Her spirit would always be with Sula. She felt this with her whole being, so intense that it warmed her from her heart all over; as if she was shining from within. Her skin, her green eyes, even her hair looked scarlet. Everything glowed. Sula, the sun.
Feline had finally found her way home and Sula could, for a second time, call off the search.
Chapter 3 The Dwarf Prince
Two years later
The herd was excited this summer morning, especially the young goats who were bouncing and jumping playfully. Their mothers followed closely behind. Bleating and butting their heads together in play, the herdsman smiled at their antics. There were a lot of newborns this year and Felix worried if he’d be able to look after such a large flock. Since Sula arrived seven years ago, not only had his own family expanded, as well as their garden and orchard, but also the number of brown and white-speckled goats had grown considerably too, as if they were happier. Sula could Mindmerge with them and she and her children had become friends with the goats and communicated with them almost daily. Their needs were being met, Sula saw to that!
I will have to trade the young ones in for some chickens or ducks… Felix thought ruefully, but wondered if he would be able to. Not many Rosinhillers had any interest in goats as Felix provided all the milk, and cheese for the whole village. The cheese was considered a delicacy. He smiled at the thought of his wife making sure the baby goats got enough milk and that the mother goats were alright with donating some of their milk to the people. If the mother goat didn’t agree, Sula and Felix would leave the goat in peace! Goat’s milk was after all for baby goats, not for adult humans, as Sula had explained on more than one occasion. She believed that animals should not be exploited to serve humans. Such was her love and respect for animals and Felix had learnt a great deal from them through his wife. Some people in the village had a pet goat or two to keep their grass short, but Felix was pretty much the only one with such a large flock of nearly forty. It was proving difficult to manage without a dog.
Though he liked dogs and his own father, who had been a shepherd in his day, used to have one, Felix didn’t know if he could keep one in their small house with their four cats and the children. It would be mayhem! Although the cats were outside for most of the summer days, they would curl themselves up in front of the fireplace during the colder months. Would the cats accept a dog? Sula wasn’t against the idea as she loved dogs and cats alike and knew they could get along just fine. But Felix was more of a cat person. Sula had put her foot down against the idea of keeping a dog outside in a pen. Dogs were sociable beings, she reasoned, and they would surely want to be with the rest of the family! They would have to have at least two dogs! However, Sula argued their barking would no doubt drive her insane, as one of the neighbours down in the valley had a barker and she felt it disturbed her peace more than she liked to admit. Even if she continuously told the dog not to bark, he still acted out of instinct and the next day would do it again. It was his voice, his only way of expressing himself; protecting his home. She couldn’t blame the dog, really. Felix smiled and sighed longingly thinking about his animal-loving wife and her own contradictions.
Alright, not a dog then but I will have to trade some goats in soon. Perhaps I might even have to go to a neighbouring village or town if she’d let me…
He didn’t think Sula would agree as they both knew very well that not all people were as kind towards animals as the Rosinhillers. People outside the village might decide to kill the male goats for their meat and that was something both Felix and Sula wouldn’t be able to bear.
In thought Felix wandered on swiftly, closer towards the mountains to keep up with the goats. The red summer sun was rising slowly above the Balla mountain range and painted it beautifully in shades of peach and pink. Clothed in brown breeches, high laced up boots and a green long-sleeved tunic with a girdle he stood for a moment to catch his breath. He marvelled at the sight, thumbs underneath the straps of his rucksack. Felix’ thoughts went to Grobo. The giant had long since moved elsewhere and now the caves’ only residents were bats and the occasional bear.
The herd was spreading and grazing on the lush grass, flowers and small birch trees scattered about and Felix had a good clear view of them all. He would stay in the mountains tonight to give the goats a good chance to munch on the easy food. In fact the goats helped to keep the mountain meadows open, so that they wouldn’t grow in to a wood. There was plenty of woodland already around here and for generations the goats and the mountain pastures had lived in a close relationship. The goats got their food and kept it free from trees and shrubs, so that the heather could grow lush and attract bees and butterflies. The goats in turn would fertilise the soil with their manure.
Today Felix would go deeper into the mountains and camp there overnight. These days he did camp more often than before to give Sula some much needed space. He quite enjoyed himself at the same time. Even though he still preferred to be close to her, after many years he understood her more and accepted her need for solitude and tranquility. Sometimes he took Fay with him to the mountains, other times he also took their youngest son Aigle. Taking both of them was quite hard work as they could be a handful, both being very energetic and excited. Occasionally Felix’ parents looked after them. Felix, like Sula, appreciated some peace and quiet himself occasionally!
He spotted some mulberries; the colour of Sula’s lips. He smiled and started picking them, knowing how his children loved the jam made out of them. Suddenly Felix heard a cry from afar and he tilted his head to listen closer. He heard it again and moved towards it. It grew louder and at first sounded like a wailing animal in distress and then all that was left was whimpering and sobs. He stepped closer. Underneath a birch tree he spotted a little man! He was a dwarf with his beard caught in some kind of trap! He wore a green jacket and a red hat and his little legs in black boots were kicking in despair. With both his hands he held on to his beard, tugging it slightly. Glancing sideways the dwarf let out a cry upon seeing Felix.
‘Oh, oh, you’re a sight for sore eyes! I’ve been shouting for help for so long!’ His voice was indeed quite hoarse. ‘I’m begging you dear boy, set me free and I’ll reward you generously!’ he whimpered and stopped kicking. The heavy iron trap, which had snapped shut close to the chin of the dwarf, looked gruesome. As Felix knelt down by him, he realised how much more damage it could have done to the dwarf, and how lucky he had been to only have his beard caught.
Felix raised one eyebrow. ‘Surely you didn’t think I would leave you here?’ I wonder who set this trap! And who were they trying to catch?
He examined the dwarf’s beard with both eyes and fingers and set upon freeing him. It was then that he noticed shiny, golden buttons on the dwarf’s green jacket.
‘Who are you anyway that you can promise me a rich reward?’
‘I am the prince of the mountains; Prince Oro, and my palace is located in that mountain on the other side of the river. I can…ouch…give you gold, silver or a hat full of diamonds!’
Felix gently but firmly pulled one last time with two hands; one hand close to his chin, the other closer to the end of his beard, away from the trap. He was free.
‘There you go! I’m Felix and my goats and family can’t eat rocks,’ he answered chuckling. ‘Though I’ve heard about your treasures in some old book I once read and the villagers tell all sorts of tales about it, I’m surprised it’s true!’ Felix examined the dwarf up and down. But then again ever since I met Sula, the comyenti and Grobo the giant, I’ve started to believe in my old fairytale books again!
The dwarf prince rubbed his beard and stood; he was only as tall as Felix’ knees. His clothes were torn and the little man was at the end of his strengths. Oro stretched his legs and Felix noticed he carried a little lantern and a hammer underneath his black belt. It all intrigued him to say the least.
But more so, he pitied Oro and gave him all the water from his flask, all of his bread, pepper and of cours
e a piece of his home-made goat’s cheese. It was all Felix had brought for his camping trip. Prince Oro ate it all with lip-smacking sounds. The dwarf soon recuperated and his strength returned.
‘How long have you been trapped?’ Felix asked him, amazed and amused by his appetite. The dwarf burped loudly.
‘Too long, it must have been two days since I set foot outside of the mountain.’ He stood after licking his lips and fingers and said, ‘Come, I’ll show you my kingdom, it’s nearby. You can choose your reward for yourself!’
Felix hesitated, glimpsing at his herd. ‘I don’t know. I really should get going.’
‘Don’t worry, your goats will be fine, it looks like they have lots of food here to graze on. We’ll be back in a tick, I promise!’
Sula had taught him to trust giants and all the other mysterious creatures of myth and legend, so why shouldn’t he trust a dwarf? Moreover his own instinct never failed him. He saw and heard his goats maaing faintly. Curiosity got the better of Felix and he soon left the goats and followed Oro, the dwarf Prince, towards his kingdom across the river.
Chapter 4 The Magic Hammer
Together the human and the dwarf crossed the wooden bridge and were on the other side of the river when they came across a steep hill, which the dwarf had called a ‘mountain’. At the foot of it the dwarf made a sign with his burning lantern and with a low rumbling sound the hill opened! Felix was so startled he stood perplexed. He’d never known this could happen outside of fairytales!
When Oro entered he beckoned at Felix to follow. They then went through a dark tunnel that ended in a spacious hall. Sounds of hammers and picks and the rattling and crunching of a mine could be heard all around them. Dwarfs with their lanterns were busy everywhere. It resembled a birdcage full of busy, fluttering woodpeckers, Felix thought. Some were extracting ore out of the wall. Others brought the metal and stones in their little wagons via railway tracks to the end of the hall. They placed their cargo in chests that were already filled to the brim with chunks of gold and raw diamonds.
The prince of the dwarfs made an inviting gesture to the chests. ‘You choose!’
Felix shook his head, ‘I appreciate your intention but like I said before; we can’t eat rocks. What would I do with such a treasure? I’m pretty sure you don’t want me telling people about this mine. And when they see me or my family with gold or jewels, they might think we’ve stolen it!’
Oro thought long and hard, stroking his beard, and said, ‘I can tell you are not the average herdsman, my friend, not to say that I’ve met many. Hmm, but a man who doesn’t want to be rich? I like you, Felix. Nevertheless I insist on thanking you for setting me free and providing me with food when I was half dead. That cheese was delicious!’
Felix rubbed his chin, looking at all that glitter and gold around him. His wife, although she did appreciate beauty, had only one or two pieces of jewellery, one of them being her wedding ring with the set emerald stone that matched her eyes. She had no love for diamonds and no need to be rich. What would he and Sula do with silver and gold? They had no currency in Northland and only traded goods and services, so what could they trade gold and silver for in a country that didn’t value such treasure? Perhaps they could use it in another country beside Northland, but to buy what? Felix and his family had everything they could wish for: a cosy home that was big enough for all, a shared farmhouse, warmth, food, their animals, their health and above all, each other and their love.
Thinking about this hidden mine and the secrecy about it, Felix asked, ‘What do you dwarfs do with all these treasures any way? Who is it for?’ he asked suddenly, slightly confused.
‘Ah, it is true that our silver, gold and diamonds are not for human eyes to see or for the human race to wear. I’m glad you agree on keeping it a secret for that is what it should remain. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I thought I couldn’t trust you! We dwarfs can see into the hearts of men, you know,’ and Oro smiled and glanced around him. ‘Like you, we don’t care for wealth but we do enjoy the honest labour and the honour bestowed upon us. All that you see here will be worn by royalty only. It is their gratitude and protection we earn.’
‘Royalty? But-’ ‘You ask too many questions, my friend!’ Oro laughed and clasped him on the lower back, almost making the mistake of touching his bottom!
‘Now, it is really quite an honour what I’m bestowing upon you. You could live like a king. There must be something that pleases your eye?’
‘Well…if you insist,’ Felix said, looking around puzzled and slightly hesitant. A thought came to him, and not knowing for sure if the dwarf would give in to his request, he dared ask, ‘Could I have one of your hammers or picks?’
The dwarf looked slightly amused and replied, ‘But of course, not a problem. I’m curious to know what you will do with it? There are no gems to be mined beside this one for thousands of miles. What on Bhan are you going to use it for?’ And he spread his short arms wide.
Felix smiled, ‘I know of a saline rock up in the mountains and my goats love to lick it! I’ve tried using my own woodworking tools, but they aren’t sharp enough. With one of those hammers I could surely break the rocks open or even bring one home to the farm for winter time or for other goat farmers.’
‘Ah, you’re indeed a good man,’ the dwarf said and nodded smiling whilst gesturing to the tools in one corner. ‘You may choose your hammer. Make sure to pick the finest, maybe that one with a polished handle of ash wood?’
Felix walked over to the hammers and picks that all looked more or less the same to him and picked one up. It felt quite light in his hands but comfortable and Felix smiled. He turned to Oro who laid his hands briefly on the hammer.
‘Every rock you’ll hit with this hammer will produce an abundance of salt. But …make sure you never tell any man about the origin of the hammer.’
Every rock?
Felix thanked the dwarf and promised to keep his secrets safe. They said their goodbyes. He had hardly left the hall before the hill closed itself behind him and only a dim sound of hammers and picks were to be heard. Had it all been a dream?
In his excitement Felix ran to the riverbank and started to bash on an ordinary rock with his hammer. Miracle of miracles, almost straight away a big lump of salt came loose!
The goats were on the other side of the river grazing still and some already came running towards him when they spotted him with the rock of salt. Felix laughed as he quickly ran across the bridge as to keep them from crossing, then held the rock out to the goats. They started licking it eagerly.
He walked back to the mountain meadow and continued his journey when each had their fill and put the lump in his pocket, smiling. The goats followed more keenly than they had ever done before and Felix laughed his head off! Now he surely wouldn’t need a dog anymore; all he needed to do was to get his hammer out and bash on a rock, any rock, and the goats would stay close!
Felix decided to keep the male goats in a separate meadow from then on, with a fence around his parents’ land, so that at least the herd wouldn’t grow larger. The boys could retire there to their heart’s content, well… without females, but it would have to do.
~~~
‘But… if no one of the human race is to see or wear all this wealth-’ Sula asked Felix when they were having their supper a couple of evenings later when he had returned home from the mountains.
‘Only royalty,’ he pointed out and took a big bite out of an apple and winked at their daughter, Fay, who smiled back.
‘Hello, royalty?’ Sula said mockingly and rolled her eyes. ‘Kings and queens who aren’t human? Who are the dwarfs working for, Felix?’
Sula had said his name, which meant she was serious and felt slightly annoyed. He didn’t need to read her mind to know that! He finished his bite of apple, swallowed it and looked her calmly in the eye.
‘I thought about that too, but Prince Oro said I asked too many questions so I left it at that.’
�
�You see? Because you were on to something! He didn’t want you to know!’
‘Know!!!’ their two year old son Aigle suddenly shouted in his highchair and held his wooden spoon high up in triumph. Sula and Felix chuckled at that. The boy hadn’t said much yet up till now so that was quite something.
‘Look, Sula, whoever or whatever ‘royalty’ is that gets to wear Oro’s gold, we may never know. What Oro did; letting a human have a peek into his mine; that alone was a great honour, never mind the hammer! I have to respect his wish to keep this a secret. Now I know I told you, because he said I wasn’t supposed to tell any man, but you’re a woman so-’ ‘What makes you think I am going to do anything with this information?’ Sula said with an appealing teasing look.
Felix chuckled. One dimple showed in his cheek.
‘Because I know you! I can tell by the excited look on your face that you want to find out more.’
‘Well, who wouldn’t?’ she shrugged.
‘No one is in danger this time, darling. Now give it a rest,’ Felix said sternly.
‘Yes, I remember that side of you, Felix. I had hoped I’d changed that in you,’ she retorted ruefully with her eyes narrowed.
‘Speaking of danger, what is more important right now is to find out who set that trap, Sula! Who would do such a horrid thing? One of our goats could have been caught or worse, Fay or you! It’s the same trail you normally use.’
‘Is it? Well I agree that is indeed disturbing,’ she pursed her lips. ‘What did this trap look like?’
‘One of those traps huntsmen used to set for wolves years ago before I was even born. This clamp is made of iron with lots of lethal teeth. My dad found one once when he was just a boy. It’s been decades since people used them around here but it didn’t look all that old or rusty to me. I left it there, closed of course with a bit of Oro’s beard,’ he added with a grin.
The Comyenti Series Book Bundle, Volume 1 and 2 (Epic Romantic Supernatural Fantasy) Page 30