The rest of the day was spent in a tense silence. After Ambrose had healed the minor cuts and scrapes Trelen had gotten for being dragged across the ground, they had gone back to building the kiln. Ambrose and even Ros had asked if they wanted to talk a few times, but they had just said they needed to concentrate.

  Not really sure what to do himself, Ambrose continued and eventually finished packing mud on to the wood pile he had made.

  "So, I just set a fire at the bottom now and then close it up?" He asked Trelen.

  They simply nodded and carried on building the kiln.

  Ambrose did as he was instructed and stood looking at the result. "I still don't get how this will turn the wood into charcoal.

  "You can produce fire from your hands and you can't believe this?" Trelen replied, tuning their head slightly to raise their eyebrows at him.

  "Fair point." Ambrose said, with a nod.

  Seeing how he had managed to get response out of Trelen that has some substance to it, he decided it might be a good opportunity to check on them again.

  "I want you to know, I meant what I said. While you are here, you are safe."

  Trelen gave a sigh and nodded. "I know, and frankly you have shown you have the ability to back up your claims. Whatever power you have over this bit of land is quite…" They trailed of for a moment.

  "I know, I find it a bit scary as well."

  "Do you really not have any idea about how all this works?" They said, gesturing around them.

  Ambrose slowly shook his head. "I know that I can feel when I am on my land, and I can tell when people come on to it.” He said, sitting on a stump. "Also, when I have been heading into the city, or when I went to the coast I told Gro-Lag he was in charge until I got back and I think that did something."

  "So, you didn’t know that telling those slavers they weren't welcome would make them leave?"

  "Nope"

  "But you still tried to protect me?"

  Ambrose looked at the Slovèi, confusion blooming on his face.

  "Of course, your-"

  Ambroses turned suddenly and looked towards the camp.

  Trelen quickly dropped the brick they were holding and darted forward, grabbing Ambrose’s arm.

  "Are they back?"

  He waited for a moment, and the ting on his senses faded. "No, I don't think so."

  They both cautiously made their way towards camp, Trelen sticking close to Ambrose as they did.

  They emerged into the camp and found Gro-Lag and Ros sitting with their children having lunch. Reenie had been terrified by what had happened and Gro-Lag had; at his suggestion and Ambrose's insistence, taken then rest of day off from his tasks to just spend time with his family.

  The goblins looked up at his and Trelen's approach. They smiled at them, but then let their faces drop when they noticed their demeanor.

  "Someone's here?" Ros asked.

  Ambrose nodded. "But I don't think they’re hostile."

  Gro-Lag stood and he and Ambrose started walking towards the path. Trelen choosing to stay with Ros and the kids.

  They hadn't gone far when they heard a voice.

  "Hello, Ambrose?"

  Ambrose froze for a moment but then remembered the voice.

  "Arlon, over here." He replied, his voice slightly raised.

  After a moment of rustling the half-dwarf emerged from the foliage. "Thank the stones, I have been searching for most of the morning for you camp."

  Ambrose offered his hand the they shook. "Sorry, the woods have not got the most obvious landmarks." I really need to make that path. He thought.

  "Well luckily I saw the smoke from your fire over the trees." She looked at Gro-Lag and had the slightest flicker of confusion before she smiled at him.

  "Oh sorry, Arlon this is Gro-Lag, He and his family live here with me."

  Arlon offered her hand to the goblin, who after moments pause shook it.

  "Good to see Ambrose has made some friends, was worried I was going to fine he had started drawing faces on trees."

  Gro-Lag let out a confused laugh, and they started to make their way back to camp.

  "I have to admit you’re looking better than a thought you would." Arlon said as she walked next to Ambrose.

  "Thank you?" Ambrose said, confused if it was a compliment or not.

  "I mean you hadn't had a proper wash for who knows how long the last time I saw you."

  "Gro-Lag's wife made some soap." He responded, flatly.

  "Ah, ok."

  An awkward silence fell between the two, one that didn't relent until they made it back to camp.

  As they entered Trelen jumped, stood and almost looking like they was about to run, when they saw a new person was with them.

  "Trelen it's fine, this is Arlon, she is here to collect the deer." Ambrose said, with his hands raised to try to calm the Slovèi.

  Arlon walked up to them slowly and offered them their hand. "Nice to meet you, I didn't know there was any Slovèi living around Bramptonburg?"

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Trelen hesitantly accepted the hand shake. "I hadn't plan to."

  "This is my wife Ros-Ge?n-Lüg and my children Reen-Ge?n-Lüg and Gren-Lag." Gro-Lag said gesturing to where they were sitting.

  Arlon walked over and shook Ros' hand. "I hear you are to thank for Ambrose's continued cleanliness."

  Ros looked confused for a moment before seemingly understanding the half dwarf's comment. "To be honest, it was mostly to stop Gro-Lag coming to bed stinking like a butcher."

  The two women gave a laugh, as Rennie cursorily walked up to them. Arlon noticing the girl, crouched to be eye level with her. "You must be Reen-Ge?n-Lüg?"

  The girl nodded. "Ambrose calls me Reenie since he can't say my name with is little teeth."

  Arlon smiled at the girl's comment and looked at Ambrose. "It's not that hard to say"

  Ambrose raised his hands in a gesture of defeat and gave an exaggerated shrug. "Apparently."

  "Are you going to make us leave?" The girl said suddenly.

  Arlon looked back at her, clearly confused. "Of course not. Why you think that?" She said softly.

  The rest of the adults looked at each other with a mix of sadness and concern.

  Ambrose walked over and crouched down next to the two, ruffling Rennie's hair, causing her to giggle and looked at Arlon. "We had a bit of trouble."

  He showed Arlon around while informing her of what had happened since he had last seen her, including the arrival of the slavers that had happened earlier.

  "That explains the strange group I saw on the road." she said as she followed him.

  "You saw them?"

  Arlon nodded. "I recognised there outfits as being Astraquian, so found it strange that they were so far away from one of the ports."

  "Which way were they heading?"

  "Towards the city."

  Ambrose's face creased with concern. "That can't be good, but at least they aren't hanging around waiting for Trelen to leave."

  They made their way back to the camp and found Gro-Lag cutting up meat.

  "Ah, Ambrose was telling me about you famous cooking." She looked at the rock he was cutting on. "Is that, heart?"

  "It is, Ambrose said you wouldn't be taking the innards of the deer so I wanted to use them before they went rancid." The goblin explained.

  Arlon nodded along. "I will be honest; I have never eaten heart before. Well, never knowingly, I have had some rather cheap pies in my time."

  "I was hesitant when he first cooked it for me." Ambrose cut in. "Bad memories of chewing till my jaw hurt in the orphanage, but Gro-Lag can somehow make it good."

  "it's not that hard my lord, you just have to boil heart slowly, or cut it very small and serve it with lots of herbs. Though we are unfortunately nearly out of the ones we brough with us."

  "I'm sure you could buy more back at the city." Arlon suggested.

  "That reminds me." Ambrose said, walking towards the deer they had brough down from hanging. "Can I accompany you back to Bramptonburg? I have some business I need to take care of."

  "I was actually going to suggest that you do." She replied.

  Ambrose cocked his head slightly at her comment, showing his confusing.

  "I think you should approach the council and explain your situation. If the guard find you out here and have no knowledge of it… well I'm not sure what would happen."

  Ambrose hadn't even considered informing the city officials about his land, he felt so far from the city he just assumed he wouldn't even be noticed. "Will they even care? I mean it not like I am near the city limits."

  "If you were just going to keep having a small camp, probably not, but…" She looked around. "You have already built one home, and from what you told me you only going to be building more."

  Ambrose considered what she said. "Maybe?"

  "What will this council do when they find out about this place?" Gro-Lag asked.

  "I mean, I don't know what they could do. As far as I know, no one else has the ability to reside in the forest like Ambrose does." Arlon said looking at the two. "Plus, there might be some benefits to being officially recognised by the city as a settlement."

  "Like what?" Ambrose asked, intrigued.

  "Well, the few small settlements that sit on the border of the forest and are recognised are able to order supplies from the guild hubs, as well as having post services and regular guard patrols."

  All of those would be very handy to have, especially the guard patrols, which he felt might make all of them feel safer after what had happened today.

  "Ok, I think that might be a good idea." Ambrose said, nodding.

  Arlon smiled at his agreement. "The only issue is the council won't be adjourned by the time we make it back today, and I need to get back to get these deer skinned."

  He considered his options. "I mean I was sleeping on the streets not that long ago, one night back there won't kill me."

  "Don't be silly." Arlon said, waving his suggestion away. "You can spend the night at mine."