by John Evans
It was only a short while later before the pair were escorted by Horgli and Kalli to a chamber located deep within the mountain. The chamber was a thirty foot octagonal room, hewn from solid rock. Three-dimensional artwork had been carved right into the walls. Each relief depicted a dwarven leader at some critical point in dwarven history. Most of the scenes were of battles, but one displayed a meeting between dwarves, elves, men, and a couple other races. Two of the walls were blank. King Ether and Gola were sitting at a large round table.
"Come in and sit down," commanded King Ether. "You're late." He passed a yellowed sheet of parchment over to Per. "This is the original map to the realm I told you about." The king pointed to a depiction of a large cavern drawn on the paper. "This is the cavern and these lines indicate tunnels leading to it. I'll have someone lead you to the start of the tunnel complex. How good are you at spelunking?"
"I don't have much experience," replied Per. "Iona?"
"I have some, but probably not much more than you," she stated.
King Ether sighed heavily. "I'm afraid I am going to have to ask a great favor of the two of you. I need to get Holina to Delta to coordinate our actions and I haven't anyone to spare. I have to ask you two to escort her to the city. Per, you spoke of finding Yayenski and Queen Shara with some urgency. Can you spare the time to go back to Delta?"
Per thought back, retracing the time it took to reach MarHaven. He traced a tunnel line with a finger. "How long do you think it will take to get to the cavern?" he asked.
"It will take two days to get to the start of the tunnel," replied Gola. "The trip, based on the map, would take a dwarf several weeks. That's if you don't get lost, have to make a detour, or run into a nastie."
"I think Yayenski is on some sort of schedule," said Per. "I don't think we can afford to wait."
"You may not understand why it is imperative for Holina to reach Delta," said King Ether. "After the initial chaotic attacks had been repulsed here and at Delta, it seemed that everything would settled back down, but it didn't. From what you have told me, Delta has not experienced any more assaults. We have, and things in the underworld are building up to a head. Delta is our closest neighbor. If we don't coordinate and act together, we may be overrun separately."
Per looked over at Iona, who had a grim expression on her face. He turned back to face King Ether and an idea sparked in his mind. "Why not send Horgli and Kalli?" he suggested. "After Iona and I leave, they'll be free to escort Holina."
"I took them off a critical assignment to guard you," said Gola. "I've already released them from guard duty and sent them back."
Per sat still, trying to think up a different solution. He was certain that King Ether would not let him have the map or show him the tunnel start unless Holina was taken to Delta. He also felt that he could not afford to waste the time to make the trip back to Delta.
"There is another way to do this," said Iona hesitantly. All three men looked over at her. "I'll take Holina to Delta and Per can go into the tunnels. My mother's in Delta, so I need to see to its safety. I can get Holina there by myself."
Per could tell Iona did not like the option anymore than he did. Unfortunately, it was the only option he had that did not require him to go to Delta. "What do you say, Your Majesty?" he asked.
"Half a mug is better than no beer at all," replied King Ether. "Holina will lead you to the start of the of the tunnel complex. She and Iona can then go out through Karmond's Gate. The gate is north of the crater area, which will allow them to circle around the site. Gola will outfit you with the gear you need to get to the cavern. When will you be ready to leave?"
"It might be best if we don't put this off," said Per. "We can leave as soon as we get our gear together."
"Per, I trust you because you saved one of our own, but be warned," said King Ether ominously. "If you play us false or betray us, our entire kingdom would destroy itself just to get revenge."
Per swallowed nervously, nodded to the dwarf king, and followed Gola out of the room. Iona brought up the rear.
Gola did not say anything as he led them down stone corridors and up polished marble staircases. He brought them to a beautifully carved door and opened it. Inside was a richly attired suite of rooms and Holina was standing in the main living room as they entered. "Well, father?" she asked upon seeing them.
"Iona is going with you to Delta," Said Gola. "Per is going on alone to the cavern. Did you get everything I asked for?"
"Yes," replied Holina. She looked like she was going to say something else, but stopped before she did. "When do we leave?"
"As soon as you are ready."
"The gear is in the workshop. I'll go get changed," said Holina before she walked off into another room.
"The king has sent Iona's horse and mule to Karmond's Gate with one of our troops," said Gola, leading them into the workshop.
Workbenches lined one wall and the opposite wall hade numerous tools hanging on it. On the center table was a large knapsack, rope, spikes, hammers, and all sorts of other climbing equipment.
"Iona, you'll get equipment and rations at the gate," said Gola. "Per, I'm giving this to you now so you can take the next couple of days to get used to the weight and familiarize yourself with the equipment. Traveling in the Underworld is very different than above. There is no sun or moon to tell you day from night. Rest when you are tired and travel when you are rested. Do not leave any traces of your passing. Marking tunnels is an amateurish trick and there are nasties that look for such things."
Gola reached into the pile and pulled out a black rod. It was only a foot long and had a rope attached to the end of it. He pressed a button at the base and four spikes sprang out at forty-five degree angles from the central rod.
"I used to roam the Underworld when I was a lad with barely a foot of beard," mused Gola. "This grappling hook went with me everywhere. It will hook onto anything and stay attached until you hold the rope and say 'Release'. The spike will then retract. It saved my life more than once. I'm loaning it to you."
"I'm honored," said Per.
"You will be given six weeks of field rations, not the best tasting food, but it will sustain you and it stays fresh for several months."
"Six weeks worth?" questioned Per.
"The king wasn't kidding about detours," said Gola. "The map is ancient. There may have been cave-ins or a new watercourse may have cut through a tunnel. If you manage to rescue Queen Shara, that means another mouth to feed."
"Sorry, didn't think it through."
"Start," ordered Gola. "The Underworld is no place to make a mistake."
"Neither is the Upperworld," retorted Per.
"You're right, there," admitted Gola, "but I haven't seen the sky crash down on someone's head yet."
"I'm ready," said Holina, standing in the doorway. "What do you think?"
Holina had changed out of her straight corseted dress. Her thick hair was braided down in back in a single plait. She was wearing dark brown baggy pants, which had been stuffed into calf-high leather boots. Her blouse was a lighter brown with the tails hanging out and she had a wide leather belt strapped around her waist.
"No, absolutely not," said Gola flatly. "Go back and get some proper clothes on."
"Father!" exclaimed Holina in protest. "This is what I'm wearing!"
"No, you're not," argued Gola, getting a little steamed. "No daughter of mine is going to parade around in that getup. We're not humans with all of their strange quirks."
"Hey!" protested Iona at that last remark, who was completely ignored as Holina and Gola began to shout and yell at each other. Gola ended the argument when he reminded Holina that she was not too old to spank. Holina glowered in silence because she knew he could and would. She turned and stomped back into her room with a loud bang as she slammed the door.
"That girl's going to be the death of me yet," muttered Gola to himself. He then said gruffly, "Pack it up, Per."
Per loaded up the knapsack an
d carried it back out into the living room. Gola went over to stand beside a window, looking even more dour than usual. After a few moments, he harrumphed and stomped over to a chest that had been placed back in a corner of the room. He opened it and pulled out a leather satchel case. He then rummaged through the chest a bit and finally found what he was looking for. Per saw him pull out a red velvet bundle and looked over the dwarf's shoulder as he unwrapped the velvet.
Wrapped in the velvet were two beautifully etched throwing axes. Gola looked at them fondly before bundling them up again. He placed the velvet inside the satchel and then went to looking back out the window. It was only a short wait until Holina came back out of her room wearing her traditional dwarven dress. She was also carrying a knapsack.
"Better?" she asked her father snidely.
"Yes," replied Gola nonplused. "I had better not hear of you wearing such clothes as you had on in our kingdom."
"Now, I have a present for you," he said, handing Holina the satchel.
Holina looked at her father suspiciously. She then gasped when she opened it and saw the red velvet inside.
"Are they...?" she began to ask in wonder.
"Yes," said Gola gruffly. "They were your mother's, may her soul rest in peace. I'll say it again, I'd better not hear of you wearing such clothing in the kingdom. Understand?"
Holina's eyes widened for a second before she ran over to her father to hug and kiss him on the cheek. Gola sputtered half-heartedly, while Per and Iona affected not to notice.
"Keep her safe," whispered Gola to Iona as they walked out the door.
The three of them soon found themselves walking down a long underground boulevard. The roadway had to be at least one hundred feet wide and stretched far into the distance. Torches lit the roadway and dwarves of every sex, size and age could be seen congregating in small groups or walking along towards their own destinations. Hallways, rooms, caverns and tunnels intersected the major thoroughfare frequently.
Per became nervous when they first started out because each time any dwarves spotted him, they would stop what they were doing just to keep an eye on him until he had passed by. He was sure the trip would have been unpleasant if Holina had not been walking with him and Iona.
As the distance went by, the number of dwarves dwindled as did the number of intersecting branch-offs. They arrived at a heavily fortified gate, which marked the edge of the Eastern Spine city. Beyond the gate, the boulevard seemed to stretch on forever.
"We'll be at a waypoint in several hours," said Holina. "It's like a small village and we will stop there to rest. We should get to Karmond's Gate late tomorrow afternoon."
Their stay at the waypoint was uneventful, but comical. The inn had no beds that were large enough for Per's large body. He had to settle for tarp-covered straw on the floor. Iona managed to scrunch into one bed, but her sleep was interrupted each time she tried to stretch out. When she suggested to the innkeeper that he should keep a larger bed on hand for just such and occasion, he pointed out that it was not economically sound to do that for a once in a lifetime occurrence.
The three of them continued on from the waypoint. Per found the inability to tell day from night a little disturbing, but it struck him that he would have several weeks of traveling just like this. They finally reached Karmond's Gate and proceeded through it with only a little difficulty from the guards.
"Are all dwarves so suspicious?" Iona asked Holina after they had finally managed to convince the guards that they had business within and that Per was not a danger.
"No more than anyone else is at times like this," replied Holina. "Listen, I'm sure the inns here won't be any better than the one at the waypoint for someone of Per's size. If you don't mind, my father also has a place here. It's not that far away, but it is a little isolated."
Iona laughed. "Holina, haven't you noticed the zone of silence that has surrounded Per whenever he walks past some of your people? I don't think a little isolation will bother us."
Holina led them on through the minor city of Karmond's Gate. They stopped at the market and picked up food and drink before heading towards Gola's residence. The dwelling was at the top of a spiral stone staircase that had been carved from a single huge stalactite. The banister had also been carved out of the rock with intricate spiral designs. The stairs ended on a large stone platform.
"Uh, did we take a wrong turn?" asked Per, looking at the stone wall in front of them.
"I don't think so," giggled Holina, who pulled out a chain from around her neck. A silver key was attached to the chain. She walked slowly towards the stone wall and as she approached, the key began to glow and a small one-inch hole appeared in the wall. She inserted the key into the hole and turned it with a loud clink. Per and Iona gasped in amazement as seams appeared in the wall and a section of it slid silently open.
The suite of rooms inside was as richly furnished as Gola's other abode, but this one had the musty air of desertion. Per saw a cloth-covered settee in the living room, which would be perfect from him to sleep on. He picked up the groceries and turned to look at Holina. "Where's the kitchen?" he asked.
"Through there," said Holina, pointing towards a door. "Just put them on the table and I'll start dinner after we're settled in."
"Uh, Per, just call us when you are ready," said Iona. "Holina, trust me, he's better than most."
"He cooks?" asked Holina skeptically. "I mean, I've eaten his campfire cooking and it's okay, but..."
"Holina, if his cooking is not as great as I've said, I'll do the pots and pans," said Iona. "Now, where's my room?"
The kitchen was well-stocked with non-perishables, but it lacked many of the foodstuffs normally found in a kitchen. Per took it as another indicator that this residence had not been used for some time. Everything was clean, which indicated that someone came in from time to time to do housework. He was glad he took the extra care to buy what he needed from the market.
"Mmm, that smells delicious," said Holina, walking to the kitchen two hours later. "Iona may win her bet."
"I never doubted I would," added Iona, coming in after her and savoring the rich smell of roast beef, fresh biscuits, and a baked cheese casserole.
"What have you two been doing while I've been slaving away in here?" asked Per jokingly as he carved the meat.
"Oh, checking out our gear, sharpening weapons, figuring out how far we have to travel before it's safe for Holina to change outfits," replied Iona. "You know, important stuff." She then became serious. "Per, you're going to be alone underground. If something happens to you, no one will ever know."
"I'll have to make sure that nothing happens to me then," said Per. "If I'm not successful, I think you will know soon enough both at Delta and here. Grab the biscuits, dinner's ready."
Dinner started out subdued with everyone's thoughts dwelling on their impending journeys. The savory meal along with two bottles of excellent wine soon had them all joking and laughing. The three of them cleaned up the dirty dishes afterwards and then they settled down comfortably in the living room.
"My father is still laughing about Jarla, the dwarf you punched out in the Great Hall," giggled Holina before taking another swig of wine. "His new nickname is Topsy and he's been so mortified over losing half-a-foot of beard that he hasn't come out of hiding yet."
"How fast will it take his beard to grow back out," asked Iona, idly spinning an empty wine bottle around on the table.
"Oh, a long time," snickered Holina. "We dwarves are like the rock we live in - very slow to change. It will take him ten years or so to grow out that bit of beard."
"I don't suppose he can stay hidden that long," commented Iona, watching the bottle slowly spin to a stop.
"Oh ho!" cried Holina in glee. "Per, you're it!"
"Huh?" grunted Per, baffled by what Holina meant.
"Iona, spun the bottle and it is pointing at you - hammer or axe?"
"I don't understand, Holina."
"It's a game," ex
plained Holina. "You say 'hammer' if you want to do a task set by the person who spun the bottle. You say 'axe' if you want to answer a question put forth by the same person. The axe represents a real axe that chops off a portion of your beard if you don't answer truthfully."
"We call it something else," said Iona. She looked over at Per. "Well, which is it - truth or dare?"
"Hammer," Per said, laughing.
Iona pursed her lips. "Strip naked."
Per shook his head because he was sure that was what Iona was going to tell him to do. He yanked off his boots and socks, tossing them towards a distant corner. He pulled his shirt off over his head and undid the wide leather belt holding his pants up. With a quick shove, his pants puddle to the floor and he flung them off with a kick. Both Iona and Holina were staring at his flaccid cock. Even soft, it was seven inches long and thick at the base. Under their gaze, he felt his cock twitch and begin to grow. He quickly sat down and spun the bottle. It stopped pointing towards Holina.
"Hammer," she said, even before the bottle completely stopped.
"I don't think I should be the only one naked," suggested Per.
Holina smiled widely and began to attack the laces on the front of her corset. She gasped gratefully as the hard, unyielding cone loosened to the point when she could pull it off. The thick woolen skirt followed, with her shoes and stocking not far behind. Holina pulled off her panties, displaying her thick patch of pubic hair. Her heavy breasts bounced free as she stripped off the bindings around them. Sighing with relief, Holina began to rub her hands all over her skin.
"You're not even embarrassed!" huffed Iona.
"You try wearing dwarven fashion," shot back Holina. "They haven't changed in five hundred years. The women lucky enough to be Gerot-Kazim, warrior women, get to wear armor instead of a dress."
Holina began to reach down for the bottle. "To the Nine Hells with the bottle!" said Iona as she stripped off her own clothing.
"Hey what about the game?" complained Holina.
"I've got a better game," said Iona as she reached over to stroke Per's cock.
