a matter of moments before they clawed
their way through.
Frantic, she ripped a red satin table cloth
from a nearby table and tied it around her naked body. There has
to be somewhere to hide, anywhere. She went from door to door,
but was met with the resistance of a sturdy lock. After trying
many, finally one gave way. She pushed her way through the door and
shut it tight.
Astrid sat crouched on the other side of the
door with her ear to the wood, waiting for the approaching mob of
angry goblinesses. Her hand reached out behind her, searching for a
weapon. If she couldn’t outrun them maybe she could subdue
them.
“You seem to be missing some clothes.”
She whirled around to see Luka smirking over
her. “You really don’t need to repay me like this,” he said,
pulling up the table cloth to her neck. “I’m not that kind of
elf.”
“You don’t think I’m here for—really? You
are dense ,” said Astrid, pressing her ear back against the
door.
Luka yanked her from the door’s surface. “Why
else would you be here? Like that ? Makes sense to me…”
“Do I look like a common whore to you?”
Luka opened his mouth to respond.
“ Don’t answer that—” Astrid slapped a
hand over his mouth and listened hard. She could hear the
goblinesses growling right outside the door. A sharp knock jarred
her head from the door. Her felt the blood draining from her face
as she scanned the room for a place to hide.
Luka rolled his eyes and pushed her aside. He
reached for the door’s handle and pulled it open. “May I help
you?”
“Yes, my Lord, I was wondering if perchance
you had seen Miss Astrid. She seems to have disappeared and we were
terribly worried, sir, we were.”
Luka stifled a laugh with a stern face. “I’m
sure she’ll turn up eventually. I’ll keep my eyes open for her,
though.”
“Many thanks, my Lord.”
Luka softly closed the door. Astrid could
hear the wrathful growling of the goblinesses through the wood as
they continued their search. Mutters of “mangy elf” and “damn
mud-witch” echoed into the darkened room.
Astrid looked up at Luka, clutching the red
silk tight around her shoulders. “Well I suppose I’m stuck here.
You happen to have any food on you?”
Luka threw his feathered head back and
laughed. “I may have something somewhere hidden in my trousers.
Maybe a bit of bread or some cheese. You’re welcome to look. I may
even have some coin for you. Tell me, how much do common whores
charge these days?”
Astrid felt her gaze harden. “I’m sure you’d
love that, wouldn’t you?” She snatched an empty candlestick from an
ornately carved tabletop and extended it like a sword. “You’ll pay
for that remark.”
“Please do, I’d love see what passes for
Warrior these days,” he said through bouts of laughter.
Astrid cut his mirth short with a blow to the
belly. She could hear the rush of air burst from his lungs. She
ducked beneath his outstretched wing and snuffed the dancing
candles, plunging them into darkness. She slid onto the heavy
canopy of the bed and waited for him to regain his breath.
“Whew! So you want to play dirty, eh?” A red
glow filled the room. She felt the bed heave upward as he lifted it
to look underneath. The ceiling thudded against her skull, sending
her head spinning. The candlestick was knocked from her grasp and
came crashing to the ground.
“Ah, I see you,” he said, ripping through the
canopy.
Astrid spun out of his grasp and swung to the
floor. Once on the ground, she swung a kick beneath Luka’s feet and
sent him toppling into the loose canopy. She sprung upon him, her
fist upraised and a knee at his throat.
“Do you surrender yet?” She pressed harder on
his throat when he didn’t respond.
“Yes, yes, now get off!”
Astrid laughed with glee as she bounced onto
the bed. Luka untangled himself from the tattered canopy and relit
the candles. His face was clouded and grim.
“Really, now. Don’t take it so
their way through.
Frantic, she ripped a red satin table cloth
from a nearby table and tied it around her naked body. There has
to be somewhere to hide, anywhere. She went from door to door,
but was met with the resistance of a sturdy lock. After trying
many, finally one gave way. She pushed her way through the door and
shut it tight.
Astrid sat crouched on the other side of the
door with her ear to the wood, waiting for the approaching mob of
angry goblinesses. Her hand reached out behind her, searching for a
weapon. If she couldn’t outrun them maybe she could subdue
them.
“You seem to be missing some clothes.”
She whirled around to see Luka smirking over
her. “You really don’t need to repay me like this,” he said,
pulling up the table cloth to her neck. “I’m not that kind of
elf.”
“You don’t think I’m here for—really? You
are dense ,” said Astrid, pressing her ear back against the
door.
Luka yanked her from the door’s surface. “Why
else would you be here? Like that ? Makes sense to me…”
“Do I look like a common whore to you?”
Luka opened his mouth to respond.
“ Don’t answer that—” Astrid slapped a
hand over his mouth and listened hard. She could hear the
goblinesses growling right outside the door. A sharp knock jarred
her head from the door. Her felt the blood draining from her face
as she scanned the room for a place to hide.
Luka rolled his eyes and pushed her aside. He
reached for the door’s handle and pulled it open. “May I help
you?”
“Yes, my Lord, I was wondering if perchance
you had seen Miss Astrid. She seems to have disappeared and we were
terribly worried, sir, we were.”
Luka stifled a laugh with a stern face. “I’m
sure she’ll turn up eventually. I’ll keep my eyes open for her,
though.”
“Many thanks, my Lord.”
Luka softly closed the door. Astrid could
hear the wrathful growling of the goblinesses through the wood as
they continued their search. Mutters of “mangy elf” and “damn
mud-witch” echoed into the darkened room.
Astrid looked up at Luka, clutching the red
silk tight around her shoulders. “Well I suppose I’m stuck here.
You happen to have any food on you?”
Luka threw his feathered head back and
laughed. “I may have something somewhere hidden in my trousers.
Maybe a bit of bread or some cheese. You’re welcome to look. I may
even have some coin for you. Tell me, how much do common whores
charge these days?”
Astrid felt her gaze harden. “I’m sure you’d
love that, wouldn’t you?” She snatched an empty candlestick from an
ornately carved tabletop and extended it like a sword. “You’ll pay
for that remark.”
“Please do, I’d love see what passes for
Warrior these days,” he said through bouts of laughter.
Astrid cut his mirth short with a blow to the
belly. She could hear the rush of air burst from his lungs. She
ducked beneath his outstretched wing and snuffed the dancing
candles, plunging them into darkness. She slid onto the heavy
canopy of the bed and waited for him to regain his breath.
“Whew! So you want to play dirty, eh?” A red
glow filled the room. She felt the bed heave upward as he lifted it
to look underneath. The ceiling thudded against her skull, sending
her head spinning. The candlestick was knocked from her grasp and
came crashing to the ground.
“Ah, I see you,” he said, ripping through the
canopy.
Astrid spun out of his grasp and swung to the
floor. Once on the ground, she swung a kick beneath Luka’s feet and
sent him toppling into the loose canopy. She sprung upon him, her
fist upraised and a knee at his throat.
“Do you surrender yet?” She pressed harder on
his throat when he didn’t respond.
“Yes, yes, now get off!”
Astrid laughed with glee as she bounced onto
the bed. Luka untangled himself from the tattered canopy and relit
the candles. His face was clouded and grim.
“Really, now. Don’t take it so
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