Hovelled walls appeared rustic, not rundown, more like a cabin within a city, the one outstanding note was the large shield like crest, clad with some flying bird of sizable quality. Marching the group approached, no longer flanked by a horde, boots and shoes creaked against sagging wood steps, as they surmounted the splintered walk. It led to a small oaken door, robust and banded, barely large enough for Sonne to pass unscathed.
Entering, the portal housed a deep cidered curtain of honeyed yellow, cast by flickering candle lights, and some interestingly orange crystals. Galena and her entourage stomped in, creaking against chesty boards, huddling; they shuffled into a rather small receiving room, nearly eye level with a raised counter, located to the north, from the top of which peaked a peculiar sight. From over the frayed divider, peaked a tuft of shaggy red hair, capping a rather robust face, peering out through darkened eyes, they watched the sight before him.
No sooner had Galen’s eyes met those staring pupils with her own, a slight smile spread across her lips. “Spinel! Oh, it has been a while, so nice to see you” she said in a higher voice, Spinel offering a smoother deeper tone, “Galen! You been gone long enough for the water to waste stone, I trust your journey wasn’t so rocky?”
The dwarf replied, with a large thud as his head disappeared behind the counter. “You got the lion herself, Argj, and even little Every with ya?” Came the dwarf’s muffled voice, right as a wood set cutout swung open, revealing the short, squat creature.
Again, Al had to keep his jaw wired, to not offend, the creature emerged at around four feet tall, maybe a little taller, however the height difference was compensated by a width composed of what could only be described as pure boulder-like muscle.
“Oh, and it looks like you picked up a new little gemstone on the way over,” Spinel said, shifting his gaze over to Al, halting the dwarf’s greetings. The being was small, and squashed, a mass of curled ruby hair cascaded from the man’s scalp, ending at the shoulder, a beard spiked out, almost completely covering the man’s jaw and upper lip.
He was rather unfashionable, with a collared woolen shirt, and straightened slacks, although as per usual, it was what Al overlooked that was truly interesting. Cladding the creature’s hands and neck were dragon-like scales of some ironed composition, the scales were tightly packed into metal talons at the crests of his fingers, thinning as they climbed arms, ending as pure, tanned shoulder skin. A similar pattern beset the neck, thick scales protected the middle, where they thinned towards the face, and down to the chest.
Wow Al thought like built in armor he pondered, looking over the man as he studied him in kind. “Ah, come here, all of you” the dwarf asked, reaching claws up, where Sonne bent down, and Every cuddled in, all for a hug, Argj and Galen were entirely absent from the group snuggling, which wasn’t surprising at all.
“You’ve grown taller little pearl, still as twinkling as a diamond, and you ya big thug, still as strong as slate I see” Spinel laughed, letting the two women go. “Aye, and yer still as short and as loud as ever” Sonne replied, “hey don’t mind her, we just had a little trouble is all” Every replied, “you’ll have to tell me about it later then, now to the lad.”
Spinel said, rushing up to Al with surprising amounts of speed, legs pumping till he stood toe to toe with the younger man, reaching hands up like a child. Al didn’t even know what to do, but after some gesturing, the boy begrudgingly bent down, where his face was seized by cold blunted claws. What does everyone grab your face as greeting here the boy wondered through annoyed eyes.
“Hmmmmm yes, yes, mmhhhhh interesting” Spinel said, turning over the lad’s face as he studied it, “nah I’m just messing with you” the dwarf said with a deep earth rumbling laugh as he unlatched from Al’s face.
“This one your boyfriend Every?” the man asked to which Galena nearly burst out laughing, Every hid behind Sonne like a wall, shouting a “NO!” Al felt some heat touch his cheek, ouch he thought. “Oh, what a shame, bodyguard I presume, your doing Galena?” Spinel asked, the witch returning with a nod.
“Anyways Spinel” Galena started once more, “I have something for you, well actually, I have something that requires your expertise.” She said, rummaging within her robes, “is that so? Mining or Mailing?” The dwarf gave a curt laugh, “because that’s all I'm good for after all” he said as Galena produced a small letter, complete with seal and tie.
“Mailing of course, you do still run the kingdom’s greatest postal service, correct?” She finished, Spinel scratched the back of his neck, looking down at the floor.
“Glad you still think that, humans haven’t thought that for quite some time now, although I’ll see what I can do'' he replied, “yes, alright here you are, and one more thing, it's going to the wylde wood, more specifically…” the witch leaned in and down, whispering something hushed into lowered ear, the dwarf’s face falling with haste, losing some of his charm and luster.
“I understand my lady, as you wish” Spinel replied, now more of a ghost than cheery postal man. “Well, if that is all, then we must be off” Galena said, rounding in place, thumping back across the floor.
“We have been traveling for quite a while you see, and I’m afraid we are all dastardly tired to say the least,” she said, as the dwarf called out empty, “aye, I understand, stay safe you lot, please.” With that, they boomed out of the wooden shack, stepping into the busy cobbled shade, still protected from the sun, by roads and buildings above.
“I’ve never seen…” Al began with a slight tugging smile, “yes we know, you are in awe, come now” the witch replied rather harshly. A grunt from behind turned them all slightly as Argjend reappeared stepping up, cane clacking as he gestured towards the raven with graceful boney fingers.
“If I may, lady Galen, can I suggest the Emerald Boar for our inn of choice? You see it fits our plan better, and I am particularly fond of the spot.” The older man finished, bowing head nearly in shame, as the woman’s violet eyes pierced and pondered.
“That will be agreeable, come everyone, we make haste,” without another word, their train followed the raven through streets of shimmering stone, paradise of man, the heart of the strongest kingdom in all of Ari’stel, none could rival Paars and its armies of mages, none could forget the horrid things they had done either. No being had been spared the wrath of humanity’s boot, to which they all remembered. This city, glittering snow, this land, had been built upon the skeletons of the past, both known and unknown. As they traveled, a band of idiots in over their heads, only one truly knew of their fate, Al got the weirdest feeling, a sure undoubtable feeling, the feeling that they were indeed being watched.
Afternoon came and went, its later half spent checking into a large, stacked building, with a green pig plaster above the arched plank door. Entering they had been plunged into joyous merriment, people of all different makes and sizes, hoisted large cups of awful smelling fluids, foaming, frothing, they did sing, and they did dance, all bathed in the low candlelight.
Al let out one of his signature “wows”, but Sonne had quickly reminded him, “we don’t want to stand out too much, now Al, remember, much time for marveling later.” She said rather kindly, a roaring fireplace licking its lips nearby, shouting haughty air out into the room, guarding them from the approaching evening’s chill. Finally, after all the bags had been set, effects had been placed, the winds eventually set upon them, fatigue began its steady draining, the lot of them sat within a quaint room, conversing, resting, rocking back and forth.
Galena had rented the place with quite a few weighted coins, a room to retain their privacy, or the privacy of their current objective, which the boy still did not quite understand. Al sat upon a large, cushioned chair, that reeked of dust and rats, Every sat on the floor, straddling a furry rug, much to the witch’s dismay, who was rocking idly by, next to the older shade. Lastly Sonne made her own little home, polishing armor, sharpening sword, from the top of a knee-high stool.
“Tomorrow we’ll be heading into the castle, Albatross looks like a beggar, but we should be able to find some new clothes for the boy, after the reception, but before then, best to cover up” the witch said, pushing her reading glasses up, crackling fire reflecting in the glass. “I’d lend him some spares if I had any,” Argjend replied, “its fine, the armor suits him” Sonne spoke from grating steel.
Hours past, a boom accompanied the slamming of fluttering pages, and the plush of dropped leather, Galena set down her tome upon a nearby table. “I have matters to attend to” she whispered, as the shade, and orc attempted to stand, dropping their respective activities.
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