Chương 177: Chapter 175– But My Grandpappy Said…

The ropes creaked softly as the bound dwarves jostled against each other in the makeshift holding area at the back of the encampment. Ray and various other dwarves stood, strategically placed to ensure none of the captives got any ideas.

"Hey! Yous can nots keep us here against our will!" a younger dwarf cried out.

"It be kidnappin' or sumtin likes dat."

"Yes… why yes, we can." Ray stated matter‑of‑factly.

"And its not kidnapping considering you were the ones who decided to be hot shots and shoot arrows at me. If you hadn't done that, then maybe it would be different but…"

"What in Moradin's name are you anyways?" the dwarf asked.

"You 'aint no dwarf that's for sure, you kinds a looks like ones though."

"If you must know, I'm what they call a Goblin." Ray answered curtly.

"If you be a Goblin, what is the goddess? She a goblin too?" He snickered.

"She's you wife or sumfin? If shes is I feels bads for her. She is amazing and you… well yous is kinds of ugly," he said wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"Well, if you must know, she is an elf, and by the looks of things, she is more than capable of taking you all on, so I'd recommend you watch what you say." Ray huffed.

"And no, she is not my wife."

"An Elf! I knews it!" Gorrick shouted.

"That's why you lads were so smitten, it's her voice, it does things to mess with yur minds. I'm so glad I wears dis," he said, pulling a small talisman on a leather cord from around his neck.

"Whats is you talkin' bout, Gorrick?" Durkin asked.

"You sayin' she casts a spell on us or sumfin?"

"My grandpappy told me the stories told to him by his grandpappy, and his grandpappy befores him about the great war, the one betweens the dwarven kind and elven kind. From what I understood though, we wiped them out thats why they 'aint no more wanderins around."

"I thinks your grandpappy was hittin' the grog a little to hards there Gorrick," Durkin said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"There were no wars, I thinks we would have learns about that at school."

"The wars be from a time when Elves run freely, before theys started to write stuffs down. My ancestors fought long and hard fightin' them devils back and castin' them into hell wheres they belongs." Gorrick replied, becoming annoyed.

"Hows do you 'splain hers then? She's here nows weaving her magic on us and you lot were helpless to resists." Durkin scratched his beard, looking skeptical.

"Magic? Weren't no magics 'bout it. Yur just bein' your crotchety self Gorrick and you knows it!"

"No magic?" Gorrick scoffed.

"You was down on one knee proposin' marriage to a hers not even an hour ago! How's that not magic? You goes around proposin to everyone? Besides, yous already got yurselfs a wifey, Amber, remembers her?" Grim had walked up and stood beside Ray. Ray was listening closely to the exchange between the prisoners. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

"Heys…" Grim began.

"Shh…" Ray replied, motioning to the prisoners as they continued talking. The pair began casting each other a wry smile as the conversation progressed. The younger dwarf piped up.

"Some of us weren't as... inflicted," he began, "leasts I knows I's wasn't."

"You's right about that you donkey's arse, its affected not inflicted. Inflicted is when's you gets sick yous moron. You know what never you mind, yous is too stupid to understands anyway." Gorrick sputtered.

"You's gonna stand here and tells me it wasn't yous drooling and fallin' all over yurselves to get close to her? How's that not bein' affected? You was talkin' 'bout walkin' into fire for hers, and yous…" he said looking at Durkin…"'bout marrying her. That ain't normals!" Durkin's face reddened.

"I wasn't really gonna actually marrys her! Don't tells Amber 'bout this, she'll beats me with her casts iorn skillet if she even thinks I looked at 'nother woman."

"You thinks I is crazy of sumffin, Durkin?" Gorrick snorted.

"I go tellin' my sister 'bout how yous was fallin all obers her, she'd find some ways to blame me, then if I goes and tells her she's an elf! They ain't supposed to even be 'round here nomore, she'd thinks we was lyin'," he said, shaking his head.

"She grew up hearin' the same stories my grandpappy's tolded me and how we drove 'em out years ago. This one shouldn'ts even exist!" Durkin looked at Gorrick, his face reflecting his relief.

"So if theys drove'em out, whats dis one doin' heres then?" Gorrick's eyes narrowed, "I don't rights knows the answer to that one yets. What I do knows is they was powerful. Dangerous. They could control da minds of the mightiest warriors with just a word. They'd make 'em turn on ones another so instead of 'tacking dem, they's be 'tacking they own troops." Ray and Grim exchanged another glance, their interest piqued.

"Dat is redicerous?" a younger dwarf muttered.

"Wasn't 'til we came up wid deese," Gorrick said, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper, clutching his talisman "thats we finds a way to fight 'em back." Ray's head turned sharply toward the noise.

"Reinforcements?" he muttered to Grim.

"Only question is…who's?" Grim said, nodding his head, "ours or theirs," he said, jerking his head to the direction of the prisoners as he turned to see the road.

"Whew! Looks like our guys." Grim nodded, unconsciously taking his hand off his weapon.

"Looks like Sheriff Matabore's men have finally arrived." The dwarven prisoners fell silent, their previous animated discussion abruptly cut short by the approaching commotion. The sound of oxen, creaking wagon wheels, and multiple voices grew louder.

"Wells, now," Grim said under his breath to Ray, "this should gets mightly interestin'."

"What do you mean?" Ray asked, confused.

"You did say they were our guys."

"You'll see for yourself soon 'nough." Grim remarked, giving Ray a half‑hearted smile. As the wagons approached, a cloud of dust rising behind them, Ray could make out several official-looking dwarves. At the lead was a stocky figure Ray assumed must be Sheriff Matabore. The wagons rolled to a stop, and several dwarven soldiers jumped down, their hands resting casually on their weapons. The Sheriff, a broad-shouldered dwarf with a graying beard and a no-nonsense expression, stepped forward.

"Heard you boys was havin' some trouble," he called out, his voice gruff and authoritative, walking quickly to Grim and Ray. He stopped suddenly and looked Ray up and down before turning to Grim.

"Grim, mind telling me what in Moradin's name is going on here?" Ray and Grim exchanged a quick glance. This was about to get complicated, very complicated indeed.