GoCorral

Chapter 9 – Hollow Rejoicing (Continued)

Stenvall pursed her lips and sat up straight.

“Come!” said Tereman. “We’re all sharing.”

“Fine.” Stenvall relaxed. “I grew up in the Orc Lands. My mother was an orc and my father was a human. The orcs have tribes, but we weren’t part of them. Life is hard without a tribe. No one cares if you live or die. Hungry or thirsty. Have a home or not. The tribes don’t care about the Clanless. And we were Clanless.

“We had nothing but ourselves. A tent, some pans, some blankets. We hunted and dug for roots to survive. Winters were hard.” Stenvall leaned forward, looking into the fire. “We had a larger group at the start. We dwindled. So many others drifted away. Patok, Lind, Finch…” Stenvall’s voice trailed off as she listed names.

She looked away from the fire at her three companions then down at the mug clasped between her hands. “Eventually my parents were gone too. My father got sick. Consumption. My mother tried to find medicine, but she never returned.

“So I went west. To find my grandfather. I found him. He was kind to me. I wasn’t sure if he would be, but he was. He gave me clothes, jewelry, money.” Stenvall held her emerald necklace up. “But he died.

“And then I came here. I didn’t know what else to do. I wanted to help. I thought I could help. So I did.”

The listeners nodded their heads. Everyone sipped their spiced wine. The temperature had gone down. Tereman called for a refill. Rona brought a pitcher over and topped off the heroes’ mugs. Each took a sip from the hot liquid. The room was cooling down as night descended. The fire remained hot as Rona added another log. She returned to the counter to clean and mend with Peter.

Tereman said, “You said your mother was an orc and your father was a human?”

Stenvall snapped at Tereman, “Yes. They were in love if you must know. There was no rape.”

Tereman recoiled. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.”

“Then keep your mouth shut.”

Stenvall gripped her mug tightly.

Galandir said, “I don’t think Tereman meant anyth-”

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear it.”

Galandir nodded. A somber silence settled over the group. The fire popped and crackled. The logs burned and one of them collapsed as the pieces under it burned away.

Tereman said, “Blendegad, we didn’t hear your story.”

Blendegad glanced at Stenvall. She nodded at him. He said, “Yes. I’m from Densmith, a village close to Dalleer. A lot like Shalerton. There’s a village center with a beautiful tree and benches and stools around it. Kids play around the tree. Shops around the tree for the farmers who live away from the village center. My mother ran the apothecary.”

“I was—I am the protector of Densmith. I hunted the monsters and wolves and dangerous animals that threatened the village.” Tereman nodded along as Blendegad spoke. “My mother, she taught me magic. The other people in Densmith, they didn’t know magic. That made me better at fighting than they did.”

Stenvall asked, “Why do you use a sword? Don’t most people from villages use spears?”

“My magic needs a hand free.” Blendegad raised his right hand and wiggled it in the air. “A spear takes two hands in a lot of situations.”

Stenvall nodded, accepting the answer.

Tereman said, “What about that girl you were telling me about?”

Blendegad’s head snapped towards Tereman. “Yes… Claudia.”

“A girl?” said Stenvall. She raised her eyebrows.

“Yes, a girl,” said Blendegad. “She’s nothing special. Just a village girl who’s the same age as me. Everyone in Densmith assumed we would get married. Even her. And now all of you too.”

Stenvall and Tereman laughed at Blendegad. Galandir looked at him curiously. “Do you like her?”

Blendegad rolled his mug between his hands as he answered, “She’s… fine. She can manage a home. She’s pretty enough. She knows how to tend a flock, shear their wool, and help with a difficult lambing…”

Stenvall said, “There’s a but coming.”

Blendegad shot her an angry look. He said, “But! I enjoy looking at her and she’d make a fine wife, but I’m not interested in her at all. She’s not exciting. She’s just there and available.”

Galandir leaned forward. “What does excite you then?” He took a sip from his mug.

Blendegad said, “Someone like my mother. Not like that though!”

Tereman joked, “Is your favorite hero Oedipus?”

“Shut up!” Blendegad as he shoved Tereman. Tereman accepted the consequences, falling off his stool laughing. He got back up and sat down again.

Tereman said, “Really though. What makes your mom exciting?”

Blendegad glared at Tereman. “She’s… powerful. Her magic, her potions. I have some of them in my satchel.” Blendegad pointed at his satchel on the floor by their bedrolls. “And the way she knows things about everything.”

“Things about everything,” said Tereman.

“I mean, you remember from when you were a kid, right? Before the guard? How your parents know a little bit of everything. She’s just so smart. Claudia is… well not dumb, but not smart either.”

Stenvall said, “So you just want someone who’s smart, pretty, and knows how to take care of sheep.”

Blendegad chuckled, “Pretty much.”

The next day Peter and Rona prepared a breakfast of oatmeal and apples. The group thanked the couple. They ate separately. Stenvall by the fire, Tereman at one of the tables. Blendegad outside while sitting against the Pot of Comfort’s walls, and Galandir on a walk around the village. After their meal they returned to the Pot of Comfort.

The elderly woman that had spoken to them before came once again. She was accompanied by an expanded group of villagers that included some of the people they had saved. The old woman had stooped back, a wrinkled face, and a bun of white hair.

She said, “My name is Grandma Blintz. We represent all the people of Shalerton when we say thank you to you, our heroes. Please accept this as our thanks.” The group of villagers applauded. Other nearby villagers gathered around and clapped as well. Five of the group stepped forwards, each holding a sack. They each put a hand in their sack. The sacks tinkled with the sound of silver drachma. They pulled a few of the coins out to prove their quality before letting them pour back into the bags.

Grandma Blintz continued, “Five silver talents as promised.” She waved for the five bag holders to approach. They came forward and handed a bag to each of the four heroes. The fifth bag holder looked around, unsure of what to do. He elected to put the ground on the ground in the middle of the four before returning to the group of villagers with the other bag holders.

“We give these talents to you in sincere thanks to what you have done for our village. Without your aid we may have perished in the coming winter. You have brought home our fathers, brothers, and sons. You have brought home our mothers, sisters, and daughters. There is no brighter gift than family. May Zeus, Hera, and all twelve of the Olympians bless you and watch over you.”

A cheer erupted throughout the gathered crowd of villagers.

Grandma Blintz said, “We hope you will stay a few more days. Our rescued people must still recover, but within a few days they will all be strong enough to celebrate your achievements.” She sighed and wiped her hands on her stained apron. “We must not forget to acknowledge the dead as well. We ask you to stay for a funeral service as well.”

The four heroes nodded, looking around the crowd. Blendegad said, “We accept this token of your thanks.” He gave the bag in his hands a small shake. “We would be honored to be your guests a few days more.”

Blintz raised her arms over her head, “Three cheers for the heroes of Shalerton! Óle! Óle! Óle!”

The entire village cheered, “Óle! Óle! Óle!”

The villagers came closer, each touching the heroes on their shoulders and arms in thanks before dispersing.

Blendegad, Tereman, Galandir, and Stenvall gathered at the wood shed behind the Pot of Comfort. An hour or so after the congratulations they sought out a place to talk about delicate matters away from the villagers. The wood shed was the best place they found with something resembling seats, unsplit logs that they muscled out of the pile to sit on.

Tereman said, “So we’re all in agreement on the fifth talent being returned to the villagers?”

Galandir said, “Yes, like Blendegad said, they need it for the winter. One talent each is plenty.”

Stenvall said, “Yes, I agree too.”

Tereman said, “That settles it then. We’ll return the fifth talent to Grandma Blintz and she can disburse it to the other villagers.” Tereman blinked and turned to Blendegad, “And you gave the shields and the spear back to the villagers as well, right?”

Blendegad said, “Yeah, I did that this morning.”

Tereman said, “Good, thank you.”

Blendegad nodded.

Tereman looked at Stenvall, “Now, you said you wanted to say something?”

Stenvall hunched her large shoulders up as she leaned forward on her stump. “These people need more than just a silver talent. I think I will stay and help them.”

Tereman said, “Are you sure? You could help more people by moving around?”

“I’m sure. We don’t know if those monsters will come back. I might be able to take one of them now that I know how that freeze trick works.” She lifted her left hand to her forehead.

Galandir said, “What about the debt you said you owed us?”

Stenvall turned to Galandir. “I paid it back. You turned your back to the adlishar you were fighting outside. I stabbed it before it stabbed you. I saved your life and my debt is repaid.”

Galandir nodded. “That would do it.”

Blendegad asked, “You don’t want to come with us and fight more of them?”

Stenvall said, “I’ll have plenty of them here if I want to fight them.” She sighed. “Truthfully though, I’m just looking for a home. Here I could have a home. A place for me that’s more than a tent with some blankets in it. I could have four walls, a roof, and a fireplace. And they’d want me. Who wouldn’t want the town hero to actually live in the town? It feels right.”