Big Bad World

Chapter 6

BLITZEN

I wished there was something I could have done to keep the rock-people from capturing us. Just like I wished I could have done something about the bird-people. I really wanted to believe that I could talk my way out of any situation, but that just wasn't true. Weapons were kind of necessary for this whole adventuring thing. Maybe if I had thought that far ahead into the future, I would have brought one. 

Anyway, they were scary. They were ice-covered bouncers made out of solid rock. Stupid rock. They dragged us into another cave. I was starting to get sick of caves, even though my whole home city was basically a huge cave. As soon as we entered, I saw light. I definitely didn't scream. Nope. They shoved me in anyway, and when I didn't turn into stone, I realized the light was coming from torches. We didn't just... fall into a different realm. Sometimes I think I'm smart. That was not one of them.

Hearth looked miserable. His fingers and nose were looking a nasty shade of pink. I figured that was bad, since he blushed green, generally. It looked good on him, though. The green blush, not the pink lack of circulation. He looked good all the time, though. Gods, I was so hopelessly gay. I needed to get back to Jamie so that maybe I could go back to crushing on him in vain instead of this devastatingly awkward crap. At least with Jamie, I knew I didn't have a chance.

I was so utterly lost in my head that I barely noticed that our captors were discussing our deaths. That is, until I heard the word "kill". Repeatedly.

"But if Groc kill now, no pay," said one very clever rock person.

"Tall man only want elf. Groc kill stupid one and get pay still," said a less clever rock person.

"Hey! I'm not--"

Hearth proceeded to kick me, hard, which probably took a lot of effort, considering how close we were and how tall he was. 

"Groc kill stupid one now?" The one who had seemed clever earlier and obviously wasn't anymore nodded. Groc came towards me. No weapon, just a painfully formidable pair of fists. He drew back one of his massive fists. 

"Stop!" We had been saved! Huzzah! "Remember, haste makes waste. No need to kill him now. You'll get your chance later." I wanted to cry. Hear that? That's the sound of my faith in the world slipping away. The man looked exactly like Hearth and nothing at all like him at the same time. His hair was blonde and he was tall and pale and skinny. Just like Hearth. And yet, my friend had a wise, knowing look in his eye while this man looked like everything beautiful in the world was barely satisfactory. He was wearing a green button up with a grey blazer, which was a fine choice in style, especially with how it went with his hair color and such, but there were a few things it was missing. Maybe it needed a tie. 

"Hearthstone." The man came towards him. There was no love in how he said the name. His voice was colder than the snow outside this cave. "You failed to complete the wergild." There was a painfully long pause. "Untie him." The rock people did as told. Hearth started to sign out broken-looking sentences, not smooth motions like they were before. The man who was apparently Hearth's evil dad threw a whiteboard and marker at him. My friend stood up and continued to sign, looking slightly annoyed, which I assumed was his version of ripping the guy's face off.

"Use your board." 

Hearth continued to sign.

"Use. Your. Board."

In giant letters, Hearth wrote "NO" on the whiteboard, showed it to him, broke it over his knee, and threw the remains on the ground.

"You will come home. You will restart the wergild. There will be new rules added. You will not speak to anyone, including the servants. You will not--"