by deSouza, Leo
Thuor came back to Barar. “I believe my work here is done, master Barar. And I claim ye to honor our agreement.”
“To bribe was not the deal, master RockFoot.” Replied Barar. “If someday our paths cross again, I'll remember this, and we will have a new talk about payments and debts. Now, clear the way!” He fanned the bear and the animal growled before advancing.
The wild warriors came after him still in defensive stance, one could feel the tension between the Thick Beards and the Wilding’s eyes as these last ones passed by the road between the others. Both Thuor’s company and the Thick Beards’ garrison waited for the wilding ones to get far along the road before turning to each other to talk again.
“I thank ye for your reason, captain.” Thuor spoke.
“Most struggles can be prevented with a good deal, besides, I would not like to lose any of my men to these savage rascals.” Replied the captain.
“Well then. Let me now present myself.” Thuor continued. “I’m Thuor RockFoot, master chief of the arms of the Northern Stronghold, under the halls of King Frar.”
The captain showed no surprise. “Master Chief of Arms, and I don’t know ye, but I knew ye should be from the arms. Anyway ye should have announced yourself before.”
“We were in the midst of strife, and in situations like this the less forewarned the better.” Thuor replied.
“Wise words... Tell me, Thuor, chief of arms, what are ye and your fellow partners doing here? Why do ye travel among brutes and savages?” The Thick Beard captain asked.
“We come from the north, from our house. And we are in a quest.” Thuor replied.
“And what is this quest about?” The captain asked with a curious look.
“Well, we were warned about invaders on our lands, and strange events, so we came investigating.” Thuor replied.
“Strange events ye say…” The captain insisted.
“Yes, some say about wanderers walking on these lands, messing with our animals, and spreading mistrust.” Thuor continued.
“This is all leading to the same point.” Said the captain, he turned back to his men and called someone there, motioning for him to come close. “Kilgar! Come here!”
From the garrison came a dwarf, he presented and stood still beside the captain.
“Ye know, master chief, we are patrolling the roads with double attention, since we also heard about strangers wandering on these lands, like ye just said. Tell him, Kilgar, what did ye see a few days before.” The Thick Beard captain spoke.
The dwarf warrior nodded and replied: “Yes sir. It was late night when I was fishing on the Rolling Log River waterfront, near the Noon Dale. It was my day off. There was not much light but I could see, on the opposite side, something moving. It took me some time to see what it was, but I can tell ye that it gave me a chill when I saw it. On the opposite margin someone was crouched, he touched the water surface and then did some movements with his hands, I could not tell. Then he just stood up and mounted on a horse, but this horse came from nothing… And then he just left.”
As he talked, Torag and the others came close and stood there listening.
“Well that does not seem that strange.” Thuor said.
“Wait to hear what comes next!” Kilgar exclaimed. “I did not feel comfy with his presence and after he left I focused back on my fishing, but when I finally got to pick a fish, what came to my hands was not what I was expecting, for the fish was soft, almost dead, like a fillet ready to be roasted, and then I looked at the river and saw all the fishes floating there! They were all dead!”
“Now that seems odd for sure. What about this rider, can ye tell about his appearance?” Olaf broke into the conversation.
Kilgar twisted his mouth. “Not much to tell ye, a black cloak covering the body and a hood would not let me see his face.”
“Is that all?” Thuor asked.
“Yes, that is all I saw.” Replied Kilgar.
“I would like to thank ye for telling us this, captain.” Thuor spoke to the Thick Beard officer. “And now let me repay ye by telling that some of our people have seen similar things, this rider and his ghost horse, doing strange things. We came keeping the secret the most we could, but ye seem to already know much, and sharing information with allies is something to be encouraged.”
“Do ye guess why this stranger is prowling these lands? There were no reports about visitors like this one before.” The Thick Beard captain replied.
“I believe he has some interest in wild life.” Olaf spoke.
“Wild life ye say, like what?” The captain insisted.
“Well, interest in the beasts that dwell in these lands, the ones from the earth, and the ones from the skies.” Olaf replied.
The captain looked at him for a moment, and then back to Thuor. “Somehow I feel as though all this conversation has not much of objectivity, from both reports.” He said.
“This is because this rider has not much objectivity by himself. He is like a ghost, he comes and goes, like the wind blows.” Olaf added.
“Yes and sometimes this wind can throw some of us very far.” Rurur added with his rough voice.
“This is good cooperation between our houses. I will report this to our Guard, and advise them to keep an eye on the skies.” The captain said.
“A right decision.” Thuor replied.
“Now it is time for us to leave, tell me now if ye need something from us, because the road is long and the sun goes fast.” The captain spoke.
Thuor pointed to the ram. “Well… There is actually something…”
“Oh the ram?” Interrupted the captain. “I was waiting for ye to talk about it. Yes ye can take it, I know it is yours.”
Thuor looked at him surprised “Ye know? How?”
“What is this, master RockFoot… Ye were walking captive among wilding ones, and this animal does not look like a war loading. I knew it since I first saw.”
Thuor nodded in compliment. “Thank ye. And farewell.”
The Thick Beard raised his fist and Thuor returned the gesture. Then the captain gave an order in a loud voice and the warriors came back to the road in formation, in no time they were marching again, their armor making a metallic noise as it shook with their firm steps. Thuor’s company also left, taking the road again.
“Ye see? It does not matter if ye don’t tell me much about the Dark Rider, the more we advance the more I find about him.” Torag spoke as he walked.
“And what do ye intend to do if we cross him?” Rurur asked.
“Hang him with my bare hands… Give him some slaps, make him squeal! And only then ask him about what he is doing here.” Torag replied as he punched his own palm.
“This is something I’m willing to witness.” Olaf said.
“Horse, great beast, flying beast, and now we came to know he also likes fish.” Rurur spoke.
“We are confirming that this is not natural. One who can tame beasts and spread death among the animals in a river. Anyway, that’s it, now it is time for us to go ahead.” Thuor said.
The group advanced along the road, Rurur came pulling the ram as always, Torag approached and searched inside the bucket by the animal’s backside.
“Something?” Rurur asked.
Torag shook his head.
“Don’t worry, it is safe inside there, inside our jewelry.” Said Rurur slapping the animal’s hip. “Hey! Jewelry… It’s a good name for him. Jewelry it will be!”
Thuor was carefully looking ahead. “Let us slow down. I see those wilding gentlemen far ahead, I don’t think it is a good idea to cross them again.” He said.
An intriguing traveler.
Days passed since the company met the wilding dwarfs, the journey continued without any more setbacks and became relatively comfortable for Thuor and his partners, for the landscape turned less barren and the heat was totally gone. At this moment it was afternoon and the company went back to the road after a meal, they reached an area where there were ma
ny tall trees and streams, now they could see many more animals and birds were especially abundant. Towards the east, the mountain range became lower and more of the sky behind it could be seen, there was not even a single cloud in it and blue was the only color seen above. Torag had some gems in his hands right now, the ones Jewelry, the ram, previously ate. “This was the best idea I ever had! Just think about what could have happened if these savage wildings had found the gems.” He said.
“Ye could at least have waited for us to find a stream to wash the gems before sticking them inside your bag.” Olaf replied.
“No! I could not risk anymore! These lands are filled with rascals and thieves!” Torag replied.
“Good to know is that the captain was right, Jewelry ate it, Jewelry put it out again.” Rurur spoke.
Torag whistled loudly and raised his arm, Balfour came flying down and landed on the arm of his master the same way he did days ago after the diplomatic meeting.
“What about another song? Master Rurur?” Olaf asked.
“Enough of songs for now. It seems the more I sing the more problems we get.” Rurur replied.
“Sing it.” Torag broke in. “I think our misfortune time is over.”
“Yes, Rurur. Give us a good one.” Olaf added.
“Fine, fine...” Rurur replied. “What about a song that tells about love?”
“Good.” Torag replied. “Richness, love, whatever ye want to give us now, to complete our joy.”
Rurur started singing:
“Old dwarf in his old armor.
Where are ye going old warrior?
Are ye willing to fight our foes?
Are ye marching to defend our honor?
Why do ye look so resigned?
How do ye lose your soul?
Ye do march hopeless,
for ye want no glory or pride
but the love from someone far,
not distant far away,
but unachievable it is,
as the lady ye love,
is long ago gone,
don’t ye lose your spirit old warrior.
Why do ye look soulless?
Can’t ye see hope is still alive?
Can’t ye see we all still count on ye?”
“Not that bad at all. At least it talks about love, not about death or disgrace.” Olaf said.
The dwarfs saw wheel marks on the road, as well as footprints.
“We are getting close to the Boulder Village.” Thuor said.
“Yes I remember being there long ago. Kind folks, good dwelling. We could stay there for a while and then leave again.” Torag replied.
Olaf coughed to speak: “Well… As for me… I’m going to take a good rest in some decent inn in the village. These old calloused bones deserve a good nap on a soft mattress after all these days sleeping on sand and grass.”
“Sand and Grass? Ye forgot about hay.” Torag added.
“Oh yes, there was also this.” Olaf continued.
“A soft mattress... It sounds good.” Rurur spoke as his eyes glistened.
“Hey ye… Look at that.” Torag spoke pointing at something.
The other dwarfs looked and saw at distance a group walking near some woods, and these ones were returning the gaze back.
“The same ones we saw before entering the desert?” Olaf asked.
“It seems so…” Thuor replied.
“Why don’t we join these sirs now and finish all this? I’m willing to hear their excuse to be sneaking up on us like hungry vultures!” Torag exclaimed as he reached for his axe.
But then someone else approached, all of sudden and as if out of the blue, someone mounted on an animal. “Greetings! Fellow travelers.” The newcomer said.
The dwarfs were taken by surprise, now they could examine him better, not a dwarf but someone even smaller, and he was riding a dog, a very big furred dog, an animal taller than anyone in the company. This rider was of a kind that no one there knew, a redhead with thin nose, pointy ears, no beard but very thick eyebrows and sideburns. The dog itself, big as it was, looked harmless, the one mounting it waved and smiled.
“Greetings, my noble one…” Thuor stammered.
“Oh!” The newcomer exclaimed. “Call me Kalish. I’m a traveler, like you.”
“I’m Thuor RockFoot.” The captain replied.
Torag looked at the place where they saw the group before; they had disappeared without a trace. “Tell me, master Kalish. Who told ye we are travelers?” He asked.
“Well, I guessed it. May I ask you where are you going?” Kalish asked.
“We are going south, to the Boulder Village.” Thuor replied.
“Boulder Village!” The newcomer exclaimed. “I’ve heard about it, they say it is a good place.”
The dog stepped ahead, the dwarfs held their weapons.
“Don’t worry, Nanuk will not attack.” Kalish continued
“I would like to hear this from himself!” Torag spoke waving his axe.
“Nanuk is a very smart dog, but he could not talk.” Kalish continued.
The dog and his rider advanced and came close to the ram, Rurur had to calm down the animal as the dog sniffed at the saddle. “Hey. What is this about?” He asked holding the ram’s rein.
“Nanuk found something interesting in there.” Kalish spoke.
“Something interesting huh?” Olaf argued. “I think it is the dry meat.”
“Maybe!” The newcomer said. He pulled the dog’s rein and moved away, the dog rotated and lay on the ground. Kalish jumped from the saddle and stepped ahead, he rested his hands on his waist and smiled to the dwarfs. “What about a small trade? I think we could make a fair deal.” He said looking at each of their faces as if expecting an answer.
Now on the ground the dwarfs could see his size, and realized he was half the size of them, a really small fellow.
“Tell me, wee one, which folk is yours?” Torag asked.
Kalish replied, still smiling: “I’m not from these lands, and judging by the way you sirs look at me, I guess you never saw someone of my kind. I come from the eastern mountainside of the Red Mountains, I’m one of the little ones, as they call us.”
“I think my brothers told me about such folks once.” Said Rurur.
“Not sure if they told you about the halflings of the west, we are not the same, we are even smaller, and smarter… Some say.” Kalish argued.
“Fine…” Torag whispered. “Now, ye talk about trading, but it is very strange to hear from someone such a proposal after a dog sniff.”
“Nanuk generally knows what I would like.” Kalish added.
“Well Torag…” Broke in Rurur. “Ye should not argue about this, it is not that different from ye and your hawk, Balfour.”
“My hawk never sniffed anyone’s saddle.” Torag grumbled.
“Right, Kalish. I think we could trade, if ye have something to offer.” Thuor spoke.
The captain had actually not much interest in trading, but he found it curious the way that this newcomer approached, and decided to go ahead, feeling that maybe something unusual and of interest could happen.
“Excellent!” Kalish said. “I’m sure you will find something you like from my goods.” He untied a bag from the dog’s saddle and opened it onto the ground, revealing many items.
The dwarfs approached as they examined the goods.
“Choose what you want, these are for trading.” The little one said.
“Let’s show him our things.” Rurur spoke. He reached the ram’s saddle and took from it some bags, then opened them on the ground. There Kalish could see their belongings, weapons, meal, wooden pipes and diverse stuff. The big dog stood up, again making Torag stand on guard, it came to the bags that Rurur opened and sniffed at them. Olaf approached Torag and whispered in his ear. “It seems that dog is actually the master…”
Torag just smiled maliciously. For some moments everyone kept checking the goods on the ground, but Thuor noticed that Kalish was just
pretending to be interested, the little one concealed and after some moments turned to Olaf and spoke: “What about you, my friend, feeling well these days?”
Olaf looked at him, finding the question strange. “Quite well master Kalish. Why do ye ask so?”
“Oh just for the sake of being friendly, you don’t look like someone who had good sleeping nights recently.” Kalish replied.
“Considering I’m a domestic dwarf, it is quite obvious that sleeping out of a good bed is something that will bring me down, but I don’t think I’m looking that bad. Am I?” Olaf asked as he looked at Torag.
“Ye look ugly as always.” This one replied.
“You know, among my folk there is an old tradition, they say that when someone looks downcast, sometimes it means nothing wrong with his body, but in his mind. Helping friends to see what hidden inside their own minds is a specialty of mine.” Kalish said.
“What is this about?” Olaf asked.
“Oh nothing to fear, just a touch, and things becomes bright.” Kalish replied.
“How much it will cost?” Torag asked.
“Nothing, master dwarf, it is a gift.” Kalish replied.
“All right... A gift.” Continued Torag. “Whatever ye decide Olaf, go ahead, maybe he will really make ye see what is there inside this hard head, not that I believe much could be found.” Torag spoke as he slightly waved his axe.
Kalish now approached Olaf and bowed to the dwarf as if confirming that he could go ahead. Olaf nodded back, the little one touched all the fingers of one hand at once on Olaf’s head while he closed his eyes, the other hand came to his own head’s temple, touching it with two fingers. The dwarfs looked at Thuor as if expecting something from him, but the captain just stood still. A moment later Kalish stepped back and opened his eyes again, freeing Olaf.
Torag chuckled. “So, how are ye feeling? Did ye see something?” He asked with a sarcastic smile.
“I saw nothing.” Olaf replied.
Kalish was now serious, looking deep into Olaf’s eyes.
“That was more for ye to see than Olaf himself, right?” Thuor asked.
Kalish did not answer, but none of the dwarfs saw dishonesty in his face.