Ehhh… There’s always Jaxon.

“Jaxon!” You yelled out, “Get down here! Your mistress needs you!”

You and your wife live in a tower in the corner of town. She’s a wizard and wizards all like their high perches. You asked your wife about it once and she says that looking down at the world from above helps her think. Something about being conducive to seeing the bigger picture. That’s your wife alright, all beauty and brains.

You yourself were a fully fledged knight and served as your wife’s main protector. Just as your wife would sometimes accept apprentices, you would also accept disciples whom you would train up as squires.

You hear the sound of heavy footsteps pounding up the stone stairs from the basement. After a moment, Jaxon poked his rugged, square, green face from behind the corner of the stairwell. “You called for me master?” He asked.

Jaxon was one of your wife’s apprentices and he was also your squire. He was the only one available in the tower right now, as the others were away on assignments. He was also an orc. Yeah, you’ve heard it all before. An orc wizard? But orcs are dumb as bricks!

Well somehow, Jaxon proved to be an exception. Maybe it was because of your wife’s skillful tutoring, though you like to think you played a part in his upbringing as well. After all, you’ve trained Jaxon well in the use of arms and the art of battlefield tactics yourself. Regardless of who contributed more, Jaxon remained a star pupil among the other apprentices and squires that your wife and you have taken in.

Jaxon had been just another orc orphan and street urchin running around on the streets of Falea, the town that you now reside in. He actually tried to pick your pocket when you and your wife, Elise, first moved into town many years ago. Elise had caught him red-handed with a levitation spell.

The little orcling then tried to make amends by being a local guide. After you and your wife had settled into your new tower, the little orc would come around day after day to do little chores for you, but it was obvious he was fascinated by Elise’s magic.

Long story short, Elise was taken by the little orc’s interest in the arcane arts and eventually made him an apprentice. Shortly after, you started his martial training as well, and seeing his aptitude for it, decided to make him your squire. Now, 12 years later, the kid was 20 years old. He was all muscle with a frame nearly thrice your size, and about two heads taller than you.

“Jaxon,” you said, “Your mistress has just headed out. She’s going to the city of Lambra to the west to see an apothecary. I know she’s a powerful wizard and all, but she still needs a guard! Could you please go after her and be her escort until I can catch up? I need to prepare my gear.”

Jaxon chuckled. “An apothecary? This doesn’t have anything to do with that Orcrose potion, does it?”

You blushed. “Yeah, I put it in the hippocras. She took a small sip and realized something was off almost immediately. I don’t know why I let you talk me into doing that. I should have known it wouldn’t have worked on a wizard! She’s so pissed right now.”

“A sip eh?” Jaxon said, grinning. “Don’t worry master, I’ll make sure mistress gets to Lambra,” Jaxon said and licked his lips. He then immediately headed for the door.

“Take a weapon with you!” You yelled after him, but the orc was gone.

You grumbled to yourself and headed down to the basement to retrieve your gear from your adventuring chest.

“This potion will get you laid, my ass,” you muttered to yourself as you hauled the sack of armor and weapons back up the stairs.

You don’t remember how it started but you had begun to confide in Jaxon about your frustrations with the current state of your bedroom life. Jaxon would usually listen and sympathize, but a few days ago he handed you a potion and claimed it would spice things up with Elise.

A potion made from distilled Orcrose buds, was what Jaxon had claimed the concoction was. It was supposedly an old traditional orcish recipe.

In addition to being a wizard’s apprentice and a knight’s squire, Jaxon was an extremely talented alchemist. His remedies and medicines were a big hit among the townsfolk and were often highly appreciated, seeing that Falea did not have a local apothecary. Given the townsfolk’s high regard for his alchemical concoctions, you had no reason not to believe Jaxon when he offered you the Orcrose potion.

You unsheathed your sword and lovingly keened the edge with a whetstone and then applied oil to the blade. After that, you slapped on a leather cuirass and strapped on your sword and a dagger to your belt. Then you fetched your bag with all the anticipated travel necessities before heading out of the tower and locking the door.