Following orders

[Grimlock]

Large, club footed, taloned feet carried the massive green beast up the steps and into the door of the Inn. His head hung low as he dragged his club behind him. His master had told him that he wouldn't be needing the club, but he never left home without it. The bones that hung from various locations on his clothes rattled as he walked. He stepped gently, but there was still a thud to his steps.

He walked over to the first desk he saw. He figured it was the desk where he was supposed to check in. As he stood there he pulled a folded up piece of paper out of the waist of his loin cloth. He opened it up and began to read it out loud to himself.

"Number one. Ring the bell."

He spoke every word in a slow careful tone. His voice was deep and had a bit of a grumble to it. It was the combination of his voice, and his less than average intelligence that made his master give him the nickname of Grimlock. He had been called that for so long now, that most of the time, he forgot his real name.

But he did what the paper said to do. He reached up to the counter of the desk and hit the tiny button on the top of the bell. He looked back at his paper.

"Number two. Wait for an answer."

He looked up and off into no where specific.

"But I did not call anyone. How is someone going to answer me?"

He looked back down at his paper. He sighed and then started to look around while he waited for an answer. Even if he had no idea where an answer would come from.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline had been sitting at a table in the bar looking at the doodles Epiphany had done in the back of the quest book when she heard the desk bell ring. She looked up from the book and saw a creature standing at the desk. She picked up the book, an made her way to the desk.

Once behind the desk, Madeline set the book down, and smiled. "Welcome to Tel'Ranaemyn. My name is Madeline, how can I help you?"

[Vesta Voui]

She didn't hear the bell.

Kinda hard to hear a tiny thing like that when ya got ear buds from your mp3 player blasting a kickin' guitar riff straight to the brain. Add to it a person lost in their own rhythm as they bounced through the halls with fingers strumming on an air guitar and you may start to wonder if the person was aware of anything around them at all.

This massivly ripped jean wearing, multiple thin leather belts up the arms sporting, girl with the squirrel attached to one shoulder was aware. Mostly thanks to the squirrel. See, they had plans to leave the Inn and head out for a bit and when Blink - the squirrel - saw the massive green creature standing at the front desk he tightened his grip on the girls shoulders and sent his tiny claws into her skin.

"Ye-ow-ow-ow-wow." Blink putting his claws into her shoulder was a bit painful because one of his claws was on the inside of her crop jean jacket and therefore hit all skin. The pain of it brought her back to the 'now' and the cords she was playing were momentarily forgotten. However, as she was starting to talk to her squirrel she saw what caused that reaction and it made her react in a wide-eyed sort of way. Even pausing.

Now, she had worked for a Dracon before, and seen some pretty freaky things in her time here, but that didn't mean she cast them all aside as though they were ordinary flies.

Blink moved to the other shoulder and partially hide himself behind pastel colored hair and the protection of an exposed neck. Meanwhile the girl took a wide step to the side to get to the Front Desk. "So......" Dragging that out all nice and sweet like as her eyes circled over him. Yeah she could see why Blink was a bit intimdated - she was too but this guy was about a hundred times bigger than the squirrel. If she were Blink she'd be more intimidated than she was!

Stretching an arm she leaned and she noticed Madeline! Amazing what you miss when you're all awestruck at large and imposing creature with a club and clothes with rattling bones hanging from it. "Madeline. Big Guy." Well she had to say something to him! Didn't need him thinking she was ignoring him and end up adding to his bone collection.

Was this guy gonna stay here? She had to know. There was no rule about loitering right? She popped a bud out of her ear and let it hang as she turned down her tunes.

[Grimlock]

Grimlock saw the first lady come up to the counter, then the second. So he looked down at his paper again.

"Number three. Grr eeeee t t t Greet the wo wom wo man, or man who answers the bell."

He looked up at Madeline and then the girl with the little furry creature and the colored hair who didn't say her name yet. He looked back at Madeline before he spoke.

"Hello Madeline pretty lady, are you the wo man who answered the bell?"

Then he looked back at the other pretty lady.

"Or are you the wo man who answered the bell?"

He tilted his head as he looked at her. Her hair was fascinating to him, even if he wouldn't have been able to say that in those exact words. He also looked at her furry creature.

"Not big guy, Grimlock. Pretty colors. Can Grimlock touch?"

He wondered about her hair, he had never seen hair like hers before. He just wanted to see how it felt.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline smiled at him. It was obvious he wasn't from these parts. She then looked to see who the other wo man he was refering to. Vesta!! She Maddie hadn't seen her since the days at Dre's shop. Maddie gave Vesta a big smile. "Hello Vesta, good to see you."

Returning her attention back to Grimlock, as he said that was his name.
"Yes Grimlock, I'm the one who answered the bell. and thank you for saying I was pretty."

[Vesta Voui]

Everything was fine.

Vesta was trying to act all cool by chillin' against the desk and Madeline had the aire about her that seeing things like Grimlock were everyday and nonconsequential - even Grimlock had a slow way about him that (to her) said he wouldn't do anything besides what he was told to do. So, everything was fine. Right?

Well it was . . . until Big Grim asked the question about whether or not he could touch her hair. Now Blink, he wasn't doing as well with faking a calm and cool attitude as Vesta was and his little body had been shaking as he hid under Vesta hair and behind her neck, so when he heard that the Orc wanted to touch he freaked out. He was all about self-preservation but it was accompanied with a fight-scratch-claw attitude.

"Blink!" Vesta shouted as her squirrel suddenly rocketed himself from her shoulder and to the large Orc with the intent to land on the shoulder. If he made it he would start clawing at the creature and crawling all around like a squirrel would. Even if he didn't land on the Orc, Blink would take to circling in, out, and around the big guy's feet.

So, maybe everything wasn't fine.

No more time to 'chill' Vesta stood from her lean and only inched forward slightly. "Blink! Blink come back!" She wasn't about to go grabbing all over big guy while he had a club in his hand. "Don't eat him."

[Grimlock]

Grimlock nodded softly to Madeline as he waited for the answer from the girl with the pretty colored hair. Madeline had called her Vesta. Then the pretty colored hair lady said blink.

"Blink?"

And just that fast, the little furry creature jumped on him. He dropped his club to the floor and started flailing his arms while he jumped around. Grunted screams came from his large mouth as he was obviously panicking. He heard the pretty colored hair lady telling the creature to come back. He stopped screaming even though the creature was still scratching at him and scampering all over him.

"Grimlock sorry. No eat Grimlock. Grimlock will no touch pretty colors. No eat Grimlock."

It would be safe to say that the large Orc was frightened by the little furry creature. That was when he heard the voice in his head.

~Stop dancing around like an idiot with the squirrel and get back on task you bumbling idiot. You're bigger than it is, take it off of you and give it back to it's owner.~

Grimlock had no idea that no one else could hear the voice in his head. He thought that everyone would know what that wicked cackle of his master's voice had told him. So he responded the only way he knew how. Outloud.

"It claws Grimlock. It hurts. Grimlock will get back on task when furry critter is not going to eat Grimlock no more."

But he did try to stop dancing around. He was hoping that if he stopped enough, the pretty colored hair lady could get her creature off of him.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Maddie was shocked to see Blink, attack this Grimlock Maddie quickly went from behind the counter to try to get Blink to quit.

Maddie in a soft soothing voice started talking to Blink. "Blliinnkkk. Look at me sweetie. This nice creature isn't gonna hurt anybody. If you come to me, I have a big bag of acorns, I'll let you have."

Maddie was relieved Grimlock wasn't trying to hurt the little squirrel. She smiled softly at Grimlock. Although she wondered who he was talking to.

"It's ok Grimlock, we'll get him to stop."

[Vesta Voui]

Let's back-peddle a bit here and look over the scene. Squirrel sees Orc. Squirrel cowers from Orc. Orc mentions Vesta's hair. Squirrel freaks out and attacks Orc. Orc... panics in fear of aforementioned Squirrel.

Did she miss something? Or perhaps all that she had heard from her fantasy geek brother back home and seen in a few pictures, was wrong. Didn't Orcs have tough skin and eat little furry creatures with a 'Me smash" bam bam sorta thing? Someone needs to call the public relations representative on Mythical and Magical Creatures and tell them that Orcs were not the tough hard asses all the media portrayed them out to be - living proof was right here in the Inn!

All of this is why Vesta suddenly stopped in her pursuit of Blink and was watching the Orc with a raised eye-brow expression, her whole body paused mid-action. Blink was effectively unaffected and therefore continued in his malicious attack and was trying to bite away at the creatures neck (perhaps he even drew blood if the Orc had such sensitive skin?) even as the creature bounced around and tried to shake him off. He had a good grip this one did!

The Orc settled down and Blink heard Madeline as he hand lifted to hit at the Orc. She said the magic word: Food. Okay. Well, she didn't actually say 'food' but what she had said translated to it so it worked. He could be bribed with food, but he didn't jump to Madeline - he didn't know her - instead he jumped down on Vesta's head and got her out of her daze with a soft 'Ow' from her. It didn't hurt, it was more of an reaction to a shock.

"Come on Blink... we were.. uh.. yeah." And the squirrel waved his tail in front of her eyes. "I'm sure she wasn't kidding about the nuts. Acorns. Is there really a difference?" Blink curled up in her hair. "But they're all -- okay. O-kaaay." Vesta wasn't nuts (ha!) Blink was doing small fidgets and motions where he sat so knew what he was saying.

"Sorry big guy. Uh Madeline? You weren't kidding about the nuts were you?"

[Madeline Cauthon]

Glad that Blink had stopped, Madeline walked back behind the desk, and bent down for her bag. She pulled out a 3lb bag of acorns. She held it up so Blink and Vesta could see it, then set it down beside the desk. "Here ya go Vesta, just for Blink."

She then gave a sympathetic smile to Grimlock. "You ok Grimlock? Blink didn't mean no harm, he's just a little protective of his friend. Now what can I help you with?"

[Grimlock]

Grimlock hoped that the offer that Madeline made to the furry creature was going to be enough to get him to stop attacking Grimlock. And what luck, it did. The bites that the little furry creature were putting on his neck weren't breaking the skin. That skin was still as thick as it should have been. Under normal circumstances, he was a thick skinned tough guy, who just happened to buy meat from a butcher.

Now that he was no longer jumping around and flailing in an attempt to get the furry creature off of him, maybe the pair of pretty ladies would notice the bruises and welts that covered the orc's back and arms. There were also cuts and scratches, they went down to the back of his legs as well. Someone had beaten this orc.

He would have been paying attention to the ladies were it not for that voice in his head making it's unwelcome return.

~There. The squirrel is not attacking you anymore. Now get back to what you are supposed to be doing you big buffoon.~

Grimlock got an angry expression on his face before he chose to respond to that voice.

"Grimlock not buffoon. Buffoon is monkey. Grimlock is not monkey."

There was a definite tone to the voices reply. Half irritated and half frustrated.

"That's a baboon you idiot. Now get your little piece of paper out and do as you are told to do. You know what will happen if you disobey me again.~

Grimlock bent over and picked up his dropped club and the piece of paper that had fallen from the other hand. He looked at his paper as he grumbled.

"Grimlock no like you."

The voice sounded even more irritated.

~I heard that.~

Grimlock shook hi head and set his paper down on the desk to flatten it back out. He looked down at it. But Madeline distracted him from his reading.

"Grimlock ok, thank you."

There was a bit of sadness to his voice. He continued to read his 'To Do' list.

"Number four. P pr pro ... What be this word?"

He turned the paper so that they could see the word. At the bottom of his taloned fingernail was the word procure. The fourth thing on his list was to procure a room. But his master chose to use big words. He always had a air about him. And his over inflated ego made him treat his minions more like worthless, brainless slaves than trusted employees. Something that could have been obvious if people understood what the markings were up and down the orc's back.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline listened to Grimlock talk. It was obvious he was a gentle creature. But she became a bit concerned with what he was saying. She gave Vesta a concerned look. It was obvious that someone was talking to him mentally, and not being nice. "Grimlock, we know your're not a buffoon."

At that point Maddie looked up, and said hopefully to where the other talking to Grimlock could here. "Now please stop picking on Grimlock, and let him finish."

She then looked at the piece of paper Grimlock showed her. "That word is procure, it means you would like a room to stay in. Is that what you want Grimlock?"

[Vesta Voui]

Not much need to state the obvious in the matter of Blink and his reaction to the large bag of acorns, I mean, if you were just given a mother-load of something you loved you'd be happy right? Vestas reaction wasn't much one of joy and happiness but rather that the idea of Madeline carrying around a three pound bag of acorns in her duffle bag was simply redonkulous! That girl really loved her nuts.

Blink thought that he was getting a reward for being a big-bad-Blink the Orc Slayer and his paws reached to the bag only for his tail to wrap against Vesta's head when she cradled the bag in her arms. Yeah. this bag was staying here. They were going out and there was no inconspicuous way to hide this many nuts, so it was to the steps they go.

"Thanks for the bag, Madeline. Blink's gonna go swim in it." Ha, that's what she pictured the squirrel doing. Putting all the nuts in their sink and doing a swan dive into it from the towel rack. "Sorry for the full on attack big guy.."

The Orc wasn't there to do any harm and it appeared that Madeline was A-O-Kay on the front desk home-front so Vesta took the exit, stage back, to the steps to take care of the bag of nuts before she and Blink would continue on.

[Grimlock]

In fact, that voice could hear the melodious voice of the lady Madeline. Loud and clear in fact. After all, he could hear everything Grimlock could hear, see everything Grimlock could see, smell everything Grimlock could smell. He could take complete control over the orc if he so wished.

But from where Grimlock's master rested, in a meditative state, he was simply making use of the three senses that were of the most use to him. Which is also what told him that this Madeline was someone who might be of some use later.

But for now, he was not going to take over the orc's body. He had more to investigate before he decided to put this woman to good use. So for now he would settle for laughing at the woman. She wouldn't hear it of course, but Grimlock would. And if he knew what was good for him, he wouldn't tell her anything she didn't need to know.

When Grimlock heard that cackling in his head, he covered both of his ears. He wrinkled his face, but didn't cry out from the pain. He knew better. When the wicked laughter stopped her let out a breath of relief and put his hands back down. It was time to get back to what he was supposed to be doing.

He nodded to pretty Madeline slowly. He had to think about her words to make sure he heard her right before he could say and answer though. When he was sure he spoke again.

"Yes, Grimlock need room. Room with window so he know night and day. Want big pile of straw for bed. With two blankies if that's ok? Grimlock don't need nothing else in room. Just sleepy time straw and window."

He was nodding as he spoke. He heard the pretty colored hair lady talk about leaving. She told Grimlock that she was sorry for the attack from the furry creature. Grimlock blinked (no pun intended) at her for a moment.

"That's ok pretty colored hair lady. Grimlock will feel better later. Bye bye. Grimlock hope to see you later."

The last said as she was headed away from him and pretty Madeline at the desk. He looked back to his list as he spoke again.

"Pretty colored hair lady seem nice. Grimlock think she good person. Attack furry creature not so nice though. Number four. Oh yeah, we did that already. Number five. Pay for six nights stay with gold from your pouch."

He looked back up at pretty Madeline. He pulled out his pouch from where it was tied to the hip of his loin cloth.

"Does he mean from Grimlock's pouch?"

He hoped she knew better than he did what the note meant.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Grimlocks quest was a simple one and could be easily arrange. "Not a problem, I would be glad to set that up for you."

Maddie waved bye to Blink and Vesta. "See ya around Vesta, enjoy your nuts Blink!!"

She looked at Grimlocks note again, and saw him get his pouch. "Yes thats what he means.

Maddie took the the pouch from Grimlock, and got the required gold for his stay at the inn. Then handed the pouch back.

"She took the book, and turned it to the orc. "All you have to do now is sign this book, then I will so you your room. Is that okay with you?"

[Grimlock]

Grimlock smiled at pretty Madeline. When she handed the pouch back to him he hooked it back to his loin cloth. He picked up the pen that was laying on the book and held it in his fist with the writing part sticking out the bottom. It was like a small child who was scribbling with crayons.

"Grimlock sign."

He wrote his name slowly. Each letter was made slowly and carefully. The letters were crooked and the lines looked as if he had the shakes when he wrote them. He said each letter as he wrote it. His m was capitalized and his 'k' was backwards.

"G r i M l o c k." There go pretty Madeline. Grimlock do good?"

He wanted to make sure that he signed the book the way he was supposed to.

"Do Grimlock need key?"

He was more than happy to be shown to his room by pretty Madeline. Plus, he was getting hungry, she might be able to tell him where he could go to eat.

"Grimlock would like pretty Madeline show him his room. Does pretty Madeline know where Grimlock can get big meat to eat?"

Most places didn't serve dragon meat, so he had learned to eat steak.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline gave Grimlock his key once he signed the book. "I'll tell you what, I'll show you your room, then meet in the bar, and I'll fix you something to eat. Would that be okay?"

Madeline pointed to where the bar was so Gimlock would know where to meet her. She then walked from around the desk, and led Grimlock to his room on the first floor. "Follow me this way Grimlock."

[Grimlock]

Grimlock took his key from pretty Madeline and slid it into his money pouch. He looked to where pretty Madeline pointed and saw that it was a bar with tables and chairs and stools at the bar. His face wrinkled a bit until he spotted some stools that looked big enough for him. Then he smiled.

"That sound nice to Grimlock."

He followed pretty Madeline to his room. He wanted to see if it already had a big pile of straw for him to make into a bed. And if it had the two blankets. Because pretty Madeline had said that it was not a problem for him to have two. He used one to cover the straw and one to sleep under. That way the straw didn't scratch his already sensitive back. Most of the places he had stayed didn't have blankets that were long enough for him, so he had gotten used to sleeping curled up under them.

"Grimlock can walk back to bar with pretty Madeline after see room. Grimlock just want to see where room is so Grimlock can find it. Grimlock no need rest yet. Grimlock hungry first."

He looked around as they walked. He wanted to see everything he could to make sure he didn't get lost.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline walked with Grimlock to the end of the hall. On the way, she focused her mystical energy into the room that would be Grimlocks and what he requested. As they walked down the hall she changed it. Normally she would have done it the normal way, but she was more interested in making Grimlock happy, so she could find out who exactly was giving him all these orders. ~ Verto.~

When they got to Grimlocks room she stopped. When he opened the door, he would see a large pile of straw, two blankets, even a teddy bear. "Okay Grimlock, you can use your key to open the door, then we will go see about food."

[Grimlock]

Grimlock walked with pretty Madeline down to the end of the hall. He was counting doors to himself as well as watching the numbers on them. When she stopped at a door and said he could open it, he fished his key out of his pouch and fumbled with it. It took a few seconds for his big fingers to get to where he was holding the key so it could be used. Then he slid the key in the door and turned it. He hit his knuckles against the door jam when he did.

"Ouch!"

When he heard the click of the lock unlocking he pulled the key out. He used his fingertips to turn the door handle in an attempt to not hit his knuckles again. When he pushed the door open he looked inside. he saw the pile of straw and smiled. Then he saw that there were two blankets folded up beside it, and they had a teddy bear on top of them.

"Pretty Madeline let Grimlock borrow teddy bear?"

There was happy surprise in his voice when he spoke. He had never had a teddy bear before. But he knew what they were because his daughter had one before ... He pulled the door closed and smiled at pretty Madeline.

"Thank you pretty Madeline. Grimlock eat now?"

He thought that she might be able to hear his stomach growling by now. He was definitely hungry. He put the key back into the door and turned it with the tips of his fingers until he heard it lock back. The key was then dropped back into his pouch. He was ready to go eat.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline smiled. "Grimlock can have teddy bear." Madeline was glad he liked the room. He seemed like such a nice creature, it made her wonder why anyone would call him names.

"Yes Grimlock eat now." Maddie walked with Grimlock to the bar area. "Sit anywhere you want, and tell me what I can fix for you."

[Grimlock]

Grimlock smiled so big when pretty Madeline said he could have the teddy bear that his teeth showed. Two clawed hands went to her waists, one on each side, just above her hips. He carefully closed his taloned fingers around her waist and hoped that she would place her hands on his arms rather than panic. If she didn't panic and put her hands on his arms he would lift her up and kiss her cheek. If she panicked he would let her go. Though he would be sad about it. Either way he would speak.

"Thank you pretty Madeline. Grimlock name teddy bear Saradon like him daughter."

Then the over joyed orc would follow pretty Madeline to the bar. He found a place to sit on a stool that seemed to be a little larger than the others. Like it was maybe meant to seat larger guests?

When pretty Madeline asked him what she could fix for him he smiled. He looked around the bar area and then leaned in to whisper to her.

"Pretty Madeline have ..."

He looked around again just to be sure.

"Dragon meat?"

The last was whispered even quieter that the first. Not many places had dragon meat and a lot of those who didn't were not too happy that other places did. But Grimlock was feeling rather trusting of pretty Madeline. But that voice in his head was not.

~You stupid imbecile. Are you trying to get yourself thrown out? Stop talking about your daughter and just eat cow. I did not put anything about your daughter or dragon meat on your list. Stick to your list or else.~

Grimlock sighed. His frustration might have even been noticeable if pretty Madeline would notice such things.

"Grimlock want big meat. Meat from cow will do. And potatoes. Maybe four. Cooked in oven please. And meat not red or pink. Grimlock like him meat cooked good."

He didn't ask for a vegetable or any other side dish. But as an after thought he did add a drink to his request.

"And a tankard of ale. Grimlock thirsty too."

He blinked slowly, his frustration was still showing. He mumbled to himself.

"Grimlock not stupid imbecile. And Grimlock like dragon meat better."

He knew his master would have heard him. But he wasn't sure if pretty Madeline would.

~I suggest you shut up, NOW.~

He sat there for a moment before his expression changed. He looked a little embarrassed then.

"Grimlock sorry pretty Madeline. Grimlock forgot say please. And thank you."

Then he sat and waited to see what pretty Madeline was going to say and do.

((I think we should move this to the bar now. I'll double post so you can find it.))

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