"An unexpected occurrence..."
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"Alas!
Mahal is testing me, that he is for sure!" whimpered Rothroh, because he could not think of a better explanation about what he was seeing right in front of him. "Where did you find these...things?" he asked Kaelin, the not so sharp son of his father's youngest brother. "Deep into the woods" answered the stubby, auburn haired Dwarf, scratching his blowzy head with sausage-like fingers. "They were just puttering near dat hollow oak tree, like little possums". "Almighty bull's horns! And what if their folks are searching for them as we speak, you lousy oaf!" Rothroh thundered, his temples throbbing furiously. Without waiting for an answer he began to pace around like a madman, muttering to himself: "I send him to pick some wild mushrooms, and he brings me the lamest stuff he finds!"
Seeing his cousin like this, Kaelin nearly regretted for his stupidity.
Once Rothroh is mad at someone, it's better for that someone to hit the road before his anger bursts out. But, instead of leaving, Kaelin preferred to stay right where he was.
Dispassionately he bent over the twin little boys, who were staring at him with eyes as wide as butter biscuits, to spare them a closer look... "Well, it doesn't seem like someone's looking for them" said he at last. And then he added in a lower voice: "Me thinks they are abandoned for real! Otherwise why would I find them a stone's throw from me path, here in the wilderness?" Rothroh lifted his gaze to his comrade's, suddenly alert. "Cause someone wanted you to find them?" he snarled. Kaelin jounced. "Indeed yes!" he exclaimed. "I had a feeling that I was being watched back there! By whom I can not say. That is why I chose not to desert them", he admitted. Rothroh raised both his bushy eyebrows, staring enigmatically at his cousin. "And thus you decided to bring them right to me!" he groaned, rubbing his round fat belly.
He knelt before the little boys who stood inseparable, as if they shared one body and soul.
Similar like two drops of water, they were both staring curiously at the strange men before them; and they seemed fearless, as if there was no fear among the earth to trail its way into their hearts.
But, who could be responsible for the existence of these two...unfortunate things? Ugly as sin, those younglings were bare of all the pride and bulk of the mighty people under the Mountain, and they didn't seem to belong to Men, nor to the Elven folk as well.
"And, how does one calls two unlucky fellows like these two?" Rothroh demanded. Kaelin shrugged; then smiled from ear to ear. "Me calls them Faenarth and Gurthol!" he said proudly. I named them after me hounds!" Rothroh's mouth gaped, his owlish eyes rolled wide open. What have I told you about giving names? he was ready to shout, his chubby face crimson with anger.
But, the very next moment he grew astounded, weighting his cousin's words into his mind. "Hold on!'' he exclaimed. ''You give your dogs Elvish names! "You son of a hog! That's why I love you most of all the folks of mine!" Kaelin's smile grew wider after his cousin's statement. "So, are we going to keep them?" he asked innocently. This time it was Rothroh's turn to scratch his head. "Well, we cannot keep them, that's for sure" he murmured, swiping his long hooked nose with his sausage-like fingers.
"But we can take them back to where they came from!" he offered , looking intently at the little boys. "Don't bother! They won't talk!" murmured Kaelin behind him, as if reading his mind. Rothroh cast his cousin a frozen look over his shoulder. "What?" he snaped. "Ye heard me! Seems them two are entirely mute!" Kaelin said nonchalantly. Rothroh turned once more to the children. "Oh, really?" he scoffed. Then, swiftly, he grabbed one of the boys and lifted him from the ground, bringing him right in front of his red swollen face. 'Can you talk, boy?' he demanded roughly, shaking the child in every word he uttered. Whining and kicking the little boy tried to break free, while his brother started to cry aloud, punching the old dwarf in the stomach with his little fists. "Well, well!" Rothroh grinned, putting the boy down carefully, next to his twin brother. "Seems that these little rats have a lot of nerve!" Guffawing he turned to Kaelin.
But then all in a sudden he paused, his eyes fixed on the top of the hill that was towering high above their heads.
His cousin followed the direction of Rothroh's sight, suddenly alarmed. "W-What? What is it?" he stuttered. "Did ...did you saw that?" Rothroh mumbled, ignoring his question. "See what?" answered the red-haired Dwarf. ''I ain't see nothing''. "Th-That's right'' Rothroh muttered. ''Listen! We' ve strayed far from our path! We should be going..." Kaelin looked at Rothroh with eyes wide open: "But, cousin..." he started. But Rothroh was quicker in thought, as he was in word. "Don't you see?'' he snarled. ''We're close to her domain..." Then, leaning closer to his cousin he added in a lower tone: "Don't you remember? She warned us not to come here, never again! She has forbidden us..." "What are ye talkin' about?" spat Kaelin, interupting his cousin's slurring.
"What's got into ye? "There is witchcraft in these grounds, don't you see?" Rothroh hissed, his voice almost inaudible with fear. "We must leave this place, this very instant I tell you!" But Kaelin was one warmhearted fellow, and as he stared down at the helpless little creatures, pity rose instantly in his heart. "We cannot abandon them! Out here they will die!" he cried. This time Rothroh's face turned scarlet. "Have you lost it? The forest has eyes and ears!" he spat the words out fearfull. Then coming nearer to his cousin he spoke in a fierce whisper:"I can feel her gaze piercing my back this very moment. Do you wish to risk our lives and the prosperity of our folks for two queer little weaklings?" "That... that I do not ..." mumbled Kaelin, moving closer to the twins, as if to protect them from his cousin's sudden madness. Even if he disagreed with Rothroh, it was true that he was starting to feel scared, too.
The day sky was darkened and stray clouds made their appearance in the sky, hiding the Moon and the light of stars behind them. A dead silence prevailed all around them, like the silence that comes before a great storm. A shudder went along poor Kaelin's spine, his heart hammering in his chest.
And his good old fellow had sensed his inmost fear... "We are not far from the beast's lair" Rothroh grunted. "I heard some speak about the wakeful phantom that terrifies every mischievous foe who dares to disturb her peace..." Kaelin looked fixedly at the fat, maroon haired Dwarf before him. "Ye don't mean...her Ladyship, do ye?" he stuttered in a low voice, shivering. "Aye, I' m afraid I do!" answered Rothroh in a darker voice. "It is yet said that her face has grown so fearsome by the passing of years, that even the most terrible opponents are afraid to look straight at it! Rumor has it that she even possesses a shield that's different from any other shield that' s ever been made; and even the most powerful foes can see their true, ancient form mirrored in that shield of hers, only moments before they perish by her hand...".
"That's just nonsense! War has taken everything from her" said Kaelin sternly, raising his small stature against his comrade's tall shadow. "So do not judge her!" "Judge her? A wild animal she has become!" Rothroh shook his head in anger, pointing with his stubby finger at the twins. "What if those things belong to her? What if they are her next meal?" "Have ye lost yer mind? It is our Lady ye're talking about!" Kaelin yelled.
His words followed the distant howling of a lone wolf, or something else worse. A dark fog that had appeared atop the hillside a few moments ago, was now twisting slyly around their feet. The night was now suspisiously silent around them.
Rothroh turned to Kaelin for once more, his voice low and alarming: "If you wish to come between the monster and its prey, then go for it!" he said. "But you won't take me with you! If she appears..." his speech was cut in the middle as he watched Kaelin petrify in an instant, his face wide eyed with terror. Rothroh looked at the children under the weak blue flame of his torch. The tears had dried out and they were now smiling widely. Then he realized that he could hear something crawling high above him, a slow creeping sound that had nothing to do with wind. He spun around to face what was behind him... He now peered into the darkness... and saw the creature staggering forward the hilltop, until it stood hideous and dreadful under the cold Moonlight. Bones and skulls that belonged to creatures much more fearsome than itself poked out from all over its heavy armor, and from the eye slits of its horrid helm two eyes blazed fiercely in the blackness, fixed on the two Dwarves. Unconsciously Rothroh stepped three paces back, his knees trembling.
She was just standing there, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, like a wolf ready to attack its frightened prey. Fear fell on him like a ravenous beast, his limbs froze. Falling on his knees he pointed at the toddlers. "We...we found them for you, my Queen!" he stammered. "They would have been lost if we..." "We didn't mean to disturb ye, me Lady" Kaelin interrupted, his voice warm and kind. "Seems them two know ye better than we do, so, we won't get in yer way. May yer soul find peace!" he bided, and right after he stood by Rothroh's side, and raised his trembling comrade on to his feet. The torch had blown out, plunging them and everything around them into a darkness that was nearly impenetrable. Just for a moment while they were leaving Kaelin turned to look behind him, and he saw her glimmering shape staggering down the hillside, towards the two children.
