Negotiations with a man
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 118818
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Oh, poor Gerkka. What a horrible, disorienting experience it was, to feel her mind expand so. Slowly, she began to understand the true depravity of her situation, the horrible string of events that had put her here, the depth of what had been taken from her - and thrust upon her. But even now she continued to doubt that she had once been Fred. It had been so ingrained in her that he was a fantasy, a trick she had played on herself, but for the first time in many years, she began to doubt that this was quite true. In any case, she found herself in the body of an ogress, nearly two years pregnant, living with other ogres. And... she'd been doing that living quite contentedly. Where were these sudden thoughts coming from?? Still hidden, the mages cast one last spell, which would allow one of them to approach Gerkka and be seen and heard only by her. Once he was close enough, just as she was noticing him, he cast a similar spell on her, so that when she spoke, he was the only one who heard. And just in time, too, for she cried, "You! Who you?" [Her language skills were still mighty rusty at best.] "My name is Rullmend," he said quietly, his hands up placatingly. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk to you." She looked around. It was late evening, and most ogres were either eating or sleeping, with a few sitting guard. No one was currently looking at her. She looked back dubiously, and said, "You from Allaria?" "Yes," he said, encouraged by her lack of aggression. "I was sent to find out what happened to you." "And bring back. Bring back me, and To'og." "Well... yes," he conceded. "But not if you really don't want to. Can you explain why you left, Gerkka? I know you used to be human, and that Arahim told you he might turn you back one day." She hesitated, and asked at length, "You why... brain smart? You why..." She strained. "...me can think better?" "Yes," he admitted. "I wanted to make sure you could make an informed decision. Gerkka?" he asked again. "Why did you leave?" She sighed, and shook her head. "Nothing for me in Allaria. Me have family here. To'og want leave... so me leave." "Yes," Rullmend said in understanding. "I understand Arahim and those others in the palace privy to your situation didn't expect you to become so... attached to your child. I'm sorry you're in this position. "But me am," she said gruffly. "You no take me back. Me no want to..." she stopped short. Was that true? Really? Now that she was remembering with more clarity... was it true that she was content to remain here? In this life? In this form? At last, she asked tentatively, "You put me brain back?" He cocked his head. "Do you want me to, Gerkka?" "Me no know," she admitted. It was likely only to make her life here harder, but she was loath to actually say she was okay with being dumb again. "Well, the spell won't last more than a few hours." He paused, and tried, "If you want to keep your human intelligence, maybe we can work something out if you come with me to go talk to Arahim..." She shook her head, but she was still thinking. "To'og no want come back, for sure." "Yeah... I was warned that he might be a tough nut to crack. You wouldn't want to come back without him, huh?" "Me rather he come," she confirmed. "And if me go and he not know where, he come look me at castle." Rullmend nodded in understanding. Gerkka thought several long minutes, her mind going back to Sir Fred. She... she really thought she might have been him. It still might be true, even now. She wasn't sure by any means, but it felt important to keep in consideration. But in a few hours, unless she went back with this man, she would likely forget him again... but who was more important, Fred, or her ogre family? At last,
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2/16/2022 5:20:19 AM
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