Framework of the Frontier, Sain Artwell [read me a book .TXT] 📗

the trio of goblins long after they’d passed the gate.

Ember began preparing dinner, while William handled Rajza. Ranger’s handbook instructed the dead to be kept around for no more than ten days to give their kin a chance for proper burial, after which the Ranger was to take care of it with whatever rites and rituals he or she deemed appropriate. William left Rajza in one of the many empty cells, locked it up in case of undead being a thing here, and went to check up on Rulu.

She swam with ballerina-esque grace, darting through the darker corners beneath the sunken statues and thickets of exotic lace-like kelp. Rulu stopped when she spotted him by the lake’s edge. Her bioluminescent glowed gently. She spun towards him, stepping out of the lake naked and dripping water. “Did you require something, William?”

He found something incredibly hot about her resting face. It resembled that look of mixed annoyance and mild infatuation — aka. the female boner expression. Yum. And, God damn her slender body had the perfect build for her perky breasts. Aaand, William found her eyes again.

“How are the accommodations here princess?” he asked with a bit of tease.

Rulu regarded the pool below her lazily paddling feet. “Miserable. The options for sleeping holes are sparse and the variety of edible creatures rather unimpressive. Depth is its only redeeming quality and even that is barely acceptable.”

William offered a supportive chuckle, failing to restrain his gaze once again. “Right, Ember and I are having dinner soon. Feel free to join us.”

“I shall consider it.” Rulu’s tail flapped water happily.

“Say, what kind of clothes do you typically wear?”

“I used to own a lovely enchanted dress fashioned out of the membranes of an ancient mnemiopth witch, and several living weed-weave outfits of the highest grade.” Rulu raised a brow, folding arms beneath her breasts. “Why?”

So she wasn’t from a nudist culture, but sorta was? William looked through the clouds, trying to figure out how to explain his western sensibilities to her. And do I want to? Having a hot babe bounce around the town butt naked was, after all, an honest man’s dream. “I was thinking of buying you something to wear.”

“And conceal my beauty?” she asked, sounding almost offended.

“Well, only to cover the naughty bits. I mean… I don’t mind ogling you, but I’d rather your appearance didn’t provoke every adventurer who comes by Nastall.”

“It is only natural for others to desire me, I am an aboleth princess. My beauty is superior to that of the fairest siren.” Rulu flipped her hair with a smug smirk. “Had you accepted me as your concubine, I might have been compelled to obey your whims, but why should I do so now?”

William groaned. Well, this is going great… “Okay, how about I give you a gift, something to enhance your beauty.”

“You believe me this simpleminded?” Rulu squinted a dead stare at him.

“No, not at all. It’s just, well there’s this nice dress at a nearby shop that would fit you.”

“Truly? What is it like?” She seemed to sense the lie.

Fuck. “It’s… It’s white. I think it’d be nice. White on white, yea… Yeah, it’d be great on you. It would bring out your figure with a subtle tease that would be universally appealing. White dresses on slender girls are like thigh-highs and thick thighs.”

“Huh?”

“Imagine two things that pair well together. It’s like that.”

“Like bone and pearls. Hmm…” Rulu nodded with a look of approval. “Very well, I shall allow this. Since you insist.”

Moron. You could’ve said nudity is illegal. Although, is it? It might not be. Whatever, at least she’s happy.

William sighed. “Speaking of which, do you know what happened to those pearls Aggoloth had?”

“I would imagine they remain on her person. What would one do with a paltry sum of thirty hundred depth pearls if it is not sufficient to even bribe a lone Ranger?”

“Ha-ha. That’s fair I guess.” He could’ve used them though. Ah well. Too bad. “Wanna come along to the shop?”

“Hmm. Yes, why not? I have never actually experienced a surface market.”

Nearing Rettete’s Fair Exchange, William noted foul smoke billowing out from the crotch of a large statue above the heavily fortified alcove functioning as the front. He was smoking something.

Behind the sturdy barred windows, the wispy haired goblin balanced on a narrow stool and hung large sausages in the ceiling. He remained oblivious to William and Rulu until they tapped the window.

“Is that chimera I’m smelling?” William asked. He noticed a bubbling pot of lard further back in the shop.

“Ack, it’s the human.” Rettete groaned, his hook nose bending with his scowl. “Pssht! Another one falls to a sea-hag. Pathetic. Predictable.” He scoffed, scurrying over to the counter with the repaired falchion and a large bundle that could only be the chimera pelt. “Always the sea-hags. Stinky fishy liars. Tsk tsk tsk…”

Oh, damn, should’ve left her back in the lake.

“Insolence vermin! I will have you know that I am Rulu Ekh R’lyeh, an aboleth princess of R’lyeh and I am owed a certain measure of respect—”

Rettete promptly spat at the window, clearly aiming at Rulu. “Don’t give a gjibber’s wip over whose crotch gremlin you are. No, I don’t. Didn’t dig a hole here to curtsy at every mushy brain harlot who strings up words for a fancy title. No, sure didn’t!”

“I shall carve fear into your soul.” Rulu’s eyes glowed green.

William raised his voice, pushing Rulu to step back outside. “Wait, hold on with that thought. Rulu, sorry, I forgot how much of an ass he is. Could you step back. Let’s meet up at dinner, okay? Let me handle this.”

Rettete chortled.

“Unbelievable…” Rulu grumbled that primordial tongue of hisses and grunts. “You will find me where Ember is,” she said, stomping off.

Rettete flipped the counter, presenting the