July, Thursday 10th, 1961, 18:00. Springtrove, North Georgina Kingdom, United Countries of Faeldris.
I pulled up to the house with Jeremy parked on the corner. I watched as the hobgoblin girl’s parents looked out the dark window and eyed me with the glowing red orbs they had at night. I waited at the door for her after I knocked. Soon Heratrude opened the door, she straightened out her puffy white and red dress. Her yellow skin was orange in the cheeks and some makeup that I could see from here accentuated her features. I made sure I hadn’t smoked in a few hours and just finished a mint so she wouldn’t be put off my the smell of ash.
The blush on her cheeks made her seem more delicate than when we met yesterday. “Good evening Heratrude. Are you ready for a nice dinner?”
She fiddled with her dress and chewed idly on some gum in her mouth. “I thought you would have had your own car?”
“I’m from out of town. I didn't bring it with me. Jeremy is going to take good care of us though. Heard the nicest restaurant is Zeppareli’s. Would you like to go there for our dinner?” I opened the door for her as she slid into the back seat and looked up at me with more shyness than I thought she would have had.
“That sounds wonderful… John.” She murmured as I slid into the car next to her. Her fingers pinched and played with the hem of her dress as she looked down in her lap.
We slowly headed out into the street as Jeremy took control and began heading to the restaurant I wanted. I looked at her and smiled, “What do you usually do for fun?”
“Uhhhh… I like to… hang out at the mall with my friends. Or go to the local game and watch our team do their best.” She looked at me, her eyes wide and waiting.
I smiled warmly and with as much charm as I could, “I’m usually too busy to be able to hang out with many friends. Though some of my colleagues go out for some drinks after a long week at work.” I turned half towards her and her attention was fully on me, “What about school? You plan to get any further schooling.”
“I was planning to take a typing class and maybe look into one of those secretary jobs you see. Maybe work in a nice office with some respectable bosses,” Heratrude pressed some of her fingers together idly. “This… this is my first date. Not many guys in town are into hobgoblin girls.” Her cheeks turned fiery orange as she looked down.
I gently reached out and rubbed one arm, “I’ll make sure you know what a date should be like.”
“You wouldn’t have brought me out if you needed nothin.” She looked away, her positive attitude disappearing.
“Hey,” I pulled her hand in mine and kissed her knuckles softly as she looked away, squeaking in surprise. “Don’t talk about yourself like that.”
“What do you think about Springtrove? How’s it compare to bigger cities?” Heratrude seemed desperate to change the subject of the conversation.
“The big city is much more busy, which is both good and bad. There is little chance for you to find privacy on a walk. And the sky isn’t as full of stars as it is out in the smaller places. Everything has its ups and downs. I wouldn’t find enough business out here to support the lifestyle I’ve been getting used to. I wouldn’t be able to afford my house too.” I leaned back crossing my legs.
“Wow, you have your own home. None of the guys my age have their stuff together nearly as much.” She finally looked back at me with the red orbs of her eyes.
“We humans live fast and need to accomplish things quickly. I thought hobgoblins would be just as driven to reach higher in life.” I picked a little bit of nothing off my pants as I wondered what she would say.
“The hobgoblin men aren’t very ambitious. Generations of servitude and being low on the proverbial totem pole seems to have changed us for the worse. At least that is what I think. Thankfully my dad and uncle are able to afford our house together. Mom does well raising us kids. Just wish I didn’t have to share my room.” Heratrude’s eyes flicked back and forth while looking at me.
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“Well, let’s hope that things change for the better for your people. Though it sounds like you have some ambition. Learning to type is a pretty new part of the realms. The typescribers are quite a new invention. Pretty brave to me.” I placed my hand warmly on her leg and squeezed lightly in support.
“Thanks, though to be honest. It’s kinda the plan to find a respectable man. I don’t want to be with a hobgoblin. Maybe a nice orc could take me into their lives. I know they usually take multiple wives. I could be a lesser wife and maybe raise some children. That sounds nice to me,” Her cheeks practically glowed as she admitted what she was looking for in life.
“Some of the nicest people I know are orcs. They can be intimidating due to their large natural size but most of them have a gentle nature. They sure have changed from their old roots of warmongering and conquest. Maybe that can give you hope for a hobgoblin to change his ways.”
Slowly she lowered a hand on mine and scooted closer to me. “Enough about the future, why don’t you tell me more about you.”
“Well, I went to a pretty prestigious school and had a nice job on the side so that I wouldn’t owe anything to the school when I was done. I found a passion for finding justice for others so I decided to be a lawyer. Weaving your words into a tapestry. Laying out all the facts to bring about retribution for the downtrodden.” I looked away out the window as I remembered my old days at college and the constant bullying I got from the dozens of elves who were taking their time to really delve into the ways of law. “Most disagreed with my heavy focus on learning so quickly. There are mostly the long lived races in the higher level schools.”
“What about people like Grizzlebats?” She whispered as I felt her eyes on my silhouette.
“When one ascends to wizardom their lives get exponentially longer as they grow more powerful. Magic itself replaces the usual life force we all run on. At least that is what I was told in my Magic 101 classes.” I said casually.
“Oh, you took a magic class? Did you learn anything cool?” Her eyes grew wider and sparkled in the passing streetlights.
I whispered a few magic words as I held up a single finger and a small flame came to life at the tip. “Just a few parlor tricks and ease of life things. I can tune audio crystals and do some minor repairs on the enchantments around my house.”
She looked on with wonder, the urge to reach out in her eyes and test how hot it is. “Wow, I wish hobgoblins could learn magic.”
“I heard there are some forms of magic that you could learn but there is some problem with those. Blood magic is outlawed and almost anyone can learn how to do that.” I felt her arms wrap around mine as she snuggled closer to me. “Plus there is the natural magic that you possess. Perfect night vision, strength above size, and shadowslinking.”
“I guess that is true.” We lapsed into silence as we waited to arrive at the restaurant.
Once we arrived I stepped out of the cab and held a hand for her to take as I ushered her out of the back seat and had her standing before me. Her head measured to my sternum as she looked away from me with embarrassment. I offered an arm out for her letting her take it as I escorted her inside.
Zappereli’s was a warm and gentle place. A live bard played a bass in the corner, its docile deep tones sounding out through the whole room. Tables littered the floor with private two person set upsl. Glowing soft orange crystals lit the room with a romantic feel. I approached the maitre d’ and smiled at him. “Reservation for Smith.”
The half elvish man smiled at us both as he nodded, his pointed ears a little more droopy than you would see with full blooded elves. His powerful jaw hinted at the other half of his heritage. Slowly we wound our way to one of the booths with a warm crystal in the center of the table. I did the polite thing and guided the girl into her side of the booth before taking my own spot. Two menus were placed before us but as Heratrude went to look I placed my hand over her’s.
“Let me order for you, I think I have a good idea of what you would like.” I smiled at her as she blushed once more. “Want to see a little more magic?”
She nodded emphatically as she smiled at me. Her sharp teeth gleaming. “I’d love to see more.”
I hovered my hands around the crystal in the center of our table and closed my eyes in focus. I pictured in my mind the dancing colors of a rainbow. I opened my eyes and slowly the light in the crystal changed and started to reflect the image in my mind. I made it dimmer than brighter as I focused.
“That is amazing!” She smiled at me.
I reached out and took her hands and pulled them around the crystal. “Here, I want you to imagine any color you can. Make it really solid in your mind like that is the only thing you can think about.” Heratrude closed her eyes slowly and her face screwed up in concentration. I took the few wisps of magic I could summon myself and pushed them through her hands and towards the crystal. Willing it to carry her image to the light.
Slowly color bled into the crystal filling in from the sides as it slowly turned into a bright pink. I pulled my hands away as she opened her eyes and gasped. “That is the exact color I was thinking about! How did you do that?”
I smiled and placed a finger to my lip, “That’s a secret. However, we should change it back before we get in trouble.” I placed my hand directly on the crystal and pulled out the magic I had been infusing in it to change its colors. I could feel a little sweat on my back from the exertion it had taken to do that little bit of magic. I never did have the magical muscle it would take to do much more than a handful of parlor tricks throughout the day.
I didn’t show any of the mental exhaustion I was suddenly feeling and instead plastered on a smile. The waiter finally came. “What would you two like to have this evening?”
“We would like to start with a little red wine, maybe a twenty year aged vintage if you have it. The lady will be having the Dragon Tail strips with baked mandrake with all the fixings. I’ll have the fried Kraken and grilled vegetables. We will be sharing the flourless chocolate cake at the end of the meal.” I could see Heratrude smile and lick her lips a little at what I had just ordered.
“I’ll have that up soon, we have an excellent wine that fits just what you’re looking for.”
“Wonderful, now Heratrude, where were we?”
She reached across the table. “You were just about to tell me your favorite thing to do.”
I smiled at her, “You ever go dancing?”