Of course!

Kazex's bag was already full with plenty of ingredients so there was no reason to linger in the area any longer; besides which, Talanah's presence was more important that gathering a few potions reagents. Hefting his spear, Kazex started making his way back to the tower with his new companion in tow and the goblin made sure to learn more of the mysterious elf that had saved him during the trek back.

He only had the vaguest hints of what to expect from the small tidbits the researcher sometimes gave him. Elves tended to be reclusive folk if he remembered correctly - while they weren't exactly unusual outside their lands, they certainly weren't a common sight in the human kingdoms. Relationships between the two races were cordial, if distant. He could scarcely recall little more than that, which vexed him more than he'd like to admit.

Regardless of his memories or lack thereof, Kazex quickly learned through their talk that Talanah was a woman of steely determination. Her willing seclusion inside the forest said as much, but her own low-key acknowledgment of it only reinforced the idea in his mind. Cutting herself off from everything she had ever known to go to a remote place to further hone her abilities spoke of an impressive commitment to whatever ultimate goal Talanah had.

Nonetheless, the elf proved to be a willing conversationalist, telling him of Arh Elunore, the elven homeland in the far North-West, and the wonders found therein - of the sparkling Waterfalls of Courage of Neldosari; of the sky-bound spires of Arh Tirion, the temple where the Dreaming Monks weaved their sung tapestry of the world and of Asyi Entheas, the ancient forest where the Lady of Stars Ithys lit up the veilfires of the sky for the mythical elven figure of Archon Anfalen.

" - and Ithys' boon to Anfalen turned Asyi Entheas into a sacred place of the elven people, coming together in the forest every five years to celebrate such event during the Crimson Bleeding of Onoris."

As Talanah spoke, the smile she wore on her face with each place she mentioned was plain to see, no doubt reminiscing about the fond memories she had of them. She was also a skilled story-teller; her vivid descriptions of her homeland stirred a slight wanderlust in Kazex, who couldn't help but wonder what would it be like to visit such distant places, so far removed from the lands in which the forest he called home resided.

'It certainly would be a sight to see, a lone goblin walking among elven cities and sacred places,' he thought with a snort before waving off Talanah's questioning look.

"Arh Elunore sounds like a beautiful place to live in," he mused. "Unfortunately, this forest only has trees to bore yourself to ****."

Talanah shook her head in disagreement. "Beauty can be found in all places, even in the simplest of morning dew; to watch as the sunlight reflects off it in quiet contemplation is a joy few appreciate. On top of that, unspoiled glades and wellsprings are numerous in this forest - one needs only to find them," she argued as she kept a keen eye on their surroundings.

'Trust an elf to find beauty in nature.'

Kazex had nothing against such outlook, but he knew he was too restless to give the wonders of nature proper consideration. There was another type of beauty in seeing his potions and creations come together from several ingredients to a single product; it was a type of beauty more suited to his own interests... but he could still respect Talanah's point of view.

"You think the elves would let a goblin walk around unimpeded in your homeland?" he suddenly asked, earning a curious glance from Talanah.

"I cannot rightly say. We're aware of the goblins' more... unsavory tendencies even though no tribe of your people lives nowhere near Arh Elunore - some might stop you for questioning while I suspect others would simply shoot you down. Why?"

"Ah, just fancy thinking. The tales of your homeland have piqued my curiosity and I wondered if I could ever see such places with my own eyes," Kazex simply said with a shrug.

"I would not consider it fancy thinking. Life is one long meandering path; one never knows what fate has in store for us. You might yet see the wonders of Arh Elunore."

"One can only hope. Speaking of which, you said you know of my people's less unfavorable habits? I'm surprised you're treating me so cordially, given the case." He'd had the same conversation earlier with Helga and though it annoyed he had to do it again, he knew it was important. Earning goodwill was paramount to have the women predisposed to his eventual advances and the sooner he got that particular issue out of the way, the better for all involved.

He could try to just pump Talanah full of aphrodisiacs, but what would be the point of that? Once the effects wore off (because they were never permanent, he'd failed to achieve that too many times to believe otherwise), the elf would no doubt be on the warpath to kill him. Considering she looked to be quite deadly with those weapons of hers, he didn't trust his chances.

Talanah regarded him with a serious look. "It's true, I know what the usual behavior of goblins is around females and yours is certainly unusual. That you've managed to hold a conversation with me without trying to pin me down and violate me so far is proof enough that you're not like other goblins - which is why I agreed to meet this witch friend of yours. And don't take this the wrong way, but were you to try anything, I could subdue or kill you easily," she bluntly said.

Well, at least she was honest, though Kazex felt strangely compelled to defend his honor. "I'll have you know goblin skin is thicker than most; one of the reasons I don't usually wear shirts," he told her peevishly. Really, did she think him so stupid so as to not have a reason for not wearing reinforced shirts or armor when going out?

Well, he used to wear a loincloth instead of trousers just the other day, but what Talanah didn't know couldn't hurt her.

The elf shook her head with an amused smile. "There's more to a fight than just a strong body, you know. Beyond physical might, skill and ability play an important role."

Kazex was quick to reply to that particular comment. "Perhaps you should teach me, then," he said, grinning when Talanah gave him an incredulous look.

"You wish for me to teach you how to fight? I thought alchemists seldom involved themselves in fights."

"You saw what happened back there with the massive spider. If I'm really so badly skilled, I'd prefer to improve my chances to live another day."

In truth, the idea had just come to him at a moment's notice, but roping Talanah into teaching him to fight better would ensure to give them plenty of quality time together and get to know her better away from Helga. He wasn't sure how the witch would take Talanah's presence, but if he was to seduce both of them, he'd have to be careful not to make them feel scorned at any point.

That is, in case Talanah accepted... which she still hadn't.

"This is quite sudden... I must consider this proposition." Thankfully, she seemed more curious than hesitant; that could only bode well for him.

"Of course, just give me an answer when you've decided."

"I will."

The rest of the trip back to Helga's tower was spent with lighthearted banter, which eased Talanah into his presence. He wasn't sure how long she'd spent in the forest all by herself, but it seemed he didn't have to worry much. Beyond mild awkwardness in the first minutes of their journey together, the elf had quickly struck up a conversation.

Not long afterwards they left the outskirts of the forest that surrounded the mountain. The looming shape of Helga's tower could be seen up high with the brown-colored tiles of the roof gleaming under the sun. Kazex let a smile spread over his face as he saw it.

"That's the place, come on. Helga will be inside," he said, walking faster as he approached the gravel path that led to Helga's home. Beside him, Talanah easily kept up with the new pace.

"Looks cozy on the outside. Its location on the mountain is interesting, too."

"It certainly is cozy on the inside as well, trust me," Kazex told her as he pushed the door open, noticing how there was no tinkling sound this time; it gave credit to his previous hunch, but it was just a minor detail. There were more pressing concerns. "Helga, I'm back! I've brought a friend!" he called out.

Moments later, Helga showed up as she made her way down the stairs to the ground floor. Her wide-rimmed witch hat was gone, leaving her mane of bright red hair uncovered for the world to see. Instead of her previous black robes, she now wore a dark green sleeveless comfortable dress with a high cut on one side that showed plenty of smooth leg. Kazex tried really hard not to stare... too much, at least.

A look of surprise spread over her face when she saw Kazex in company of an unknown woman - an elf, at that.

"Kazex, who is this?"

Before he could answer, Talanah stepped forward. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Talanah of clan Galerion. I helped your friend here with dispatching one of Outuaranak's brood earlier and when he told me about his friend Helga living in the forest, I agreed to come with him and meet you."

"Oh. Really?" she asked Kazex, who nodded.

"She's been staying in that part of the forest for some time to hone her abilities. I told her she could stay with us if she needs some company... as long as you're okay with that, of course," he explained.

Helga turned to regard Talanah with a pensive look, red hair swaying with a faint rustle. "I... well, this is unexpected. How long have you been in there? I thought members of an elven clan didn't leave unless they married a member of another or were exiled."

Talanah's whole body tensed. "I've been here for three months, but I'm not an exile, I assure you. My clan... it's complicated - I'd prefer not to speak of it, but I promise you this, I'm no criminal in case you harbor doubts about my presence in this forest."

"I see..." Helga mused with a calculating look and Kazex was reminded for a moment of the cold, sinister smile that she had on her face when he collared her. It wouldn't do him good to forget there was a more ruthless side to Helga, beyond the congenial one he'd seen afterwards. "Well, I have no problem letting you stay here if that's your wish, provided you promise to not seek harm to me or Kazex. It might be a bit cramped at first, but I can easily enlarge the tower a bit if needed. All I'd ask in return is that you help protect my home in case someone tries to attack this place or us. It's an unlikely situation, but one can't never be too cautious."

The goblin was relieved to see that Helga was at least willing to offer Talanah a place; it'd save a lot of time to get back and forth from one place to another if he were to interact further with her.

However, Talanah still hesitated. "I don't know... I would not wish to burden yourselves with seeing to my needs as well as yours."

"Nonsense. You've been here three months by yourself, are you not lonely?" Helga questioned as she crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up.

"I've learnt to ignore it with my goal in mind... but it's true I sometimes miss having someone to talk to," Talanah admitted after a moment before relenting. "I'd still take a few days to think about this, if you'd allow it."

"Take all the time you need. It's your decision, after all; no one else can make it for you," Kazex told her with a grin, pleased to see Talanah smile softly in return when Helga nodded in agreement.

"Thank you. You've given me much to think."

"Think nothing of it. And before I forget, let me introduce myself. I'm Helga, a witch born in Sedena."

The elf nodded. "Pleased to know of thee, Helga of Sedena."

Talanah left not long afterwards with the proper farewells, promising to drop by regularly before giving an actual answer. Kazex guessed that the offer might be something completely different to how she was used living until now.

"Well, that happened," Helga said out loud, prompting the goblin to turn and glance at her. "It seems that from the moment I... acquired your services my life has become markedly more interesting."

"You didn't know Talanah was out there in the forest?"

"Why would I? I hardly need to go to that area of the forest. The villagers don't need potions that strong."

"Oh. Well, more excitement is always good, right?"

"Talanah strikes me as someone having quite a story behind them but I suppose there's something to be said about meeting new people, yes," Helga agreed with a nod.

'Oh, I certainly enjoy meeting new people, especially if I manage to get intimately acquainted with the female ones,' Kazex joked in the privacy of his mind.

Notes: I'm setting things up so I have room for interactions between Kazex and both girls by themselves. Since being an alchemist is Kazex's shtick, he'll probably use one or two potions on Talanah at some point soon while he tries to work out the actual limits of his servant bond to Helga. The **** collar will actually come up with Talanah and it'll be a point of friction.

Also, you've probably noticed that I'm making Kazex play the long game in this storyline. As stated, he's basically trying to earn their trust the hard way to ensure their own inhibitions to his advances are pretty much null when he finally decided to strike. I haven't really decided yet if the seduction will be heavily induced by a potion or simply actual romance with potions giving a slight push. We'll see, we have time.

This all is just so you guys are aware of the general direction of some bits of the story.

Also, chapters keep getting a bit bigger each time. I'd prefer to keep it simple, but I think it's better to do the whole 'show, don't tell' thing if possible than just summarize everything with a few lines. And well, conversations tend to take up a lot of space; for me, at least.