Origin (Land of the Elementals Book 3), page 5
“Oh, yeah,” the woman said. “The noble competition is all anyone can talk about, even two weeks after it finished. Though I do have to say that that man who won…” The woman trailed off, fanning herself slightly as a flush crept down her neck.
Randall chose that moment to come stumbling out, lugging the heavy cask and clearly having a hard time with it.
“Give me that,” the woman said in exasperation, snatching the cask from the boy and slamming it onto the counter. “Go mop the kitchen or something. At least you can’t mess that up.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Randall muttered, his shoulders slumping as he headed into the back once more.
“You know,” Akkard said, leaning in a bit. “A cask like this is far too big for just one person, dwarf or not. You look like the type of lady who could throw a few back. So, what do you say? You gonna join me?”
The woman bit her bottom lip for a moment, looking up to the clock behind her.
“Aw, what the hell? No harm in joining a handsome man for a couple of drinks. Can’t have the customers seeing me slack off, so I think we should take this to a more private room,” the woman said, snatching the cask up under her arm.
“Get yourselves something to eat, ladies,” Akkard said, dropping a coin on the counter. “I’ll be back whenever I’m back.”
With that said, the dwarf hopped off the tall stool and followed the busty woman into a back room, leaving the two of them sitting there alone.
“Are they going to…?” Kya began.
“Yeah,” Karria replied. “Let’s try not to think about it too much.”
“Why don’t we just get something to eat like he suggested,” Kya said, her cheeks coloring. “I have a feeling that we may be waiting here for a while.”
Karria didn’t need any further urging. The last thing she needed to be thinking about right now was Akkard and the bar lady. Besides, Randall probably knew just as much about the competition as anyone if he lived here, and she had a feeling that she could charm him into telling two lovely young ladies all about it.
5
“This is too much,” Arbor said, looking around at his personal living space — or, at least what fraction of it he could see from where he was standing.
“Are you joking?” Grak asked as she strode into Arbor’s living area, slowly turning in a circle as she stared around with her jaw nearly touching the ground. “This place is amazing! I’m living here!”
“Me too!” Hord boomed, pushing past him and making a beeline for the hallway.
Arbor looked at Frunk, who was watching the two of them with clear disapproval.
“Not gonna stake your claim to a room?” Arbor asked, half-jokingly.
“That would be wildly inappropriate, sir,” Frunk said, pushing up the rim of his spectacles. “I am the commander of your military, not your blood relative. As such, I will be more than happy with accommodations in the barracks.”
“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen,” Arbor said. “If you don’t want to live in my personal wing, that’s understandable, but you and your brothers will each be getting a room on the third floor, and that’s an order,” Arbor put in before the gremlin could argue with him.
“Very well, sir,” Frunk said, giving him a smart salute. “I believe Sebastian will be up soon to begin directing the servants on where to place your belongings, as well as to help you choose your personal staff.”
“Won’t Sebastian be enough?” Arbor asked.
“I believe he will be in charge of the entire household, and while he will undoubtedly be at your beck and call, I would recommend you accept the chosen servants.”
“I understand,” Arbor said with a nod. “Thanks for explaining.”
“I am always happy to help,” Frunk replied. “Now, if I may be excused. Grab will need some help in coordinating temporary camps until the barracks can be raised.”
“You can go,” Arbor said, giving the gremlin a genuine smile. “And I hope you know that you can come up here any time you wish. No need for formalities unless we’re in front of the troops.”
Frunk returned the smile, though it was still professional and courteous as always. He bowed at the waist, then turned and headed out the door, closing it gently behind him, leaving Arbor alone to explore the massive living space. Grak and Hord were somewhere inside, and he was sure he’d find them eventually – probably – but for now, he was content to do a walkthrough on his own.
He looked down at the map Frunk had been kind enough to provide for him, noting his location, and began to walk. Right now, he was in the entryway, an ornate area lined with black and white tiles along the walls and floor, and a ceiling made of solid sheets of whitewashed wood. The wood was so smooth that it appeared as if it didn’t have a single seam, and not a single grain showed through, leaving a flat, white surface to stretch endlessly outward.
There was an area to place shoes, should one wish to remove them, and several chairs on which guests could sit while doing so. When they left the entryway, the ceiling suddenly soared to three times the height, leveling off some twenty-five feet up and making the already massive area feel even larger.
The black and white tile continued, stretching out into a greeting area, which was littered with several fireplaces built into the walls. The room was furnished with dark blue and gray sofas and armchairs, and there were a few plush rugs of the same color. From what Arbor could see on the map, the staircase that led here came up into the center of his living area. Walking down a short corridor, he was greeted with a literal wall of windows and two more corridors stretching to either side.
The map indicated that all of the bedrooms were to his right. To his left, was the kitchen, living area, lounge, dining room, swimming pools, and large baths. Arbor immediately headed right, wishing to explore his new bedroom first, as it was where he’d be laying his head each night. Well, he’d be sleeping there tonight. After that, he’d be back to sleeping in the coach for the next week and a half, not that he really minded.
Arbor strode down the hall, his boots clicking against the marble and echoing off the walls. Despite the massive scale of the place, Arbor couldn’t help but admit that it was nice, if not a bit empty feeling. He passed several closed doors, and then two opened ones. When he peeked into the first, he saw Hord, dashing about the massive room and unpacking various tools and implements.
“I hope you know that you’re not going to be doing any smithing up here,” Arbor said, making sure that his tone was unmistakably firm.
“Right you are, lad,” Hord called, not even bothering to look back.
“Right,” Arbor muttered, continuing down to the second open door.
He knocked before peering in and saw Grak, sprawled out on her back on the massive bed and wriggling back and forth. Unlike Hord, she’d removed her boots by the door so as not to ruin the plush navy carpeting within. She seemed busy, what with letting out small squeals of delight as she wriggled all over her new bed, messing up the sheets and probably making a mess that someone else was going to have to clean up later.
Letting out a long sigh, Arbor headed further down the hall until he came to a single door at the end. Unlike the others, this one was painted a deep navy blue and was trimmed with gold accents. It was clear from the rounded impression in the door that only someone with the correct key would be let in. Luckily for Arbor, he already had said key on his finger.
Pressing his newly minted signed ring to the impression, Arbor watched as a brief flash lit up the doorframe. Then, with a light click, the door swung inward. Arbor had thought he’d already seen everything when he’d walked through the massive manor. He’d seen the huge ballrooms, oversized trophy rooms, and the area dedicated entirely to lounging. Apparently, though, whoever had designed this room had spent far more money on this one area than any other in the entire manor.
Arbor slid his feet out of his boots, placing them into the large box right beside the door, before stepping onto the rich carpet. It was a navy blue that was interwoven with lighter sky-blue patterns that traced across the floor. Before him was a spacious study, complete with no less than five sofas and eight armchairs.
There were two fireplaces that were surrounded with white marble on each wall. Rows upon rows of expensive-looking tomes lined the walls. Though the room was very large, it still felt quite homey, making Arbor feel just a little better about having to live here. Five doors were built into the walls, each blending beautifully with the bookshelves and not looking at all out of place.
Going to the first door on his left, Arbor cracked it open to see a full dining area, large enough to host some thirty people. There was another door in the back, and when he walked to the other side and opened it, he found a back hallway, which he assumed was to be used by servants. The dining room was decorated in wood, rather than tile or carpeting. But instead of the mahogany, which was so common among the rich homes he’d seen, the floors were made of polished birch, giving the room a much more open feel.
The table was a few shades darker than that, and the chairs, thirty in all, matched perfectly. Arbor probably could have stood and admired this one room all day, but he had more exploring to do. Heading back into the carpeted study and lounge, he walked to the next door. Upon opening it, he found an entire pool, going from two to six feet deep and stretching a good thirty feet in length.
This area was dotted with lounge chairs, made of wicker and woven straw, though just by looking at them, Arbor would never have guessed it. A pair of massive glass-paned doors stood open to a large balcony, letting the fresh breeze waft in. Shaking his head in amazement, Arbor headed to the next room, which, as it turned out, was a bedroom.
The room contained a single bed with four posts, an oversized dresser, wardrobe, mirror, and vanity. There was also a small writing desk, four chairs, and a dozen other small trinkets and niceties that he didn’t even recognize. Moving across this room, which was also carpeted, he opened the far door to reveal a large bathroom, complete with a tub made of porcelain and an area for steaming. Another small door led off from that room, revealing a toilet and sink.
Arbor would have thought this was his room, but at that moment, Grak called out from behind him. Had Arbor not always been keeping his Perception Field on by now, he might not have heard her and been startled, which, he realized, might have been Grak’s intention.
“Come on! I want to see your room!” she said excitedly and very suddenly from just a foot behind him.
“You know, if you wanted to sneak up on me, you should probably learn to actually sneak instead of lumbering around like a horse that just ate a large meal,” Arbor said, turning to face the gremlin woman.
“You know,” Grak said as he pushed past her, “most women would scalp you for a comment like that.”
“Good thing you’re just you, then,” Arbor said.
He ducked easily, as Grak’s small fist sailed through the air where his head had just been moments ago.
“Cheater,” she muttered, earning her a laugh in response.
Entering the study/lounge again, Arbor pushed another door open, revealing a similar, but far more feminine suite.
“This is Karria’s room,” he said, exiting without even looking around.
In his mind, it already belonged to his sister, so he wasn’t going to be invading her privacy. Grak didn’t say anything to the contrary as he headed to the last door, the only one with another imprint. Arbor was aware that Karria would be getting a ring as well when she was found, a ring that would allow her into the living area. However, only his ring would open this door.
“Is it too late to trade bedrooms?” Grak asked as the door swung open.
“Yes,” Arbor said, walking into yet another lounge, this one far smaller than the last, but far cozier. A single bookshelf lined the walls, and a dark navy stained desk stood against the far wall. A huge wing-backed chair sat behind it, making it clear that this was for the owner of this majestic home.
A single door stood before him, and Arbor opened that to walk into the main bedroom.
“Are you sure about the trading thing?” Grak asked again. “Because I’d be more than happy to…”
“Not happening,” Arbor said, walking into the massive bedroom and gazing around in awe.
A gigantic monstrosity of a bed stood in the center against the far wall. It had to be at least three times the size of all the others he’d seen so far and was bedecked in blue and gray linens. Shining curtains were draped from the four posters and fell in elegant folds down to the floor. The floor itself was covered in more carpeting, this one, a mix of blues and grays.
His room contained the same wardrobe, dresser, vanity closets, chairs, and small table as the others, but his were far larger. There were several enormous windows as well, and with the drapes pulled back as they were, the room was quite bright. A single door, filled with glass panes, led out to a massive balcony, which, oddly enough, was walled off on all sides except the front. Arbor assumed this was done for safety and privacy, and he was glad that he had that.
Going off to the other door, Arbor found a similar bathroom to Grak’s, though his tub looked as though it could fit no less than ten full-grown adults comfortably. The toilet also appeared to be made of some shining silver material, and when Arbor approached and tapped on it, he was filled with immediate horror.
“Is this made of white gold?!”
Grak let out a snort as she bent down.
“There’s no way that… Holy shit, it is!” she exclaimed. “Who the hell needs a white gold toilet?”
“No idea,” Arbor replied. “But this is the first thing I’m having replaced. There’s no way in hell I’m going on that!”
“How much do you think it’s worth?” Grak asked, lifting the lid and peering in.
“Just judging on volume alone?” Arbor asked, eyeing the thing. “At least a few hundred thousand, if not more. What a waste!”
“You do know that there’s a lot more gold woven into the designs of this manor, right?” Grak asked, dropping the lid and heading out of the bathroom.
“I shudder when I think about how expensive this manor really is,” Arbor said. “And how rich the King must be, to just give it away.”
In his past life, Arbor had worked as a carpenter, and while his jobs normally pertained to building small houses or shops, he could appreciate the masterful construction that had gone into building this place.
“I actually asked Frunk on our way up,” Grak said as Arbor headed out of the room and closed the door behind him.
“Oh, yeah? How much?” Arbor asked, morbid curiosity leading him to not simply tell her he didn’t want to know.
“From the builder’s estimate at the time of construction,” Grak said, pausing momentarily to build suspense.
Arbor rolled his hand in a gesture for her to stop being dramatic, and Grak grinned as she continued.
“The manor, and only the manor, without including the grounds or any surrounding buildings, was worth…”
“Are you just going to keep pausing, or should I go ask Frunk myself?” Arbor finally asked.
“You’re no fun, you know that?” Grak said with a pout.
Arbor rolled his eyes, then pulled the door to his room open, as though preparing to go ask Frunk.
“Fine!” Grak called, half chasing after him.
Arbor turned with a raised eyebrow to see that Grak was once again smirking.
“The manor is estimated to have cost somewhere in the range of ninety-five to a hundred-and-five million gold.”
“What?!”
Arbor’s shout of disbelief was so loud, that Sebastian, who had only just arrived on the third floor to direct the servants holding Arbor’s belongings, could hear him.
6
“How much longer is he going to take?” Karria almost yelled.
It was well after dark by this point, and the bar had long since filled up. The two of them had been sitting at their corner table for some four hours already, and Karria was seriously starting to lose her patience.
Things might not have been so bad if they had had any luck with Randall. But, contrary to her thinking, the guy had taken one look at the two of them when they’d snuck into the kitchen, proceeded to turn beet red, then summarily fled in terror, nearly falling no less than five times on his way out. Karria might have been insulted, had Kya not told her of Randall’s burning embarrassment at having them approach. Apparently, he didn’t really receive much female attention, and thus, had no idea how to talk to them.
“I think they should be out soon,” Kya said. “But I’m not opening myself up to check again.”
Karria nodded sullenly, going back to poking at her long-cold chicken pie. After about a minute of Akkard and the bar lady’s antics, Kya had simply retracted her magic, not wishing to be privy to all the emotions and stray thoughts she was getting.
It was a sign that the elf girl’s magic was growing stronger, as when Karria had first met her, she could only get others’ thoughts on rare occasions, and even then, it would only be when she was in physical contact with someone. Now, she could catch random thoughts from over thirty yards away. Karria knew that she’d have to try and help her friend gain conscious control of her magic, and soon.
Hearing random thoughts was nice and all, but being able to direct her magic and hear the thoughts of others at will would be invaluable.
“Looks like they’re finally done,” Kya said, causing her to turn in her seat.
Sure enough, the back door swung open to reveal an incredibly happy looking Akkard. His beard was freshly combed, his clothes were unwrinkled, and his shoulders seemed relaxed in a way that Karria had never seen. The door closed behind him as he left, and his eyes swept around the bar before spotting the two of them.
“Well?” Karria asked as the dwarf pulled out a chair to sit.
“Well, what?” Akkard asked.
