The Hammer’s Fall:
The Chronicles of Logan Hammersmith
Derick J.M. Summers
The Hammer’s Fall
The Chronicles Of Logan Hammersmith
Copyright 2008 by Derick J.M. Summers
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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
ISBN: 978-0-595-47853-8
Printed in the United States of America
For all those who believed in, and more importantly, put up with all my flights of fancy; this is for you… may you enjoy the journey.
Chapter One: Morning Glory
Tess woke to the warmth of the sun on her face as it slanted in through the lace curtains of her bedroom window. She lay comfortably under the feather duvet. A faint scent of jasmine carried itself through the house from the poultices she had hung in the kitchen earlier that week. The house itself was quiet.
Tanel, must not be up yet, she thought.
Rolling over in the bed, she sighed deeply. It was a morning just like all the others, and Hagar still wasn’t there.
Hagar was her husband. He was a handsome figure of a man, if she did say so herself. She smiled at the thought of his wide, muscular shoulders and massive chest. It was those rippling muscles that had first caught Tess’ attention as a young girl visiting from a small rural farm.
At the time, Hagar was an apprentice minding the blacksmith’s stall in the village market. Though he was no more than nineteen years of age, he was already a massive man with biceps bulging as he laid out the blacksmith’s wares. Many of the young women of Solan Bay had their eye on the blacksmith’s apprentice, but the blacksmith’s apprentice had shown little or no interest in any of them. All that kept Hagar’s attention was his craft, and rumour had it that he already surpassed his master’s work.
Tess’ family had come into town for one of their very irregular visits. Her father had always prided himself on being self-sufficient. However, he needed a new blade for their scythe and Tess’ mother and sisters wanted to go to the general store for fabric and such. Tess had offered to go to the blacksmith for him while he took her mother and sisters shopping. She was never much interested in ribbons and bows anyway, she explained to him at the time.
She remembered her father’s half smile as he agreed and gave her the coin to pay for the blade. As the eldest of the children and having no sons to his credit, her father had always treated Tess more like a boy than a girl. He trusted her with most of the family chores and responsibilities. He knew that she wouldn’t lose her head no matter how smitten she might be.
Tess had made her way to the blacksmith’s stall, her nervousness causing her stomach to twist itself in knots. She had to wait while Hagar finished his business with a heavy-set merchant. From what she could gather, the merchant was trying to raise the price on some iron stock that Hagar’s master had ordered. Hagar was shaking his massive head in silent frustration.
Tess took the opportunity to get a good look at the apprentice blacksmith. From a distance he seemed big, but up close he was enormous. He easily stood six and a half feet tall. At five foot four, Tess had to crane her head back to look at him. She figured that he must have weighed in at close to 350 pounds or so and wearing just breeches and his smith’s apron, she could see it was all muscle. Tess couldn’t help but wonder if he might have some ogre or troll blood, somewhere back in his family line. His eyes were a bright sea blue and sparkled like jewels against his tanned skin, while his head was shaved completely.
She watched him step out from behind the blacksmith’s stall to inspect the wagonload of iron the merchant had brought. The merchant seemed tiny next to him and quickly stepped out of his way while trying to look like he hadn’t. When the big apprentice spoke, his voice came out in a low rumble.
“Take it back.”
“What?” sputtered the outraged merchant continued in shock. “How dare you, boy? I’ll speak with your master right now and have you whipped for your impertinence.”
“If you’d like to, you’re more than welcome,” said Hagar. “However, I don’t think he’ll be impressed with how you tried to pass second-rate merchandise for a price higher than you agreed.”
“Second-rate …” the merchant continued to sputter but Hagar had already turned his attention back to the smith’s stall.
After several moments, the merchant realized the futility of his situation and Tess watched as a look of resignation crossed his face.
“Alright … alright … I’ll take the price agreed but it’s robbery I tell you!”
Hagar turned slowly toward the merchant and produced a pouch of coins from behind his apron and handed them to the disagreeable man. Tess wasn’t sure if it was the blacksmith’s reputation or Hagar’s imposing size that stopped the merchant from double-checking the number of coins. Either way, the man quickly pocketed them and left the stall.
The smith’s apprentice finished unloading the iron from the merchant’s wagon and gave a quick nod to the boy holding the horses. The boy flashed a smile in return before leading the horses and wagon away. Hagar laid the rest of the iron aside and looked up at Tess.
After seeing him so strong and confident with the merchant, his apparent shyness with her was even more endearing. His voice was softer and held a slight tremor as he spoke to her.
“Is there anything I can help you with ma’am?” he asked politely.
Tess took a deep breath to gather her own courage as she stepped forward. She smiled at the big man and that was it. According to Hagar, after she gave him that smile he was twitterpated. Tess’ father got his scythe blade and a short time later she and Hagar began courting. That year, Hagar helped with the family harvest to the great delight of Tess’ father. Her sisters adored him and her mother doted on him, feeding him and constantly asking him how he got so big when he ate so little.
By the summer solstice they were wed and she became Tess Hammersmith. She had never been happier. Hagar’s master elevated him to partner and spoke openly of his own plans to retire. After all, he had pointed out with pride, Hagar was already doing the majority of the work and almost all of the intricate pieces. For her part, Tess spent her days studying with the village wise women. Her mother had taught her much about holistic medicine growing up and being a farmer’s daughter she had a good understanding of plants and their uses. She also found that she had an aptitude for the healing ways. Before too long she was making poultices and assisting in the nursing of Solan Bay’s sick and infirm.
Hagar and Tess had their daughter a year after their wedding. A strong and wilful child they named Tanel, she had her father’s sparkling blue eyes and her mother’s beauty. She was absolutely perfect in every way and both Tess and Hagar were as pleased as two parents could be. Unfortunately, their first child would also be their last.
The village healer was concerned that Tess would not survive another child’s birth.
The first had almost been too much for her with the last month spent in nearly complete bed rest. Tess tried to insist that she had to provide Hagar with a boy and that it was worth the risk. Hagar had shaken his large head and held her close for a time before explaining that after finally finding her he would not take a chance on losing her. He was happy with what he had and that was enough for him.
The subject was dropped from that moment on and if Hagar was disappointed with not having a boy, he never showed it.
The next five years were wonderful. Hagar, Tess and Tanel were happy, healthy and everything was going well with the smithy. Both Hagar and Tess were well respected in the community and Tanel was showing herself to be as bright as she was pretty. Then word came of war in the north. Apparently, there was trouble in the Dragon’s Spine, the line of mountains that ran from east to west across the continent of Tir’an, separating the north form the south. Bands of trolls were coming down from their rocky enclaves and raiding south into the Great Forest, destroying elfin villages as they went. It had been happening for years, maybe even decades, and the elves had finally swallowed their pride and sought human help.
Each human village was left to make its own decision about the elves. This led to a great deal of heated discussion in Solan Bay. Some felt it was a straightforward decision to help your neighbours. Others were not so sure. After all, elves weren’t even humans, they reasoned. Let them deal with their own problems. It was elder Dengal who pointed out that once the elves were gone there would be no barriers between the marauding Trolls and the human settlements. Besides, the old man argued, it was never a bad thing to strengthen ties with neighbouring communities.
The debate raged for several days but, it was finally decided that the humans would go to the elves’ aid and Hagar was asked to go along to provide for the needs of the soldiers. Normally, the village would have asked his master, but given the man’s age it fell to Hagar. Hagar didn’t want war any more than the next man, but he understood the need for it. He had argued for the town’s involvement from the beginning and even though he hated the thought of leaving his wife and daughter, he knew he couldn’t refuse. A few days later, he kissed his wife and daughter goodbye, he left.
That had been two years ago, and except for the occasional letter that made it all the way south, Tess had had almost no word of him.
She stretched out in the big iron poster bed Hagar had made for them, warm in the morning sun, feeling sorry for herself. Tess shook her head in frustration.
This isn’t like me, she thought bitterly. I have things to do.
Tess mentally checked off the chores ahead of her. The harvested fruit people often used to pay for her healing services had to be preserved. There was baking to do and she had to finish the lineament for master Dengal’s inflamed back.
No, she decided. There is too much to do. I’ll just have to drag myself out of bed and get it done.
The decision made, Tess gathered the will to put action to motive. The sound of Tanel rooting around in the kitchen reached her ears and she forced herself to throw the duvet off.
It’s definitely time to get up now, she thought grimly. That girl could tear through the house like a tornado if left to her own devices.
Pushing herself from the bed, she found the floor pleasantly warm from the sun’s rays. Padding softly across the room she stopped in front of the polished metal mirror that stood in the corner of the bedroom. Letting her shift fall in a heap to the floor, she unplaited the braid that kept her long brown hair in place while she slept. Studying herself in the mirror, she turned left and right. Running a critical eye over her body she smiled to herself.
Not bad for a woman with a child, she thought.
She was proud that she had managed to keep her figure after Tanel was born.
Sure, my hips are a little heavier and my breasts a little fuller, she conceded. That just shows what a mature woman I am.
She washed at the water basin she had put out the night before and pulled a fresh shift from her dresser.
She was just finishing brushing out her hair when she heard a squeal from the kitchen. She rushed out of her room in a panic and ran toward the noise.
What had that girl gotten into now, she thought as she arrived just in time to see the kitchen door slam shut behind her daughter.
The kitchen was a complete mess, as Tess had known it would be, and she sighed deeply as she opened the door to the yard. Sure enough, there was Tanel running across the grass of their small front yard and out past the gate.
Tess was just about to yell for her daughter to come back and clean up her mess when a distant figure on the road caught her eye. Tess squinted against the sun.
Who was ...?
It was…
Tess raced after her daughter. She couldn’t believe it, but as she got closer she knew it was true. It was Hagar. He was finally home. Up ahead she heard Tanel’s shriek of delight.
“Daddy … Daddy … Daddy’s home!”
Chapter Two: Unexpected Gifts
Hagar pulled his massive chestnut horse to a halt and slid out of the saddle as his daughter charged him. He had barely gained his footing as she jumped into his arms, hugging him. He caught her up easily and spun her around.
“You’re getting big, monster.” Hagar laughed a deep rumbling laugh as he put Tanel back down on the ground. Tanel wrapped her little arms around her father’s thigh.
Tess had slowed herself to a statelier walk as she approached her husband, studying him closely as he greeted his daughter. The patch covering his left eye was the first thing that jumped out at her and she paled as she noticed the long jagged scar that ran down his cheek. She sighed and shook her head.
Knowing Hagar, he’d probably tried to sew it shut himself, she thought.
She quickly scanned the rest of him. Other than the eye and a few minor scrapes and scars he seemed to be none the worst for wear, though he was a bit thinner than when he’d left her.
“So do I pass inspection woman?” Hagar’s gruff voice rumbled at her, the smile on his face softening his words. Tess smiled up at her husband.
“You’ll do.”
She stepped into his arms and hugged him close to her.
Yes, she thought, definitely thinner.
Before he left, Tess could never have wrapped her arms completely around his bulky frame. But now, her arms around his waist, her hands touched behind his back. She buried her face in his chest and breathed in his warm, musky scent.
No worries, she decided. Some home cooked meals will soon put the weight back on him.
She paused suddenly and pulled her head back from Hagar’s chest.
“Tess ...”
“Shhh!” she put a finger to his mouth and listened intently for a moment. The sound reached her again.
Was that? Yes, it was … a soft mewling sound.
Tess pushed out of Hagar’s arms and stared up at him. He looked like a boy who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar as he shifted nervously from foot to foot.
“Hagar?”
At her questioning tone, Hagar dropped his eyes away from his wife’s.
“Hagar. Look at me. What have you done?”
Again the sounds of mewling reached them. Hagar turned toward his horse and pulled an odd bundle from his open saddlebag. The bundle murmured and wriggled as he carefully pulled it free. Hagar slowly turned back toward his wife with a bundle of furs in his outstretched hands. His voice was soft and tentative as he spoke.
“I found him after the battle Tess. He has no one.”
Staring up at her from the bundle of furs and skins was a pair of coal black eyes set in a pale white face.
A baby, she thought in shock. The great oaf brought home a baby.
More fussing sounds came from the little bundle as it looked up at her. Tiny hands reached for her. A feeling of joy filled her. Even so, she shot a dark look up at her husband as she spoke.
“Give it here before you drop it, you fo
olish ox.”
She took the bundle away from Hagar and pulled the baby close to her breast. She continued scolding her husband as she settled the baby against her.
“Traveling all that way with a babe in your saddlebags,” Tess shook her head. “Gods, what did you feed it? Never mind, I don’t think I want to know.”
The child fussed and cooed at her, focusing on her voice and playing with her long hair. She smiled down at it reassuringly before turning back toward the house.
“Just settle your horse and come get some food,” she said.
With that, she strode back to the house. Hagar smiled to himself and looked down at his daughter who had been watching the whole scene intently. He picked her up around the waist like a sack of potatoes and tossed her up on his shoulder. She screamed in delight.
“So have you been a good girl?”
“Of course, Daddy! What did you bring me?”
Hagar laughed as he led his horse to the stable.
“I’m sure there must be something in one of these saddlebags. But first we have to settle Casper,” he announced before leading the horse towards the stable.
Hagar unsaddled Casper and gave him a good rub down while Tanel jabbered on about everything. She filled him in on home life and asked non-stop questions about what it was like at war and why was he wearing that funny patch on his face. Hagar just chuckled to himself, answering when he could manage to get a word in.
It’s good to be home, he thought.
Goat’s milk was warming in a pot on the iron stove as Tess unswaddled the small bundle in front of her. The babe was quiet now, staring up at her. Those coal black eyes seemed to stare right into her soul.
As Tess unwrapped the babe, the first thing she noticed was that it was a male and that he was not human. Besides being a little on the small side, he was a little wider through the back and shoulders than most of the babies she’d seen. His hands were large for his size and his ears were slightly pointed. His eyes were nearly completely black, with almost no white showing and in the dim light of the kitchen they were all pupil.
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