The Dark Tower

Chapter 16 - Dwarves and Directions

‘What problem?’ Gwaine asked groggily, hanging on to the doorframe as he peered up at Leon.

‘There’s a queue of men waiting to see Lady Beth.’

‘A what? Why?’

‘They say they met her at the tavern last night, and are now in love with her. We’ve had to break up a few fights between them already.’

‘It’s this damned bracelet again, isn’t it?’ I asked, trying to remove it yet again, but it would not move. ‘Gwaine, we HAVE to get rid of it!’

‘What do you want us to do?’ Gwaine asked.

‘Nothing. The guards have it under control. Except . . .’

‘Except?’

‘Well, some of the guards who have met Lady Beth are also joining the group and . . . it’s getting a bit difficult. We’re having to patrol the group with men who’ve never met her. Anyway, just thought you ought to know.’

I promptly burst into tears. ‘It’s no good. I hate this thing! Chop my arm off, Gwaine, it’s the only way I’m going to be rid of it!’

‘Shhh, shhh, I’ll see if I can get a message to Gimli to see if he’s found a runemaster.’

I had to confine myself to the castle as every time I went out into the city, I would attract a new retinue of adorers. I’d had to be smuggled past the line of men hoping to see me, much to the annoyance of the guards, and any wives or girlfriends who’d tracked them down. A kiss with their true love had reduced some of the numbers, but also caused considerable arguments when the kiss hadn’t worked showing the love not to be true, and I was being blamed as “an outsider bringing evil magic into the kingdom”. Thank goodness this wasn’t Uther’s time or I would be hanging from my neck in the middle of the courtyard. Gwaine kept getting challenged to duels and actually came to blows with other men more than once in protecting me from them.

‘Look, I can cope,’ he said as I ranted about the bracelet once again. ‘I can live with protecting a maiden in distress. It’s what I do, don’t forget.’

‘But I don’t WANT to be a maiden in distress! I want to be strong and independent and . . . and rid of this bloody thing!’ He started to laugh at me. ‘I bet you didn’t laugh when it was happening to your sister!’ I shouted in frustration. I saw his face fall and immediately apologised. ‘I’m sorry Gwaine. I’m really sorry. That was an awful thing to say.’

‘But you’re right,’ he said quietly. ‘I didn’t laugh. But Elainne, she wasn’t like you. You ARE strong and independent, and that’s why I love you. She . . . she was so young and innocent. There had been discussion about marrying her to the son of the king in the neighbouring lands, but that wasn’t to happen for another few years. She’d never had an admirer or anyone she even liked, as far as we knew. She couldn’t cope with the attention.’

‘Why did she leave the castle in the first place?’

‘She’d just gone for a ride with a friend, Laneth.’

‘What happened to Laneth? Couldn’t she explain?’

‘She was never found despite search parties looking for them. They only found Elainne.’

‘Goodness, how awful! So you don’t know whether she’s still alive?’

‘No. We don’t even know how they got to where Elainne was found.’

‘Was it near a naiad?’

‘I have no idea. I didn’t really have time to find out about the bracelet but was too busy fending off would-be suitors. After . . . after she died, it all became a bit irrelevant.’

‘So you’ve no idea who could have done it? Or why?’

‘No. But whoever put the bracelet on Elainne effectively sentenced her to death.’

I hugged him hard. ‘That’s not going to happen to me.’

‘I know. Not while I’m with you.’ 

Two days later I was sitting with Gwen when Gwaine and Gimli arrived.

‘I have news, my lady,’ he said, bowing to me.

‘You have found a runemaster?’

‘Well, I know where one is.’ I clutched at Gwaine’s hand. ‘The dwarves know him as High Lord Baldol of the Grey Mountains.’ The name meant nothing to me. ‘He has many names. You may know him in your world as . . . Grumpy.’

‘Grumpy? As in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves?’

‘Exactly. Although probably best not to mention her name to him. They did not part on good terms. However, I am waiting for a raven for details of his current name.’

‘So where will I find him?’

He unfurled a map and laid it down on the table. ‘Here.’

Gwaine and I both peered over the map. ‘Oh no!’

‘What is it?’ Gwaine asked.

‘No, no, no, no, no. We can’t go there. It is far too dangerous. Gimli, is this the only runemaster you know?’

‘Yes, my lady. There are so few of them left that I struggled to find this one.’

‘Where is this place?’ Gwaine asked.

I examined the map closely. ‘One of the most dangerous places in . . . well . . . anywhere. We simply CANNOT go there.’