Theo, Prequel Ch. 03: Forgiveness...

She was sure he wasn't exploiting her.

Welp. A second telescope lens slid out of the tube and shattered on the ground. Clumsy clumsy...

Gilly sighed. She was being paranoid. The boy was cute, he cared, and he blurted out an awkward confession of love at second day. Awkward, but she felt he would be an alright person.

And, her heart fluttering, she had to admit she liked him too. Not just sexually, in a few days' sleep and talk he had proven himself to be a strange match. She just appreciated the time with him, glad that he didn't ask about why she liked weird sex toys, books, engineering and GENERALLY BEING A SHORT GREEN MONSTER GIRL.

For someone out of a religious fanatic empire, it was as if he didn't even know she was a goblin.

And she appreciated it all.

And it made her feel giggly, and even wanting to prepare dishes like a housewife. And Gilly never acted like a doormat...

...except for that boy. And he helped along as just the cherry on the cake, not even letting her do all the work.

Life surely was getting better for everyone, right?

She hummed to herself even as she cleaned the glass shards and resumed working on her telescopes. Wiggling her huge ears and tiny feet, she giggled to herself, thinking of a joyful future life as she went on with her little inventions.

**

Theo had left the Dark Elf household, barely held back from gutting Kha'yun by what remained of his sanity and humanity. So he stomped outside, ignoring the confused voices and exclamations whenever he bumped someone.

The village's underground districts were always a fascination, magical and natural lighting dancing across the earthworks like aurora borealis.

He kept wandering in a daze, heartbeats still pounding in his ears after leaving the dark elf's home. He was exhausted and he needed something to drink. It was too much.

Just when he had let go of the past, it came to hit him in the balls, again. And that was the irony of it. Gurus and wise people repeatedly told people to let go of the past even when the poor saps were tortured.

The thing was, that the past didn't let HIM go. It was the other way around.

Now he loved a girl. And the town where she lived had his childhood slaver in it. And he had a family. It was as if fate mocked him.

He realized people were looking at him when his hands were shaking, fingers twisting in a silent rage. Theo quickly raced to the nearest sound of music and clinking of glasses. Luckily, the dark streets hid his face from anyone passing by.

Passing the civil, happy couples lounging around tables and pillows inside the mysterious, beautiful tavern, he signaled to the Arachne bartender who smiled back. Her gleaming six amethyst eyes turned to sorrow when he spoke:

"I need something to make me forget. Like smashing my head with a brick, but with more class."

The arachnid spider girl nodded, sighing.

"I keep hearing that all the time, sweetie. War survivor, huh?"

He just looked up with teary eyes.

"Add slavery. And my own guilt." He impatiently motioned for her to pour. "Now what *precisely* will wash that away?" Hearing, the spider nodded wearily and poured a light blue liquid from a shimmering keg. Her sharp, chitin-covered hands dextrously filled the glass and slid it to him, snatching the silver coin.

"I call this one The Deluge. Now THAT can wash some sins away."

"Slainte." She lifted one to her own lips.

"Yassas." He downed the liquid. The boy just lifted it to his lips and drained the liquid, ignoring the burning feeling. His eyes had already re-taken the Thousand Yard Stare, the old days coming back. Same helplessness, even when he now could obliterate a city. Power meant nothing when your mind was shackled by morality or torment.

"Can't kill him. He has a baby. Now isn't that funny..."

"Wha-?" The Arachne tilted her head, pausing momentarily serving drinks.

"Nothing. Another please."

"Tell me." The Arachne crossed her two arms while filling another with the other two. Theo just looked on with a blank stare, eventually giving up.

"I was a slave. With the Dark Elf mines in Illyria."

"I was there when you told your tale hun." The Arachne barmaid smiled sadly. "I'm sorry..."

"You know the punchline?" He raised his brows, sipping. The Arachne simply shrugged.

"My old slave cell keeper lives here." The Arachne could only hiss in annoyment, multi-eyes squinting, and filled another.

"On the house. This sucks."

"You tell me. He has a baby too." The Arachne sighed, smiled, and shook her head.

"Well, you saying that figures you have a heart left in that handsome chest there." She smiled, her eyes having a look of worry even for amethyst colored arachnid eyes without pupils. "You won't...kill him, will you? We have laws and what happened so far in the past may get you exiled..." She stopped realizing he was glaring as if he could kill her.

"No. I need poison to wash my brain else I'll snap in two." He growled. "I mean, I work hard, I read, studied, fought and what?" Downing his drink, the Arachne realized the alcohol was untying a tongue. "Now I'm stuck with no place to vent. Got a far too convenient partner who I'm not sure she even loves me beyond sex." He burped, eyes rolling in anger, lips pursed, teeth grinding. "Old jailor and father-killer next door and everyone just wants to forget what happened." He looked like he was about to cry.

The music turned to an Oriental tune when a pair of Lamias crawled to the stage, starting a Bellydance to the reed flutes, their snake bodies rippling and large breasts barely restrained by elaborate silks. Each was a master of moves, gyrating and turning to the tune, faces veiled for the mystery factor. An arachnid hand held his own.

"I'm very sorry to hear that."

His hands trembled.

The Arachne sighed, mumbling.

"I didn't deserve this." He sobbed.

This made the Arachne sigh, used to sob stories of others. Still, it didn't hurt to pay the broken boy a small tribute in form of a smile.

"Not one of us did, sweetheart." She smiled, giving him a larger, softer drink, a yellow, fizzy liquid smelling of poppies. "Nearly all of us suffered. The whole village is made of runaways with a few exceptions: human or monster tyranny" She didn't go further, afraid to provoke him. "Look, why don't you sit down and I'll bring something to make you relax? Or...someone?"

"Gilly." Theo mumbled, now clearly drunk, eyes shifting from a Thousand Yard Stare to Ten Thousand Mile Stargaze of Death.

"She'll understand." The Arachne spoke matter-of-factly. Monster girls, even married ones, shared their husbands for essence and friendship. "You need to deflate before you burst. Watch the Lamia Twins, they can make a dead man blush."

Theo shrugged, turning to the music and sitting down. The spidery woman snapped a finger and dispatched a runner to someone very dear, legs skittering to fulfill other customers as she readjusted her clothes.

**

"He's drunk." Gilly sighed, hearing the kobold's words. "Tell me he didn't start a brawl." Any brawl with him would turn into a bloodbath given his spellcraft, military training, and prodigiously pent-up fury. The kobold barked and shook her head, cute dog ears dangling next to her sparkling black eyes. Her fangs cutely flashed in her human mouth, and human face, oddly in contrast with her furry, canine body.

"Nu. He drunk, crying."

The goblin girl's face took a mask of sorrow again. Sighing, Gilly turned around, unhooked her fur coat and locked the door, following the kobold. Her heart was heavy, but she would tolerate that for now. Hopefully, Theo would turn for the better, and would not have any incidents. The goblin girl wanted it to work: he was a suitable man with decently matching desires, youth, and physique. Gilly hoped she could salvage him before he was lost.

As she walked towards the tavern, Gilly could not help but think:

Why were humans complicated, human men doubly so?

When the duo finally found the underground stone building, they were stopped by a dark elf female just before the entrance, cloaked and wearing a thick robe concealing her features. She looked like a healer, her scalp half-shaven, the other half hanging to her knees. The kobold girl barked and waved Gilly goodbye, no doubt off to chase some cave rat for fun.

The dark elf timidly approached Gilly, as if afraid to provoke her.

"Excuse me. Are you Theo's friend? Can we talk?" She looked desperate. "Please?" When Gilly nodded, she pulled her to the side and talked in a trembling, hushed voice.

Needless to mention, she explained the whole story, down to the letter what Kha'yun told alongside with her opinions as Theo looked clearly drunk, watching the Lamia dance inside with a dead-fish stare. Gilly was glad there was something to distract him at least.

"I'm scared. I can't even go to the store without strapping Lily to my chest...I'm afraid he'd..." Her lips trembled, her purple jewels of eyes sparkling with tears. "Look I know my husband did horrible things back in the war against humanity." She held Gilly's hand. "But he changed. He *does* regret. Please. Please make him see that." Her lips trembled. "I have a family."

Gilly looked at her, gave a weak smile and nodded. "I will calm him. Best not be seen here. You shoul-"

"Gill-eeeeeeeeeee!"

A drunk, happy squeal made both monster girls jump. It was Theo, bombed out with a bottle of wine, emerging from the tavern entrance and trying to hug Lily.

"Came for me?" His lips were curled in a smirk, eyes bleary and out of focus. "I wuv you schnookums. You came for me..." He mumbled, smiling like an idiot and trundling over to hug her. Without even missing a glance, Gilly took him in her arms and raised her eyes at Kraelis, signaling her to leave quietly. Poor fucker was just too pitiful to tease, even for a cynical goblin like Gilly.

"Go. Just go."

"Hey hey!" Theo shook her awkwardly, breath smelling of booze. "I met a reeeal bad fuckah. Buuuut... I cantsh kill him! I CANT!" He seriously declared, raising a finger. "Why, you shay? Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz..." He wobbled, about to collapse.

"Not gonnah make anothah oorphan..." And with that word, he collapsed.

From a corner, Kraelis sighed, looking at the crumpled boy with a quiet smile of pity and approval. In that broken brain of his, something still held a bit of conscience.

**

"Theo...You're drunk." Gilly shrugged him off to the bath.

"Gill-eeeeeeeeee..." He groaned as she stripped him naked and dumped his booze smelling body to the tub. He tried to grope her body, only to be pushed away.

"No sex until you stop smelling like my old dog!" Gilly chuckled, turning on the cold water with full force.

It hit Theo with a blast, making him scramble blindly.

"FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKK! COLD! COLD! COLD BAD! COLD BAD! GILLLEEEE!"

She grinned, turning another dial.

Now it was heated by a fire elemental girl.

"AIEEE! FUCK YOUR FATHER'S NEMESIS!" He screamed again and making her burst out laughing.

Finally, Gilly found a middle spot when Theo stopped screaming and begging her to let him out.

"Shut up big baby." She grinned. "You stink."

"Hey, it's kinda cold but you get used to it once you get in..." He laughed, now totally sober. "Join me?"

"Men and their endless fantasies..."

With an exaggerated sigh, Gilly giggled, stripping her grimy engineer's clothes and revealing her chubby ass, shaven pussy and large breasts, another feast to Theo's eyes.

"Ahh, I'll never get tired of seeing the green candy..." He sighed wistfully, kissing her hand when she decided to join in. Then it hit his skull, the lack of hydration in his veins slamming his mind with a wall of pain. "The fuck did I drink?"

"Well, to start with, I had to pay half the tab, seriously, you finished six Deluge shots and a whole wine bottle?" Gilly sighed, lifting over a chubby leg and joining him on his lap, pouring shampoo.

"Oops, how much?" Theo blinked. Gilly had a wry smile.

"Let's say that I will punish you until you pay me back." Suddenly she turned, sitting on his cock with a grin. "No pleasure until I am satisfied."

"Can't say no to that..." He embraced, trying to kiss her. Gilly pushed him back.

"Ew! your mouth stinks. Why don't you..." She grinned. "Put it to better use?

"What do you mea-mmph." Theo shuddered when Gilly stood up, laid his head on the comfortable marble side of the bath, and sat on his face.

"Let's see how you eat pussy and ass, big boy...ahh..." The goblin shuddered. He just dove in, his tongue eager to work in a calming bath. Just the way she expected, he was stimulating her little pink slit to perfection, each stroke inflaming her little buzzer. He buried his face, only coming up for breath.

"Yes!" Gilly moaned, clasping her tiny chubby legs around his neck. She twisted, coming to rest on his shoulders given her tiny size. She gently held Theo's head when he drew breath. And laughed.

"I'll let you cum if you make me cum without another breath."

"Hold on then." Theo relaxed and breathed in. Suddenly, Gilly grinned, clasping her chubby legs around his face, burying it in her cunt.

"Hehe, we're done when I say I'm done!"

Theo worked furiously, eager to forget the past, eager to taste the taste of goblin.

Gilly rocked her hips, moaning as the tongue strokes burned her inside, Theo's hands squeezing her plump asscheeks. She closed her eyes, letting out a quiet whine, shuddering as the stimulation made her nearly cum. She sat on his face, slowly rocking her ass for the hour of pleasure.

The hour would be full of licking sounds and a little goblin's squeaks.

**

"Oh Gods, I'm c-c-c-c-cccooming!!"

Gilly screamed, the buildup of the orgasm around the hot mouth lapping at her cunt making her bite her lips. Screaming, she humped Theo's face, and shook, exploding in an ecstasy she didn't feel so far. Clamping her legs around him, Gilly groaned after the initial shuddering, and slowly, went limp on his face. Slowly, Theo slid under her and dove into the now warm tub to wash off his face and mouth, the green little goblin sliding inside to cuddle.

"Gods, how come both our kinks coincide?" Was all she could ask after several minutes of strained rest. Her face was serene, happy, with a hint of suspicion from his earlier behavior.

Theo just shrugged. "Luck I guess..."

"Also..."

Theo sighed. "About the tavern." Gilly nodded. "Well, promise you won't roll eyes, Gilly..."

"What's the worst that can be?"

Theo sighed again, as if he wanted to expel his lungs, and spoke: "My childhood torturer and cell keeper who let my father die is living as a happy father next block."

"Fuck." Gilly spoke, lighting a small roll of tobacco with a nearly molten, exhausted candle. She blew the smoke up, looking at the swirling images as if they could tell something.

"Yup, fuck." He just looked down into the tub as if it was an ocean that could calm him. Gilly knew it all: it would not hurt to pretend Kraelis didn't tell her... "Wat do." He spoke with a broken, exaggeratedly brutish accent to dispel the dark mood. The goblin, the beautiful little monster girl he had grown used to, wordlessly hugged him.

For there was no way but to forgive. And Theo wanted none of that.

**

"What the fuck am I doing here..."

Theo was defending the village with the others when the human army camped down in the valley in a clear display of siege.

Choosing an array of weapons, a leather armor, and some blood bottles, provided by the butcher. A less unethical way to use magic.

The humans clearly noticed the village of Nidavellir and had camped down the hill. No one was sure, but Ron had given him and his two friends weapons, a few bottles of blood and dispatched them the moment the next day everyone was summoned.

"What a way to start the day."

Gilly and he were taking a morning walk when monster girls had called them both to the village hall.

Ron, the tall wizard with the jutting jaw stood over them.

"Human Inquisition is upon us. Everyone is needed to defend until we can ascertain their motives. Theo, Tobias, Eva, we need your skills. If anyone comes, try not to kill them. Ron was human, and he still felt prudence was the key. "I don't want to have blood on our hands. Nidavellir is our haven. I am sure you mamono girls have the reasons."

Many nodded. "Can we keep any captives if they are nice?"

Ron frowned, and sighed, looking at his wife, Regina. She nodded quietly. "Most are just boys and girls with swords."

Turning to the Salamander girl who was still single, he nodded. "Will you treat them as you would treat yourself? We set this haven against slavery too."

The Salamander saluted, her breasts straining the armor. "Yes sir. If they start agreeing to stay, of course." Theo nodded with satisfaction.

"No more words needed, I will defend Nidavellir until my last breath."

That brought a wave of salutations and applause.

"I found my love Gilly here. I found love and peace. Even when some are from the past..." He smiled at Kraelis, who nodded happily. "...I will fight for your right to live."

Wordlessly the throng dispersed, eager to defend.

...

Outside, Kha'yun and Kraelis was waiting for him, which made Theo squint.

"We need to talk."

"There is nothing to talk, Kha'yun." Theo glared. "I'm doing this for your Lily." Kraelis was silent.

"I need you to help me, human. Set aside your rage for one moment. We can negotiate with the humans. That made Theo laugh.

"YOU? They's string us both!"

"No. I know the way to capture their leader, I'm a good scout, remember?"

Theo glared. He wasn't sure. "If this is a trap, it will be the last time you see your family."

After an eternity of silence, Kha'yun nodded. "I know. But that's the only way you can be with Gilly."

...

Theo nodded, following him outside as Kraelis and Gilly looked at each other with worry.

"I hope both of them know what they are doing."

**

Beyond the village borders, a figure of a man was clearly waiting for someone, shrouded in a green cloak and features concealed by a robe.

When the sound of a bird echoed throughout the trees, he lifted his chin, whistling back. Within moments, quiet green figures appeared around him, led by an armored woman.

Inquisitor Arzama glared at the man standing before him, her afterglow of the sexual encounter lost.

"Well? He is coming?"

The figure nodded quietly.

"Can you bring him here?" The woman crossed her arms.

"Yes." He spoke, finally finding his confidence and voice.

"Deliver him and we'll leave the rest alone as I promised, Kha'yun. Theo comes with us to die. You will live." She tossed the cloaked male a purse of silver coins. "30 pure, fat coins of silver, more when finished. Get him, Kha'yun. We'll be waiting here." She growled, waving him off.

"Um...Arzama?" The man extended an arm, earning a cold glare:

"What?" Arzama didn't even look him in the eye, their earlier tryst almost forgotten.

"Look, he just kind of...sits with us." The male stammered. "He'll never be a trouble for anyone. He has even forgive-ACK!"

A pair of strong human hands lifted him by the throat and slammed him against a tree.

"If you want to keep your balls and your shitskin knife-ear pup, you will do EXACTLY AS I SAY! UNDERSTOOD?" Arzama growled in his face, spittle flying. "I will burn him alive for what he did to me and you will not stop it!" She looked into his eyes, skin steaming with sweat and teeth grinding. "I always wanted to keep a pair of dark elf balls since they are so rare nowadays...You WILL bring Theo to me or I will burn down your town and kill every man, woman, and CHILD!" Grinding her teeth, she tossed Kha'yun to a tree, wandering off.