in her carriage, safely
behind the army buffer. Taylon was at least thankful for that. Out of sight, out of my mind.
“Sir!” A man ran up from behind. The captain
turned and saw it was another from a returning party.
“Yes, lieutenant, what is it?”
“We captured one of them.”
This took him by surprise. “Um…good work.
Where is…the prisoner?” But as he spoke, two other soldiers led a
little figure in chains. It was a gnome, if he remembered his
Territory research correctly. The creature resembled that of an old
human man, yet very much shorter. His white bushy brows and long
white beard gave this creature a cheery look. He also was dressed
fairly nice, as if he were late for a ball.
“We didn’t see the use in slaughtering this
one. I thought it might be useful in guiding us to the major points
of interest.” The soldier seemed very pleased with himself.
Taylon looked down at the poor creature. The
chains were almost too big to contain it.
“Again, well done. I will take the creature
from you for questioning.” The captain quickly dismissed the
soldiers, who left with a whoop of delight. Taylon bent on his
knee. The gnome did not try to escape. After a moment, it looked
Taylon in the eye.
“So ya got me. What now?”
Taken aback for a moment, he pondered the
loud voice that came from that small body.
“Name.”
“Well aye haven’t had yours yet, so why
should aye give mine?” The gnome crossed its small arms and cocked
its head.
“Captain Taylon.” Negotiating with prisoners
wasn’t something he regularly had to do, but he needed information
quick.
“Mighty nice to give me your name. Vulpin
Ganginderslight, but my friends call me Van. You can call me Mr.
Ganginderslight.”
The captain looked at the gnome. A lot of
attitude coming from a small man. Most prisoners he interrogated
never talked this way. Well, they hadn’t talked that way for
long.
“I see. So, Mr. Ganginderslight, what brings
you out into the forest?” Taylon thought it would be fun to play
coy with the little man.
The gnome gave a little half chuckle before
speaking. “Aye was just out walking when yer goons picked me up.
Plucked me like aye was some sort of flower.”
He could sense it was a lie, but he really
didn’t have any proof the little man was anything other than just
another of his race.
“Give me more than that. I doubt you were just walking along and my loud soldiers stumbled upon you.
Maybe I should bring them back to help interrogate you?” Taylon
feigned rising from his crouched position.
“Wait!” The urgency in the gnome’s voice
cried out guiltily.
“I think you had your time to speak. I’ll
tell them that you can’t be much help to me.” Taylon stood, seeing
the panic in the little guy’s face. “They can probably use you in a
game of Krawl. You’re about the size of the standard ball
used.”
“Stop! Aye can be of help! Aye can tell you
where the human is!”
Taylon couldn’t repress the look of surprise
on his face, but recovered quickly. “Go on.”
“We didn’t mean any harm to the boy….”
“Boy?”
“Umm, yes?” Van didn’t know what to say.
Silence passed as Taylon stood impassively,
arms crossed, thinking. A human boy? How many other humans were in
the Territories?
Someone brushed by Taylon quickly and stooped
to seize the little man. Euphoria turned on her charm and sucked
the magic and life out of him.
“No!” Taylon cried out, but dared not bat her
away. She was done in a matter of minutes. Chains fell to the
ground, dragging the clothing behind.
Euphoria stood, and then slowly turned to
face the captain, her face unreadable. Not much of a snack, but
magic nonetheless. A smile broke on her face—a sinister leer
that made the captain’s heart ice over.
“He was…going to give valuable information.
Maybe even map out the Territories.” He had to take a moment to
shake off the cold feeling.
The queen leaned toward him. He wanted to
step
behind the army buffer. Taylon was at least thankful for that. Out of sight, out of my mind.
“Sir!” A man ran up from behind. The captain
turned and saw it was another from a returning party.
“Yes, lieutenant, what is it?”
“We captured one of them.”
This took him by surprise. “Um…good work.
Where is…the prisoner?” But as he spoke, two other soldiers led a
little figure in chains. It was a gnome, if he remembered his
Territory research correctly. The creature resembled that of an old
human man, yet very much shorter. His white bushy brows and long
white beard gave this creature a cheery look. He also was dressed
fairly nice, as if he were late for a ball.
“We didn’t see the use in slaughtering this
one. I thought it might be useful in guiding us to the major points
of interest.” The soldier seemed very pleased with himself.
Taylon looked down at the poor creature. The
chains were almost too big to contain it.
“Again, well done. I will take the creature
from you for questioning.” The captain quickly dismissed the
soldiers, who left with a whoop of delight. Taylon bent on his
knee. The gnome did not try to escape. After a moment, it looked
Taylon in the eye.
“So ya got me. What now?”
Taken aback for a moment, he pondered the
loud voice that came from that small body.
“Name.”
“Well aye haven’t had yours yet, so why
should aye give mine?” The gnome crossed its small arms and cocked
its head.
“Captain Taylon.” Negotiating with prisoners
wasn’t something he regularly had to do, but he needed information
quick.
“Mighty nice to give me your name. Vulpin
Ganginderslight, but my friends call me Van. You can call me Mr.
Ganginderslight.”
The captain looked at the gnome. A lot of
attitude coming from a small man. Most prisoners he interrogated
never talked this way. Well, they hadn’t talked that way for
long.
“I see. So, Mr. Ganginderslight, what brings
you out into the forest?” Taylon thought it would be fun to play
coy with the little man.
The gnome gave a little half chuckle before
speaking. “Aye was just out walking when yer goons picked me up.
Plucked me like aye was some sort of flower.”
He could sense it was a lie, but he really
didn’t have any proof the little man was anything other than just
another of his race.
“Give me more than that. I doubt you were just walking along and my loud soldiers stumbled upon you.
Maybe I should bring them back to help interrogate you?” Taylon
feigned rising from his crouched position.
“Wait!” The urgency in the gnome’s voice
cried out guiltily.
“I think you had your time to speak. I’ll
tell them that you can’t be much help to me.” Taylon stood, seeing
the panic in the little guy’s face. “They can probably use you in a
game of Krawl. You’re about the size of the standard ball
used.”
“Stop! Aye can be of help! Aye can tell you
where the human is!”
Taylon couldn’t repress the look of surprise
on his face, but recovered quickly. “Go on.”
“We didn’t mean any harm to the boy….”
“Boy?”
“Umm, yes?” Van didn’t know what to say.
Silence passed as Taylon stood impassively,
arms crossed, thinking. A human boy? How many other humans were in
the Territories?
Someone brushed by Taylon quickly and stooped
to seize the little man. Euphoria turned on her charm and sucked
the magic and life out of him.
“No!” Taylon cried out, but dared not bat her
away. She was done in a matter of minutes. Chains fell to the
ground, dragging the clothing behind.
Euphoria stood, and then slowly turned to
face the captain, her face unreadable. Not much of a snack, but
magic nonetheless. A smile broke on her face—a sinister leer
that made the captain’s heart ice over.
“He was…going to give valuable information.
Maybe even map out the Territories.” He had to take a moment to
shake off the cold feeling.
The queen leaned toward him. He wanted to
step
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