“They are quite nice though,” said Petra while raising her arms over her head and yawning luxuriously.
“Let me finish!” said Milli and stomped her boot on the hardwood floor of the tavern. “I’m not a little girl.”
“Go on then, Milli,” said Petra leaning back in her chair and looking around the inn. It was the second place they tried after Dol’s temper tantrum and apparently the highest class around although the payment was a pittance compared the gems and gold they carried. Even that first overpayment of gold coins they gave her could have seen her stay at this place for a year or longer.
“I just want to get to the Five Sisters and get this over with,” finished Milli with a humph.
“What then?” asked Petra and leaned forward in her chair. “We’ve still not made any decisions on what happens… after.”
Milli paused for a moment and then smiled, “Dol’s right, we’ll be famous I suppose. People will want Dol, Brogus, and me, and you too Petra. They’ll pay for us to come and solve their problems.”
Petra didn’t reply for a time as she sat and watched the plates of food and drink that came and went to customers of the tavern. “I think I might not go all the way with you,” said finally said..
“What?” said Milli, her voice raising an octave or two. “Of course you’re coming with us. We’re in this together, to the end.”
“Maybe you should think about letting Dol do this on his own,” went on Petra as she stared deeply into Milli’s eyes. The old woman lowered her voice, “The ancient elementals, Gazadum. There’s a good chance everyone will die. I’d say more than a good chance.”
“First off,” said Milli. “I would never abandon my friends and secondly it probably isn’t Gazadum anyway. Just some old fire elemental that no one remembers. Besides, Dol has the Hammer of Fire and that was made from the essence of Gazadum as I understand it. Who can stop that?”
“Gazadum,” said Petra with the same level eyes and clear tone of voice.
“What can I do to convince you?” said Milli and held her hands out towards the woman. “We need you. None of us knows how to find food or make shelter or anything like that.”
“You’re not far away from the Five Sisters and then it will be done one way or the other,” said Petra with a shrug of her shoulders. “You can buy plenty of supplies to get you there safely enough, and if you kill the beast it will be as you say, you’ll be famous and you won’t need me anymore. If you all die… well, you won’t need me then either.”
“But,” said Milli and reached across the table to take the woman by the hands, “we still will need you no matter what. I mean, not if we’re dead, of course,” this with a little laugh, “but I mean other than that. And if we’re going to be rich and famous don’t you want to be that with us? Besides, Corancil will be down here with his army in a few years and you remember that messenger of his. How boldly he spoke and how handsome he was?”
“I’m an old lady,” said Petra. “Boldness of speech and the handsomeness of face are not of great importance to me anymore. Riches and comfort do sound nice but with the gold you’ve already paid me I can survive quite some time here in the southlands. I’ll never get back north again, that much is certain.”
“But,” said Milli with a little choke in her voice.
“No,” said Petra. “I’ll go with you as far as the Five Sisters and no more. Dol is possessed by that hammer, Milli. There is evil in its power somehow.”
“What can we do?” said Milli just as Brogus sat down at the table with a thump.
“Hello, ladies,” he said.
“Petra is leaving us,” said Milli, turning to the broad shouldered dwarf with a tear in her eyes.
Brogus yawned deeply, “I’m exhausted. What was that?”
“You just slept for ten hours,” said Milli. “What’s wrong with you these days? We need to get ready for the trip to the Five Sisters to complete the quest and all you do is sleep.”
“The beds are comfortable,” said Brogus and stretched his arms out with a long, languorous yawn. “Besides, Dol’s in there all night making… uh… noise… with some girl so I have get my sleep during the day.”
Milli said nothing.
“It’s true,” said Brogus.
“I know it’s true,” said Milli and folded her arms across her chest. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“If you’re jealous then just tell him,” said Brogus with a small smile. “He’s a lot more passionate nowadays. Maybe there could be something between you two?”
“I’m not jealous,” said Milli pursing her lips and looking to the ceiling. “I’m just worried about him hanging out with all those… women.”
“I don’t know where he finds the energy,” said Brogus. “He doesn’t sleep at night. He just…”
“Ok, we get it,” said Milli with a glare.
“Sorry. It’s just that he didn’t want to come here in the first place and now he’s having more fun than the rest of us altogether,” said Brogus with a shrug of his shoulders, and when he couldn’t keep the grin off his face had to look down at the table.
“I see you grinning like a rock leopard,” said Milli.
Brogus let out a little chuckle but continued to stare down at the table.
“We have to get out of here today,” said Milli. “I’m sick of this town and I’m sick of these people.” With this she stood up and strode purposefully over to where Dol spoke with the two girls. A few seconds later she stood with her hands on her hips staring up at the tall girls and the dwarf, “Come on, Dol. It’s time to leave.”
Dol turned to her with a sharp look and his blackened hand went to the hammer at his side before his face relaxed into a smile, “Oh, it’s you, Milli. Have you met the girls?”
“No,” said Milli. “Dol. Don’t you want to get on with the quest. The Five Sisters. You know who?”
Dol shrugged his thick shoulders and grinned at the girls, “I don’t know that one more night will hurt. It’s just a couple of weeks travel anyway.”
“Yeah,” said the girls in tandem. “We like Dol.”
“You shut up,” said Milli and put her hands to her hips and flipped her long blonde hair. “Dol, I’m leaving right now and you can come with me or not.”
Dol looked at her for a moment and laughed aloud throwing back his head, “You, by yourself against Gazadum. Without the Hammer of Fire. What can you do?”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Milli. “Maybe I’ll go back to Craggen Steep,” and then she put her hand over her mouth.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Dol loudly. “Everyone will know my name soon enough. Dol Delius of Craggen Steep who slew Gazadum with the Hammer of Fire.”
Just outside the tavern Cleathelm, who happened to be walking past at that very moment, stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head. Halfway down the block, from where he was following the dwarf, Uldex saw Cleathelm walk over to the tavern and peer in the doors. A moment later he dashed down the street, a look of excitement on his face. After Uldex made sure Cleathelm was far enough away he too went to the tavern door and looked inside. “Milli,” he said in a soft whisper and then stood there for a long moment just looking into to the building. Then, with a quick motion, he turned and walked back out into the street, taking up position by a horse tied up across the way. He motioned with his hand to beckon his companion up from down the block and then made sure the axe at his side was sharp and slid easily out of his belt loop.
Chapter 23
Half an hour later Milli stood with her equipment in hand on the street outside the tavern tapping her foot impatiently on the dirt road. Not ten minutes before she sent some boys off to get their horses while Brogus and Petra had promised to gather their gear and meet her outside. Dol remained obstinate but she was sure he would come out and join them as soon as they made it clear their threat to leave was serious.
“Hello, Milli,” said Uldex standing at the corner of the building with his hand at the axe on his side, his leather jerkin pulled straight and tight, and his hair perfectly brushed.
