Once again, I watched another farmer pull his worn-down cart into the city of Helmstadt after I had checked his goods and cleared him for entry. Recently I had been reassigned to guarding one of the city gates, checking persons and goods attempting to enter and enforcing the city's regulations on trade and security.
Normally the city watch wouldn't have bothered with such rote activities as checking every peasant that walked through the gates, but ever since the Baron Eadgar had been appointed as the town's overseer by the prince, he had put nearly all of the city's officials to work. My guess is that he was testing the city's services, knocking off rust and pulling sleepy administrators out of their complacent dazes, as well as quashing the gangs that had flourished under the previous baron's apathetic governance.
Some of my fellow watchmen had moaned and complained to me about the extra work, but I would just encourage them to shape up and earn their coin. Actually, I had earned a bit of a reputation for being by the book, sometimes painfully so. My compatriots tolerated me though, as I didn't hound them if they slacked just a bit. I liked to think it was more inspiring to lead by example rather than spewing vitriol and making enemies unnecessarily.
Something about the work appealed to me though, even more so than my previous job as a nightwatchman patrolling the streets. The comforting routine of checking everyone that entered, the efficient bureaucracy of managing what people and goods entered the city and ensuring everyone paid what they owed, it all gave me a subtle satisfaction. Things were always best when they were well managed and properly controlled. Even my sister Ava, who I lived with, made sure to meticulously manage our small home.
My sister and I lived fairly comfortably. When our parents had passed away and left us alone with the family house, we had decided to split responsibilities. I joined the city watch to bring in a steady income and she managed our finances as well as maintained the house. Her sharp wits and skill with trading meant we were financially secure and even able to afford the occasional luxuries, like honey or fresh steak. Ava often liked to spoil me when I came home, feeding me wonderful meals cooked with fresh ingredients from the market.
"Hey, Wolfgang!" Someone shouting my name pulled me out of my daydream. Hartmann, a fellow watchman, was hailing me as he walked to my post at the gate from one of the city's avenues. He was a relatively shorter man, perhaps five foot seven to my five foot eleven, but he made up for it with his muscle and ironclad willpower. "How are you Wolfgang?" Hartmann asked me, clapping me on the shoulder as he reached me. "Daydreaming about your sister-wife, Ava again?" He laughed at his own joke while I snorted in response.
"You're lucky I like you Hartmann. Anyone else, and I would have found some sort of infraction to write them up on." We both grinned and he laughed again. "At least I have a woman at home that loves me." I teased him, knowing that he still lived with his mother. I had met her before, when I had delivered a work related message to Hartmann at his home. She was perfectly nice to me, but she chided Hartmann relentlessly, asking why he didn't act more like a proper watchman like myself.
"You wound me Wolfgang, you know I'm sensitive about that!" Hartmann dramatically feigned being shot by an arrow, staggering backwards before recovering with more laughter when he saw my frantically rolling eyes. "Anyway, I got orders. The baron wants us to keep an eye out for smugglers, apparently the few gang-rats that we didn't catch have slunk away into the shadows to try and make money on the black market."
"Fine," I replied, "can you fetch me the list of contraband? I'd like to go over it again and make sure nothing gets through that shouldn't." It was Hartmann's turn to roll his eyes as he went into the nearby guardhouse that was built into the city walls to find my list. He quickly brought it to me, talking idly while I checked and double checked which goods were illegal.
"Can't believe you really need to see the list Wolf, I'd bet good coin you've got it memorized by now."
"No reason not to check it over when I have a minute." I reasoned. We talked for a moment longer, then Hartmann headed off again on whatever assignment he had and I returned to my post at the gate, extra vigilant now of anyone trying to bring in contraband. Alchemical goods, along with a few other items were usually perfectly legal but the baron had ordered them temporarily banned from entering the city without the proper paperwork. Most likely he was being extra careful in controlling certain goods to try and catch any of the lingering gang members that had turned to smuggling.
The hours lumbered on and just as I was preparing to head home and let the night shift take over for me, one last person approached the city gate. The first thing I noticed was that they were short. Maybe around four and half feet or so. As they came closer I could see their light green skin and pointed ears and it was obvious by then that they were a goblin. Unconsciously I stood a bit stiffer, held my halberd a bit tighter. There was no problem with goblins entering or leaving the city, but everyone knew they had a reputation for mischief and cunning, especially if they were tribals and not city dwellers.
I took the opportunity to examine her as she strutted towards me, gleaning as much information from her appearance as I could. Various animal skins and hides covered her, clearly she was a tribal, likely living out in the woods with a small group of other goblins. A leather sack was slung over her shoulder, its contents unknown but most likely intended for trade in the city market. My guess is that she had some decent quality furs to trade for whatever items her tribe needed, probably medicine or salt. When she reached me she stood unflinchingly before me, apparently not intimidated in any way even as I loomed over her.
"Well?" She asked, her Realmspeak rusty and unrefined but understandable. "Can I go in?"
"Sure," I nodded at the little green woman. "but I'll have to ask you to show me what goods you're bringing into the city." The goblin nodded and stepped past the outer portcullis, stopping under the arched passage beneath the gatehouse to set down her leather sack and open it while I watched. I was surprised when she produced not furs from her bag, but various alchemical ingredients!
Quickly recovering from my shock, I turned to address the goblin. "You can come in, but you'll have to forfeit the alchemical supplies." She frowned at me, putting her hands on her hips as she looked up to make eye contact with me.
"One of my tribe brought similar goods here last week and there were no problems."
"New regulations." I explained, my tone flat and stoic. "The baron is putting a temporary ban on the import of certain goods until the city can properly handle their sale and distribution." The goblin snorted and sneered at me, obviously not happy with the sudden inconvenience. Her expression shifted, a peculiar look passing over her face as she crossed her arms.
"Fine. Let me take these in and you can do what you want with me." Her bargain caught me off guard and I was stunned while I processed what she had just said. Sure, I had been offered (and turned down) plenty of bribes before, but they had always been in coin, not... services. Before my professionalism could reassert itself, my eyes greedily looked the goblin woman over once more, this time eagerly assessing her feminine assets.
Despite being relatively short, she was the definition of voluptuous. The hides she wore did little to obscure her heavy breasts, the large green orbs accentuated by her her shorter frame. Her hips were wide and swayed tantalizingly as she fidgeted nervously under my lustful gaze, her full rear looking larger to me now that I was inspecting her as a potential mate.
