Yshea's Apothecary and Residence

[Chiyako]

Yshea's Apothecary is not just her place of business. A small door in the back of the shop allows access down a spiraling stone staircase into a basement area. Down here lies a small kitchen with fireplace, a simple bedroom, and a small stone chamber for bathing which has a makeshift bucket elevator leading to the first floor for easy water access. It isn't much but it is home. The building itself is partially constructed into a hillside.

[Chiyako]

Golden orbs flickered open as a pair of slim arms stretched out, briefly brushing against an old polished gnarled wood headboard. Despite being underground Yshea could faintly hear the sounds of birds outside, at least those with the louder mating calls. Morning had arrived! Now she just had to drag herself free from the comfort of her bed.

It took a couple minutes of willing herself before she was able to finally sit herself up. Thick blankets fell away, revealing the naked upper half of the young woman. Hands ran back through her soft pink hair, brushing against it in an attempt to get the messy bedhead transformed into something a little more easily brushed. A thick bear hide rug greeted her feet as she pushed herself free from her bed, protecting her from the chilled stone floor. From her bedside table she grabbed an old brush.

A few steps brought her before her bathroom mirror. The dim light of a few fluorescent mushrooms grown within various pots scattered throughout her living space offered her a chance to inspect herself. She generally slept in the nude. Utilizing the brush managed to tame the wild mess that was her hair, and whenever it wasn't put up into a ponytail it easily managed to reach her rump. Suffice it to say it would take some time to complete this task. When she finished she took a minute to slowly turn and inspect her body for any issues which might have developed during her daily gathering, or as a result of her self-made tonics and potions. Thankfully there didn't seem to be either.

Next Yshea grabbed a small bottle half-filled with a pink substance. Concentrated wildflower tonic. She was still clean from her nightly bath and still held the faint scent of wildflowers, but a few droplets were dabbed regardless upon her palms and spread across her body to enhance it. From a small wooden container she scooped up a little bit of homemade tooth cream, carefully brushing it with a finger over her teeth and tusks so as not to cut herself. A cup of water, already set in place the night before, was utilized to rinse away the mixture.

Finally prepared to venture out the little Goblin relocated to her wardrobe. An old one piece set of leather armor was pulled into place and fastened with a set of belts and buckles. Similar leather armor leggings were also buckled into place, followed finally by a pair of leather slippers. This set was a relic of her banditry days and still bore an opening in the center of the back where she had been stabbed so many years ago. It was important to protect one's self when out in the wild, especially when one was so small. Following up the protective elements were a thick black hooded cloak, a black silken covering for the lower half of her face, and an old wooden tribal mask. It was important not to give away what she was, after all, as many people did not hold favorable views of her kind.

Now it was time to venture upstairs to her shop! A brief inspection was in order before she ventured out to gather more materials. Starting this before dawn was always most favorable to her, for not only was the temperature cooler due to the darkness but it also allowed her to avoid detection by most other people! Not that she disliked the people of this town, she just couldn't trust that they would be appreciative of what she really was.

[Nafarman]

Rowan had been keeping a close eye on this house at the outskirts of Slumbering Isles for some time. People didn't really come around this place much, other than the priests for the weekly visits. From the looks of it, the house seemed like a shop which felt quite odd to him, but he saw a golden opportunity. If it indeed was a shop, he could safely get his hands on some goodies and flee, without anyone even noticing him.

This early morning was no different. He was observing the interiors through a window, while being well hidden under a nearby bush. The place seemed empty, and there had been no sign of anyone for all the time he had been there. Carefully he emerged from the bush and with calculated steps he moved closer to the window. Luckily for him the window was made out of glass with wooden frames around it before it was settled in the stone walls. He drew his sword and carefully pierced through the wooden frames, quietly dismembering the partitions one by one. Once done, he left the partitions outside and sneaked his way in.

The interior of the shop surprised him. There were some mild sources of lights under each rack, although the shop appeared mostly dark from outside. He was barely familiar with anything that was there. The herbs in the pots, the little glowing jars, while they seemed appealing, Rowan did not know anyone who would buy them and he was fairly sure the Pawn shop wouldn't give him a fair price for these. On top of that, holding these items in possession would for sure sell him out. Frustrated, Rowan approached the counter, for the cash box. Hoping he would find something there worthwhile. As he was about to crack open the box, he heard some footsteps; coming from... below the floor? Rowan freaked out, starting to look all over for the source of the steps, then he noticed a small door at the back of the shop. "Darn it..." he mumbled, but he was desperate to not let his efforts go in vain. He quickly hid behind a huge cauldron and waited to see who it was. The boy was so desperate that he completely forgot he broke open a window to get here and it was certain for the owner to notice that someone broke in.

A few minutes later, Rowan noticed a child walking into the shop. For the person's height, and the mild lighting he couldn't tell any better. He heaved a sigh of relief seeing a child but accidentally inhaled a large portion of the aroma that was still around the cauldron. He couldn't hold back his coughs to keep his position concealed. "Fuck it..." he murmured before leaping out in front of the person, "Scream and I will kill you!" he hissed, drawing his sword.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Nafarman

[Chiyako]

The other night had been a long one. A new potion she'd been working on hadn't quite worked out the way she'd hoped it would. Not only had it left quite a powerful scent within the cauldron she was brewing in but it had also overflowed and required extensive time to properly clean up. After taking the time to wash off she ended up sleeping much later than she normally might. This would ultimately have some unfortunate and unforeseen consequences.

First: she didn't notice the movement up above. Of course the hooded cloak and the mask did make it more difficult to hear things, and her moving up the stone steps didn't help either. Nor was she trying to be quiet: after all right now she wasn't expecting anyone to be in her shop! And so when she opened the shorter door and entered into the main floor of her shop she didn't notice that someone else was within the same room, nor did she initially notice that her home had been broken into. In fact she didn't even notice the man's presence until he started coughing!

When the sounds hit her ears Yshea's first thought was to reach for her dagger. This is where the second issue came into play: she'd forgotten it behind the counter! Normally she would bring it down with her so that she could settle it comfortably upon her person in the morning. Now there was a Human standing between her and her best chance at self-protection. Finally there was another issue, albeit a little smaller for the moment due to the lighting conditions: she had forgotten her gloves! They too were beneath the counter near her blade. If it were better lit then she might have had an issue, but for the moment she could potentially get away with it.

Regardless her heart was pounding within her chest. The little cloaked figure froze up, remaining quiet while she studied the man from behind her mask. He was nearly double her size, although that was typical. More pressing: he was armed with a drawn sword. She kept her hands at her sides, close enough so that her sleeves could cover her hands but far enough so that he could be absolutely certain that she wasn't making a move for anything.

What a start to the day.

[Nafarman]

Rowan couldn't see the person's eyes or most of the face for the hood but he was slightly relaxed as they didn't oppose him. He slowly stepped on his side, one at a time to get closer to the counter again eventually moving towards the small door, while holding his sword up. "Where are your parents?" He asked. His voice was low and shaky.

"Don't! Don't try to be a smart ass!" Rowan threatened with his sword, taking a small leap towards the door, leaving the counter open to approach. He didn't notice the gloves, nor the dagger at the counter. His focus was on isolating this room from the rest of the house, worrying that the adults may come in. He pulled the lever and locked the door behind him as soon as he was close to it, then looked back at the person in front of him.

"Look... I don't want to harm you or anyone, I just need the money." He said, trying to negotiate as the child was closer to the counter, "So, just hand it over it to me, and I will go out in peace. Don't think I will take mercy on you just because you are child!" Rowan was nervous. He really did not expect to get interrupted and now that he couldn't prevent it, he was struggling to deal with the situation

[Chiyako]

My parents? Oh. That makes more sense, actually. Maybe I can use this somehow.

She needed to reach the counter. If she managed to grab her weapon then she was pretty confident that she could defend herself, perhaps even drive the man off if she was lucky! But then an engagement would also bring extra attention upon herself, and she really did not need that. It was certainly a predicament, wasn't it?

Regardless, at the moment she was at the man's mercy. Despite everything she remained remarkably calm, but then she was used to these sorts of situations. Well, okay, she was used to being on the other side of these situations, but it also gave her a unique insight into how she might be able to avoid a violent end! Keeping calm was important. Following demands until she could get into a position of strength as well.

"My parents are dead, sir" spoke the young woman, her soft voice slightly muffled behind the mask, but she made sure to speak up loudly enough so that he could reasonably hear her. "It is just me here. You can relax." Unfortunately she heard the door locking behind her, but his moving towards it did allow her to move towards the counter. When she reached it the first thing she did was grab her leather gloves, slipping them on swiftly to cover the last part of her body which might have given her away. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

"The key is downstairs. I will need to go back down to open the lock box."

Truth be told the key was downstairs! However the lock box was already emptied. Every night she brought her profits downstairs to a small hidden lock box located beneath her bed and, therefore, beneath the thick bear skin rug. Not that she really had much in there, of course. Right now however the best thing to do, she felt, was stall for time. Eventually someone had to notice that someone had broken in, right? The again she was located near the edge of the town. It was possible that nobody would pass close enough to check. At the very least she could access her old sword and shield downstairs. It would probably work better than the dagger.

[Nafarman]

Hearing the voice Rowan was positive that it was a girl, but the depth of her tone didn't feel child like. "Like I am going to buy that! Like someone of your age could live alone!" He hissed, grabbing the sword with both hands as if he was about to strike but he held his position. Something did not make sense to him. The way she spoke, it was too organized and well worded, especially for a child. She sounded like an adult, but from her frame, it was no way conceivable to him to take her as an adult. His curiosity diverted from the money to the person in front of him. "Show yourself," he suddenly spoke as his eyes were still on her.

"I said, show yourself!" He hissed again, as he approached with the sword as if it was a rapier; giving away his inefficiency with swordsmanship. Rowan was getting more aggressive with the minute as he reached forward with the sword tip, trying to uncover her hood. "Stand still or I will slice you down like apples!" he threatened, as he reached to uncover her again.

[Chiyako]

The pounding within her heart intensified. This man, this boy, was too hot-headed. If she wasn't careful then he would end up doing something violent. Still, there was something she could take advantage of: his inexperience! It was clear to her that he wasn't really good at this sort of thing. Well, okay, that wasn't entirely correct. He had broken into her place easily enough. Clearly he had some talent! But he most likely was new to being discovered. That would be her position of strength.

As the man hissed at her and readied his sword she took a step back, bumping a little firmly against the counter behind her. It was an act, of course. If she appeared to simply be nervous then perhaps he wouldn't get as upset by her movements. More importantly, perhaps he wouldn't notice that one of her hands was now grasping beneath the counter behind her for her dagger.

"I can't" spoke the Goblin softly once more, only this time there was a slight quiver within her voice. That was genuine. Revealing herself to someone, even a criminal, was dangerous. Of course when the tip of the man's blade neared her body she went absolutely still, allowing her hood to be pushed back. Her pink hair, tied into a ponytail behind her head, was revealed! Of course the wooden mask and the silken face covering concealed her identity, but there was one obvious sign of her heritage now revealed: her ears. They were a soft green like the rest of her body, although slightly pink near the tips.

Where is it?

[Nafarman]

Rowan's eyes were slowly widening, the closer he was observing the person in front of him. The mask had her face covered, and he couldn't recall if he had seen anything close to its design before. "What are you wearing? Where did you get this?" His eyes sparkled. The mask appeared quite valuable to him, that's when his attention was captured by the ears. In the half illuminated room, it was hard for him to tell apart if it was green or if she had a dark skin tone. He didn't expect to encounter anyone that wasn't human and subconsciously he kept trying to convince himself that the person in front of him was human. He didn't think much about the complexion, but the shape got his curiosity.

"What is this?" He asked, tapping her ears with back of his sword. "Wait... are these... what?!" Rowan suddenly freaked out, taking a step back and holding his sword with both hands again. The sparkle in his eyes was gone. "What are you? Speak! What are you?" The boy was clearly scared, but wanted to keep his dominance over the situation. Now that he had a bigger view of the female, he finally noticed she has sneakily grabbed something from the counter.

"What did you grab right there? What did I tell you about being a smart ass?" He said angrily before lifting his sword, preparing to lunge at her. "I warned you!" he blurted before thrusting his sword down, aiming across her shoulder.

[Chiyako]

"This is what I always wear. These clothes are from an old friend."

That was the truth. The man who had rescued her had gifted these garments to her, along with the mask. They were quite special to her. In any case her gaze was now focused upon the man's eyes, primarily to keep track of his reactions. What she was didn't seem to hit him immediately, probably due to the darkness of the room, but she could tell that it was steadily beginning to dawn upon him. Clearly she was not a Human. Thankfully he didn't appear to know exactly what she was.

She winced slightly behind her mask when her ear was tapped, somewhat sensitive in the region. Of course when he ended up freaking out she fumbled once more for the dagger behind herself. This was clearly starting to get out of hand now. Perhaps it would be best to answer him? Would he not attack her if he knew what she was? Honestly she didn't know. If he was getting this freaked out over her ears then she couldn't imagine his reaction at seeing her face, let alone the rest of her body.

Beneath her mask her lips parted. She had prepared to answer him finally when, unfortunately, he noticed what her hand was doing. The sword was lifted, and just as it was she managed to locate what she thought was the sheathed weapon. Fingers grasped firmly around the handle. As the sword was swung down towards her shoulder the Goblin swiftly pushed herself towards the outside of the blade, swiping up with her weapon in an attempt to deflect the attack away from her body. Of course she was a little rusty, not having needed to fight for a few years now, realizing a little late that what she had grabbed was one of her stone pestles. Still, she did have some experience on her side!

"I'm not Human. This is why I conceal myself" she finally replied, voice trembling just a slight bit. Her breathing had quickened behind her mask as she took a few quick steps to the side, moving a little closer to the door leading down into the basement. She didn't make a move for it yet, not feeling quite safe with turning her back to him. With any luck the man would calm himself down now that she was armed, although not quite with what she had hoped. "I don't want any trouble. Please."

[Nafarman]

Her plea reached his ears, Rowan pulled back. He had particular liking for gullible and submissive women, especially submissive, human or not. The boy sheathed his sword. "I am looking for none either" He said, taking a moment to fix his yukata, figuring he had the upper hand now anyway, as her secret was out. Rowan seemed more relaxed although on the inside, he was still tensed a little but what she said earlier was making sense to him.

"So what are you really?" Rowan was curious. His eyes slowly examined her short frame from head to toe. She barely had any skin showing, he could understand why. His eyes kept coming back to her pink hair, and then shifting to her ears. He had never seen anyone with pink hair before, and it seemed quite cute on this short female; although her face was still hidden under the wooden mask.

Rowan was trying to see if he could win her trust. The plants and everything he saw earlier made him believe this person must be some sort of witch or potion master. Either way, although he had her secret with him to take advantage of her, the more he could make her trust the better it would possibly be for him. "Let's go downstairs, I don't want to be seen here, and I am sure you wouldn't want to be either," he said assertively, looking into her eyes.

[Chiyako]

As the sword was finally sheathed Yshea let loose a soft, muffled sigh of relief. That did make sense, of course. Perhaps he could get her secret out, but he would also be outed as a criminal. She doubted either of them would be treated kindly by the townsfolk, should their secrets be known. Still, this was very troublesome. He was growing even more curious, and she doubted at this point that she would be allowed to simply leave things as they were.

"Not up here. You are right."

With a hand waved towards the door she turned, leading the way downstairs. Of course this section of her home was built primarily for her, and so it was purposefully a little lower than a normal residence. This was to give her an advantage should she ever need to retreat downstairs, but also because it meant she had less building materials required to construct it. Once they reached the landing she moved further into the room, lighting one of the lanterns so that she might grant them both some extra light. Still, the place was at least slightly lit up by the soft blue glow from her mushroom pots.

The new light revealed the soft green tint to her skin a little more clearly, along with the gold of her eyes. A hand shifted up, carefully removing the mask from her face, followed soon after by the black silk covering the lower half of it. He really didn't need to see the rest of her body, she figured, and so she left the cloak on for the time being. "I am a Goblin" spoke the young woman, a little calmer but still with just a tinge of worry. As she did speak the man might have even noticed her sharpened teeth! Her little tusks were clearly obvious as well. "And you, I must assume, are a thief. There is no other reason for you to be within my shop at this hour, let alone uninvited."

[Nafarman]

Rowan didn't extend the conversation there and followed her inside the house. The further he went, he felt like the ceiling kept shrinking down. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, it was only a few inches above his head, he had to bend his head a little it doesn't hit him in a moment of negligence. The stairs however, each step was exceptionally clean from top to bottom.

Rowan was surprised seeing how well decorated the interior was. For what he did for a living, even in this dimly light environment, he could figure nothing there was expensive. Each furniture though, had a gentle touch of care on them. He was fascinated by these strangely illuminated mushrooms. He only had heard rumors about these before. "Hmph.." he grunted softly as his eyes squinted on their own when a lantern suddenly flashed up. Slowly getting used to the light, he looked at her again. This time her extra ordinary features were coming to his sight clearly. Her skin tone was... green? Rowan couldn't believe what he was seeing at first, as she took her mask off.

She was a goblin, Rowan kept thinking about it as he looked at her face closely. From the rumors and tales he had heard before, he assumed goblins to be ugly; ugly warmongers. She was nothing ugly, in fact even with her tusks she radiated a cute aura. Maybe for her short frame, but it was undeniable. The burglar heard what she was saying attentively; a little smirk curved up on the edge of his lips as she paused. She might be more on the submissive side, but she didn't seem gullible or a pushover type. "You could call me that, yes." He said, looking around the room. "So are you a potion master of some sort?" Rowan asked, sitting on her bed.

"So, what do I get to keep your secret a secret?" His eyes started to sparkle again, "Or are you under the impression that we are on the even grounds now that you have my secrets too? See, you will have to go out and reveal yourself to someone if you want to tell them about me; I won't have to break into another house to let them know about you." Rowan grinned. "So tell me, what's your offer?"

Edited February 19, 2021 by Nafarman

[Chiyako]

This reaction was unexpected. Instead of shrieking in fear her appearance gave the man an air of confidence. That little smirk was a clear warning sign. It wasn't disgust or fear or anger or curiosity. No, he had something in mind, and she did not like that. When he sat upon her bed she felt a sickly tug in her stomach. Already she could anticipate where he was going with this.

Of course. But from a Human? I wouldn't figure a Human to be interested. This is a surprise.

The Human readily admitted to being a thief when called out on it. No surprise there. He didn't appear to be stupid. "An apothecary. I gather herbs and other materials. Yes, I do make potions. Also salves and tonics. Medicines. Poisons. A wide array of things."

And there it was. He wanted something in return for keeping her secret. Typical. The look in his eyes certainly didn't help matters much either. The faintest of pink tints spread across her cheeks, however she wasn't ready to cave in just yet. She turned her gaze down towards the stone pestle in her hand, lifting it slightly in an inspection. "Have you ever killed anyone, Human?"

With her question posed Yshea returned her gaze to meet the man's. "I'd be willing to bet that you have not, given your earlier reaction. I've killed before. What, might I ask, keeps me from simply silencing you here? Nobody would hear you, nor would they ever find you." A surprisingly warm smile spread across her lips: not malicious but strangely kind as she gestured around with her free hand. "Snuffing out the light would not be an issue. You would be here within a dark place, and unknown place, attempting to fight within these cramped quarters. Your sword would be a detriment to you. But not for me."

Of course she was rusty. She knew this. And he could still inflict some horrendous damage upon her, perhaps even slay her. But there was plenty of truth intermingled with her bluff. "I suppose my offer is this: I won't tell on you if you don't tell on me. Of course if I were to be hunted down then your name and your late night activities would be the last words spoken by my tongue. How is that for an offer?"

[Nafarman]

Rowan raised a brow, hearing the word poison. He got a sinking feeling, that she was going to threat him, instead of coming to a deal which would benefit him more than her. He didn't have to wait much longer until she asked if he ever killed any humans before. There was no fear on his expressions rather curiosity.

He listened to her closely, as she demonstrated a possible scene. She had a point, well more than just one. The reason he picked this his house tonight, was because nobody came around here much. If he was to die here, he could become compost fertilizers for her mushrooms and none would even notice. The thought indeed was frightening, but with how he had deceived people before, Rowan was an expert of hiding his true emotions. The fear didn't show on his expressions, rather he seemed amused. "That could be frightening, if I was someone who feared death." He chuckled. "Alright, let's imagine a situation, hmm? Let's say the only thing we could agree on was our disagreement, we ended up fighting and against all odds, I somehow came victorious hmm? Although the chances of that are very low, I will give you that." A mischievous smile was hanging from his lips as spoke.

"But anyway, let's just think that I had slain you and walked out of here with whatever I wanted; will I become immortal?" He said, leaning closer in the goblin's direction. His smile suddenly faded. His voice continued to get lower as he kept speaking, "Whether you kill me here today, or tomorrow a plague, fact is I am gonna die. Whether I want it or not." With his eyes locked with Goblin's he leaned back again, this time he rested his hands behind his back; on the bed, getting more comfortable. "So, no. You gotta raise your offers." he said with slight a chuckle.

Edited February 19, 2021 by Nafarman

[Chiyako]

He is one of those sorts. Damnit.

Yshea was not perfect. She feared death. That fear had kept her alive many times before. Or perhaps fear was not the right word? She respected it. But this man did not. He spat in the face of it! This Human cared not for his own death, and that was a big problem for her. Would he be willing to die for the chance to extort, perhaps even bed, a Goblin? If it were any normal person she would think not. This one was not normal.

She turned away from him, walking over to the little desk which sat near her wardrobe. The pestle was settled gently upon the wood surface. Yshea dared not face him yet. Caught now within a dangerous game, she needed to approach things from another angle. Fear wouldn't work. Pity? No. Lust? Well obviously, but she was hoping to put that off for as long as possible. Greed was her best play here. That was why he had come, after all. However simply relenting to the man would be giving him too much. No, if she gave him an inch then he would take from her a mile.

"A fear of death is not the issue at hand. It matters not what you feel for it, only that it might come to you. If you die then you are done for. If I die then I am done for. It is a risk for either of us, but not one we are ready to accept laying down."

Then it hit her. She knew of a way out of this! The little Goblin turned towards the Human, approaching him now. Of course she was unarmed, but she didn't stop until she stood right at the side of the bed. A finger stretched out, pointing towards the man.

"While you do not fear death, you clearly do not wish for it. The same can be said of me. You broke into my shop to rob me, not to fight me. We both know of each other's secrets. We are both undesirable to the world. We would both end each other. Why, then, are we bickering like this? There is no reason for us to threaten each other when, in fact, we can work with each other."

Common ground. Admittedly her initial fear did get the better of her, but Yshea had always been good at slipping free from a dangerous situation. "Here is my proposal: if you require something made, and I have the materials, then I shall provide my services to you free of charge. It must be something specific. Perhaps something to eat away at a specific material? Or a poison? Medicine, if you get injured during your perilous occupation? In return you shall pilfer for me certain exotic materials, should I discover some within the company of others. Or perhaps you can bring any such things to me following your escapades, however you get up to them. By turning them into tonics, or different forms, I can effectively wipe away any evidence that you have delivered to me stolen goods. I would say this is a win-win."

With her gentle smile returning Yshea settled one hand upon her hip, extending the other towards the Human as an offering. Would he accept such an offer? Surely this was better than a one night stand with a Goblin, right? She could only hope. It really depended upon how greedy he was. Unfortunately she was running out of things to distract him away from his other, more scandalous ideas.

[Nafarman]

There, there it was. The reaction Rowan had expected. The hesitation, the change in pace and tone, it thrilled Rowan. He was enjoying it, for it the easiest to reach into the core when the person is in doubt. His eyes followed her, the more tensed she seemed, the brighter his eyes sparkled, he knew she was going to bend now.

"I agree, very much. Alive or death, I am done for either way, but I can be useful with the right price" Rowan nodded. He crossed his legs as she was approaching him. He looked at her finger as she pointed it at him, then looked up at her eyes.

Rowan nodded his head again, more excitedly this time, "Indeed, indeed, I am listening. We can work with each other, let's hear what you have in mind." The boy grinned, but he paid full his attention as she stated her proposal. "So basically what you are saying is, you want me to do some dirty works for you while you will watch my back? Hmm," Rowan thought it over. The goblin sure knew her work, and on top of that, she could for sure provide him with things that he wouldn't get from anyone else. The goblin seemed pretty sturdy too and honest to her words, so if the agreement happened, Rowan could have her teach him a thing or two about survival and other combat tactics.

Rowan looked at her as she extended an arm, then looked down at her hand "Alright! I heard you!" he said with a smile, taking her small hand for a shake. "We have a deal, I will get you stuffs, in return you make me whatever stuffs I want, for free." He said with a smirk shaking her hand, then leaned closer and whispered, "You thought I was going for your little tush, didn't you?" he winked at her, then leaned back. "Well, I am glad we could come to an agreement, so," he stood up from the bed and walked into the center of the room, while observing his surroundings, "Tell me a little more about these ingredients you use, where do you get these normally? What would be a fair price for these?" he asked curiously, looking at the blue mushrooms.

[Chiyako]

He was certainly interested, wasn't he? A shiver ran down her spine while the boy's eyes focused upon her. She was certainly glad to be wearing her cloak right now, given how little she wore beneath it. As it turned out he seemed not only to understand her proposal, but even considered it! What if he asked her for a deal sweetener? Would it be worth doing that sort of thing? Probably. For survival purposes. Nothing more. It would be less costly than having to pick up and move to a new home, or worse.

When the man finally replied to her offer with acceptance she was visibly surprised. She had done it! Another dangerous situation had been avoided! Her leather covered hand gripped against his much larger one, squeezing gently while she shook it. Suddenly he leaned in closer, whispering against her ear. That alone might have caused her some grief, but his words managed to enhance the pink spreading across her cheeks. The wink certainly didn't help either.

"W-well, yes. I did. It was certainly confusing, I must admit. I wouldn't expect a Human to desire a Goblin, although the opposite has been true." She never claimed to be a good person and she had certainly witnessed a few degenerate things during her time as a bandit. But a Human going after a Goblin? Those always seemed like the sorts of tales one might tell to their children to keep them in line! After all how would that even work? "I am glad to hear that it was a one-sided thought. Not that you aren't handsome, I mean. Just-" she paused, hands waving briefly. No. She'd made a fool of herself at this point, no need to go any further.

The Goblin cleared her throat, watching the Human while he inspected her home. He was probably looking for something to take, wasn't he? That wouldn't be abnormal considering the circumstances. "The ingredients are found everywhere in nature. Plants. Animals. Bugs. Minerals. Even dirt can be useful depending on the surroundings. It is a little difficult to be more specific than that without knowing what it is I am making. I generally spend the early mornings out gathering, although this can change depending on any specified material needs. The same can be said for the prices: it depends, really. Those specifically-" she paused, pointing towards the closest glowing mushroom. "-come from caves. They usually form during the winter. Sunlight will kill them. They can fetch a nice price and do have some useful properties, but I primarily use them for lighting. It helps that they are easy to take care of."

 

[Nafarman]

Rowan genuinely seemed eager to know. As she was speaking, he paced around the room, observing the items closely and trying to match her words with their properties. Some gave out a distinct smell like an animal, some had some shiny mineral properties. As she paused, Rowan bent his knees sit and look at the mushrooms on the ground closely, "Interesting. Fragile things bring good prices, people love taking care of and holding on to fragile things for some reason. He then stood up and turned around as the goblin stopped speaking and paced closer to her.

"By the way," he said gently, leaning down to meet her eye levels, staying only inches away from her face. "Who said goblins aren't desirable? One of his hands reached up to her puffy cheek and caressed gently, "I just didn't want it to be part of the deal, doesn't mean I..." he dramatically paused, his hand caressed down to her lips. The thumb slowly pulled on to her bottom lip, parting it down a little before rubbing the inner parts of her soft lips sensually. He then withdrew his finger slowly and stuck it in his own mouth, "... wouldn't want to have you in my bed," he whispered with a smirk. Rowan loved messing with people's heads, while he truly found her cute he didn't want to pass up on the opportunity to mess with her. He for some reasons, thought she might not have as much experience in the terms of intimacy comparing how much she had in other fields.

Rowan hadn't pulled back yet, he was thrilled seeing how confused and flustered she was getting, "I'm Rowan by the way and yes I like to make people scream my name." he winked at her again, "And you?"

[Chiyako]

Arms crossed over her chest as she nodded in agreement. He had a good point there, didn't he? "They generally do, yes. Perhaps I could sell some if I had enough, but I would like to keep enough growing down here. I haven't found a good way to cultivate them yet on a larger scale."

Again he approached her. Was there something else? Her head tilted just a slight bit in curiosity, only to be met face to face with the Human! He was rather close, wasn't he? Then came his words. Instantly her cheeks grew flustered again, although the warmth only increased this time as she felt the man's palm settle against her cheek! Yshea's skin was quite soft and smooth thanks to the tonics she used during her baths. "W-what?"

So he was interested, he just didn't wish to include it as payment. Now she was all sorts of confused! Perhaps if he'd wanted to use it as a sort of dominant punishment she might understand, or as some power move to put himself into a stronger position, maybe as some sort of way of controlling her. That is what some Goblins did, after all. But this seemed different.

Her heart beat much quicker as the man's thumb trailed down, briefly parting her lips. Exposed were her white, sharpened teeth. Of course the way he was rubbing against her was quite suggestive. She was stunned. Where had all this come from suddenly? The poor girl's eyes only widened further in disbelief as the man pulled his thumb back to taste her. Rowan would be greeted with a faintly minty, slightly sweet taste. Of course the minty flavor was due to the paste she applied in the morning, but it was otherwise her naturally sweet one.

He was right, of course. She was pretty inexperienced when it came to these sorts of things. This isn't to say she'd never tried messing with some of the Human captives she'd had when living in a tribe. Once when they'd captured a girl she had tried experimenting. Kissing. Groping. Nothing beyond that however. Certainly nothing with a man, let alone a Human man!

"Yshea" came her reply, meekly emerging as her eyes darted to the side. "O-or Yis." Hands gripped at the sides of her cloak, squeezing the thick material between her fingers. Was it just her or was it getting really warm in here? Wait, why was she getting so flustered?! Okay, he was handsome, and she was new to this, but wasn't she expecting this already?

Focus! Pull yourself together!

Again she met the man's gaze. It didn't stop the flustering in her cheeks. Not one bit. "I d-don't know if you'd quite fit in my bed" she joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

[Nafarman]

"Yis, I like it, I like it quite a lot," Rowan said. The smirk was still hanging on his lips, as the man slightly licked his own bottom lips; tasting the lingering Yis' essence from earlier. The man noticed the tension in her body language, the little shivers and the change in tone as she spoke. "Are you okay, Yis?" he asked playfully, "You seem to be... sweating," Rowan added with a slight chuckle as she turned her head. He then reached up and softly wiped her forehead then tangling her hair around his finger.

As she looked back at him again, Rowan grinned looking over her shoulder at the bed, "Well, I certainly wouldn't fit there," he laughed a little, before turning to her, "But would I fit..." he paused, letting her notice how his gaze was spiraling down her small body and came still on her crotch; although it was hidden under her cloak, "...there?"

Rowan could feel the tension rising between them. Although he was enjoying it more to see the Yshea's restless reactions, as his eyes roamed around her body more he started to picture dirty situations with her. Not only to see how she would react, but also to spend some good time with her. For how close they were, Rowan could tell she wasn't wearing much under the cloak after a few moment of observing her. He looked up to her again. The warm blushes on her cheeks were clear, and he figured she wasn't minding much to have him this close. He licked his lips a little again as he looked down to Yshea's lips and leaned in for a kiss.

Tilting his head to a side, he enveloped her upper lip in his mouth and suckled on it taking his sweet time. Before slightly pulling back to kiss her again and sucking on her lip the same way. He repeated, over and over only the suckles were getting shorter and the kisses were getting deeper. His hands gently grabbed her cheeks, holding her face close so she couldn't move back out of the shock. Rowan could feel the rush in his groins, as his desires were burning brighter with each moments of her sweet lips locked into his. The bulge over his shorts under the Yukata was quite visible now. Kissing Yshea was a completely new experience for him, the way her tusks felt against his lips was increasing the sensation by several folds.

[Chiyako]

Once more the man's hand returned, only this time it settled against her forehead, even played with the silken locks of her pink hair. This was getting dangerous. She felt like prey being stalked by a hulking predator. It probably wasn't far off from reality. "I'm okay. Just a little warm" she mumbled, relaxing for a brief moment when the man laughed at her joke, only to tense up once more upon hearing his reply. She did follow his gaze, although she didn't really need to. The implication was obvious.

Would he?

She was pretty flexible. Of course he was much larger than she was, almost double her size, and he was a Human. Nor did she know how big he was in the first place! Still, even if something did happen and even if he hurt her it wasn't as though she wasn't prepared. Her shop had salves and tonics and potions of all sorts, including those which might help with healing damages or, should worse come to worse, protect a woman from the consequences of an affair. Perhaps his gaze would have had a worse effect upon her had she not been wearing the thick cloak. She was pretty secure with how well her body was concealed.

"M-maybe-" she began, hoping to lighten the mood again, only to be cut off suddenly by a kiss! Already tensed up Yshea found it difficult to move away. It didn't help that he managed to capture one of her soft lips, suckling upon it while the kiss was held. The kiss was broken, only to be followed swiftly by a second, and then a third, and then a fourth! Her cheeks burned red with embarassment, eyes widened as hands grasped against her delicate flesh, locking her in place. Her own moved up, gently squeezing against the Human's wrists, however strength was never her forte, and it was difficult to process what was happening.

Yshea's breathing grew slightly labored as she was forced to do so through her nose. Lips repeatedly pressed against her own, suckled against her tender flesh. She even felt his tongue brielfy invade her own on occasion, although he was clever enough not to leave it in for too long. The little Goblin leaned forward, pressing just a little bit into the man's embrace. It was for balance, of course, or at least that is what she told herself. Her legs were growing a little weaker. Balance. Yes.

Rowan's bulge went unnoticed by his little captive as her eyes half-shut in an attempt to process what was happening and how she might escape from the situation. It wouldn't matter though given how close they were. She was surprised that he didn't mind her tusks. Actually, she was surprised in general! He was kissing her! A Human and a Goblin! If someone were to tell her this morning that she would be engaging in this sort of thing then she would have called them crazy!

[Nafarman]

Rowan could feel Yis was stiffening up and at the same time she was growing weak. He could feel his body had started to do things on its own as well, as he was having this strong urge to remove her cloak and push her down on the bed; but he restrained them only allowing his hands to gently caress down her arms and sneaking inside her cloak to feel her bare sides. Her skin was exceptionally smooth, and the more he touched the more he wanted her closer. The hands slid up to her ribs before sensually traveling down to her hips. He could help himself from moving closer to her, while often his tongue kept slipping into her mouth, exploring the warm depth a little more each time. His erect member was throbbing, as it was tented by his shorts.

He couldn't tell if he should proceed or not. He knew Yis was slowly losing her control over the situation, the power to stop him but he enjoyed her driving her into a situation like that where she wouldn't know what to do. Perhaps a little too much. Keeping the arms under her cloak he slowly wrapped them around her waist this time, and turned her around towards the bed. Using his weight, he made her sit on the bed but pulled back with one final nibble on her top lip.

Rowan only noticed he was out of breathes when he pulled back, the boy was panting heavily but a mischievous smirk hung from his lips. "Was that your first kiss from a human?" Rowan assumed, chuckling a little. One of his hands ventured up from her waist; gently caressing her breasts before sliding out through the split of the cloak to wrap around her throat. While the fingers gently hooked on to the side of her neck, the thumb pressed against her chin; the tip sliding into her mouth and rubbing her tongue tip and the sharp bottom teeth.

Edited February 20, 2021 by Nafarman

[Chiyako]

Yshea's mind grew fuzzy and light as heat filled her body, only made worse by the heavy clothing that she wore. Normally it was ideal for venturing out in the early mornings, to keep out the cold, but now it was simply trapping the built up heat! It wasn't just a kiss she needed to worry about either. The hands trapping her cheeks slid down along her body, dipping beneath the heavy fabric while they traced a path to her ribs, and then lower still to her hips. It was here where leather made way for skin. She was equally soft in these places.

So distracted by the intense kiss was she that Yshea didn't even notice that she was no longer trapped! Of course she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't enjoy what was happening. It felt nice to be wanted, even in this sort of situation. Perhaps she could use the intensity as an excuse, but it still didn't change the fact that she was leaning into the man's affections. Occasionally her tiny tongue brushed against his when it invaded her mouth, meekly tasting the Human. She could call it curiosity and probably get away with it.

With ease the little Goblin was lifted from the floor and settled against the edge of the bed. As the kiss was finally broken she closed her eyes, breathing left labored as she aimed to regain her composure. A flash of red briefly spread across her face as she felt a hand venturing up, caressing against her chest. She was petite, and not just in terms of her height. Clearly her breasts were quite small, but the leather cuirass that she wore did a fair job of concealing them. Rowan would have a tough time doing anything with her while it remained in place. Of course she tensed up once more as fingers slid around her throat, eyes finally opening again to meet Rowan's.

"No. I have kissed a Human before. A girl. But this was my first time with a man of any species" she began, going quiet when the thumb slipped once more into her mouth. When her tongue was touched it timidly flicked against the digit, only to then retreat behind the safety of her sharpened teeth. She was careful of course not to bite him.

Now he had her on her bed. With the man's face no longer close to her own she managed to finally catch a view of his crotch. Her eyes widened at the sight, face reddening briefly once more! Clearly he was excited! Of course she didn't have a full view, but already she understood what a difficult task it would be to take such a beast. Either way she dare not linger too long upon it, gaze returning again to meet the Human's as a hand drifted up, gently pulling the thumb free from between her lips.

"I assume that was your first kiss with a Goblin?"

[Nafarman]

"First time, with a man of any species?" The surprise was visible on his expressions. His finger stopped moving and stayed still until he felt her little slender fingers wrapping around his thumb and slowly removing it. Rowan began to lean more towards proceeding now and the urge got fueled even more as he followed her gaze, coming down to his crotch. Her reaction amused him.

As she looked up, Rowan locked eyes with her again. "It was indeed, and possibly..." he paused, he slowly slid the cloak off her arms, letting it fall on the bed. "Oh wow... aren't you a little warrior," although Rowan had something else in mind to say but the words came out as he saw the leather cuirass. Her skin was so well hidden under the leather, he mistook it for her skin! Another thought crossed his mind; if she could tense up, as much as she did by feeling her touch over the cuirass, what she would do if it was her bare skin?

Rowan's attention was delving deeper into her now. It was exciting and clearly he wanted to see how far Yis would go with him on the first meeting. He decided to mess with her head for another time as he was leaning closer again, "Maybe today you'll see how it feels to be loved by a human male as well," he whispered before pecking her lips mid conversation again. His lips softly brushed hers as he moved over to her ear, gently biting then tugging on the helix while he reached up for the belts to unbuckle her cuirass.

Edited February 20, 2021 by Nafarman