As Kandral sat down and discussed the finer points of the agreement with the guards, he thoughtfully stroked his beard. After a while he got back up and paced up and down the little chamber, still uttering the various demands he thought of on the spot. Suddenly he heard screams from the main chamber, at first faint, but he knew these would get louder, quickly.
"Did you hear that?", said one of the guards looking at the other.
"Oy!", screamed Kandral trying to outdo the screams from the main prison halls, "do you want me to cut you a deal here lads or do you want to listen some youngsters fighting in the streets.... I want your eyes and ears here! Or I'll march to Lord Dwalin!".
The guard captain smacked the two guards on the back of their heads and said: "Listen to him, or you'll end up in the cell or worse."
"I never should have listened to you..., "said one of the guards in a low muttering about the Guard captain, "now look what a mess I'm in! No one will ever know... pfff". Kandral smiled and nodded.
As Master Strongbeard was dictating the guards in an ever louder voice the terms of their "agreement", horrible screams could be heard from the prison hall, yet the guards took no heed. As another line of bellowed terms was uttered and Kandral's voice was getting raw by all that shouting, they heard a small knock on the door. "Enter", spoke Kandral.
Buhni smiled and entered. "I hope you don't mind guard captain, but I used your facilities here to freshen up a bit... all that waiting there, it is very humid in there you see", she said in a pleasant and kind tone.
"Oh, but of course," responded the guard captain, still very eager to please, "I hope the prisoners didn't use their foul mouth in your ladies presence?".
Buhni smiled calmly and said: "Oh, yes, I fear they did... but I took no heed of their screams at me master Guard captain... no heed at all."
"Ah, good to hear", said the guard captain.
"Splendid!", said Kandral, "then I believe we have an agreement... and shall be on our way again".
"We have indeed Lord Kandral, indeed!, the guard captain said while getting up, "the place will be clean as a mithril plate... full reimbursement to the administration in monthly installments AND young Byli released in the morning after he's had a full breakfast, clean garments and a pardon", the guard captain saluted.
As all stepped out the chamber one of the guards noticed a stream of blood coming from Durtin's cell. "Over here lads!, the guard called the others, "by Mahal, what happened to him?"
"Oh, I think he was going utterly mad", said Buhni, "very distressing to behold for a frail lady such as myself. Banging his head against those cell bars... oh the horrors", she dramatized holding the guard captain’s arm for support - while putting back his keys on his belt.
"Now, now, I pray... depart here, this is no place for a lady", said the guard captain as he made a face of compassion. "Dreadful you had to see this my lady, yet some can't handle being locked up".
"Look at this guy, he really did a number on himself", spoke one of the guards as he tried to clean Durtin up who had apparently passed out. "One, two, three.... *mumbles* twelve fractures on his skull alone....", counted the guard, "not to mention what look like broken legs, ribs, arms,... I think he's punctured his own lungs too... now how did he do that... ", the guard looked amazed at the bloody puddle of dwarf as he gestured the other guard to call for a healer.
Slowly Kandral and Buhni made their way out of the prison. Kandral noticed Byli sitting on his bed, staring at Durtin. As Buhni passed Byli's cell she said: "promise kept, my boy". Byli knew without a doubt never to make his future mother in law angry. Kandral nodded at the boy and smiled. Byli's heart leaped. He had earned the trust of the Uzbad, he knew it.
"Build your hall", Kandral said in a confident whisper to Byli, looking at the boy with great respect. Byli knew some of the old customs, he knew what that meant.... Kandral had just given his blessing for marriage! He and his Thrandili would be wed within the year!
==============
Byli walked down the road using a twig to try and get a bit of bacon rind out of his teeth.
True to his word to the Uzbad, the guard commander had fed him a fine breakfast of bacon and egg with fresh bread and a mug of tea to wash it down with.
He had let him go with all his goods... His pack, his broken bow, his knives... All intact.
Walking towards his home he spied a figure lurking behind a pillar... "What new evil is to beset us now?" He wondered.
He crept up behind the dwarf and slid a knife from his sleeve. He gently poked the blade against skin. "Don't move master Dwarf... There's a knife at your ribs!"
Byli pushed him forward towards his house calling loudly for his father.
Byl appeared, spear in hand. "What's this? A lurker watching our front door... Explain yourself master Dwarf and be quick about it!"
Midarin's shoulders slumped and he pointed to the bag on the front step. "I was keeping watch over that to ensure no one else had an urge to take your geode from you."
Byli's heart leapt. He rushed to the bag and pulled out the rocky lump.
The low morning sunlight made the fire within it burst like a thousand dazzling rainbows.
"Oh master dwarf... You have done me the utmost of services... Come inside and let us have some tea... I think Byl has made rock cakes, too... come, come!"
Midarin sat uncomfortably on the sofa being fussed at by first one dwarf then the other, tea in one hand a cake in the other. He chewed at a morsel of the cake trying desperately to swallow it..
"How did you obtain the geode brother Midarin?"
Midarin hung his head... "I was being blackmailed by Durtin... He forced me buy it or he would have revealed a secret he knew about my family."
Byli smiled grimly. "You have no blackmailer to worry you any longer Master Goldneedle... He expired from his wounds last night in the jail... Seems he injured himself in a desperate attempt to break out of his cell and died before the healer could be summoned."
Byli smiled again thinking of the fierce light in Buhni's eyes as she had mangled the dwarf that had violated his love.
Byl stepped forward and bowed low to Midarin. He held out a heavy bag of gold to him.
"A Brokenspear keeps his promise, master Goldneedle. Here is your reward. I don't know what you had to pay but this is 1/3rd of the value of the geode in gold."
Midarin eyed the heavy bag and his eyes widened "Great Mahal! Master Byl that is too much. I only paid 250 for it!"
"Then your honesty has been rewarded, my honorable dwarf.
Byli reckons that, cut and polished, these will fetch a thousand gold coins... More if set into jewellery... You have restored my son's fortune and enabled him to make a start on his house!"
Midarin turned to look on Byli. "Well then, may I be the first to congratulate you on your betrothal young master. I hope that you and your lass will be very happy and if I can be of service you merely need to ask."
"No No." interjected Byl "It is you that has rendered the service here brother... House Brokenspear will forever be in your debt. If ever you are in need Byli or myself will offer any aid required!"
Midarin put down his tea and carefully dropped the cake into his pocket.
He stood and bowed low to both dwarves with a warm smile on his face. His secret was safe and his honour restored and the Brokenspear family on the best of terms with him! What a day!
