Cuthbert and the Cleric Ch. 03: Goblins and Greed

He had understood maybe half of what the cleric had said, and comprehended even less. "Uh... that's great, Ziri. Thanks."

Yolyu, however, must have understood exactly what Ziri was getting at. The shaman gasped and held a hand to her bare belly. "You mean... the curse is over?"

"Mhm," Ziri nodded, before jerking and surprising them all. "Oh wait! I wanted to give you something, Yolyu." Ziri rummaged in her sack and pulled out a book bound in red leather with the familiar pink infinity sign/female body symbol on the front. "This is our holy book. If you want to make it up to Freyja, read it and teach it. She is a gracious goddess, and She would treat your tribe well. Looks like She's already helping you out especially, eh?"

Yolyu took the book, holding it as if it would crumble to dust at a breeze, and bowed to Ziri. "Thank you, Mistress Ziri. I will bring pride to Freyja. In return, I would also give something." Yolyu snapper her fingers and Klivikx appeared in our circle quiet enough to almost give him a heart attack. Where had the little runt been hiding? "If it pleases you, please take Klivikx with you."

Four sets of eyes widened at the matron, and the young goblin was the first to speak up. "Mistress Yolyu, a-are you sure?"

Yolyu nodded. "I have taught you all I can. You deserve more than this. Go, learn, grow." Then she turned to the adventurers and continued, "Klivikx will be very useful. I taught him potions, he can be quiet as death, and he will relieve you whenever you wish. Please, show him things I cannot."

The rest of them were still baffled, and for whatever reason Ziri and Inyelw'n both looked to Cuthbert. He found his voice hiding from the responsibility, shrugged, and said, "Fuck it, why not? He's good people." Klivikx beamed and gave Yolyu a deep hug, which turned into a very deep and passionate kiss that made his compatriots deeply uncomfortable. "S'alright, he's adopted," he clarified, which seemed to help.

Ziri cleared her throat when more than enough time had passed for the goodbye kiss and said, "One last condition then, Klivikx. If you're going to travel with us you need to agree to Freyja's blessing, all it'll do is keep you from impregnating anyone. Else we'll never get any adventuring done." She finished off with a wink that made the goblin squirm, but he nodded.

"Hey, wait a sec," Cuthbert piped in, "I thought you said goblins were too potent for that. That's why you made me put on Inyelw'n's dress."

"Which he ruined, by the way," the elf sniffed.

"It works if the goblin willingly agrees to it," Ziri dismissively said. "That's how devotion works. Now, let's pack up and get to Ightwood, I'm not sure how much more wilderness I can handle! Please."

-To be continued-