"Joachim, are you sure we should get off this early?" Garzog's gravely voice startled the dwarf. Somehow his companion managed to walk silently of the deck of the aging river galley. His own steps always found the creaking deck boards.
"If nothing else, you won't be able to sneak up on me, tovarishch." Turning towards his friend, finding his face lit by Jzhan's last rays. Rough and weathered stone described the rune priest best. Sharp cheeks and nose with a rounded off square jaw lined by thick brown beard. Wind tossed Garzog's shoulder length hair, free of normal duck tail pull back.
"Bah, you just worry too much about the river beasts." Slapping the railing, Garzog's white teeth glinted as the sun dipped beneath the horizon. "These rails are enough, given the free board he has."
Joachim turned back to the river, eyeing warily the island ahead. "My only worry rises from our captain demanding weapons staying in our travel chests." Glancing around, he noted the positions of the elves on deck, furling sails as the wind shifted with the setting sun. "Too many of these duch possess a poor idea about ownership, judging by their gaudy jewelry pulled out once we left Tyrosht."
Leaning on the railing, Garzog dropped his voice to a whisper. "Indeed. More observant than me on that." Sneaking his own peeks, the priest noted several large stoned earrings among the crew. Ones matching the descriptions a port official questioned the dwarves about before the ship sailed.
"River men generally bear a goodly amount of bor blood in them. Something I understood when we booked passage. I trust them not beyond this island." He motioned to lights in the foothills over the left railing. "There lies one place we must visit, anyway. Pragotsyennei-Kamengorod. Krepost-kofs long un-audited by the Tsar's inspectors. Not to mention, this visit drops our feet back onto kamen e zemlya. Too long on water for me this trip."
Garzog couged as the galley rowers changed their pace a bit, lining the craft up with the right side channel. "Bah, the desert will dry that off us. Though I have only seen hints of it so far."
Joachim smiled a bit, though the darkness hid it. "The Pustinya vDveidzhyushcheiecya Pil, where the dust never settles down, unless devouring a city. Wasted lands, yet filled with rumors of treasure that lure honest karleekie to their doom." Shaking his head. "Once, that time I took ship to the west as a boy, I saw Pelori, on the western end. Gray sands far as one could see to the east. And Nicolai demanding I come back during the great zatmeneeye, the long dark shadow, bodes ill, my friend."
Slapping his hand to Joachim's shoulder, he laughed. "Joachim, you forget your sense of adventure. We are young, wild dwarves, off to take our own claim."
"Twenty years is long to men, but my memories of this place are not good and still recent to me." Against the horizon a bridge loomed over the channel. "Like these bridges, Garzog, we stone folk stand the tests of time. Sixteen vyek they span this river. Built by our ancestors for the human empire that fell two ages ago."
Garzog chuckled in the dimming light. "Sixteen centuries, use the trade tongue, tovarishch. Lest our captain think we plan to rob him first."
Baring his teeth to the wind, Joachim let his friend think he snuck in the last words for a bit. Already he noted the torches along the stone quay built along the island's shore. There tall shadows and short ones danced under twilight's fiery sky. Crimson and pink clouds, amid the orange haze of dust stirred by the winds from the desert. Omen of blood spilt soon, as he remembered the heroic ballads saying.
Waiting patiently for ropes to secure the ship did not come easy to a matros with many ocean voyages under his belt. Fingers rapped an old sea chantey upon the rail, one learnt his first trip out. Joachim grimaced at the words contained in it. "Burning sky over orange sea, as the ship foundered upon the shoals." More poetic in his native tongue, but apt in the others he spoke as well.
Once assured his galley securely moored, the captain strolled over to them. "Very well, pumillo, this is the port for Gemmarium." Looking them over, the elf smiled darkly. "Now, as you were booked to Radixium, there will be an additional fee for early departure, as well the full passage price upstream."
Garzog backed away when Joachim's hand dove beneath his tunic, producing a short throwing ax. "Silence." One word that left both elf and dwarf companions puzzled.
"You dare tell me to be quiet. This is my ship, pumillo, you do well to remember I am the law on water."
"No, I offer silence about these as our price." The ax lifted over Joachim's head to tap the grandly cut diamond decorating the captain's ear. "I won't talk about these, which a wise person would have kept hidden a few trips, and you don't speak of us. Though it would be fair if you refunded half the fee from here to Radixium. After all, I am sure you have some cargo to smuggle there from here."
"Jakin from the Hills, you bargain shrewdly as ever." The anger melted to mirth. "Never thought you would keep a hatchet under the mail. Should have remembered that dice game on the Lorsan Coast. We made a fortune that night."
Joachim winced at the elvish pronunciation of his name. Something he'd forgotten until now. Officials dealt with along the line prided themselves on being precise in their speaking, especially with names. Then a smile lit his eyes only. "Full fare, you owe me for letting you ride along with my dice that night."
Laughing, the captain tossed him several coins from the fallen empire. "Full fare for the trip. Annia was certain it was not you, and convinced me otherwise." He motioned dock-wards, where their chests and gear passed from hand to hand from the hold onto the quay. "Never saw you, swift fingers."
"Never laid eyes on gems on-board if pressed, black arrow." Joachim stalked across the deck, legs feeling the stone under them already. "Next trip, I might bring my dice!" Roaring that challenge, he scrambled across the gangway, with Garzog swift behind him.
"Tovarishsch, you forgot telling that tale along the way." Garzog grumbled.
Checking the seals, Joachim merely smiled. "Priests look poorly upon turning rune casting into a game of chance."
"Little you know of us. We cast stones for chores while novices, against our teachers."
The captain turned after speaking to those loading his vessel. "Jakin! Beware of games of chance. I hear that Triconis passed this way two days ago to Radixium."
Sparks danced amid the browns and reds of his eyes, Jakin looked intrigued. "The stunted elf?"
"All three! My cousins say the three eyed one is there with the Custos." The captain shook his head, "Not good news for us gamblers."
"I just ride along with them at stones, stay out of card games, and watch the fights in the taverns they start." Laughing, Joachim raised his hand is salute. "Keep it off sandbars, Laenas! Don't want to find you stuck as I ride the riverside trail!"
"I was drunk that time, you scoundrel!"
Still chuckling, he turned about, finding Garzog smiling, holding the reins of four small ponies. "Mountain stock, already here. There is a fifth waiting there."
Walking over, Joachim spotted a slip of paper tucked between halter and pony. The docile creature seemed happy for him to remove that irritation He opened it slowly, recognizing the awful rendering of runes, poor spelling and limited vocabulary. "Vill sez U will need annuder pone. Hope two conthinue aks leshons."
"A seer told a friend we would need this, Garzog." Joachim folded the note carefully, tucking it into a pouch, where other such notes resided over the years.
The rune priest walked over, looking at the equipment on the pony. "Beginner's gear." Then his hands found the shroud and goggles of darkened glass. "Yadneik? We are to deal with those of the poisoned minds?"
"Your aunt married up there, did she not." Joachim noted some bits on the side away from Garzog. Tools of a trade he despised, daggers, and an ax of design he knew well.
"Yes. Father's sister. Captured, married and stayed after her ransom was paid. He said Grandfather was furious over it, took her ax and cast it off a cliff."
Lifing the axe, Joachim spoke with dread. "That seer told him many things, I would bet. Else, why this axe on the pony."
Sharp intake of breath marked Garzog's shock. Silence lay between them for a while. When the rune priest spoke at last, his voice was soft. "Hide that thing. How good is this seer. Do you know him."
"One of the Triconis, as the point ears call them. (Rascals) as we name them. Good men, good hearts, lots of bad luck though. The seer, I know the (Great Spearman) himself watches over him. Something about a prophecy." Shaking his head, Joachim set the weapon back where he found it. "Guess we will have a guest. Your aunt?"
Garzog looked grim. "She died a few (decades) back. No, this will be her son, I would guess." Then he smiled. "I have a cousin, perhaps he will travel with us."
Mounting his own pony, the warrior dwarf nodded. "Let us hope he can tolerate us. But to walk out from under those mountains, that is something only ezganeik do."
Climbing into the saddle, Garzog nodded, still smiling, but worry lines around his eyes. "Yes. But an exile from the Dyermo must have redeeming qualities."
Riding across the island, the road proved still in good condition, despite the ages since constructed. Both karleekie stayed silent, even while crossing the bridge across the south channel. Several ships lay at anchor, waiting the light of day to sail. More sat lifted onto cradles along the shore. Few wished to travel during the coming eclipse. The (eclipse) bore ill-luck. Their own journey requiring moving under the shadow worried Joachim.
Several hands of the stars across the sky later, the two found a campsite, near the start of the great gorge of the Yakim into the mountains above them. Sounds of flint on steel rose near a simple stone oven often made by their kind at such places. Trading glances, the dwarves checked their beasts well outside the clearing.
Joachim spent time watching the site, noting only one shadow moving for certain, but at times his peripheral vision caught motions in the scrub trees sheltering the place. Catching Garzog's eyes, hands moved in the silent commands for watcher. Puzzled at first, Garzog moved his head about slowly. Sitting up suddenly, metal of his mail coat jangled, breaking their silence. "Prezrak." His only word.
The warrior sucked in a breath, startled about a ghost being here. Campsites in this part of the world were supposedly safe havens from attacks. Meeting his companion's eyes, noting Garzog's nod, he rode forward, letting the pony rattle brush as he approached the clearing.
"(hail) the fire! May we join you."
Silence met his call. Then a chuckle. "What fire? Never could start one."
Joachim laughed. "There is a trick to it. I'd be willing to share the trick, and provisions, to stay the rest of the night."
Another long pause. "Karleekie?" Questioning tone spoke of caution.
"Couriers of the Tsar." Joachim ratcheted up his appraisal of the youth a bit. The lack of rock tones in the voice spoke the lack of years.
"Bozhemoi. Well, this outcast may be bad luck for you." One last strike of stone on metal then the hint of glow as tinder caught. "Or you may be fortune for me. Come in and sit."
Choosing his way carefully, Joachim led in his pack animal as Garzog herded in his animal and the spare mount. Once in, the warrior nodded at the young dwarf, barely old enough to grow the beard, judging by gaps along his jaw and missing sideburns.
"Not so strong a breath. Gentle puffs, until the twigs catch." Dismounting proved difficult, something spooking the ponies. Fighting to keep his under control when half off the saddle prompted several curses.
The boy looked up, fiery hair gleaming off light from the first licks of flame. "Silly bor, haunting the ponies as he can't scare me."
Reaching ground, Joachim gave the boy a steady gaze. "Bor? There is a thief running around in the brush?"
"Ghost of one. Believe he may be upset I took his tools and weapons." The boy met the stare with honest eyes at least. "Dobri Vecher, Gospozhee."
"And good evening or night to you as well young one. I am Joachim ot Choelm, my companion goes by Garzog Goryets when in strange lands."
The eyes narrowed a bit. "I have no place to be from. Call me Dzhio Stranneik, I guess."
The rune priest looked at him carefully. Noting the hair and skin tones. "I will not ask why you are exiled. But this I must know. You have look different from most Dyermo. Mother or father was from another band?"
Meeting the gaze, the boy nodded softly. "Mother."
Garzog sighed. "Well met, droyudrenei brat. I am the son of your mother's brother." Walking forward slowly, he extended his left hand. "Any kin cast out of the Dyermo lands has potential in my book."
Dzhino rose, accepting the gesture warily, hand only lightly clasping the wrist, while Garzog's held strong. "So I still have family, despite being shsilka?"
Garzog smiled. "Family and more, malchik." Walking to the spare mount, Garzog retrieved the ax on the saddle. "Your mother's syekeira, young man. Bear it well."
Looking into his eyes, the young man spoke softly, voice pitched not to carry beyond the ears of those near the fire. "I, Dzhino Tsyepochka, accept this in her honor. Spasebo, cousin."
"Pdzhalsta, Dzhino. Welcome to the clan. I, Gramrond Dargovovich accept you." Smiling widely, the dwarf winked. "Ignore my grumpy friend, cousin. He feels we should live up to our stand-offish reputations."
Joachim laughed. "No, I just think a rune priest should behave more properly." He settled in by the neglected fire, building it up properly.
Catching the eye of his new found kin, Dzhino whispered loudly. "You are a rune priest? Could you help me with a small matter. I stirred up a prezrak that is following me."
Garzog smiled. "Tell us this tale. I am not skilled at banishing ghosts, but something about it makes me wary of doing so. I feel there is something here we do not know.
Cradling his mother's battleaxe, the young Karlykn told them of his journey the last two days.
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