“I hope so,” she sighed, listening to the beat of his heart and thankful that she still had her friends to see her through.
In the Shadows
Strolling through the corridors, Hayt greeted the dwarves he passed while suppressing a wide grin, earning him a few odd glances at his atypical behavior. Most dwarves were not the grumpy cusses they were purported to be, but he himself seldom had a reason to smile, much less whistle as he walked, as he was this particular afternoon.
After leaving the group that morning, he had gone home for some much-needed rest. However, after a short nap, he had found himself awake and unable to stop his mind from turning over the last few hours repeatedly. Arriving at the new cave they had opened, he chuckled, “Firen still here?”
The dwarf there loaded a wheelbarrow with some of the debris they had left when breaking in, or out as the case may be. Turning and looking him up and down, he growled, “He called it an early night. Said you got him up too soon this morning and he was done.”
Laughing out loud, their head engineer replied cheerily, “We did indeed. We’ll have our new vista in a matter of days, though, and that will be well worth it.” Thinking of his uncle’s cover story, he added, “Especially in these dark times with the dragons fighting among themselves.”
“Dragon affairs are no use to us,” the shorter dwarf growled, continuing to remove the rubble.
“Yes, well,” his superior rung his hands for a moment. It was true they seldom had dealings with those outside the mountain, so a few were certain to see the flaw in their cover story. Stepping over the mess, he made his way into the new tunnel and came out into the cave where their visitors had slumbered before they were awakened by his crew.
Glancing around, they had staked the walls and hung lanterns to work by. “It’s perfect,” he mumbled to himself, recalling the visit they had made via the outside the year before. “It’s a shame this is what it has taken for my uncle to see reason.”
Crossing the near flat, smooth floor, he noted the few large rocks that marred the otherwise ideal location. “Our new vista is going to be a great improvement,” he informed the other two crewmen who remained, each of them measuring for the support beams that would be added to ensure the mountain did not come down on them unexpectedly.
“That it will,” a fair-haired worker clipped.
Sensing there was still a bit of animosity within the ranks at their rough beginning, he soothed, “The rest of you should call it a night. We’ll start fresh in the morning and get on a proper schedule with this.”
“Yes, sir,” the third member of his detail grunted, dropping his tools and making for the exit back to their previously existing caves with his cohort close behind.
Alone in the wide chamber, Hayt swept the room again, thinking of the group that had occupied it; his thoughts resting on the girl of ebony skin. His smile returning, he forgot all about his disgruntled underlings as he fought his way over the loose stones once more and headed for her chamber, where she would be waiting with the others for his arrival.
At the door a few minutes later, he announced, “Would anyone be interested in a tour after our supper?”
“Oh, me!” Zaendra squealed, earning a dark glance from almost all of the others, save Bally who seldom noticed what was deeper than the surface in any of their affairs.
Nodding, he offered her his arm. “Very well. First, I am to present you to the king’s chamber for our meal, and then I will give you the grandest of viewings.” Glancing around at the others as she accepted his appendage, he tacked on, “The rest of you are welcome to join us, of course.”
Leading the way, the girl beside him rubbed his muscled shoulder as she clung to him. Noticing her beautiful white teeth as they contrasted with her exquisite dark features, his smile matched hers and perhaps then some. “You seem quite content here,” he said softly, leaning over so that the words remained between the two of them.
“I have enjoyed our visit, yes,” she confessed, glancing up at him with large ebony pools of happiness.
Arriving to find the dining room empty, the group spread out and assumed their previous seats, but as the king and mistress entered, Baeweth observed in a boisterous tone, “Ah, I see you have arrived before us. I’m afraid we must reseat, as I have looked forward to sharing a word with Lamwen’s grandest admirer.”
All eyes shifted as Amicia flushed at the declaration. “I hardly think I am his admirer, grandest or otherwise,” she grumbled as she stood to trade seats with Rey so that she sat facing Piers at the king’s left hand.
Her move prompted a general shuffling, as Lin moved to the center, next to Zae, and Bally took the vacated spot next to Asyng. Grinning at now sitting beside the girl he longed to court, Reynard took the chair between Ami and the siren while observing, “Your kingdom is quite large. How many dwarves would you say you have here?”
Looking up at him after adjusting into his seat, Baeweth spat, “Of what concern are our numbers to you?”
“He’s simply curious,” the Mate smoothed, giving the boy a stern glance to silence any further inquiries. “We’ve passed through many kingdoms to get here, which I am sure you are aware. Learning about them as we travel has been fascinating.”
Staring at the wan, the king nodded, “She is your wife, yes?”
“Aye,” Piers confirmed, offering her his hand.
Accepting the digits, Meena gave them a brief squeeze before dropping them as she returned to filling her plate. “We met last year when the group came to Whitefair. I was obliged to leave with them, and our love blossomed thereafter.” Cutting her eyes over at the couple next to the mistress of the hall, her brown eyes spoke louder than any words she had spoken.
Glancing at his nephew as well, the old dwarf folded his hands in front of his face, blowing into the cup formed by the pudgy palms to calm himself. He knew a romance budded within their ranks if the whispers and giggles were any indication; one that he would take care to squash as soon as the evening meal had ended.
For now, he had more pressing matters to attend to, which is precisely why he had insisted that the blonde in their company sit beside him. Turning to her, he smiled his best, his eyes shining as he scrutinized her. “You have come a long way indeed, Amicia Spicer. Tell me of your quest.”
Swallowing her lump of meat, Ami flicked her eyes around at the others. The silence of their end of the table marked, she knew they would not help her, and she alone must decide what would be shared and what would remain hidden. The four of them had spoken of the king while in their chambers, and it had generally been agreed that he could not be trusted even if he had promised they were to be presented to the Supreme Dragon and his council.
“I am from Nalen,” she managed. “My mother and father are gone, and I decided to see more of the world,” she simplified, then lied flatly, “I booked passage on the Sea Serpent, where these other men were part of the crew.”
Shooting a quick glance at Bally, she hoped he would not contradict her, only then noticing that he had set about his own private conversation with the king’s sister and appeared to be yammering non-stop. Smiling at the spectacle, she continued a little more bravely, “We were attacked by a dragon six weeks out, which sank the ship. We barely escaped with our lives and a small bit of rations, which we used to survive until we crashed upon the southern shores here in Eriden.”
Giggling on the other side of Rey, Oldrilin added, “Happy day friends come to Riran.”
Nodding, Amicia agreed, “Yes, happy indeed. We were there almost four moons before the dragons realized our presence and drove us from our new home.”
“You intended to remain with the sirens?” Baeweth asked doubtfully.
“Oh, yes,” the girl smiled. “The lands there are unimaginably beautiful, and we had made a home within the trees.”
Across from her, Piers gripped his fork tightly, squeezing it to hold back his own thoughts on the matter.
If Baeweth noted the gesture,
he said nothing, his attention fixated on the woman to his left. “Unfortunate then that you were driven out,” he observed.
“Indeed,” she breathed, taking a sip of her grog before she continued. “After we left Riran, we were taken in by the elves but only remained there a few days before we made a hasty departure.”
“I should think so,” the royal said with a robust laugh. “Our food not good enough for you, elf?” he needled, glaring down the length of the table at the one picking at his meal. It sickened him that the creature dined in his hall, but he only must tolerate him for six more days; that is if there weren’t any accidents that removed him before then.
“Your food is divine,” Animir replied, not looking up from the plate.
Laughing again, Baeweth let it go and refocused on his target. “So, you got out of Jerranyth intact.”
“Yes, we left in the middle of the night,” she offered with a half grin. “Animir was good enough to show us the way, and we arrived in Esterbrook a few days later. We wintered there, then headed north through the desert in the spring.”
His forehead crinkled, the king listened on without comment, gleaning almost as much from what she didn’t say as he did from what she did reveal.
“We arrived in the far north as winter was upon us, so we built a cabin in the Yilaric forest, where we lived until the dragons again set against us only a few days ago,” she finished, pronouncing the end by resuming her consumption of the meal.
“A brief tale considering the amount of time you have been here,” their host observed suspiciously.
Not pausing in her chewing, the girl’s heart raced. The merdoe still hung between her breasts, and the hamar gem dug into her hip within her pocket. Could he know that she possessed them? Her mind leaping to her latest acquisition, her bite became more difficult to swallow.
Thinking of the red orb, she gulped more of her beverage. It still lay hidden at the bottom of her bag… in their room, which could currently be under search. Her eyes fixed on the Mate, she stared at him, unblinking as they spoke, “What do you suppose that he knows?”
“Hard to say,” he replied, holding the connection.
“I left the new orb in my bag.”
“It will be safe,” he assured. “We will draw attention if we keep this up,” he added, blinking rapidly as he hoisted his mug and offered, “It really hasn’t been that exciting. If not for the dragons, it would have been a most pleasant holiday.”
“Holiday!” the king snapped, then laughed as he pounded the table. The group hid much, he felt certain, but discerning what held little reward for him. He would be paid for their delivery in under a week, and that was good enough for him. Clapping his hands twice, he seemingly ended the interrogation.
Through the door, a group of short round musicians marched in, each carrying an instrument. Setting up in front of the left-hand mural so that Amicia could see them clearly, the five newcomers played a variety of melodies.
“Oh, they are lovely!” she observed, wiping at a few blond strands that had escaped from her braid as she listened. One carried a small set of drums, which added a solid rhythm as they chanted rather than sang, while the others played stringed instruments that vibrated the air around them.
Clapping softly to the beat, Asyng smiled at the boy next to her. “Do you like our music?”
“It’s different, but we have stringed instruments back home as well,” Bally replied, joining her with his palms smashing together loudly. “Too bad we’re leaving or I might be tempted to learn to play.”
Nodding, the matriarch smiled. She had gleaned much from the young man who held no filter and felt certain her brother should have grilled him rather than the girl. At the other end of the table, Baeweth had ordered the musicians as a distraction, and he would soon begin his second round of questions.
“So, when did you meet Lamwen?” he asked smoothly as they enjoyed a thick pudding, seeing that she had relaxed at the entertainment.
“Well,” she stammered, thinking where to insert him into her previous narration. “He was shot down by the satyrs the night we arrived in the glen,” she offered.
“By the satyrs,” Baeweth gasped, his eyes wide. His mouth hanging open, he looked down the group, one face to another until he arrived at the elf. “And?” he cajoled, glaring at the decorations in the pointed ears of his enemy.
“They tied him up, and I met him that night, but they let him go. He came back to us as we crossed the desert and stayed close until a few days ago, when he disappeared,” she finished, her voice soft as she realized the time frame aligned perfectly with that of his removal as Gwirwen’s captain.
“So that’s where he’s been,” the king breathed quietly, still watching the elf.
“Yes. He’s been looking out for us,” Amicia agreed, lifting her chin. “I told you he’s our friend,” she added, almost as if it were a threat. “If he’s still alive, I feel sorry for anyone who might harm us.”
His gaze snapping to meet hers, the king tapped the table with the tips of his fingers, his palm resting against the wooden surface. “Brazen,” he muttered. “You will stand before the council, of that I am certain,” he lied boldly, convinced they would be left as piles of ash as soon as Putwyn had claimed them. “For now, I grow weary and ready for my chamber.” Pushing his chair back, he stood. “Please, stay and enjoy the music until you are ready to retire.”
Rising as well, Asyng bowed to the young man next to her. “Thank you for the company, Baldwin. It was a most enjoyable meal.” Her dark eyes sparkling, she followed her sibling out of the dining hall before catching up to him as he entered his private quarters.
“I would speak with you, brother,” she informed him curtly.
“I figured as much,” he growled, removing his fur-lined robe.
“The boy had much to say,” she continued, her nose in the air. “It would seem the girl is indeed of Eriden. He says she possesses a magical gem of the elves, a shell of the sirens, and uses the golden orb of the wan.”
“The wan carries an orb?”
“Yes, as she is equally as gifted in the arts.”
Glancing at her, Baeweth rolled his tongue, then surmised, “These are no ordinary travelers. No wonder the dragon wants them alive. Perhaps I have been hasty offering them to him. Another bidder might have paid more for their release.”
“Oh brother, must you always think of coin?” Asyng growled.
“Well, we are dwarves,” he shrugged. “I am concerned, though. It has been many centuries since our people declared ourselves against the use of such tricks. I still have my orb, passed to me by our father, but I daresay I wouldn’t know the first thing for using it.”
“And rightly so,” she gasped. “We must not let these people taint us! You know this was the cause of our uprooting and why we were forced from the southern tunnels.”
“Yes, yes, I know about the daemons of the dark and why they fell upon us,” he sighed. “But that was centuries ago. We have been safe within these caves since the great war.”
“And we wish to keep it that way! You will deliver these outsiders to Putwyn on demand and be rid of them?” she asked, fearing what he might have devised after his learning of their worth.
“Right you are, and so it will be,” he agreed with a nod. “I have struck a bargain and have no desire to cross the dragon who holds my word. However, I fear they may try for an escape before the day arrives.” Walking to the door, he called as the watchman strode down the corridor, “Guard!”
“Yes, my lord,” a short dark-haired servant replied when he stood before him.
“As soon as our guests are back in their room, I want them moved to a proper cell. They may keep their belongings, as that might appease them, but take their weapons. We wouldn’t want them attempting to depart before we are ready to see them gone,” the king instructed.
“Yes, my lord,” the guard replied. “I will see that it is done.”
Returning to his sister, Bae
weth sighed, “And that takes care of that. Anything else, my dear?”
Eyeing him through narrow slits, Asyng replied tartly, “I have let you sit upon the throne for many years, dear brother, and have tolerated your decisions until now. Perhaps it is my age that loosens my tongue. I believe you should release these people. Cast them out of our midst this very night, before they bring any harm to our realm.”
“If they were capable of harming us, I would see to their deaths myself,” he growled.
Shoving a finger in his face, she snapped, “You see the piles of wealth they will bring you, that is all. Gold you do not need. Baldwin shared much this evening, and I fear the girl they call Ami. She is a lover of dragons and men, a mortal of the rim.”
“Pfft,” he spat, laughing as he taunted her. “You think she is the destroyer. A foolish old woman to believe in such silly myths. Take to your own chambers before you share their cell.”
Her jaw dropped, Asyng gasped, “You should not treat your own kin so unkindly.”
“Do not presume to tell me of my own choices! I am the king, the heir to our throne, not you. Get out of my sight!”
Her lips puckered into a firm scowl, she spun on her heel and marched out of his room, muttering under her breath as she left him to his royal concerns. Deep down, she felt certain she was right and this bit of gold would buy them more trouble than he had bargained for, but in the end, it would work out as it always had. And if it didn’t, it would be time for her grandson to assume his seat at the head of the dwarf kingdom.
Love’s Bliss
Ambling along behind the group, Hayt walked with his hands behind his back. Zaendra had her right arm looped through his left, gliding next to him in her beautiful shimmering dress. “You were meant to walk in the sunshine, my lady,” he commented sternly.
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