“If your people return to blame anybody for the offense, Master Dugak, then the blame shall be mine.” She spoke diplomatically to the dwarf. “Just so there is no question, I will command you to lead Sir Vaegon to the chamber. That way, you can bear no responsibility, for you will be following my orders.”
The Queen’s voice, and expression, changed to show her distaste, as she turned to scold the little blue pixie man.
“There are not one, but two kingdom’s armies at our doorstep, Starkle. You have messages to deliver, and duties that do not include worrying about the dwarves and their domain.”
The pixie bowed in the air.
“Yes, your majesty. Please forgive me.”
Before she could respond, he was off, on a zigzagging streak towards the open door.
Dugak’s expression appeared as if it wanted to be smug, but he couldn’t quite complete the look.
The dwarves of Doon hadn’t been seen in ages, save for the small group that had wandered to the surface by accident a little over a hundred years ago. Those dwarves were Dugak and Andra’s ancestors. Those short lived dwarves, that had shown up in Xwarda by mistake, had all but died out. Half a dozen families still lived in the mountains near Jenkanta, and a handful served the kingdom here in Xwarda. The rest of the race was hopefully still living in the depths of the earth, where they had retreated after war, and the quickly growing human population drove them away.
Dugak seemed content with his orders. Vaegon couldn’t tell whether it was the act of trespass into the earth, or the idea that he might be punished for it, that had bothered the stumpy man so much. He was glad that the dwarf was taking the order seriously. Dugak wasted no time ordering preparations to be made, and supplies gathered, for their short journey out of the city.
Dugak explained that the way would only take a few hours on foot. For obvious reasons, the dwarf didn’t want to make the trek on horseback. Vaegon wasn’t disappointed with this decision. He too would rather walk. His main concern, was that he had no idea how long they would have to remain with the sword at the cooling stone. He wanted it to fully reenergize, but had no way to know if and when that state had been achieved. One thing he was certain of was that he wouldn’t leave the sword there. He told Dugak to make sure they had enough supplies for a week or more. He figured the dwarf would balk at this news, but he didn’t. Instead, Dugak was completely excited by the prospect of getting to spend a few days underground.
Vaegon started to leave Hyden a note, but remembered that his friend probably wouldn’t be able to read it. In an effort to spare Hyden Hawk the shame of having to ask someone to read it for him, he left the message verbally, with Dugak’s wife. The dwarfess, Andra, was more than happy to deliver the simple explanation of where Vaegon was going and why.
As Dugak led Vaegon down through the castle to the hidden exit, a commotion began somewhere outside the place. The dwarf did his best to dutifully ignore the hubbub, but the news that the wizard, Targon, had arrived at the gates with the Redwolf King, still found its way to his and Vaegon’s ears. Neither of them bothered to comment on the happening, because it didn’t affect their present mission one way or the other. They were about to leave the safety of Xwarda, and make a short hike east into the hills, to visit a catacomb.
Hyden stood before the boxy structure King Aldar had referred to as a temple. He was certain that the ranger had told him wrong. This place couldn’t be the temple of Whitten Loch. It was only three slab walls, with a slab roof, and a stone bench inside. The bench was placed so that one might sit on it, and watch the fountain play upon the lake’s surface. The floor and the bench were covered completely, with greenish, gray splatters of swan dung. In one corner was a nest, empty, save for a few feathers, and some broken egg shells.
As he stood there, debating whether to enter the place or not, Talon came swooping down out of the sky, and flew into it. The hawkling landed on the bench and bobbed up and down in a strange little dance, beckoning Hyden to come in. Hyden understood that Talon wanted him to sit there, so reluctantly, and with a grimace at the slime that covered the bench, he did so. The castle staff had already cleaned his leather breaches once. He hoped that they would do so again. When he sat down, he was discouraged, but then he looked out across the water, and knew immediately that he was in the right place.