Chương 152: Chapter 150 – Yes, Size Does Matter

"Come on Lass, your wee one will be fine," Grim said, looking up at Sheera and then over to Ray solemnly.

"Come on Sheera, she is a tough little cookie. In no time at all she will be back running around wanting to know all there is to know about this place," Ray said, trying to give her a reassuring smile.

"I mean look around. This place is kid sized. She is going to be running around like it is her own gigantic playground."

"Ray," Grim began, "we really needs to get on that ship or we are goings to be stuck here until tomorrow afternoons," he said softly.

"Sheera, we need to go honey," Ray said, taking her arm gently.

"I know it is hard. I know you are scared, but allowing your emotions to paralyze you into inaction is not going to help Thai. Celestia said she is going to try to get a portal point closer to Shadowborne Villa." He sighed.

"You could miss her when she returns if you stay here." He looked at Grim, silently pleading for help.

"Miss, your girl be ins the greatest of hands. She has her daddy and Celestia to looks after her. Theys are going to get her all fixed up and brings her back. You have a job to dos and that is to take a breath and gets on that boat, and gets things ready for her return," Grim said softly but firmly, trying to coax a response out of the elf. Ray watched the dwarven dock hands working diligently to move large crates on and off the cargo barge. He felt odd calling it a barge. To him it was just a large raft.

His anxiety rose as he studied the vessel. What was the weight capacity on that thing? They used it to transport large stones and supplies, but their definition of large and his definition of large were on two entirely different planes of existence. He watched silently as they hoisted crates with a crane that was barely bigger than he was. He snickered to himself. I wonder what they would do if I lent them a hand. He had little doubt he could pick up the containers like a box of toys.

"Hey Grim?" Ray called out. Grim turned to face him.

"Yeah?" He moved closer.

"What cans I do you for?"

"Would I be starting some kind of inter realm conflict if I helped get the crates on the ship?" Ray asked, almost shyly.

"We are already running behind, so you know…" He trailed off as Grim's lips curled into a smile.

"Well this shoulds be interesting," Grim muttered.

"Hey guys!" he called to the workers still scrambling to load cargo.

"The big guy here wants to gives you a hand. You gots any problem with it?"

"No boss. The more hands, the quicker it be gittin done. Sends him over," an older dwarf with a clipboard replied. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"You hearda the man. Geta going," Grim said.

"I am going to go sita with Miss Sheera."

"Okay," Ray said, heading toward the dock.

"What is your name?" the dwarf with the clipboard asked, craning his neck to look up at Ray.

"Ray sir," he said, extending a hand.

"Pleasure to meetcha Ray. I be Scottie," he replied, tucking the clipboard under his arm and shaking Ray's hand.

"You ares a big fella, now aren't ye?" He snickered.

"Can ye by chance operate that there crane?" He pointed to the equipment beside the dock. Ray looked at the crane and burst out laughing.

"Scottie, my friend, I would not be working it. I would be wearing it." Scottie blinked, looked at the crane, then back at Ray, and started laughing too.

"I sees whatcha mean lad. I sees whatcha mean." Ray smiled.

"I can probably pick up those crates faster than the crane. Just show me where they need to go and I will start moving them for you."

"I do not wantcha hurtin yourself lad. Some of those crates be pretty dang heavy. Some nears a hundred pounds or more," Scottie said cautiously.

"Yous go hurtin yourself, you would be stuck wheres you drop, cause me and the boys would not be able to liftin yous on your feets." Ray snickered.

"I will be fine Scottie." He winked.

"Just show me what you need moved. I would hate to start putting things on that your men just took off."

"Alrights," Scottie said skeptically.

"Overs there." He pointed to the left side of the dock.

"Them crates be the ones goins your ways. The ones on the right be stayin." Ray walked to the left side. The dwarven workers stopped what they were doing and shoved elbows into each other as they stared at him. By the time Ray reached the first crate, all activity had ceased except for a few dwarves placing bets on whether he could lift it. Ray, fully aware of the attention, smirked and decided to give them a show. He squatted to lift the first box, expecting it to be heavy based on its size.

Much to his surprise, it took less effort than picking up Thai. He rested the crate on his shoulder and turned to Scottie.

"So where do you want it?" he asked casually as the dockworkers stood with their mouths open. Scottie stared for a moment before the question registered.

"Jackson, do not stands there catching flies with yur mouth open. Show the man wheres it needs to go!" he shouted. The dwarven crew murmured among themselves, some shaking their heads in disbelief, others amused.

"Same goes for the rest of ya. Get backs to work or I will be docking ye pay!" Scottie barked. Sheera sat with Grim, amused. She snickered softly at the sight of Ray carrying crates effortlessly while the dwarves scrambled around him. Out of the corner of his eye, Grim saw the corners of her mouth curl upward. When he turned to her, he noticed a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Aw Miss, whats is it?" Grim asked.

"For a split second I forgot Thai was not here. I looked to see what her reaction would be, only to remember she is on her way to the Goblin Realm." She sighed.

"It is funny how the mind plays those awful tricks on you," she said, her voice as graceful and delicate as the breeze coming off the bay.