15th Obsidian.
Reg Sezukkubuk quietly snuck though the halls of Nekutfarash, her heart racing as she heard the steady marching of the imperial soldiers though the levels below. Their iron boots ringing softly against the smoothed stone. Her old rival, Count Dastot, was certainly looking for her. The two of them had long bickered and argued over policy and now that Reg had finally been voted out of office she knew that time was short before the old vindictive count would throw her into the military to spar against the most battle-hardened without any armor or weapons.
Reg had other ideas.
Reaching the upper levels she slowly opened the door to the workshop level, silvery shafts of moonlight filtering down though the grates that had been masterfully worked into the cieling and glittering off the masterfully made iron tools. Far in the distance she could hear the ringing of the smiths' hammers on their anvils, echoing in the vast hallway. With a wayward glance Reg slowly worked he way around the small stockpiles that say outside the workshops. Around her the neatly stacked piles of food, wood, stone, and bones seemed to mock her as she approached the central platform of the area.
The depot was cluttered with goods of all sorts, piled quickly and haphazardly amongst the empty wagons of the Traders. As Reg approached she was able to hear the soft snores of the Merchants, resting in the narrow cots that had been placed in their beds by the Count's men. Their animals slowly swaying and braying softly under the yokes of the wagons. Under her breath Reg snorted, "The foreign merchants are treated better than some of our own citizens. Curse that Noble and his Tax Collector." Unstrapping her heavy pack, Reg tossed it into the driver's seat of the wagon before kicking out the wedges that held the wheels in place before jumping into the drivers seat of the wagon, snapping the reins smartly. "Giddyup! Move it you lazy beasts!"
The wagon lurched suddenly as the two half-asleep animals jumped awake, startled by the loud noise and the sudden motion. Reg swayed in her seat as the wagon lurched forward, nearly flying to the smooth paved road as the wagon launched down the narrow ramp that led to the trade depot. Immediatly there were cries behind her as the merchants woke up, the gaurds reaching for their weapons. But they were too late, Reg had already crossed the bridge and was hurtling down the road at full speed. The animals showing now sign of slowing.
...
Obsidian 16th
The sun shone down gently on Carin Ensebnish as he watched his small black cat chase a yellow butterly over the small hillock. His sandy eyes wearily drifting from the cat to the dirt road and back again. The cat was stubborn, refusing any food he offered in favor of the myrid of small insects around. In the small bolt-hole behind him he could here the five others who, like him, had left Nekutfarash out of disgust at the Counts new mayor. A dwarf who was as much in his pocket as the man's cosort. Each of the six had left seperatly, carrying only what they could steal from the fotresses main stores. Few of the six truely had known each other, but none had enjoyed their time under the Count and his retinue. And now, with the fiercest opponent to the nobility gone, they had all been forced to flee or face execution and persecution as members of the unions that had opposed the Count's wishes.
Carin snapped to attention when he heard a rattling. The sound of a wagon cluttering over the hard-packed road. In the time it took for him to hide himself amongst the rocks and boulders around the wagon had crested the nearby hill. Quite suddenly his craigy face broke into a wide grin.
"Reg, You're alive!" He shouted, jumping from his hiding place and running down the side of the road.
With a grin Reg reigned in the animals, her worry-lined face blossoming into a broad smile as she spotted the male dwarf's familier face. "Yes, I'm alive." She shouted, standing quickly, "Tell the other's it's time to go. The fortress guard can't be far behind me. We need to leave the region."
Carin's smile faded quickly, his eyes filling with worry, "So soon? But where will we go? We havn't picked a site yet Reg."
The stern woman didn't let her smile drop, instead nodding to the weary dwarf, "We can decide as we travel. For now we need to leave while we still have a wagon. Besides, I have map that I stole from Dastot's office before I left that seems to have the perfect place on it. We can look over it on the road. Now go, hurry!"
With that, Carin stumbled backwards towards the small bolt-hole that he and the others had so painstakingly constructed. Snatching up the small black cat as he passed. The die was cast, or so it seemed, and there was nothing but the road ahead.
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End prologue.
Author
Topic: Ulengoddom : The First Dwarven Democracy. (Read 14086 times)