by P R Glazier
Chapter 20. Back with the Grûndén
Nar’Allia stood on the outside deck of the Pnook flying ship looking down at the landscape passing beneath. It was a beautiful clear day. For the last fifteen minutes or so the land had been sloping up sharply to meet them. The white peaks of mountains dotted the region below as far as the eye could see in every direction and green alpine meadows spread down the slopes of the peaks where the land was level enough to sustain plant growth. In the valley floors forests of pines were also a common feature. Even at this altitude Nar’Allia’s sense of smell was alive with the scent of the pinesap drifting up on the still air. Here and there rocky outcrops dotted the picturesque landscape, she was reminded of the tapestries she had seen in Solin’s house in Amentura.
Tnie came to stand by her side, he indicated a valley ahead. “We are nearly there, soon we will descend and see what the Grûndén make of us.”
Nar’Allia looked in the direction he pointed and held the hair away from her eyes. She could see nothing obvious, no fortress or ironclad gates, no Grûndén soldiery looking up at them. But true to Tnie’s word she felt the craft start its gentle descent towards the valley over which they now flew.
There was a large clearing in the pines, a meadow of long grass with soft fluffy seed heads being dispersed on the gentle breeze, other flowering plants spread out and ended at the face of a cliff, it was here they seemed to be headed for. As soon as they had descended down to ground level a number of Grûndén soldiers appeared and surrounded the Pnook flying machine as it floated in the air several metres above the ground. The Grûndén soldier’s battle-axes glinted in the sunlight as they stood their ground waiting for orders, or to see who it was that had arrived unannounced in their domain.
One among them had no axe in his hand; he stood legs splayed apart hands resting on his hips, a slightly menacing look shone forth from his eyes. “Hail ye on board the flyin’ machine. Ye be surrounded. Show yourselves slowly, be assured tha’ any act o’ aggress’n will be surely met accordingly.”
Nar’Allia chortled in response.
Tnie shot her a glance, “do not scoff mylady, if the Grûndén below us wished, they could bring down this airship within minutes, I have seen them fight. It is a wonder to behold.”
But he was cut short by the same voice from below. “I demand ye be announcin’ yeselves an ye’s intentions.” At this the Grûndén stood waiting, his head cocked slightly on one side as he stared expectantly up at the flying machine above him. He motioned to two Grûndén who un-shouldered some sort of ranged weapon, like a Pnook rifle but the end of the barrel splayed out in diameter like a bell. These weapons looked heavy, they were held at the waist hanging from a thick leather shoulder strap and were pointed in the general direction of the airship.
On board the flying machine Tnie, careful not to say anything too loud looked over the side of the gunwale and said, “bloody Grûndén.” He then sighed and stood upright and looking over the side looked down upon the Grûndén welcoming committee. “be at peace master Grûndén, I assure you we mean you no harm, we come on friendly terms and only wish an audience with the Graumin Most High Théøndrĩn Ârkenstone, we have a request to make of him. That is if master Théøndrĩn still reigns in the fare city of Gwéldølĩn alongside his fare Graumun Frĩthâ?”
The surly Grûndén who had spoken before walked forward, he raised one eyebrow. “An’ w’at, if anythin’ be that’n t’ ye master Pnook? Ye be aspeakin’ as if ye know’s the Graumin. Like’n ‘e be an ol’ drinkin’ buddy o’ yers.”
“We have met on one occasion master Grûndén yes. But we are here as representatives of our King. I make a polite request master Grûndén not a demand.”
“An' who be ye then master Pnook, I would be ahavin’ yur name please.”
Tnie introduced himself formally, he gestured to Nar’Allia to come forward and he introduced her as his aid and adviser.
The Grûndén below did not say anything; rather he stood there as if deep in thought. But then he strode purposefully forward looking up at Tnie as he came. He was also undoing the chin straps of his helm. “By t’ Lord Øédréll, I canny ‘ardly be abelievin’ m’ own ears an’ eyes. If that be ye master Tnie?” The Grûndén reached up with both hands and lifted the helm from his head and placed it in the crook of his arm by his side. Long hair cascaded out and over his shoulders tied into a single thick plaid at the back. His beard was long and a wide moustache dressed his upper lip.
Tnie looked at the Grûndén, he leaned forward over the side of the vessel as if trying to get a better look. “Łĩnwéé? Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn is that you?”
“There was a loud and raucous laugh from below, a below of a laugh and the Grûndén said, “aye, m’ laddie, tis I, t’ very same, an if thes’n eyes nat be cry’n tears o’ joy, then well I be fibbin’ like a school lad caught wit’ ‘is ‘ands in t’ cookie jar.”
Tnie clapped his hands in delight, turned and ran along the gunwale, he pressed the button that would lower the section allowing the extension of the gangplank out and down to ground level. The craft proceeded to drop downwards. No sooner had the end of the gangplank stopped moving, Tnie was running down the length of it and out onto the grass at its foot. The Grûndén was already waiting at the bottom. To Nar’Allia’s great surprise and joy these two grasped each other’s forearms and then embraced, as would old comrades that have not seen each other for a long time. This embrace lasted some time, but they then stepped back a little still holding onto each other and just stared into the eyes of the other.
Nar’Allia supposed it was about time that she too joined the couple below, so she gathered her things and went down the gangplank to stand behind Tnie. She knew well the name of the Grûndén soldier, but she couldn’t resist saying, “well this is a surprising sight. A Grûndén and a Pnook.” She coughed and talking in as best a Grûndén accent as she could imitate she said, “lik’n to ol’ drinkin’ buddies?”
The Grûndén looked over Tnie’s shoulder at her as she spoke and laughed a deep and throaty sound. “Aha, m’lady T’Iea, ‘tis a lang time passed since I looked upon any o’ the other elder races, an’ t’day I getsta meet two.” He disengaged himself from Tnie and walked around him to where Nar’Allia stood. He bowed low his beard touched the ground, “but ye be assured oh one thing m’lady. Any friend o’ this rascal ‘ere be surely afriend t’ me also. Ye be all a’welcome in fare Gwéldølĩn.”
Nar’Allia giggled as the Grûndén removed the gauntlet from his hand and taking her hand kissed it with much ceremony, his whiskers tickled the back of her hand then once again he bowed low, he stayed in that position as if waiting upon something.
A cough from behind him made Nar’Allia look up.
It was Tnie a broad smile upon his face. “My lady Nar’Allia, I have great pleasure in introducing you to a very old friend of mine master Łĩnwéé Ârcønrâdenn.”
Nar’Allia tilted her head slightly in response a broad smile dressed her lips as she said, “I know the name well, I have heard much about you master Grûndén from my mother Minervar.”
Łĩnwéé stood immediately a look of surprise on his face. “Minervar? Min? That wee pretty lassie be your mother?”
“Well actually she is my step mother, my father and Minervar met in the north, in Tent Town where your people have a northern outpost with a tower fort guarding the land bridge that leads across to the Grughanååven.”
Łĩnwéé looked long and hard at her then said, “ah but I be a dullard an’ no mistakin’, now I be recallin’, ye be that littl’ squirt o’ a lassie in Tent Town, t’ littl’ T’Iea girly in the tavern. I remember t’ ladies Minervar an’ Serinae they was atakin’ quite a shine t’ ye?”
Nar’Allia smiled, “the very same master Grûndén, I am flattered that you should remember.”
Łĩnwéé nodded as if in some kind of confirmation of his thoughts, “I had’n a few ales that trip, that be t’ truth to it wee lassie, but I dunny
be forgetin’ a pretty face ye can be sure o’ that.” He winked at her and Nar’Allia giggled. Then he turned and shouted, addressing the other Grûndén that stood around bemused at the spectacle that had just been played out before them. “Right lads, lower those thar gons an’ form up. Escort o’ ‘onour.”
The Grûndén shouldered their ‘gons’ and battle-axes and like a well-oiled machine lined up with much aplomb, forming an escort for the visitors to their city.
“WAIT,” shouted Tnie, “can we take the airship in as well?”
“Aye, o’ course. Ye all be welcome in t’ fare city o’ Gwéldølĩn, o’ that ye can be assured.” Tnie went back on board to talk to the captain of the vessel who assigned some of the crew to grab hold of the guy ropes that now hung down the side of the vessel and after folding away the gang plank the flying machine was towed gently behind as the whole procession set of towards the rock face that stood a little off to their right.
Łĩnwéé marched in front; as they approached the craggy cliff he instructed two of his soldiers to run ahead. Nar’Allia could see they approached the rock face and stood before it then shouted something in their own language. Almost immediately a loud grinding noise could be heard and to her surprise two large gates started to open in the rock wall. The gates could not be seen when closed as they appeared to be just part of the cliff face. This entrance into Gwéldølĩn proved easily large enough to take the Pnook flying machine into the interior; they stood to one side watching as the craft was hauled through the gates and inside the large cavern that had been revealed. It was towed to one side of the cavern where it was gently parked and moored by turning back on the stabilising effects of the engines.
“Aught t’ be safe enough ‘ere laddie. I’ll see t’ arrangements fo’ the crew.” Said Łĩnwéé, winking one eye towards Tnie, who nodded his head in agreement. The grinding of the great gates sounded once more as they were closed after all were safely through.
It took a few minutes for Nar’Allia’s eyes to adjust to the darker light within the tunnel in which they now stood, but she gasped as slowly she became aware that the very rock around her gave off a dim glow that was quite enough to see by. Close inspection showed that many millions of tiny crystals gave off a warm light that was very restful and pleasing to the eye. She had to ask, “master Grûndén are these the same crystals that make up the six great light globes that hang above the city?”
“Ye be arefferin’ t’ the Brĩschlåûndérgré o’ course m’lady Nar’Allia? ‘Tis true they be made o’ similar stuff, but ye’ll be aseein’ em soon enough. Come ye, t’ the applecart’s, an’ then t’ the city, an’ that’s t’ be a sight that’ll take yur breath from out o’ ye t’ be sure.”
Nar’Allia remembered from Minervar’s descriptions of the trip she had made in the applecarts, but it still seemed all so wonderful to her, she was very excited about being here at last, something she had dreamed about since as far back as she could remember. Gwéldølĩn proved more spectacular than Nar’Allia could ever have imagined it to be, even from Minervar’s descriptions of the great Grûndén city beneath the mountains. It was all she could do but gape in awe at the vista of beauty that played out before her. It seemed that every bend, every tunnel mouth revealed something more beautiful than the previous one as they approached the city in the little applecart’s transport system that the Grûndén used to carry all manner of things around the city and beyond. She was careful not to touch the little lever that lay in front of her though, she remembered with some amusement Minervar describing how she had accidentally brought the little train of applecart’s to a sudden halt when she rode on them all those years before.
Just the sheer size of the place was beyond belief. She had seen large underground spaces before of course when they had travelled through the ancient military facility below the sands of the rust desert. She had found those old musty halls dark and oppressive; the sheer unseen space of them seemed to force itself down upon her very being. Perhaps subconsciously it was knowing the use for which those halls were built, to perpetuate a war still being fought even when all the human antagonists had either perished or fled from the onslaught, a war raged by machines that roamed freely and uncontrolled across the world intent upon horrific destruction. Gwéldølĩn was a very different kind of place. This vast cavern was airy and full of light and beauty. Trees and plants grew in great numbers in the warm somewhat humid conditions. Waterfalls of crystal clear water naturally filtered of all impurities, cascaded everywhere she looked, from the smallest of trickles to the great thundering of the falls that plummeted over the edge of the city boundaries and fell thousands of metres into the abyss below the city, the bottom of which was shrouded from view by the mists and water droplets that hung in the air. Bird-like creatures flew around the place crying and singing to each other, many species that Nar’Allia had never seen before, creatures with feathers of all colours and hues. When she looked more closely she could see that these birds were quite reptilian in looks. Yes they had beaks, but they also had rows of small sharp little teeth within. Their heads were in the main bereft of feathers also, just covered in brightly coloured scales of blue and red and many shades of colour in between. The little bony joint where they were able to fold their wings had a single little hooked claw protruding through the feathers. Nar’Allia realised what this was for as she noticed that the birds quite often would cling to the sheer rock faces using these claws and sing to each other. She also noticed how these birds would fly right through the cascades of water without flinching and would shake the water droplets from their feathers as they flew. Probably their kind only existed here, evolved only here within this vast cavern beneath the mountains of the Tolle’ Ambrunista. Or perhaps in another similar environment on another world far across the outer voids.
Then high above everything, as promised by master Łĩnwéé himself where the great globes, the Grûndén masterpiece of art and engineering, the great crystal Brĩschlåûndérgré that lit the whole cavern. They bathed the great city in sunlight during the day and then transformed the whole cavern with moonlight during the hours that followed. Nar’Allia couldn’t wait to see it. She clasped her hands together in anticipation and glee. But then a clanking jolt sounded as the applecart train came to a sudden and abrupt halt and Nar’Allia’s attention was brought back to her immediate surroundings once more.
They disembarked the applecart’s in what looked like some sort of terminal yard situated in the lower portion of the city. Łĩnwéé gave some orders to his soldiers who saluted and wandered off across the open area.
Nar’Allia wanted to know something, so she jogged forward to catch up with Łĩnwéé and Tnie who walked ahead talking enthusiastically. “Master Łĩnwéé can I ask you something?”
Łĩnwéé stopped and turning said, “but o’ course lassie, what be ye seek o’ me?”
“Well I just wanted to know, before, I mean when Minervar and Serinae where here, did they enter through the same gate as us, into the city I mean?”
Łĩnwéé laughed, “nay m’ wee lassie. There be four main gates int’ Gwéldølĩn proper ye un’erstan’. Roughly they be sited north, south, east an’ west. Ye entered through t’ western gate. The lady Minervar and her companions entered through the southern. Why is it ye ask eh?”
“Oh, I don’t know, just curious I guess. I listened to the story Minervar told so many times, well coming here at last I just want to understand more, fill in the details so to speak.”
Łĩnwéé laughed again, “well m’lady, we must try an’ complete t’ story fo’ ye. That be fo’ sure.”
Nar’Allia smiled and continued to take in the sights and sounds of the city as they walked up out of the terminal yard and into the city proper. She marvelled at every street and avenue. At every fountain and waterfall as the streams of water ran down the centre of the streets in little culverts made especially for the purpose. Here and there the water flowed into small ponds fall of fish and colourful aquati
c plants. Grûndén sat upon the edges singularly looking into the water, feeding the fish and chatting with others. Many parks both large and small offered a green area to sit under the many trees that grew there. Despite their reputation as miners and fearful warriors it seemed that the Grûndén were lovers of the natural world similar to the T’Iea. There was a relaxed, easy-going air about the city, Nar’Allia already felt at home here even though it wasn’t the trees of the forests she was used to.
They called in at a tavern for something to eat and as the three of them sat enjoying the meal Nar’Allia laughed and giggled at the tales that Łĩnwéé and Tnie told each other. In fact these two hardly ate a thing they were talking so much, but this did not stop Łĩnwéé drinking copious amounts of ale. Nar’Allia had to ask one question though; she felt she needed to know what had happened, if anything, in Tent Town, the place where she used to live and where she had such fond memories of the Grûndén. She was to be disappointed though, for Łĩnwéé explained that actually he had not been back there since his journeys with Minervar and Serinae. He was not from the regiments that manned the Grûndén fort in the north. He was quick to add though that as far as he knew it was still there, no one had told him otherwise and the Grûndén still cycled regiments to their garrison fort and he had not heard anything to the contrary to suggest that Tent Town had changed in any way. Eventually though he suggested he take them to a guesthouse he knew of to stay the night. He explained that he would seek to arrange an audience with the Grâumin as soon as possible then meet them the following morning and they could decide what to do next. Łĩnwéé said with a smile, “no doubt ye will remember the house of Mistress Dĩmmĩnĩ Frénøk Tnie m’ friend?”
Tnie smiled and replied that yes he remembered and looked forward to that reunion with much pleasure.
Nar’Allia also became very excited. She knew of Dĩmmĩnĩ, or Dĩmmĩ as she was more commonly called from the tales Minervar told of her stay in the city of Gwéldølĩn, how the cheery Grûndén had put them up in her house on that occasion, a house that was built specifically for the taller races to stay in whilst in the city. So it was that after finishing their meal and downing what remained of their ale they set off for the house of Dĩmmĩnĩ Frénøk.