Backyard Dungeon 6 Chapter 2

After we’d packed for our trip to the Gloom, Nileme, Bolra, and I said goodbye to Amrila and Ibseth. It was always hard to leave the Elven woman, my first wife, but I knew Amrila and Dread would keep her safe until I got back. They also had the old Hi-Point pistol and Bulgarian AK, and I’d made sure they were in working order when I checked the Galil over. There was also the retired police officer, Jack Tinor, across the cul-de-sac. Ibseth had made friends with him and his wife, and they always looked out for her.

“I’ll be back soon,” I said as we got ready to head into the backyard. “Make sure to keep Dread in the backyard at night. That way he can look after both houses.”

“What if it rains?” Ibseth asked with a look of concern.

“Then you can bring him in,” I chuckled. “But it’s not that cold out yet, and I’ll feel better if I know he’s guarding the yard.”

“Yes, my king.” The white-haired woman smiled.

“Don’t get into any good fights without me,” Amrila pouted as I kissed her goodbye.

“I promise, partner.” I grinned. “And with Ursenger gone, I doubt there’ll be much trouble on this trip. Next time, you and I can go hunt down another troll or something.”

“Mmm,” my Zencarri wife sighed with a whimsical expression as she remembered the first time we met. “That was a good fight.”

“And we’ll have many other opportunities to make similarly happy memories.” I smirked and gave Amirla one last kiss on the cheek.

Then we went into the backyard and headed into the lilac bushes. The bushes had started to drop their leaves, and I could see the metal door through the branches now.

“Come on, Growler,” I called.

The red-eared dog ran over and waited dutifully at my side, so I let Nileme go down the ladder first, and then I handed Growler down to her. The garm had gotten bigger, and I thought I should build some stairs to replace the ladder soon. Growler would get a lot bigger, and if I wanted to take him with me to The Gloom, it would be a hell of a lot easier to get him up and down the stairs into the tunnels when he got too big to pick up.

My wives and I headed to see the Dwarves first. I needed a sword, and I knew they had a stockpile from the old days of their citadel. When we reached the workroom where the Dwarves usually gathered, Saggor and Tauric were there at their work tables.

“Guardian of the tunnels.” Saggor smiled as he saw me and my wives come into the large, cavern-like room. “And we have some new friends.”

As the two Dwarves approached, my garm let out a low growl, and the two men stopped in their tracks.

I knew all of the white dog’s growls by heart now, and this one was more of a question than a threat.

“Heel, Growler,” I said gently, and the garm sat on his haunches. “Don’t mind him. That’s just what he does.”

“Is that a garm?” Tauric rumbled as he scratched his iron gray beard. “Beclin would be sorry to miss this. He’s wanted to see one since he read about them as a boy.”

“Really?” I asked as I set the cases of beer on one of the tables. “Yeah, I have two of them. Rescued them from some Goblins.”

“The Dwarves of old used to tame them,” Saggor commented as he kept a respectable distance from Growler. “But those bloodlines died out a long time ago. What are you up to know, Eddie? Assaulting an Elven city? Ridding The Gloom of a Giant Spider infestation?”

“Actually,” I replied as I smiled at the Orcish woman, “I’m visiting my brother-in-law. This is my wife Bolra.”

“Are you indeed?” the elder Dwarf asked. “Congratulations! Eddie Hill is a fine man.”

“I agree.” Bolra smiled and blushed as she looked at me.

“That’s actually why I’m here and what the beer is for,” I continued. “I was hoping to trade it for a good sword, or maybe a battle ax.”

“I have plenty of those, friend Eddie,” Tauric said with a hearty laugh. “No need for trade, I’m not using them-- but I will accept the beer as a token of friendship.”

Tauric took me back to the armory, and Bolra helped me to pick out a large, two-handed ax that I was not looking forward to carrying all the way to Tors Bane.

When we got back to the workroom, Beclin and Dorrem had arrived, and the smaller, red-haired Dwarf’s eyes lit up when he saw Growler with me.

“A garm!” Beclin gasped. “Eddie! You have a garm.”

“He knows he has it,” Dorrem grumbled as he poured over a massive book and sipped a beer. “The beast is the size of a small ink. It’s not as if he could miss it.”

“He’s a beautiful animal,” Beclin continued as he ignored the other Dwarf’s sour comments. “Is he tame?”

“As far as I can tell,” I snorted.

The small Dwarf hopped down off his stool and carefully approached Growler, who cocked his head as the bearded man stepped toward him.

Beclin was only slightly taller than Growler when the dog sat on his haunches, but the Dwarf wasn’t deterred by the garm’s soft growls as the others had been. Beclin held out his hand for the dog to sniff. I wasn’t worried, because I’d seen both garms play with my old neighbor’s kids, and I knew Growler wasn’t aggressive.

The garm sniffed the red-bearded Dwarf’s tiny hand, and then after a pause, he licked it.

“What a good laddy you are.” The small Dwarf grinned and started to enthusiastically pet the white-furred dog. “What is his name?”

“Growler,” I chuckled as I watched the little man make friends with my dog.

“Good lad, Growler,” Beclin said as Growler licked his face.

“It would serve you right if it ate you in one bite,” Dorrem scoffed from his table.

“Oh, Eddie, I have good news,” Beclin said to me as he scratched Growler’s ears, and the garm leaned into the affectionate Dwarf. “I think we are close to creating Seer Stones.”

“That’s awesome!” I grinned. “How much longer do you think it will take?”

“It’s hard to say.” Saggor scratched at his beard, and I noticed again the tired look the old Dwarf had started to develop. “It could be a matter of days or weeks. But we are close.”

“I’ll check in again soon, then,” I replied. “Thank you so much. You’ve all helped me more than I could repay.”

“The beer helps,” Dorrem snorted and raised his bottle.

My wives and I said goodbye to the Dwarves, and Beclin seemed genuinely sad to see Growler go, so I made a mental note to bring the garm by again.

Then the three of us made our way back to the northern tunnels, because it was quicker to get to Tors Bane through the Yennih lands than to go through the Twilight Region. As we walked through the Great Forest, Nileme and I watched the tree line above us for Nictors, just in case any of Ursenegr’s surviving henchmen were still around. Even though the Mad Chief was dead, it would take some time to rout out the last of his loyalists, and it had only been a few days since the battle.

As we walked, I heard an assertive squeak near the forest floor, so I looked down and saw Scar, the leader of the forest Brownies. The tiny warrior had a few of his people with him, and they began to appear out of the underbrush.

Growler cocked his head curiously as he looked at the small, rat-like people.

“Heel,” I said to the garm before I kneeled on the ground, took off my backpack, and then looked at Scar. “It’s good to see you again.”

The scarred leader of the Brownies bowed his head to me and squeaked again, and I wished I had Scourge with me to translate.

“I brought you these,” I told the Brownie leader as I opened a pack of the mochi I’d brought with me. “I think you and your people will like them.”

I handed a squishy, powdered sugar covered ball to the warrior, and it looked huge in his tiny hands. Scar sniffed it as his long whiskers twitched, and then he took a small bite. Scar raised his brow ridge in a look of pleased surprise and squeaked a few more times before he bowed in thanks.

“Glad you like them,” I chuckled as I set the package down for his people to take. “Has there been any trouble in the forest?”

Nileme and Bolra stood quietly behind me as Scar shook his head. Then the Brownie leader flattened his hand and made a sweeping gesture that I took to mean “all clear,”

“Perfect.” I smiled as I put on my backpack and stood. “Thank you, sir. Enjoy the sweets. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

Scar bowed to me again, took a huge bite of mochi, and then signaled for his people to disappear again into the forest. I’d have to get Scourge to teach me their language one day. It would be nice to talk to Scar, since he was my oldest friend in The Gloom, but I could even imagine how long it would take to learn what each subtle squeak meant.

Without an army to slow us down, it only took the better part of a day to reach the Yennih capital. It was nice to not have to sneak around and avoid soldiers. The Gloom was still filled with all kinds of dangers, and Nileme and I kept our firearms close, but it was almost leisurely. When we reached the gates, I noticed a mix of Dolrath and Yennih guards in front of the city, and it was a surreal sight.

A Dolrath soldier quickly recognized me, and we were immediately let into the city. The streets beyond the gates looked normal enough. Night Elves went about their daily business. They were common workmen and merchants, who were unable to stop their daily lives just because their government had been overthrown. There were a few Dolrath and Crardu soldiers who patrolled the streets, but the atmosphere in the city didn’t feel tense or suspicious.

Then my wives and I headed to the palace where I figured I would find Chief Ekneme, or whoever she and Chief Murdrak had placed as a temporary regent. There were more Dolrath soldiers on the palace steps, and I didn’t see more than a couple Yennih soldiers here. I wondered how the chiefs determined which of Ursenger’s former soldiers to trust. I knew the Dolrath chief was a shrewd and hard woman, so she would have carefully vetted any soldier she’d allowed to remain in the city guard.

“Shield Brother!” One of the soldiers at the doors to the palace stood to attention and saluted me, and it took me a moment to recognize him.

“Anidan?” I asked as I looked at the young soldier with a shock of bright, red hair. “Is that new armor?”

Anidan had fought in my unit in the Battle of the Great Forest when I killed the old Yennih chief. I’d worried when Anidan joined the unit, because his father and uncle had both died nobly in other battles under my command, but the young Night Elf made it through and proved to be a fine warrior.

“Yes, Shield Brother.” Anidan grinned as his youthful face glowed with pride. “The Chief gave me a promotion to lieutenant after the battle.”

“Your mothers must be very proud.” I smiled back. “How’s that scar treating you?”

“Very well,” the young man replied with a sly smile as he proudly touched his side.

“He won’t stop showing it to bar wenches,” the other Dolrath soldier at the door complained as he rolled his eyes. “And bragging that he served with you, sir.”

“Kelik is just jealous that the Yennih women seem to prefer me,” Anidan snorted.

I couldn’t help but grin back. Anidan was probably older than me, given the way the Night Elves aged, but his manner made him seem a lot younger.

“You’ll just have to get yourself a scar with a good story, Kelik,” Nileme teased.

“I have plenty of scars, my lady,” Kelik replied defensively. “The women just prefer him because he served under the Vampire of The Gloom, and I was just an infantry man.”

“Next time I take down a tyrant, I’ll bring you along,” I chuckled as I looked at Kelik. “Then you can get all the bar wenches you want.”

“I am looking forward to it.” He nodded to me.

“Is my mother here?” Nileme asked the soldiers.

“Yes, my lady,” Anidan replied. “Last I heard, she was in the throne room with her advisors.”

The two soldiers opened the door wide for us, and I offered Bolra my arm before the three of us walked into the entrance hall.

We stepped onto the interior marble floors, and there was immediately a commotion as several Dolrath and Crardu soldiers dragged away a fat, older Night Elf man in fine silk robes.

“You sulfurous slime!” the fat man shouted as he struggled between two soldiers. “You Demon fuck! You’ll pay for meddling in the affairs of your betters!”

“Oh come now, Geliden,” I heard Scourge’s silky voice calmly reply. “You worked so hard building the jail. Now, you’ll get to enjoy its accommodations.”

I turned and saw the Zencarri thief at the foot of one of the long, curved staircases as he watched the fat Elf being dragged away with a broad smile.

The thief had gotten some new clothes. Scourge wore a plum colored jerkin with golden starbursts embroidered down the front, fine, black pants, and soft leather boots that even I could tell were expensive.

“You look like you’re doing well,” I chuckled as my wives and I walked up to the dark-haired man.

“Helping to rebuild a government has its perks.” Scourge grinned as we shook hands. “What brings you three to the capital again so soon?”

“We’re just stopping through on our way to Tors Bane,” I replied.

Scourge was a clever man, and I saw his eyes go from me, to Bolra, and then to our interlocked arms.

“Good for you.” The Zencarri man’s tone had a hint of banter in it as he rolled his eyes. “But you should really leave a few wives for the other men of The Gloom.”

“Eddie can’t help it if women find him irresistible,” the pretty Orc giggled.

“Indeed,” Scourge replied with a tolerant smile.

The Zencarri man had no interest is sex or romance and always seemed to find the whole thing silly.

“What was all that about?” I asked as I jerked my head toward where the soldiers had dragged the old Elf off.

“Geliden was one of Ursenger’s pet nobles.” Scourge shrugged. “He built and ran the jail. Seems almost every political prisoner under his watch met with terrible ‘accidents.’ Have you seen Lady Ekneme yet?”

“No.” I shook my head. “We just got to the city.”

“Then allow me to take you to her.” The thief smiled as he offered his arm to Nileme.

The Dolrath princess laughed as she accepted the slinky man’s arm, and he led us to the throne room.

The Dolrath Chief stood in the center of the room with several warriors in beetle shell armor and a few Night Elves in Yennih style finery. Ekneme spoke quietly with her advisors as the four of us walked up, and then she smiled when she saw us.

“Dear daughter,” the chief said as she embraced the princess and turned to me. “It is good to see you again so soon, son,”

“How are things going here?” I asked as I looked around at the advisors.

“Well enough,” Ekneme sighed as she dismissed the circle of powerful men with a nod of her head. “The city has been quiet for the most part. I get the impression that most of the Yennih are glad to be rid of Ursenegr.”

“But not all of them?” Nileme noted as the advisors left the throne room.

“There have been a few minor incidents as we’ve arrested corrupt officials,” Scourge remarked in a bland tone. “But Lady Ekneme has instituted a policy of due process for the accused, rather than outright execution.”

“Ursenger was a tyrant,” the chief said in a tone that made it clear this was a conversion the two had engaged in before. “We cannot claim to be any different from him if we simply slaughter political enemies. And public trials are good for the people. They can hear for themselves the evidence of corruption. It’s not expedient, but we have to establish a legitimate government if we want long term peace.”

“This is why I’m not a politician.” Scourge smirked with a small bow to Ekneme.

“Any luck with finding a regent to run things here?” I asked the chief.

“Not yet.” Ekneme shook her head. “But it’s early days. We will have to select someone the Yennih can trust, and who we know wasn’t a part of Ursenger’s inner circle. That will also take time.”

“Who is running things at the Encampment, Mother?” Nileme asked.

“Bhathok, for now.” The chief smiled with private amusement. “He hates it. The general isn’t much of a politician either, but I trust him to manage until I can return. Though I would prefer it if you could spare the time to act in my stead, daughter.”

“We have a few things to take care of first,” Nileme said as she looked at me. “But I will see what I can do.”

“I’ve said it before.” I nodded. “I understand you have obligations to your people. If Bhathok can handle things for now, then I could really use Nileme with me for now. But if you have to stay here to keep the Yennih from falling apart, Chief, then we’ll find a way to work it out so Nileme can stay at the Encampment for a while.”

“That’s good,” the Dolrath chief replied with a pleased expression. “Murdrak has left part of his army in the Yennih territory so we can keep the peace until more permanent arrangements are made. But I worry about our forces being spread too thin if any other trouble should arise in the other territories.”

“We’re on our way to Tors Bane,” I said as I thought about the black sedan and whoever it was that had followed me. “And I have a personal matter I have to take care of. But I’ll do whatever I can to help out here.”

“Going back home?” Ekneme smiled maternally at Bolra, who still held my arm as she listened.

“Not exactly,” the shaman said as she looked at me from the side of her eye.

“Eddie has taken Bolra as his wife,” Nileme replied with a proud smile.

“Then my family has grown while I was not looking,” the chief said as she stretched out her strong arms to embrace the pretty Orc. “Welcome, daughter.”

Bolra hugged the tall, elder woman, and the seer’s face glowed with a rosy blush at the unexpected declaration.

I really liked my mother-in-law. Ekneme was a stern leader, but she was also one of the most accepting and warm people I’d met in The Gloom.

“Have you given any thought to what we spoke about last time?” Ekneme asked as she turned back to me. “About Ibseth being the last of the line of Yennih chiefs?”

“I have,” I replied as I tried to carefully choose my words. “I think Ibseth would do anything to help her people, but she’s too sweet natured to be a leader. And honestly, she doesn’t want to come back to the Yennih lands. She’s really happy where she is.”

“As her husband,” the chief reminded me, “it would be your right to rule. The Yennih are a backwards people. They wouldn’t accept a woman to rule them for long. I have had trouble myself with many of the nobles in the city, and it’s only the army at my back that keeps them in line.”

“I’m not a leader.” I shook my head. “At least not that kind of leader. I can command a unit of soldiers, no problem. But I have a whole life somewhere else. And I really think it should be someone who understands the Yennih ways and mindset. That’s just not me, ma’am.”

“It takes a wise man to realize that.” Ekneme nodded. “But it’s the line of Yennih chiefs who keep the Demons of the Deeper Dark bound. We will need to find someone who can step into that role.”

“I have my spies looking for a solution,” Scourge added. “Ibseth’s father was well known for his love of women, and it’s possible there is some obscure heir out there. But we haven’t had any luck finding leads yet.”

“I’ll speak to Ibseth and see if she knows anything that could help,” I replied. “And I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

“Thank you.” The chief inclined her head at me.

Then my wives and I stayed the night at the palace and ate dinner with Ekneme and Scourge.

The chief caught Nileme up on everything that had happened and reports she’d gotten from Bhathok about things at the Encampment. But for the most part, things were under control for now. It actually kinda felt weird not to have some kind of crisis to deal with for once, and to be able to enjoy a family meal with my mother-in-law.

I sat next to Scourge as he told me about his network of spies and his efforts to rout out the Mad Chief’s loyalists.

“Mytina has been no help at all,” the thief said as he rolled his dark eyes and sipped wine from a goblet. “She has stopped talking to us completely.”

“Mytina?” I asked as I picked at a rich cake the servants had brought for dessert.

“The lustful Night Elf brat who threw herself at your feet when we claimed the palace,” Scourge snorted. “Ursenger’s mistress.”

“Oh,” I replied with a disgusted expression as I remembered the woman was also one of Ursenger’s sisters. “Her.”

“Indeed.” The Zencarri man nodded. “Ekneme won’t let me interrogate her properly. But I can feel in my bones she’s hiding something. I know men talk after they satisfy themselves with a woman, and I would bet my fortune she knows a great deal more than what little she has told us.”

“Interrogate,” I repeated the word. “I assume you mean torture.”

“Call it what you like.” The dark-skinned man shrugged. “It doesn’t always yield reliable information. But anything is better than nothing at the moment.”

Mytina was a spoiled, entitled bitch from what little I remembered of the white-haired woman, but I was on Ekneme’s side on this one. The Dolrath chief was right that if we stooped to torture and murder, we wouldn’t be any better than Ursenger.

“Hey…” I perked up as I remembered something and was glad to change the subject. “I got you something.”

I gave Growler a table scrap, and then I reached into my backpack where I’d set it down behind me and pulled out the teapot and tea strainer. The strainer had a little charm that looked like an owl at the end of a short chain.

“Here you go.” I grinned as I handed them to the Zencarri thief.

“How lovely.” Scourge smiled as he looked over the two gifts. “You alway give me such wondrous things, friend. I’m beginning to feel bad that I have yet to give you a gift.”

“You’ve fought alongside me enough times,” I chuckled as I waved my hand. “And I just like to give gifts.”

“The artwork is so fine on this,” Scourge commented as he studied the hand painted cherry trees on the side of the pot. “Are these trees that grow-- where you are from?”

The thief was careful not to reveal he knew I was from the surface world, and I appreciated that.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “They’re not in bloom right now, though.”

“Hopefully, this business in the city will be done soon, and I can come for that visit,” Scourge replied in a low tone so Ekneme didn’t hear. “I’m getting bored with political intrigue. I can’t remember the last time I’ve stayed in one place for so long.”

“It’s only been a few days,” I snorted.

“Really?” the gray-skinned sighed. “It feels like a lifetime already.”

The two of us laughed and recounted our adventures for the rest of dinner.

The next day, my wives and I said goodbye to the chief and Scourge, and then we continued our journey to Tors Bane through the Yennih lands and into the Crardu territory. It took two days to get there, but we luckily didn’t run into any trouble on the way.

Finally, the small village near the northern entrance to the Twilight Region came into view.

Tors Bane was mostly just a few small houses, the barracks where the guards lived, and a handful of artisans and farmers that sustained the outpost. The entire village was dedicated to the barrack’s of Captain Xuag’s soldiers, who guarded the entrance to the Twilight and made sure nothing came into The Gloom from the lower reaches of the caves.

As we approached, several of the villagers stopped and watched, and by the time we actually entered the settlement, word of our arrival had already reached Xuag, so the big Orc was waiting in the village square with a group of his soldiers to greet us.

Bolra ran ahead when she saw her brother, and the two warmly embraced each other.

“I am so happy you are home.” The captain grinned as he hugged his little sister.

“Are you well, brother?” the shaman asked as she looked up at the muscular, dark-haired Orc.

“Much better now that I see you,” he replied, and then he turned to me. “Thank you for looking after her, little brother.”

“It was my pleasure,” I said a little awkwardly as I hefted the heavy, two-handed ax I’d brought. “How have things been here?”

I wasn’t sure how or when to tell the big man about Bolra and me, and I was very aware of all the captain’s warriors milling around the square.

“Well enough.” Xuag shrugged, but I got the impression there was something he wasn’t saying. “We can talk about that later. First, I want to have a feast to welcome Bolra home.”

“Actually,” the willowy woman replied with a glance in my direction, “we have something we should tell you.”

Shit.

I’d really hoped to have this conversation in private, but Xuag looked from his sister to me, and his thick, black eyebrow shot up.

“And what is that?” the captain asked with an unreadable expression on his broad face.

“Xuag,” I said as I stood to my full height and braced myself, “I’ve asked Bolra to marry me, and she’s said yes.”

I discreetly skipped over the part where we’d already consummated the relationship.

Xuag looked from Bolra to me again, and then he stepped around his sister and walked toward me. I had a few inches on the captain, but he was still big as hell. Still, I stood my ground and kept my face neutral. Then Xuag stopped only a foot away from me, and his prominent brow was knitted together as the captain looked me in the eyes.

Nileme was right behind me, and we were both armed, but I could feel the knot in my stomach clench all the same. My garm growled softly next to me, but both Xuag and I ignored him for the moment.

“I brought this for you,” I said as I lifted the ax up, looked right back at the Orcish man, and tried not to blink.

I knew Orcs valued strength more than anything, and that I could not show any sign of weakness. But Xuag didn’t even look at the ax, and the whole square had gone deadly silent as the rest of the village watched what happened next.

“Little brother!” Xuag finally exclaimed as a grin cracked his brutish face.

Then the captain suddenly threw his arms wide and crushed me in a rough embrace.

“My new brother!” Xuag shouted loud enough for his voice to echo off the cavern ceiling as he delivered three rough pats to my back and let go of me. “We have a new member to our clan!”

The villagers and soldiers all cheered. Almost everyone in Tors Bane were Orcs, but even the handful of Night Elves who lived in the village also clapped their hands and stomped their feet.

“It shall be a wedding feast then!” the captain said in a grand tone. “To celebrate the union of my sister and the hero of Tak’Fett!”

The knot in my stomach finally started to loosen as Xuag took the ax from me and looked at it for the first time.

“This is a fine weapon,” the captain commented as he looked it over. “But I haven’t seen anything quite like it.”

“I felt something unique would be appropriate,” I chuckled and ran a hand through my hair.

“It is a worthy choice.” Xuag nodded with approval. “It will serve well. And when we get back, there will be a feast waiting for us.”

“Get back?” I asked with a confused look on my face. “Where are we going?”

“On a hunt,” the big Orc captain replied with a fierce grin. “To marry my sister, first you must become a man in our clan.”

That’s when the knot in my stomach returned.