Thin-Gloomy sat on a huge rock, hugging himself and singing to himself on a low voice, and shuddered. He was still gripping his
crossbow tightly, though the fight had ended nearly an hour ago.
They hadn't killed him because he had climbed to the rock and threatened to shoot them with his bow. They had agreed to take his things and leave him be. They hadn't wanted to risk even one of them to die for such a poor price as Thin-Gloomy's cheap gear. So Thin-Gloomy still had his life. But that was not much.
He kept his eyes closed. He didn't need to look to know that they had taken everything. Probably every single thing he had had. He wailed. Property was everything for a
dwarf, even for a poor one.
Now get up, you miserable creature, he told himself.
Get up, you disgusting little crooked monster. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked around.
It was not as bad as he would have expected. His little camp was destroyed. They had taken his tent, his utensils, his cooking gear, his recommendation papers (though with the recommendations he had that was not a great loss), his little wooden flute... Everything. He wailed again.
I don't have anything, I'm lost, I'll die, everything is worse than it ever has been, I knew it'd come to this... He lifted his hand to tear his beard in anguish and dropped the crossbow.
I still have the crossbow, he realised.
It's better to die, even by starving, with a weapon than without one. At the same moment he understood that he was not totally robbed.
He still had his
quiver and ten bolts. His hand found his
big knife on his belt. He had a belt! And, logically, if he had a belt he had still his purse! He was not that poor after all!
Thin-Gloomy hopped off the stone, a bit less gloomy than a while ago.
He should have learned never to hop so carelessly. He landed badly. His back was on fire. He swore.
After a few minutes he got up. His happiness was gone even more swiftly than it had come. He searched his camp through to see if they had left him anything.
This is in vain. They left nothing, he kept telling himself.
He was wrong. He found his
tinderbox lying in a bush. Thin-Gloomy was glad he had left it to such a stupid place.
After a little search he found his
spare clothes too. He grinned darkly.
Of course they hadn't taken
them. The clothes that fit Thin-Gloomy probably fit no other creature on earth.
Thin-Gloomy was an ugly creature, even for a dwarf. He was slightly malformed, short and thin. His back was a little crooked and his black beard and hair were sparse. He had small, dark and beady eyes and an unfriendly gaze.
It was no wonder he never got proper work. With his appearance,
badly made and resized brown traveling clothes and his lack of training he was never the first one to be picked for an appointment. And now he didn't even have his utensils.
No work for poor Thin-Gloomy, he thought and almost started to cry.
Dwarves don't cry, he heard his mother's sharp voice in his head. The same, merciless voice he had heard so many times as a child when he had come home crying and looking for comfort after being teased by the other children.
Thin-Gloomy did not cry. He walked to the little brook, which probably originated form the river Carnen. He was bowing down to fill his flask with water, when he noticed a little bottle floating on the brook. He picked it up, and he didn't know why. There was a piece of paper inside. It said:
Quote:
If you are a great adventurer in your heart, leave all that you have and come. Come to Dorwinion on the banks of the Sea of Rhun. You will there embark on your life's greatest adventure, with a prize to be won. Come alone and bring with you only these things.
2 sets of clothing
2 weapons of your choice
1 length of rope
Food and water rations
1 novelty item (must not be on the above list and must be carriable)
Good Luck
|
With a price to be won..., Thin-Gloomy thought. His eyes were lit in delight. Never to be poor and despised again! Quickly, he packed his things up and left the place.
In the next village he used his coins to buy him
food for the journey and a
good rope. Then he headed for the Sea of Rhűn and the great treasure that would change his life.