NightSpawn Chronicles II--The Dwarven Bard [COMPLETED]

Chapter 2

They finally stopped at a well-secreted campsite. Two humans and three elves stared up from their gambling at Haldwell's tiny mount.

“Wha the fook is that thing? A dog with 'ooves?” the huge human thief snorted.

Haldwell stiffened, “That, my good man, is a most noble steed. A purebred Drethian burro bred only in the mountains of Kreplash. It can carry twice it's own weight. Very rare indeed.”

Derwent shook his head. “Embarrassin' mate. If I 'ad to ride that thing, I'd be walkin', I would.”

Ayren sat down at the fire. “C'mere dwarf.” She picked up a jug. “Might as well tell me the rest of your sorry tale, now that a perfectly good heist has been destroyed. Shadow's ass, had a nice room at that inn, looked out over the guardhouse, highway, everything, and no lice for a change. Have any idea why someone was trying to kill us?” She passed him the jug.

Haldwell took a huge slug.. His nerves were jangled and he didn't seem all that comfortable in the company of cutthroats and thieves. “No, no I don't. However, maybe if I tell you what I was sent to hire you for-you might have some idea of the importance of this Great and Noble Quest.”

“Firstly Haldwell--what's your part in this?”

Haldwell drew himself up to his full four feet. “I am,” he intoned, “The official Bard at the Dwarven court of King Eydrich. I am also his third cousin.”

“Oi crap,” chimed the grizzled Derwent, “ not only we just lose the 'ighway job now we got bleedin' snooty nobles 'angin' about. This is not lookin' brightly, mates.”

“Derwent, go gamble. It's hard enough getting information out of this windbag without interruptions.”

“Sorry guv'.” Derwent and the others went back to their gambling.

“Go on, Haldwell.”

“Indeed, as I was saying. Now, to understand this, you must understand that to open up the shafts the Dwarves use to get to and from the surface, the king has a ward key that looks like a big ruby. Well actually, it is a big ruby. It was ensorcelled. For the safety of the Dwarven kingdom only the king may open up a shaft leading to the surface, it is all very official--”

“And this is the object you want back?”

“Yes indeedy. When it went missing, the shafts automatically locked down. Now no one can get up or down, meaning, Dwarves can't get food and clothes down and we can't send gems and metals in payment, back up.”

“Why not just hire a sorcerer to change the wards?”

“It can't be done. It was done that way so no sorcerer could undo the wards made by the original sorcerer. To open the passage, one must have the official ruby ward key and the king's signet ring. It has a double locking mechanism.”

“Okay, let me get this straight. The king is wearing the magic ring key underground and the ruby magic key is above ground?”

“Yes indeedy, that would about cover it.”

“Then how are we supposed to get those two items together?”

Haldwell sighed. “Well that's where the pregnant princess who lives in a tower just above one of the shafts, comes in.”

Ayren snatched the jug from the dwarf and took a very long draw. “Just get on with it Haldwell--does she have the signet ring or not?”

“Well, no.”

“Merciful Goddess. Then what is your point?”

“I'm getting to it. What she does have, is a very similar ring with an emerald. The king's ring has a matching ruby that interlocks with the ward. With a very good jeweler we could use her ring with the ward key ruby to recreate a copy of the king's ring. My, my this is turning out to be a thirsty tale.” Haldwell uncorked a new jug and swilled.

“Okay, got it. Now where is the ward ruby?”

“Well that goes back to the princess. You see she fell in love with the human ambassador to the Dwarven court--that's how she got pregnant.  To be with him, she moved up to the tower.”

Ayren tapped her lip a moment. “And?”

“The brigand, before she moved topside, conned her into getting him the ward key from the lockbox in the king's bedroom.”

“Wasn't it warded and locked?”

“Oh yes indeedy. A blood ward.”

“So don't tell me--someone pilfered the king's key and she bled on it to open the lock.”

“Yes indeedy, that would be it. Exactly.”

“So where is the ruby ward key now?”

“We don't know. She gave it to the ambassador and we can't find him. Even if we could--we're not sure we could get it back without an international incident.”

“Huh?”Ayren slapped her forehead and drank some more.

“He's King Kedrian of Aerania's bastard brother.”

Ayren threw up her hands. “Why do you hate me Haldwell?”

“I don't hate you. I'm terrifically fond of you. I think you're the nicest Nightspawn/elf/assassin/thief I've ever had the good fortune to meet. After all, it's not every day one meets a living legend of the sort from the Litany of--”

“--Shut up Haldwell.”

Haldwell tossed her a forlorn look, tilted his jug for the last drop then cracked open a fresh one.

“So, the short version is..." Ayren began ticking off items on her fingers as she spoke,  "...you need me to track down the human ambassador, find out where the ruby ward key is hidden, retrieve it by fair means or foul, retrieve the dwarven princess' ring by any method short of murder. When I give them to you, you will go to a jeweler, make a fake signet ring, lock it into the ward key, open up a shaft, visit the dwarven king, give him the goods and all will be well? Does that about cover it?”

“Yes indeedy. It does. Let's drink to it.” They clinked their jugs together and each took a long pull.

“And how much are you offering for the job?”

Just then, the dwarf tumbled backwards off the log, unconscious.

Ayren sighed, “Great. Not only am I being hired by a lunatic, he's the only dwarf in creation who can't hold his liquor.”