- NPC Story WIP (Humanxhuman, consensual sex in the missionary position, hand holding etc)
- Samuel stood idly behind the counter of his father’s shop and gazed half consciously at the clock on the wall, watching as the last few minutes of his shift trickled away. The day had been quiet and he was looking forward to his time off. He counted the potions sitting on a nearby shelf for the fifth time and let out a sign of boredom.
- “Not long to go now, Sam,” said a voice from the second floor. Samuel looked up to see his older brother Alec descending the stairs into the room. Despite the difference in age and height, they shared the same unkempt, curly hair and bright green eyes; Samuel was a smaller, beardless version of his brother.
- He nodded and stifled a yawn as he glanced again at the clock: five minutes to go.
- “Business been good then?”
- “Same old story: Mrs. Holt needs more burn cream for her idiot son and Mark keeps loudly buying contraceptive potions.”
- Alec chuckled. “Has he mentioned who he needs them for?”
- Samuel shook his head, “Nah, he just claims it’s some ‘pretty girl’ from out of town.”
- “Well be sure to save one for you and Mary,” said Alec as he watched his brother turn bright red.
- “Come on man, she doesn’t like me...”
- “Horseshit!” Alec gave his brother a pat on the shoulder, “Of course she likes you – you two were always close. You used to play music together all the time.”
- Samuel shrugged uneasily, “You think so?”
- “I know so, Sammy-boy. My own Alice told me she likes you. Girls talk and all that.”
- Samuel’s response was cut off by the chime of the bell at the shop door. It swung open and several unfamiliar-looking figures came in. They stood bunched together in front of the shop counter. The first was a human, tall and well built and clad in cheap looking iron armor. On his left was a shady looking elf wrapped in a dark cloak and hood; on his right was an old bearded man clad in what looked like magician’s robes. Behind them was a young, fresh faced woman dressed in priest’s robes.
- A few seconds of awkward silence passed before Samuel cleared his throat. “Can I help you?” he asked.
- The man at the front spoke, “Is this a potion shop?”
- “Uhh...yes it is. ‘Andrew’s Apothecary, Potions and Tonics’ – my father owns this place.” Samuel was surprised they hadn’t noticed the large sign outside.
- The man nodded blankly in acknowledgement and turned to the other members of his party. They began whispering something about 'charisma' to each other, leaving Samuel and Alec to share a mutual shrug. The group began to shuffle around so that the woman was in front. Samuel got a good look at her face: she had short blonde hair and big blue eyes, and was actually quite pretty.
- “Hello,” her voice was soft and polite, “we would like to buy some potions.”
- Samuel smiled awkwardly, “Well you’re in the right place. Was there anything in particular you were looking for?”
- “Do you have any healing potions?”
- “We do,” Samuel gestured to his brother who fetched two glass bottles from a shelf and placed them down on the counter.
- Alec pointed at the first one, “This one speeds up the body’s natural healing process. You’re best to drink a spoonful before you go to bed. The other one is an ointment that you rub directly onto wounds.”
- “And how much are they?”
- “The ointment is twelve drakes and the other is twenty,” explained Samuel.
- “But since you’re buying in bulk,” his brother cut in, “we’ll give you them both for thirty.”
- The woman nodded and turned back to the others standing behind her. Once again they put their heads together and began whispering. Samuel couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he caught, “I spent my money on whores,” and “You can’t, stealing is against your alignment.” The woman eventually turned back to them.
- “We don’t have enough money, would you accept a trade?”
- Samuel looked at his brother uncertainly. Alec answered, “That depends what you have, I guess.”
- The man in the magician’s robes stepped forward and began to empty the contents of a small bag onto the counter. Samuel looked down at the offering, which consisted of a rusty dagger, an old shoe, a button, a half-eaten piece of cheese and a bundle of string. He was speechless.
- “I trust this will suffice?” The group leaned forward, as if eagerly anticipating Alec’s response.
- “I’m afraid we cannot accept trades that aren’t potions or tonics,” he explained, trying to let them down gently, “we have an agreement with the other merchants in town.”
- “I see,” said the woman. She turned to leave with the rest of her party. “We’ll be back later.”
- Samuel waited until they had left. “That was strange.”
- “No shit, Sam.” He glanced at the clock. “That’s your shift over.”
- “About time!” Samuel picked up his lute and went to leave.
- “Wait a minute, aren’t you forgetting something?” Alec handed his brother a small, familiar looking bottle. “Have a good time with Mary,” he added with a wink.
- * * *