Private Tales Read between the lines

[Talus]

It was his turn for his cheeks to color. "I uhhh..."

Talus cleared his throat for a brief second, looking at the ground for a moment, then up at the gate, then towards Zana.

"I'll think of something good." Did she want that. Marriage? It wasn't unheard of with Dreadlords, in fact there were laws in place to respect the practice, but...a frown touched his features. But what? Their souls were tied together. What was marriage in the face of that.

His back seemed to straighten slightly, as if something had settled in his mind.

As they continued to walk the Dwarves chartered among one another, all of them kind enough to speak in the common tongue as to not to be rude. Mostly they spoke of current events, though a few times Vorak looked back and tossed some information about goings on in the city over the last two years.

Eventually they passed through the second gate, and the view beyond it was as stunning as Talus remembered.

Massively tall ceilings, huge vaulting columns, statues that would have towrered over even Vel Anir's walls. Slow flows of lavas in canals purposefully built seemed to run throughout, carefully encased in some sort of strange glads. Bridges reached over vast chasms, and at the center of it all stood a building that seemed almost impossible in it's angles and structure.

Karak was like something out of the stories, an almost impossible sight built by craftsmen over thousands of years.

 

[Zana]

Zana could feel his discomfort and embarrassment and it was only met with her amusement but then... it vanished. She peaked at him out of the corner of her eye and simply assumed he had realised she had been joking. Her eyes returned to the view ahead of them at just the right moment for when the view he had described days ago finally came into sight. The Dreadlord stopped head and her horse went into the back of her and snorted at the sudden change of pace. Her breath hitched and caught in her throat as she tried to take it all in at once as a whole but there was simply too much going on.

"How..." because it was hard to get rid of all the Dreadlord traits and asking the questions of how and why were a cornerstone to that practise. Usually so they could destroy it but this time she was asking because she simply couldn't comprehend. How. How had people built this with their own two hands?

 

[Talus]

It wasn't Talus that answered, but Vorak. The dwarf was practically beaming with pride as he spoke, his tone as grandiose as before.

"Three thousand years of work Lass. Three thousand years of building, carving, crafting."

It was obvious that the dwarf had taken a great amount of pride in Zana's reaction. It was the same one that Talus had given, the same one that any human would give at a sight like this. Karak was a wonder of the world, and it wasn't even the largest dwarven city in existence.

"Its amazing my friend." Talus said with a smile, his hand gently rubbing Zana's back.

Karak, like every other dwarven city, was of course half empty. Many of the homes and holds were abandoned, and the population of the entire city was less than a tenth of what could be found in Vel Anir. Somehow that emptiness made it all the more grandiose though, as though they stepped through a piece of history.

"Come on, Thror will want to see you straight away. I'll have a manor set up for you two afterward."

He gave Talus a wink before he continued walking along towards that odd central building.

 

[Zana]

Zana simply didn't have the words. Again.

She would need to learn new ones.

As the group started moving again on towards the central building more of Zana's nerves and anxiety gave way to morbid curiosity and fascination. Sometimes she would stop and marvel at this thing or other, run her fingers across a structure or point something out and ask a question. It was probably like having a small child bouncing along in the party but she didn't care if she wasn't behaving like a lady or someone befitting to be Talus' wife. This was the first time she had had the chance to see something so far removed from her own life and she revealed in it.

"Thror is the dwarf the statue is of outside?" Zana tried to recall. "The founder?" she glanced to Talus curious as to how he had been granted an entrance with the leader. She hadn't ever even seen their king. The closest to meeting a leader she had ever come was meeting Ashur, even his father had never granted her his audience.

 

[Talus]

The entire party didn't seem to mind Zana's reaction, in fact every time she stopped to stare at something or touch a statue Vorak would give her a small piece of information about it.

"That was carved by Thromgir the Strong six hundred years ago. He'd said he wanted his wife to have the strongest Hold in all of Karak."

It was always something like that.

A few times he also mentioned women, craftsmen who apparently took a more fine art than the men but still produced incredible works. Pride shone in Voraks tone, he himself was a blacksmith, and the best that Talus had ever met.

"His Grandson." Talus explained with a smile. "Thror the Third, King of Karak."

He and Finn had met the King because of the airship, or at least that had been the explanation. A part of him had thought Thror had just been curious about two humans. A fact that Talus could appreciate given just how much time he'd spent being curious about the dwarves.

As they entered the strange building Talus explained. "He taught me quite a bit of their history. Told me about his grandfather and how Karak came to be. Hes old, even for a Dwarf. A good man."

 

[Zana]

Every piece of information Vorak gave her was a gift and she treasured it like he had just given her the greatest diamond in the world. It wasn't very often that Zana got to learn things anymore, especially not things relating to something other than the art of swordsmanship or killing or torture. It reminded her of more of her favourite lessons in the Academy. The times where they had just learnt. She and history had had a long love affair that Vorak let her indulge in once more.

She loved that the dwarfs home seemed to be built on moments of great passion. It suited the molten backdrop they had chosen to call their home.

Before they entered the strange building Zana tied Zandor up outside and took out a travel food sack for the horse, plopping it down at his hooves. It didn't take him long to dive into it with a snort. Grey was still winding his way around the group to catch all their scents and nobody seemed bothered by the wolf being with them so she didn't tell him to stay outside.

"I think I could listen to these stories all day," she sighed as her eyes took in the odd building they now made their way through. "It makes our histories seem dull in comparison," and Vel'Anir's history was a turbulent one at best. Her voice lowered a little when she asked her next question. "Aren't we under dressed to see a king?"

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled wide. Seeing her like this made him practically walk through the air. He could feel every little droplet of joy she felt, every little ounce of fascination that she felt every time Vorak told her something new. "I think you're going to like Thror then."

He said with a smile.

The Old Dwarf had spoken of the histories even more than Vorak. He was a King connected to the past like only someone as old as him could be. Talus supposed that some of the Elves alive must have been the same, but he'd never had the opportunity to meet them.

Thror had been kind, genial, and had called Talus a true friend by the time he'd left Karak.

"He's six hundred years old." Older than half of Vel Anir's existence.

As they walked and Zana leaned into him her question brought a smile to his face.

"Things aren't..." How did he put this? "They're not as formal here."

In Vel Anir society was rigid, the class structure had been in place for a thousand years and the nobility had clung to it as tightly as possible. Here in Karak? As society and the population had declined, so had the standards that the nobility had once practiced. Thror had told him hed always hated the pomp and dance that went around his title.

As soon as he'd been able, he'd gotten rid of all those restrictions.

 

[Zana]

"I do not think I could not like one of your... friends," Zana said softly and then entwined their fingers as she leaned into him. Friends. Was there anyone she would even give that title to? Sloan was like a mother to her and Florinthe was another she would indeed call a friend - if a terrible influence of one. There was not anyone else. But Talus had not been wrong so far for she found herself warming to Vorak quite quickly; the way he spoke was passionate and he had a laugh that was hard to stay melancholy in the face of.

She was really looking forward to meeting Thror if what even half of Talus' emotions and words conveyed to her.

The assurance that things were less formal didn't settle her much though. It felt odd to come before such a person without even a gift or with the smell of horse from her hair. But still, she trusted him and she nodded.

"It feels odd that I would meet the King of another land before my own," there was a touch of... sadness perhaps in her tone. She was taught to be loyal of course to the crown but she couldn't think of what he even looked like. Did he even know what happened in his city? Beyond those thick walls?

 

[Talus]

Talus shrugged his shoulders, though he knew exactly where she was coming from. "Ive never even seen Anireth."

Not even during parades.

He'd always thought that was more the Houses doing than his own, but the truth was Talus had no real idea. It could be that the King himself was as much a bastard as any of the Ruling Houses. If the acts of his Royal Guard were to be taken as anything, Talus believed so.

"But." Talus said as he gently squeezed her hand. "I think if you had to meet a King for the first time, Thror is a good one."

He offered her a smile, and then they took the last door to the throne room.

The thing was as ostentatious as the rest of Karak, except everything within this hall glittered with lines of a silvery gold metal that seemed to be melted into the very stone itself. Hug gems addorned the crowns of statues, and beyond it all lay a throne that was shaped like a giant fist holding a hammer, exactly like the banner on Talus' wall.

Upon that throne sat a dwarf with a white beard, a simple circlet on gold on his brow. His eyes lit up when he saw Talus.

"My friend! You have returned! How glorious a day it is to see you once more, and to bring your new wife! Wonderful."

It seemed that Vorak had decided not to clear up Talus' mistake to the King.

"You are both of you most welcome within my halls."

 

[Zana]

"A really good proposal," Zana muttered under her breath as her cheeks coloured once more. Wife seemed such an alien concept when what had happened between them was so new even if it wasn't fragile.

As they stepped forward her eyes flicked over the room before landing on the man they were walking towards. If someone had asked her how old she thought he was she wouldn't have said a day over 50. He still looked to have many more years left in him for which Zana was glad for Talus' sake. When they came to a stop Zana took a deep bow, the long waves of her hair falling forward as she did so.

"It is an honour to meet you," it was hard to buck the years of training and she ended up standing very much like a soldier; hands behind her back, feet together.

 

[Talus]

"HA! I suppose it is, even though I'm rather underwhelming these days."

Thror answered with a wide smirk. "A mountain such as you underwhelming? Never, your majesty."

"Majesty! Cut the shit you little bastard, we had this talk last time, and I won't hear it from you either."

Thror pointed his finger at Zana, though she had not dared to utter the 'M' word yet. The old King pulled himself up from his throne, moving with a noticeable slowness to him. Talus frowned a bit, but tried not let his concern show.

He did not want to upset the Old King.

"Of course, old Habits Thror." The Dwarf slowly made his way towards Talus and Zana. He was shorter than Vorak, though it was clear he'd been bent by age more than anything else. He reached up and patted Talus on the chest, then looked to Zana.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm told your name is Zana, a lovely name. Common among the Travelers I believe. A kind folk, though they do not come here as often as they once did."

The king shook his head ruefully.

"I am glad you are here my friends. A feast will be held, I've already sent word!"

Talus was about to object, but then he realized it was probably futile. He glanced at Zana, smiling shyly and remembering her comment on the back of his head.

Maybe something with a dragon...

 

[Zana]

Zana looked a little taken aback by the accusationary finger and dismissal of airs and graces. It simply didn't compute with what she knew even if Talus had forewarned her they were not as formal. She floundered a little and shot Talus a look of bewilderment not knowing quite what to do. But Talus handled the whole thing with ease and referred to him by his name. Should she do that too? Despite his age she had to say she was a a tiny bit afraid of what he would try and do to her if she did use the term majesty.

"Yes your ma-" she bit her tongue sharply and offered him a weak smile, forcing herself to relax a little in her stance too. "Travellers from the West," her voice softened somewhat. Not many people caught her name and knew where it came from, it had caught her off guard. Her eyes flicked to Talus; she hadn't told him much about her family. But the mention of a feast and panic consumed her again.

Feasting meant drinking.

"Really... We don't want to impose," her eyes flicked between the two men. "Talus just told me so much about your city..." Her words were interrupted by the wolf who pushed between the pair to look up at the king, his head tilting to the side and ears twitching back and forth as he took in every sound. Then unceremoniously he jumped up and ran his tongue up the kings face.

 

[Talus]

A sudden large and boisterous laughter broke out from Thror's voice. His eyes seemed to light up and he tilted his head back as he nearly began to cackle like a mad man.

"Finally someone knows how to treat a King! My wife hasn't done that in ages!"

There were a few scandalous looks cast from some of the guard standing nearby, though most of them were clearly trying to suppress a smile at the corner of their mouths. Talus couldn't help but cringe slightly, putting a hand on Grey to settle him down.

"Zana's right Thror we just wanted to-" Talus found himself cut off.

"NONSENSE LAD!"

His voice boomed out again as he leaned down and began to scruff behind Grey's ear.

"My friend has returned and brought someone who can eat."

He was clearly referring to Grey and not Zana.

"A feast is what we must have and a feast we will have. It will be one for the ages! Celebrated in the halls of our sons and daughters!"

Oh dear. Even Talus gave Zana a weary look, frowning for a moment and opening his mouth before Thror once again cut him off

"Ah but you must be tired. Tonight. Tonight my friends! Vorak will show you to your manor until then. SOMEONE GET THIS DOG A BONE!"

Thror bellowed out as he laughed to himself and walked out of the throne room. "He's...he's something else, huh?"

Talus said quietly.

 

[Zana]

If Talus looked uncomfortable Zana looked absolutely mortified at Grey's behaviour. For a wolf who had looked at every man since Talus with absolute distrust she hadn't been expecting him to take to the King of all people or she would have had a better grip on him. She cast a look to Talus with an apology and her hand also joined his on Grey's scruff, tugging him back down. The wolf eventually sat and wagged his tail, giving Zana his best innocent held tilt before his eyes practically rolled back into his head at the Kings fuss.

"Traitor mutt," she whispered under her breath and Grey let his tongue roll out.

Zana felt her heart sinking as the King went on to proclaim the Feast would be one for the ages. It didn't seem like the type of thing she could get away not drinking at but she would try. Gods she would try. Or... Images flashed across her mind of drunken dancing on the table. Oh Gods.

"That is... one way of putting it," the Dreadlord watched him go then shook her head. Despite it all she couldn't help but smile. A guard did in fact drop a bone - and quite a large one - in front of Grey who snatched it up eagerly. "I think I've lost my dog..." she sighed.

 

[Talus]

Talus wondered where the hell the bone had come from, a hand coming up to rub at his face for a few seconds. "At least you know he'll be well treated."

He offered her a wry smile, reaching out a hand to touch the small of her back as he let out a sigh. He'd known Thror would want to do something, but...'a feast for the ages' was beyond what he'd expected. Perhaps the old King was going a bit mad.

"Vorak could you...?" Talus trailed off and the Smith nodded.

"Aye, lad."

There was another small chuckle, and slowly the small procession began to head back outside the building. Having seen Zana's enthusiasm before Vorak was no pointing things out without prompt, speaking about when a bridge was constructed or how something came to be as they passed it.

Eventually they reached a large manor, the building oddly square and blockish yet holding a certain kind of elegance.

"Thror says it's yours for as long as you like. Once belonged to Hearth Hammerfell before he passed in the Deep. A good man, had good taste."

Talus nodded and said a quick word of thanks before Vorak bid them goodbye, commenting that he would see them both later at the feast. "See what you get when you stick with me?"

He told Zana playfully.

"A feast and a mansion." He knew she was nervous, he could feel it through the bond. His hand touched the small of her back and he kissed her cheek as he tried to lighten the mood.

 

[Zana]

Such a small touch probably looked so simple to a race of people who were clearly in touch with their emotions but to Zana it was like a kiss. She practically fell against him as they turned to leave the hall and head back the way she came, enjoying the warmth of him as her side to try and get through the wheeling thoughts of her mind about the feast. Voruk helped in the distraction and tentatively and almost painfully shyly she ended up leaving Talus altogether to walk with the dwarf ahead of the group.

She felt the most vulnerable she had in years.

When they got to the manor Zana tried not to refuse it outright. Talus had thought her townhouse was grand but this was...

"This is too much," she said softly once the others had gone and turned into him, her hand and forehead coming to rest on his chest. "What did you do for these people that they treat you so?" she couldn't understand that someone would simply... do this out of friendship.

 

[Talus]

Talus let a shrug roll over his shoulders. He didn't really know what to say. The fact that Thror had become his friend, that these people had treated him this way had been a mystery to him as well.

Eventually though he'd just come to accept it. Maybe it was because he was a human and they were dwarves, maybe it was because he'd asked questions, or maybe they had simply come to like who he was. Talus had no idea, but he'd learned not to question it. "I don't know."

He said softly.

"But they saved my life." Talus considered for a moment. "They're my friends."

A smile touched his lips. "I think that might be enough."

He let his hand gently caress her cheek.

"Why don't we head inside?" Talus asked, glancing at the large set of double doors. "I want to spoil you"

 

[Zana]

Zana took a breath and tried to reason with herself that some things could not be explained. She couldn't explain why she loved Talus as much as she did, why she craved his touch nor why his smile made her stomach flip over itself. Perhaps friendship was simply a more toned down version of that. When he suggested going inside she let our her breath and then nodded, looking up at him with a coy smile.

"Yes, I would like to at least wash the smell of horse out if that's not considered too fancy here?" she raised an eyebrow then reluctantly stepped out of his arms and went to tie Zandor up outside. She took off his saddle and bridal and carried it inside once Talus had opened the door.

"What exactly do you wear to a dwarven feast?"

 

[Talus]

The inside of the house was as fancy as the outside.

Everything was made of stone of course, but the way it had been carved and crafted made it appear almost natural. The sprawling Manor opened first into a large foyer connected to three different rooms and then a single staircase which lead to a second floor.

The three rooms beyond the foyer all laid open. One was a library, the other a dining room, and the last what appeared to be nothing but a sitting room with a plush sofa. The Manor was huge, but entirely open, with no doors save the one at the top of the steps.

"In my experience?" Talus asked a she followed Zana inside, marveling at the splendor of what he found there. "...something you don't mind getting food on."

Talus finished as he took in the inside of their temporary home.

Most everything seemed to be decorated with veins of gold, silver, and a metal that he couldn't quite identify. Gems also lay scattered throughout, and decorations raging from paintings to hanging swords.

 

[Zana]

Zana was loathe to put down her dirty saddle and her bags when they stepped inside. It was beautiful. A work of art in and of itself.

Her boots echoed as she walked into the middle of foyer and then slowly turned in a tight circle, marvelling at the veins of rich metals and gems that threaded their way through the stone. She had never seen so much wealth in one place and they used it to build their homes. In the end she was so uncomfortable with the very idea of putting something filthy on the floor she took out her roll mat, set it down, then put the saddles and bags on top of it.

"I'll keep that in mind," she wasn't sure what that meant she should wear - was it a dress occasion? - but none of what she had packed did she mind getting ruined. In fact she everything she had brought it was with the very real possibility it would be ripped off of her.

There was only one room in the house Zana really, really wanted to see and she flashed him a grin as she jogged off in search of it. It took a few tries but she finally found it and a scream echoed through the house as she stood in the door. The kitchen was stunning. Huge. Nearly as large as the whole of the first level of her house. Tears formed in her eyes.

"I'm never leaving."

 

[Talus]

Talus stepped up behind Zana, wrapping his arms around her stomach and pulling her against himself. "Yeah?"

He looked around the massive kitchen.

There were things inside of it he'd never even seen before, and of course the craftsmanship on literally everything was utterly impeccable. His lips pursed for a moment, and then he softly pressed them against her neck.

"Just wait until you see the bath tub." He told her with a soft chuckle. Talus had not stayed in this manor, but given that it was far nicer than what Thror had given him before he assumed that the tub would be much the same or better there.

Another kiss was planted on her neck.

Of course, the word she spoke made his thoughts flicker to the idea of actually staying there. It was a small thought, one that disappeared as quick as it came, but it brought him a smile.

 

[Zana]

"Yeah," she repeated, her voice soft and awe stricken.

She wished they weren't going to a feast so she could cook. Her hands came to rest over his arms and she leaned back into him with a content sigh that turned into a shiver of pleasure as he kissed down on the purple bruise on her neck. Another kiss and she groaned, her legs going weak at the knees. It was not for the first time she quietly thought about how much trouble he was going to get her into.

"You know what to say to make a woman weak at the knees," she laughed softly and gave the kitchen one more longing look before allowing him to guide her towards the bathroom.

 

[Talus]

He guessed correctly that the bathroom would be upstairs along with the bedroom.

He swiped a hand over a small stone lever, the door falling away into the wall to reveal a bedroom fit for a King. The end was twice the size of the one in the Cabin, there was a dresser with a massive silver mirror, two closets the size of a large dwarf, and more decorations that seemed to run throughout it all.

Talus marveled for a few seconds, and then guided Zana towards the bathroom.

There they found the usual fair, though in one corner was a massive half spherical tub carved from more stone. It was large enough for four. There was a single drain at the bottom, and then a faucet with two handles on either side. A smile touched his lips and he walked over to the faucet. "Watch."

He said, turning the right handle.

Almost immediately water began to pour out, water that began to steam from it's own heat.

 

[Zana]

Zana let herself be tugged and guided, curling herself back into his arms with a hum at every opportunity he stopped. It was similar to how they danced along the kitchen together and she loved it. Her eyes ran over the bed and a million and one idea came to the mind that had nothing to do with rest. She bit her bottom lip as they hesitated there and she wondered if he would pushed her in that direction now, but he seemed to want to have a bath as much as she did.

Before he moved them on she dropped her bag of clothes in the bedroom doorway and then laughed as his gentle nudging.

She understood why he was so eager to show her the bathroom when she saw it for herself. It was almost, almost as good as the kitchen. Zana took her time following him into the room so she could take it all in once more, the beautiful carving and veins of precious metals. But when he asked her to watch she turned her attention to him and her mouth practically fell open.

"How?" Again, the need to know and understood as she sat down on the edge and ran her hands under the water curiously. It was a feat of engineering. "This is incredible, could you imagine having this at home?" she looked up at him in wonder.

 

[Talus]

Talus raised his hands as if playing innocent. "Don't ask me that question, Love."

He smiled at her, putting his hand on the small of her back.

"Vorak tried to explain it to me once, something about an underground lake and how the Magma flows heat it up." A shrug rolled over his shoulders. "Science wasn't exactly my best subject in the Academy."

It wasn't that he was stupid, his mind was just more apt for...other things.

He smiled, slipping his hand beneath the hem of her shirt. "Want to try it out?"