Cronk’s New Side Quest
Lady Elizabeth’s French Manor - Lorem’s Workshop
JP = Lorem & mdmanosfan
Lorem blushed harder, like a defensive reaction to the uncomfortable direction this conversation was going. Her hope that he was just opening with niceties before getting to the nuts and bolts of his dilema shattered. He was professing affection for her. This was highly inappropriate on several accounts. One of the social taboos was the absence of a chaperone and the forwardness of professing this to her prior to getting approval. The other reasons could wait in order to address these two.
Lorem looked around unsure of how to properly respond. There was no one to come to her rescue. She nervously placed her hands in the pockets of her dress to fidget with the small tools and trinkets she usually kept in there for situations that made her anxious.
Lorem didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she also didn’t want to lead him on with false hope. In truth, she had never even thought about a relationship with anyone. Her mind was always focused on her industrial pursuits and mastery.
She needed to be kind but firm.
Lorem built up the courage to respond like one trying to build up static electricity her feet shuffling ever so lightly on the ground. “Cronk, I appreciate your honest sentiments. Yet such things must go through the appropriate channels, such as my father, and not through me.” She hoped he understood what she meant. Of course, she didn’t have the heart to tell him that her father would never consent to her being courted by an Orc. It was an attempt to try and gently turn down further advances in this given moment. In truth, it would be easy for anyone to force her against her will as vulnerable as she was.
Lorem held nothing against Cronk’s attempt. She assumed that it was perhaps part of Orcish culture or perhaps the learned behavior from brothels. But she was neither Orc nor a prostitute.
Cronk appeared to be deep in thought at Lorem’s words. Of course it was the appropriate thing to ask the father. Cronk wasn’t educated in culture. He loved each day as it came. He didn’t know manners and customs.
All he knew was Lorem didn’t say no! She must be as interested in Cronk as he was in her.
Cronk shook his head affirmatively. “Father at Expo? Cronk go ask,” the Orc confirmed as he arose. To his feet. “Cronk go ask Pretty Flower father. Then Crono can see Pretty Flower!”
Lorem realized that her agreeable and meek nature did not deliver a final verdict to Cronk. Instead, it offered him a task. A task that Cronk was enthusiastically all to eager to complete. While it was the appropriate social thing to say in response, it failed to resolve the issue with the desired conclusion.
Lorem had to continue with what would be lady like, “Yes, my father is at the Expo working with the Wuppertail company near the Eiffel Tower. Please remember that my father holds the authority on how matters such as these are to initiate and proceed.”
As Cronk stood, Lorem likewise picked up her prototype contraption. “I thank you again for your help with my machine.” She gave a slight curtsey, trying not to lose hold of the object in her hands. “I best be getting back to work. I hope the rest of your morning goes well and it void of nets.”
With that said, Lorem excused herself and made her way back inside. She was stupefied about what just took place.
Cronk bowed to Lorem as she went back inside. Then, he walked toward the garden, grinning ear-to-ear.
In the corner of the garden, Cronk spied the sculpture of the gnome he remembered from his dream. He picked it up and tossed it behind a hedgerow. It was best to be safe. He didn’t have good thoughts toward the sculpture, despite it being inanimate.
Cronk put his mind as to how to get back to the expo. He had a side mission to carry out. He was certain that Lorem’s dad would deem Cronk a worthy suitor for his daughter.