although his axe slipped out of belt and clattered to the ground with a loud bang.
“For the love of Davim,” shouted Cleathelm, “will you keep it down, morons!”
It took the short legged dwarf another a few seconds to scramble down the side of the wall and then more time yet to gather his weapon, “Sorry about that.”
After the squat little dwarf wandered off another voice came shouting across the divide, “I have to pee.”
The half-breed goblin next to Cleathelm laughed until a well-placed elbow dug into his ribs, but even then he couldn’t help but snicker now and again as they awaited the return of their food.
Chapter 5
Milli sat in the narrow confines of her little room, although quite spacious compared to the quarters of the young apprentices, and looked at the frayed and faded gold paint that edged the woodwork trim around the base of her door and sighed deeply. She knew every detail of the room that served as her residence from a time before she could remember. She knew, by heart, the story of how a caravan of dwarf iron traders found her in the smoke filled ruin of her village after an attack by raiders. She’d heard it so often now that when she saw one of the elders giving her that look and the self-satisfied grin that came with it she knew exactly what was coming. Now that she was old enough to recognize the signs she generally fled to the room they gave her all those years ago and waited a few hours. She knew every nook and cranny of the place from the faded gold paint — these dwarves loved their gold — to the smooth marble floors where she broke her nose in a fall as a young girl. The older she got the more male dwarves, both young and old, liked to grab her by the arm and tell her stories about how grateful she should be to have a home here in Craggen Steep, the hidden citadel; how only a few non-dwarves ever lived inside the city in its long, rich history; how she could never go to the outside world where she might betray the secret of its location.
After a bit more staring she went over to a little cherry wood table in the corner of the room that was at just the right height for her to sit and write. It was a gift from a dwarf for her tenth birthday and she ran her finger over the initials carved into the top surface. Wood was a rarity here in Craggen Steep where metal or stone furniture was the norm. She opened a leather bound booklet and flipped through the pages, stopping now and again to read a passage, as a little smile came to her face and the hint of a tear to her eye. “I don’t want to leave but I can’t stand to stay anymore,” she said out-loud just as a firm thump came from the heavy stone door to her right. “Who is it?” she said wearily without looking up from the diary. It was certainly one of the dozen of higher class dwarf suitors that plagued her these days in ever increasing numbers. Of course, they didn’t want wives, no, that would be scandalous as their children would be half-breeds. Pretty mistresses they could shower with gifts and affection was more to their taste.
“The First Edos,” said a gruff voice and Milli’s eyes suddenly opened wide and she scanned the room quickly, her head moving back and forth.
“I’ll be right there,” she said, and immediately darted over to her bed, grabbed some of her underthings, looked around, and then stashed them under the mattress. She glanced around the room a second time, took a step towards the door, then went back over to the desk and shut the dairy, before finally moving to the heavy stone door and opening it with only the slightest pull. “Hello?” she said to the elderly dwarf who stood at the door. Her eyes bulged when she saw the platinum bands, gem encrusted, that served as beard holders and she couldn’t help but give out a little gasp and unconsciously curtseyed. “I… I wasn’t expecting anyone and especially not you, First Edos.”
“I know, I know, dear,” said the dwarf, bowing down just a little so his long beard gently grazed the ground. “Might I come in and talk for a bit?”
Milli’s eyes opened wide and she bobbed her head up and down, “Of course, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, please, come in,” she said with a wave of her arms as she stood back from the door. “It’s not very roomy, I’m sure you’re used to better, um, would you like some coffee?”
“That would be very nice,” said Fierfelm as he shuffled into the room and took a seat on a small chair in the corner, “you don’t have any pastries by chance? I’ve taken to eating them more and more over the years and I know how you little halflings love to bake.”
Milli shook her head, “I… no, sir, First Edos, I… I can run out and get some, there’s a pastry shop not far from here.”
“No, no, that’s all right dear, it’s just that I’ve grown fond of sweets in my old age, and now, with things the way they are, you never know where your last meal is coming from,” he uttered this last proclamation and sat down with a thump on the sofa near the kitchen. It was made of solid rock although thick cotton stuffed cushions softened the blow and a number of throw pillows, embroidered with pink and yellow hammers, tongs, and bellows, made it more comfortable. “Ahh,” he said, “this is quite nice indeed. So, where is the hidden door to the rest of it?” he asked as he peered around the room with a quizzical expression on his face.
Milli looked around the room, at least three times the size of the quarters of her friends and shook her head, “No hidden doors, I’m afraid this is all there is.”
“Oh, I see, I see,” said Fierfelm as he shook his head sadly. “I was an apprentice metal smith once you know, but that was fifty years ago and it’s hard to remember what that sort of life was like after you’ve been away from it for so long. I didn’t mean any harm; you know how we dwarves love hidden chambers, secret doors, puzzle rooms, and the like. I hope you don’t think me rude?”
“Oh no, not at all, First Edos, please, I’m quite honored to have you visit me,” she continued and then hustled over to her little stove, put a kettle on it with an easy motion, and fumbled through several cabinets before she found a tin filled with coffee beans, “It’s only local grade, from the foothills of the mountain,” she said with a small shrug of her shoulders. “I’m sure you’re used to better.”
“It’ll be fine, that’s very sweet of you. I’ve heard good things about you over the years you know, and now you’re friends with young Delius, yes?”
“You’ve heard of me?” said Milli and stopped her preparations for a moment as she turned to face the old gray beard. “Really? Me?”
“My friend Borrombus speaks quite highly of you,” said Fierfelm as looked closely around the small chamber for the first time. “It’s all coming back to me, yes, when I was a young apprentice my room was much smaller than this, but I suspect you’ve seen an apprentice’s chambers. It’s good for them to suffer a bit, now isn’t it? Although I’ve had my differences with the High Council over the matter, suffering is one thing but brutalization is another. We’ve had discussions we have.”
“Oh, I…,” said Milli with a blush and her hand came to her cheeks which flushed red, “what does he say?”
“Oh dear, I’ve embarrassed you,” said Fierfelm, stood up, walked over to the girl, and gave her a little pat on the shoulder. “I’m an old fellow and I forget how what other people think is important to you young folk. In any case, we’re all very fond of young Delius but I’m afraid his future with us is rather limited, his breeding you know.”
“It’s not fair,” started Milli and turned to look at the old dwarf, her yellow eyes now glistening with tears but her voice hard and sparking with anger. “He can’t help who his grandparents were. You’re not from one of the three families, you should know better than anyone.”
“Oh, I agree completely, it will be the downfall of Craggen Steep in the end,” said Fierfelm as he looked around the little room. “Now, where do you keep the cups and saucers?”
“Over there,” said the halfling girl pointing to a cupboard near the sink, “but I’m afraid they won’t be the fancy kind you’re used to.”
“Quite all right, quite all right indeed. Frankly, all that gold doesn’t make for a hot cup of coffee, I prefer a clay mug anytime and not near as heavy. The older I get the more I treasure the simple things. Did you know as a boy, me and the other apprentices used to roast the crusty ends of week old bread for our coffee and drink it from tin water cups.”
“No!” said Milli her eyes somehow gettingeven wider yet, “you?”
“Indeed, indeed, that was before old Udor picked me out as the most promising apprentice. I didn’t realize it
