Part 7:

It has been hours after the meeting and I still feel worried that it went too well. Am I being paranoid? This is still real life, after all, one where fantasy creatures exist but a reality nevertheless. I just got the feeling that someone wanted it to go that way for their own gain.

Krashi interrupted my train of thoughts. “Excuse me Alexis, but you haven’t eaten your steak and we wonder if you’re sick.”

I looked down at my steak, which was untouched. “Oh, I don’t need to eat since I’m as large as I am already,” I said, trying to make light out of it without having to worry them.

One of the gnoll escorts looked at me with a weak smile. “That may be true your highness, but it’s clear you’re in heavy thoughts and I get that as being royalty brings a lot of responsibilities,” they said while looking hungrily at my steak.

I gave it to them and sighed as I stood up. “I think I need a walk.”

Grey went with me as I walked out. It was a quiet evening and soldiers were on guard, who knows when the Dark Lord’s forces will find this place? I seem to have forgotten to ask how long this encampment has been up, it would be impressive if they somehow haven’t found it yet. Maybe he doesn’t see us as a threat. More thoughts came to my head as I walked around that I forgot to mind whats in front of me.

“Look out!” shouted Grey and before I knew it, I bumped into someone.

I looked down to see who it was and it was that white faun paladin from the meeting. I reached my hand towards her and she took it as she rose up from the ground.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

She looked at me with her gentle goat face. “Don’t worry about me, princess. I’m totally fine,” said the faun who brushed off the dirt from her dress and fur. “I’m surprised that a gnoll would help a faun.”

I felt myself blush but shook it off. “In these times we need all the allies we can get, and if you can fight, then that makes it even better!” I said, trying to sound as gnoll-like as possible. Both the faun and Grey laughed at my attempt.

The faun gave a gentle bow at me. “I’m Orliandra Stoneflower,” she said pleasantly.

“Alexis Strype!” I said, beating my chest with my right paw and stretching it to her. She curiously looked at my paw confused.

Grey interjected. “That’s how we gnolls greet each other.”

Orliandra beat her own chest and then grabbed my paw and we both shook them.

“I’m impressed by your surprising speed and how you saved this meeting,” said Orliandra impressed.

“Yeah… but there’s a lot we need to do, I mean from what I have heard, the Dark Lord could have easily destroyed this encampment at any time,” I said as I looked around. “This doesn’t look subtle enough.”

Orliandra looked at me and nodded. “We are using magic to not get detected, but what will you do after the war is over?”

“Excuse me, what?” I asked.

“You do have plans for what to do when it’s all over?” asked Orliandra.

I looked stunned at that question. I honestly haven't decided on what to do after the war is over, if I survive that is.

"Don't you think that's too personal to ask out of someone?" I asked.

The faun paladin laughed, she may look pretty, but her laugh sounded ridiculous in the same way a goat sounds. "Sorry your majesty, but I thought a gnoll like you would have ambitious plans. They are your people after all."

I cleared my throat as I tried to not show how embarrassed I felt. "I still don't know a lot about this world since I-" But before I could finish, Grey stopped me by tugging my tail.

"Your highness, maybe you shouldn't talk too much." Grey said.

I awkwardly looked between Grey and Orliandra. "I mean, I would like to learn more before I can truly be a real leader." I said.

Orliandra smiled and put her hoof hand on my shoulder by leaning unto me (she wouldn't have reached otherwise). "There are a lot of people here you can learn from, like Fabio."

"Ah right, he must have been the most pleased by the recent meeting going well!" Grey said with a cheery tone, but I was contemplating.

Both Grey and Orliandra looked at me concerned until Orliandra spoke up. "What do you say we talk a bit with him over a cup of tea?"

I snapped out of my contemplating doubts and nodded. "Tea is better than beer after all."

"You're saying that you're a gnoll who doesn't like beer? You know it will taste better due to association with festivities?" Asked Orliandra.

"When our highness drank a bottle of beer, she puked out everything she ate the day before." Said Grey.

Orliandra looked at me curiously. "You got fast reflexes for someone your size, but your immunity to alcohol is, how do I say it…"

"Pathetic?" I asked.

"I was only gonna say it's bad, but you sure are a curious woman," said Orliandra as we three took off to Fabio's tent.

"Say, what do you usually do in your free time?" I asked Orliandra.

But before she could say anything, we heard a scream coming from Fabio's tent, so we ran to see what happened.

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