Chapter 2.
Back in his gremlin hole Obran rumbled about in his kitchen making more noise than usual. He added his usual ingredients to his weed stew but the flavor was off. He wasn't focused; he was frustrated about his actions—or his lack of action—that morning. Why didn't I talk to her? Why did I run away? Still, he continued preparing breakfast as images of Victoria swirled through his head. Victoria, that's a nice Roman name.
When Obran served breakfast his younger brother Erkin came and sat at their kitchen table. It was their typical morning ritual. Obran and Erkin had been living together in Obran's gremlin burrow for nearly a year. It was a very comfortable gremlin home: It had a bedroom with a bunk bed, a spacious living room with a couch and a desk, and of course, a fully stocked kitchen.
"So what's for breakfast today?" Erkin said.
Erkin was a couple of years younger than Obran, a bit shorter and thinner too. He had brown eyes, unlike Obran's yellow eyes, and his larger ears gave his face a more bat-like appearance.
"The same as yesterday and the day before and the day before—weed stew—okay," Obran said, "and if you don't like it you can eat at that university of yours."
Erkin's ears drooped down which usually happened whenever Erkin was upset. Obran was surprised he'd snapped at his brother, surprised at his own mood.
"I was just teasing...sorry," Erkin said, a bit dejected. "I never get tired of your weed stew."
"I know. I know. It's just that. It's just..." Obran wanted to tell him about Victoria but couldn't get himself to do it. "It's just that I'm still waiting for those ingredients I asked you to buy since I really want to try some new recipes."
"Bro, I've told you so many times to come to the city with me," Erkin said.
"Yeah, yeah," Obran said.
It was an old argument. Erkin had repeatedly told Obran that he spent too much time in the forest tending his garden, or alone in their gremlin hole, hardly going out or meeting anyone.
"I always ask you to come to the market and you always say no and you know so much more about cooking and ingredients than I do. I wouldn't know what to buy there," Erkin said.
"Hmm..." Obran said.
"I still can't believe you've only been to Roma once. It's changed a lot, just come and look around."
At that moment Obran was starting to think maybe his brother was right. He only spent time with Erkin and hardly strayed far from his burrow. The few friends he had, had already left the gremlin forest. Maybe his home, his garden, his land, which had felt like a blessing after the war were becoming a prison. Maybe what happened that morning proved it. He'd frozen and ran off at the mere sight of a human—a helpless girl for that matter.
"Maybe you're right," Obran said and Erkin's ears perked up.
"Really? That's great," Erkin said. "And I almost forgot, I brought you something in case you want to go out sometime."
Erkin ruffled through his pockets and pulled out a small metallic disk attached to a chain; he handed it to Obran. Obran's natural gremlin curiosity took over and he examined the metallic disk at length: its texture, weight, and its moving parts.
"Is this a compass?" Obran said.
"Yes, it's for you."
"I've only seen tribunes and generals with these," Obran said. "Did you steal it?"
Erkin's ears drooped and Obran instantly felt ashamed at his words since his brother was the most honest and trustworthy soul he knew.
"Sorry," Obran said.
"I made one for you at the university, so you could find your way to town and back," Erkin said.
"Wow...but I know how to get to town," Obran said. "I just don't see a need to go there."
"Then use it to go anywhere you want to go. Explore the kingdom, take a trip."
Obran knew his brother worried about him, about his goals and dreams for the future or if he even had any such notions.
"I've seen enough of this kingdom already or did you forget that. Besides, you won't get rid of me that easily," Obran said with a smile.
But Obran was touched by his brother's gift, maybe it was a sign. Obran didn't trust humans but Erkin had told him the capital now had plenty of non-human races living and working there. He also realized that Victoria was most definitely from the capital. The dress she wore, the horse she rode on gave her away as a noblewoman. She most definitely wasn't a peasant or a freedwoman from some nearby Roman estate.
As if he read his mind Erkin said, "Obran, you have to stop being scared of humans. They won't hurt us anymore. We're all citizens now."
"I'm not afraid. I just don't trust them; I know what they're capable of and so do you," Obran said.
"I still think there's plenty we can all learn from each other; try to be more open minded," Erkin said.
"Well if you must know I met a human today," Obran said.
Ekrin turned pale green; now his eyes were wide open and his ears were at complete attention.
"Was it a trader?" Erkin said.
"Nope," Obran said.
"Were they bandits? Travelers? They couldn't be slavers...not anymore."
"It was just a girl, a noble I think, riding her horse; she was alone but she didn't look lost and we... uhm...really didn't speak," Obran said.
"Really? That's weird," Erkin said. "Maybe she knows a gremlin here."
"Well, she knows me now," Obran said and instantly blushed at his own words.
"Okay, we should keep an eye out...anyway I have to hurry. I don't want to be late for class."
They ate quietly but Obran kept thinking of the human girl: her hair, her skin, her dress, even the way she handled her horse so well.
"Maybe I could go to town with you today," Obran said.
Erkin ears perked up yet again.
"Are you teasing me?" Erkin said.
"No, I'm serious." Obran said.
"That's great," Erkin said with a big smile.
Obran hadn't seen Erkin so happy in a while, not since he'd been accepted to the university.
"We can anything you want, on me," Erkin said.
"I have money," Obran said. "Besides, I'll probably just look around today."
"Okay. I won't have too much free time today. But we can meet up for lunch at the university, " Erkin said.
"Okay, but aren't you always saying how awful the food is there," Obran said.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me, I can ask the headmistress to meet you too, about that job in the dining hall."
Erkin had suggested Obran come work at the University, telling him he could learn new recipes, meet new people, and other races, and maybe find new and better opportunities for the future.
"Let's not go that far," Obran said. "But I can at least see what they feed you since you always come home hungry."
"You know that it's just that I prefer your food," Erkin said.
"Yeah, yeah. Okay, I'll come to the dinning hall and look around. I'm sure I could teach them a thing or two."
Erkin's ears perked up yet again. The morning had been full of surprises and Erkin's ears were exhausted.
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