For the Whored Ch. 022

She made her way back to her barracks and closed the door. Taking the ring out of her pocket, she looked at it in her open palm for some time. She lifted and looked at the pretty little ring. It had an odd pink stone in it that was sort of shaped like a rose. Petals adored either side of the gem on the band. She wondered if it had been crafted for her, or if he'd seen it in the window like that. She placed the gem on the desk and took out her board. She sketched the little ring. She flipped to the sketch of Renwa in the bed and began to fill out details. She worked for some time, but her gaze kept returning to the ring.

With a sigh, she sat her board to the side and laid her chin on the desk. She stared at the little ring for a long time.

The door opened but she hardly noticed.

"You really shouldn't spend so much time indoors." Grogek chided. "What is that?" He leaned down and eyed the ring.

"Renwa gave it to me. Apparently, before he disappeared, he was going to ask me to marry him."

Grogek's eyebrow rose. "And now?"

She sat up and sighed. "He tells me he's over it."

"And you don't believe it?"

"Actually I do." She sighed again. "Do I hurt you?" She looked up at him. "What I do?"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Of course not."

For a long moment she searched his face, before turning back to the ring. "I've tried to avoid emotional attachments." She frowned. "Not mine, mind you; but other people forming emotional attachments to me. If I thought a guy was getting too clingy, I ditched him in a heartbeat. If I guessed he was the marrying kind... well, then I limited my time. I never could give them what they wanted or needed. I was a warm body to grace their bed and away I went." She flicked the little ring, making it wobble. "I never had any idea that Jon-" She corrected herself. "Renwa was considering it. Much less that he'd bought a ring and spent months trying to figure out how to convince me."

"Why did he give you the ring now?"

"Because he finally realized that I was happy."

"That doesn't make sense."

She shook her head. "He doesn't want to marry me anymore because I have found happiness. The happiness he thought I was lacking. Some part of him thought that if I married him, he could give me the happiness I was looking for. When he realized you gave it to me, he... conceded."

"He loves you." Grogek said it so simply, without any malice, that she almost wept with relief.

After a moment she took a deep sighing breath. She turned in her chair and faced Grogek. "Do you... want to marry me? Actually, that's a stupid question. I meant, like do the whole ceremony, and things like that?"

He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up from the chair. "Of course I do. I want that more than breathing."

She nodded. "I'm ok with that."

Grogek squeezed her so hard she had trouble breathing.

"Gro..." She whimpered. "Air... need."

He released her and sat her back on her feet. "You just tell me when and where and I'll make it happen."

She gawked at the tears in his eyes. "I... well, that is..." She stammered.

He laughed. Putting his finger under her chin, he raised her face. "Making you my wife is the most important thing to me. However, you do not have to do it. I get closer each day to that, and that makes me happy. I do not want you to change. Understand that. You are precious to me. I see you, I know you. Do not think for a minute that a marriage to me would be the end of what you do, or who you are. Your heart is mine, your body is yours." He kissed her softly. "Do you understand?"

"I'm starting to." She whispered.

"Maybe if I keep saying it." He whispered back. He nodded towards the desk. "What are you going to do about that?"

She frowned at it. "What do you think I should do?"

He blinked at her. "Can you repeat that? I think I may have taken a hit in training."

"Ha. Ha." She walked to the desk and picked up the pretty little ring. She looked at it with a sigh. "It's kind of strange, but I wanted to put it on a necklace. I don't even know why."

"Then do that."

"You sure?"

He shrugged. "I will give you a trinket of our love. I have no reason to be offended by someone else's trinket of affection. If he is honest, and his pursuit of you has ended, I see it as nothing but a reminder of another time."

She nodded. "I'll see the jewel crafter in the morning."

"I have one final question."

She dropped the ring back on the desk. "Yes?"

"Did you...?" He shrugged. "Have him? I'm not sure how to ask that question some days."

She looked at him askance. "You certain you have no issue with me having other men?"

"Not a bit."

She sighed and looked down at the ring. "I think the best way to describe it in this case, is that I fulfilled a fantasy for him."

"Hm."

"I think I'm a terrible person." She muttered.

He wrapped his arms around her. "Why, my love?"

She felt herself blush. "Because I thought to myself, "two of his fingers, is one of yours"."

Grogek froze, before laughing hysterically. He stumbled backwards on the bed and dragged her down with him. When he finally came up for air, he wheezed. "Then we are both bad people."

"As long as I'm not alone." She grinned.

"You will never be alone again." He murmured.

She was sitting on the center fountain drawing, when Renwa came up to her. "It's simply a beautiful day. Wouldn't you agree?"

She blinked up at him. "I should fuck you more often." She added mildly.

He grinned and clapped her on the back. "I might let you." He cocked his head to the side and ran his finger under the thin gold chain. "New jewel-" He froze and stared at the ring.

She snatched it back and tucked it back under her shirt. "Don't ask. I'll explain it when I figure it out."

"I... I'm honored." He whispered. "Does Grogek know?"

"He told me to wear it... as a symbol of a past remembered."

Renwa nodded. "Then I am doubly honored."

"So, did Jordan throw a fit?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." He laughed. "You should have stayed, I would have paid for a sketch of-" He broke off when she handed him a piece of paper. "You didn't." He started laughing. A couple of passersby looked confused, but scurried on. "This! This is going in my office." He smacked the picture with one hand.

"I figured you'd like that." She grinned. "So, how goes it?" She returned to sketching. "Aside from the healthy sex glow."

"I've told Gerald that he has to report to you at his first convenience."

"Which we all know is leader speak for "right fucking now."

"I missed our witty banter."

She grinned.

"A new round of trainees is headed in. It appears that our "orc" training regimen has become something of an envy to our neighbors."

"Nice."

"I'm having Ina really push your program. I think having more portraits will be helpful to her and I am seeing improvement in morale."

"Nice. Remind people that I don't require naked."

He nodded. "In any event, I hope you will be busy soon."

"Good." She tapped her pencil on the board. "Hey, send Jerry my way when you get a chance."

"Anything I should be worried about?"

"Nah. Just a little fib I caught him in."

He nodded again. "Understood."

Renwa marched on, whistling away. Shortly after, Ina showed up, and Elunara just sat down her pencil.

"Good Lord, what happened to that man?" She shook her head. "He came into my room all whistles and good cheer." Ina paused and looked up at Elunara. "What did you do?"

Elunara waved her away. "Oh, don't be like that. We just worked out some unresolved issues."

Ina eyed her for a moment. "Well, whatever you did, it worked. So I guess I can't complain about it." She propped her hands on her hips. "I've decided that maybe you can't get any volunteers for your project because people might be intimidated by going to your room, so I cleared a room in the healing building."

"Thanks Ina."

She nodded and left.

Elunara picked up her pencil and tapped it on her board. At the figure approaching, she sighed and put the board down.

"General Renwa said you wanted to see me? Ma'am." He added hastily.

"Jerry, I don't mind being used, but I do mind being lied to about it."

He fidgeted on his feet as his eyes shifted back and forth. "Uhh, Ma'am?"

"You're not saving yourself for a special GIRL, are you?"

He swallowed hard. "I don't know what you mean."

"Jerry, I'm not stupid. Maybe I overlooked the truth, but stupid I am not." She threaded her fingers in front of her. "For the record, I didn't have sex with Louis. Not that you shall dare repeat that."

He openly gawked at her.

"You see, I don't mind covering up an "embarrassing" secret, but I don't like it when someone isn't honest about it." She stood up and, placing her hand on his shoulders, dropped her voice to a whisper. "Jerry, you should have told me you were gay. It'd make it a whole lot easier to set you up with Louis. Now you get that hanging over your head. Take him aside and make things right. Oh, and don't mention this little conversation."

"I..."

She turned him around and gave him a shove. "Bye, Jerry."

Picking up her board, she gave up and went back to her room. She had only been in her room a short while when there was a knock on the door. With a sigh she yanked it open.

"Gerald, there you are." She called sweetly.

"General Renwa said that I should..." He hesitated as if looking for the right word. "Volunteer for your project."

"Yes, yes. Come in." She ushered him to the center of the room and positioned him how she liked. She down and began. She kept herself carefully neutral until she got him down to his pants.

He started to remove them and she stood up, sauntering over. "Here, let me help you." she purred. Slowly, she pushed his pants to the ground. Even he couldn't help but get a little excited. She put her finger on the tip of his dick and lightly pressed down, giggling when it sproinged back up.

"You see, Gerald," She began her thorough inspection of his body. "I'm well aware that you've been my spotter for many years now. You sit in the shadows and report back if I'm alive or dead. I also know that you were told to monitor me and the orc while we were in town. As well as the fact, that your commission as spotter was terminated a couple of months ago." He was frozen in place. "But, also on the list of things I know, is that..." She lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned to his ear. "You like to watch."

"I..."

She leaned back and moved further down his body. "Oh, the first time you could claim you were just doing your duty, but not the second. And neither time can you explain away the audience."

His whole body began to shake. She casually jotted down some faint scarring.

"Now I see why you were never a field agent... you break too easily under pressure." She flicked his limp dick.

He winced but said nothing.

"You see Gerald; I actually don't care about your spying. Hell, I don't even care about the audience." She leaned forward again. "I like the attention." She grinned.

At his wide eyed expression, she laughed.

"The orc doesn't care either. If it makes me happy, it makes him happy." She shrugged.

Gerald began to relax.

"Then there's the betting."

He stiffened his shoulders.

She tapped an ear. "Night elf hearing, dumbass." She shook her head and continued to draw. "Now, I can't actually tell you if the orc knows about the betting. We haven't had that discussion. Quite frankly, I don't even care about the betting."

He looked around nervously and opened and closed his mouth a few times.

"What I DO care about, is cheating." She snapped her pencil down and approached him. "You've read my dossier, you've studied my movements. Every bet YOU make is a cheat. The one thing you never count on is the emotional connection I have with Grogek. Granted, even I can't bet on that one. Between the two episodes, you've managed to make almost a thousand gold."

"I-I-"

She marched over to him and grabbed him by the balls, twisting them. He shrieked and crumpled to the ground.

"I'm sorry! He squeaked, I didn't..."

"Didn't know? How stupid are you?" She tightened her grip until he was sheet white. "You listen, and you listen well. I don't care about the spying, I happen to like the audience. I don't even care for your betting pools. But so help me, if you profit off of one more stolen silver using me, I will hunt you down."

"Yes Ma'am!" He squeaked.

She released him and returned to her board. "Be gone from my sight."

Gerald took several breaths before yanking his clothes on in a hurry and grabbing the rest of his things and fleeing out the door. On the other side of the door he crashed into General Renwa. He hit the ground and skidded. He scrambled up, saluted the General and said "Next time, can I have latrine duty?" Without waiting for an answer, he fled.

Renwa stared at Gerald's retreating form for a long moment. He turned back to Elunara. "I am suddenly very glad I never made you angry."

She scoffed. "And they think Grogek is scary."

"You two are absolutely terrifying."

With a careless shrug, she continued to stow her things. "What brings you this way?"

He scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to let you know that I received communication that Tyrine has been pitching a royal shitfit back in Darnassus."

Elunara just stared. "What more could they do to me?"

"She wants you tried for treason."

Elunara smacked her own forehead. "Elune guide me."

"I wouldn't put much on it. Given how this time dimensional stuff is right now. The notification was half burnt." He shrugged. "I seriously doubt-"

"Say her name and I will punch you in the nuts."

"That SHE has enough time to even worry about it."

"Tyrine doesn't bother me. Neither does SHE."

"Elunara." Renwa's voice was low. "I know you're upset. You can talk to me about it. But have you told Grogek?"

She looked away. "Not all of it."

"You should."

She shrugged. "I'll get to it."

He was quiet for a moment. "Fresh meat arrives tomorrow morning. Have your pencils ready."

She smiled. "You know me."

He laid a hand on her cheek. "Yes. Yes I do."