twenty feet from the marble floor,
and a few torches flickered from sconces along the stone walls.
Nearing one of the great columns that
supported the high ceiling, Uthrik left his guests at a
considerable distance behind as he marched ahead purposefully. Seth
and Lorn both caught glimpses of one of the columns' intricate
craftsmanship. Even the dwarf was fascinated by the deep carved
lines in the blue marble; though he was not really one for
stonework, he appreciated all forms of art. Lorn tilted his head
and reached out to feel its beauty, but a voice halted his
movement.
"Do not lay one dwarvish finger on that!"
"I only meant to--"
"Pollute His Majesty's most valued works of
craft!" Uthrik appeared quickly from the shadows and stood between
Lorn and the column. A look of menace from Uthrik bore down on the
dwarf.
"I am truly sorry," Lorn said sincerely.
"Sir Seth?" Uthrik uttered.
"Yes?"
"Do you see the set of stairs to your
right?"
Seth peered through the dark and saw what
Uthrik spoke of. "I see them, yes."
"Could you be as so kind to see yourself and
this dwarf up to the fifth floor? Your rooms await you there."
"Thank you," Seth replied with a slight
bow.
Uthrik continued to glare at Lorn, making
sure without further words that the dwarf knew his place in Dunane.
The elf melted again into the shadows with rapid steps. "Good night
to both of you." His voice echoed through the chamber. "Do not
touch anything of value that isn't yours!"
Seth threw his arm around Lorn's shoulders
and led him toward the stairs. "Pay him no attention, my friend.
This lingering hatred between elves and dwarves is absurd."
"I agree," Lorn answered. "I simply do not
see its purpose." He thought back to his homeland. "Never have I
encountered such bitterness from an elf before. All my elven
patrons have always shown the greatest respect."
"Yes, it's true; not all elves are
prejudiced. There are a few who hold friendships with the
dwarvenkind….Then again, there are many elves who would lop off
your head for a wrong look in their direction."
"Oh, please don't speak so," Lorn was quick
to reply. "My nerves are already on edge from this place. I cannot
wait to leave."
"We shall be gone tomorrow afternoon." Seth
yawned as he thought back on recent events. "We must also hasten
our steeds if we wish to avoid the weather."
"Yes," the dwarf agreed. "Let us try to slip
past those storms."
"My plan exactly."
They took the stairs smoothly. Up they went,
their eyes shifting from torch to torch on the left-hand side of
the wall, until finally they reached the fifth floor. Their feet
moved from the stone steps to a carpet of deep red. A long, paneled
hallway stretched before them with many doors on both sides. The
walls were decorated with murals of elvish feasts, celebrations,
and valorous deeds. The hall was lit brightly with many torches.
Three waist-high tables stood against the walls, each with a silver
vase sitting atop its polished surface. At the end of the hallway,
one elf-knight stood rigidly at guard. Seth said to Lorn, "Shall
we?"
"By all means. My body desires a bed and
sleep."
The elf took notice of his visitors. "So you
are the two making such distress."
"You are correct," Seth replied.
"I am relieved you are not a threat."
Seth looked around to see if any doors were
marked with a clue that might point him to the right lodgings.
Seeing no defining marks, he turned to the elf. "We were sent this
way by Sir Uthrik."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I am Council-sent."
"Good news comes with you, I hope."
"Perhaps," Seth answered as he and Lorn
continued toward the elf. The elf marveled at Seth's badge; then
his face dropped as he took a closer look at Lorn. The elf sneered
and opened the door to his right. Seth and Lorn entered and were
surprised to be followed by the elf-knight. The room was large,
with one bed in the near corner. A fireplace with an inviting flame
roared at the back of the room. The white walls were paneled
and a few torches flickered from sconces along the stone walls.
Nearing one of the great columns that
supported the high ceiling, Uthrik left his guests at a
considerable distance behind as he marched ahead purposefully. Seth
and Lorn both caught glimpses of one of the columns' intricate
craftsmanship. Even the dwarf was fascinated by the deep carved
lines in the blue marble; though he was not really one for
stonework, he appreciated all forms of art. Lorn tilted his head
and reached out to feel its beauty, but a voice halted his
movement.
"Do not lay one dwarvish finger on that!"
"I only meant to--"
"Pollute His Majesty's most valued works of
craft!" Uthrik appeared quickly from the shadows and stood between
Lorn and the column. A look of menace from Uthrik bore down on the
dwarf.
"I am truly sorry," Lorn said sincerely.
"Sir Seth?" Uthrik uttered.
"Yes?"
"Do you see the set of stairs to your
right?"
Seth peered through the dark and saw what
Uthrik spoke of. "I see them, yes."
"Could you be as so kind to see yourself and
this dwarf up to the fifth floor? Your rooms await you there."
"Thank you," Seth replied with a slight
bow.
Uthrik continued to glare at Lorn, making
sure without further words that the dwarf knew his place in Dunane.
The elf melted again into the shadows with rapid steps. "Good night
to both of you." His voice echoed through the chamber. "Do not
touch anything of value that isn't yours!"
Seth threw his arm around Lorn's shoulders
and led him toward the stairs. "Pay him no attention, my friend.
This lingering hatred between elves and dwarves is absurd."
"I agree," Lorn answered. "I simply do not
see its purpose." He thought back to his homeland. "Never have I
encountered such bitterness from an elf before. All my elven
patrons have always shown the greatest respect."
"Yes, it's true; not all elves are
prejudiced. There are a few who hold friendships with the
dwarvenkind….Then again, there are many elves who would lop off
your head for a wrong look in their direction."
"Oh, please don't speak so," Lorn was quick
to reply. "My nerves are already on edge from this place. I cannot
wait to leave."
"We shall be gone tomorrow afternoon." Seth
yawned as he thought back on recent events. "We must also hasten
our steeds if we wish to avoid the weather."
"Yes," the dwarf agreed. "Let us try to slip
past those storms."
"My plan exactly."
They took the stairs smoothly. Up they went,
their eyes shifting from torch to torch on the left-hand side of
the wall, until finally they reached the fifth floor. Their feet
moved from the stone steps to a carpet of deep red. A long, paneled
hallway stretched before them with many doors on both sides. The
walls were decorated with murals of elvish feasts, celebrations,
and valorous deeds. The hall was lit brightly with many torches.
Three waist-high tables stood against the walls, each with a silver
vase sitting atop its polished surface. At the end of the hallway,
one elf-knight stood rigidly at guard. Seth said to Lorn, "Shall
we?"
"By all means. My body desires a bed and
sleep."
The elf took notice of his visitors. "So you
are the two making such distress."
"You are correct," Seth replied.
"I am relieved you are not a threat."
Seth looked around to see if any doors were
marked with a clue that might point him to the right lodgings.
Seeing no defining marks, he turned to the elf. "We were sent this
way by Sir Uthrik."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I am Council-sent."
"Good news comes with you, I hope."
"Perhaps," Seth answered as he and Lorn
continued toward the elf. The elf marveled at Seth's badge; then
his face dropped as he took a closer look at Lorn. The elf sneered
and opened the door to his right. Seth and Lorn entered and were
surprised to be followed by the elf-knight. The room was large,
with one bed in the near corner. A fireplace with an inviting flame
roared at the back of the room. The white walls were paneled
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