Wonderstruck
Chapter 38
Author's Notes: Let me start my three part apology by saying this chapter did not want to get written holy crap! I fought with it for a good long while before finally finishing it up. Even now I'm still not 100% happy with it but what can I do? It's advancing the story so I can't complain too hard. I hope you enjoy and if you feel the urge please let me know. It really does keep me motivated to keep writing. Like right now when I'm about to go for a good long run and after when I finally figure out what's happening next. ~ Scarlette
"Are we certain this is the best course of action?" Lancelot asked, tense and obviously ready for a fight; the darkened streets could hide any number of threats, thieves, whores and their pimps, and anything in between. His large calloused hand rested on the pommel of his blade, ready to draw and defend the Princess if necessary. On the other side of her body, Grumpy was doing much the same though for slightly different reasons.
"I'm tired of drinking lime flavored piss. I want real ale and I'll be damned if some painted up hussies are going to keep me from it." Grumpy twisted his hands on his pickaxe, offering a leering grin to anyone that looked his way. Just because he may look smaller and frailer than a Hume didn't mean he was. His body was hardened up like the stone he mined. Anyone that would try to bring him down would find themselves hard pressed to do so.
"I don't know if this is the best course of action." Emma muttered, "But it's the only one available to us. If we fail, Wintersend is as good as dead. The ogres won't stop and unlike Raithewell we don't have the suncryst to threaten our enemies back."
"That's an interesting subject to bring up." Lancelot murmured, dark eyes glittering as they took in his surroundings, their shadows danced on the sandstone walls like puppets, almost mocking. "I didn't believe you were paying attention during your history lessons."
"It's true, I'd rather have been more productive with my time but…Ashleigha interested me so I paid attention." She shrugged. "Easy as that really."
"Will you two focus?" Grumpy grumbled, getting more agitated the longer he was forcibly kept from his beloved ale.
"Who said we weren't short stop?" Emma challenged, smirk lightening up her pretty face though the shadows dancing across the planes made her look more fierce than not.
The Black Eyed Jackal was not at all what they were expecting and yet perfectly suited to the area around it. Here the high wooden stands and cages that stood off to the side were easily visible. The slave markets in The Abyss were rather famous and Emma found herself frowning with disgust at the blatant display. Here large men lingered, swords easily visible on their belts. Loose robes that hid large bellies and long beards appeared to the fashion. The slave traders and their allies obviously enjoyed their wealth with fine drink and foods assuming of course these were them. She believed she could tell the difference between the slavers and the men lingering around in hardened leather and iron armor.
"Are those what we seek?" She murmured to Lancelot who dipped his head.
"I believe so but they aren't the leader we need. We'll likely need to find a contact of some sort that will bring our message to the leader."
"You think we'll find that inside?"
"I'd say judging by the men going and coming from there, yes they are all of that…occupation."
Men lingering at the entrance of the tavern and coming and going in merry drunken groups from the building; she eyed them wearily.
"I'm not standing around here all night, I'm getting ale." Grumpy muttered, pushing past a group without a backwards glance. Ale was clearly the stronger pull. The men he pushed aside shrugged and continued to walk; seemingly unbothered by his behavior.
Both Lancelot and Emma looked at one another and shrugged before following shortly behind.
The inside of the large sandstone building was still fittingly a tavern. Large round tables and thick chairs took up the open floor with a large unlit fireplace off to the front close to a set of stairs that led up to the higher floors where likely a set of rooms were set aside for a nominal fee. A large bar dominated the other wall, it's wooden slats pressed tight to accommodate the flat piece of stone used over the top. It's occupants all stopped what they were doing, even the barmaids with their lower tops and black stained teeth stopped to stare at the trio making their way down the stairs and onto the scuffed floor. Most of the patrons were wearing some type of uniform, dark green tunics with tanned hide pants. Weapons of all type were hidden and displayed throughout the uniforms with no obvious medals or ribbons to identify which was a leader and which was a follower.
"Well this is uncomfortable," Emma muttered to Lancelot who took a step forward as though to shield her with his bulk. She rolled her eyes as Grumpy un-seemingly bothered by the looks of distrust immediately made his way to the bar. He pulled himself up onto one of the stools that creaked threateningly as though it were about to give way under his body. Dwarfs were much heavier than they appeared after all. He set his pickaxe on the bar top and eyed the taller man with blue tattoos dancing all over his face.
"Ale," He muttered. "Now would be nice." He added watching as the man tilted his head as though sizing him up.
"You heard the man…ale." The man beside him offered. "I don't know why you're dawdling about like that." He added as the bartender tipped his head and moved to do as he'd been asked.
Slowly, Emma managed to push past Lancelot and make her way towards her godfather who was now happily slurping from a large tankard.
"You look as though you're quite parched my friend." The curly haired man in the same uniform as the rest of the bar patrons offered, with a small smile.
"Been at sea a while." Grumpy offered, setting the now empty tankard down with a satisfied ah.
The rather large man beside him, whose mouth was slightly obscured by his beard nodded in understanding. "I remember that well. They still use limes to cut the stagnant taste of the water they mixed with the rum?"
"Tastes like piss."
"That it does my friend, that it does." He agreed, waving the bartender back over. He eyed the blonde now seated on the dwarf's right and the man standing directly behind her. "No need to be protective, your charge is safe here."
"I'd rather be vigilant." Lancelot offered.
"No matter that I can perfectly defend myself." Emma muttered.
"Yes, I imagine you're quite capable." There was nothing hidden to his smile, unlike some who believed they were merely pacifying her by complimenting her abilities. Their patronizing smiles always made her want to knock their teeth down their throats. She was always underestimated because she was a woman, Lancelot had always taught her to use it to her advantage despite her initial flush of anger at their audacity.
"Well the sword isn't just for show." Emma shrugged and the large man dipped his head.
"We didn't catch your name."
"I didn't offer it pardon, Little John."
"What about you is little?" Grumpy eyed him sideways as he tried to catch the bartender's attention to demand a refill.
"That's a very good question my friend," He laughed and motioned towards the bartender, "A refill my good man." He paused, watching them for a moment before adding, "It is only polite to return the favor."
"I am Emma and this my godfather Grumpy and Lancelot."
"Like the former Leviathan?" The man asked, cocking his head.
"Yes, how did you know?"
"You were a legend Sir. It's a pity that Camelot was swallowed up by the war of the empires but…"
"It's been a long time since then."
"Indeed it has been."
"You aren't from here, I hear it in your accent." Lancelot remarked, watching as Grumpy once again tossed his head back, sucking down his beloved drink of choice.
"No, I cannot claim that honor unlike most here." He motioned around the bar and then looked back at the dark skinned man.
"What brought you here?" Emma asked, feeling bolder as the man made no move or motion to anyone of an imminent threat.
"Money mostly…I owed a friend a great deal…and since we were being hunted in our native lands…we decided it was best to relocate with a few of our chosen people."
"So you came here because you were being hunted for what?"
The man shifted and shrugged, "Helping the poor mostly."
"That's noble." Emma offered and he shrugged.
"Still illegal and I believe generally frowned upon in the eyes of most people in the Enchanted Forest."
"You're from the Enchanted Forest? Which Kingdom?" The man offered her a small smile at her obvious interest.
"Summerslanding; we left long ago when King George was still ruling."
"He's dead now." Emma offered.
"Good riddance then…I will most definitely drink to that." The man picked up his almost forgotten tankard and took a swig before setting it down on the bar top with a smile and a wipe to his beard with his forearm to clear the foam away.
"Why did George have such a problem with you helping the poor?" Emma asked, watching Grumpy toss his head back and suck down what was left of his ale. He shook the tankard with a frown.
Little John eyed him for a moment before motioning for another from the barkeep.
"Uh perhaps that had to do with the way we obtained…spoils…we felt it imperative to take from those more fortunate and give to those less fortunate."
"So you stole from the King to help the people?"
The curly haired man nodded, "Gar are quite useful but only to those with the power to use them. Constructing armor from their scales and making certain that they aren't hunted to extinction makes things difficult. Coin is held by a few in that system you see. The rich get richer and the poor keep getting poorer. So the people that cannot be of use…say the peasants for example…they suffer. We didn't too much like that so we decided to even the playing field a bit."
"And this got you removed from the Kingdom?" Lancelot asked, shifting a bit closer to his charge.
"Indeed it did my friend."
"And now you what? Guard the people here?"
"Unfortunately our cause is not so just anymore. Hard times followed our leave of the Enchanted Forest and despite how fortunate we were to come to Eamira…we found no acceptance anywhere. We eventually split off and went our separate ways. Myself and one or two others stayed close to our former leader but for the most part we were scattered to the winds."
"Well that's quite the tale of woe but I'd rather drink…"
"Grumpy."
"What? It's depressing me and I don't like to be depressed when I drink." He shot his goddaughter a look. "I prefer the company of beautiful women and good music."
"I think you're in the wrong place for the beautiful women part my friend." Little John laughed, "Though you certainly have fine taste." He added, motioning towards Emma.
"She's my goddaughter…not her type if you know what I mean."
"Oh, you prefer the company of females then?"
"Is that a problem?" Lancelot was obviously ready to advance to help protect Emma should the man prove himself a threat.
"Not at all. There was one of that persuasion amongst us at one point. I believe she may have made her way back to the Enchanted Forest. We certainly never cared that she preferred her own sex to the opposite."
"My wife is um…"
"You're married?"
"I am."
"I'm glad to see the Enchanted Forest is growing a bit more progressive. It never sat right with many of us that they were so backwards when Eamira has proven itself so forward thinking."
"They deal in slaves." Lancelot pointed out.
"It is true…The Abyss is known for it's flesh trade…I don't condone it and neither do many of us but we have to eat and we have families that cannot go to bed with an empty stomach and hollow eyes."
"So you'd trade your soul for something to eat?"
"You do anything for family. Yours should always come first. Your family cannot live on your ideals alone, we found that out the hard way." They fell silent for a moment before Little John looked at his half empty tankard.
"I don't suppose you lot would be here for a reason beyond just speaking with me?"
"Isn't there always a reason?" Emma asked.
"You've failed to share it and perhaps I've grown softer in my age…much like my middle."
"I don't suppose you know anything of what's going on in the North?"
"Of the Enchanted Forest?"
"Yes, the Ogre Wars continue to rage…people are dying…and yet there seems to be no end to the horde."
"That's a mighty interesting tale."
"A terrible tragedy really."
"And what does that have to do with the Knights of Fortune?"
"Everything I hope."
"Everything?"
"I came here to speak with your leaders about an alliance."
"We don't ally with anyone."
"Without proper payment I'm aware."
"So who are you? Queen Snow? Queen Rapunzel?"
"Neither,"
"You are aware we won't agree to a contract without meeting face to face with the person ultimately responsible for hiring us? It helps our leaders get a feel for the person we're about to do business with." He added.
"Obviously you're not the leader in question."
"I'm higher up but no I'm not."
"Then I fail to grasp why I need to explain who I am to you."
"I suppose you don't but if you'd like a meeting with our leader…"
"I am Princess Emma of Wintersend. I'm the only heir and I have come to ask for your assistance and I am willing to pay for it."
"With whatever we deem necessary?"
"With my very soul if that's what it takes to ensure the survival of my people and my Kingdom."
"You Northerners always so serious and dramatic. It won't require your soul. Just your gold."
"What about platinum?"
"Even better." He grinned, "I'll see what I can do to set up a meeting with our leader Princess Emma. In the mean time, you should enjoy the city. It'll take a few days at least."
"I may not have that long. My people…"
"Your people will survive if I know anything about the North, I know that much. They're hearty and they're not ones to back down from anything especially a fight."
"How will I know when the meeting is scheduled for?"
"Meet me here in three sunsets time. I'll have your answer about whether or not our leader will meet with you."
"Will you fight for me if your leader disagrees with my request?"
"No, I have no reason to."
"What if I pay you?"
"Still not a reason. Something you'll learn rather quickly Princess…our swords may be bought but our loyalty to one another it will remain in tact even with our dying breaths."
"So be it…three sunsets."
"Three, don't forget and if you do…don't ever show your face here again."
"I won't."