The auto-carriage came to a stop in front of the Riverwall south gate.

  Trailing along the rest of the passengers, a goblin woman hopped down the steps and followed the butts towards the gate guards.

  The life of goblins that dwelled in the tall ones' cities was filled with butts and crotches.

  The guard bent his neck downward.

  “Welcome to Riverwall, miss. Name, please?” He intoned.

  “Linzy. Say, bud, you heard of a shop called Panacea pots?” The goblin woman asked, her voice rough and high-pitched.

  “Ah, huh, Panacea... oh, yes, the new shop out the west gate. I've heard good things about its potions. You looking to buy? We have another alchemy shop in town, Brenson and Son, if you're interested.” The guard said as he jotted down her name in the logbook.

  “Nah, thanks, bud, not lookin' to buy, I'm here for work. See ya!” She waved a small hand at the man's crotch and made her way through the forest of butts towards the west gate.

  “Did you hear that?” Niala asked, her ears swivelling.

  “Hear what?” David asked, turning his head about to orient his ears.

  Muffled knocks were heard. They looked at each other. The door? Had the knocker fallen off?

  Curious, they both headed to the entrance. David opened the door and scanned the plaza outside, seeing it empty. Niala poked him, and when he glanced back at her, she pointed downwards. His eyes followed suit.

  “Heya there, Morgo.” She waved two fingers at David before turning her attention to Niala. “Hi, I'm Linzy. Are ya Niala? Yrlemagne and my old hag told me you had a job for me.” The small goblin woman said as a greeting.

  Niala's eyes widened as she remembered. She pushed past David, who was busy occupying space, and bent at the knees to be closer to Linzy's level. “Oh! Hi! Yes, I'm Niala! It's a pleasure to meet you, Linzy! Yrlemagne's latest letter said you'd be coming, but she hadn't said when!”

  She stood back up, pushed aside the monolithic David, and motioned for Linzy, her tail wagging happily. “Please, come in! Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

  Linzy blinked before grinning. “Right charming you are, Ni, Yrlemagned warned me, but she didn't do ya justice. Yes, I WOULD like a bit to drink!”

  As she walked in, she patted David's leg.

  “Big, strong boy like you, close the door, will ya? Handle's a bit high for me mitts.” She winked at him and followed after Niala.

  Watching them go, he turned to the door and looked at the knocker, then at Linzy's small stature, and pursed his lips.

  “...guess we'll need a lower set of handle and knocker.”

  He closed the door and joined them in the kitchen.

  “So Fimmzi is your mom?” Niala inquired, filling Linzy's cup with fruit water.

  “Hmm-hmm. I guess you can say that.” Taking a sip from her cup, her large pointed, ears slightly wiggled as her eyes rounded, before doing her best to drain the cup.

  “She didn't mind you coming all the way here?” Niala asked with some concern, as the goblin chugged.

  She burped before setting down the cup. “Huh? Of course she did. I'm the one who needed to get away from that nagging witch. She wouldn't shut up about stopping having fun around, finding a good hubby, and poppin' kids. Getting all the way out here is perfect.”

  She looked at her mostly empty cup, then gave Niala a smile as she pushed it forward. The catkin happily refilled it.

  “I mean, it ain't that far, so I can visit pretty much anytime, and it's still a city, so I don't have to go shit in a bush, and I even got a job all lined up!”

  Her ears flopped down as she looked up at Niala. “Well, that is, if you're still lookin' to hire a salesclerk?”

  Niala's ears wiggled, her mouth narrowing, as she looked at David.

  “...What? It's your business. You decide. I do have a question, however.” He said, looking at Linzy.

  “Shoot,” She said, between two swigs.

  “What's a Morgo?”

  She gave him a full-toothed goblin smile before replying. “It's the name of the dumb half-giant henchmen of a bandit queen in a series of smut novels I read.”

  Niala fell on the floor. He could hear her strained giggles.

  “...I feel disrespected.”

  Linzy's sharky smile grew wider. “Oh no, it's a very likeable character. Always doing his queen's bidding with a blank stare and a huge smile!”

  “That's nothing like me.”

  “First impression is all that matters, big guy,” Linzy said before finishing her second up of fruit juice.

  “Dumb half-giant!” Niala squeaked out between two guffaws.

  David huffed, stomped over to the catgirl squirming on the floor, and picked her up over his shoulder, carrying her towards the garden.

  “Nooo! Morgo! Put me down! Your queen commands it!” Niala squealed, flailing her arms and legs, as they both disappeared into the corridor.

  Linzy served herself a third cup and heard a scream and a muffled landing, followed by a muddy thud, a roar, and more squealing, coming from the garden.

  A quizzical smile graced her face. They looked like nice people!

  Now, how to add a free supply of fruit water to her job contract...

  David picked at his hair, trying to get the last few bits of mud out of them, as Niala and Linzy revised the latter's work contract draft.

  “Schedule, salary, benefits... is there anything else you want to put to paper?” Niala, dirt still clinging to her dress, asked Linzy.

  The goblin woman pursed her lips and tapped a finger on her cheek.

  “What's your pricing on your potions?”

  “Hum... I was forced to sell them at the guild's rate.” She gave David the side-eye, which he completely ignored.

  Linzy blinked. “Guild's rate, in a dead-end adventurer town, and you've got customers?”

  “...Yes?” The catkin tilted her head, ears lopsided.

  “Are ya putting drugs in your pots or something? Nobody pays guild rates if they can avoid it!”

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I know! I've been wanting to reduce my prices bu-”

  “Niala is a master alchemist.” David interrupted her.

  “A master... oh!” Linzy snapped her fingers, a predatory grin on her face, as she turned to Niala.

  “That means you can do higher-grade potions! That means I – we, can use that! Ok, add this: Linzy is due 20% of any revenue sold above standard guild rates.”

  Niala flinched. “ABOVE guild rates?!”

  “Yeah! Write it down! I'm gonna be rich! I mean, we're gonna be rich! Go on, write it!” The goblin said, excited.

  The catkin, side-eyeing Linzy, scribbled the addition, as David hid a smile with his hand, stroking his nose with a finger.

  Then someone knocked at the door.

  Niala found Burton, the burly proprietor of the Boot Inn, at her door.

  “Oh, hello, Mr. Burton. Can we help you?”

  The man was fidgeting with his hands. “Aye, Ms. Niala, I reckon you can be helping me. See, that lad behind you.” He motioned at David. “He came to my inn a few weeks ago. Gave me somethin' called old woman packets.”

  Niala threw a furtive glare at David, who replied with a smug look.

  “I understand, Mr. Burton. To apologize for the trouble, I'll gift you a case of digestive aids. Always useful for a inn, right?” Niala offered apologetically.

  “What? No! No, well, yes, we always have a use for it, but no, I came here because he told me to if I wanted more old women.”

  “O-oh. Oh? Oh!?”

  Linzy, a glint in her eyes, stepped in front of Niala as she floundered.

  “So technically the store's closed, but I think we can do ya a solid, maybe some off-bell commercial trading? Come in to the front desk, Mista Burton! I'll only be a sec behind!” The little green woman motioned Burton in before turning to Niala and whispering.

  “Quick, how much it cost ya for one serving of whatever that thing is?”

  “What? I mean, huh, 4 bits at the worst, w-”

  “Ok, and how do you sell these things? The big guy said something about packets?”

  “I- you- I made portioned packets for David, but I measure out the herbs by hand when I mak-” Nyala said, trying to keep up.

  “Ok, got it! Now shush! Lemme work!” She winked and walked over to the front counter, jumped up on a chair, and began haggling with Burton.

  “What? Bu-!”

  David put a hand on her shoulder.

  “It's ok, Niala. This was meant to be.”

  “What? What are you talking about?! Why did you foist that rancid brew on anyone?!”

  “Burton's customers. They have acquired the taste.” He said, solemnly.

  She blinked, lost. “...what?”

  From the counter, Linzy gave them a quick smirk and a thumbs-up.

  David nodded and smiled.

  A quarter bell later, Burton left with three small casks of herbs and instructions on ratios for brewing in bulk, and Niala was five princes richer, having sold a thousand or so doses of old woman for five bits a piece. As most of the herbs used had been harvested and not bought, this was almost pure profit.

  Linzy waved a toothy goodbye to the flustered innkeeper who seemed in a hurry to leave, before closing the door and turning on the spot to address Niala.

  “Right, this was off-bell work, so I want two full bells paid, and 10% of that sale as a bonus.”

  “Huh? Oh, of course! You did great work there, Linzy!” Niala said, smiling.

  The goblin woman looked at her as if she were an idiot. “What? No! You're supposed to haggle. I high-balled my ask, you're supposed to low-ba...” Her trailed off as she took in Niala's oblivious smile.

  She looked up at David. “Does she not know what haggling means?”

  “She knows the definition.” He confirmed.

  Linzy scratched her head. “But you're saying she's not a believer?”

  He shook his head. “A blessed heart, an empty purse. Niala's fate if we're not careful.”

  “Haaa...” Linzy pointed her head up, exhaling, before looking at Niala. “Look, girl, how about we add finance management to my contract? You just do what you're good at, right?”

  Niala bounced her gaze from Linzy to David, both looking at her expectantly.

  Her shoulders slumped. “Fine...”

  Then someone knocked on the door.

  David blinked and turned to face the door he'd closed 5 minutes ago.

  “Did we send out invitations, and we forgot?” He asked no one in particular, looking at Niala, who raised her shoulders.

  He stepped to the door and opened it.

  “Hel-”

  “Boy. You've grown.” The tall, broad-shouldered, grey-haired, scarred wall-of-a-man at the door said with a gravely voice.

  David blinked. “Leandro. You got my letter.”

  “I did. Smart move to mask yourself as a veteran asking for a visit.” The man said, holding out his hand, which David grasped with ardour.

  Leandro began squeezing his hand, to which David responded in kind, before starting to grimace as the big man's muscles overpowered his.

  “I yield!” He said, pulling away his hand and massaging it.

  “Humph. Disappointing. We'll have to work on your muscle mass.” The man brought his stare towards Niala and Linzy, dipping his head.

  “Ma'am, good evening. I am Leandro Gustall, Azure Knight.”

  “He-Hello. Are you a friend of David?” Niala asked.

  “Ah! Friend! As if this stuck-up choir boy can have friends!” He exclaimed, slapping David on his back, jerking him forward.

  “Well, I guess you could say I am. I used to train him.”

  “More like torture...” David mumbled.

  “What was that, boy?!”

  “I said: More like torture!” David repeated, straightening his back, meeting the man's stare.

  The older man's scowl cracked, and a hearty laugh took its place. “Bwa ha ha! Boy, you HAVE grown up! Or you found a spine somewhere... maybe you did need some time out in the world!” Leandro slammed his mitt on David's shoulder, who winced at the titanic impact.

  “Yes, well, I'm glad you responded. I need to resume my training.”

  Leandro grinned. “Truer words have never been said.”

  “Hmm... how long were you planning on staying? We have extra rooms if-”

  “No need. I got here late because I stopped by the town hall to buy a house in town.”

  “Bu-wah?!” David blurted.

  Niala's eyes bulged. She had never seen David flustered. Her ears began wiggling as she jumped her gaze between the two men.

  “Yes! I had been looking to fully retire from the Azure guards after all. I looked up what this town was, and I think it is perfect for an old warrior! Isolated, quiet, and bordering on the wilderness for a refreshing walk!”

  “The wilderness is called the Hungerwoods.”

  “Yes, a marvellous name!” the man nodded.

  “It's full of man-eating predators.”

  “Oh? Then those walks will be very refreshing!” He grinned before cracking his neck.

  “It was good to see you, boy. Do invite me over to dinner at some point to catch up.” He peered at the two women who were observing the exchange before returning his gaze to David. “Perhaps in private, so we may catch up on family business, yes?”

  “We can do th-”

  Leandro cut him off. “I'll see you tomorrow morning, we will go over your new regimen. Be ready by seventh bell!”

  “Ma'ams,” He dipped his head at the two women once more before departing.

  As they watched the bullish man walk away, Niala spoke up.

  “Regimen? He's going to train you?”

  David rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Yeah, I, huh, want to get stronger.”

  She tilted her head. “Aren't you plenty strong already?”

  “I need to be stronger.”

  “What for?”

  “To...” He cleared his throat. “Linzy, do you have a place to stay?”

  “I'm supposed to, my contract includes lodgings.”

  “Right. There's an extra bedroom upstairs; we can look for something long-term latter. How about you bring your pack up and get settled? Now?”

  Linzy grinned. “Right-o bud. Lil' Linzy will get out of yer legs.” She waved as she left for the stairs.

  David returned his eyes to Niala, taking a few steps forward, and putting his hands around her waist. She rested her own over his.

  “I was saying...” He averted his gaze. “I need to get stronger so I can protect you better, and not get hurt so you don't have to worry.”

  Is he blushing? He's blushing! It's tiny, but he's blushing! Oh my saints, he's so adorable!

  Niala ambled forward, closing the distance between them, as she guided his hands over her haunches, before lacing hers around his wide back and pulling him down towards her.

  He completed the motion and met Niala's eager lips with his own.

  Someone knocked at the door.

  moi sauce, of course.