“Aailaine! Get up Aailaine!”
A pair of eyes as silver as moonlight snapped open as the door was closed, drifting away from the land of dreams. Groaning, the girl slowly sat up, pushing her long, disheveled hair out of her face. The orange glow of the lamp on the wall offered a soft light and her hair reflected that small light around the room, creating an aura of colors. Aailaine sighed and watched the flame flicker before pulling herself out of bed and walking into her wash closet. As she removed her gown, she stepped into the shallow stone basin and dumped a bucket of lukewarm water over her head. Shivering, she quickly reached for a small green cloth and washed away the sleep, refreshing herself. Finished with washing, she carefully began to brush her hair, styling it in a single fishtail braid over her left shoulder with a plain clip.
Once her hair was styled, she left the wash closet and dressed, pulling on her dark brown trousers and fastening the dull grey shirt. After slipping on her sturdy boots, she dropped a small amulet over her head, inspecting her clothing as she walked across her room. Aailaine carefully made her little bed, being sure to fold her bedding at the foot. She sat on the mattress and glanced over the walls of her room, taking in few possessions that disappeared into the dark corners. Aailaine sighed heavily as she tucked the gem in her shirt and started to roll up her sleeves just as her door opened.
“Aaila-, oh, you’re up. Well, get going.” The small figure quickly shuffled out of the doorway and Aailaine followed. The dwarf was about a meter tall, and his disheveled brown beard was riddled with grey. His bald dome seemed shiny in the dull light of the Elddess lamps as he limped his way down the steps from Aailaine’s room and back into the main hall. His once blue tunic was now dark with stains and the leather belt around his waist was worn from use. The dwarf collapsed into his large chair and inspected the food on the stone table in front of him as he took a swig from a jug. The small table had three wooden baskets: one with bread, one with dried meat, and the third with small pieces of cheese. Aailaine carefully stepped down into the main room and sat on a stool opposite him. Helping herself to the other jug in the center of the table and reaching for a small loaf of bread and cheese from the baskets, she leaned back and began eating her meager food.
“Do you know what I’m doing today, Rfkr?” Her voice was quiet and melodic, and she looked away as she spoke, playing with the food in her hands. The dwarf sighed, and sunk deeper into his chair, sliding his bare feet on the stone floor. He remained quiet and Aailaine sighed heavily, taking more bites of the bread. Rfkr lifted his eyes from his beard to glance at the girl and sighed again, straightening up in his chair. He reached across the table and quickly ate some of the dried meat before speaking.
“I think gardening again, but don’t count on it.” Aailaine’s face lit up and she quickly finished her food, the news reinvigorating her. She lightly kissed the dwarf’s cheek, who grunted, and she quickly left the little home. As she stepped out, she made sure to lock the door behind her before climbing up the ladder to escape from their small crevice in the mountain and stepping onto the busy streets of Mathydar. In front of her, both man and dwarf walked to and fro in the large cavern, eager to reach their individual destinations. The ceiling of the cave was lost to the darkness above her and the crest of the Nivim clan reflected brightly on the armor of the dwarven soldiers who passed, greeting her with a lively, “Fingge[1]!”
Aailaine greeted them with a warm smile and a slight wave before heading toward the edge of the city. She walked briskly past the other travelers, at times having to crawl through the small dwarven passageways. The city was an intense stone maze of small spaces containing dwellings and large caverns filled with public buildings, and Aailaine knew the city by heart.
Climbing up the side of a cavern wall using the carved footholds, she finally reached her destination: a small door built into the side of the mountain. Standing on the narrow ledge beneath the Elddess lamp, which casted the soft glow of twilight, she knocked on the door and stated her name. A moment passed, and the door slid open, grinding a rut into the loose gravel as it went. She swiftly walked inside to be greeted by another dwarf sitting on a stool next to a desk, a small stack of papers in her hand. The desk was covered with several stacks of paper and baskets, all neatly arranged on the stone surface. The dwarf herself was well built, her muscles all too visible with her black short trousers and sleeveless tunic that split down the sides, showing her tanned skin. Her red hair was pulled into a high ponytail and a few frays hung in her face, which she ignored.
“Ah, Keoi[2], Aailaine. Let’s see…gardening again? Hm, that’s the third time this week. Guess it’s just as good, with autumn just starting.” The dwarf began to file through the papers in her hand and desk as Aailaine patiently waited. She looked up toward the ceiling, her eyes tracing the outlines of the various details carved into the stone there. A pack of the yeitre were carved with explicit detail as they ran around the room, a mo’qire flying among them, the dragon’s wings keeping its serpent body afloat. Soon she found herself roaming alongside the wolves, getting lost in the design. Aailaine jumped when the dwarf exclaimed, pulling out a single piece of paper.
“Here you are, your plots for the day.” Aailaine bowed her head and accepted the paper. “And here’s your basket with tags should anything be ready to be harvested. Remember to mark it.”
“I will. Nao Fei[3], Hvidr.” Accepting her basket and tags, Aailaine began for the back of the dwelling where a set of stairs waited to carry her to the world outside. As Aailaine left, the female dwarf watched her go before she settled into her stacks of papers again, nudging the many baskets with her foot.
[1] Morning.
[2] Hello
[3] Thank You
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