The delighted kender wriggled on his stool, thinking he had at last met some friendly people.
"You keep your hands to yourself, " Halmarain whispered to him.
"A fair day to you, " the adventurer said to Halmarain since she had been speaking and was eyeing the new-comers with concern. "Are you travelers?" He nodded to their bundles.
"Yes, on our way to Palanthus, " Halmarain replied. "We've a far distance to go, so we're leaving quite soon. "
She nudged the kender suggestively, but he ignored the hint. His mind was on what she had said, and he didn't like it.
"But what about Ripple and-"
He paused in mid-sentence and glared at her when she kicked him.
"We'll meet her on the way, " the little wizard said, frowning at him. He still wanted to ask what she meant but the traveler who had first greeted him had questions of his own.
"Then you'll doubtless want to travel in peace, " the man said. He was large for a human, but younger than the rest, as attested to by his nearly beardless face. "We are here to make sure you can do so. "
"You escort travelers?" Again Halmarain spoke before the kender could get in a word. She kept her voice even, but Trap knew she would not like to be accompanied on the road. He wriggled in anticipation, wondering how she would avoid unwelcome company.
One of the other adventurers, a man with wide shoulders, shook his head, a head that looked too small for his frame.
"No, our task is to rid the roads of bandits, " he said. "We seek news of a band of cutthroats made up of humans, half-breed goblins and one kender. The only name we know is Harderk, the leader. " He eyed Trap. "One of his band is a kender. "
"Him dead, " Grod spoke up suddenly. "Make a good tale, that. "
"I knew that was coming, " Halmarain said with resignation.
"If he is, there's one bounty gone, " another of the adventurers muttered.
"What happened to him?" The first asked. They looked at Grod for the answer, but he turned to Trap. The kender sighed for the tales he would not hear, still, telling a tale was nearly as good as listening. He searched his mind for a story, The main part of his thoughts was still taken up with his irritation at Halmarain and her assumption that he was a thief.
"He died because a wizard refused to trust him, " Trap said and then wondered how he could continue the story.
"I wouldn't trust a wizard, " the young adventurer laughed. "But go on, tell us what happened to him. "
Trap's head spun with the tales he had already told. He didn't want to repeat himself, and cast his memory back over the dangers they had faced on their journey.
"His trouble began when he was separated from the rest of his band and was just crossing a stream, " he said, shifting on his stool. He gave Halmarain a sour look. "He should have known he was in trouble when, coming from the other direction across the ford, was a wizard wearing red robes. "
His tale included the bog where they had nearly lost the pony. The lost bundles became the wizard's bag with his spellbooks and the constant accusations that Halmarain heaped on his head.
In the tale, the fictitious Trapspringer was forgiving of the wizard and had sunk into the bog to try and rescue the mage's spellbooks. He died in the attempt. By the time Trap finished his story, tears trickled down his cheeks.
The adventurers sighed in unison. The youngest seemed to be genuinely moved. Trap had told such a moving tale that no one even thought to question the fact that a thief and an outlaw had died to prove he was trust-worthy. Those who did not shed tears were affected by the loss of a part of their reward.
"So there's one less outlaw to give us trouble. " Halmarain said, rising from her seat. "We should be going while there's daylight to see our trail, "
Grod, who had been wandering around the room drinking ale from any mug that was unattended, came back to the table and she loaded him with bundles. She hustled the kender and the gully dwarf out of the inn, and down the street to the stables. They hurried through the city gates before they could become entangled with anyone else.
The ride from the foothills to Thelgaard had taken part of the day and the rest was used in shopping, their time in the inn and loading the animals, so sunset was not far away when they rode out of the city. They traveled only two miles before they found a likely place to camp. By the time the gully dwarves gathered firewood and the kender unsaddled and tethered the ponies to graze, darkness had caught them.
"Thelgaard has some friendly people, even if the buildings are boring, " Trap said as he looked wistfully over his shoulder. In the distance he could see torches on the walls of the city, far enough away so the flames could have been twinkling stars.
"We entered in peace, we did our shopping without trouble and we didn't have to fight to get out of the city, " Halmarain said quietly. "I will always remember it as a signal occasion. And since we had Orander's magic purse, we didn't have to worry that we'd run out of steel pieces, " Halmarain answered.
Trap pulled out the purse and peered inside. They had nearly emptied it, confident it would fill up again, but it was only half full.
"Only it's not working like it did before, " he said as he showed it to Halmarain.
"Maybe the magic is wearing out, " Halmarain said as she too peered inside the small leather bag. "All good things come to an end, " the wizard sighed. "I had hoped it would fill up again in case we tumbled into another mess. "
"Hands too full, " Grod said. He was sitting just inside the circle of light thrown by the fire while he inspected his new clothing.
"What do you mean-hands too full?" Trap asked.
"No get more steel pieces. Hands too full of bundles, " the gully dwarf answered. He turned over his new shirt to look at the back, decided he was sitting on a rock, and shifted, his feet on his new pants.
"Stop grinding your clothes into the dirt, " the wizard said in a hollow voice. Clearly her mind was elsewhere. "You mean you've been… " Halmarain stared at the gully dwarf, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You've been… and you put your ill-gotten gains in Orander's purse?"
"Got no pockets, no pouches, no wizard's bag, " Grod said as he stood. He picked up the already soiled new shirt and pants. "Wizard say no find dumps. "
"He's been stealing from everyone we've met!" Halmarain told Trap in an awed voice. "And he's been putting the steel pieces in Orander's purse! You and Ripple found extra coins in your pouches and I found some in my bag. I accused you, but he's been doing it!"
"That's what he said, " Trap agreed, wondering why the little wizard had to tell him what Grod had said. After all, his ears were as good as any human's.
"No hunt in dumps, no find things, " said Umpth who was busy giving himself a good scratch from his head to his feet.
"Aghar find things. Is what Aghar do, " Grod said as if they should understand. He wandered off toward the grazing ponies.
"And if he couldn't search dumps anymore, he searched where he could, which happened to be in the purses of the people around him, " Trap summarized, more for himself than for the wizard.
Halmarain trotted after Grod. Not to be left out of the most entertaining conversation of their journey, the ken-der followed.
"Bid you take the necklace from the dwarves?" she demanded.
"Think Pretty Kender like it, but no could open pouch, " Grod replied, nodding until his red-blond beard bounced energetically. "Go find more magic, " he said. "Need dead squirrel-or rat-or snake. Dead snake good magic. Find one, maybe. " He wandered off.
Halmarain stopped and stood staring after the gully dwarf, too concerned with what he had done to give any notice of his intentions.
"I put a shutting spell on your pouches to make sure you couldn't take anything that belonged to the dwarves, " she said.
"Well! I like that! We told you before we wouldn't take anything from them, " Trap said, laughter making him breathless. "All this time you've been watching us, Grod has been handling everything in sight. " Trap was growing increasingly angry at
the little wizard for her distrust, and he made the most of it.
"Wizard, lizard, chicken gizzard, can't tell who's the thief, " he said. "Dash about like a tiny lout, and brings herself to grief. "
"You stop that!" Halmarain shouted at him. She bounced on the balls of her feet, her tiny hands clenched in fists. "Say another word and I'll turn you into a… a… " Bereft of words she raised her right hand and pointed her finger at the kender.
"Halmarain, she can complain, and finds stuff in her sack, " Trap sing-songed as he skipped away. She turned to glare at him. "Fuss and shout and jump about, but she still won't give it back. "
Trap laughed until he was weak in the knees.
"A wizard's distrust, " Trap said, giving Halmarain a knowing look as he wiped away the tears of his mirth. They both knew he was referring to his story in the inn.
"Very well, I owe you both an apology, " the little wizard said as she also calmed down. "But the next time we enter a town, the next time we get near anyone, keep an eye on that gully dwarf. "
"He must really be skilled with his hands, " Trap said. "I had no idea he was slipping steel pieces into that purse, and it was in my pouch. "
"And the overload into yours and Ripple's pouches and my bag, " the little wizard said. "Did he bring back anything this time? Oh Gilean, I hope not. " She pulled her worn bag off her shoulder. "Trap, check your pouches. I don't want anyone else chasing us. "
Trap searched all his pouches and pockets. He found nothing he could not remember having before they reached Thelgaard. Halmarain had taken care to keep his arms so full he had not been able to handle anything. She found a small jeweled cup, a mirror, a comb, and a carving of a bear with runes on its back.
"I wonder who will be chasing us for these things, " she muttered as she showed them to the kender.
Chapter 25
While in Thelgaard, Trap had suggested they buy ground maize and everyone was looking forward to a kender pudding, which he could make almost as well as his sister. Making it would help him feel closer to her. He missed his sister, and was also becoming as worried as his kender nature would allow.
The first day after Beglug and Ripple had been captured by the kobolds, they had found tracks, but after leaving the mountains they had not been able to discover any sign at all. But they would find them the next day, Trap decided, and was cheered by the decision.
"I'll get out the maize and you can dig out the pots, " he told the little wizard when they made camp after their trip to the city.
"Pots!" Halmarain exclaimed, slapping the side of her own head. "I bought everything I could think of, but I forgot pots!"
"No pots? Big jiggers, I can't boil pudding in my hands. " Trap complained.
"Obviously!" Halmarain snapped. "I can't boil water for tea either. "
Luckily they had bought some dried meat and traveler's bread in Thelgaard. It sated their hunger, but they were disgruntled over their cold meal. After her trouble with the two boys, Halmarain refused to return to Thelgaard, saying they could pick up pots in Solanthus or perhaps they'd find a village on their way east.
The next afternoon Trap killed a couple of rabbits that they roasted over the campfire, but for the next two days they broke camp without a warming cup of tea. Halmarain was in a foul mood.
They began their third morning's journey at dawn and by early afternoon they were approaching Solanthus. Halmarain called a halt and they sat on a hilltop as they looked across the hills at the city. In the distance they could see the strong outer walls, rooftops blanketing the hills, and in the center a tall fortress.
"We can't all enter the city, " she said. "I don't want to take Grod in. There are too many people on our trail now. " She looked over her shoulder giving Grod an accusing glare.
"Grod no go, no get more steel pieces, " Umpth reminded her.
"That's exactly why he won't go, " Halmarain announced. "We don't need more trouble. "
"He didn't cause the stranger with the kobolds to follow us, " Trap reminded the wizard.
"Whether he did or not, we've too many people on our trail, " Halmarain said. "I'll ride in to buy some pots. At least we can have a hot meal tonight. "
"I'll go for the pots, " Trap volunteered.
"Oh no, " Halmarain said. "I'm not having any more trouble with… " She paused as Trap's expression darkened with anger.
"Umpth and I will go, " Trap announced. His voice turned hard and raspy, anger just under the surface.
For once, neither Halmarain's glare nor her sharp tongue moved the kender. His grandfather had traveled to Solanthus and had talked about the city. At that time the damage from the earthquakes that had come with the Cataclysm was still visible. Their grandfather had been fascinated by the raiding, the sporadic fighting, and the attempts to rebuild.
Within the hour the travelers found a dry gorge that would give them shelter and hide them from other travelers. Halmarain and Grod made camp, though she was impeded by his wandering off, looking for another dead animal to replace his squirrel.
Trap and Umpth left most of their gear behind and rode into Solanthus, using the south gate. Since it opened toward the mountains, they were in the quarter of the city where most of the dwarven population lived.
"Dwarves make good pots, " Trap said softly as if he begrudged the admission. He wanted to see some of Solanthus. He knew he shouldn't spend much time in the city.
"We really should visit more than one shop and try to get the best price, " he suggested. "After all, we know Orander's purse doesn't make steel pieces, and we didn't bring Grod. "
"Look dumps? Find pots?" Umpth suggested.
Trap ignored the suggestion.
When they had seen the city from a distance, they had seen the towers of the central fortress. Solanthus had spread into the hills to the south and some of the streets climbed steeply to the hilltops while others wound around the lower regions. The tower was not visible from their location.
Like most cities on Krynn, several inns were located near the gates. Beyond them were the shops usually frequented by travelers who wanted supplies for their journeys. After having visited Lytburg and Thelgaard, Trap expected to find stabling for their mounts close to the gate. Dwarves seldom rode ponies unless they were traveling long distances so the stables that served that quarter of Solanthus were on a hill close by.
Trap and Umpth rode into the first stable. The dwarf hostler glared at the kender and the gully dwarf and demanded the price of a day's keep in advance.
"Him not like kender, " Umpth said as they left the stable and wandered up the hill. Neither expected to find a tinker's shop on the heights; they wanted to look over the southern quarter of the city.
"Look for good dumps, " Umpth said. "Maybe find a good This Place. "
They turned a corner and had walked two blocks up a steep street when they heard a shout behind them.
"Thieves!" The shout rang up and down the street.
Trap and Umpth paused and turned to look behind them. They saw two dwarves running up the hill. Four others came around the corner of the street the kender had passed.
"Is mad dwarf?" Umpth asked.
"Big Jiggies! It certainly is, " Trap recognized the dwarves from whom Grod had taken the necklace. "Maybe we can explain… then, maybe not. They don't look like they want to talk. "
"They still mad. We go now, " Umpth said hopefully. He turned his back on the dwarves who were fast approaching. "Want to see city. Want to see dumps. Want to find new This Place. Not want to see dwarf. " He suited action to words and sprinted up the hill.
At first Trap followed, but just before they came to a curve in the street, he paused to look back. The dwarves were still coming, but they had little chance of catching the fleet-footed kender.
When Trap turned to follow Umpth, the gully dwarf had disappeared.
"Beans! Now where did he go?" the kender asked of no one in particular, since the street was deserted except for his pursuers. What appeared to be an a
lley opened on his right and he dashed along it until he discovered his mistake. The passage that angled off between the two barn-like buildings gave into a stable yard with high retaining walls on two sides. The third and forth sides were windowless building walls with only the alley width opening. Umpth had not come that way.
Trap turned to reverse his course, but he was too late. The dwarves had seen him run down the alley and they were advancing, blocking the entrance.
"Hello, how are you? Nice day. We could talk about this, " Trap suggested to the angry dwarves. "I don't know why you are so anxious for our company, but if you want me to tell another tale-"
He was interrupted by the dwarf leader who stepped forward and swung his axe. The kender brought his hoopak up and struck the side of the weapon, deflecting it. He skipped backward up the alley.
"I know why you're angry, but we didn't know we had your necklace until a few days ago, " he said. "We'd be glad to give it back-"
"Kender thief, you'll pay for your stealing, " Tolem said.
Trap kept backing away until he was in the storage yard and found himself up against the stone wall.
"That wasn't nice, " he said. "You shouldn't interrupt a reasonable conversation by swinging weapons, you could get someone hurt, and then you'd be sorry. " He skipped away from Tolem, only to face another dwarf with an axe just as large.
He feinted with his hoopak, ducked to avoid the hacking axe, and lunged by the dwarf. Four had been concentrating on him and he was behind them, but two others blocked the entrance to the alley.
From above came the sound of creaking wagon wheels. The dwarves were too intent on the kender to notice. The sound had not meant anything to Trap until he heard Umpth's voice.
"You no go back!" The gully dwarf cried out.
Trap didn't understand what Umpth meant. Trap certainly wanted the dwarves to go back to wherever they came from.
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