Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Discworld.
Author's note: Operation split 'em up underway.
Chapter 3
Long deep down in caves under the land.
Pickaxes wielded by mobile beards hit the ground again and again. The rock gave way under the rhythmic thunks and the dwarfs worked from dark to dark with nary a break. For they knew they had to reinforce this tunnel with iron before long.
The land would sing soon. Said the words drawn on the walls by the old dwarfs who knew to listen. The land would dance soon. The heads of the clans roared commands at their miners, and builders, and smelters, and ironsmiths. They had to reinforce their mines at once. Bolt them up with iron bars, set up those vibrating pillars, and dig the caves into the pentahexanonagram of equilibrium before the first stone begins to tap.
"Come on lads! Break down this wall and we'll join Ironaxehandle's clan on the other end! Last stretch of the hexanonadecagram boys!" shouted the command-giver of this particular squad.
The dwarfs cheered and thumped their fists against their beard covered, armor clad chests.
Command-giver grinned at the young dwarfs, not even a hundred and fifty years yet. They followed his every order and command and worked so hard that if he'd ordered them to stop right now, their hands would still lift and hit down with whatever they could grab.
A brown haired dwarf came running to him from the central hub, it was the message-reader. The one designated to read the messages on the wall left by the other dwarfs and report back to his command-giver.
"Bad news! Everybody head ba-"
A monstrous thud echoed across the caves.
Wincing, the dwarfs removed their hands from their ears.
"No, they didn't calculate right...," said the message-reader with horrified eyes.
The thud, it had come from the other side of the wall they were digging through. Ironaxehandle was on the other side.
Command-giver whirled around and pushed off the young dwarfs. "Dwarfs, run! Run at on-"
The pillars they'd set up started creaking. The bolts shot off their sockets like bullets. The vibrating towers groaned from a distance.
The pebbles on the ground. They began tapping.
The dwarfs scrambled away, all of them frightened and afraid for their lives.
For when the land sings, everyone is put to sleep in its bed.
Command-giver stared at the ceiling as a crack burst into existence and rained loose soil down on them. He shouted at the others to duck.
The tunnel collapsed.
Sasuke was sulking. He'd been left in the kitchen and he was sulking.
That seemed to be his default emotion these days. Sulk. His life was one big sulk. Damn his pedigree. It refused to let him indulge in the more base emotions of the masses. Like losing your shit over a new thing in the store, or smiling at another person just because you'd stuck a 'kick-me' sign behind their back.
His elite Uchiha breeding contorted everything it touched.
Joy became a superiority complex. It rushed through his veins every time he curb stomped someone with his skills.
Sadness became an inferiority complex. Every time Naruto showed him that his was bigger and better than his. Sasuke'd comfort himself that it was how you used it and not the size that mattered. Not everyone was a chakra monster who could spam mountain leveling jutsu.
Love became blood soaked revenge plots. Curse the Mangekyo for making them murderous teddy bears at heart. Naruto, Itachi, Sakura, Kakashi, his village... he loved them all too damn much. So much that he had to try killing them off lest he went mad with love.
Hell, even Karin made the list.
Sasuke sighed. It was tough being an Uchiha. If he'd been back in his world he'd probably pour sake on the second Hokage's grave for telling him about the defect in the family. Even if the guy was an utter bastard in how he handled the issue.
"Sarah, help me out, won't you dear?" said the kitchen maid with a cheer. She stirred a stew on the stove.
Sasuke groaned. The woman wouldn't stop pestering him. She'd blabbed something to the Polly girl and her father and dragged him off to the kitchen. She'd put an apron on him before he could protest and then she went gushing on about something. Probably about how pretty he regrettably looked.
As an Uchiha, the whole world seemed set on loving you despite you wanting to burn it and flush the ashes down the toilet. Life was tough as an Uchiha. Life was tough.
His last one hour was pretty much this.
"You have such pretty hair, dear girl. It would look wonderful once it grows out!"
"Did you know that there's a parade in the town square today! Come with me and you'll be sure to catch a handsome man's eye I'll say!"
Polly had popped in for a bit. Sasuke looked at her with pleading eyes. Polly raised an eyebrow and took some coins from her skirt pockets. Jiggling them before him in her fist, she indicated that he had to earn his keep. She then put a bow on his head and he lunged at her. She skipped away with a cheeky grin and blew a kiss at him before going back to the bar.
Which now brings him to the present moment.
"Oh you two... must be nice to be so close." said the kitchen maid with a wistful sigh.
Sasuke decided not to look at her. He reiterated it to himself. He must not look at her.
The kitchen maid chuckled sadly, "Why, you look just like my little Maria would have I bet." Sasuke heard an intake of breath clogged by snot. His fist clenched, he'd recognize a mother's snotty nose anywhere. Itachi had ensured it.
"Oh sorry, Sarah. What am I doing... being silly like always. Anyway! Are you helping me or not!"
Sasuke turned with a grimace and saw her giving him an angry pout. He ran a hand through his hair and gave her a defeated nod. He could never bear a mother's sadness... except maybe when he was deep in one of his revenge plots.
"Wonderful! Come on girl, chop chop! Grab those onions there and cut 'em up real nice!" said the kitchen maid, pointing to a basket of onions.
Sasuke pondered the merits of using Susanoo to chop onions. Surely it must be the ways of the ancient Uchiha matron. A woman with thunder on her brow and a spatula in her hand, she'd breathe warm fire under the hundred pots over firewood, and use her hundred handed apparition to slice and dice and mix and stir. She was a legend among the Uchiha family from the warring clans era.
It was said that during the attack of the bone digging silver wasps she had fed their battalion of a thousand, single handedly.
And currently, he was single handed.
Maybe this was his real destiny. To follow in the footsteps of the ancient Uchiha matron...
Sasuke grabbed a knife and began chopping the onions.
He had a legend to revive.
Five minutes later...
Sasuke stared at the monstrosity on his cutting board. He, Uchiha Sasuke, vanquisher of the Rabbit Goddess, could not cut, one single onion. The darn thing slipped every time he put pressure on it. And the damn knife wasn't as sharp as his sword was.
How the hell was he supposed to cut with such a blunted piece of civilian utility?
His sword had made everything butter. Ninja? Butter. Wood? Butter. Steel? Add a little chakra and you get butter.
Sasuke looked at his stump. If only someone could sew his hand back on.
Somewhere far away, all over the disc, a whole clan sneezed together.
"Athchthoo! Excusthe me."
Sasuke tapped the kitchen maid on her shoulder.
"Yes, dear?" she said, turning around from the meat she was frying. Sasuke pointed to the badly chopped onion on his table and gave her a shrug.
"Oh you poor thing... did... did you lose your hand recently? I thought you'd already learnt to make do with one hand," she said with an apologetic face.
Sasuke looked away with a scowl. He did not need a lowly maid's pity.
His Sharingan spun into existence. Susanoo it is then. He'll just manifest a single hand and command it in tandem with his own. He'll cast a genjutsu on the woman and then-
Susanoo for... kitchen work? ... seriously, bastard?
But just a little distraction illusion, just so she'd look awa-
You are weak...
What the?
Why are you weak...
Dobe?
You lack... uhh... a creative head... yeah...
The hell? Creative head? Wasn't it... hatred?
Yeah... you try rhyming with hatred... oh wait... you'd probably use... susanoo for that too... mr. hacks...
Sasuke growled. He'd come up with Kirin. Kirin. Who was Mr. Bigger Blue Ball after three years to say he lacked creativity?
The slam of a hammer against wood reached his ears. His head darted around and he found the maid hunkered over the cutting board.
"Sarah, come here," she said, motioning him to join her.
Sasuke stood beside her and saw her hammer in a third nail into the board and flip it over.
"Watch this, dear," she said with a smile, and picked up the onion.
Sasuke's pupils spun into the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Using a single hand she drove an onion into the sharp ends of the nails and made sure it was stiff in place. Grabbing the knife, she then cut off the extreme ends of the onion, peeled off the outermost skin, and then started cutting the onion into bits. She removed the partially cut onion and pierced it again in a different angle into the nails and cut them similarly.
"See this, dear. This should help you," said the kitchen maid, lifting the board and letting the sliced pieces fall into a bowl.
"Now why don't you try?" She handed him the knife and the board and drove an onion into the nails.
Sasuke's hand flashed. The onion partially fell apart into small chunks. The onion blurred and it appeared in a different angle. Sasuke's hand flashed again. He lifted the board and let the finely cut pieces slide into the bowl.
Mr. hacks... strikes again... Mangekyo, bastard?
Hey, she said watch this. That's just inviting an Uchiha to use their eyes.
"Oh my goodness! You're a natural! Good job, dear!" said the kitchen maid, beaming at him and patting him on the back. "The moment I saw you handle that, ma I saids to myself. This is a girl to watch out for, oh yes." The maid nodded to herself and chuckled.
Sasuke had a vague feeling that he'd made her proud in some way. This was foreign territory.
Aww... I think... she likes you...
Shut up, dobe.
"Wouldn't want to let you loose on the men now, would we Sarah?" the kitchen maid smiled, darkly.
Sasuke smirked back at her. Dark smiles were right up his alley.
Sage... damn it...
"Anyway girl, just cut me enough to fill the bowl and I'll set you with something else okay?" she shook the bowl in front of him and went back to her stove.
Sasuke got to work, chopping. He had to get used to a single arm. And this was good training.
He'd bring honor unto the ancient Uchiha matron. The woman who fed both the children and the mighty warriors of his clan.
Floating eyes peered at the disc.
Red eyes... Ringed eyes... Black eyes... what other eyes do you have, boy? You bear... watching...
A strong, muscled hand rubbed a majestic beard.
Does this make us kindred spirits... I wonder...
One floating eye saw a figure of a short man with a leaf crown on his bald head fade into and out of existence. "A-Abomination," it said, struggling to write down on parchment.
Poor chap... should have moved with the times... well I could help... get him a few followers in the city...
An eye blinked and saw the cavein under the sto plains.
Interesting... one is the boy... and you are the second... two... kindred spirits...
Two strong hands clasped together.
Well... it has been a while since our last game... many questions I have for our chronic winners...
An eye made an helix in the air. It saw a turtle fall off the disc.
Huh... odd turtle...
The tables were making a ruckus when Sarah came out the kitchen with three steaks on a plate on her hand and the handle of a cauldron held by her mouth. The smell of hot stew drifted from the pot.
The tables had been cleared out and arranged as the perimeter of a ring. Men and women were cheering on the fighters circling each other, each with a blunted cutlass in their hand.
"Go gentle on her, lad!"
"Kick his jewels, Polly!"
"Dear Duchess, woman! Boy's but a stripling!"
"A hundred beers for the winner!"
"Give 'er the ol'switcheroo, boyo! Show her where women belong!"
"Kick his jewels hard, Polly!"
Polly lashed out with a swing. The boy blocked it, slapped her sword away and moved in with a punch.
Polly jerked her knee upwards, threateningly close to the boy's most delicate possession.
The boy yelped and backed a away a few feet, aborting his punch halfway. He gave her a petulant glare with his one eye. "Oh, come on! That's not fair! Even the Zlobenians never did that!"
A grizzled voice laughed loudly from the crowd. "You lucky boy! Never faced the nutcracker squad 'ave ye? Many a generation of lads and lasses they robbed us of. Many a generation." The voice cackled.
The men surrounding him had gone pale in the face. "Shut up, Gummy. Don't bring that up!"
"Why not?" said Gummy Abbens with a grin. "I gots a medal for offing them! I'm practically a nationals hero!" He cackled. "And I taught the girly all their finest moves!"
Polly saw Sarah moving around the tables poking people with her elbow and letting them cut some steak for themselves and pour stew into their bowls.
The boy struck out. Polly ducked under his blade. The boy grinned, Polly cursed. She practically put her face right before his fist. His already sailing fist.
Her eyes shut for the inevitable blow.
A clang burst her ears. "Aah!" she said, rubbing the ears. They rang.
Standing upright, she opened her eyes see Sarah standing before her holding a dented plate where her head had been, and her opponent's face twisted with pain and gingerly holding his hand.
"That hurt!" her opponent cried. He growled and grabbed Sarah by her collar and shook her violently. "The hell did you do that for! You gonna fix my hand, huh? Huh?" He shoved his twisted thumb in her face.
Polly bit her lips. Sasuke shouldn't have done that. She could have taken that punch. She might have to call her dad before things got rowdy. If only Paul were here... He always sorted out brawls without a sweat. Why'd she let her brother leave home...
Polly looked back at the crowd, it was getting up and closing in on them.
"Hey, let her go now. Not proper boy, to hit a lady."
"Lady? Hah! Can't fight a good fight without tricks! Let her have it!"
"Now you see here-"
Sarah let the plate drop with a clang on the floor and raised her hand. Polly looked at her, Sarah's, face. It had an amused smile.
Sarah closed her eyes and placed her hand delicately on the boy's cheek. The boy growled, "using your wiles? Tell them to fix my hand!"
Polly heard Sarah whisper, "show me your soul."
The boy's eyes dulled and his face slacked for a second before he shook his head, "w-what?" he said, as if drunk.
Sarah grabbed his injured hand. Polly's eyebrows rose. "Sarah, don't!"
The boy frowned at her. "Are you-"
His thumb cracked.
"Aah!" He yelped and let Sarah go. His uninjured hand tending to his injured one. His face was terrified for his thumb. "Oh Duchess, what the heck did you-"
"Fixed."
Polly had stopped halfway to the medical cabinet when she heard Sarah speak. It was in her country's language. It was Borogravian tongue.
The boy's confused face looked up. "What fixe-"
"Thumb. Fixed."
The crowd crowded the boy and began examining the boy's hand from all angles.
"Marvelous!"
"Splendid!"
"Damn it! I wanted a good row!"
"Polly," a woman had sidled up to Polly, "don't you think her voice is too deep?"
Polly gazed at Sasuke. So he knew her language, huh? No wait. Think. He just spoke it. Could he understand it as well... A little test, maybe?
An embarrassed smile made its way to Polly's face. She made sure that her voice carried.
"Oh that's my boyfriend, ma'am! He's really protective of me, he's very sweet! He dresses up as a girl sometimes." Polly giggled. "I think it's funny."
Polly could feel the glare right beside her. She turned left. "Hi Sarah!" She grinned and winked.
Sarah growled. She whipped his head at the woman beside Polly, who was staring at her with eyes as wide as saucers. "Not well. Damaged Throat," she said gruffly. "Not... not boy." Polly had to muffle her giggle at how pained Sarah looked saying that.
Sarah fixed her with a scowl. "Boyfriend? No chance."
Polly shook her face with a smile and gave him a light punch. She leaned in and whispered, "so you do understand."
The woman beside them gave a relieved laugh. "Oh Polly, don't scare me like that! Silly girl." The woman pinched Polly's cheeks and smiled at Sarah. "Now you be careful with this little scamp, you hear? She looks harmless but she'll be running circles around you and giggling all the while." The woman frowned at Polly, "learned it all from Old Gummy didn't you?"
"Weff," Polly said through her pinched cheek.
The woman shook her head, letting Polly go. "Now you two make yourselves scarce for a while. The excitement will die down soon." The woman bid them farewell and joined the crowd in their examination of the boy's healed hand. The boy was being passed from person to person like a trinket. "Come on, Fred... You already looked at me once." A noisy trinket.
"Come on, let's go outside," said Polly leaving for the door. When Sarah joined her she said, "soo... thanks for that."
Sarah nodded. "Don't need thanks. Want something else," she looked at Polly with a hungry look.
They were outside the Duchess now, walking towards the town square. It was just after noon and the street was mildly busy. Horses carried carriages, a gaggle of children stared fixed at a wooden tyre as it spun to a stop, and a frazzled looking young woman was meekly asking for directions.
"Uhh..." Polly blinked. "W-What?"
"Something I've wanted. Since I first saw you."
"... huh?" Polly wondered why she didn't carry a club around with her.
"Been holding back. Too long." Sarah tightened her fist. "No more holding back. You will reveal. Everything."
"A-Aren't you being too f-forward? W-We just met."
Sarah gave her a puzzled look, "I just want information."
Polly heaved a sigh of relief, "oh, that I can reveal no problem." She chuckled, "thank the Duchess, you had me worried there for a second."
"Start with that." Sarah said, stopping and folding her hand. She grimaced and looked down, and settled for leaning behind against the wall and unfolding her hand.
"S'not the same is it? Folding just one hand?" said Polly.
Sarah nodded, "the Duchess, everyone keeps saying that. What is it?"
They heard the sounds of a parade in the distance. Some children ran past them grinning excitedly.
Polly leaned beside her. "It's two things really. One is my family's inn," Polly glanced at the boy beside her, "and the other, everyone should know."
The boy shrugged, "tell me about your inn then."
"Well, you already saw the inn right? I help my father run it. It's a good business, especially in these times."
"What times?" came the immediate question.
"... you don't know?"
"What times?" Sarah repeated the question. Sarah glanced at Polly. "And consider this. You have nothing to lose by answering my questions. You might even finish that fill in the whole of my picture you're painting in your head based on what I ask. I can get my answers elsewhere if it troubles you."
"Your sentences have gotten bigger," said Polly, casually airing the fact. "Almost like you're... getting used to using the language. You're not from around here are you?"
Polly stilled when she felt fingers gently pinch the base of her neck. "There's a word for people like you... Polly." said Sarah's soft voice. "It's idiots. You know the trick I can do with my hand don't you. Want to know how it feels, girl?"
"You're the i-idiot," said Polly, trying to keep her voice steady and not think of having a chunk of her neck cut off. "I know we're in the street. You can't do anything."
"You'd be surprised," said Sarah. Polly slumped against the wall when the fingers disappeared. "Here's a piece of advice, girl. Know what to say and what not. Most of the times its better not to say anything and get your enemy to slip up. But to answer your question, yes. I'm not from around here. I've only recently learned your country's language."
Polly nodded and then glared at him. "Don't do that again." She looked away, biting her lips.
The two of them became silent. The sounds of the parade got closer, a boy dragged his mother along whining about wanting to go home, the frazzled girl from before had sat down on some stairs with her head in her hands. She looked like she was praying.
"... why haven't you run away yet?" said Sarah.
"Because of 'these times'." Polly got off the wall. "Come on let's walk, the marching band will be here soon."
"Take me where you found me," said Sarah, following Polly.
"I'd rather not."
"Oh really?" came Sarah's mocking voice. "Pray tell why?"
"No, don't feel like it. Why, is there anything special about that place?" asked Polly with an innocent face. "I thought we could get something to eat, my feet are getting tired."
Sarah hummed and smirked. "Good. You're learning."
Polly muttered to herself, "yeah, getting my trouble's worth."
The two of the went deeper into the town, not seeing the frazzled girl move in the direction of Polly's inn with a hopeful look.
Sarah leaned against the railing of the bridge over the lake and saw Polly approach her with two cobs of corn.
"Here!"
Sarah's hand snapped and caught the cob before it sailed over her head.
"Good catch," said Polly with a smile.
"Good ploy," said Sarah taking a bite out of the cob, "but an expert will see right through you."
Polly nodded with a frown. "What gave it away?"
"You smile too much. Not natural." Sarah took another bite. "I think that lesson pays for the food, eh?"
Polly remained silent, taking bites of her own.
"So?" said Sarah. "Still think I'm safe to be around? You even let me stay in your inn."
"Soldiers, mercenaries, assassins, they've all taken residence in my inn before. Some of them are regulars. They would be... curious if something were to happen to me," said Polly without looking at him. Her cob was quarter eaten. "I'm not stupid."
"Maybe," said Sarah, noncommitedly. "But you still didn't tell me this. How would I have known to back off?"
Polly winced. "Slipped... my mind..."
"Careful. Such things could get you killed." Sarah threw her cob over her shoulder. It fell into the lake with a splash.
Polly took another bite and threw hers behind her as well. She ran a hand through her hair and cursed under her breath.
"The Duchess is the beloved leader of Borogravia," Polly blurted out. "She has long since led our prosperous country. Now I have a question. Are you a spy?"
Sarah nodded. "Yes Polly, I am a spy." Polly's eyes widened. Sarah continued, "I am a spy who needs to ask who the ruler of your country is. A spy who was found half dead and saved by a peasant girl. And who relies on said peasant girl for basic information. You don't know how much my superiors thirst for such knowledge."
"... don't call me peasant girl."
"Don't act like one," Sarah returned. "Now, what did you mean by 'these times'."
"We are at war with... pretty much most of our neighbor countries. But we've been fighting Zlobenia the longest." Seeing Sarah's questioning look Polly said, "our borders keep shifting, don't ask. Who was that other person who I'd found you with?"
Sarah's face became stony. "He was an idiot." Sarah winced and clutched her head. "A friend. Happy, dobe?" she said, muttering the last part under her breath.
"Do you want to go see him? He should still be there, nobody goes there."
"Just give me the directions later. I'll go by myself. What is an Abomination? Your father seemed pretty against hearing that word." said Sarah.
Polly rubbed her shoulder, looking uncomfortable. "They are... rules."
"Rules?"
Polly nodded. "You can't break those rules."
Sarah drummed her fingers on the railing. "Okay then. What are these rules?"
The other girl looked away, "I don't know, there are too many. Look, Sasu-"
"Sarah, you mean. If someone is in disguise, never use their real name. The wall, hell even the fucking ground could be listening." Sarah scowled. "You can never trust plants. There, another free lesson."
Polly was running a hand through her hair.
"What?" said Sarah.
"Women don't say... hell... or," Polly looked around and whispered, "fucking. You can say sugar or heck... There, free lesson from me too."
Sarah blew air. "Damn i-"
"Darn it, you mean. Now be a proper lady, Sarah. Don't let me catch you saying such things." Polly smirked at him. "Am I doing the haughty smirk right? Never did it before."
Sarah grumbled, "yeah yeah, five out of ten."
"Coming from the expert, that's a hundred. Hey, if you can understand me why didn't you talk to me at all? You made me do all the talking!"
"Hn." Sarah grunted.
"... hn?"
Sarah nodded. "Hn."
"Hnnnn." Polly tapped her chin.
"Uh-Hn." Sarah shrugged.
"Hn?!" Polly looked at him with wide eyes.
"... hn." Sarah glared at her.
"Hnn-Hnn." Polly raised her hands placatingly.
"Ahh...Hnn." Sarah sighed.
"Ha-Hn!" Polly smiled.
"..."
"Hn?" Polly asked with a worried face.
"..., stop laughing dobe." grumbled Sarah in her native tongue.
"Uhh. Hn?" Polly tilted her head, confused.
Sarah shook her head, "either you're very good at bullshitting o-"
Polly winced. "Nn-hn. Nn-hn."
"... bullshitting, and I'm not gonna censor that word, or you're the quickest quick study of Hn-fu I've ever met."
Polly put her hand on her lips to stop her giggles. "You call that Hn-fu?"
"A-Hn."
Polly's giggles broke through. She clutched her stomach and laughed.
Sasuke saw her collapse in her mirth and turned around to look at the lake below, letting her voice wash into his ears.
He wondered when was the last time he'd made someone other than the dobe laugh like that. He couldn't quite fight off the smile on his face.
Oooh, someone's going soft on me~
Sasuke ignored the pestering voice in his head.
Stop ignoring me!
Damn voic-... Darn voice was getting louder by the minute.
In a room darkened by the absence of light, sat Rhys Rhysson, the Low King of Dwarfs. He sat upon the scone of stone, surrounded by his guards and looked at the dwarf kneeling before him.
"Now, there's no need to kneel. Rise please, I believe you suffered some fractures?" said the soft voice of the Low King.
The command-giver gingerly stood up, his hand was in a sling, "just a small crack, my king."
Rhys nodded, "tell me what you remember. You were working in tandem with Ironaxehandle's clan weren't you?"
"Yes, your hairiness. I was told to finish the octanonadecagram of equilibrium."
"That name keeps changing every time I hear it," Rhys shook his head.
"'Tis the magic of the ancient ones, your lowness."
Rhys leaned forward on the scone, "tell me, command-giver. What happened? One second my heart sinks for I thought I'd lost many of my dwarfs in the land's quake, but a moment later it soars on finding you all in the central hub."
"Sand, my lord," said the command-giver. He knelt, took a handful of the grainy ground and watched it seep through his fingers. He nodded at it with gratitude.
"Sand?"
"We, each dwarf, were encased in balls of sand, my lord." Command-giver raised his slinged hand, "it was a rough ride back to the hub, the reason me and the boys are banged up."
Rhys tapped his low throne, thinking. Command-giver got up on his feet and waited patiently.
"What do you make of our... sandy guardian, command-giver?" said Rhys
"Truthfully, my lord? I am just a humble dwarf and I thank the one who saved the lives of me and my dwarfs."
"I see." Rhys nodded, "well, I commend your service, command-giver. You may return to your family, no doubt they eagerly await you."
The guards moved to escort the command-giver away.
Right before he exited the throne room, the command-giver spoke.
"My lord?"
"Yes?" Rhys raised a hand at the guards, who were about to push the command-giver out.
"I just remembered something my grandfather used to tell me," said the command-giver, "when I barely had enough hair to reach my knees."
Command-giver looked at Rhys with eyes of wonder.
"I think it may have returned, my lord. Our ancient protector."
Rhys scrunched his forehead. "Who?"
"The moving dark, my lord." Command-giver laughed and punched his armor, "after a thousand years! The moving dark has returned to carry us away from the troubles of the land!"
Rhys slowly nodded his head. "Thank you, command-giver. I will consider this."
After the command-giver left, Rhys leaned back and stared at the ceiling of the throne-room.
"The moving dark, eh?" he said.
On the ceiling of the throne room, there was a huge mural engraved into the rocks. A mural of a creature with short pointed ears, razor sharp teeth, a humongous belly, and a giant tail.
"What do you say, vandal of my kingly chamber?"
Rhys' eyes darted around as if expecting to happen.
Nothing happened.
Rhys sighed. "Oh well, it was worth a try."
Elsewhere, sand was carving out pictures of a battle across unwritten walls of the dwarfs' caves.
A battle between two boys atop two beasts.
A tanuki and a fox.