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Chapter 7 fork: Ted Talks
Vector ventures, “Would you take the word of a goblin?” Birgit’s scowl softens, and she raises an eyebrow, intrigued. Vector calls up to the parapet, “Pannych! Go get Ted!” She nods, and then disappears down the stairwell.
“You... made friends with a goblin,” Alice asks Vector. He shrugs noncommittally.
Five minutes of tense silence pass before Pannych reappears on the parapet and a sleepy-looking goblin joins the crowd on the drawbridge.
“Oh, hey,” Ted says, rubbing one eye and yawning.
“Ted, meet Birgit, chief of Noob Valley,” Vector says, “Birgit, meet Ted, chief of the Stonefort troop.” They nod at each other.
“Tell me what you know of these adventurers, Ted,” Birgit demands.
“Well,” Ted begins, taking a deep breath and standing to his full three feet, “This girl was brought here by Grayl, and locked up downstairs. Don’t know much about ‘er. But these three - they came to rescue her, didn’t know we were here. Slaughtered my whole troop - glorious battle. I tried to get away, to bring news to the other villages. They came to finish me off, and I begged for my life. Turns out, they honestly didn’t know that we goblins are just other people, like anyone.”
Birgit tilts her head and arches one eyebrow, and Ted continues: “We got to talking, they patched me up, we had a meal together. They agreed to let me provision myself for the journey and rest up while they rescued their friend. So, we kinda got off on the wrong foot, but they’re not bad people, just... well, they’re-” Ted trails off, points straight up at the starry sky with a meaningful look, and then whispers, “Demigods.”
Birgit looks more confused by this than impressed, and says, “What demigods would come down to walk the Earth without studying it first?”
“Well, they sure rushed in,” says Ted, “And gods know they’re no angels, if you get my meaning.” He adds an entirely unnecessary wink.
Birgit stares up at the pair on the parapet for a long moment, then looks back down to Vector and says, “Very well. We negotiate. What are you offering?”
“Thanks, Ted,” Vector says.
“Sure thing. Can I go back to sleep now?” Vector nods, and Ted departs.
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