Green Rose of the Underground Ch. 08

Yes! That was it, she could feel him becoming hotter against her face, growing. Gerard let out a long groan above her that was beautiful to hear ringing in her ears. The string came free, and Thix pulled down the undergarments. She didn't hesitate for a moment before picking up where they'd left off, taking him into her mouth and beginning to suck and eagerly bob her head. Kneading her breast with one hand while the other quested beneath the flimsy human underwear and sinking through the moist curls of her hair and between her sodden lips.

"Thix... no."

He filled her so nicely, twitching and swelling between her lips. Her tongue flicked out to trace the sensitive rim of Gerard's cockhead. His hands were upon the side of her face, and she felt him attempting to push her away. Thix grasped his wrists firmly and only sucked harder, drawing him in more deeply with a satisfied moan.

"M-manteu! Thix! Manteu! Please!"

The word paralyzed her. Every part of her going utterly still. It wasn't magic, only the shock of hearing that word that he'd given her spoken from that sweet but distressed voice of his. Thix quickly released her grip on him, opening her jaw as wide as she could and carefully pulling away.

"I - I sorry. Did I hurt you? I did not... I-"

A sudden terrible horror flooded into her. Thix scrambled away into the far corner, curling her knees up to her chest in a bid to make herself as small as possible. She stared wide-eyed where Gerard himself leaned against the side of the carriage and sought to steady his breathing, looking at her with those eyes that... Vorkah, forgive her. She began to shudder in deep repeating tremors. Gerard let out a string of curses in Galtes before calming himself. He looked not at her, but into the floor. As if only just then remembering that his cock was still out went about pulling his bottoms back up. Her heart stung as if pierced by a blade, and her stomach twisted as if a wicked spirit was wrapping her insides around its fist.

She'd almost... Gerard had told her 'no' and she'd ignored him. Thix had been so close to committing one of the most horrible sins... she wanted to say something. Anything. The words died in her throat despite the opening and shutting of her mouth.

Gerard raised a palm outward to her and after one deep ragged breath started to speak.

"No. It... bah!"

Gerard finally looked across at her, blue eyes pained. Then he smacked his hand upon his thigh several times.

"Here. Sit. I'm not angry, Thix."

It would be better if he was. He should be. She deserved his anger. Deserved far worse. Reluctantly, still feeling thoroughly sickened with herself, Thix forced herself to move away from the side of the carriage and sit next to him. Doing as he asked was the very least she could do.

"Gerard, I'm sorry. I won't do without asking again. I promise. Never again. Never."

Only silence greeted her statement, until at last Gerard let out a sigh.

"I will teach you more Galtes. Even if you understood the words... Yes, Thix. It is always a good thing to do, to ask, but I am not... that is not why I stopped."

He looked down at her, subdued and thoughtful.

"I am not familiar with a woman like you. It is strange for me. We only were together last night, and this all feels... very much. Very fast."

She had been right. Thix had gone too far.

"I'm sorry."

"No! Thix, no. It is not -- you did not -- ugh! Thix, you make me want you very much. Maybe too much. You are a very... gentle hearted woman, I believe. This is all new for you, but... you are..."

Gerard trailed off, again ranting to himself in frustrated Galtes. There were too many missing pieces, but Thix had nowhere to go, so she sat and focused on them.

Fitting together what she could to see what shape they made. What was he really trying to say? Was he only trying to make her feel better, or truly explain himself? Make him want too much? How could he? In what way? Manteu. Her eyes raised to fall upon the folded cloak upon the far seat. Her shelter, and protection.

"I asked you why I need a 'safe word'. Maybe, I should have asked why you need one."

Gerard let out a sharp huff of a chuckle.

"True. Yes. I... I am afraid I may not make love right. I do not want to hurt you, Thix."

Fool! Idiot! Thix snapped her head upwards to look at Gerard in the eyes again.

"This is why you gave me word! Why you afraid?!"

She almost expected him to flinch, or look away. Instead, he stared almost emptily at her.

"You are not like human women I have known. We were together for the first time last night, but you still... the way you..."

The words struck her almost as hard as her own remorse at her actions had before. She couldn't bring herself to look at him any longer, and instead fidgeted with her hands. Thix stared at the four chubby green digits. There it was. No matter what sweet words Gerard spoke, no matter what he did. Thix was what she was. Dreadful shame and self-disgust drowning her from the inside outward. Lustful. Filthy. Another string of unfamiliar curses and then Gerard spoke more heatedly.

"No! Not like that. Agh!"

Gently he directed her to look at him again, crooked finger beneath her chin. His face was twisted with conflict and pain.

"I am afraid of myself. That I have done bad. That I am too hard with you, do too much. That I have been a bad man, a bad human."

"How? How have you been bad?"

He couldn't seem to find an answer for her. She wanted to understand. No, she needed to understand. Everything had been fine last night. Now? Now of all times he was feeling this way? Why?! She wanted to grab him by his big face and shake him. No. Calm. Thix took a deep breath and grabbed his hand.

"Tell me. Please."

"I do not know how."

"Try."

Gerard only looked away. Damn him! Thix sat there and tried to sort through the simple and vague words. Too hard. Too much. But none of this could be new, could it? She had to stop thinking as if it were, and consider all that she did know of Gerard since the short time since they'd met. When had everything started really? Well, since that first night. When he'd told her of the other sort of work she could do and put that spark of curiosity and desire in her heart. He hadn't forced the point though. Rather, Gerard had conducted himself around her with modesty, and honor, and treated her with dignity.

She was in his service, though it seemed he did not wish to see it that way, and Gerard never gave her tasks or ordered her about. The first time Thix could remember him behaving with anything less than good manners, was when... that first night she'd snuck into his bed. He'd even tried to talk her down, but she hadn't let him.

Thix squeezed his hand in hers. She thought she knew now, what he might be thinking and feeling. Perhaps she had to give of herself a little. Her face grew hot. Thix knew what she wanted to say, but it reached down into a new depth of vulnerable and embarrassing.

"Maybe you are right. I am not a human woman. A human woman would not beg how I did, would she? When I came to your tent. Not rub herself against you. A human woman would not sleep between your legs, your cock on her face. Would not want it. Would not like it."

She swallowed the sticky lump in her throat before continuing, and blushed further to remember what had been prodding at her throat not too long ago.

"Gerard. I do like it. I too am afraid I don't make love right, and I want and think things that scare me. Things that make me afraid that I am - I don't know word. Wrong inside my self. I like that you are stronger, and bigger, and the way you are when you are full of wanting. It feels very good, when you... when you use me. When you, as you say, are too hard with me. I do not know why. Then, I think about if I am being a proper goblin or not and it feels both bad and good."

Thix took in a deep breath and finished hurriedly.

"I can not understand myself, but maybe you feel the same?"

They sat in silence. Gerard gave her own hand a reassuring squeeze of his own, but took a while longer before he answered her.

"Yes. A little."

He finally worked up the courage to look at her again.

"Give me time. I still want you, very much, but I need time to think."

"Alright. No hurry. I will wait."

He smiled at that. A real smile. Gentle as ever.

"Thank you. I am sorry."

"No need for sorry, I did the wrong. I should have listened when you said 'no'."

"You did. Do not trouble yourself."

Ugh. This was all so messy. It made it worse there was nowhere to go. Here they were, back in the damned wooden box. Absentmindedly Thix began kicking her legs back and forth, beating her heels against the bottom of the seat. She was startled when Gerard picked her up and hauled her up onto his lap, his strong arms encircling her in a reassuring squeeze.

"Let us work on your Galtes. We have a long day ahead of us."

"Oui. Um, Merci."

Her head felt too full, and her tongue and throat were getting tired. If only the cause had been more enjoyable than repeating words in Ruvic, and then Galtes. At least in-between various phrases and memorizing the most common words and their variations Gerard broke up the boredom by teaching her much more interesting and practical things, but only after Thix had made her waning enthusiasm audibly and visibly clear. How to refer to parts of her body, and bedroom talk, for example. He'd gone over it once before rather briefly after their stop at the border, but that had felt half in-jest. Now since they had so much time Thix insisted on practicing until everything stuck in her mind, though it did have the unfortunate effect of dragging her mind once more into dangerously aroused territory.

They were an hour back into the more common nouns and verbs when Thix shut her eyes in exasperation and began rubbing her eyes.

"I'm tired."

"Je suis fatigue."

"What?"

"It means 'I'm tired'. You should speak only Galtes if you can. For practice. Also 'what?' est 'Quoi?'."

Thix removed her hand and shot Gerard a very unamused look from her seat. She had taken back her previous spot sitting across from him after sitting in his lap had proved just a tad too stimulating.

"I'm going to need some curses in Galtes very soon."

Gerard chuckled at that and shook his head.

"Until you can speak your way out of trouble, I won't teach you how to speak your way into trouble."

This is a real bite in my ass. Thix spat harshly in her own tongue.

"Manners, Thix."

"You don't even know what I said!"

"I can guess."

He smirked playfully, only to have it twisted by a yawn. The yawn, in turn, was interrupted by a sudden jolt as the carriage slowed to a stop. Gerard's expression turned puzzled but he wasn't even given the chance to poke his head out of the window before Theo's voice rang out in a loud call.

"Gerard! Sors d'ici!"

"Et maintenant?" Gerard muttered to himself before glancing at Thix.

"Wait here."

"Why?"

"En Galtes, s'il vous plait."

"Pourquoi?"

"Tu sais pourquoi. You know why. I do not know if it's safe, now, please wait. S'il vous plaît, attendez."

Gerard opened the door and stepped out into the warm rays of the setting sun. The sky was just beginning to go purple on one end, but remained golden-orange on the other. The landscape looked much the same to her, a bit more trees perhaps in the distance and upon the hills. Darker and thicker forest. Through the open door she was able to spy other wagons and carriages off the side of the road and groups of humans clustered around them, just before he shut it behind him.

Thix was getting sick of being left inside whenever anything was happening, and then only finding out after about what was actually going on. So after waiting for a long moment, she carefully and slowly slid from her seat, grasped the wooden handle, and opened the carriage door just enough to hear what was going on outside.

More arguing for a start. Not just Gerard though, she felt sure she could make out his voice, but it was hard amongst the few others that were also bickering. Just a peek couldn't hurt, right? Thix opened the door even further until it was angled in such a way that she could grab onto the edge of the curtained window, and peer through it towards the front of the carriage. It forced her to set her toes on the tiny lip at the bottom of the door, but she managed without falling off and tried her best to lean further out.

More soldiers. Those these did not look like the ones who had stopped them at the border. Shabbier, wearing different colors on their armor and uniforms, but uniforms they were. They were standing in front of a wooden barricade that blocked the road, and there was a fair few of them.

Gerard and Theo were out in front now, conversing with a few other travelers who were likewise spitting venomous Galtes at the armed men. Mercifully at least the soldier who appeared to be in charge, Thix was guessing both due to being the one trying to speak the small group and the huge set of white feathers sticking out of his helmet, seemed only mildly annoyed.

The leader waved his arms about and made a flapping gesture with one hand as he spoke more loudly and emphatically. Gerard likewise flared his arms outward in what appeared to be frustration.

"Regarder! Regarder!"

Having been distracted, it took Thix a moment to register the small hissing voice coming from the side of the carriage. She turned her head in confusion, only to see a human child with dark hair and not much bigger than her pulling on the leg of an adult woman. His mother probably, they looked alike. The two were waiting at the side of a canvas covered wagon, and upon hearing the child's insistent uttering of the same word the woman turned with exasperation towards her.

Thix met the wide-eyed gaze of both humans, and letting out a squeak of panic scrabbled to shut the door. A harder feat than she was prepared for, given that Thix was practically hanging off of it at the time. Finally, though she managed to catch her foot on the inside of the carriage and pulled herself back inside, though a bit too forcefully as it turned out. The door slammed loudly shut, billowing the curtain before finally settling down.

Oops.

Thix resolved to sit patiently at the far corner of the carriage, and did her best to not look curious. In absolutely any way. Some time later the door opened again and Gerard climbed inside. He sat down across from her and was giving her a silent and knowing look.

Eventually Thix raised her shining, and innocent, red eyes and asked in perfectly reasonable Galtes -

"Qu'est-ce que c'est?"

"The road is blocked. We can't travel further this way. The road is dangerous after dark, so we will stay here for tonight."

"Ah. Oui. Alright. Quoi est 'alright?'"

"Bien. Like good, but different."

"Oh. Bien."

"Thix."

"Oui?"

Gerard was staring hard at her, and Thix deciding it would be least suspicious looked right back at him. She swore his lip was twitching. Just a little.

"What did your parents do, when you did not listen to them?"

Thix didn't have to make a show out of thinking about it, because it had been a very long time.

"Made me do work?"

"Ah. I see. I do not have work for you to do."

Thix didn't say anything, feigning confusion. It was getting hard to suppress her own nervous smile. This wasn't funny. Why did it feel funny? There seemed to be an odd glint in Gerard's eyes, a look that sent a tremble down her spine and an oddly pleasant squirminess in her guts. Soon enough though it passed and whatever wicked thoughts were going on in Gerard's mind instead became weary and troubled.

"S'il vous plait, please, please do what I say next time. You understand? Comprenez vous?"

Thix frowned and after a moment bowed her head.

"Oui. Je suis désolé Gerard."

"Est bien. Pas de mal. No harm. I think. Now, since you have been seen, you may as well join us outside. Is that what you want? Est-ce que c'est ce que tu veux?"

Thix nodded her head, feeling more and more ashamed at her childish disobedience. Gerard nodded back and gave her a gentle pat on the knee before once again exiting the carriage, this time holding the door open for her and offering a helping hand down. Thix made sure her cloak was folded and tied securely around her shoulders before accepting and climbing down onto the oddly smooth stone of the road.

Instantly she could feel the attention on her, from the surrounding travelers and did her best to ignore it. It was impossible not to spare a sidelong glance or two to be aware of her surroundings, just in case.

The child who had discovered her had evidently rounded up a few other young humans and they were speaking quietly amongst themselves. Their parents circled loosely around them. Whether that was to protect them from her, the strange creature, or to keep them from doing something stupid Thix wasn't sure.

Gerard took her hand and lead them to where Theo stood in conversation with three other men. One was chubby, with a round shaven face, light brown hair, and was not only wearing fine clothes but jewelry as well. The second man was stout, thickly bearded and wearing plain leathers with some sort of long knobby stick at his waist. The third was younger. Younger than Gerard. A man, though probably just barely. He wore his facial hair as a simple tuft on his chin, and was both tall and thin. His clothes were thick and rugged, and an axe hung from his belt.

All three of them turned and stared with the same discomforting astonishment as they approached. Thankfully the silence didn't last long, as Gerard spoke up.

"Excusez-moi, je devais aller chercher mon invité. Puis-je vous présenter mademoiselle Thix Krrglnik."

Thix faltered in surprise, but managed to keep from pulling on Gerard's arm as she walked beside him. He sounded different. The tone of his voice, even the way he used his words. She eyed him askance and was even convinced that he was carrying himself differently. They came to a stop, and after an uncertain pause the men affected stiff bows in her direction and all murmured a now familiar 'bonjour'.

"Bonjour."

Thix copied the bow, and couldn't help noticing the continuing bewildered stares. Before she had much time to worry about it, Gerard was continuing on. Yes. He was certainly different. Formal. Like a leader. His tone was cool and clear, and even Gerard's gaze seemed fixed and observant as he made conversation. His speech was much too fluid for Thix to keep track of, though he gestured towards her and she could only assume he was explaining her presence. She kept close to his side and did her best to listen and try and understand, but watching changes in voice and expression did her more good than the words.

By the end, all she could gather was that Gerard was not happy about what he heard, but was at least thankful for whatever information he'd received. The conversation turned lighter, more relaxed and finally Gerard was smiling once more, though his new poise remained. He finally turned to her and Theo and beckoned them both to follow with a refined but insistent gesture.

A lord. He had told her his family had great wealth and power. It had made sense but Thix hadn't really understood at the time, she did now. Thix couldn't even think of an appropriate equivalent, except maybe a child of the Deep King. Someone who had been born and raised to rule over others. Gerard had done such a good job of hiding it too, he was so comfortable to be around. So forgiving and relaxed otherwise. Now though, Thix felt an odd light feeling stir in her chest as she followed alongside Theo back to the carriage. When they were an appropriate distance for privacy Gerard turned around to address them. Starting with her.