Anna winced as she dismounted. “Can we start lessons tomorrow?”
Lorian looked amused. “Yes, but Andier should not wait. If there’s to be fighting from horseback, you must be ready.”
Eric’s eyebrows rose as he and Anna followed the elf inside. “Is there expected to be any?”
“No, but you must be prepared for the unexpected.”
“He sounds like a boy scout,” observed Ryan to Matt, patting his horse farewell as they followed.
The wizard nodded. “He’s probably light years ahead of any boy scout.”
Ryan had been a decent scout but not taken it seriously, since practical application for all of it was hard to come by, but that was different now. “Maybe I can learn tracking from the elves or something,” he said.
“Maybe you should,” Matt began. “Eric, too, just in case something happens. We’re completely dependent on them to get there and back. I mean, what if all the elves are killed?”
Ryan hadn’t thought of that. How would they get back from Castle Darlonon? “I’ll mention it to him,” he answered, having a worse thought. What if all of us are killed?
Before dinner, they moved into separate but adjoining bedrooms with the softest pillows, comforters, and sheets Anna had ever known. After the attack in the castle and with so many people around, she had never felt comfortable there. Something about this elven estate was beyond peaceful, and she drifted off.
In the meantime, Eric suffered through some basic horsemanship lessons from Morven, focusing on forward propulsion and direction control. The fine balance he’d honed via martial arts paid off as he kept a good seat and control with his hands. Still, any experienced rider could see the mistakes, from moving his hands too much to poor leg position. Every time he focused on one thing at Morven’s reminder, something else went wrong. As he got off, Morven suggested continuous lessons during the quest and the rogue quietly muttered to himself as he walked away.
Wearing the finery given to them by Queen Lorella, they were greeted by a surprise when they gathered for dinner. Before leaving Olliana, Lorian had sent for a dwarven friend to meet them here. Rognir of Vodavi not only lived in the dwarven community in the nearby Tarron Mountains, but knew the land around Castle Darlonon and had been inside. The dwarves had built it for Kingdom Alunia long ago, so he’d learned its layout and secrets the last time the champions came.
Rognir made an impression despite being just four feet tall. His bulbous nose was the most obvious feature of his rough-hewn face, which was so covered in bushy black eyebrows, a mustache, and a waist-long beard that his gray-as-stone eyes were almost invisible. The pointed steel helmet tucked under one arm had mashed his hair down more on his face, if that was possible. He wore a stained, grayish blue tunic over a chain mail shirt and stiff trousers that were tucked into hard leather boots, which had seen better days. They were covered in dirt, grass, and leaves, as if he’d walked through everything without discrimination.
Seeing their stares, Rognir scowled hard enough to split stone and gruffly barked, “Have you no manners? What are you staring at? Have you never seen a dwarf before?”
Matt was the first to recover. “Uh, actually, no.”
“There are no dwarves on their home world,” Lorian informed him, “or elves for that matter.”
“What?” The dwarf was outraged, eyes afire. “No dwarves? Don’t tell me it’s all humans!”
“All humans,” Ryan confirmed. “Not a bearded, short-tempered, hairy dwarf to be found.”
“Short-tempered!” Rognir snapped, turning on the big man. “I’ll show you short tempered.” He reached over one shoulder as if for a weapon that wasn’t there. Realizing this, he squared his shoulders and advanced all the same. “I don’t need more than a fist to teach you a lesson anyway!”
Ryan remarked, “Careful, my knees can’t take too much.”
The dwarf sputtered as if struggling to think of a reply. Finally, he burst forth with a hearty laugh and slapped Ryan’s arm. “Let’s get some ale first, then we’ll fight. My aim is better drunk.” He turned toward the dining hall and headed off.
Ryan flashed a smile at the others. “I like him.”
Eric nodded. So did he. Maybe having someone for Ryan to banter with would keep the knight from any dark moods, which seemed to come and go, a fact that struck him for how peculiar it was. Ryan had always had a sunny disposition, though Eric had noticed that there had always been something troubling behind it, though he could never figure it out. The sadness always surrounded Daniel, which wasn’t surprising, but he got the impression there was more to it. But now Ryan clearly felt the weight of something on him, likely the man he’d accidentally killed. Eric wanted to talk to him about it but wasn’t sure where to begin and had settled for just keeping an eye on the big guy, whose tendency to keep troubles to himself was more apparent now than ever. But maybe that wouldn’t work, given their circumstances. They needed each other.
The group continued to a richly carved hall with a large oak tree growing out of one side. The sloping glass ceiling let fading daylight stream down while they feasted on wild boar, pheasant, fruits, spiced vegetables, steaming bread, spiced ale, and a rather strong elven wine. Rognir encouraged Ryan’s drinking a little too much considering the quest before them, to Eric’s unspoken disapproval. He exchanged a look with Anna, sensing she agreed. But they weren’t going anywhere tomorrow and would instead focus on skill development and planning.
Rognir had been filled in on their imposter status, since he’d also known the true Ellorian Champions and wouldn’t have been fooled. Lorian permitted no talk
