by T Nisbet
Chp. 28
Bronn took a long pull on his pipe, then downed the rest of his tankard, not bothering to wipe the foam from his face. He raised his eyes once more towards the rafters and made a fist, shaking it at the ceiling.
“Tell me where you are storm crow, I’ll sing your deeds and then give you a good throttling. Putting this on me,” he shouted angrily.
“Putting what on you?”
“Why your training boy. Have you nay been listening to anything I’ve said?” he growled.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He wanted to train me? Train me for what? I concentrated even more on my breathing and willed myself to relax.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for any training. Thanks for the offer all the same. I should be getting back to my...”
“That won’t do lad!” Bronn interrupted slamming his meaty fist down on the table. “No wonder he said you’d be dead within a year.”
The barrel chested dwarf leaned back in his chair once more, his eyes burning with intensity.
“What is so important that you’d refuse my training?”
I had the sudden urge to tell him everything, to come clean about the mission, and all that had led up to that moment in time, but I fought it, looking away from his forceful stare.
“As soon as some friend’s arrive in town, I have to leave,” I said, starting to get up.
“Sit!” he bellowed, his overgrown brow furrowing.
I stared at him, half off my stool, then sank back onto it reluctantly.
“I’ll be coming with you on this adventure, I think. The shop and pub run themselves. We can begin your training on the road,” he said slamming his tankard down on the table as if his statement solved everything.
“Adventure?” I asked trying to hid my surprise.
“Aye human child. I have a nose for such things. Din try and deny it! Misty!” he roared.
“It’s probably a suicide mission so...”
“Aren’t they all,” he interrupted, smiling. “Now tell me about this sure death awaiting us.”
I felt trapped. I wasn’t a good enough liar to make something up, and the urge to tell him the truth was overwhelming. As soon as I made up my mind, that familiar sense of relief and accomplishment flooded me. Thallium’s spirit was obviously behind it.
So I told him everything, starting with Brianna’s party, all the way up until I had walked into his shop. He grimaced when I mentioned the elves, but other than that, sat quietly as I explained the whole thing. I left out the part about becoming a sword master and Thallium’s essence.
When I finished, Bronn clapped his hands and rubbed them together vigorously. He had a strange gleam in his eyes.
“Lesson one: The only good blood elf is a dead blood elf,” he laughed, and pounded the table with his fists. It shuttered under the blows.
Misty walked in.
“Easy there, boss, here’s your beer.”
“About time,” he said smiling at her. “Hey Misty, you’re in charge. I got business elsewhere.”
She set two more tankards on the table and put her hands on her hips. “Business eh? I’ll need a raise then,” she said.
“Fine. While I’m gone you can have ten percent of the profits. If I’m not back in fifty years, the pub is yours,” he said tapping the ashes out of Sir Nisbet’s pipe onto the table and placing it in his vest pocket.
“Really!” Misty said, jumping onto Bronn’s lap and showering the stocky dwarf with kisses.
Bronn seemed to pretend he wasn’t enjoying it, but he really didn’t try to stop her. They discussed the new contract between them in more detail, then Misty left the room leaving us alone once more. Bronn drank his new tankard down and the others as well, then got to his feet and motioned for me to follow him. We left the room and pushed our way out of the crowded pub.
I followed him back through the crowded street to his weapons shop in silence. I was going to have a lot of explaining to do. I was pretty sure the others would be okay with the newest addition to our quest, but it was going to require some explanation, and I wasn’t looking forward to that at all.
When we arrived at his shop the other dwarves acknowledged Bronn with a brief nod and quickly returned to their customers. I followed him down an aisle filled with a wide assortment of weapons and armor into the back of the store. We climbed some dusty stairs and entered an amazingly lavish office. I was in awe as I took in the room.
A huge, ornately carved desk that had obviously been shortened to accommodate a dwarf sat in the center of the room. A small mountain of silver and gold ingots were stacked neatly on either end of the desk next to what looked like a large, leather-bound ledger.
Bronn walked across a richly embroidered maroon rug to a bejeweled chest in the far corner of the room. I looked around incredulously at the wealth gathered before me.
A mound of what looked like rubies sat on a gilded coffee table in front of a shortened brown leather couch. Nearby a dark wood table held a collection of diamonds sitting neatly atop a black velvet cloth. On the opposite side of the room, a military style cot sat propped against one wall beside paintings the old masters would have been proud of.
“Aren’t you afraid someone will come in here and rob you?” I asked, in wonder.
Bronn laughed, opening up the chest.
“Steal from a dwarf?” he chortled, pulling out a shining mail hauberk.
He set the gleaming ring mail on a chair near the chest and reached back into the highly wrought chest.
“No one steals from a dwarf and lives long to tell of the deed.”
“Oh,” was all I could manage as Bronn pulled out a large, double sided battle-axe and set it on top of the mail. He continued rummaging around in the chest and retrieved some non-descript leather traveling clothes.
Shutting the chest, Bronn pulled off his leather vest and dawned the mail hauberk, then put the tan leather clothing on over the top. When he was finished dressing I couldn’t see the hauberk at all. Bronn then attached the battle-axe to his back and put on a thick leather belt that resembled Batman’s utility belt.
I smiled, imagining what Carla might say about it. At least it wasn’t a fanny pack.
“Okay then, let me write Durnan a quick note, and we’ll be off,” he said stepping behind the amazing desk.
We stopped in the main room of the shop, and Bronn spoke briefly with another dwarf whom I assumed was Durnan. I noticed the glances given Bronn by the other dwarves as Bronn and Durnan talked. Their eyebrows furrowed momentarily before they went back to selling their customers whatever it was they were shopping for. All the stories I’d heard about dwarves living for battle and glory came back to me, and I realized they were jealous. They could see Bronn was going off on an adventure of some kind and wished it were them.
We left Bronn’s weapons shop and made our way through the crowded streets past brightly dressed men and women, in various states of inebriation, back to the Inn. We didn’t talk at all on the way. I started to say something at one point and he put a finger to his lips. I wasn’t going to relay anything secret. I was just going to ask why people were out so late.
As I expected, the Kri’Sco Blue Smoke Inn was crowded. Even so, the noise inside the Inn was nothing compared to Bronn’s pub. There was even a little smoke floating lazily in the air, but it wasn’t like the acrid smog a room full of dwarves produced.
I looked around as we walked in towards the bar and saw Gill sitting in a corner facing the door. Sitting next to the guardsman was a hooded figure, doing his best to blend in with his surroundings. As Bronn and I drew closer I saw the man’s sword and recognized it as a partner to my own.
“Bronn, this is Corporal Gillian of the elite guard of Lockewood,” I said, as we stopped before the table. Gill stood up and made a bow placing his sword hand above his heart. “And this is…”
“The only one of his kind I’d go out drinking with,” Bronn interrupted, grabbing the hooded figure’s shoulder
and giving him a shake.
“I see you’re still as wet behind the ears as when last I looked upon you Lord Hammervil,” Guldan smirked at the grinning dwarf. “Didn’t you learn from our last battle of wine that drinking isn’t quite your forte?”
“Wine!” Bronn spat vehemently, “A women’s drink. Only drinking such a deprived beverage could you and your pointed ears best me Guldan.”
“Your ignorance is as astounding now as ever it was,” Guldan said rolling his eyes.
“Hrmph!” Bronn grunted, sitting down in a chair.
“Are you joining our merry band?” Guldan said looking sidelong at the muscular dwarf.
“Lad needs training,” Bronn grunted.
“Indeed,” Guldan agreed. “He could do worse than you, dwarf, though he did best my brother and win the tourney in Lockewood.”
“Did he now?” Bronn grunted, looking at me appraisingly. It didn’t look like he believed Guldan from the look he gave me. “There’s more to battle than mere swordplay with magic’d swords boy.”
I looked away from his stern gaze and sat down next to Gill.
“You and Lathris on the same quest,” Bronn continued returning his gaze to the hooded elf lord. “When the boy told me about it, I wondered if he was daft.”
“Lathris will get over it someday,” Guldan sighed, as if bored by the whole conversation, then poured himself a drink of amber liquid from a flagon on the table.
“Did you succeed? Where’s Lathris?” I asked Guldan impatiently.
He looked at me as though I was nothing more than an irritating bug to be swatted away.
“Of course we succeeded, child. As for Lathris, he’s probably through the pass by now on his way home. He took wound during pursuit of the Mozgul born. Some of his countrymen are returning with him to Lor Lorenith where he can take healing and recover.”
“How? You were only after two of them according to the boy,” Bronn grunted in disbelief.
“A lucky shot, took an arrow in the gut. Shouldn’t be fatal, besides he’s too righteous to die,” Guldan said, seemingly non-pulsed by the event.
After an awkward silence Guldan sighed and then continued.
“We were just about to catch my old companions when they ran into a war band heading into the pass. They joined up with the other dark elves and made for the army forming along the border south of here.”
“That’s why we didn’t see any blood elves on our way through the pass, Jake,” Gill whispered to me.
“We pursued them out of the pass and onto the plain. We picked them off a few at a time with bows until we got them all.”
“Well then, that’s a bit better than two on two,” Bronn grinned, stroking his beard. “I was beginning to think you’d lost a step or three.”
Guldan shrugged indifferently.
“Did you tell him about Brianna and Coach?” I whispered back to Gill.
I was so far out of my element. Guldan and Bronn intimidated the crap out of me. The two of them knowing each other was another crazy fate thing that I found completely ridiculous. This whole trip just kept getting weirder and more bizarre to believe by the minute. I tried to imagine myself telling my parents about it. I’d be trying to explain it for months, then I’d be in therapy for years.
Gill nodded.
“How do you two know each other?” I blurted.
Bronn laughed.
“He doesn’t like the destiny part of questing.”
“Who does?” Guldan said rhetorically. “How long ago was it we killed the Maelstrom witches in Bavaria?”
Bronn started counting on his thick fingers like a first grader. Despite my growing anger at the lack of emotion being shown by Guldan about his brother’s injury, I couldn’t hold back a little grin.
“Five-score-and-ten by my reckoning, give or take a few years,” Bronn said.
“Pardon me Lord Hammervil, but are you a relation to King Hammervil?” Gill asked. I had been wondering the same thing.
“Relation?” Guldan suddenly laughed darkly, shaking his head. There was no joy in his laugh like there was in his brothers. Bronn gave him a threatening look. Guldan obviously didn’t care. “Relation you say? Why Corporal, this IS King Hammervil.”
“You’re an insufferable ass!” Bronn growled, grabbing Guldan’s decanter of golden liquid and emptying it down his throat, coating a large portion of his beard in the process.
“ THE king Hammervil?” Gill said incredulously. “From the Battle of Deep Glade?
“Indeed,” Guldan said as his taunting laughter died down. “Became one of the ten a short time before the attack as I recall.”
I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath.
“You’re an Immortal too? Why didn’t you say something?” I stammered.
“Would have, eventually,” Bronn growled. “If you didn’t figure it out in the mean time.”
“So… you gave up your kingdom, because you became one of the Immortals? It had nothing to do with losing your war hammer then,” Gill said aghast.
“No, Sir Nisbet took it when I was wounded before the gate. Helped me come up with the story.”
“Him singing about your father’s death,… that just a story you came up with too?” I asked, frustrated and feeling a bit used.
Bronn leaned towards me angrily.
“Tread carefully lad, I’ll not have a young pup such as you speaking to me so.”
“Relax, Bronn,” Guldan snickered, dismissing me with a wave of his hand. “Think of short, hairy women, or whatever it is you do to calm down.”
Bronn turned his gaze back to the elf.
“I knew there was a reason I haven’t missed you at all since we fought those Valkyries in Germania elf. Not only are you not particularly bright, you have horrible taste in women.”
Bronn sighed, regarding me again, then continued.
“My father was the eldest of the Immortals. Over nine thousand years old before he died, according to Sir Nisbet. He wasn’t the first, but he lived longer than any before him, or since his death for what it’s worth.”
He paused, still regarding me with his piercing glare.
“So when I say Sir Nisbet sang of my father’s deeds in the Hall of Glory boy, I’m not talking a short ballad. He sang for three full days, without food, without rest. And I sat there on my throne until he finished. Nearly all of Thunderhome was there. My people came from far and wide such was my father’s legend, and the Imperial Council of mages, led by Thallium himself, joined us to pay tribute. It was as if the world itself listened to Sir James’ song.”
“That’s why Thallium was in Thunderhome!” Gill said in sudden understanding. “I always wondered why he was there. The legends don’t offer a good explanation.”
“All of the ten were there,” Guldan offered.
“So the attack wasn’t just on the dwarves, it was on ‘The Ten’ and the Imperial Council of mages!” Gill breathed.
“Precisely, it was a perfect time for an attack. In my supreme ignorance, I allowed all who wished to attend, to do so. There was only a light guard on duty when the Demon’s attack came. Thousand’s died because of my error,” Bronn growled. “I have a score to settle with this demon.”
“We all do Bronn,” Guldan said. “We all do.”
I sat there blown away by Bronn’s admission that he was an Immortal and a legendary King. Gill too seemed suddenly at a loss for words.
“Until now, we had no way to rid ourselves of this fallen angel. Hopefully, the stone will work.” Bronn said a strange gleam coming into his eyes. “I would look upon this ruby.”
“Leave it to a dwarf to get moonstruck by a rock,” Guldan laughed.
Bronn shrugged.
“Back to the business at hand,” Guldan said leaning forward. Gill, Bronn and I leaned forward as well. “Corporal Gillian filled me in on what has happened since we last held council. Since he has alerted the guards, I see no reason to wait in Brighton past dawn. If
Lady Brianna and this coach person enter the city they will be detained. They aren’t important to the quest as I see it; so let them remain detained until our return. We buy another wagon, unless King Hammervil here has one we can borrow, load it up with Alissian wine, and make our way to Grimhome.”
“Wonderful plan you pointy eared devil. Accept for the part about four humans and a dwarf getting past an army marching out of Mozgul,” Bronn grumbled.
“It’s not uncommon for Blood elves to own slaves, my short, swarthy friend,” Guldan said, a sinister smile twisting his handsome features.
Bronn grunted and shook his head.
“Not again,” he sighed loudly.
“Just like Apropulus,” Guldan smiled cruelly.
“Quick-release manacles or no deal,” Bronn growled.
“Done.”
“So in this plan of yours we’re going to be chained up?” I said, exasperated. I didn’t like that Guldan and Bronn seemed to be taking over everything without consulting us, and it was frustrating that their history together allowed them to talk without me understanding what they were saying.
Guldan’s smile evaporated and he looked at me as if I was a mere child.
“Will I have to explain everything to you?” he sighed.
I felt my face flush with embarrassment and anger. My heart started pounding in my chest and my hands started to sweat. I knew I had to say something. It felt wrong to let him take over the mission. I took a deep breath and did my best to look straight into his patronizing eyes.
“If you want to be a part of this quest, then you will explain any plans you wish the group to consider. If not, you’re free to go,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “From what I’ve heard so far, your plan doesn’t take into account searching for Brianna at Memron’s castle.”
Guldan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Bronn laughed aloud.
“Seems Sir Nisbet not only chose well, but grabbed a tiger by the tail.”
Guldan regarded the laughing dwarf, then turned his penetrating gaze back to me. I could see him thinking about what to say, then he nodded.
“I’m afraid human, that I’m not used to not being in charge…”
“I’ll say!” laughed the dwarf interrupting.
Guldan paused and took a deep breath.
“I’ve lived for several millennia as has my furry friend here. Our combined experience should count for something.”
“It does.” I said, hating what I was about to say. “But according to a sage you are fated to fail, as are Bronn and the other seven Immortals.”
Guldan looked pained. “The Balshira prophecy? It’s mostly gibberish. Surely you don’t believe that…”
“I don’t know anything about prophecies, Guldan, I just know what I was told,” I interrupted. “As much as I hate this whole fate business… the sage that told me has been right about everything so far.”
“And who is this sage who was able to make sense of the Balshira Prophecy young Immortal?” Guldan asked with a swirk.
“Mrs. Hlava,” I said reluctantly. “Mira Hlava.”
“Mira?” Bronn sputtered.
Guldan sat back in his chair for a moment as if this new information was worth contemplating.
I was blown away. I didn’t expect them to have a clue who Ivy’s mother was.
“She is much more than you know Jake,” Thallium’s voice whispered in the back on my mind.
“Thank God you’re back,” I thought, calm relief spreading out through my tired body.
“Like I said, I never go away young one. You are doing well. Keep it up.”
“That does add a wrinkle does it not?” Guldan said to Bronn.
“I’ll say,” Bronn grunted.
“If anyone could make sense of it, it would be her,” Guldan sighed.
“Makes it pretty obvious then,” Bronn said smiling at me. “The lad’s in charge.”
“Indeed,” Guldan leaned forward whispering, “he has to decide, or whatever plans you or I make will fail.”
Great, I thought to myself. Now it’s all going to hinge on me again. Why the hell did I say anything? I should have just kept my mouth shut.
“Was that you pushing me to open my mouth?”
“It didn’t take more than a nudge. It needed to happen, don’t worry.”
“Well then, here’s what I was planning,” Guldan said grimacing “Blood Elves often have slaves. They use a type of magic to enthrall the slaves to do their bidding. In essence, they take away the slaves free will. So my traveling with human thralls won’t be seen as abnormal, if anything, being able to control four humans at the same time will been seen as a sign of power.
“The issue becomes having a dwarf as a slave. They cannot be ensorcelled, so Bronn here will have to be chained. Having a dwarf as a slave will be another signal to any blood elves we run into that I am not to be trifled with, they should leave us alone if we’re lucky.”
“Good plan so far.”
“What about Brianna?” I said nodding. “We can’t just leave her in Memron’s castle if she’s there.”
I could have sworn I saw Guldan’s eye softened momentarily when I’d said her name.
“Going to his castle is tantamount to suicide,” he said. “Our ruse will fail upon close inspection. We can’t endanger the quest for her.”
“If we can get close enough, maybe Ivy can tell if Lady Brianna is in the castle,” Gill offered.
“Your right Gill, maybe she can,” I agreed, my enthusiasm tempered by my disgust.
“What’s this?” Bronn asked surprised.
“Our friend can read minds,” I sighed. “She may be able to tell if Brianna is in the castle without going inside. I don’t know how close she has to be, but it’s worth a shot.”
“A mind reader in our group? I better start thinking about cute rabbits and pretty butterflies then,” Bronn laughed loudly.
I couldn’t help but smile. I was going to tell him that she’d made a promise not to read their minds and thought better of it.
“Excellent choice!” said the voice.
Guldan’s brow furrowed. He didn’t seem to like what he’d just heard. He nodded slowly, then looked up at me.
“The road we will take passes near Memron’s castle. We shall get as close as is possible without endangering our mission. Agreed?”
“Sounds good, what do you think, Gill?” I asked wanting to include him. He had been leading us up to this point and had done a great job.
“I agree, it’s as good a plan as any,” he said offering me a heartfelt smile.
“You have the makings of quite a leader Jake. I’m impressed.” Thallium said. “Better get some sleep though, Tomorrow should be interesting.”
“It’s settled then,” Bronn said, pushing back his chair and standing up. “I’ll go get the wagon and purchase the wine.”
Guldan stood and smiled down at the dwarf.
“I’ll come with you, just make sure the manacles fit right.”
“What? Don’t you trust me?” Bronn grinned.
“Not where wine is involved, you have a weak stomach.”
Without looking at us they made their way through the crowd and out of the inn.
Gill and I stood after a few minutes and left the main room. As we walked towards our rooms, Gill looked around making sure no one could hear.
“I don’t know why, but I don’t trust the elf. He’s holding something back,” Gill whispered.
I nodded.
“I have that feeling too, Gill.”
“Good boy!”
I opened the door to my room as quietly as I could and closed it behind me, looking down at my hands. They glowed blue in the darkness of the room. Turning towards the bed I saw Ivy’s soft purple glow and felt my pulse race slightly. I tried to be quiet, but there was no point thinking I could sneak anywhere glowing like I was.
“Come to bed Jake,” Ivy’s voice called out softly.
&nb
sp; I took a deep breath and walked over the bed sitting on its edge.
“Surely, you don’t plan on coming to bed wearing your sword,” she giggled.
I stood and unclasped the belt buckle, then took off my belt and leaned Gwensorloth against the wall nearby. I looked down at her. Her shimmering, purple aura lit her lovely features in the dark room. She smiled up at me from beneath the bedding, her wavy hair spread around her gorgeous face like a halo on the pillow. If at the moment she had told me that she was secretly an angel, I would have believed her. She was stunning.
I swallowed deeply wondering if she slept like I did most nights, naked as a jaybird. My heart hammered in my chest as I pulled my tunic top off over my head. I folded the tunic and set it down on the floor, then hesitated.
“What’s wrong, Dear Heart?” Ivy whispered up at me.
“Maybe I should sleep on the couch,” I said, looking away from her as rush after rush of adrenaline shot through my body.
“Nonsense Jake,” she said, holding her hand out to me. “You can remain a gentlemen, just come to bed and hold me for awhile.”
I turned back towards the bed, my heart threatening to beat its way out of my chest. Just hold her? As if that was going to be such an easy thing. I couldn’t get in bed with my pants and boots on, so I sat back down on the edge of the bed and took them off. I slid under the dark covers with my boxer briefs on and lay stiffly on my back, pulling up the covers. I tried unsuccessfully to control my ragged breathing, as Ivy scooted over and leaned into me, putting her head on my chest. My heart sped up even more if that was possible as the curves of her body pressed against me. Thank God she wasn’t naked. She had on some sort of slip, but she might as well have been naked, it was so sheer it could feel every detail of her body.
“It’s just me Jake,” she giggled, putting my arm around her shoulder so she could snuggle more tightly against me.
I took a deep breath and tried to settle my nerves. She was so soft and warm, and her hair smelled so good.
“Relax Dear Heart,” she whispered, the fingertips of her right hand rubbing lightly on my collarbone.
“I’m trying,” I laughed nervously.
She started giggling and I felt the tension break inside of me like a damn on a river. My heart slowed down, and it became much easier to breathe.
“You couldn’t see my nightie could you?” Ivy asked, still giggling.
“No, I probably would have passed out if I did,” I admitted
“It says ‘Gunn’ and has your number on the back,” she whispered.
“Really?” I asked, shocked.
“Yup, Mom and I had it made when I found out what your number was. I’ve worn it every night since the beginning of the season,” Ivy breathed, snuggling closer. “That way I always felt you were with me when I went to bed.”
What does one say to something like that?
“How about just enjoying the love of a beautiful woman who adores you Jake,” said the voice fading from my mind, before I could tell it to go away.
I thought about it for a minute or two as we lay there.
“Am I close?” I asked, trying to feel it with the hand she’d put around her shoulder.
“Uh huh, down a little bit,” she wiggled, trying to guide me hand. “There!”
I could feel the embroidery and traced it with my fingers.
“Sure it’s not on the front?” I chuckled.
Ivy squirmed her ample front against my chest and side.
“Maybe next season.”
