Dwarf Jewelry Chapter 1

From Grigbertz

Geitre eyed the approaching girl carefully. He'd been up here showing his trinkets to people passing by all day, but noone promising had shown any interest. This might be different though, he thought and stroked his beard. The girl was blond, well built and with a bit of luck she would have forgotten what her mother told her about dwarfs... with a few gestures Geitre reinforced his glamours and he noted with approval that the girl couldn't resist having a look whan she passed by. It was time to get to work.

Geitre made it appear as if he had been standing on the other side of the tree and walked up to the girl who was standing there makeing big eyes at the trinkets hanging from various branches.

"Find anything you like lass? I see you're looking at these bracelets, a very good choice. I bet they fit you perfectly, like they were made for you"

The girl kept looking at the merchandise while she answered: "Oh I don't know if I could afford them..." Geitre had not missed the opportunity to give the girl a good look. He nodded slowly to himself with approval as he imagined what the rest of her might look like. She was by far the most promising girl he'd seen this month he decided, and he took the 'special' bracelets from his pocket.

"No harm in trying them on girlie, isn't that just so? I'm called Geitre, what is your name?" he said as he took her hand gently and put the bracelet on her wrist.

"My name is Eloina" she said as the kind dwarf let her wear the finery for a while. And he was right, she thought, for the bracelets fit her perfectly. She held them up and admired them.

"I have a matching pair for your ankles too, lass. Let's see them on you, you look like a princess." the dwarf said and produced another pair of golden rings from his pockets. Eloina blushed at his jest but hiked her skirt up a few inches so that the dwarf could put the anklerings on her. When done, the dwarf took a step back and admired her.

"I say" the dwarf muttered, "you do look like a princess wearing those. A premonition methinks, and I have not the heart to part you from them. I'll give them to you, if you'll accept the gift. What do you say about that Eloina?"

Eloina's heart almost leaped out of her chest, but she managed to say "Yes" to the kind dwarf called Geitre. Happiness came over her as she imagined every girl envious at her bracelets and anklerings. Gold, no less. Then all of a sudden, the dwarf's smile became very broad indeed, and she almost thought she felt her new bracelets move on their own...

And she soon realized that they did! Slowly they pulled her hands towards eachother behind her back. Eloina tried to resist, but the bracelets wouldn't budge an inch away from the other, but every time they happened to come closer because of her wriggling they took the chance. Soon they were almost fused together. Eloina wasn't scared, just surprised.

"Whats this? Are you doing this, dwarf?"
"One can say that, one can" the dwarf mused, "since I made them. And as a matter of fact, I'm also doing this..." Eloina had been watching the bracelets and didn't notice that Geitre had reached up and were pulling at the bow that kept her blouse together.

"You're no gentleman! Get me out of these at once!" Eloina exclaimed but she faltered at the end and it didn't sound as angry as she had wanted to. This was because, as the bracelets finally fused together with an audible click, something happened. the other trinkets hanging in the tree became fuzzy and she could see right through them. She also noted that the dwarf looked different - he no longer was the happy jovial little dwarf he'd pretended to be.

"Just making your day a little more exciting." Geitre said and she could see him smiling as her blouse parted and the top fell away. She tried to slap him but couldn't get her arms to move, naturally. She hoped she could get out of the jewellry soon.

"As for your other request, I'm sorry but they'll just have to stay on. You accepted the gift and I have no obligation to let you loose. In fact, I think they suit you. You should be honored, because I believe they were made for you."

Eloina stomped her feet in anger and frustration, and noticed a rattling. Looking down she saw that between her anklerings a chain had appeared that let her take small steps, but not run. While she had been looking at the changes, geitre had picked up his knapsack (wich she had not noticed before) and taken a few steps on the path wich eventually led to the capital and the mountains up north. Eloina realized she couldn't keep up with the dwarf now as she couldn't run very well or even walk, unacustomed as she was to having a chain keeping her legs together.

"Oh please" she said to Geitre, "please, I've changed my mind and I wish to return your gift!" But Geitre just greeted her by lifting his hat and started walking. But as he left he told her:

"Well if you're not satisfied with your jewelry after having tried them for 30 days, just come see me and I'll comply with your wishes. But for now..." he laughed out loud after saying the this, and then continued. "You could always remove them yourself, couldn't you? Ha! Now I bid you a good day lass, have a wonderful life and enjoy your gift."

Just as the dwarf lifted his hat to her, Eloina noticed something she hadn't seen before. On Geitres right hand was a scar, a branding or a birthmark in the shape of a star with five points. She couldn't get a good look but she would remember it, that she woved. She stood there and watched him go. No way could she follow him on the mountainpath without her hands to help her, so she needed to decide on another course of action.

Maybe the lady of her household would know what to do, she thought. She was always willing to give advice when the maids were bewildred and often lectured them on the virtues when they were lazy. So it wasn't the most daring course of action, but Eloina couldn't think of anything else to do. So while thinking about this she started walking back to the village, taking small steps all the way. After a while the chains weren't such a hinderance, and she learned to keep her balance with her hands behind her back.

"This is going quite well..." she thought and got a bit happier. But then another fact of her predicament came to her mind as she noticed another person approaching behind her - her blouse! She hadn't thought about it with all the other strange things happening today, but now she became acutely aware about her bare breasts. She wriggled a bit and tried to get her blouse up but it was, ofcourse, hopeless. As she stood there the man behind her caught up with her.

"Ah, Eloina isn't it?" the man said with a smile on his lips as he eyed her predicament. "What on earth has happened to you then? Do you need any help?"

Eloina recognized him as the local merchant dealing in salt and other spices. "Not from you!" she said when she noticed his looks upon her bare breasts. "You have a reputation to uphold, remember?"

"It pains me that you jump to conclusions just because we're out of sight of the village" he responded and looked sincere, Eloina instantly regretted her harsh words when he only had offered to help her. "But if that's your wish, so be it. It looks to me like dwarf craftmanship and mischeavery however, and those things can be difficult to undo." He started to lengthen his stride again, but spoke once more over his shoulder to Eloina:

"However, keep up your guard Eloina. Just because I didn't do anything doesn't mean I didn't think it... you're a pretty girl - if the chains keep you from plying your present trade, come to me. I'm sure another could suit you perfectly."

They had reached the village and Eloina couldn't think of anything to say to the merchant. She took sight on her household and hoped that she wouldn't meet anyone in the streets until she got back and could ask the lady of the house for advice.

But Eloina hadn't gotten halfway through the village before she realized that her plan to quietly sneak back to the mansion was a failure. She had forgotten about the market, and the streets were full of haggling people and children. Most of whom were eying her breasts and the dwarfish jewelry as she negotiated the streets. She felt her cheeks flush under the gazes and she felt utterly exposed and helpless, not even able to shield her face in her hands and run away. Well, if it couldn't be avoided it had to be endured. She straightened her back and walked towards home, all the while listening to the lusty whispering behind her back and unable to stop a few tears.

She finally came home and could get indoors, but Eloinas day was not getting any better right now. The lady of the house was not amused - in fact, she became quite upset when she realized that Eloina wouldn't be able to do her chores.