"I mean, come on Daenan!" the little Faerie squeaked angrily. "There's nothing about this that's right! Even if we overlook the fact that a human suddenly finds herself mentally disturbed enough to bed an Orc, she somehow pierced your skin with her fingers! That doesn't add up! Nothing about it adds up! You're not the type of lazy oaf who'll prefer to spend the entire morning in bed rather than get things done! I've never known you to do that! You're always up at the crack of dawn!"

Daenan listened to his friend with rapt attention, in deep thought. "You're right," he growled. "It doesn't add up. By my honour, it doesn't."

"See! See! I can understand why you took her with you last night, it pacified things greatly, but by all that blooms, you're an Orc! You're not attracted to humans! Sex doesn't transcend species!" the tiny creature cried out.

Daenan interrupted the tirade by raising an eyebrow. It transmitted a thought that Faen found profoundly worrying. "There are species, human included, that—"

"I don't want to hear it!" Faen slammed his hands onto his ears, much to the amusement of the Orc.

"But what you say is correct. They share a certain similarity with us, body wise, are sentient, but... There always is a barrier. Or so I thought. So I believed. After last night, I'm not that certain anymore."

"Look, listen up you big oaf! After what you told me, I'm sure of it. She's not who she claims to be. If you can spend a full night making... well, if she can survive that, she's no ordinary human! And how many humans do you think can actually pierce your skin with their fingers?"

"You have a point, I'm not battling you on that anymore, am I?"

Faen huffed angrily. "That is my job, remember? I study things, and thus proof is required. Forming an opinion is best done with as many facts supporting the claim as possible."

"Well she certainly didn't move like an ordinary human, the way she turned and twisted while—"

"Close your clep!" Faen squeaked, slamming his fist onto the bridge of Daenan's nose. It didn't do any real damage aside providing a slight discomfort, but it did shut him up. Damnable Orc kept a lecherous grin on his face, though. "Do you even understand how serious this all is?"

"I wouldn't worry overmuch. If she wanted to do harm, I reckon she'd have tried it so far. I don't think she's associated with those zealots."

"That's what irks me. You think. I prefer knowing. I don't like unknown threats that could squish me."

"Faen, buddy, an annoyed cat could squish you if you don't watch out."

"Daenan, for the love of—"

The Orc raised his hand. "No, I'm taking it serious. It is in my nature to mock anything and make it seem smaller than it is, but I am just as worried as you. The only reason I don't show that outward worry is because I believe that she's not a direct threat to us."

"Don't tell me you've gone soft because you got laid!"

This time the Orc threw him an annoyed glare, and it was the Faerie's turn to smirk smugly. "No. I am not that easily turned and you know that very well."

Faen knew he had hit a sore spot. The big oaf didn't show it outwardly, but the Faerie knew how much pride the Orc took in being unshakeable and being incorruptible. That a girl had somehow gotten past his defences instilled a cold and frightening fury inside him and Faen felt the anger radiate of him.

"Then the only question that remains is, what are you going to do about it?"

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

The bones in Daenan's hand creaked in protest with how much strength he exerted on the handle of his war hammer. "You know me friend. In cases like these I am not much for tactics, ambushes or other indirect means to reach my goal." He lifted the weapon with ease, despite it's massive weight. "I reckon I'll just have a little chat with her when she comes back. Marcus doesn't need me for the rest of the day anyway. You'll tell him that, won't you? The others provide enough protection for him with even the petty thieves having gone into hiding with those damned fanatics all over the place, and I'd only draw further unneeded attention. Are you sure you don't want to tag along with him? He's not much without you backing him up, you know?"

"Bah, he's not planning on buying anything anyway. We discussed this while you were in bed. He's going to cut his losses and just sell as much as he can in two days, ditch the rest and then get out of the city while we still can. He's scared out of his wits, even if he doesn't want to admit it. Still, I advice against it. I don't know who she is associated with, but I wouldn't underestimate her. I don't think she saw me yesterday—"

"Never pegged you for the vo—" Daenan began with a smirk, which was promptly cut off when Faen magically grabbed a fly and threw it into the Orc's ear. A most unpleasant trick that thoroughly shut the Orc up. The Faerie flew towards the cupboard and plopped himself down onto it, crossing his arms and legs in a smooth movement. "You going at it with a human is something that piqued my interests on a rather professional level. I'd be quite the hassle if you were found fucking a human corpse and I assumed that it would be handy to have a healer on stand-by."

"Why that is downright touching," commented Daenan, a finger in his ear as he tried to dig the still buzzing fly out, without much success.

Faen huffed. "Anyway, I recommend you let it be for now. Take a slower approach to it. If she is physically capable of withstanding you in bed, she probably can do it outside of it as well. We don't know who is backing her, and unless I am mistaking neither of you want to grab the attention of those good-for-nothing-but-fertiliser fanatics."

Daenan nodded.

"Can't find fault with that logic. Then what would you have me do? I don't exactly like the idea of being toyed with."

That was an understatement, Faen thought. "Enjoy her," the Faerie said, pulling the Orc out of his anger.

".... What?" he said, his eyes wide as he looked at his friend, utterly dumbfounded.

"You heard me. Enjoy her company for now. It's unlikely that she'll not do it again if you were any good—"

"Hey!"

"—so she'll probably come back to you. Try to not give out any information, but seduce it from her. You've got good self control. Use your.... natural abilities to make her talk. People are always more talkative if they can use it to get what they want. I'll be nearby, reading her expressions and covering for you magically. Remember though, I'm a Faerie, not a combat mage, but still."

"Hmmm..." pondered the Orc. "I'm not entirely keen on that idea Faen."

"Liar liar, loins on fire, you're absolutely smitten with her," sang the Faerie, grinning smugly at his friend. Daenan tried to shoot an annoyed glare back, but given that he wasn't properly dressed yet and that he was vividly remember last night, he didn't quite succeed.

"By my honour, fine! I am partially keen on that idea!

"Partially?"

"Mauls and axes! Yes! I love the way she moves on top of me, I adore the way her full breasts bounce when—"

"Hang a on a spot, full breasts? Stampers and roots, Daenan, she's using an illusion! Tell me, how does she appear to you?"

Daenan fell quiet for a bit before his eyes turned slightly reminiscent. He knew it was a serious question, yet recalling the last night did have its effect on him.

"Like I said, her breasts were full like ripe cantaloupes, her skin smooth as silk, and it shares its colour, her curves are narrow, but filled with both strength and joy, her long hair trails behind her and glistens in the light of dawn, her—"

"Right! Enough!" Faen snorted, holding back a laugh. It wasn't every day you saw an Orc poetically describe a tavern wench. "For starters, those cantaloupes of yours aren't real. Secondly her skin has quite a fair bit of scars. Thirdly her curves are that of a fighter. She hasn't got an ounce of fat on her. And her long hair doesn't go down reach past her ears. If you can't physically tell the difference or even notice that she's got that illusion on, it means she knows what she's doing. Maintaining an illusion like that is nothing to sneeze at." He shook his head, worried. "I'll spare you the jokes for now though. I'll make those once we're out of the city. For now, do as I say. Try to lure information from her. If there's another force hidden in the city, I want to know. In the meantime, you and I need to do some information shopping. We're located in the right district for it."

"The usual pattern?"

"Yes. I do the asking, you do the protecting."

Daenan nodded and grabbed his weapons. Faen patiently waited for his friend to open the door, something he struggled with due to his tiny size. Then they set off to find Markus, before they'd disappear deeper into the city.