Pete had discreetly and kindly left Them and Tiira to it—sleeping in an inn for the night after Them gave him the appropriate amount of money to pay for it.
Waking up next to a beautiful woman was one of those things that never lost its glamor to Them, especially when it was a woman of a different race that he hadn’t slept with yet. Them shook the woman’s shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open. “Morning…” she muttered, her mind a little scrambled from the alcohol and her torrid night with Them.
“Morning.” Them replied. He wrapped his arms around her—loving how soft and round she felt.
Them breathed deeply for a moment, closing his eyes and enjoying the peace and quiet and how good Tiira smelled. In this quiet moment, he remembered the thing she was supposed to answer the night before. “So. Why are Angrin and Brint in an all-out war?”
Tiira’s eyes flew open. “That’s right—I forgot to tell you. Well, we worship our ancestors while they worship the old dwarven gods. They want to us to become one clan again, while we would like to keep our sovereignty and culture, and lastly, they support polygamy. Fucking savages…”
Them bristled at the vitriol in the woman’s voice, shocked by her apparent hatred of those who were different.
Them sat up. “Well, I guess I better get going.”
Abruptly, a shrieking child burst into the room. “Mommy, mommy! You won’t believe it!”
Them shrieked, himself, hiding under the blanket. Tiira was giggling at the situation. “Popii, what did I tell you about knocking?” Tiira asked the young girl.
The little dwarven girl cleared her throat, looking at her feet with her hands clasped behind her back. “To do so before I come in…”
“That’s right. Now, what’s going on?” Tiira asked the girl.
“Mommy, we’re being attacked again! My tutor sent me home because she was worried.” Poppi explained.
“Damn!” Tiira cursed. “Sorry Them, got to go. You don’t have to stay here, but I suggest you get inside and stay inside somewhere safe. These fights can get ugly. Popii, stay in your room and lock the door.
Popii frowned. “I can help though, mommy…”
“No, you can’t.” Tiira replied strictly.
Once Poppi had left the room, Them and Tiira got dressed. Them took a moment to admire the comfortable space. Lamps lit with something Tiira called, “electricity” brightened up the small house, making it feel warm and safe. The house itself was made out of a special, brown dwarven stone that Tiira had called marenandrite. It was a warm, homey shade of brown that made him feel safe and somewhat hungry, because it looked like chocalate. The stone itself was formed almost like a cave; weathered with dozens of rivulets running down the walls. Tiira was not a rich woman, so her house only had three rooms; her child’s, her own, and an entryway. It was sparsely decorated, but what furniture there was lightly colored to offset the dark walls. At first, Them thought he would be bothered by the fact that there was no sunlight underground, but once he had gotten used to it, he didn’t mind it so much. In fact, the close walls and the defensible cavern just made him feel safer. Perhaps I was meant to be a dwarf. Them thought to himself as he pulled his breeches on. He turned to Tiira and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you.”
Them heard shouting in the distance outside. He dashed out Eliita’s front door, intending to find Pete. He looked to his right when he was outdoors and saw dozens of dwarves swarming the opening tunnel of the underground city. Them wished he had a bow on him, but the dwarves didn’t allow it upon entering their kingdom. All he had on him was a knife. He hurried through the well-lit city, admiring the glowing electric lampposts giving off various different, vivid colors; adding charm and culture to the city. Them looked at the signs hanging on the eaves of businesses—most of them carved into the roofs—scanning the titles of the buildings for the inn where Pete had spent the night. When Them saw it, he ran inside and asked the landlord, “Excuse me, do you know what room—”
Them! Pete jingled. There you are!
Them turned to his friend, smiling at him as Pete sped toward him, leaving a trail of light behind him. Pete stopped when he was inches away from his friend. Well? How was your night, you dog?
Them cleared his throat. “Very nice, of course. Anyway, I think we should hole up in your room, Pete. There’s fighting going on outside.”
Pete’s black eyes widened. Really?
Them nodded. “Really, really, my friend.”
The pair stomped up the gray, stony stairs and Them followed Pete through the fourth door on their right. Them entered the room and was surprised by how well-furnished it was. There was only one bed, but the stony floor was covered in a type of moss unique to the clan of Angrin; it was a white moss that glowed gently in the darkness. There was a book on dwarven religion on the desk, and the dwarven standard—a red boar on a white background—was displayed proudly above the bed. Them smiled, "Damn. I love it here”
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