Author's Notes:
Howdy again all! Sorry this took so long to get out, I've been super busy!
So a few quick notes on this one. If you're looking for a quick and easy sex thing, this one probably isn't for you. It takes a hot minute to get into the sexual encounter, as there is plenty of adventure to be had outside of getting laid in this story. Only one character thinks about sex consistently (and I love him for it), and the rest of the characters usually have different goals in mind.
That being said! I hope you enjoy the ride and the spicy stuff when yah get to it!
Disclaimer: All characters are above 18 and there IS some violence/gore in this one, but only to things that have it coming!
Enjoy!
- WwW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 years earlier...
The Hefty Flaggon Inn and Tavern was by all accounts, nothing special.
Situated off the side of the main road that led towards Hillgesin (the third largest city in Relleon), it saw plenty of traffic. People of all races and genders made their way through. Some were heading towards the city, in the hopes of striking their fortunes within the alabaster stone walls of the impressive settlement. Some were fleeing the city, hoping for simpler lives in the more rural parts of the country.
The sun was just rising over the top of the somewhat distant peak of Gordae Mountain. The sun fell warmly on the slightly chilled ground of the upcoming autumn. The leaves of the surrounding Horsestray Woods were beginning to turn colors in their usual manner. The various noises of nature were loud enough to reach the inn, but not effectively pierce the well constructed wooden walls.
The Hefty Flaggon was well made and simple. Two stories of wood and stone, it had survived three generations of the family that operated it. The bottom floor was dedicated to the "Tavern" part of its name, while the upper floor was the "Inn". A large area for dining and a bar made up the majority of the downstairs. There was a kitchen behind the bar and a storage shed was situated next to the well outside. The upstairs contained half a dozen small rooms. Not much more than a bed and a nightstand with a lamp, but it more than suited the needs of so many weary travelers.
One of which, had just arrived.
The door opened heavily, creaking on hinges as old as the current owner's grandparents. The sun shone into the sparsely lit interior, briefly creating yellow rays of light that illuminated the hanging dust in the air.
A man stepped through. He was large, very large. He almost had to duck slightly coming through the door. He stood easily at six foot six, and his shoulders were broad.
The owner, a man by the name of Tonnek Hefts, watched from behind the counter. He was a balding, older human. He had a bushy brown mustache that was growing gray in places. He stared at the new arrival with a sense of apprehension. He wasn't a big man and only had a small crossbow situated on a hook behind the counter. And looking at the size of the man? He doubted it would do him much good if the man decided to cause trouble.
The man had closed the door behind him, but there was still no light to properly illuminate his features. He even wore a thick brown cloak with a hood. As he lumbered his way towards the bar, causing the old boards to creak beneath him, Hefts could see the strong jawline and small tusks of a half orc.
He glanced nervously at the only other two people in the room. One was his daughter, Gloria Hefts, who was also staring at the new arrival. She had been cleaning a nearby table and had stopped dead in her tracks. She had brown curly hair and was a bit heavyset. Not quite as large as her father, but being the daughter of cook had its advantages.
Her eyes flicked towards her father, the tension in the air palpable. He gave her an uncertain look back.
The only other person in the room was Vrat. He was a Dwarven farmer that often came to the Hefty Flaggon to drink until he passed out. Which is exactly what he had done last night. He was face down on a nearby table, snoring loudly through the strands of red beard hairs that were bunched up underneath him like a really scratchy pillow.
Maybe Gloria could try to wake Vrat? He was a rather burly Dwarf, perhaps he could take this half orc if a brawl were to happen.
Then, the stranger sat himself at the bar in front of Tonnek and removed his cloak.
All hope of fighting the man was immediately dashed.
The most common piece of equipment this man carried was a worn leather backpack. Situated next to it was some kind of hide tube, the kind that were often used to store bows when not in use. And it was a long one too. A long bow even by the standards of the tall man in front of him. It's quiver, full of the feathered ends of arrows, was situated next to it.
He also wore leather armor. And it wasn't the piecemeal scraps that some of the local village militia called armor. It looked tailored to the half orc's body, with various steel studs protruding from the oiled looking surface. It had seen use too. Various dings and scratches lined the brown surface, and there was even a section of the shoulder that looks as if it had been stitched back together.
Tied to his waist were the most concerning parts for Tonnek. On his left hip, the sheathed form of a longsword hung down from the side of the stool in which the man sat himself. It didn't look as fancy as some of the blades Tonnek had seen nobels and merchants carry, but that somehow concerned him far more. The other hip had a handaxe strapped to it. Similarly simple, yet the head of the axe shone brightly in the flickering lamp light.
It looked sharp.
Fighting this man would be a horrible idea, Tonnek was positive. Probably best to keep him content.
As he had removed his cloak, his face was revealed in the light. Tonnek was taken aback briefly. Tonnek's first thought was that he was very handsome. Mr. Hefts wasn't even attracted to men, but even he could tell that. He had a short black mohawk that framed his tall and pointed ears. His face was a bit rough, with dirt across one cheek and a scar that passed through his eyebrow on the other, and with his thick brow and jawline he looked even tougher. However, his hazel eyes were bright and attractive, and they seemed to be boring into Tonnek.
Tonnek coughed and straightened up, putting on his best Tavernkeep smile, "'Ello stranger! Wha can we dew fir yah?"
The man took a moment, looking around the room, clocking the energy. He turned back towards Tonnek with a small upturn of his mouth. It seemed to be a fairly awkward attempt at a friendly smile.
"I would like some water, please," his voice was low, calm, and it rumbled a bit as it came from his throat. Despite that, it was clear and it spoke every word of The King's Common correctly, enunciating at all the right points.
Tonnek motioned at Gloria and towards the door that led to the well, still a tad frantic. She obliged immediately, picking up her tattered dress slightly as she hurried towards the door.
As Gloria left, Tonnek turned to the stranger with a that big smile, which was getting a bit easier with every moment the man didn't draw his weaponry, "So. What's yir name stranger?"
The man glanced at Vrat, furrowing his eyebrows at the clearly strange visage before turning back and answering, "Oskar. Oskar Grawl."
