Disclaimer: Goblins Slayer and Warhammer Fantasy are properties of Kumo Yagyu and Games Workshop respectively. I own nothing here except for the few OCs I create.
Agreements and Warm Welcomes
With a small grunt of effort, Wulfrik removed the last piece of furniture that composed their improvised barricade, lifting it up and depositing it on the side. And with the temple doors now unblocked, the militiamen soon unbarred the doors and opened them. The dull morning light flooded through the entrance and the defenders were soon greeted by the sight of the carnage that took placed mere minutes ago.
The entire courtyard of the temple was littered with dead Greenskins and the ground was soaked with their dark blood. Wulfrik frowned in distaste at the sight. It would take an entire day to completely clean up all this mess, he thought. Even more so when one were to take into account all the damage these savages have wrought upon their village. More reasons for him to hate their kind.
The old sergeant pressed forward with his longrifle shouldered, keeping a wary eye for any unpleasant surprises. Everyone else followed suit and emerged out of the protective confines of the temple and into the corpse and blood covered courtyard. Many of them wore varying looks of disgust and anger at the sight of all their former foes. Giselle scowled at the sight of a dead Orc as she carefully walked over it's badly mangled corpse, covering her nose with her hand as she did so, for the beast had fouled itself when it died. Erik prodded at another nearby Orc lying on the ground with the butt of his rifle, checking it for signs of life. Only to cause it's eye to fall out of it's socket when he did so while it remained unresponsive, a clear sign that it was truly dead.
BOOM!
A powerful, deafening explosion suddenly erupted and everyone instinctively crouched low and with more than a few covering their ears. All of them wore looks of alarm and surprise upon their faces as they all wondered what could have caused it.
"Sigmar's golden balls!" out came Bertha's rather colourful reaction as she looked towards the direction of that large explosion, her face an image of both shock and great exasperation. "Is that crazy Northman boy trying to blow up the whole village?!"
"No, I think it was just the Warboss" came Mauser's even reply, the old Gunsmith still maintaining his calm. His wizened face frowned in annoyance though. "Though I hope the lad didn't use up all my gunpowder to kill that thing"
Wulfrik on the other hand soon turned towards all the other militiamen and began barking orders.
"Alright, you three!" the retired sergeant pointed to three men in particular. "Take several others with you and start searching the entire village for anymore Greenskins. Kill any you find!"
Those men nodded in acknowledgement and began doing as he said, quickly forming up their respective groups and began their search, eager to find any more surviving Goblins and Orcs and visit sweet vengeance upon them. Wulfrik then addressed another group of men.
"I want you lot to stay here and watch over the temple. Many of those Green bastards might come back. Gun down any you see" was the old sergeant's stern command to them. These men also nodded in agreement and began to take up positions within the temple hall once again.
"The rest of you are with me!" he then said to all the other militiamen still remaining within the vicinity. "Let's go check on that Northman's handiwork"
With that, he immediately turned around and headed towards the direction of the village's southern entrance with everyone else following his lead. Mauser, Giselle Bertha and her sons also followed suit. All of them were rather eager to meet face to face with the one who helped them avert the terrible crisis that befell their village. With Giselle in particular looking forward to finally give the mysterious man the proper welcome he most deserved.
She hugged the dirt beneath her as if it was her only lifeline, her eyes closed shut. Her heart thundered in her chest as her whole body quivered. Her ears still rang and hurt as she instinctively covered them with her hands in an attempt to soothe the pain and stifle the ringing. Even at a considerable distance and hidden behind the upturned cart, Tanya still felt the immense force of the exploding gunpowder, washing over her delicate form and shaking her to the core.
She turned her head slightly to the side and opened her eyes to check on her sister, very much hoping that Anna was alright. And to her relief, her sister still was. She was lying on her side, covering her ears with her eyes still shut, and looking very much afraid. Tanya immediately crawled over to her sister's side and laid a comforting hands upon her. The younger Stahlhart instinctively shook, startled by that unexpected contact as she opened her eyes wide. But the sight of her sister Tanya served to calm her, and bring immense relief to her heart.
They both glanced towards the cart out of curiosity. The wooden cart was riddled with holes, undoubtedly caused by the many rounds propelled by the powerful explosion. She once again quietly thanked both the Heldenhammer and the White Dove for watching over them today. For it was almost a miracle that they remained unharmed. Otherwise, she and Anna would be sporting many new holes on their bodies right now. She had clearly underestimated the effective range of their improvised explosive trap.
But that was when a truly worrying thought crossed her mind. The Slayer might not be so fortunate.
Both of them quickly got to their feet. They looked around them rather frantically, hoping to see if he was alright. They soon spotted his prone form several yards away, lying within a slightly hollowed portion of earth. And he was unmoving. They immediately went over to his side, concern evident upon their faces.
"Slayer!" Tanya cried out to him as she and Anna knelt by his side.
With combined effort, they turned the large and powerfully built man over to get a better look at him. Their eyes immediately roamed across his form, checking him for any wounds that he may have suffered from the blast. Aside from a few scratches, an ugly looking bite mark on his shoulder and a small bump on the side of his head, he was fine. But he appeared to have lost consciousness though.
"Herr Slayer!" Tanya called out to him as she placed her hand on his muscled chest and started shaking him lightly. Her eyes still looking at him with deep worry. "Herr Slayer, are you alright?!"
"Please wake up!" Anna cried out to him as well, unable to to hide her fear and concern within her voice.
After a moment, their cries and Tanya's repeated shaking had a positive effect, as the silvery haired man began to stir. His face winced slightly as he regained consciousness. His eyes, an eerie crimson the same shade as blood, began to look around him rather blearily. They soon settled upon Tanya and Anna, finally regaining focus.
He slowly began to rise and the two girls instinctively placed their hands on him to steady him. When he finally sat up, the man brought his hand to the side of his head and began to gently massage the small lump there.
"I must have bumped my head on a rock when I dived to the ground" he finally spoke, sounding rather annoyed as he frowned a little.
Anna let out a sigh of relief before smiling, truly relieve to see her savior alive. It would seem that they were not the only ones being looked after by those on high. And Tanya quietly offered another prayer in gratitude..
But the Slayer's visage soon turned hard and serious as he spoke again. "But more importantly, is the Goblin dead? Did we kill it?"
That immediately brought realization and no small amount of worry to the two sisters', having almost forgotten about their monstrous adversary. They soon turned their sight towards the spot where they last saw the Warboss.
The southern gate and a good portion of the palisades nearest to it, had been reduced to a smoldering ruin. The two watch towers that once flanked either side of the gates had also been toppled to the ground, now lying in broken heaps. Suffice to say, it would take at least a couple of weeks to completely repair all the damage done, provided there was enough manpower and material on hand.
But as for the Warboss. Well, from what Anna could tell about it from this distance, nothing could undo the damage that had been done to it.
The Slayer had gotten up and was now walking over to the motionless remains of the enormous Orc. The two sisters followed after him, curious to see just what their little explosive surprise had done to it. It was currently lying on the ground just several feet to the side of the ruined entrance. Once Anna and Tanya got close enough to get a much clearer view of the Greenskin, they were quite disturbed at what they saw. And Anna had to fought back the sudden urge to vomit.
The Orc Warboss, once mighty and terrifying to behold, had been reduced to little more than a torn carcass.
Both of it's large, trunk-like legs were gone, all that remained were bloody stumps that ended just slightly below it's hip. It's left arm was completely destroyed, and much of the left side of it's torso had been ripped apart, it's shredded organs and shattered ribs in plain view. The left side of it's face was now a barely recognizable mass of flesh and bone. And all across it's broken remains were bloody holes, the exit points from where hundreds of lead balls had punched cleanly through.
Simply put, it was very much dead. Nothing short of necromancy could hope to bring this Greenskin back from Morr's cold clutches.
Anna stared at it's remains with a mixture of shock and disgust. But she took some comfort in the fact that this monster would never again threaten anymore innocents. She glanced towards the Slayer, curious to see what he was feeling towards this. And she was not surprised to see that the man looked unmoved, not in the least disturbed by such a horrid sight.
He stepped closer to the dead Warboss' remains and gave it a couple of light kicks with his foot, almost as if trying to make sure that it was dead. Anna did not see the point in that. The Orc was obviously dead, though she chose not to voice her thoughts and remained quiet. He looked at the dead Orc closely, inquisitive and critical, almost as if he was studying the damage done to it.
"Quite effective, this gunpowder" he spoke as he regarded the corpse, his voice tinted with approval. "I could have destroyed a great many Goblin nests with this"
Anna looked at the man with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. She was pleased to know that this barbarian approved of the destructive power and utility of gunpowder, but it was also rather disturbing that he was already thinking of ways of using it to kill Goblins. This man must truly hate these Greenskins, Anna thought. But then again, after everything that she had seen them do, one simply can't help but hate these vile creatures.
Tanya sighed rather dejectedly, causing Anna to look towards her sister. She noted the annoyed look on her face as she stared at the Warboss' remains.
"What's the matter?". she asked.
Tanya pursed her lips before she spoke, her voice dry and flat, masking the actual disappointment she felt. "Nothing much. Just that Mauser's going to be mad at us when he finds out we used so much of his gunpowder"
"Oh it's not that bad" Anna quipped at her sister, smiling a little in amusement. "I mean, we only took three barrels from his workshop. And a couple of boxes of rounds"
"All of which we are going to have to pay for. On top of the bag of cartridges he gave us yesterday"
And then Tanya looked towards the ruined and still smoldering entrance of their village. Her feelings of disappointment and annoyance increased further as a rather sour look made it onto her elegant visage "And then there's all the damage our trap caused. Wulfrik's going to pop a vein when he sees that"
Anna looked towards the ruined entrance as well, and her smile became more strained as an uncomfortable weight settled at the bottom of her gut. "Yes, you might be right about that"
It was not that they were afraid of any punishment being leveled at them, but the fact still remained that they caused a lot of damage to their village in their efforts to save it, unintended though it may be. And that would result in a whole lot of headaches and grumblings from those who would be tasked to repair it, especially since payment for the costs involved would be levied from the villagers' own pockets. To name just a couple of problems that needed solving from a whole list of others.
Suffice to say, Tanya is going to have her hands full later.
"Apologies"
The two sisters turned their attention to the one who said. The Slayer was looking at them, and though his handsome visage was still set within it's ever stoic mask, Anna noted the genuine contrition within his crimson eyes.
"What for?" Anna asked of him, confused as to why he felt the need to apologize to them.
"For causing you both further distress. It is not my intent" he elaborated further, his tone firm but gentle, and oddly placating. "There was simply no other way"
Now that came as a bit of a shock to the two Stahlharts. The man thought he was the cause for their woes? He believed himself responsible for the mess they got, and was seeking forgiveness for it? When it was he whom they should be thanking for saving their lives and the lives of all they held dear, and apologizing to him for having to make him risk his life for all of theirs. Anna and Tanya would have none of that.
"Herr Slayer, there is no need for apologies" Tanya began as she took a step closer to him, her emerald green eyes staring deep into his crimson orbs as she smiled warmly at him. "Because of you, I-"
"Tanya! Anna!" She was cut off though when a woman's voice cried out from the side, one that was familiar to them.
They turned towards the direction of that voice, and they were met with the sight of a stoutly woman who was running towards them as fast as her portly form could manage, wearing a look of utter relief upon her face. And following just behind her were the familiar and most welcome sight of the village militia.
"Bertha!" the two girls cried out in joy, as the larger woman soon reached them and enveloped them both in a fierce and loving embrace. One that Tanya and Anna gladly returned.
"I'm so glad you two are alright! I was so worried!" Bertha exclaimed as she held them both within her burly arms. Tears born of utter joy welled up within her eyes. And they could not help but return the gesture.
"And I'm happy to know you're safe as well, Bertha" Tanya said to the older woman, also fighting back the tears that threatened to spill forth from her eyes. "I'm so glad your still here"
Anna merely nodded in agreement as she held the older woman tightly, feeling her own tears welling within her eyes as well. And then another familiar voice sounded from the side.
"Merci la Dame! I'm so happy you two are safe!" a person exclaimed in a mixture of Reikspeil and her own native tongue.
This caused the younger Stahlhart to release her hold on Bertha and to look at the one who said that. Only to be quickly pulled into another fierce and loving embrace as a pair of slender arms wrapped around her small frame and pressed her face against their owner's very impressive bosom, nearly smothering her in the process.
"Good to see you again Giselle" Anna spoke to the maid, her voice tinged with mirth and slightly muffled as she smiled, gladly returning the woman's embrace.
The Bretonnian gave the younger girl one more tight squeeze as she smiled cheerfully before finally letting her go, much to Anna's slight relief. She then turned towards Tanya, her cheerful smile soon turned into an almost cat-like grin. The other Stahlhart was also deeply relieved to know that her dear friend was alive and well, and she immediately hugged the maid, one that she gladly returned.
"Thank the gods you're alright" came Tanya's heartfelt words to the maid. And Giselle laughed a little as her smile deepened.
"But of course! I won't let a bunch of dirty green savages part me from my two petites amies" she said proudly as winked at her, drawing a small laugh from Tanya as she nodded in agreement.
"Do we get a hug as well?" two nearly identical voices spoke in unison, a bit of mirth in their tone, prompting Anna and Tanya to look towards the ones who said it.
Felix and Hans stood just a couple of feet from them, both of them smiling roguishly at the too sisters though one could tell just by the looks in their eyes that they were genuinely happy to them alive and well. A small laugh escaped from the elder Stahlhart's lips as she gave the Steiner twins a knowing smile.
"Of course you will!"
Tanya exclaimed joyfully as she parted from Giselle, walked over to the two boys and pulled them both into a warm embrace. Anna was quick to follow as she too went over to the two handsome young lads and hugged them as well. This came as a bit of a surprise to the two boys, though it was a pleasant one at that. They gladly returned the girls' embrace, a small flush tinting their cheeks.
"But this is all you two are getting though" Tanya soon added rather jokingly, as she tilted her head slightly up and looked into their eyes, smirking at them.
"That's right, so no funny ideas" Anna also added in agreement, smiling knowingly at them, a bit of mirth in her eyes.
"What? Not even a kiss as a reward for our bravery in battle?" Felix said to them, feigning distress.
"As is proper for handsome heroes such as us" Hans soon added, smiling proudly.
"Oh , really?" Tanya grinned at them rather mischievously, her emerald eyes twinkling with amusement. She then reached out with her hand and flicked each boy on the nose with her finger. "Well, if you two were to finally stop hiding behind your mother's skirts then maybe we would"
"Which is rather unlikely, so I won't be getting my hopes up" Anna chimed in jokingly, reaching out and pinching them both on their sides, and the two boys merely chuckled at the two sisters' antics.
Like a family that had long been separated from one another, they were all truly happy to be together once again. And the man responsible for their reunion had quietly stepped back as to not disturb them. He stood their to the side and observed their exchange, and despite himself, he could not help but smile upon the rather heartwarming sight.
A twinge of sadness and longing soon made it's way into his chest unbidden. And the smile he wore faded. Not wanting to let his mind dwell on recent losses, the Slayer made to leave and begin his long journey home. If it still even existed that is.
"Hey, you!"
A gruff voice suddenly called out to him, causing him to halt mid step and turn towards the one who addressed him. His eyes soon met those of a man who was nearly twice his age, musclebound and possessed a rather menacing look about his grizzled visage. And just behind the man were dozens of other men, all of them armed and were also staring at him coldly. The retired State Army sergeant walked up to the younger man with the silvery hair and stood just a little over an arm's length from him. His coal colored eyes glaring deep into his crimson orbs.
In response, the Slayer turned towards the sergeant fully and matched his glare with his own stoic gaze.
"What?" the crimson eyed warrior finally said to the older man.
"What's your name Northman?" Wulfrik demanded, not settling for any sort of subtlety or decorum.
Somewhat puzzled by that particular moniker, the man nonetheless complied and spoke. "I am one whom they call Goblin Slayer"
"Goblin Slayer eh?" the sergeant looked at him rather skeptically, wondering if that truly was his name or simply his title. He disregarded it for now and continued with his query.
"So tell me, 'Goblin Slayer'. Why were your eyes glowing earlier?" his eyes narrowed at him threateningly, his words laced with venom. "Are you some sort of Wizard?"
Goblin Slayer only shook his head slightly, his face still impassive. "No, I am no Wizard. I cannot use magic"
"Then that makes you one of two things: your either a mutant, or some Chaos worshiping scum blessed by the Dark Gods" Wulfrik bit out rather harshly, now scowling at him menacingly. "Which only means one thing"
By this time, Tanya and Anna were now looking towards the two men as they talked, listening to their exchange. And judging by the way their conversation was heading, the Stahlharts grew nervous and worried, dreading what was to come. Anna in particular dearly wished that the two would not come into blows, for after everything she had seen the Slayer do, she greatly feared for the old sergeant's well-being.
Giselle too was looking at their current exchange with concern, having lost all of her previous mirth and exuberance. She could understand the old sergeant's worries, but they were unfounded. Since she first laid eyes on him, her witchsight had told her all she needed to know. And this Goblin Slayer was not in any way tainted by Chaos.
But she could not tell anyone about this, lest she expose herself. So she remained quiet and simply hoped that calmer heads would soon prevail.
Unfortunately, Wulfrik disappointed them all and proved them right in their fears, as he quickly drew out his newly reloaded pistol, and aimed it directly at the younger man's face.
His actions were mirrored by dozens of other men as they all pulled out their firearms and leveled them at the pale and crimson-eyed warrior, their weapons cocked and their fingers hovering above the triggers. Ready to fire a whole volley at him at the slightest provocation. Erik was the only one who was slow to act, glancing at his fellow militiamen, looking a bit confused. Before he simply shrugged his shoulders and finally aimed his own rifle at the Slayer, although he did so rather reluctantly.
The only ones who did not drew their guns at the Slayer were the Steiner twins and the aged Master Gunsmith. Felix and Hans looked positively shocked by the sudden and unexpected turn of events, glancing back and forth worriedly between the militiamen and the one whom the two boys now regarded as their hero. Mauser on the other hand kept his calm and did not say anything, remaining where he stood as he watched the events unfold with his stern gaze.
"I should simply put a round in your head and be done with it. As Imperial Law dictates" the retired sergeant continued, his tone harsh and cold as he glared at the younger man in front of him threateningly. "So you better give me one good reason why I shouldn't"
But the Goblin Slayer did not answer, nor was he fazed by Wulfrik's threats. He remained calm and collected despite the large amount of firepower currently arrayed against him. He matched the old sergeant's harsh glare with his own cold and steely gaze, eyes narrowing ever so slightly and muscles tensing subtly. Ready to fight his way out and even slay his new found adversaries, should it prove necessary.
Fortunately, it would not prove as such.
"What in Heldenhammer's name are you all doing!?" Tanya shouted at them, looking rather livid as she stepped closer to the militiamen with fists clenched tight, glaring at each and everyone of them. And some of the men almost withered under her stern gaze. Especially Erik, trying to make himself look scarce as he did not wish to be in the receiving end of Tanya's ire.
"Just asking the lad a few questions meine dame" came Wulfrik's even and respectful response, not taking his eyes off of the Goblin Slayer.
"While holding him at gunpoint?!" she all but cried out, appalled at the way they were treating her savior.
"To better convince him to tell the truth of course. And to dissuade him from attempting anything stupid. Like playing chicken with that Warboss and it's horde" was the older man's cool response as he smirked rather mockingly at the silvery haired warrior. And this caused the younger man to raise a brow at him in mild amusement.
"So out with it boy" Wulfrik prodded him further, still keeping his pistol firmly pointed at his face. "Mutant, or ficken Chaos worshiper. Which one are you?"
At that, the Slayer held out his hands to the side and smiled coolly at the old sergeant. "Take a good look. I believe the answer to your question should be plainly obvious"
"Don't go getting smart with me now lad" the sergeant barked, snarling in annoyance. "I'm the one holding the gun here, not you"
A cold and predatory look soon found it's way into the Slayer's eyes, looking rather eager to test the full weight of Wulfrik's threats. And Tanya dearly wished he would not. A battle between them was absolutely the very last thing they needed right now. But thankfully, the crimson eyed man seemed to have reigned in his violent compulsions and adopted a more calmer demeanor.
"I am no servant of the Dark Gods, if that is what you are most concerned about" the Slayer spoke again, in the same calm and even tone as he looked Wulfrik straight in the eyes. "And if I was, would it not had been better for me to let these Goblins kill you all, instead of assisting you?"
Silence settled in after that, and continued for several long and tense moments as the old sergeant and the Goblin Slayer stared at one another. But just when Tanya thought that she needed to actually order Wulfrik and the other militiamen to stand down, the sergeant finally lowered his pistol, smirking at the Slayer.
"You got a nice pair on you boy, I'll give you that" he said to the younger man with the silver hair, a mixture of amusement and grudging respect evident upon his hard and grizzled visage. "And I suppose time will tell if your words are true"
And with it, all the other men lowered their weapons, ceasing all hostilities. Tanya finally let out the breath that she did not know she had been holding, grateful that a most tragic event had just been avoided. Placing her hand upon her hip and standing straight, Tanya once again addressed the old sergeant, her voice clear and firm.
"Now that we have established that he is not going to try and sacrifice us to some Daemon, Wulfrik, kindly have your men start collecting all those we have lost. We will take them to the Gardens later for proper burial. And as for the dead Greenskins, gather them up as well and pile them as far away from the village as possible. Then burn their bodies until there's nothing but ash. Can't have some Necromancer raising them up to torment us once again"
The sergeant nodded in acknowledgement before turning to face all the other militiamen. "Alright! You heard the lady, so start hauling up these green bastards away! Their not gonna pick themselves up after all!".
The militiamen were quick to follow her orders, and though some of them grumbled and groaned, they all took to their new tasks with diligence.
"And what about that big one?" this time it was Erik who spoke up, pointing to the Warboss still lying just a few feet from them.
"Same as the rest. But you're gonna need horses to move it, so I suggest you all focus with the smaller ones first." came Tanya's immediate reply.
"Aye aye" the young hunter said while giving her a lazy salute, then winking at her rather suggestively, before walking away to start gathering up all the dead.
Tanya just shook her head and smiled, amused by that, before turning his attention back to Wulfrik. "Now there's the problem about the damage done to our walls. How soon do you think you and the men can repair it?"
"Couple of weeks more or less" Wulfrik answered promptly. "The more hands we can get to collecting timbre and sooner, the better. But there's the issue of those savages coming back to have a crack at us once again, so we're also going to need armed men to watch over those who are harvesting wood. And that's where you come in, Northman!"
He barked out that last part as he turned his attention back towards the Slayer, glaring at him and pointing an accusing finger. The man in question frowned slightly, annoyed at the sergeant's callous address, but did not say anything and simply listened.
"You are gonna help us fix those damned holes that you and your big ugly friend there made!" he jerked a thumb towards the dead Warboss for emphasis. And then his face turned downright menacing as he continued. "Refuse, and I'll put you in irons and lock you up in the stockades for six months. Minimum sentence for destruction of public property. And I'll make sure your stay will be as unpleasant as possible"
Tanya was just about to voice out her protest at such an unfair treatment, when Anna suddenly spoke.
"Um…" Anna began rather reluctantly, causing Wulfrik to turn his attention towards her.
She slowly raised her hand up, wearing an embarrassed look upon her face while she stared at the ground, unable to meet the older man's eyes. "Actually, I was the one who destroyed that part of the wall, when I set off the gunpowder to kill the Orc Warboss"
That served to cause the old sergeant's brows to shoot upwards, shock written all over his grizzled face. One that was also mirrored by everyone else present save Tanya and the Slayer. Bertha in particular looked like she was about to suffer an attack, if the horrified look on her face was any indication. And Anna knew she was going to be getting quite a bit of a tongue lashing from her regarding safety and whatnot. She wasn't looking forward to that.
She then continued with her little confession, as she slowly turned her yes up to look at the old sergeant, though not quite meeting his eyes still. "Yes, so um, I suppose I'm the one who should be locked up, not the Slayer"
Anna glanced towards the Slayer, curious as to his reaction. The man had turned his sights towards her well, though his face was still set within his calm and expressionless mask, she could see that his eyes carried a hint of gratitude within them, appreciating her defense of him. And that served to more than lift up the young Stahlhart's guilty and troubled heart.
While she was listening to Anna speak, Tanya was also wearing a rather deeply embarrassed and uncomfortable look on her face. Until she finally decided to come clean as well, not allowing the Slayer or her sister to shoulder all the blame.
"And I was the one who came up with the idea of using Mauser's gunpowder for the trap" Tanya added, thus causing the others to shift their shocked and fearful expressions towards her. "So I suppose that makes me the mastermind behind the crime. So I shall be assisting the men in repairing all the damage done"
She then looked towards the aged Gunsmith and gave him a very apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I promise, I'll pay you back for all the gunpowder and ammunition we took"
Mauser shook his head at that and sighed tiredly before giving Tanya a wry smile. "Well, at least your both being honest. So you can just pay me back in small monthly installments"
Tanya nodded at that and smiled, grateful for the aged Gunsmith's generous consideration. She then turned her sights back to the sergeant, giving him a questioning stare.
"So by your words just now Wulfrik, do you also intend on locking me up and my sister for six months, and make our stay in the stockades as unpleasant as possible?" was her somewhat challenging query.
Now it was the old sergeant's turn to look rather embarrassed and uncomfortable, but he soon managed to muster his calm and conceded rather graciously. "No meine dame, I will not"
"Good" the older Stahlhart smiled at that while the younger Stahlhart let out a small breath of relief, rather grateful for her sister's good handling of things. Anna did not want to go to prison, truly.
"I will still require this Northman's assistance however" Wulfrik argued once more. "He may not be completely at fault, but he is still partly responsible for some of this mess"
Tanya resisted the urge to roll her eyes and groan out in annoyance. She was once again reminded just how stubborn the veteran State Trooper can be. But then again, this was one of the reasons why he was leader of the village militia. And that stubbornness of his has kept them all safe for so long.
"But only if he agrees to it. He deserves at least that much after all the assistance he lent us against the Greenskins" came Tanya's swift and stern interjection, before looking towards the Slayer, smiling at him appreciatively while also giving him a slightly questioning look.
If the man does declines to help them further, then that was well within his rights and Tanya would not force him. And she would make sure of it that none would stop him from leaving. She would give him the supplies he needed for his journey even. It was the very smallest of courtesies that she could grant him after everything he had done to save her village. Although a large part of her wished he would choose to stay for at least a bit longer.
The Slayer himself remained silent for a few long moments. He glanced at the people around him and then to the ruined entrance, and to the many dead Greenskins around him. And though his emotions were firmly covered beneath an armor of stoic calm, Tanya had always been good at reading people. And through his eyes she could see that he was torn, between wanting to leave and go back to whence he came, and wanting to stay and help them even more.
This made the older Stahlhart feel a pang of remorse within her chest, and she strongly considered simply letting the man go. Who was she to keep him here for much longer, when it was quite possible that he had friends and family who wish to see him returned.
Just when Tanya was about to tell him that he no longer needed to help them, that he was free to leave whenever he wanted, the Slayer finally turned his gaze back towards her, now more determined than before.
"Agreed"
A bright smile soon made it's way to Tanya's face as she nodded to him. "Thank you. You are most kind, Herr Slayer
"But there is one thing I require before I do so" The man spoke once again, his tone quite serious and severe, as he stared directly into Tanya's eyes.
"Yes, what is it?" she asked of him, her voice sounding just a little bit nervous despite herself. She believed she already had a good grasp as to what he required.
If it was a matter of payment or some sort of compensation, then she would gladly offer it him, so long as it was within her power to give. He was an adventurer after all and a great one at that, so it was only natural that he would seek a reward for services rendered. She only hoped the price he would demand from her was not too steep. Or nothing of a more 'intimate' nature. She did not know if she was ready to give up something like that. At least, not so soon.
"May I have something to eat first? I'm hungry" came the man's even reply.
That came as a bit of a surprise to Tanya. She had not expected him to ask for something so simple and so reasonable. This made her smile even more as she nodded at him. "Of course"
His words also elicited more than a few laughs and amused looks from everyone else, having not expected the man to make such a request, one that was so innocent and benign in nature. He had already firmly planted his reputation among the citizens of this village as a ruthless and seemingly tireless killing-machine. They had all forgotten that, in the end of the day, he was still just a man.
"Ha! I'd bet you are" the one who spoke this time was the innkeeper, stepping forward, causing the Slayer to turn his attention towards her.
"After all those insane stunts you pulled earlier, I would be more surprise if you aren't" Bertha continued, slightly mocking and giving the younger man a dry look. Which soon morphed into one of genuine warmth and understanding as she smiled at him.
"Well, come with me then. I'll fix you up something nice over at the inn" Bertha said to him while gesturing at him to follow her, as she soon walked back into the village and headed towards the direction of her inn.
Now that came as more of a surprise to Tanya and the others, not expecting the woman to offer such a kindness to the Slayer. Considering that she had been the most vocal of her distrust towards one whom she viewed as a vile Norscan, Tanya thought she would not want to have anything to do with him whatsoever. It would seem she was wrong.
"When your done eating, come find me" Wulfrik said to him before walking away as well, intent on carrying out all of Tanya's tasks.
Now that they all came into an agreement, they all started to make their way back into the village. At least, until a certain maid spoke out.
"Excuse moi. May I have a moment?" Giselle called out to the Slayer in a rather pleasant tone. This caused the others to halt in their steps and look towards the pretty Bretonnian with curious faces.
"Yes?" was the Slayer's simple query as he looked at the maid.
"I just wanted to say something to you, if you wouldn't mind?" Giselle said to him, clasping her hands together behind her as she smiled rather innocently at him. But Tanya noted the rather mischievous gleam within her brown eyes.
"What is she planning?" the older Stahlhart wondered inwardly as she quietly watched, a thought shared by everyone else present.
Whether or not the Slayer noticed as well, he did not show. He simply nodded as he turned his full attention towards her. But then Giselle started waving him over with her finger, wanting him to come closer. Now that served to further pique Tanya's interest, her mind pondering what could it be that Giselle wanted to tell him that warranted most careful attention and a bit of privacy.
"I hope it's not anything inappropriate" Tanya thought with a bit of amusement.
The Slayer did as Giselle requested and stepped closer to her, until they were only a hands breadth away from one another. Thinking that she may want to whisper something to him in private, the man bent slightly forward and brought his head closer to her.
This proved a mistake however.
The smile that Giselle wore soon turned into a hungry grin as she quickly grabbed both sides of the Slayer's head, pulled him even closer and captured his lips with her own in a deep and passionate kiss.
So shocked was he about the maid's sudden and unexpected action that the Goblin Slayer had lost his mask of stoic calm and was a replaced by a look of utter surprise. And this allowed the Bretonnian to savor the taste of his lips for a good long moment.
The Slayer was soon able to rally his senses and managed to push away Giselle, breaking their kiss, though he did so rather gently as to not accidentally hurt the woman. He looked at her with an expression that was equal parts shock and exasperation as he spoke.
"Wait! What are you-!"
But alas, the Slayer would be unable to finish those words. For the Bretonnian maid proved unrelenting as she quickly wrapped her slender yet strong arms around his muscled neck and pulled him back towards her, claiming his lips once more. And whatever further protests that the Goblin Slayer may have had within his mind, soon died when Giselle forced her soft yet skilled and very able tongue into his still open mouth. Where it soon began to plunder every inch of him, and wrestle his own tongue into submission.
And the Goblin Slayer was unable to resist. Unable to muster an effective enough defense to this sudden assault. His mind unable to come up with a devious plan to defeat this knew foe. In a way, he had been soundly defeated. And Giselle savored every single second of her victory, with ravenous gusto.
Those who were watching this most unexpected turn of events had varying reactions.
Mauser looked at the scene in front of him with a rather surprised expression, before it quickly turned into one of exasperation. He then turned around and left, shaking his head ruefully.
"Young people these days have no shame. What's the world coming to?" the old Master Gunsmith muttered under his breath in disapproval.
Wulfrik also viewed the scene in front of him with equal amounts of surprise, shortly before he too turned around and walked away. But the retired sergeant was shaking his head while smiling in amusement.
"Lucky bastard" he said, feeling a bit jealous.
If the retired sergeant was only a little jealous, the Steiner twins were even more so. Hans and Felix were outright gawking at the sensual scene in front of them, and unable to hide the obvious signs of their arousal.
"I'm jealous" Hans said out loud, desire evident within his eyes, his pale cheeks now visibly tinged with red.
"Me too" Felix said in full agreement, also red faced and positively hungry.
Giselle heard them quite clearly however and she was aware of the hunger and desire she was inspiring into the two young teens. Feeling rather playful and bold at the moment, the fair Bretonnian took the Goblin Slayer's hand within her own, and then brought it over to her lush and firm backside. And then she took his other hand and pressed it firmly upon one of her sizable and luscious mounds.
The feeling of his strong and callous hands upon her soft flesh brought a sudden spike of pleasure to the young maid, causing her to moan out loud while her already wet cunny became downright drenched. And despite himself, the Slayer could not help but enjoy the feeling of her soft cheeks and luscious breast within his palms. And so his hands instinctively grasped and fondled the rich and supple prizes within his possession. This, and coupled with her skillful tongue massaging the insides of his mouth, finally caused the man to grow painfully hard, much to the maid's approval and utter enjoyment.
And of course, Hans and Felix could only stare at them in envious desire. Both of them coming close to shooting their respective loads prematurely. But the Steiner twins were not the only ones feeling jealous though.
The two Stahlhart sisters were also watching the scene unfold, and their hearts and minds were filled with a chaotic mix of jealousy, surprise, anger, frustration and arousal. All in great and equal measure.
Tanya's face was nearly as red as her hair, while her emerald green eyes were nearly as wide as saucers and her mouth now agape. Anna was in much the same state as her sister, but with her hands held over her mouth. And the younger Stahlhart actually wished that the situation was reversed, and that it was she who was in the Slayer's arms at the moment.
Giselle was aware of all the discomfort she was causing her two dear friends, and a part of her felt bad for what she was doing. But an even greater part of her was too busy enjoying the feel of the Slayer's hands upon her soft and supple flesh, the taste of his lips and tongue. Which was now beginning to fight back for dominance and control, much to Giselle's delight.
And so she decided that she would simply make it up to them later. For now, she had to give this man the reward he so deserved.
After what seemed like an eternity, Giselle finally ended the kiss. Slightly out of breath and a bit dizzy, yet having very much enjoyed her rather vigorous exchange with the Goblin Slayer. The maid then looked deep into his still confused and surprised eyes. And she smiled rather lovingly at him and said.
"Welcome to our village, mon heros" her words to him with desire very much evident in her tone.
"I… I see" was the Goblin Slayer's less than eloquent reply, too dumbfounded to say anything more substantial.
The maid found his near speechlessness rather adorable. And it made her want to kiss him once more. She decided to do just that as she raised herself up slightly by standing on her toes and made to capture his lips with her own once more.
"THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH!"
A voice suddenly cried out, very loud and shrill. And before the Bretonnian knew it, a rather firm and meaty hand grasped at her forearm, and she was pulled away from the object of her desires quite forcefully.
The one responsible for this sudden interruption was none other than Bertha. The stoutly innkeeper glared at her serving girl as she kept pulling her away, both of them heading towards the direction of the inn.
"You brazen hussy! I took my eyes off of you for one minute, and as soon as I look back, you were already eating that Northman boys face! And in front of everyone else even! Shameless girl you are!" came Bertha's angry words as she chastised her young maid. Not Giselle minded in the least.
As the irate innkeeper continued her angry tirade while she pulled her away, Giselle looked back towards her knight, and winked suggestively at the man and gave him a smile. One that contained promises of future sessions similar to the one they just had. And more.
And as for the Goblin Slayer. He only stared silently at the departing form of the Bretonnian maid, still wearing his dumbstruck expression. Which soon slowly formed into a soft smile of contentment, before he too made his way back into the village.
Author's Notes:
Yeah, I know. No more action or goblin slaying this chapter, as this mostly serves to finally wrap up the whole introduction arc per se, as well as set up what Goblin Slayer would basically be doing from here on out. And yeah, Orcbolg has finally been enlightened to the power of gunpowder. Wonder what he would do with this wonderful little explosive? And of course, our resident Bretonnian finally sinks her claws on our Goblin Slayer. What do you think will come about this little development?
Now, I had originally planned on making this chapter a bit bigger and meant to post this on Christmas day. But since our ship is going on drydock this Thursday, we are gonna be very busy once again and I might not get as much writing done. So I decided to post this little baby now. This should serve as an early Christmas present to all my readers. I hope you all enjoy it and look forward to more.
Review Replies:
Evowizard25: I'm glad you enjoyed his little showdown with the Warboss and his horde. I gotta say, that considering all that I have seen and read about Orcs and Greenskins in general, especially about Warbosses, their general lack of discipline, skill and proper cohesion is such an obvious weakness that can be easily exploited. And one that someone like Goblin Slayer would use against them. And yeah, him calling the Warboss a goblin was mostly my way of poking fun at Warhammer Orks but also because it holds some merit. Because Goblins in the Goblin Slayer world can grow to become just as big and strong as Orcs, while still retaining their devious cunning and intelligence.
And I'm glad your enjoying Giselle's little scenes so far. So you can expect to see more that later on. And as for Tanya and Anna, expect to see more of them as well. Both on and off the battlefield with GS. And about the Elf your requesting. I do plan on having GS meet the Elves of Warhammer Fantasy. And chances are good, he will eventually have one as a companion. But I am still undecided on which race of Elf that would be. Heck, I might even pull a wild card decision and just throw in a Druuchi. Hmmm… I wonder how that would turn out? :D
There's not much I can say about the God of Change and his relation to GS for now. That would cause too many spoilers if I did. But your right, I can imagine the old crow getting a little frustrated due to Goblin Slayer being such an independent piece in the whole board :D
Austin: Glad you approved of my handling of the whole boss fight between GS and the Warboss. It was such an easy tactic to use against him, considering the general nature of Orc Warbosses. And your right, such a tactic might not work twice. But since this is Goblin Slayer we are talking about, you an expect a bit more variety on how he handles different situations with different enemies.
As for the omake scene you're proposing, I already got something similar planned actually. I'm still looking for the right time and chapter to include it in though, so you and everyone else will have to wait a bit.
And about your ideas for a story between Goblins Slayer and Apollyon. I gave it a bit more thought, and I honestly see the potential for a great story there. Which is why that would be my next big project as soon as I finish writing Lord of Death and The Slayer's Tale. ;D
Micelzod: To be perfectly honest, I am not even sure if there will be actual pairings between Goblin Slayer and any of the other girls I have introduced so far. And if there will be, it will probably with just one girl. Who knows.
And as for your two other concerns. I simply can't answer them directly because that would be a massive spoiler, and I really don't like giving out any. Haha! XD.
So instead, all I can say is that, big changes will be coming to the Old World, both good and bad, depending on how one sees it. And as for Goblin Slayer's party, all I can say that it will in many ways resemble his old team from his world.
Guest: Same as I said above, I am not even sure if there will be a harem in this story, much less an actual pairing, so you can rest easy my man.
reality deviant: There will in fact be quite a lot of world building involved in this story, so I you're prepared for quite a long read. But as for whether GS is in another world or shares the same world, I can't answer that question. Too much of a spoiler. So just stay tuned. Although, for those who are familiar with my other story, they would already know which way it would go.
Oh and, this story takes place before the End Times even happen so, Slaanesh is still very much present and active in this world while the Horned Rat has yet to ascend into the pantheon of the Dark Gods.
GameRMine: I will not say that you are right, but only that, so far, you have been the one who came closest to guessing Giselle's actual origin. :)
Retired Writer: Oh goody! My first critical reviewer! :D And he/she/they? seems to be a veteran in the field of literature, so this is gonna be tough.
I will go out and say that I actually agree with a lot of your points my good ma'am/sir. Harem stories are most often than not, really bad reads. Many of which are full of poorly written characters or characters that were original good, but the author decided to make them bad so as to fit the MC's harem. And most of the time, those stories have the girls as slaves to the MC, sometimes literally.
That's not gonna happen here in my story though. I simply care too much about the girls I wrote to make them into mindless robots who serve nothing more as sources of fanservice. Yes, there will be relationships within this story, there will some drama between the main guy and some of the girls, and yes, as you have already read, there will be some not so child-friendly scenes either. But there will be a good reason behind all of them, and all of them will be connected to the plot in someway and serves to further it along.
Plus, any such relationships, romantic or otherwise, will be secondary to the main theme of this story. Which is, simply put, slaying goblins as well as a whole host of other baddies. I am not trying to built a romance story here. And I'm actually pretty bad when it comes to writing one either so no hope for me their. XD
My one and only contradiction to you is, that when a man talks about how many women he has slept with, or in the case of woman, how many men she has slept with, there might actually be a story there. It all depends on how it is presented.
NEETsoc: Who knows? There are many possibilities, and not all of them bright and shiny and full of rainbows :D
Guest: Glad you approve my man.
Spartan-A312: Yes sir! Updated now sir! XD
Paradox009: Thank you. I hope you enjoyed this new one. And many more soon to follow.
Samuelalpha86: It would seem so, yeah. And you are not far from the mark there about your suspicions towards the Bretonnian.
ManwithaPlan113: Yeah well, considering that pretty much everything in WH40K has pretty much broken the OP meter, I'm inclined to agree. Not about it being a place that is impossible for GS to survive. He just might, but his chances are just very, very small.
But yeah, here in Fantasy, GS is gonna have a field day. :D
Cyricist001: Look forward to it :D And this chapter should give you an idea where GS's new path will eventually lead to.
Kyuubi-Titan: And here it is. Though this is only one half of the actual chapter dealing with the aftermath, I hope you like it still :)
Terrasar: Thank you will :)
J: Sorry for the long wait. I've been quite busy these past few weeks. But now here's the latest chapter, so please enjoy :D
human dragon: My, such high praise! Thank you very much
Tf2sniper326: You have raised some very interesting points there. If it had seemed like I had made GS look like some unstoppable powerhouse in the previous couple chapters, then that's just because I wrote his fight scenes a little too well, haha!
And you are mostly right, Goblin Slayer can be considered quite weak and insignificant when compared to enemies or adversaries that simply far surpass him in either size, strength or magical prowess. Heck, even here in the Warhammer world, there are many enemies that can so easily destroy GS in a heartbeat. Pit the guy against a Bloodthirster in single combat and GS would simply get shredded.
That is not to say that GS is not a skilled and competent fighter. One needs to remember that, while GS mostly hunts down goblins, he does so while alone. And during all those years spent goblin slaying, way before he even met Priestess, it had naturally honed his skills and reflexes to a fine edge. So he being able to take on multiple opponents all on his own and win is not that out of character for GS, as the guy is used to being outnumbered. Plus, those were just your garden variety goblins and orcs. And not even a full blown WAAAGH! even.
But against more powerful or far more numerous enemies, he will need to employ unconventional tactics. And he will play downright dirty to win.
In fact, his battle with the Warboss and his horde will actually be the last time you will see GS fighting in a direct a confrontation for quite a while, as that whole scenario was him dealing with a surprise invasion and thinking on ways to avert it on the fly. Many of his future battles onwards will be fought using unconventional tactics and strategies, with weeks or months or even years of planning, while also getting help from friends and allies.
And now that he has discovered gunpowder and gunpowder weapons, he will soon come up with many new ways to kill goblins and non-goblinoids. Some of which you and many readers might find offensive even, at least in the general context of a fantasy world with swords and magic. :D
That's for today. Hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter. And as always, reviews people! Let me know all your thoughts and concerns about the story. You can even go and PM me if you like.
Until next time. John out :D