Slathbog's Gold - Forman Mark L - Страница 63
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The journey was pleasant, but Alex was beginning to worry that it soon would be over. He didn’t really want to go home, and the idea of going back to his stepfather’s tavern and his old life made him more than a little sad. He felt more like starting another adventure right away.
One morning, Alex woke to a strangely familiar dinging sound. Sitting up, he saw a bottle-necked geeb standing beside his blankets.
“Do you have a message for me?” Alex asked politely.
“Ding,” the geeb replied.
“May I have it please?”
“Ding! Ding! Ding!” answered the geeb, producing a letter for Alex.
“What’s that noise?” said Skeld, sitting up in his own blankets.
“It’s a geeb,” replied Alex as he opened the letter. “Only just arrived.”
Dear friend,
I am happy to hear of your success and your safe return. Please accept this invitation for you and your company, including your three new traveling companions, to dine with me on your arrival at the White Tower tomorrow evening.
Your friend,
Iownan
“It seems we’ve been invited to dinner,” said Alex happily, handing the letter to Bregnest. “I suppose you will all wish to accept the invitation,” he added, grinning at his friends.
“Good thing too,” Skeld said loudly. “Thrang’s cooking has been going downhill since he’s become so rich.”
“Shut your gob,” replied Thrang, throwing a dirty pair of socks at Skeld.
They all laughed at this exchange, and then laughed even harder when Tayo suggested that the dirty socks were what Thrang had been using to make soup.
“Indeed, yes, we will accept,” said Bregnest with a smile.
“Can you take a reply back to the Oracle?” Alex questioned the waiting geeb.
“Ding,” the geeb replied.
Alex took out his writing things and thought for a moment before he started writing.
My friend,
We are overwhelmed by your kindness, and I am happy to accept your invitation on behalf of our company and friends. We will be looking forward to our arrival, and place ourselves at your service.
Your friend,
Alex
“I believe Calysto was right about you,” said Arconn, reading Alex’s note over his shoulder. “You are very much like an elf.”
“Careful,” Tayo warned. “He might take that as an insult.”
They all laughed at Tayo’s joke as Alex folded the letter and placed it in an envelope.
“Here is your payment,” Alex said to the geeb, tossing a bright blue sapphire into the air.
The geeb bounced up and caught the sapphire quickly and then left several gold and silver coins on Alex’s blanket.
“Please take this letter to the Oracle. If you require additional payment, please return,” Alex said to the geeb.
With a final ding and a slight popping sound, the geeb disappeared. Alex collected the coins from his blanket and put them in his small moneybag, then asked about breakfast.
When Thrain, Melnoch, and Nitek heard that they were included in the Oracle’s invitation, they were overcome with joy. They had been worried the Oracle wouldn’t see them right away, and had started to wonder where they would stay while they waited for her call.
“When we dine with Iownan, she is not the Oracle,” Alex explained to the three young dwarfs as they rode along that day.
“She addresses you as friend,” said Thrain in admiration.
“We are friends,” Alex replied.
“Do you think you could put in a good word for us?” Thrain asked sheepishly.
“I doubt very much that the Oracle will be influenced by anything I say,” replied Alex with a slight laugh.
It was almost noon the next day when a rider carrying a green flag with a white tower on it approached them. He asked them to follow him to the western houses, and they all happily agreed. Once again, the second house was filled with fine food when they arrived and the bathhouse now held eleven large brass tubs full of hot water. When the sun touched the western hills, a young woman appeared to lead them to Iownan’s table.
“You have traveled far, my friends,” said Iownan, beaming at them as she entered the room.
“Yes, we have,” said Bregnest, standing and bowing to Iownan.
“And now you have many new tales to tell,” said Iownan, taking her seat between Alex and Bregnest.
Their dinner was full of lively talk and long tales, and when they were finished and Iownan had said good night, they returned to the sleeping house tired and happy. Alex slipped away to the stables to check on Shahree.
“In this fine stable again,” said Alex as he stroked Shahree’s neck. His thoughts returned to when he had first entered this stable at night and spoken to Iownan. Could it really have been more than a year ago?
“I see that you are not yet broken,” Iownan said from behind him.
“Not yet,” replied Alex, turning to face her.
“And I see you have gazed into the crystal.”
“Only because need forced me to,” said Alex with a bow. “I ask your forgiveness. The crystal was not mine to use.”
“Though it served you well.”
“It did,” Alex said.
“Come,” said Iownan, taking his hand. “You need your rest. Tomorrow I will speak with your company about your pledge.”
“The pledge is fulfilled,” said Alex happily.
“Not quite,” Iownan replied. “You still hold the crystal, though I do not doubt its return. I know what you had to go through to reclaim this treasure for me.”
“You told me I would be tested,” replied Alex, his thoughts returning to the night he’d fought the wraiths.
“You are troubled by something,” said Iownan, turning to look into his eyes.
“It was something the wraiths said,” Alex answered, meeting her eyes. “I didn’t think about it at the time because I knew they were full of lies.”
“But now you wonder if they did not speak at least a little truth,” Iownan finished for him.
“They said you saw something in me—something that made me different.”
“I told you that I could see many things in you,” replied Iownan. “But you were not ready then to know everything I saw.”
“Am I ready now?”
“I believe you are,” Iownan replied after a short pause. “What I saw, but did not tell you, was that you are not completely human as you believe yourself to be.”
“Then what am I?” Alex asked in surprise.
“You are a blend, a mixture of many races,” said Iownan thoughtfully. “I cannot say how much of each race is in you, but I see in you human, elf, and dwarf. And other things as well.”
“What other things?” Alex questioned, worried.
“It is difficult to say for sure,” replied Iownan, turning away from Alex. “It is strange. I have never met anyone like you before.”
“If you do not wish to say—”
“I would tell you if I could,” said Iownan, cutting him off, a troubled look on her face. “But it is beyond even my powers to see all that you are, or all that you might become.”
“Forgive me for asking,” said Alex.
“Come,” said Iownan, her smile returning. “You need your rest.”
Alex didn’t ask any more questions. He knew Iownan spoke the truth and that if she could have told him more she would have. He accepted her hand, and together they left the stable, walking back to the sleeping house.
The next morning, a young man named Thomas appeared as they were finishing breakfast. He told them the Oracle would like to meet with Bregnest and his company in the gardens by the fountain. He also said that Thrain, Melnoch, and Nitek would be called to the Oracle after the midday meal. Alex quickly retrieved the crystal in its blue-velvet wrapping from his bag and followed Bregnest to the gardens.
“You have returned from your quest successfully,” said the Oracle as they approached.
“We have,” Bregnest replied, bowing to her.
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