Dragonvein (22 page)

They walked for nearly five blocks before seeing anyone about. Most of the city’s inhabitants were dressed similarly to Birger, though a few wore more elaborate attire with high collared shirts and pants made from a slick cloth that caught the light and gave it a metallic quality. As the group passed by, everyone who saw them immediately stopped what they were doing and stared with a mixture of loathing and curiosity.

Ethan glanced over his shoulder. A crowd had gathered and was keeping pace a few yards behind them.

“It looks like we may not make it to the king,” remarked Jonas.

“No one will harm you so long as I am here,” Birger assured him. “But I warn you. When you meet the king, speak only when spoken to. And do not lie. If you are found to be false, you will be executed without delay. Do you understand?”

“We have no reason to lie,” said Jonas.

Birger muttered something indistinct, then took a left toward the center of the city. After another few blocks, they were suddenly confronted by six dwarves appearing from around the corner, each one of them carrying a huge, fierce looking axe. All of them were clad in polished black leather armor studded with steel. Their beards were tied in a tight braid, and their helms were adorned with black and yellow feathers down the center.

“What is the meaning of this, Birger?” demanded the lead dwarf.

“I have brought these humans here for an audience with King Halvar.”

“And why would the king wish to see them?” he asked.

“One claims to be the son of Praxis Dragonvein. I was duty bound to bring him here.”

The lead dwarf sneered with contempt. “Then you are a fool. Everyone knows that Praxis Dragonvein is dust and his line broken. You’ve been fed a lie.”

“Perhaps,” said Birger. “But that is for the king to decide. Not you, Larrel.”

The pair of them stared hard at each other for several seconds. Finally, Larrel snorted and pushed Birger aside.

“You will come with me,” he commanded Ethan and the others. “Hand over your weapons.”

After doing as instructed, they were surrounded on all sides and ordered to move. The march was quick – even quicker than Birger’s pace.

Word of their arrival was spreading, and after only a few blocks the crowd behind them had grown tenfold. Ethan could hear an almost continuous torrent of angry murmurs and hisses. He did his best to ignore these, concentrating his attention on the splendor of the city. The area they were now in consisted of mostly two and three story buildings. The stone used for these had a shine on the surface: not so bright as to give off a glare, but enough to make it sparkle in the light. The windows, both round and octagonal, were set with multi-colored glass that reminded him of a church.

“It’s kind of like the West Village,” he remarked.

Markus chuckled. “Only cleaner.”

“This is true artistry,” said Jonas. “To think such glorious beauty stays hidden away beneath the mountains.”

“Quiet!” barked Larrel, who was leading the way. “Your foul voices pain my ears.”

In the near distance, a massive building peeked out from above the others. Though nowhere near as tall as the towers and spires, it measured at least three full city blocks across. The roof was made from white and gold tiles, and the upper floor was surrounded by a balcony with elaborately designed gold railings. Ethan guessed this must be where the king lived. He was tempted to ask, but thought it best not to antagonize the already hostile Larrel.

As it turned out, the immense manor was not to be their destination. Before reaching it, they were escorted into a small, one story building – uncommonly plain when compared with the rest of what they had seen. It was situated midway down a block and butted up against taller buildings on either side. The room they were in now was completely empty, with just the one door and a window set with iron bars.

I’m back in jail
, Ethan thought.

“You will wait here until sent for,” said Larrel. “Food and water will be provided later.”

Three of the guards searched their packs and then tossed them carelessly into the corner.

“Do you know how long we must wait here?” asked Jonas.

Larrel simply sneered at him, then stepped back outside and slammed the door shut.

The hostile voices of the ever-increasing crowd outside could be clearly heard. Markus tested the door’s strength. It was far too heavy to break down, and the bars on the windows much too thick to bend.

“Let us hope the crowd doesn’t become violent,” said Jonas.

“I wouldn’t worry just yet,” Markus said, glancing out of the window. “There are a dozen guards directly outside. And I get the feeling the king will want to see us before turning us over to an angry mob.”

By now, Kat had sat down in the far corner of the room and was humming softly to herself, a tiny smile on her face. Ethan moved over and settled beside her.

“You don’t seem scared,” he said.

“I’m not.” Her smile widened. “And you shouldn’t be either. We made it. We’re here, safe with the dwarves.”

Ethan chuckled. “I don’t know how safe we are. But we certainly made it.”

“Everything is going to be fine,” she said. “I just know it.”

“I wish I had your optimism,” Markus remarked from across the room.

“She’s right,” Ethan told him. “We made it here in spite of everything. I think maybe a little optimism is in order.”

“Indeed,” agreed Jonas.

Kat leaned her head on his shoulder and continued humming.

Ethan hoped she was right. But though he allowed himself to release a little of his anxiety, he knew in his heart that they had only just begun. Whatever the future held, it would be fraught with difficulty. There would be more danger, more hardship, and more death.

A lot more!

Chapter Sixteen

E
than had no
idea how much time had passed since they had been locked up; it felt like many hours.

As the waiting for something to happen dragged on, much of his previous anxiety returned. He could see that Markus was faring no better, pacing the room and checking the window every few minutes. Jonas, weary from all the travel, had fallen asleep with his pack under his head. Kat was lying down beside him, though her eyes remained open.

With his back beginning to ache from leaning against the hard wall, Ethan heaved himself up and joined Markus by the window.

The crowd outside had now dwindled to no more than a few dozen curiosity seekers. Ethan was surprised by the look of the dwarf women. Though stockier and shorter than most human women, they were certainly more feminine and graceful than he would have imagined. Some were even quite attractive. Their dress was by far more colorful and ornate than that of the men, the majority of whom wore various shades of brown or gray.

“Perhaps they intend to starve us to death,” suggested Markus, trying to maintain a level of lightheartedness.

“And no bathroom,” added Ethan.

This drew a dissatisfied moan from his friend. “Well, they better come soon, or else they’ll find quite a mess when they get here.”

Ethan rummaged through his pack, but only found a few strips of jerky and a small hunk of stale bread. Markus fared little better with just a couple of apricots and a small bag of salted nuts.

“We better hold off until we know how long we’ll be stuck in here,” Ethan suggested.

Markus nodded and resumed his vigil at the window. Another hour passed before the door finally opened. A very dissatisfied looking dwarf entered carrying a small sack and a pitcher of water.

“The female will come with me,” he said.

His few words were enough to wake Jonas and have him springing to his feet. “What are you going to do with her?”

“It is our understanding that it is not proper for human women to be housed with the men,” he replied. “We will find her more suitable quarters.”

Both Markus and Ethan stepped in front of Kat.

“She will not be harmed,” he assured.

Reluctantly, the pair moved aside.

“How long must we wait here?” asked Jonas.

The dwarf shrugged. “Until the king calls for you.” Ushering Kat outside, he shut the door.

Ethan looked in the sack and found a loaf of dry bread and a dozen bright yellow fruits. They were about the size of a lemon, though with a fleshy skin rather than an outer peel.

He tossed one over to Markus. “What is it?”

“Mora fruit.” His friend’s face twisted in displeasure. “Imagine a rotted potato dipped in motor oil. Farmers won’t even feed these to their pigs.”

Ethan sniffed one, but could smell nothing. Tentatively, he took a small bite.

His taste buds were instantly attacked with the foulest tasting juice he had ever known. After spitting repeatedly and pulling grotesque faces, he rinsed his mouth out with water from the pitcher. Markus could not control his laughter.

Jonas snatched the Mora fruit away from Ethan and took a large bite. Ethan expected a similar reaction from him, but the old man’s expression remained unchanged.

“Better this than nothing,” he said, finishing it quickly.

Markus laughed again and ate one himself, though with exaggerated swallows and a scowl. Ethan tried again, but very nearly vomited.

His hunger getting the better of him, Ethan finally decided to finish off the remaining jerky and bread from his pack.

Just as he was swallowing the last mouthful, the door opened and Birger entered. His expression was dire. “The king says that he will speak only to Dragonvein.”

“With respect,” said Jonas. “Ethan knows nothing about this world. There is little the king can learn from questioning him alone.”

“King Halvar is aware your claim. I have told him all I have heard.”

“Then he must know that Ethan is…”

“He knows only what you have said,” Birger snapped. “The truth of your words has yet to be proven.”

“When do I see him?” asked Ethan.

“In three days,” he replied. “Until then, I have arranged better accommodations for you. But mind that you do not try to leave. You will be killed on sight if you are seen wandering about without an escort.” He glanced down at the Mora fruit peeking out from the sack on the floor and grimaced. “Did you actually eat any of those?”

“
They
did,” said Ethan. “It was a bit too much for me to handle.”

In spite of himself, Birger smiled. “Foul tasting little things. Good for only two purposes. Bat food and troll repellant. Even the young ones won’t touch them.”

He turned to the door. “I’ll have proper food brought to you as soon as I can. If you die here, it will be by steel…not starvation. Now come. You’ll be housed in the building next door for now. There are beds and showers waiting.”

The dwarf opened the door and led them outside. The crowd was now all but gone. Only a few small groups remained, but the moment they caught sight of the humans their hostile whispering resumed.

The three story building alongside was made from a polished azure stone. It had superbly crafted windows and a small porch. Immediately inside was a staircase leading to the upper floors. To the right was a parlor featuring two sofas and an assortment of comfortable looking chairs. Unlike the prison, which had been lit by a single rajni stone fixed in the center of the ceiling, the room here had brass lamps hanging from silver chains in each corner. The red tile floor had a black rug in the center, while the walls were decorated with numerous paintings of dwarves and animals. Some of these were set in unfamiliar looking landscapes, with plants and trees that Ethan had never seen the like of before. On many of these artworks, the sky was filled with exploding stars, streaking comets, and three blood red moons.

Birger took them down a hallway just beside the stairs with three doors on the right. “These are your rooms,” he told them. “There’s a kitchen further down, as well as a bath and shower. I have no clothing that would fit you, so you’ll need to make do with what you have.”

Jonas bowed low. “I thank you, Birger. Your hospitality is most welcome.”

The dwarf sniffed. “Enjoy it while you can. King Halvar will not be easily convinced of your intentions.”

Jonas smiled. “I appreciate
your
kindness, regardless of what else happens.”

Birger frowned. “Be thankful that I am a great fool. If I had a brain in my head I would have left you to the Rakasa. As it stands, I am in nearly as much peril as you.”

“I swear that I’m not lying about who I am,” said Ethan. “Once the kings sees that, we’ll both be out of trouble.”

“Actually, the more I think about it, the more I hope you
are
lying. Because if you’re not…” Birger shook his head and heaved a sigh. “Well, it’s too late for that now. Keep to the ground floor…and
do not
leave this house under any circumstances.”

After he had gone, they each took a room. The beds were built for someone of dwarf height and the mattresses were rock hard, but it was still better than a cold floor. Other than a chest and dresser, there was little else furnishing the bedrooms. The kitchen was spacious though, with a sturdy dining table opposite a cast iron stove. Beyond that was the bathroom. Ethan was amazed at how similar it was to those back on Earth. The oval tub in the far corner was equipped with a brass shower head that came down from the ceiling. Two chains hung on either side to control the temperature of the water, and a valve at the head of the tub controlled the flow.

Markus seemed unusually pleased by the sight of this. In fact, Ethan could swear he saw tears forming in his friend’s eyes. “I haven’t seen a shower since I left England,” he explained. “Only the very rich can afford such luxuries in Lumnia.”

“Then you can go first,” said Ethan.

Markus smiled excitedly. “I will.” For a moment there was something uncharacteristically boyish about him.

Not long after they were clean and changed, a dwarf woman brought them a tray of fruits, together with bread and a pitcher of sweet smelling blue liquid. They thanked her, even though she did not so much as acknowledge their presence while in the house.

“No meat,” complained Markus, after she had left.

“If memory serves me right, dwarves are vegetarians,” said Jonas. “It’s the one thing Lord Dragonvein did not enjoy about his visits.”

“As long as it tastes better than mora fruit,” said Ethan.

In fact, he found the food to be quite good. Though the fruits were unfamiliar, they were sweet tasting and satisfying. The bread was freshly baked, and the blue liquid reminded him a bit of lemonade, though not quite as tart.

“Three days,” muttered Markus. “Three days and our fate is decided.”

“Is there anything you can tell me that might help?” Ethan asked Jonas, who was clearing the table.

“Not that I can think of,” he replied. “Your father spoke often of the dwarves, but our conversations were limited to superficial topics. He never talked about his business here. He was a very private man…even with me.”

“When the time comes, just tell the truth,” said Markus. “It’s what you’re best at anyway. If this king is worth a damn he’ll know you’re not lying.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “And if he’s not?”

“Then we’re all dead and the rest won’t matter.”

Time passed slowly in the house. Without the sun it was impossible to tell night from day. Markus tried to gauge it by looking out of the window to see if people were about, figuring that this would be mostly during the daytime hours.

Ethan spent the majority of the time in his room, staring at the ceiling and going over and over in his mind how he had come to be where he was. One day he was fighting the Nazi’s, the next he was being hunted by an evil - and apparently immortal - emperor. He had gone from being the adopted son of a Brooklyn baker, to the son of a dead mage from another world. Of all the ways his life could have turned out, this was one he could have never imagined in a million years.

The others didn’t seem to mind their time in the house, though occasionally he would catch Markus running his fingers over the scars on his face, a faraway look in his eyes. Seeing this racked Ethan with guilt. If only he could undo what had happened to his dear friend. But he couldn’t. At this point, all he could do was try to make things better in the here and now. That would need to begin by convincing the king he was who he claimed, and keeping them all from being executed.

Birger came by from time to time. With each visit the dwarf seemed a bit friendlier and more accepting of human company, even letting loose the odd laugh here and there. He told them that Kat was in a house not far away and was being well attended. He even suggested that, due to the fact that she was little more than a child, should things go poorly for the others, she would likely be spared. However, Birger’s gradual acceptance did not extend to the other dwarf men and women who brought them their food. Each one still looked upon them with suspicion and malice, refusing to so much as utter a single word in their presence.

The day Ethan was due to see the king, the tension in the house was palpable. Ethan hardly touched his breakfast, while Jonas did nothing but pace about the parlor, staring at the door. Only Markus seemed at ease.

“Don’t worry,” he told Ethan. “Birger said that this King Halvar is a reasonable sort.”

Ethan forced a smile. “I’ll be fine.”

A few minutes later Birger arrived with half a dozen armed guards at his back.

“It’s time,” he said.

Ethan gave a sharp nod and followed him out of the room, casting a wink and a smile over his shoulder as he did so.

He was escorted through the streets until they were in front of the massive manor he had seen previously. Marble statues inlaid with gemstones and gold were placed at regular intervals along the colonnade which led from the main avenue to the front steps. Considering that they were underground, the gardens surrounding the building appeared surprisingly green and alive. However, after looking closely, Ethan could see that what he at first had taken to be grass, was in fact a thick moss.

The manor itself was five stories high and constructed from a dark green stone. The top floor balcony was crowded with dwarves gathered to watch their approach. They whispered and pointed, their faces awash with suspicion. The main double doors below were made from dark oak; the one on the left had a sun carved in it, the one on the right a moon.

Just as they reached the bottom of the steps, two dwarves dressed in ruffled blue shirts and black pants exited the manor.

“Is this the one who claims to be a Dragonvein?” asked the dwarf on the right.

“He is,” Birger affirmed. “And he is expected.”

“As are you Birger.” His voice bore sinister intent.

Birger grumbled a curse and cast a sideways glance at Ethan. “You had better be who you say you are.”

Before Ethan could reply, they started up the steps. On reaching the top, their escorts bowed and lined up three by three on either side of the front doors. The two others gestured for Ethan to enter.

“The king awaits,” he was told.

Beyond the threshold was a large receiving hall supported by a series of black columns. The polished white marble floors gleamed from the light of a dozen crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The walls were covered in beautiful tapestries and paintings depicting stars and various other celestial bodies – a theme that Ethan had noticed was quite common here.

To his left was a spiral staircase leading to the upper floors, and to his right a series of hallways and silver doors. He was taken to the back of the hall where a set of double doors were swung wide open, revealing a room nearly as spacious as the receiving hall itself.

In the center of this room was an immense gray stone table, around which six dwarf men and six women were sat. They were clad in simple yet well-made attire, and were all groomed to perfection. Ethan thought they were probably the ruling class; they certainly had a stately appearance about them. The dwarf seated at the head of the table was clad in a black shirt and vest with a gold robe wrapped around his broad shoulders. A thin circlet of silver with a single ruby set in the center rested atop his weathered brow. His black beard was striped with the grey of many years, and his eyes were deeply set and impossible to read.