Azerothian Dream

Chapter 8- Road to Amberstill Ranch

When we finally awoke that afternoon and left our room in search of dinner Shaelah was in the common room sitting at a table with Mandalay. She had bathed, changed clothes, and braided her auburn hair. This time her hair was in one long thick braid that she pulled over her shoulder and fell to her waist. She still looked tired though, and her eyes were red rimmed from crying. Neighbors and friends passed her table and placed a hand on her shoulder while leaning in to say their condolences.

Mandalay looked a sight better than she had before. She had taken a bath as well. Her clothes were clean, and her hair fell free down her back in a fiery-red cloak of curls and ringlets. She saw us first and motioned in our direction while informing her mother.

Shaelah turned to look at me and gave a tremulous smile. I returned her smile with one of my own and a nod. She nodded her head, and then waved for us to join her for dinner.

"Good evenin' to ye, Mister Anvilsplitter and Missus Glimmergem," Shaelah greeted as I sat beside Mandalay, leaving Pinkerpie to sit beside Shaelah.

"Good evening Missus Flintlock, Miss Flintlock," I returned politely.

"Will ye dine with us tonight," Shaelah asked, her red-rimmed icy blue eyes never leaving mine.

"It would be our pleasure," Pinkerpie replied as she gave me a significant look.

Shaelah smiled, and then reached into a small belt pouch and retrieved a small rolled parchment. Pushing it across the table to me she said, "This be ye Letter of Recommendation, I hope it helps."

"I'm sure it will," I replied in thanks as I took the letter.

"Ye surname be Anvilsplitter. That's a dwarven name if I ever heard one. Do ye have dwarven blood in ye?" Mandalay suddenly asked as she eyes me curiously.

"Mandalay!" Shaelah hissed with a sharp look for her daughter, "Don't be rude?"

"No no," I chuckled with a wave of my free hand while I slipped the letter into my belt pouch with the other, "It's alright. No offense taken. You see, I took my wife's name because I don't have any family to speak of."

"Wife?" Shaelah mumbled in disappointment, but that seemed ridiculous. There was no reason for her to be disappointed. Her eyes widened in surprise, as if she realized she had said too much, then looked from me to Pinkerpie and back to me before asking, "I thought Pinkerpie's surname was Glimmergem?"

"Oh, it is," Pinkerpie said in a warm purr as she cut her eyes from Shaelah to me and then back before explaining, "Hruthgar is the luckiest man in the world, or the most unlucky..."

She snickered at that, then continued, "He has three wives. Birdette Anvilsplitter was his first wife, but it was more of a common marriage, their vows exchanged in secret and witnessed only by each other. That was almost a year and a half ago now, wasn't it Hruthgar?"

I nodded, but didn't add anything more. Pinkerpie seemed to be telling the tale quite well enough on her own.

"Then, almost a month ago," Pinkerpie continued, "Hruthgar rescued me and four other women from bandits. We were being held captive. They were all men, and we were all women. They killed all my male employees, and any men that were with the other women as well. I'm sure I don't need to explain further why they kept us."

"Nay," Shaelah answered in grim outrage, "Nay, ye don't."

Pinkerpie nodded then finished the story, "I'm a travelling merchant you see, and with all my animals either butchered or sold off for gold by the bandits, it became necessary to find a large animal breeder to purchase new animals to pull my wagons which are currently stranded in the middle of nowhere in the mountains of the Searing Gorge. However, before we could start on our journey here, it became necessary for me to be married to Hruthgar. So, out of necessity, Birdette consented to Ebonae and I marrying Hruthgar along with herself legally."

"Woah," Mandalay said under her breath, "That is some story!"

Shaelah nodded in agreement with her daughter, but she remained quiet for a time as she studied her tankard of hot spiced wine. Picking it up and tipping it back, she drained the last half of its contents before slamming it down on the table. She sighed as she called a wench for another. Soon after plates of food came. Mountain goat steaks this time, kale, potatoes, beats, and a large loaf of sourdough bread with honeyed butter. We all fell quiet as we set about filling our bellies.

So, what be ye plan for this letter o' mine?" Shaelah asked once her plate was half empty.

Swallowing my food and taking a swig of my hot spiced wine, I answered, "As I said yesterday, tomorrow we leave for Amberstill Ranch. Our hope is that with my letter of introduction and with the Mountaineers and your letters of recommendation, we might be able to purchase some hardy rams trained to pull three wagons."

Shaelah chewed on that for several seconds and then down half her tankard of wine once again. Licking her lips she leveled a hard stare at me before she said, "Ye will never get what ye want that way. First, those goat kissin' ranchers won't sell to nobody that ain't dwarf folk. Not without a writ o' exalted personage for honorable deeds recognized by the king. That would be Magni Bronzbeard himself! Second, it would take ye a year maybe two o' questin', before ye attained enough letters of recommendation to be presented to the king. Third, Even if ye see the king he can refuse to recognize ye deeds, or, he may want to send ye on more quests just to make sure ye be really devoted to the people of Khaz Modan."

Pinkerpie cursed low under her breath and punched her thigh. I felt the same disappointment. Bitterly so!

My gaze hadn't wavered from Shaelah's now piercing blue eyes. She seemed tired, and resigned. Like a woman that had come to a decision, and not one she liked, but the only one better than any of her other options. I wasn't sure where this was going, but I had an idea. Finally, I asked the question Shaelah was patiently waiting for me to ask, "So, what are my options? If we leave here we will then have to fly all the way to Booty Bay to purchase livestock. The journey will then take months if not a year before we return to Thorium Point. I rather not do that."

"I thought so," Shaelah mumbled so that no one heard but us, "Ye other wives, Birdette and Ebonae, they be dark irons, ain't they?"

"They are," I answered cautiously.

Shaelah smirked. It was the first I'd seen since Mandalay's return but before she saw her husband. She appeared almost predatory as she replied, "Ye have three options as I see it. The first is, go to Ironforge and take the Deeprun Tram to Stormwind. Buy your animals there and then return to Thorium Point. The second is, fly to Booty Bay, but ye be right. It will take ye nearly a year to travel to Thorium Point from there if ye ain't attacked and killed somewhere in between first..."

"And the third?" I asked quietly, sensing that Shaelah had saved the option she liked the most, and the one I would like the least, for last.

"As for the third," Shaelah began, then paused to gather herself with a shaky breath before continuing, "Do ye know that dark irons use their machines to invade us every year for Brewfest and steal our ale. Every year! There's talk o' a battle almost a year ago. Heroes o' the Alliance led our armies into Black Rock. Rumors say that Sorcerer-Thane Dagran Thaurissan is dead. Good riddance I say..."

"I can understand your feelings on the matter, and your feelings toward the dark irons," I said soothingly as I nodded in agreement, "I also harbor many of those feelings myself. However, not all dark irons are alike. My wives aren't."

"Why do ye think I am tellin' ye," Shaelah replied with a firm nod, then took another deep inhalation before releasing it slowly and continuing, "Me point bein', there's a whole lot o' hate for 'em dark irons. I know nary a person that will overlook ye... affiliation... with 'em dark irons. The only way ye will procure those animals from Amberstill Ranch is either by stealin' 'em, which I can't abide, or waitin' fourteen days before takin' me and Mandalay with ye."

"Fourteen days!" Pinkerpie gasped.

"Take you with us!" I hissed more from confusion than annoyance.

"Aye," Shaelah confirmed with a nod, "Take me with ye. I am o' the Bronzebeard clan from me da and the Wildhammer from me mum. The Amberstills will sell their animals to me."

"Why?" I asked simply but firmly, "Your husband just died. Why would you want to leave Kharanos, to leave Hurnskov so soon after his passing?"

Shaelah's blue eyes dipped down so that she was staring at her hands, or maybe, at her tankard or wine. It was Mandalay that answered me, "Mum did know I was already awake this mornin' when uncle Basil came by and informed mum that our home is hereditary Flintlock property. Since mum didn't bear my da a son all o' me da's property now rightfully be me uncle's. Now, mum can either marry him or move out."

I didn't know what to say, and for once, neither did Pinkerpie.

"I thought this might happen," Shaelah mumbled though it was close to a growl, "That bastard Basil hasn't the decency to wait until after his brother's been buried to swoop in like a vulture. My husband was a dreamer, but I loved him for it. We were never rich, in truth, we were barely making ends meet. Basil never could understand why I chose Hurnskov over him, and has never hidden the fact that he's wanted me. As if he hasn't enough on his plate with Burda as a wife. Now he thinks he can force my hand, but I will never marry a man like him!"

I nodded in agreement, and so was Pinkerpie.

Looking up, fixing Pinkerpie with a firm stare before cutting her eyes to me, Shaelah continued, "The surest way for ye to get the teams o' animals ye need would be to marry me, but puttin' that aside, the next best chance of success is bringin' me with ye. I managed to hide our family treasury before Basil arrived. I have just enough coin to buy a team of rams and a traders wagon. If ye won't marry me, then maybe Pinkerpie would consider a partnership? Me da was a trader, and me mum was a dancer and apothecary. I do have some skill in both."

Pinkerpie looked up at me with a triumphant smirk. So, she had thought Shaelah was interested in me, and now it was confirmed. Chuckling, she purred good naturedly, "What is it about you that attracts all us hard luck cases?"

Shrugging, I replied, "I don't know. Still, I'm hesitant to take another wife when I have so many already."

Pinkerpie giggled and waved his excuse away as she taunted, "You're just scared that Birdette will flay your hide when she finds out. As for me, I think you should do it! The more the merrier in my book!"

I had my doubts. Very serious doubts. For one I didn't know Shaelah at all. With Birdette I had to accept her until I got to know her, and I spent nearly a month with Pinkerpie and Ebonae, getting to know them and Coonli and Pohcar while on the way back to Thorium Point. Shaelah was a very different situation altogether. And then there was the matter of her offering herself to me as a reward if I found her daughter before it was known that her husband was dead.

Pinkerpie was all mischievously smirking support. Cutting my eyes from her to Shaelah and then Mandalay. Focusing on Mandalay I asked, "What do you think of all this? Your mother asking me to marry her so soon after your fathers passing?"

Mandalay stared at her mother for a long quiet moment before she answered, "To be honest, I loved me da very very much. I miss him so bad it's hard not to cry, but one thing my da taught me was that life is hard and we don't always have time to grieve or get what we want."

I nodded. It was true in every world I guessed. As I remunerated over my own experiences, Mandalay continued, "Am I happy over me mum asking ye to marry her? Nay. Not in the least. But, I understand why it must be done. As Pinkerpie said earlier, "it is necessary." Besides, mum isn't the only one that will have to suffer unwanted attention from uncle Basil if she marries him. Mum is doin' the best she can with the options she has available, so I support her and ye, if ye will marry her."

Turning to Shaelah, I studied her. Her curly auburn hair, flawless pale white skin with blue undertones with beauty freckles on the corner of her mouth and another on the corner of her jaw just below her ear. Her bright glacial blue eyes that seemed so cool and yet so passionate, and a plump mouth more used to smiling than frowning and so so kissable. She made me miss Birdette all the more!

"I find you to be a very desirable woman, Shaelah," I said in a husky purr, "However, I have some concerns. For one, why did you offer yourself to me as a reward for finding your daughter when you were married?"

For the first time since meeting Shaelah she looked confused as she recalled our conversation in front of the Forge. Her expression then went from surprised to embarrassed to outraged.

"I never!" She hissed then tried to moderate her tone and began, "I never meant what ye assumed!"

"Not only me," I replied, "Dugan and Bosko assumed as much as I did and part of their reward to me for finding Mandalay and killing the troggs was because I didn't take advantage of your invitation of willingness to do "Anything" for me as a reward."

"Goat kissin' men and ye assuming every lass be lookin' to bed ye!" Shaelah hissed under her breath.

"Well!" She huffed, now with bright red splotches of embarrassment coloring her cheeks, "That was not what I meant at all. I just meant that I would work off me debt to ye in any manner o' employment I can, without betraying my vows to my husband, in order to hire ye services. That's all!"

"My apologies then," I replied earnestly with a deep nod of my head, "It was a grave error on my part then in assuming an offer that was clearly not made."

Shaelah took a minute to rein in her temper and used the seconds to take another generous swig of her hot spiced wine. When she slammed the tankard back to the table she glared at me with a glacial blue eyes that flashed challengingly as she declared, "Ye, Hruthgar Anvilsplitter, as angry as I am at ye right now, I can still see that ye tried to do the honorable thing. Ye be an honorable man. I do find honorable men very appealing. However, don't take me for a woman eager to remarry after the loss of me husband. I am not, but circumstances do not allow me the mourn him properly. Otherwise, I would have a year and a day to mourn, and then, if I felt ready I would start entertaining offers."

"If you do not wish to remarry, then I will not force you to," I replied.

"We all do what we must," She answered with a set to her mouth that said she had already come to terms with what she must do, but the fire in her eyes said that she wanted me to know the sacrifice she was making, and she didn't want to be thought of poorly for doing what she must.

"Yes," I agreed with a nod, "I suppose we do. Well then, what are the traditions that I am expected to adhere to?"

Mandalay let out a soft sigh of relief while Shaelah's plump mouth turned up into a grin.

----(!)----

Two days later Hurnskov Flintlock was laid to rest with his ancestors. Shaelah mourned for her dead husband but while she did she also bought four mountain rams and a large wagon that appeared to be a miniature house on wheels. Even to a small iron stove in a corner and small chimney standing out of the top of the roof. Then she began moving her possessions into it.

Heavy ironbound chests full of clothes were strapped to the flat roof. Skillets and other often needed cookware hung from hooks on the side of the tiny house on wheels, and only the most important and valued items were put away in a slim set of cabinets built to the side of the entry door opposite of the small wood burning stove. Other customizations included reinforcing the table that was lowered by pulleys and ropes from the ceiling so that it could be lowered down onto hooks set into the thin beds that also served as seats for the table. Another mattress was then added that could be placed on the table making the two seperate beds into one large bed capable of sleeping three grown humans, or one human, a goblin, and two dwarves in reasonable comfort.

On the tenth day Basil Flintlock arrived and demanded what she was doing, and then demanded that she stop stealing his possessions. With half the neighborhood watching for the first time I saw Shaelah honestly angry as she screamed, "Ye trogg o' a dwarf! Ye! Ye get out o' here for I lay ye low! This house may be ye now, but despite ye naggary and ultimatums to kick ye own kins wife and child out unless I marry ye, bless the light I am not! And neither be me possessions! I will take what is mine and if ye try to stop me I will send ye to join Hurnskov!"

Every word was delivered in a scathing full throated yell, and everyone that heard shook their heads at Basil while more than one yelled, "Shame! Shame on you Basil Flintlock. Ye shame your family!"

Basil was set on his heels by Shaelah's vehemence. Apparently, she had a reputation for being fairly even tempered. Either way, with Shaelah's passion and an increasingly hostile crowd, Basil Flintlock decided to leave.

Shaelah mourned for fourteen days and nights. The following morning, the fifteenth day, I was awakened by Shaelah pounding on the door of my hired room at the Thunderbrew Distillery. A very naked Pinkerpie rolled off of me and then elbowed my ribs until I woke up.

"Get the door," She mumbled before rolling over and pulling the heavy fur pelt until it covered her broad curvy round bottom.

Grumbling over another round of pounding on the door, I found the latch and pulled it open in a rush. The cold air in the hallway rushed into the room waking me up quite rudely. Shaelah stood in the doorway fist raised in mid-knock. Mandalay stood just to the side and behind her mother, and then I looked down and remembered I was naked!

Eyes widening, Shaelah gasped. Mandalay did as well, her cheeks blushing brightly just before she turned and looked away. Shaelah, however, pushed me into the room and slammed the door closed.

"I can't believe ye answered the door so!" She hissed angrily, "Showing me daughter what it isn't proper for her to see!"

"I'm sorry," I replied, "You woke me, I didn't think..."

"Obviously," She interrupted, "Just thank the light the priest that is goin' to marry us didn't see that just now. Now, bathe and get dressed. It's time to be married and be off from this town. Before Basil Flintlock causes anymore fuss!"

With all the commotion, Pinkerpie had awakened fully and jumped out of bed, naked as I was, and turned the knobs that would fill the wine barrel bath tub with hot water. Pinkerpie wanted to consummate the day but Shaelah harrumphed and said, "Ye had him all night. Today, he is mine. Bathe, and then get dressed. No more funny business until I have consummated me marriage to Hruthgar Anvilsplitter."

Pinkerpie pouted, but she wasn't serious otherwise she would have just ignored the dwarf woman. A short time later Pinkerpie was climbing out of the wine barrel. I followed her out and then we dressed in new clothes purchased just for this occasion. Shaelah smiled contentedly at me, and then had me sit on the bed. She sat on my lap and just when I thought she was going to kiss me she pulled out a silver medal, or sigil, of some sort on a red leather ribbon and slid it over my head. Fingering it, holding it where I could see the emblem, it was of a silver stag on a mountain peak.

"What is this," I asked?

"It is me family crest, the silver stag," Shaelah purred, "This is a marriage gorget. Ye will wear this for the first month of our marriage as a sign of our union. If ye wish for me to have one ye may have a smith make one with ye own sigil and then I must wear it as well. They show that ye be mine and I am yours."