Chapter 6- Kharanos Rescue, pt 1
A fire roared in the stone hearth beneath the iron grills of the stove eyes. A pot sat on one, the water within just starting the burble as it warmed up. Nearby at the butcher's block, a dwarf woman chopped a large roast into chunks for a stew. Across from her at another counter, a second cook rolled dough for bread. Stepping around them, Pinkerpie and I made our way to the common room.
Another fire roared in the fireplace of the common room. Himas Belm was behind the bar with a couple of dwarves already sitting in front of him while two wenches circulated through the room tending to the few patrons already sitting at tables. Finding an open table near the fireplace, we sat down. As soon as we entered the common room, Pinkerpie drew all eyes. No one said anything, but we were the center of all attention. Once we were settled, Himas threaded his way between the tables as he crossed the room to us.
"Morning to ye fine folks," He greeted, "Up earlier than I expected, given the time ye arrived here last night. Still, breakfast was four hours ago, and we are currently prepare'n lunch, so it will be a bit before there is someth'n to eat."
"I see," I replied with a nod that I understood, "How long will it be before lunch is ready?"
"Another hour," Himas answered.
"We're here to purchase rams trained to pull wagons," Pinkerpie said, "The stablemaster in Thelsamar wouldn't sell us any of hers. We came here in hopes of finding someone that will. Do you know anyone would be willing to?"
"There's Binji and Milli Featherwhistle out at Beldin Steelgrill's depot," Himas answered, but then chuckled, "Inventors they call themselves. Have some mechanical chickens they ride, but they won't sell to ye, ain't many they hate more'n goblins. No, ye best bet is Amberstill Ranch, but if ye plan on head'n there, ye will need someth'n warmer to wear than what ye have. Ye not dressed nearly well enough for a Dunn Morogh spring."
"Mmm," I hummed as I absorbed the warning. Of course, I knew about Steelgrill's Depot and the mechastriders, but only from the game. I wasn't sure how true to the game this Azeroth was, and there is an Amberstill Ranch as well. I know the area from the game, but the distances were vastly greater here in this world. Looking up at Himas I asked, "Where can we purchase clothing that will be warm enough?"
"There's Gamili Frosthide over at that Forge," Himas replied as he ran a hand over his beard in thought before adding, "But I don't think he will sell anyth'n to ye young missy here. No. I doubt it very much. I tell ye what, I have some clothes from when me daughter was a child, I think some of them may fit ye lass here. I will sell them to ye for a fair price, and ye sir, can go purchase what ye can from Gamili."
"That sounds fair enough, thank you sir," I answered with an honest nod. Pinkerpie was so surprised that her mouth was agape, but she agreed enthusiastically.
Himas shared a smile between us. At least, I thought it was a smile, then he turned away and approached one of the tavern wenches. He mumbled something in her ear and she hustled off and out of the inn. Himas returned after she left and explained, "Brina is a good lass. She'll be back in a bit with the clothes I told ye about."
"Thank you again, Master Belm," I replied earnestly.
"Noth'n to it... Noth'n to it at all," Himas retorted with a satisfied grin and a firm nod, then he turned away and went to the kitchen.
Lunch was served and we ate heartily before Brina returned with a large backpack. She caught my eye, when our gazes met she nodded her head in the direction of the kitchen where the entrance to the inn rooms were.
"I think she wants you to go with her to our room," I mumbled to Pinkerpie as I tilted my head in Brina's direction.
"Yeah, I got that," Pinkerpie retorted, but softened it with a grin before she went on, "I will go see what she has, why don't you go see what you can find from Gamili over at the Forge."
"Sound's like a good plan," I agreed.
Pinkerpie winked and then left to follow Brina into the kitchen while I paid Himas for the meal and left to go see Gamili.
----(!)----
An hour later icy wind and snow pelted our faces as we walked north on the Anvilmar Road.
"Only a dwarf would want to live in this frozen hell!" Pinkerpie yelled over the wind, "It's as warm as their hospitality!"
I couldn't help but laugh, but as soon as it passed I said in all seriousness, "I think you should yell a little louder! I don't think those in Iron Forge heard you!"
"So funny!" Pinkerpie retorted bitterly, "I'm pretty sure I could yell every slur I know in this weather and no one further than two feet away would ever hear it!"
"Probably!" I answered with an accompanying nod, "Still, save your strength! It's going to be miles before we reach Amberstill Ranch!"
Pinkerpie didn't bother answering; she just nodded and leaned into the wind.
Most of the day passed by walking in the frigid cold, before we reached Steelgrill's Depot. I wanted to stop so badly, and I knew Pinkerpie must be exhausted. She was taking two steps for every one of mine, but neither of us wanted to challenge the Featherwhistle's racial prejudice. With no welcome or refreshment to be found at Steelgrill's Depot, stopping meant sitting in snow on the side of the road or standing in the wind. It would also be another delay before reaching our destination. So, instead, I pulled out an insulated thermos and took a swig of hot spiced wine before passing it to Pinkerpie.
She kept it and slung it over her shoulder as I pulled out bread, tore it into two pieces and passed half to her. Cheese followed and then several slices of roast. It was all eaten as we walked.
The wind blew and howled. It whipped our cloaks and tore every vestige of warmth we had from our bodies as it sunk into our clothes like icy needles that pierced us through to the bone. The sun never broke out from behind thick gray clouds, and it never warmed up. Not even a little bit, as a matter of fact, as the miles passed by it seemed to only get colder. I really wished I was sitting behind a computer monitor running my player character through these frigid wastes while in a nice seventy-six degree climate controlled house!
The thought gave me pause for a second. Just long enough for Pinkerpie to stop and look back at me curiously before I resumed walking again. I wondered though, am I someone else's player character now? Or, am I an NPC? It was way more philosophical than I was able to grasp at the moment, so I reached out and took Pinkerpie's hand and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
Pinkerpie tugged at my hand when the sky started to darken, and yelled over the gusting wind, "We need to prepare a campsite! We haven't even made it to Quarry Road! We aren't going to make it to Amberstill Ranch if we freeze to death!"
Tightening my grip on her hand, I nodded. Moving to the side of the road we worked together to dig a pit and then made snow bricks for the worst looking igloo ever made. Loose snow became mortar to pack into the cracks and then we scavenged wood from the trees around. A little help from a small flask of pure corn whisky bought from Himas, and we had a nice fire warming us up while the wind still howled outside.
Setting out our rations, we ate in silence until Pinkerpie finally said, "I think we should return to Kharanos and try to buy a mount from the stable master there. I'm not sure where Amberstill Ranch is, but obviously it's much further than you anticipated."
I nodded. She was right. My memory of Dun Morogh was sketchy at best. I had spent much more time in Kalimdor questing as I leveled up my Nightelf huntress, Bestla. I did start a dwarf paladin, but I never got much further than Ironforge before I parked her. The reassuring thing was that landmasses, cities, towns, landmarks, and ruins, everything that was in the game seemed to be on this Azeroth as well. There were even little villages and homesteads of those that braved the wilds in this world that weren't in the game. One thing was certain though, this world was far larger. Everything may exist but the distances were far greater between them.
"You're right," I said as I shook my head in frustration at myself, "I thought I knew where I was going! Actually, I do know! It's just that the maps I remember illustrated everything in a manner where it all appeared much closer. Still, there is no way we will make it without more provisions and a mount of some sort."
"Then in the morning we will return to Kharanos and purchase a mount and more provisions," Pinkerpie stated so as to confirm the plan.
I nodded, and then we finished eating before rolling up in our cloaks and blankets. I tossed more wood on the fire and then we snuggled up to go to sleep.
The next morning we trekked back to Kharanos. Innkeeper Belm put us up in the room we were in before. We made a list of provisions and then went up to the tavern to eat dinner.
"Goodeven'n to ye," Brina greeted us with a smile.
"Good evening Brina," Pinkerpie replied in a purr and a wink.
Surprisingly, Brina blushed right through her dark coppery skin while her emerald green eyes flashed with some secret knowledge. She rubbed her hands over her hips several times trying to smooth out wrinkles that weren't there and cleared her throat before saying, "Himas said that I could serve ye tonight. If ye need anything..."
She paused as she looked from me to Pinkerpie before repeating herself, "Anything! Ye let me know."
To my amazement it was Pinkerpie's turn to blush right through her dark earthy-green complexion while eyes flashed with repressed expectation before answering warmly, "We will do that."
There was a short but significant pause as Brina and Pinkerpie shared a look, then Brina turned to me and asked, "What'll ye be have'n for dinner?"
