moment. “If you persist in pawing at my head,” his face suddenly turning angry red and his eyes glaring with a ferocity Milli did not know, “I’ll have to do something about it!”
“Dol,” said Milli pulling her hand back and standing up quickly, “I didn’t mean anything; it’s always been good fun.”
“No it wasn’t, not then, not now, not ever. I’m sick of these damn apples and I’m sick of all of you. I should just take my horse and go on alone. You don’t need to come with me.”
“Dol,” repeated Milli her hands on her hips, “what are you talking about? We’re in this together. Right, Brogus?”
Brogus wandered over, a dull look on his face, “What’s wrong?” he said looking back and forth between Milli and Dol. “Are you two fighting?”
“It’s nothing,” said Milli. “Dol just wants to go off by himself and face the great fire elemental alone.”
“What?” said Brogus his voice suddenly rising rising and his hands coming to the axe at his hip. “You know that’s not going to happen. If there’s glory and fortune to be had then I’m coming along. That’s final.”
“I meant more out of personal loyalty than any sense of greed,” said Milli in a soft voice, although she couldn’t prevent herself from smiling and shaking her head.
“Greed makes the world go around,” said Brogus and his eyes became like golden saucers. “It’s what drives Craggen Steep. Gold, platinum, gems, and the rest. All the other races would try taking it from us if we didn’t keep the citadel hidden. We’d be at war all the time. That’s what the elders say.”
“Greed doesn’t make me go round,” said Milli absently twisting the beautiful gold ring inset with three diamonds that she sported on her right hand. It had been a gift for her tenth birthday from some dwarf or another, she couldn’t remember. She’d left most of her jewelry behind when they fled the hidden citadel but kept a few of her most precious pieces. Lately she’d taken to wearing them now that they were out of contact with the other races. The experiences in Das’von had taught her the value of her little baubles and what men might do to get them. “I’m beginning to think that fellow from Das’von, what was his name?”
“He didn’t give one,” said Petra emerging from down the slope, a trio of fish on a line. “I caught these and there are plenty more in there. The stream is simply hopping. The only problem is catching ones big enough to eat with the little fellows doing all the biting.”
“Anyway,” continued Milli. “I’m thinking that fellow knew we were from Craggen Steep all along. That’s why he was so nice to us and helped us. He wants to tap into the wealth of Craggen Steep. You don’t equip and maintain an army that big for long without money.”
“I said it before and I’ll say it again,” interrupted Petra, “I don’t think Craggen Steep is as well hidden as you seem to think it is. My people knew pretty much where it is and we can’t be the only ones. If Corancil is going to launch an invasion I don’t see why he wouldn’t use the wealth of Craggen Steep to finance it.”
“But we don’t have any standing in Craggen Steep,” said Brogus. “We’re just a couple of runaway apprentices and a halfling girl. How could we help Corancil or that messenger fellow?”
Milli shook her head, “I don’t know, but that fellow, the one who said he was a messenger, he was crafty, and he knew what he was doing. We promised to give them information about the troops of the Black Rider and we did learn about them, didn’t we?”
“It’ll take us years to get back to Das’von,” said Brogus with a wave of his hand. “By then the invasion will be in full swing and anything we know about troops or tactics will have changed. He was just helping us because… well, I don’t know, just because.”
“Could he have guessed your true mission,” said Petra in a low voice. “The Hammer of Fire, Gazadum, the volcanoes?”
“I don’t see how,” said Milli and bit her lower lip. “But, Dol didn’t really hide the hammer. I don’t see how the messenger could have known about it, about us, unless he was already working with the three families in Craggen Steep. The Firefists, the Blackirons, and the Drawhammers.”
There was a long silence in the group and then they busied themselves about the campsite preparing for the night. Dol spent most of the time near the fire gazing at it as if it held the answer to some great mystery. Milli watched Petra bone the first of the fish and put it on the fire.
“You need a sharp little knife for jobs like this,” said Petra. “You should never be without your knives, Milli. I’ve seen how you can handle the blade. Did the dwarves teach you that?”
Milli nodded her head as Petra handed her the third one to try and fillet. “Yes, they didn’t think the hammer or the axe was an appropriate weapon for a girl like me. Or at least that’s what they said. Everyone in Craggen Steep gets at least rudimentary training with weapons. The guardsmen are born to it. They learn weapon craft as children and never take up smith work. I learned from a crippled old dwarf who couldn’t teach the boys anymore. He was a sweetie; he’d lost an arm to the darklings but still knew a thing or two about fighting. I was never very good but he didn’t give up on me.”
“It’s good to know how to use the knife,” said Petra. “My people, all the girls are taught how to use the knife. We… you won’t think the worse of me?”
“No,” said Milli absently as she focused on deboning the little fish.
“It is not uncommon for a pretty gypsy girl to meet with a wealthy young man from whatever region we are visiting and when alone use the knife to steal his purse,” said the older woman with a shrug of her shoulders. “My people are often ill-treated by the natives of a region so they feel it is justified.”
“Did you ever do anything like that?”
Petra nodded her head, “I was young and pretty once although it’s hard to see now,” she said with a laugh. “Now you have to be decisive with your cut. If you hesitate you’ll botch the job. Your hand is steady enough; let’s see what you can do.”
Milli busied herself at the fire with the fish while Brogus wandered over to where Dol had piled two more limbs onto the already raging blaze, “Got it going enough there, Dol?”
Dol didn’t seem to notice for a few second and Brogus leaned forward ready to speak again when his friend suddenly turned his head, a look of surprise on his face, “It is rather high. I didn’t notice.” Then he broke into a loud guffawing laugh as Brogus stared at him.
The two women also turned their heads and looked at the dwarves, “At least he still has a sense of humor,” said Petra and smiled at Milli.
“He never really had a sense of humor,” said Milli a frown on her face and the knife tapping at the cutting board. “I suppose it’s better than anger though. He’s been angry a lot lately. Do you think the hammer might be doing it?”
Petra lowered her voice, “It could be. You’ve seen the way he keeps a hold on it all the time and his hand is black from the heat. You know, you never even told me how you got it or what it is. Not that I’m asking you to betray any confidences but it would help if I knew.”
Milli looked down at the board and the fish, badly cut compared to the two that Petra did earlier, and gave a low sigh as Dol continued to laugh loudly. “I don’t know if you want to hear the story.”
Petra nodded her head, “It’s up to you.”
“We stole it,” said Milli as her shoulders drooped. “But, it wasn’t like anyone was using it. It was just sitting there and the First Edos told us to do it!”
“Who’s the First Edos?” said Petra quietly sitting beside the girl.
“Should you be telling her this?” said Dol in a quiet voice from over by the fire. When Milli looked at his eyes they reflected the blaze and seemed to burn red hot like an animal peering from the woods.
“She has the right to know,” said Milli standing up, putting her hands on her hips, and giving him a firm look. “We wouldn’t have made it this far without her.”
Dol shrugged, “Tell her then. Maybe she’ll talk some sense into you. This is too dangerous. You should head back to Craggen Steep with Brogus and I’ll finish alone.”
“Stop with that already!” said Milli taking a step forward and jutting her firm little jaw at Dol. “I’ve been in this since the beginning and I won’t quit until we see it through or die trying.”
“Die trying?” said Petra with a raised eyebrow.
“You knew it was dangerous, right from the beginning, you don’t fool me,” said Milli turning to the older woman and stomping her foot.
Petra smiled and began to clean up the badly filleted fish with practiced and smooth motions, “That’s true little one. I knew there was something special about the three of you the moment I laid eyes on you. I’m not
