"0 Gregory sat upright in his bed and found himself looking into Talina's bright green eyes. "What the hell?"

"I tried shaking you but you wouldn't open your eyes." The dark haired courtesan chided him with a Little pout on her alluring mouth.

"So you decided to go with the right-hook?" Gregory rubbed his nose.

“Oh please, it was barely a clip on the nose. Besides, if that bothers you then I'd suggest running away, given what you've gotten yourself into." She folded her arms across her breasts and offered him a stern look. She was clearly none too happy about his current predicament.

"Greg?" Janette's voice was somewhat murky beside him.

He Looked down to the formerly sleeping beauty at his side and noticed for the first time that Algra was gone.

"She is with Grolfir," Talina quickly filled in.

“What's happening?" Janette’s voice took on a sudden urgency as she began to remember the events of the night before.

"Master is going to get himself beaten into pudding. I do not Like pudding." Talina had an almost accusatory tone.

“Will you be quiet!? I've had all this already once from Algra. I know. I'm a dumbass. But I'm a stubborn dumbass, so will you do me a favour and ease up on the punching and the cold stares until after breakfast?"

“Very well, master." Talina offered a somewhat mockingly respectful bow.

“I'm not anyone's master anymore, Talina.“ Gregory reached for his trunks and found them resting beside a set of fur boots.

"You are mine. I obey you and no one else. If the orcs have trouble comprehending that then I would invite them to see what happens when they try to make me serve another."

Gregory had been in the process of shoving his boots on his feet when he heard the downright icy tone in Talina's voice. Ever since he'd met the woman, she'd always proven to not be quite what she seemed. He'd seen through her first mask but he suspected that she didn't wear just the one. The sudden shift from her usual playful and seductive nature to a woman forged of frost and steel was almost enough to send a chill down Gregory's spine.

So, instead of chiding her further, he slipped on his boots and raised up to his feet to step over to her and settle his hands upon her slender shoulders. Her green eyes met his and carried with them a fierce determination. Oh yes, there was definitely something underneath the masquerade that this woman performed for the benefit of others. Something strong and dangerous.

Gregory placed his lips upon her brow and inhaled the sweet mild scent of the oils and soaps Talina, Lydia, and Fiona used upon each other The action apparently took the woman somewhat off-guard as she had been expecting to start a very angry shouting match with him.

“Thank you. I'll try my best not to get beaten into pudding.” Not quite knowing how to react to that, Talina's eyes glimmered with a flash of uncertainty before she turned and took her leave.

“Greg, what the hell was that all about? What's going on with pudding?” Janette had also risen and was settling her new cloak over her shoulders.

“I... uh... kind of have to join the orcs in training. After everything that happened last night, Grolfir made me a child in the eyes of the orcs. I need to complete some kind of rite of passage before I can get all my stuff back."

"Oh, so what do you have to do?"

“Well from what I can tell it's some kind of fight." “With an orc?"

“Several actually."

“Are you insane!?" Janette hefted her cloak from her shoulders when she lifted her hands up in exasperated outrage.

"I'm getting that question so often lately that I'm honestly starting to wonder.”

“Jeez, I wonder why?" She stormed around from her side of the bed to stand before him and jabbed him in the middle of his chest with her index finger.