Hall of the Mountain King
From Grigbertz
|
Once every year all the master smiths in the dwarven kingdom gathered in the king's keep to celebrate their lord and their titles - they were the elite of dwarven society and they liked to be reminded of it. So once a year they all travelled to the kings keep with one of their captured slaves as a servant and ate and drank all the best that the king could provide. New contacts were made, ideas discussed and work compared (most often displayed on a slave).
This year was no exception. The feast had worked its way into its second day when the king, sitting at the high table noticed an odd thing. Below him at one table, a rough strong hand gripped a plate of food. This was an odd thing if you only looked around. All master smiths had produced at least one work of pure art to earn their title as master, and if a slave was released after service fullfilled the chains (or other items of jewelry, the dwarves were ingenious...) could be put on a new subject, so that the masters every wish could be attended to. In this very hall all manners of slaves could be seen around the table - elves, humans, orcs, faeries... the king could even spot a centaur with a golden muzzle further down the tables. The slaves were all beautiful... or so the respective owners thought atleast. Most creatures are fair and beautiful compared to the dwarves rugged features but since the masters had some say in the choosing of their slaves, they tended to be fair. Indeed, some younger dwarves even liked to boost and compare slaves instead of the devices that held them - something the older dwarves considered vulgar.
The dwarven hand the king had noticed gripping his own food could only mean one thing - that master didn't have a slave here, even though he was a master. Strange indeed, but it wasn't unheard of that some slaves had accidents and couldn't attend to their masters during the feasts but most often a replacement was produced or even borrowed. The king had plenty of slaves to lend a fellow dwarf if there was a need. So the king focused more intently, and absentmindedly stroked his beard. His slave for the evening, an elvish woman wearing nothing but a large black collar and matching manacles leaned forward to hear the kings wish or to converse if that was his intent.
"Who's that young dwarf down there, the one without a slave?"
The elf let her sharp gaze fall upon the one the king had pointed out to her.
"My lord, he is called Geitre and recieved master status just three years ago."
"Three years? But that is plenty of time for him to find a servant. Didn't he have one with him last year?"
"No my lord, he did not."
"Strange. Unheard of even... Pleasure me and let me speak with him."
The elvish woman knelt down, crept under the table and started undoing the kings breeches while the king raised his mighty voice.
"You, Geitre! Rise so that I may see you!"
At the sound of the kings voice all conversation in the hall halted and Geitre rose a little awkardly. The king found him to be sturdy dwarf with good features, and remembered that his master work had been a set of enchanted jewelry that he had liked.
"Why don't you have a slave her tonight to serve you, Geitre?"
"My lord" said Geitre and looked a bit nervous, "I have not yet found a slave I'd like to bring into my workshop."
"That choosy eh? Well... it's not proper for a master not to have atleast one servant. We're not made to do simple work."
"You are correct my lord."
"But it's your choice. Your work was very good I remember... carry on."
Geitre sat down and shortly thereafter the conversations filled the air again. It was true, he hadn't found a slave he was willing to bring into his workshop. He looked around. Sure, some slaves were even beautiful but they were all pale, some even sickly. Only dwarves were made to live underground without the sun. Eloina was too beautiful to have that fate inflicted upon her, he couldn't bring himself to call his jewellry and her to him. Better this way, and some day he might even dare to venture outside to meet her again. As for now... he wished the feast would end so he could go to his study and bring up his magic mirror. He reached for some more beer...
