill. What do you want us for. No, better question how did you find us?” I said.

“I go to orcs and ask. They point me to city to find her. She find you.”

“You have some balls goblin after what your kind pulled.” Sura shook her head. “That is the only reason I let your ass live and not kill you on the spot.”

“They tell me how find her and she take me to you.” He shrugged

“So why did you come to me?”

“Goblin king gone mad, he take all women as wife. Those goblins he like he gives wives he done with and his daughters. Those he don't die.”The goblin shook his head.

“Yes I heard all that. Even how you helped them escape.” I said. Least his story seemed to track so he wasn't completely full of shit.

“Here you go.” Helga smiled and put three more drinks on the table. I noticed Sura's mug was considerably larger then ours. The goblin seemed transfixed on her breast which swung slightly in her top.

“Thanks Helga.” I said.

“You were saying.” Sura said giving his arm a bump.

“Yes.” The goblin prince snapped back to reality. “He hire black orc to kill those who not listen.”

“He hired those half blood bastards? Half Trow filth.” Sura growled and took a deep swallow of ale.

“He has many's as you say bastards. Four he pay.” The Goblin nodded.

“Three. I fought one a few days back. He was hunting the goblins who escaped.”

“You killed one?” Sura looked at me.

“Not easily. Not a fight I would forget.” I shook my head.

“Their might be hope for you after all.” She teased.

“So why do you need us. We couldn't take a whole town of goblins and three orcs.” Sura shook her head.

“No take town. King go sell slaves he no like. Ones no kiss royal ass or suck king cock. He give to Kobold for gold.” The goblin responded.

“Were he will be more ****.” I smiled. I was starting to like the little shit.

“Yes. Out side the city. I have no money to give but goblins who not escape need help. Goblins king horde much treasure. For self. He keep with him all time. No trust other goblins. Not even me. You kill king, free goblins, take treasure as reward but save goblins you must. Kobold make slaves and whores. He shook his head.

“I think I need to stop drinking, I am starting to like what he is saying.” Sura shook her head but kept drinking.

“You help goblin?”

“I am in if he is. I will gladly kill those dark orc bastards. It's part of the reason I joined the military and I owe you one.” Sura looked at me.

“Very well.” I nodded. “When does he leave?”

“Two day come mornings.”

“We can make it and rest at the tavern near the border.” Sura nodded.

“Will he have a goblin escort as well?”

“Maybe. He no want goblins to know how much gold he get. Though maybe few he trust or they to dumb to ask questions he bring. I son he trust. Think me on his side so he tells plan. He believe I here to spy on goblins who runaway.” The goblin shrugged.

“When the goblins escaped. How were you not captured?”

“Me was, stop help goblin twist ankle, she no run but I no leave her behind, they catch me so her say I caught her helping others escape. Father believe. Call me hero. He put her in cage to be sold.”

“Yeah. I need to stop drinking if you are telling me goblins have a sense of loyalty.” Sura sat the mug down.

“It's true.”

“What can you tell us about goblin town? Just in case we have complications.” I said. Not that I wanted to try and take the town but sneaking in might be an option.

“Houses small for goblins. Many houses me no count that high.” The goblin shrugged.

“He means defenses. How do you keep people out?” Sure shook her head.

“Oh. Built like human city, goblin copy humans. Ditch all around, walls made wood and stone, large gate goblin come in and out.” He said moving his hands about.

“Only one gate?” I asked.

“Yes.” He nodded. That was a problem.

“How did you all escape?” Sura asked.

“Through shitter. Empty into ditch.” He shrugged.

“Yeah we aren't going in that way.” Sura shook her head.

“No. You no fit. Orcs no fit neither which how we escape.” The goblin smiled.

“Any weak points in the wall. Rotting wood or...”

“Yes. West side.” The goblin nodded. “Need replace but few goblins do work with all in cages. But still many goblins you have to fight.” We ate and hit the road heading north. We road most of the day stopping only to grab a bit of dinner at a tavern along the road.

“Looks like we should rest for the night. To much cloud cover to travel by moonlight.” I shook my head. It didn't look like it would ran but it make seeing the road hard as hell.

“Agreed.” She said and we found a nice spot by a stream for the horses.

“I know you are good with a bow so are you any good with that sword of yours? Sura asked.

“I know the basics.” I shrugged.

“Well lets see what you got. I sleep better after a good fight.” Sura shrugged and drew her sword. I shrugged and drew mine as well. She came at me and or two blades clashed several times.

“Not bad.” She smiled. She came at me again and I blocked and she knocked my sword away and held hers inches from my throat. “But not good enough. “Don't block. Deflect. Angle your blade instead of keeping it straight. When your enemies blade hits yours use it to give yourself an opening. Orcs are bigger and trying to block will get you killed.” She said and showed me how to angle the blade so that when her sword hit mine it would slide along it.

“Better.” She nodded as I got the handle of what she was saying. She was about my size but I felt like I was fighting someone bigger.

“Slow down. Conserve your energy. It is a mistake many of my kind make. Let them ware themselves out and wait for an opening. In a large battle when you have to fight multiple opponents means you will die once you become to tired to lift your sword. Orcs wear heavy armor so they can tire if it is to much leaving them open for a quick kill. ” She said and I did as she said though she showed no sense of tiring. “If your enemies swing is wide it leaves them open to attack. My kind prefer heavy weapons because of their strength but it makes them slower giving you an opening. When you have it take it. Do not hesitate. They will not. My kind have a sense of honor in a fight but these orcs may not. Remember that.”

“I think we have had enough for the day.” I said when we were both out of breath.

“Agreed.” She smiled. As we slept settled in for the night underneath the stars sura taught me some Orcish. Simple phrases really. All of the curse words mostly but a few that could come in handy.

The ride the next day was long but we made it the night before we reached Archstone and crossed over a large stone archway over a canyon carved by a large river below. Probably the only crossing for miles judging from amount of people on the road. From the rapids below I doubted any boat could get this far up river so all trade had to be done by land. I saw several humans and gnomes but not much else this way other then a few kobolds and the occasional goblin. We made our way into the Inn where I was surprised to see several soldiers. Didn't look like we be able to find a room for the night but least we could get some food. We sat and I ordered us some food and drink.

“Well you are a long way from home.” A friendly voice said and I turned to see captain Willow.

“Willow. What are you doing here?”

“That was what I was going to ask you?” She smiled and joined us.

“We have been hired to rescue a group of goblin prisoners being sold to some Kobolds. I have a mercenary license to act as a freelancer if you wish to see it.. I brought him along to assist me with his bow.” Sura shrugged. Didn't even know we needed one of them but I imagine sura got hers by serving in the army. “You?”

“We were sent to observe goblin town and capture the city and the goblin king if possible.” Willow shrugged.

“Might be hard since they won't be in the same place.” Sura smiled.

“What do you mean?” Willow asked and Sura nodded.

“Well that last one we might be able to help with. According to what we were told the king will be arranging the meeting himself. The greedy bastard doesn't trust his own people. Our patron says the orcs are coming along as well meaning you just have to deal with the goblins in the town. He also informed us that the west wall of goblin town was weak if that helps you any.” I shrugged.

“That just might.” She nodded.

“You two need a hand. From what we heard there are three orcs and just two of you. I have killed my share of them during the war.” She smiled.

“You want to accompany us?” Sura gave her a look.

“The general can handle goblin town easy enough if the orcs are gone. You can keep the reward I just want the kings ass. Alive and in chains if possible so he can rot in a dungeon after we march his fat ass past the others.”

“Very well elf. We could use a third and you can have the fat ass.” Sura laughed.

“So what is the plan?”

“We let them to head up river toward Griffin Rock. There is a long bridge there. When all the carriages are on the bridge the archer here we will kill the lead horses.” Sura pointed.

“You want me to shoot the horses?” I frowned.

“Yes. Their just animals. You only have to kill one with any luck.” Sura shook her head.

“I can hit it with a sleeping spell that will knock it out if you prefer?” Willow shrugged.