Dodson directed me to a huge stone stable after we entered the gate. Several dwarf lads took the horses to a small corral after I parked the wagon. Green Bow and the other elves waved as they continued towards the large mouth of the main tunnel. I looked at Ellie and she smiled, “We might as well get comfortable, dwarves tend to take their time.”
I smiled and glanced at Little One and Charles as they headed into the barn, “Don’t get lost.”
Little One only flirted her tail as she kept going and Ellie laughed. I smiled and went to the wagon to bring out my dirty clothes. I looked around and Ellie laughed again before calling one of the dwarf lads. One came out looking annoyed and she smiled sweetly, “Would you happen to know of a nearby service to clean clothes?”
He looked at her and then me before grinning, “My mother can do it for a price.”
I laughed, “Tell you what. I’ll give you these and mage Ellie’s robes to be cleaned. I’ll pay you a silver when they are done.”
He nodded and walked closer as Ellie climbed into the wagon and handed her robe out. I grinned at her bare leg, “Maybe we can find a marketplace to get you a couple more robes or dresses.”
She grinned as I turned to give the lad the clothes. He grinned back at me, “Go inside the tunnel and take the first left. At the arched doorway on the right, go in.”
I took Ellie’s hand and we headed into the tunnel. We found the doorway the lad told us about and walked in. All around us was the hum and murmur of voices from hundreds of dwarves. Light filtered down from high overhead and I could see huge seems of crystal. I grinned and pulled Ellie after me as I headed into the busy market.
I headed through the solid looking shop like stalls walking slowly. I stopped when I saw the emerald green cloth on a counter. I grinned at the two dwarf women, “How long to make a nice dress?”
They grinned and the older of the two looked at Ellie, “An hour.”
I looked at Ellie as I pulled my large pouch of silver and started bargaining. I had noticed several other bolts of cloth in many colors. In the end I bought Ellie four dresses, the other three were to be finished and delivered to our wagon. While I waited for her I looked around the nearby stalls.
I wasn’t surprised when Little One clawed her way up my body and lay draped across my shoulders. I found another shop that was selling capes and bought three. One for me and two for Ellie, one was fur lined. I returned to the dress shop to find Charles draped across the counter while several young dwarf girls pet him.
I smiled as Little One sniffed and meowed in complaint. I reached up to caress her while looking towards the back of the shop. A grumpy looking dwarf with a beard down onto his chest stomped down the isle and looked up at me, “You Samuel Grey?”
I smiled slightly, “At least for today.”
He snorted as the girls giggled, “The counsel wants to speak to you.”
I sighed and glanced at the back of the shop as Ellie peeked out, “I’m busy right now.”
I looked at the dwarf, “I’ll be back at my wagon in a half hour if they still want to talk to me.”
He put his hands on his hips, “This is important human.”
I smiled, “Not to me dwarf.”
His eyes narrowed, “is it money you want?”
I laughed, “Well, right now I am shopping and enjoying the courtesy of these wonderful merchants.”
He looked around and blushed, “yes, well…”
