Anora followed the female goblin that had helped her bathe, Morga, down the hallway in the house. Anora noted to herself that this “house” was much nicer than the caves that she had been living in. It was warmer and definitely had much better lighting although lighting had never really been a problem for her. Like the rest of her kind she was able to see in the dark. She followed them down to a room on the left, it seemed to be a wash room for clothes and such. In a corner of the room there was a door that opened up into some stairs. Morga opened the door and followed the stairs downward into the dark. After ten steps or so they came to an open area underneath the house lit by a couple of torches. The area was barren save for a few bedrolls and some hay on the floor. The walls and floor were of hewn stone.

Morga motioned to a new bedroll in the corner. “You sleep there.” she told her before retiring to her own bedroll. The two other male goblins were already asleep in the bedrolls. Anora stood quietly, watching them in the dim light. She looked at the bedroll then laid down in it with her back to the others. Being in this bedroll, in this room made her feel very uncomfortable. The other goblins made her feel uneasy, especially the males. She could remember the encounters she had had with the males of her kind in the past. It was the main reason that she had left her tribe and chose to live on the surface alone. But even on the surface there had been bad males. At least until that human had come along. Mikhail had saved her, had given her a name, which she was still getting used to. For most of her life she hadn’t been called anything good by the other goblins. Even now she could see the detest in the eyes of the other goblins. She knew they looked down upon her since she was not a pure blood goblin. Tears rolled down her right cheek as she laid on the bedroll, the musty scent of sweat and mold filling her nostrils.

Anora didn’t know how long she had lain in the bedroll, her thoughts filled with unease and of Mikhail. Soon the torment of her inner thoughts became more than she could bear and she sat up in the bed. She looked over to see that the other three goblins were fast asleep. Snoring, belching or passing gas as they did. Anora stood up and straightened the dress that she now wore. Its fabric feeling odd against her skin, and heavy. She had gotten used to wearing nearly nothing over the last year alone. But she had to admit to herself that this new dress was much warmer and the face that Mikhail had made when he had seen her in it had filled her with some good feelings.

Anora stepped to the stairs and began to climb them. She wanted to find Mikhail. Shortly she was at the top of the stairs then through the wash room and back in the hallway. The dark hallway would have been a problem for a human but not for her. It was lit up almost as if it was day. The problem was which door was Mikhail behind, the one on the left or the one on the right. She closed her eyes and sniffed the air near the doors. A Goblin's sense of smell was strong and could detect many things. She walked up to the door on the right, sniffing air in front of it. The smell was wrong. It smelled of some type of pungent smoke and too much like skunky ale. She wrinkled her nose up to it.

“That’s not his door.” She thought to herself. Anora turned around, walking to the other door. She knew it was the right door but she still sniffed the air. She could smell the warm scent of leather and elk hide. She grabbed the door knob, turning it, then pushed it open softly. She could see Mikhail laying on the bed, his back to her, sleeping peacefully. Anora shut the door and walked to the bedside. She thought for a moment to climb in the bed with him but then decided against it. She stood by his bed for a moment, watching him sleep, confused by the fact that she now felt more at ease by just being in his presence. She touched Grey cloak that hung around her shoulders absentmindedly. It's soft fibers bringing back the memory of him tearing it from the dead bandit and placing It over her, covering her from his and others prying eyes.

Anora thought on that for a time. Why? Why had he done such a thing? In her experience males had always been eager to abuse her. To use her body for their own Needs but not this one. He had shown her compassion and honor. It brought a warm smile to her face. She looked around searching for something soft to lay her head on but not finding anything she instead laid down on a rug beside Mikhail’s bedside. Even though she had only known him for no more than two days she felt far safer with him than she did with those of her own kind. Sleep soon found her as she laid on the rug, stroking the gray piece of cloak.

Anora woke the next morning feeling a foot hit her. Looking up she saw Mikhail stumble and nearly fall forward, cursing to himself to be more careful. “Anora. Why are you here?” she heard him ask her as she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Giving him an obvious expression. In her mind she said. “I didn’t want to sleep with the others” Hoping that he understood that through her expression. For a moment she felt oddly self conscious as Mikhail looked her over, seemingly settling on the gray cloak. He then reached out a hand to her. An offer to help her up. One she took eagerly. “My uncle isn’t going to like this.” Mikhail said.

Anora didn’t much care for his uncle either but knew enough that big men like him could kill her easily so she had stayed quiet. She watched as Mikhail raised a candle to shine the light on her face. He stared intently at her with his blue eyes, making something in the pit of her stomach tumble. It was a very strange feeling that she had never experienced before. His eyes unsettled her but made her feel a bit excited at the same time. “Listen, I’m gonna leave the room.” Anora looked at his hand as he pointed at the door, then back to him. “You wait a few minutes then you leave the room okay.”

He said it more like an order than a question. She watched him walk over to the door, open it and look down the hallway then glance back at her. He smiled then left the room, leaving the door cracked open. Anora did as Mikhail had said and after what felt like a long portion of time she left the room. She thought to herself. “Where did he go?” Anora had no wish to be reunited with the other goblins. Instead she wanted to be near Mikhail. She stood still for a moment, listening for any sounds that would give him away. Along with the better night vision that goblins possessed she also had very good hearing. Her left ear twitched as she heard sounds coming from the sitting room and other rooms. The clink of plates and cups, the scent of food being cooked greeted her nose. She could hear the mumblings of the other goblins speaking in their tongue and the clearing of a man's throat. She listened for a moment longer and determined that Mikhail wasn't in there. Meaning that he had gone outside to most likely tend to the large elk that he rode.

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Anora smiled and turned to the right, walking down the hallway and out of the door. She followed the steps down and found him in the stable with the red elk. Getting the animal ready to continue his journey on that day. Anora stepped into the stable, stopping near Mikhail. She watched quietly for a few minutes. Soon Mikhail was describing the different parts of the leather thing that he placed on the back of the elk. He called it a “saddle”. Anora watched intently and with much curiosity. She wondered to herself why he was showing her the different parts of the saddle. As he explained things about it and about the elk she watched his eyes. The blue orbs had a fierce yet kind look to them. A look that for some reason set her on edge and calmed her at the same time. A feeling that she had never felt before and didn’t quite understand. She did understand however that with all of the people in this house, Mikhail was the only one that she wished to be near.

After what seemed like a few minutes Mikhail’s uncle stepped around the corner of the stable. Anora did not like his uncle. Something about him set her on edge, her instincts telling her to run away from him. He always looked down upon the Goblins but even more so on her. Anora watched Mikhail take a breath then motion for her to follow. Anora waited for him to pass then fell in behind him and his uncle as they went inside. Shortly they were at a table that had plates of various foods upon them. The smells were tantalizing and made Anora’s mouth water.

She reached for a chair but jumped with surprise when a booming voice shouted. “Nephew! Goblins do not sit at my table.”

Anora looked at Mikhail's uncle, an angry frown upon her face. She looked at Mikhail only for him to say. “I’m sorry Anora. Please sit over there.”

Anora looked over to the small table that the other goblins sat at. She frowned deeper and pushed the chair back in. She didn’t want to sit beside them and listen to their insults. But she did what was asked of her and sat at the table, her appetite now gone. She listened in on the conversation that Mikhail and his uncle were having. She wasn’t sure about a lot of what she heard but it gave her an uneasy and nervous feeling in her gut. Thankfully the breakfast time ended quickly and Mikhail walked up to Anora. She looked up at him. “Come on Anora.” he said. “We have found someone to look after you.”

Anora did not like the look that he had upon his face. But she had no choice and rose from the table. She followed Mikhail out to the Elk then around to the front of the house where they met his uncle. She heard him speak and then they started walking. A knot forming in her stomach. As they walked she could hear all kinds of activity happening. Children ran about screaming, laughing. After what felt like an eternity they reached their destination, a stone fence upon which an old man leaned against. Anora eyed him and knew that she would not like this. “Is this the green little wench you told me about?” The old man asked, gesturing toward her.

Anora listened to them reply and speak to the bitter old man. They explained how Mikhail had captured her in the pass a couple days ago. Anora grew irritated by that. She had come willingly, not been captured. Soon Mikhail corrected them and said that he had saved her which was true. Anora slid behind Mikhail a bit more as the three spoke, trying to hide herself from the old man’s strong gaze. But shortly he commanded Mikhail to move out of the way.

Mikhail did so and a low whistle escaped from Amdol’s lips. Anora felt uncomfortable as she watched the old man eye her up and down. She had seen that look in men’s eyes before. It had been in the eyes of the male goblins at Mikhail's uncles house, and in the bandits that had nearly satiated that look, also in the eyes of the male goblins that she had run away from in her underground community. Anora looked to the ground and kept her eye’s there. Trying to avoid the others. She could feel Mikhail turn around and kneel down. She looked up at him with tears in her eye’s. “I’m sorry you can’t come with me, You’ll be safe here though.” He told her.

“Liar.” she thought to herself.

She watched as he looked at some gold coins in his hand then she turned her attention back to the ground. “Come here goblin.” the old man commanded. Anora reluctantly followed the command and walked into his yard and behind the stone fence. She watched with a lump in her throat as Mikail walked back up the road with Bakule the elk and his Uncle. “Alright you damned green skin.” the old man said. “I am your master now. From now on you will do as I command. Understand?”

Anora looked up at him but said nothing. “It seems that I will have to teach you some respect.” he said again as he produced a large stick, no doubt his walking stick. Anora flinched at the sight of it. She was familiar with the implement and did not wish to refamiliarize herself with it again. She bowed her head and made some noises that she hoped would be understood as an acknowledgement. Thankfully the whip laid limp at his side as he issued his first order. “I want you to remove these stones.” He pointed at ones that littered the yard. “Stack them over there in that pile.” Anora stood still for a moment watching where he pointed until the stick smacked into her shoulder. She yelped and nearly fell forward, fresh tears stinging her eyes as she rubbed the spot where the old man had struck her. “Well what are ya waitin for you stupid green skin?” the old man yelled. “Get to it.”

Anora bent down and grabbed a stone, the weight of it nearly too much for her slim, malnourished frame. She struggled to pick the stone up, panting from the effort. Stone after stone she endured the wrath of the bitter old man. A blow from the walking stick landed on her back as the man yelled once more. Soon she wished that she had been left alone with the bandits in the pass. Anora bent down to grab another stone when she felt a foot shove her to the ground. She had made the old man angry again. She turned around to see his stick raised above his head, ready to strike her again. She raised her arms up in front of herself to block the blow knowing that it would do no good. Then all of a sudden Mikhail was infront of her again. He stood tall and strong, her protector. For a moment she was overwhelmed with relief that he had returned. But quickly that feeling was replaced with anger and resentment. She watched as the stick struck him directly on his left shoulder then he grabbed the stick and wrenched it from the old man’s grasp. “Wh..what is the meaning of this boy?” the old man bellowed.

“Is this how you treat others smaller than you?” Mikhail shouted back.

“What business is it of yours boy? You sold that damnable creature to me. I’ll treat it anyway I wish.” The old man yelled, pointing a bony finger at Mikhail.

Anora watched as Mikhail grabbed the coin purse from his side and threw it at the old man. “Here! I just bought her back.” he told him.

Anora felt another wave of relief, but the anger she felt burned hotter as she watched Mikhail turn around and reach his hand out to her. She looked at him and could see that he recognized the anger in her eye’s. She made for the wooden gate and soon was on the road and heading out of town. She could hear the old man shouting behind her along with Mikhail calling her as she walked.