“Indeed,” replied Bregnest. “It has allowed us to return quickly to your happy land.”
As before, Alex was unsure how long they stayed in the dark forest with the elves. He remembered many feasts and long walks in the sunny meadows. He felt at peace in the dark forest and was sad that they would have to leave eventually, but he knew his future was not here.
While they remained in the forest, each member of the company exchanged many fine gifts with the elves. Alex gave Calysto a true silver necklace set with hundreds of small, bright green emeralds. It was one of the many items Bregnest had added to his share from the dragon’s hoard.
“A gift for some great lady,” said Calysto, admiring the necklace.
“Then it is well given,” Alex replied.
Calysto wore the necklace at their parting feast, which made Alex happy. At the end of the feast, Calysto and many of the other elves walked with the company to their wooden house. They were all laughing and singing songs Alex had never heard before. No one wanted the night to end, but like all things, it eventually did.
The next morning, as the company prepared to depart, Calysto came to say her final farewell. Alex could see the sadness of their parting behind her usually happy smile.
“May your fortunes be bright,” she called after them as they rode to the edge of the meadow. “And if ever you come this way again, the meeting will be a merry one.”
Alex turned Shahree before entering the trees, looking back at Calysto. He didn’t have words to thank Calysto for all she had done. He simply waved a final farewell, somehow knowing he would return to the dark forest someday.
When they reached the edge of the forest, the sun was setting. They made camp and told stories late into the night. Skeld and Tayo managed to force Andy into telling them about his own first adventure. Andy insisted it was a long and boring story, but they all wanted to hear it just the same.
“You’ll have better tales to tell on your next adventure, won’t you?” Tayo laughed, slapping Andy’s knee as they prepared to sleep.
The next day they started early, pressing forward and passing the ruins of Aunk before the sun set. Alex shivered slightly as he remembered his battle with the wraiths. He knew the wraiths could not harm him now, but he still felt a shadow of darkness as they rode past. He quickly forced himself to think of his friend Thrain and the wonderful halls of Osrik that lay ahead of them.
It was clear the elves had sent word to Osrik while Alex and his friends were still in the dark forest because a troop of dwarf warriors on horseback met them on the road with orders to escort them to Osrik’s halls. Osrik was exactly the same as Alex remembered—uncomfortable with too much ceremony and happy to listen to all the stories they had to tell.
“Quite an adventure,” said Osrik after Thrang had told their story. “Never thought we’d see the end of Slathbog in my days.”
Alex and his friends remained with the dwarfs for almost three weeks, trading treasure for items made of true silver and giving gifts to Osrik and his officers. When it came time to leave the dwarf realm, Osrik asked them to meet with him in his throne room.
“I have a favor to ask,” said Osrik, looking at Bregnest.
“Ask what you will, Lord Osrik,” replied Bregnest. “Nothing would please us more than to be of service to you.”
“It’s about my grandson, Thrain,” said Osrik, looking past the company at Thrain who was standing at attention at the edge of the great hall. “He’s seen your success and heard your stories and he thinks he’d like to be an adventurer.”
“Adventurers do not choose themselves, as you know,” said Bregnest, glancing toward Thrain.
“No, they don’t,” agreed Osrik with a smile. “But he and a couple of his friends want to see the Oracle. I have forbidden them to go on their own, but if you were going that way, I thought perhaps they could accompany you. If it is too great a favor, please say so. To be honest, I’m not too happy with the idea myself.”
“It would be our pleasure to have their company,” said Bregnest happily. “Though we will not be returning this way. How will they get back?”
“I suspect all sorts of people will start traveling east again once the news of your adventure is well-known,” said Osrik, winking at Bregnest. “I think the way back will be less troubled, then—fewer bandits and the like around.”
“Then we will happily accept their company,” said Bregnest, bowing to Osrik. “And we will try not to encourage your grandson’s desire too much as we travel.”
Osrik laughed at Bregnest’s reply, waving for Thrain to come forward.
“It seems you have your wish, my fine young dwarf,” Osrik said to Thrain. “You’d best be off and tell your friends. You’ll be leaving in the morning.”
Thrain was too happy to even speak. He ran forward and hugged his grandfather tightly, and then turned and ran full speed out of the hall.
“I hope he is happy with what the Oracle tells him,” Osrik commented, watching Thrain depart. “But even if he gets his wish, I’ve made him promise to return here before going on any adventures.”
“Wise counsel,” said Bregnest. “And if he is chosen, my company and I will be happy to help him in any way we can.”
“Thank you, my friends,” replied Osrik. He smiled wryly. “And you know, there is a part of me that hopes he does get his wish, even if the rest of me does not.”
The company all laughed with Osrik before saying good night to the king.
The next morning, Alex and his friends assembled in front of the main gates of the dwarf city. Thrain and his two friends, Melnoch and Nitek, were waiting nervously to one side, away from the company.
Alex was happy Thrain would be traveling with them to the White Tower because it meant he would not have to say good-bye just yet. He had not met Thrain’s friends, but he knew if they were anything like Thrain, the journey would be a happy one.
Osrik came out to the gate to say a final good-bye.
“I’m placing the three of you in Master Bregnest’s care,” Osrik said sternly to Thrain, Melnoch, and Nitek. “If any of you misbehave or fail to follow his orders, I’ll throw you all in the dungeon for a hundred years.”
Alex and Andy tried not to laugh as Osrik turned his back to Thrain and his friends and winked at the company.
“Good-bye, my friends. If ever you come this way again, you will be most welcome,” Osrik said.
“Good-bye, great king,” replied Bregnest. “Your kindness will remain with us always.”
They all bowed to Osrik and then started down the slopes of the Brown Hills. Thrain and his friends brought up the rear, which made Alex and Andy feel a little strange at first because they were used to being the last in line. As they turned their horses west, though, Thrain rode up beside Alex and Andy and started talking happily with them.
As they traveled from the Brown Hills to the city of Techen, Thrain, Melnoch, and Nitek adapted, as well as they could, to the adventuring lifestyle. However, they were still a little unsure of how to deal with Skeld and Tayo’s constant
teasing and joking.
“You get used to it in time,” said Andy in a low voice to the dwarfs. “And they don’t mean any harm.”
“Because if we did mean harm, our wizard friend would turn us into toads,” Skeld laughed, overhearing Andy’s words anyway.
“I may do that anyway,” replied Alex, laughing along with the rest of his companions.
When they arrived at Techen, Alex saw that the city had changed a great deal since they had left it. A vast array of tents had sprung up around the mud-brown walls. Hundreds of horses and carts crowded the roads, and a great number of people were selling all kinds of things just outside the main city gates. Bartholomew the gatekeeper was still there, but he looked tired and a bit thinner than Alex remembered.
“You seem to have some new friends,” Bregnest commented with a smile.
“I don’t know about friends, but there are a lot of them,” replied Bartholomew. “Been turning up in droves over the last couple of weeks.”
“Why would that be?” Bregnest asked.
“Well, it’s the dragon, isn’t it?” said Bartholomew, looking at the tents and carts along the road. “Story is out that old Slathbog has finally died, or been killed, or gone away, depending on which story you choose to believe. This lot is off to look for the dragon’s treasure, and in my opinion, the sooner they go, the better.”
They all had to suppress their laughter because they knew these treasure hunters would find little in Varlo, unless they were looking for land.
“The magistrate must be happy with all the trade,” said Bregnest with a short laugh.
“I suppose he is,” Bartholomew replied thoughtfully. “Though it’s hard to tell what makes him happy. I suppose you’ll be spending the night then?”
“If we can find a room in the city,” said Bregnest.
“Oh, you needn’t worry about that,” Bartholomew called, as the company started moving through the gate. “Not many of these will pay for a room. I believe old Tantic has plenty of space.”
Tantic greeted the company as if they were old friends he hadn’t seen in years. Before they could even climb off their horses, he had brought out a tray of drinks for them and toasting to the good fortunes of Techen. After their drinks and a few words with Tantic, Alex and the others took their horses into the stable for the night. There was no sign of Eric Von Tealo, so Bregnest asked Tantic where he could be found.
“Ah, a sad story that,” answered Tantic. “A good man he was with horses, though perhaps not so good with people.”
“You say
was,
” Bregnest interrupted. “Is he no longer here?”
“Old Eric turned sick this last winter,” said Tantic, shaking his head sadly. “We tried to care for him, but there was only so much we could do. He crossed the wall just as spring was coming in.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” Bregnest said. “We owed him a debt. Can you tell us where he is buried? The least we can do is pay our respects.”
“That’s very kind of you,” said Tantic with a smile. “Though I doubt you’ll be happy with his resting place.”
The company followed Tantic’s directions to Techen’s graveyard to pay their last respects to Eric. They noticed that there were many fine headstones scattered about the graveyard, but on Eric’s grave was only a small wooden marker with his name on it. When they returned to Tantic’s inn, Bregnest questioned Tantic about it.
“The magistrate didn’t much like old Eric,” Tantic said, an unhappy look on his face. “Eric was always telling him off for the poor way his soldiers took care of their horses, and for anything else that didn’t seem right. The magistrate wouldn’t let me put a stone on his grave, only that small wooden marker.”
“Can you send word to the magistrate that we would like to see him?” Bregnest asked in a calm voice.
“’Course I can,” said Tantic, a slightly wicked grin spreading over his face. “It would do my heart good if you lot told him off.”
Bregnest motioned for the others to follow him into the inn’s common room. The company sat around a large table, leaving the chair to Bregnest’s right empty. Thrain, Melnoch, and Nitek sat at the bar, watching with a great deal of interest. It wasn’t long before the magistrate appeared, walking up to their table and frowning.
“You wished to speak with me?” he asked, in an unfriendly tone as though their request to see him was a great inconvenience.
“We do,” replied Bregnest and motioned for him to be seated.
“What can I do for you?” asked the magistrate brusquely.
“We wish to discuss the grave of Master Eric Von Tealo,” Bregnest replied calmly.
“What about it?” The magistrate’s face turned slightly red.