Elvore was obviously encouraged by this question and reached up to smooth his hair down again. “Just under six months they are. They’s all got some basic training. I got the four males and two females. Well three counting that other one, but you fine Lords won’t want that one.”
Jess hadn’t even noticed the seventh puppy, a solitary animal huddled in the corner away from the others, but as soon as the gnome mentioned her his eyes were drawn to the lone puppy. The other fairy hounds were all typical of what Jess would have expected: like most hunting hounds they were white with red eyes and ears, sleek and obviously built for running. They showed their court breeding in their size, which was larger than hunting hounds would normally have been, and by having only three legs, their front leg being a single limb from the center of their chest. The seventh hound however stood out in shocking contrast to her siblings. She was a smoky grey, neither the black of a court hound nor the white of a hunting animal, and her eyes, which should by all logic have been red even if she were a purebred court hound, were black. She was also smaller, sized more like a hunting animal, and had all four legs, both her ears…in short she looked exactly like an ordinary mortal dog.
He stared at the misbegotten animal in utter fascination. He had heard of such things of course, but as usually such animals were killed at birth he’d never actually seen one before. He couldn’t resist asking “Is she blind?”
The gnome made a choking sound, “Blind! Certainly not! I’d not sell any defective animals here.”
“Well you are selling that,” Bleidd said drily, earning an offended look from Elvore who didn’t dare to talk back to the higher ranking Fey but obviously wished he could. His lips clamped down into a tight line and his eyes fixed on Belidd’s sheathed sword, the hilt hanging almost at his eye level because of their height difference. Jess was curious why the normally savvy gnome was so irate over an insult to the little deformed puppy. Surely he hears such comments about her often he thought as he watched the gnome struggling to regain his composure, Bleidd meanwhile continued his assessment of the other puppies, oblivious to the shopkeeper’s ire.
Jess reached down and carefully picked up the strange hound. She was smaller than her siblings but still well proportioned and heavy, so he knew at least she was physically healthy. The puppy whimpered slightly at first, but when he cradled her against his chest she began eagerly licking his neck and face. He smiled, feeling an instant fondness for the animal despite her deformity, or perhaps because of it. He doubted she’d have much chance of being bought no matter how sweet natured she was and he knew that often unsold hounds that reached a certain age were used as food for the larger carnivorous animals in other parts of the market. He looked at Bleidd over the dog, speaking out loud, “I think Allie would like her very much.”
“I think we can find a better hound than this,” Bleidd said his voice scathing.
“A better fairy hound perhaps, but not one that would make a better gift,” Jess replied, still cradling the hound.
“I’ll give ye a good price on ‘er,” Elvore cut in unexpectedly. “I know she’s ugly as a mortal beast, but she’s sound and she’s the smartest and sweetest hound I got. If’n yer lookin’ fer a gift fer someone, this un’ll do ye proud.”
Bleidd gritted his teeth. Then he took a slow deep breath. “Well we will certainly keep that in mind. As it is though we were agreed to look in several places before making a decision, were we not?”
Jess nodded and reluctantly put the puppy back down with her siblings. “Yes, we were.”
Elvore’s disappointment was palpable. “Alright then. Well I’ll just hold ‘er for ye so she’ll be ready when ye come back.”
Bleidd’s expression made it plain that he had absolutely no intention of coming back for the misbegotten puppy. He inclined his head wordlessly in a shrug to the gnome and then turned on his heel to leave. Jess was forced to follow behind, his gaze lingering over his shoulder at the pen where the puppy had stood up with her paws on the edge of the wooden partition, her head hanging over the top, watching him go and whining slightly. Next to her Elvore reached out and absently stroked her muzzle as he watched the two elves leave.
“Bleidd,” Jess began as they stepped back onto the street.
“Where else do you suggest we look?” Bleidd said, his voice firm.
Jess sighed, then gestured for the other elf to follow him down the street to the next place he could think of that was likely to have hounds.
But he couldn’t stop thinking about how much Allie would like that dark one.
**************************
“I cannot believe in this entire city we could not find a single suitable hound,” Bleidd said later that evening, extending the bit of magic to banish his sword elsewhere before throwing himself down on their bed in the room they were renting. “A whole day of walking for nothing! I am so tired now I could barely find the energy to walk up the stairs, and the delay to shop again in the morning means a partial day’s ride ahead of us tomorrow and another night’s layover in another blasted inn and then more riding again before we’ll be home. It’s exhausting to even think about it, and nothing to show for any of it.”
Jess sighed, rubbing his forehead. He wished he could reach out to Allie and hear her voice in his mind at least, especially with Bleidd in such a foul mood, but they had agreed at the start that there was too much risk that she’d accidently pick up their purpose if they contacted her mentally, and that would ruin the planned surprise. Instead he did his best to keep his own temper, “We found several suitable animals. You are being too particular.”
Bleidd propped himself up on his elbows, glaring at the other elf. “That’s ridiculous. I am not being too particular at all. That dwarven merchant’s hounds were too old, and guard animals besides. Entirely unsuitable. The elven merchant had a good selection of purebred hounds but her prices were impossibly high; we could have gotten three animals anywhere else for what she was asking for one. And I didn’t like the way she was speaking to us. That Ghillie Dhu had a reasonable looking hound but it seemed too timid and I wouldn’t trust a timid animal’s temperament. And those pixies kept re-phrasing their answers every time we repeated a question, not to mention those puppies didn’t look old enough to be properly weaned.”
Jess sighed again, very aware that Bleidd hadn’t mentioned Elvore’s hounds. He eased onto the bed behind the other elf, gently pushing him forward into a sitting position and then started to massage his shoulders while they talked. “Thran only deals in guard hounds, I told you that before we went to see him, remember? You thought perhaps Allie might like their green fur and that a guard animal might be a good idea for the house. Eallissiae is a hard one to deal with, that I won’t deny, but she only sells the best. If you want the finest quality then you must expect to pay the highest prices. I agree about the Ghillie Dhu, and as to the pixies I wouldn’t have agreed to buy from them in any case – I’m almost certain those animals were stolen. If I weren’t here with you on a personal errand I’d be duty bound to investigate that.”
Bleidd let out a long breath, leaning back and resting his head against Jess’s shoulder. “You and your duty. Must you investigate everyone we see?”
“I’m not investigating anyone at the moment,” Jess said gently, unsure now if Bleidd was serious or teasing but knowing that he was extremely frustrated after a long and fruitless day. “And it is my purpose after all to keep order in the Holding. That aside however I think you are overlooking the best option for Allie’s gift.”
“Please do not tell me you are going to bring up that misbegotten monstrosity again,” Bleidd said relaxing. “That is exactly why hounds shouldn’t be crossbred.”
“That is exactly the sort of hound Allie would love,” Jess insisted, remembering the little animal cuddling against his chest.
It was Bleidd’s turn to sigh. “Perhaps we should reconsider the dwarf. It doesn’t have to be a puppy after all. And the price he was asking was r
easonable enough.”
Jess’s shoulder’s slumped slightly, and he leaned his head down until his cheek rested against Bleidd’s hair. “Perhaps we’ve talked enough about hounds for one day. It’s late. We already spent all of dinner discussing the merits of different types of hounds, I’d as soon not speak of the subject again tonight.”
“We have to leave tomorrow to return in time for the party,” Bleidd said, reaching up and stroking Jess’s hair, his fingers gentle.
“I know,” Jess said. “But we have the morning to decide what to do, what to choose, and to purchase something. As long as we leave the city by mid-morning we can still arrive in time. As for tonight, I do not think I can bear to hear the word ‘hound’ one more time.”
Bleidd smiled, a trace of his usual humor showing through the evening’s sour mood. “Then why did you just say it?”
Jess groaned and shoved the other elf away lightly, which soon devolved into a wrestling match. The bed creaked unhappily as the two rolled around, each trying to get the upper hand on the other. “You are impossible. Who was it that was complaining he was too tired to move a moment ago?”
Bleidd easily pinned the younger elf to the bed, his expression relaxing for the first time since the morning, “I meant it when I said it, but apparently I simply lacked proper motivation.”
Jess couldn’t stop himself from grinning despite having lost their impromptu contest, “I don’t know why you named yourself ‘Wolf’ it doesn’t suit you at all. When you gave up using Morighent as a name you should have called yourself ‘Puppy’, the Gods know you act enough like one.”
“Oh I’d have a care if I were you, Commander,” Bleidd laughed, pressing down until Jess was pinned fully to the bed, trying to hold him beyond any squirming free. “You’re not in the best position to insult the name I choose to use now are you? And after today I think it’s clear you don’t know much of anything about puppies, never mind wolves.”
Jess laughed as well, refusing to give up and writhing with all his might even as he continued talking, “I know plenty about puppies – I deal with you all the time don’t I? That’s it then, from now on I shall call you Gadreene[1]. It’s the most fitting name possible for you.”
“You think you’re clever do you?” Bleidd said, struggling to hold the other elf down. The bed groaned loudly as the two elves grappled with each other, kicking blankets and pillows around the room with unbridled enthusiasm. Despite Bleidd’s earlier success they were fairly evenly matched and neither could gain the upper hand. Jess grew bored of the competition first and took advantage of a momentary lull in the wrestling to begin kissing his way along Bleidd’s exposed neck. The other elf tensed, then relaxed, his hands sliding along Jess’s body…
With an enormous crack the wooden bed rail split from the footboard on the left side, the mattress tilting down at an angle at that end, sliding both elves off the bed onto the floor. Jess landed more or less on the bottom, but despite the awkward position and discomfort he immediately struggled to crawl free looking wide eyed at the bed, “What just happened?”
“We seem to have broken the bed,” Bleidd said slowly, struggling to extricate himself as well and peering at the split wood. After a moment he started laughing.
“Did we?” Jess asked, still stunned. “That won’t amuse the innkeeper.”
“It doesn’t seem to have amused you either, but then, you’re paying for this,” Bleidd retorted, still laughing.
Jess closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head at the seeming impossibility of the sturdy furniture breaking. Finally he lay back on the floor grabbing a pillow that was lying within reach. “As you will, but you’re going to explain it to her. I’ll never be able to stay here again as it is.”
Bleidd shook his head, looking around at the room. Jess was laying, still fully dressed, his badge shining at his waist, with one pillow and one of the sheets from the bed, in the space between the bed frame and the wall. The bed was a ruin, the mattress resting on one corner on the floor, the broken frame tilting precariously. The blankets lay scattered around the room, the three other pillows tossed carelessly across the floor. One of the pillows had burst a seam and stuffing was scattered across the floor trailing to where it had landed. In the course of their childish play, they had managed to knock over the small side table next to the bed and broken the lamp that had been sitting on it – he didn’t even remember that happening.
Surveying the wreckage he laughed until he cried, his whole body shaking with the force of it. After several minutes when he seemed to have calmed down a bit Jess reached up and pulled him down to lie on the floor, wrapping them both in the sheet.
“So,” Jess said, trying to ignore the ignominy of the situation and the knowledge that his actions had made the entire Elven Guard look bad by association, and focusing on the fact that at least Bleidd was in a much better mood “Shall we see if we can break the floor as well?”
4 - October 31st
Allie woke up Halloween morning and stretched slowly in bed. It was still a strange feeling to wake up alone in the middle of the King sized bed, and she took a moment to breathe deeply, inhaling the lingering scent of her lovers which clung to their pillows. She smiled at herself when she realized what she was doing. And to think I used to find it strange that Jess likes to smell my hair when he hugs me she thought slowly rolling out of bed and heading to the bathroom. And who would have thought that after six months of sharing personal space with them I’d have gotten so used to it that going a couple days by myself would be this difficult? Although I can’t deny that as much as I miss them for themselves I also really miss having that constant emotional input to pull from. I can feel the difference now when we’re apart, even when I’m pulling from them at a distance and Gods know Bleidd makes sure I have plenty to pull from when he isn’t around me as long as he has Jess. Poor Jess’ll be exhausted by the time he gets back here. But damn it’s just not the same when I’m not physically involved …and wow Allie way to sound like a total Dark Court monster with that one. Creepy Bahvanshee sex-energy-absorbing much?
She emerged back into the bedroom and quickly dressed in her favorite Halloween shirt and a pair of black jeans. The t-shirt had been black when it was new but was now faded to a dark grey and sported the image of a Victorian era witch on the front, riding a broom across a full moon, below the dark orange words ‘A Merry Halloween’. She brushed her hair but didn’t pull it up into the usual ponytail, instead letting it fall loose below her shoulders. Feeling unusually cheerful she all but skipped down to the kitchen, ready to take on the day.
The smell of coffee, bacon, and eggs greeted her and her stomach growled loudly enough that Hannah, sitting nearby at the table giggled. “Morning Allie – or should I say happy birthday! Better grab some food before that gets worse.”
Allie giggled as well, going to get her morning coffee before she headed over to the stove. Shawn was nowhere to be seen – probably still sleeping she guessed – but Jason was standing at the back counter emptying the frying pan onto a plate. “Hey Jason, ‘morning. Is there enough left for me to grab some because that smells delicious.”
“You are such a dork Allie, honestly,” Jason said, snorting loudly. He put the pan down then handed her a plate, picking up a second one she hadn’t seen and heading over to join Hannah at the table. “As if I wouldn’t make you breakfast on your birthday. Knowing you if I didn’t you’d just have coffee and how could I live with that on my conscience?”
“You’re the dork,” she shot back, enjoying the teasing. Then taking a good look at her plate as she balanced her coffee mug in one hand and her food in the other, “Ummm, why are these eggs green?”
“Food coloring silly,” he said between mouthfuls of eggs and bacon. “I thought you’d appreciate the spooky factor with the holiday and all. You know, like haunted, mutant, scrambled eggs.”
“Ahh,” she said sitting down next to her roommates and admiring the green eggs next to the normal
looking bacon. “Cool. Definitely a very Halloween-y way to start the day.”
Jason beamed at the compliment, while Hannah rolled her eyes and smirked into her coffee. Allie dug in, glad that her stomach seemed normal today; she was getting pretty tired of the seemingly endless nausea. After a few minutes of contented silence Hannah spoke, “So everything’s all set for tonight. I’ll be home by 4:30 at the latest, even if things get nutty at the clinic. And Allie you close at 6, right?”
“Yup,” Allie agreed, swallowing quickly. “I’m training my new employee today and I have to show her how to close but I shouldn’t be late getting home.”
“And I’m off today,” Jason said, pushing his empty plate away. “I’ll get dinner done and be sure it’s ready when Allie gets here. And the cake of course will be all set; Tony’s much better at baking than I am so he’s coming over today to help me with that part.”
“I’m shocked you need help with any kind of cooking,” Allie said, “this is delicious by the way.”
“Thank you, and for your information cooking and baking aren’t the same thing.”
“If you say so, but they seem like the same thing to me,” Allie shot back, taking a long drink of her coffee. She was surprised by how excited she really was about the party now that it was actually here.
Hannah laughed and shook her head, “Okay you two, enough. The point is, the food is set, and the cake is set. The guests are invited. The living room is decorated in full Halloween glory. All that’s left is for everyone to show up and have fun.”
Allie grinned widely at that, thinking of how much fun it would be just to have everyone together and celebrating. Hannah caught the look and peered more closely at her roommate, “You know, despite all your protests I think you’re excited about this party.”
Allie blushed, then met Hannah’s eyes, “You know something, I am. I really am. I don’t know why, I mean I wasn’t expecting to or anything but this is really fun isn’t it?”
Fairy Gifts: A Between the Worlds Anthology Page 5
