Elvenshore: 01 - The Dwarves of Elvenshore Read Online Free PDF

in turn until it reached the ears of the King.  He also roared with laughter. He then stood up from his chair. 
    Holding up his arms to quiet down the crowd, the King made an announcement. “I, King of High Mountain, was going to announce the betrothal of my sixth son to Ammlee the daughter of Hightower.  But as I have just found out, my sixth son does not know who he is!” With that the whole crowd, except for the humans and Hemlot, burst out in laughter.  Hemlot had a worried look on his face, fearful that he had done something wrong.  The whole crowd was looking at Sarchise.  Having nothing better to do, and seeing that he may have just made a fool of himself, Sarchise lifted up his mug of ale and toasted the crowd.  This brought more hails of laughter.  A blushing Ammlee stood up and bowed to the crowd.  Great and fierce dwarf warriors were crying from laughing so hard.
    When the laughter subsided, the King spoke something in the old dwarf tongue.  Ammlee bowed her head and Caspin reached over and whispered for Sarchise to nod his head also.  He did so before he thought of asking why.
    “It is done!” the king announced and immediately musicians began to play and sing.
     
    To tell a tale of wandering lords
    Who dreamed of thrones and golden hordes
    But ended wrapped in Spiders Cords
     
    Who went down a deeply forested way
    But through a spider’s bite now stay
    And now in healer’s hut he lay.
     
    A tall green clad man of trees
    Walking through the forest breeze
    From the spiders, our prince did seize.
     
    He brought him back to our mountain
    And thought he would depart again
    But a new life for him began
     
    Our dwarfish tongue, to him, makes no sense
    And to us he seems a little tense
    But he finds himself a dwarfish prince.
     
    Then a second song began.
     
    Of heroes of the old and new
    In halls of stone or skies of blue
    Where warriors are here save the day
    Glowin’s name is here to stay
     
    The old warrior fell in battle sore
    Is now behind the healer’s door
    Though he may never see the light of day
    Glowin’s name is here to stay
     
    Many a gremlin, he did fell
    And lived again to tell the tale
    But in a spider’s lair he fell that day
    Glowin’s name is here to stay
     
     
    An army of servers came and started moving out the tables and chairs.  The crowds starting to find places around the bonfire, while maidens brought pitchers full of ale.
    Not knowing what better to do, Sarchise sat back down.  Hemlot came up and whispered in Sarchise’s ear. “When we first met you told me you knew our ways!” he hissed.
    “I know that if you save a dwarf’s life you are considered his brother,” Sarchise said,
    “Do you remember when the King said ‘the brother of my son is my son?”
    “Yes,” said Sarchise.
    “That made you the sixth son of the King.” Hemlot explained, “ and now you are engaged to Ammlee.”
    “What?” Sarchise almost screamed it. “I will never agree to that!”
    “You already have.  You nodded your head,” Hemlot explained.
    “When?” he said, and then he thought a moment. “Oh that, you don’t expect me to speak old dwarfish? What can I do about it?”
    “Nothing, you dare not refuse gifts from the King,” said Hemlot firmly.
    Caspin leaned over and said “Congratulations, by the way, I told the King that you would feel bad if you had not a betrothed at the feast.”
    “You!” Sarchise raged, “This is all your fault.”
    Caspin leaned his head back and roared with laughter.
    Sarchise turned back to Hemlot. “When do I have to get married? How long can I postpone it?”
    “A dwarf wedding is announced at a large feast.  The father of the groom announces the engagement. The engagement is the wedding.” Hemlot explained. “But the King has chosen for you one of the fairest maidens in the realm.”
    Sarchise just shook his head and scowled at the still laughing Caspin.
    The King came and sat down between Caspin and Sarchise.  “Can’t