Chapter 9: Worry

Fen walked with a bounce to his step, Yurek behind him. They made their way to the public baths, and the incubus made the goblin take a bath.

Yurek did so, because he didn't feel like getting his soul eaten. His rags were thrown away, and he was given pants and a tunic fit for children from the shop next to the baths.

The goblin disliked having to wear clothes, rather than a loin cloth. They were too restrictive, and he was not used to them. But, the memory of his tribe stopped him from complaining.

Next, they went into an inn, where all three of Fen's lovers were already bathed and dressed, the bed made, and they were waiting for him.

"You could have waited for me," Eleric told the incubus. "What if you got hurt?"

"So, you do care about me, hm?" Fen walked to the elf, and took a hold of the man's shoulders. "That is nice of you."

"Of course, I worry. We are lovers, and..." Eleric tried to protest more, but then he was kissed. Fen bit his lower lip when he refused to open his mouth, and deepened the kiss.

When he was done, he licked his lips, and looked straight into Eleric's eyes.

"Don't you worry about me, my little elf. I am more than powerful enough to protect myself," Fen kissed the elf again, this time not begging for entrance, and then turned around so that the goblin was in sight.

"I got us a pet," Fen stated proudly. "He can clean, maybe cook. Right, Yurek?"

"I can, master," the goblin agreed. Pet was good. People didn't lay with their pets. Yurek just hoped that his short stature and his green skin were unattractive to the incubus.

"What did you do? Your note said you will be going out for a quest," Alistair's eyes were narrowed.

"Are you suspecting me of cheating, my dear?" Fen asked, turning his attention to the vampire. "Don't. I can be patient. If you invite another person to the harem, that would be good. If you do not, that would be good as well."

"Your harem is big enough," all three said at the same time. Fen chuckled.

"That is what you three insist," the incubus told them, and he sat on the bed. "I miss the pond."

"You want us to go back to your prison?" Anmu asked, disbelieving.

"I have never viewed it as a prison," Fen told him with a smile. "More of a home."

"What was the quest about?" Alistair insisted.

"This flute was in need of retrieving," Fen pulled out the flute out of his bottomless bag. "Surely, I have done nothing wrong?"

"Goblin, what did Fen do?" Alistair asked Yurek.

"He...made everyone couple like mad animals. They are dead now," Yurek looked down when Fen glared at him.

"Did you have to tell?" The incubus asked.

"Why did you do it, Fen?" Eleric asked. They had kept the incubus well-fed. Why had he killed off the goblins in such a way?

"You eat vegetables, do you not? Well, souls are my vegetables, morsel. Do you really care about a bunch of goblins?" Fen asked, an eyebrow risen.

"You won't do it to humans, will you?" Anmu asked, and he saw Yurek flinch. "I am sorry, goblin."

"Yurek," the goblin corrected him. "I have a name."

"Sorry Yurek," Anmu spoke. "It is not that goblins are more deserving of what Fen did, it is just that..."

Yurek bowed his head. He didn't want to hear anything more. Placing his hands on his ears, he began to count in his mind. Two soft hands were placed on his own, and he looked up.

"Yurek, dear. Do you know why I spared you?" Fen asked, head tilted to the side.

"Because I tried to fight what you did?" Yurek mumbled.

"Precisely. You are not just a goblin; you are a pure soul. I don't like attacking the pure souls," Fen leaned, and kissed the goblin on the forehead. As if he were a benevolent father, who was assuring his son that the monsters under his bed were not real.

The goblin nodded, and got his hands from on top of his ears.

"We will go back to the house," Fen spoke, his voice not allowing for any arguments. "And take quests from around there. I do need the pond."

"Why though?" Alistair asked. There were many things he couldn't understand about the incubus, but this, his insistence to go back to his prison, was the biggest one.

"If I don't drink from the pond, I will go berserk," Fen admitted. "You don't want to witness me like that."

"We have to go back, and fill in water bottles for our journeys," Eleric spoke. "We can get a return quest to Mante?"

"That sounds great," Fen saw that Anmu was taking out a bottle.

"Here, Fen. I had to use a lot yesterday because of the sick people, but I have plenty left," the Naga offered the water to the incubus, who took it. Fen drank the contents of the bottle, and his mind cleared somewhat.

"Well, I need to turn in this flute," Fen spoke. "Did you pack?"

"We did," Alistair said, and he got off the bed. They all turned to Yurek.

"Before we leave, Yurek, help yourself to the fruit bowl," Fen spoke, voice soft. "You look like you have gone without food a long time. Eat up, dearest."

Yurek blinked, and walked pass the incubus and to the table. There was indeed a fruit bowl in the middle that was still full, and some leftover bread and cheese.

"Don't forget to eat some of the bread and cheese too, Yurek. You are part of the family — now. We take care of one another," Anmu told the goblin.

"You don't care that I am a goblin?" Yurek asked, his eyes going misty.

"You could be another incubus like Fen, and we will still treat you right," Eleric told him with a smile. As the goblin helped himself to the leftovers of the breakfast, he heard Fen and Eleric bicker about incubus and how one shouldn't use them in such comparisons.