Slathbog's Gold - Forman Mark L. Страница 47

Alex approached one of the tagged bags and saw that the bag contained diamonds. He wondered how many thousands of diamonds were in the pile of labeled bags in front of him. He looked around at his companions once more, trying to talk them into taking something. They simply laughed at him and refused to accept any of his treasure.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, only one pile of bags remained in the room. Alex looked at the tag to see what was inside. There was a single dwarfish letter on the tag.

“What does this mean, Thrang?” Alex asked, carrying one of the bags to his friend.

“Oh, my!” Thrang exclaimed, looking at the tag and then at the large pile of bags on the floor. “It’s . . . it’s true silver.”

chapter fifteen

Haunted Ruins

Alex and his friends remained in the halls of King Osrik for a week, feasting and talking each night with the king. They wandered the dwarf city freely, often getting lost and having to ask directions from one of the passing dwarfs. The dwarfs were always happy to help them find their way, and many of them would take the time to lead the members of the company back to their chambers.

“Now I know what dwarf cities are like,” said Skeld, smiling at Thrang and Halfdan as they ate breakfast on their final day in the city.

“And what do you think about them now?” Halfdan questioned.

“I think they are different than I imagined them to be,” answered Skeld, still smiling. “Though not as green and open as I have been told.”

Alex chuckled to himself, remembering the comment Skeld made in Techen about “dwarf caves.” Alex had been happy in Osrik’s city and was sorry to be leaving.

Alex had another reason to be happy because, in the end, each of his companions had agreed to take a bag of the true silver Alex had received in payment for returning Umbar’s lost bag. They had each thanked him so many times that Skeld started teasing them about it, laughing at himself as well as the others.

“Our last breakfast in the city,” said Halfdan sadly. “I hope we will be able to return here one day.”

As they finished their breakfast and prepared to leave, Thrain appeared in the doorway. Alex and Andy had become good friends with Thrain during their short stay, and they were happy to see him again.

“The king wishes to bid you farewell,” said Thrain. “He awaits you in the great hall.”

“Then we will follow you to the king, Master Thrain,” replied Bregnest.

Thrain led the way, trying hard once again to look official. The company followed him, smiling and nodding to the dwarfs they passed along the way. There seemed to be a lot of dwarfs along their way this morning, smiling and waving good-bye to the company or wishing them good luck on their journey.

“Ah, at last,” said Osrik, walking down the steps from his throne as Alex and his friends approached. “A final meeting before you go—though I hope this will not be the last time we meet.”

“You have shown us great kindness, King Osrik. We will not soon forget you or your people,” said Bregnest as the company bowed to the king.

“Nor will we forget the happiness you and your company have brought to us,” Osrik replied. “You are all free to come and go in this kingdom whenever you may wish. And now my kinsman Umbar asks permission to give you each a gift.”

“A token of thanks from the house of Lanoch,” said Umbar, stepping forward. He handed each of them a small package. When Umbar came to Alex, he handed him a larger package.

“These are but small tokens of thanks for your kindness in returning the lost bag of my father,” said Umbar in a low voice to Alex. “If ever I, or any of my family, may be of service to you, please, feel free to call on us.”

“You are both kind and generous,” replied Alex with a bow.

“And now you must go,” Osrik said sadly. “I wish you a safe journey and a speedy return to my halls.”

“You have our thanks, great king,” said Bregnest. “If ever we can be of service to you or your kingdom, we will do all that we can.”

Alex and the others waited until Osrik was back on his throne before bowing one last time.

As they left the great hall, Thrain fell into step beside Alex and Andy, walking with them out of the main gates and toward the path to the valley below.

“I hope I will see you both again,” Thrain said brightly. “Perhaps we will be able to go on an adventure together.”

“That would be nice,” said Andy. “But you have not been chosen as an adventurer. At least not yet.”

“Perhaps you will return in time to go with me to the White Tower,” said Thrain hopefully.

“Perhaps we will,” said Alex in a cheerful tone. “Then I would have the pleasure of introducing you to my friend, the Oracle.”

Thrain beamed with happiness at Alex’s words.

When they approached the large barn, they saw that their horses were already saddled and waiting for them.

“Farewell, my friends,” Thrain called as they mounted their horses. “May you find your goal and return quickly to our city.”

“Farewell, Master Thrain,” answered Bregnest. “May the best of your hopes come to pass.”

Alex and Andy waved good-bye to Thrain, falling into line behind Skeld and Tayo as they rode off into the east.

“It would be nice to ride with Thrain to the White Tower,” said Andy, taking one last look at the dwarf city behind them.

“I doubt we will return to the tower soon,” said Tayo grimly.

“Always a ray of sunshine, aren’t you?” said Skeld with a laugh and a smile.

They rode quickly across the open lands beyond the city of King Osrik, leaving the Brown Hills behind them. There was little talking as they went along, and it seemed to Alex a shadow had fallen over the company’s mood. The weather was warm and dry, and as the sun began to sink behind them, they stopped to make camp. After they had eaten their evening meal, they took out the packages Umbar had given them. Inside each package was a chain made of true silver with a large white diamond set in the center. In addition to the chain, there was also a true-silver brooch, which bore the emblem of the dwarf realm of Vargland. Alex’s package also contained a long dagger in a silver-and-black scabbard. When he drew the blade, he saw several dwarfish letters engraved on it.

“A blade made of true silver,” said Thrang, looking at the dagger in Alex’s hands. He pointed to the engraving. “And

a charm to keep it sharp and unbroken. It will serve you well.”

“Umbar has been most generous,” Halfdan commented, putting his chain around his neck.

“The return of his father’s bag has made him richer than many dwarf lords,” said Thrang with a wide smile. “He can afford to be generous.”

“Still, it is a kind gift,” said Arconn, pinning his brooch to his tunic. “That he has been generous to us all and not just to the bringer of the bag is strange.”

“I think he heard our young friend trying to share his reward with us,” said Skeld. “Perhaps he is trying to make up for what we would not take.”

“Perhaps,” Bregnest agreed, looking at his own brooch. “But whatever the reason, he has been most kind.”

They were all in good spirits as they drank a toast to Umbar, son of Umbar, but Alex still felt as if some shadow was hanging over them.

During his watch, Alex wondered when and if they would ever reach the end of their journey, and then remembering that a dragon waited for them, he wasn’t sure if he was really in such a hurry for the adventure to end. Thinking about what had happened so far, he had to admit the adventure had been a great deal of fun. The attack of the bandits and fighting the three-legged troll seemed almost like dreams now, and not something to be afraid of.

“So you’ve decided you like your adventure,” Arconn said with a smile, as Alex shared his feelings that night.