Quick FYI: Codes are roughly for the entire book not just this chapter

Three Knights of the Order of the Lion’s Shield stood in the clearing surrounding the cave. It was quiet save for the soft munching of horses nibbling grass near the wood line far off to one side. The squires tended to the steeds and made sure their leads were secured to nearby trees, it was better to be safe than spend hours chasing one down that decided to bolt for whatever reason, despite being trained as warhorses to be calm even in the heat of battle. Nearby sat a young teenage girl looking sad and dejected as she hugged her knees to her chest, gently rocking to calm her nerves.

The two knights in full armor stood directly before the cave entrance while the last observed from a short distance off and had settled on wearing only a chainmail hauberk. His position clearly separating himself from the other two but still close enough to come to their aid if needed.

The lead knight from before stepped forward, “OGRE! WE HAVE BROUGHT THE GIRL! SHOW YOURSELF!” The other two knights took notice as the young girl’s head came off her knees and she began paying attention.

“Oi, oi, oi, again with the screaming and yelling,” the blue ogre grumbled as her and the farmer boy from earlier stepped into the light at the mouth of the cave. “Couldn’t you just tap your sword against your shield a few times and give a nice friendly ‘Helloo!’?”

The young girl stared intently at the large blue woman, she seemed so familiar, but….

The blue ogre scanned the clearing, taking in each of the knights and the horses off to the side before her eyes came to rest on the girl, giving her a gentle, if toothy, smile. The girl’s face lit up with recognition and she jumped to her feet with a squeak, running across the clearing toward the ogre.

“Stop her!” screamed the lead knight at the squires, both of them dropping the gear they had been gathering for the upcoming battle and running after the fleeing girl.

The knight in chainmail raised his hand, “Hold!” he yelled to the squires as the girl ran a few steps in front of him and into the arms of the now kneeling blue ogre. The squires stopped in their tracks and the knight waved them back to continue their preparations.

“What is the meaning of the Sir Balthus!” the lead knight’s face was almost purple with rage. “Now she can use the girl as a hostage!”

“Calm yourself, Sir Galen. That is not the scene of a villain who has just had a convenient hostage delivered to them,” said Balthus.

Galen turned and looked. The ogre was on one knee gently embracing the girl as she sobbed into the larger woman’s shoulder babbling on about her brother and knights and many other things Sir Galen couldn’t make out. The ogre petted the sobbing girl, whispering soothing words as she stroked the girl’s head and back. It seemed almost motherly.

This only infuriated Galen more. Ogres weren’t motherly! They were vile beasts who captured and enslaved human males then fucked them almost to death, and when a man couldn’t get it up any longer from her constant abuse she ate him! Usually without the decency of killing him first! This was a ruse! It had to be! Ogres don’t act like this, blue skin or not!

Balthus watched as a wide array of emotions played across the young knight’s face, finally settling on white, incandescent rage directed at the blue ogre. He sighed inwardly then caught the attention of the other knight, “Will this do as an alternative, Sir Corrin?”

Corrin glanced at the girl and ogre then back at Balthus, “As long as she understands the rules and assuming you are correct about the blue one’s abilities. Yes, I would accept this.”

Balthus nodded and turned back to the scene at the cave entrance.

As the girl settled down the ogre gently pulled her away, “Young one, I’m going to tell these men about what happened to you and Sir Michael, is that okay?”

The girl winced at the memory then blushed heavily in embarrassment. Noticing movement to one side she looked at Sir Balthus and saw understanding in his eyes. Checking the other two she realized that Sir Corrin also knew. The ogre turned back to the girl, “It looks as though two of them already know, I will just be filling in details. Can I tell them?” The girl looked at the two knights she had spoken with then back to the ogre and nodded slowly.

“Very good,” said the ogre then turned to the young man beside her, “Kal?”

“Yes Ikuno?” said the boy.

“Take her inside and lay her down on my bed, the poor girl is exhausted. Hurry back but don’t come too close in case things go bad.”

“Yes ma’am,” Kal extended his hand to the girl, “Would you be so kind as to come with me? Ikuno has a place where you can rest.”

The girl looked hesitantly at the ogre.

Ikuno smiled at her, “Kal is a fine young man and my servant for today. I trust him, and you can too.”

The girl nodded then turned to Kal, taking his offered hand and allowing herself to be led away.

“Alright ogre! Enough of your games!” growled Galen, “What happened to Sir Michael!”

“Oni,” said Ikuno.

“What?” asked Galen, taken aback by the odd answer. Balthus and Corrin, however, were now listening intently.

“I’m an oni, not an ogre,” she explained, “While distantly related I don’t much appreciate being mistaken for one of my stupid and violent cousins.”

Galen scowled, “Ogre or oni it makes no difference, get on with your tale!”

Ikuno sighed, “As you wish,” She noticed, however, that Balthus seemed to be very annoyed with Galen judging by the look on his face “The day that I saw Sir Michael…

——

Hunting had gotten slim in the vicinity of her cave and today she was on the very edge of her hunting grounds not far from a human village. She tended to avoid humans, more so now as a string of thieves attracted to her cave by promises of riches, combined with the poor hunting, had made her irritable enough to turn her skin green. The thought of being mistaken for one of those moronic ogres did not lighten her mood.