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Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 19
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Tinker to the Rescue: Part 1
Ok, I know most of my stories aren't very good but I think I have improved. So if you would, check out this latest story.
Ezer sat by his fire slowly rewinding the small clock he had taken from the Elvin Citadel. It was a magic clock, but what kind of magic he did not know. He often took it out and looked at it. Tiny machines, clocks, and metal things in general intrigued him. It was the fancy that made him a prime tinker. He could mend any clock, fix any pot, or pick any lock. He could even make armor if he had a forge, anvil, and hammer. He put the clock back in his brown script and laid down facing the fire. He smiled contentedly. A stick breaking made him sit up. He looked around nervous. He pulled on his sandals and stood slowly. He looked around worriedly. He should not have camped here. He was not sure where the Hradani border was. These people were not social to most, and defiantly not friendly to intruders. The trusted very few outside of their own clans. He picked up his script and was happy not to be carrying weapons for the millionth time in his short life. He just stood there as two Hradani stepped out of the tall grass that surrounded him. He stepped back. They held up empty hands to show they carried no weapons.
“You are de one they call Ezer,” the fox eared man asked. Ezer sat down very hard, but he nodded. How do they know my name, he asked himself. Maybe they need some things fixed, a bitter voice in the back of his mind said. He sighed and stood back up. The other guard stepped forward and kicked dirt on his fire. He stepped forward angrily.
“Hey, what are you doing,” he asked. They both looked at him. The one who had kicked out his fire grabbed his script from him and the other stepped forward and hit him in the face. He fell to the ground. He spit blood out and looked back up to see a fist coming down at him. He let a startled cry before the world dissolved before his eyes.
He sat up so quick that his head swam with dizziness. He shook his head and looked around.
“Well, this does not look like a prison cell,” he said slowly. A laugh behind him made him turn. A woman with the Hradani fox ears stood there looking at him. Despite the deadly look on her face, she was a beauty. He smiled slowly.
“I am sorry. Our hunters are not used to taking live prey. We sent them to get you. We were very surprised that you were no less than a league from our clan territory,” she said. Her voice was hard but musical in a way. He smiled sheepishly.
“I thought you were going to kill me. I was not quite sure where the territory began,” he said. She smiled. Somehow that made him very uneasy.
“That is not why you are here,” she said. “Please come with me. The Elders wish to speak with you.” He swallowed slowly. This did not sound like he was going to like it one bit.
Ezer stood outside a large wooden door waiting patiently. His hands fidgeted nervously. I wish I had a clock to work on, he thought. He looked back at the door. Carved on it was a battle scene. Women and men with fox ears fought hard against what looked like elves and were winning. Centered was a sort of coat of arms. It was well carved. He put his hand out and ran it over the carvings. Oddly the door was warm. It felt good on his bare hand. He closed his eyes and the door swung open. He went forward with the door, except his legs did not move. He landed face first in front of a pair of feet. He looked up into the face of an elderly woman. Her red fox ears were grayed with age. He turned red and stood slowly. She smiled slightly. He bowed his head and looked around the room. A table held five seats, but the one in the center was empty. He watched as the woman walked around the table and sat down in the empty chair.
“Ezer the Tinker,” she asked. Her voice was low but seemed to echo in the chamber. He stepped forward and fell to one knee.
“I am the tinker you seek.”
“You are the one who brought back the young one who ran away for adventure,” the one to the right of the elderly one said next. Ezer thought back to the time he stumbled onto a young Hradani girl who had run away. She was nice, but he brought her back to her clan. He nodded.
“You entered the Elvin Citadel and took back the clock they stole from you,” another asked. He nodded again. He narrowed his eyes. What do any of these questions have to do with them bringing him here, he wondered.
“You are half human,” another said. He looked up at that. How did they know of his father? He nodded slowly. “A human man by the name of Ezra was your father?” He nodded again frowning at them.
“You are half elf,” the last asked. He nodded.
“What do these questions have to do with any thing? Either punish me for a crime or let me go,” he said. The center elder shook her head.
“You mother was the elf Meliandrin,” the same elf asked. He scowled but nodded.
“Now that the questions are out of the way,” the center woman said. “We need your help.” Ezer felt his mouth fall open. What do they need help with that they had to ask for it from a half breed outcast?
“You see, almost a week ago a pair of maidens were taken from our very village,” the elder said. “We sent a full score of warriors after them but they have yet to come back.” Ezer nodded. What does this have to do with me?
“You are considered a sort of friend to our kind,” the one on the end said. His voice sounded unsure.
“We think the maidens were taken to a stronghold in the north,” the center elder said.
“We need you to get in and out with the maidens.” Ezer sighed and nodded slowly. He knew he should not but he had a soft spot for women of any kind. There was a group sigh in front of him. He looked up. “You can go back to your room. We would like you to leave as soon as possible, tomorrow, but you can leave when you wish.” She pointed him out. He turned slowly and walked to the door. He glanced behind him and noticed that the five elders were watching him. He shook his head and walked back down the corridor.
Ezer looked around at the thinning trees. He had been out of the Hradani territory for near a week. He was fast approaching the last town or city before the north enveloped the smaller ones. He smiled as he saw the first farm houses. A shape was moving on what looked like a pile of wood.
“Can I help you miss,” he asked the woman. She was nearly naked wearing barely what you could call rags while hunched over with her arms and neck attached to a stock. He looked at the lock on it and pulled out his picks. She murmured something. He looked at her. “What was that?”
“Behind you,” she mumbled out. He turned and saw a man approaching. He was a big man. As he came nearer to Ezer his face grew darker.
“What are ye doing idiot,” he said. His voice was badly slurred which meant that the man was badly drunk on something. From the looks of the man’s cloths some sort of cheap rotgut. Ezer smiled and waved as the man approached. “That wench is put there for a reason. She is a whore who deserves worse than what she gets.” Ezer scowled at the insult. He was like the Hradani when it came to women. They all were like holy creatures that were to be put on a pedestal and kept there no matter what. The man came closer and Ezer smiled.
“No I did not know that. You must forgive me,” he said. The big man turned to go. Ezer put both his hands together and slammed both down on the man’s neck. The drunken man went down like a dead tree. Ezer shook his hands. He turned around to face the woman.
“That idiot has a thick head,” he said smiling to the woman. She stared wide eyed at him. He pulled back out his picks and went to work on the lock. When it snapped off, the woman did not move. Ezer put his hand on her shoulder and helped her stand straight. He was surprised she stood the same height as him. Her cloths hide less than he thought. He averted his eyes by rummaging in his script. He pulled out his spare cloths and pushed them to her. She still had that wide eyed surprised look on her face. Her eyes were dark green.
“Thank you,” she said slowly. She dropped the rags off of her and put on the cloths. Ezer turned quickly shaking his head. “Why help me?” He shrugged.
“It is hard to see a woman in distress and not want to help,” he said. She smiled. He glanced behind him and then turned. His cloths covered more but they did nothing to hide her figure. He shook his head again. He looked at the big man and smiled.
“Are you sure you want to come with me,” he asked her again. She nodded. He sighed, but smiled when he looked at the big man. He was now on the stocks. The man had not woken up and probably would not before tomorrow. He began to walk north. She fell in beside him.
“My name is Medora by the way,” she said. Her voice was husky like a man’s but it held that melodious tone most women had. He nodded and held out his hand for her to shake.
“Name is Ezer,” he said. She took his hand and smiled.
“You are the first man to comment on my predicament back there,” she said. “Why is that?”
“I think like the fox ears think,” he said. She laughed.
“And how is that?”
“Women are precious creatures.” She laughed harder at that. He shook his head. “They are in a way, but I do like a woman who can take care of herself.” He looked around as they entered the main part of the town. He spotted a tavern and motioned her to follow.
Ezer sat in the corner fiddling with his clock. It was glowing oddly. He looked up when the food was brought by a serving girl. He placed a gold coin on her serving tray. She looked at him wide eyed surprise and smiled at him. He smiled back and looked back at the clock.
“What are you doing,” Medora asked. He smiled but did not look up.
“What I do for a living,” he answered. She changed seats to watch his hands. He stopped and looked at her. “I am a tinker by trade. Sometimes a blacksmith or clockmaker.” She stared at the clock. He began to fiddle with it again. She sighed and began to eat.
“So why are you going north,” she asked. He stopped and looked at her.
“Because the fox ears asked me to do them a favor,” he said. Her eyes widened.
“You have spoken with those savages,” she said. Amazement was apparent in her voice.
“Yes. They consider me a friend in a way.”
“You are more than you appear tinker.” She placed her head in her hands and watched him. “So what do you have to do for them?”
“Some of their clan was kidnapped. They are being held in a fortress to the north somewhere. I have done things that made them think I can help them.” She arched her eyebrow at this.
“And what would that be?”
“Elves thought they could steal my clock and put it in their citadel,” he said, “but they did not count on me having the smarts and skill to steal it back.” He twisted a knob and the clock snapped shut. He placed it in his script. He reached his hand up and found there was no food left. He frowned at her.
“Sorry,” she said. “I get hungry sometimes.” She smiled weakly.
“No problem. I got to watch my girlish figure anyway,” he said. She laughed.
Ezer woke up slowly. He looked around the room. Medora lay on the bed still asleep. He sat forward and stretched slowly. His back was sore. I can’t be sleeping in a chair, he thought. Medora stirred slightly and he stood quietly and moved toward the door. He looked back then went down to the common room. He sat down at an empty table. A serving girl walked up to him holding a tray. He looked at her and smiled.
“Anything you have to eat will be fine,” he said softly not wanting to break the peaceful silence. She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. He pulled out his clock and began to wind it. It whirred as he stopped. He put it back in his pocket. He looked up as a heavy woman approached him with a tray.
“I want to thank you,” she said quietly. He looked at her. On the tray a whole chicken sat. It had been browned and smelled delicious. “You are helping that girl.” She placed the chicken down in front of him. He reached into his pocket and the woman waved it away. He smiled and nodded. He slowly took a fork and knife and cut him a piece to eat.
“And what are you doing,” a voice said. He looked up at the stairs and Medora stood there in just her shirt. Luckily it came down to her knees. He stood slowly and she walked to him.
“I was hungry,” he said. “I am sorry for waking you up. I tried to be quiet.” She laughed at him.
“You make enough noise to be a rampaging bull.” He rolled his eyes.
“Alright,” he said. “Would you like some?” He pushed the tray to her and she grabbed his fork from him and began to eat. He sighed. “Am I going to be hungry until I get rid of you?” She shot him a dark look.
“You offered.” He shrugged.
“Remind me not to,” he said. She bared her teeth at him. He smiled and shrugged again.
Ok, so now that you have read this story tell me. What did you think? All types of answers welcome. Even flames. And yes the names are spelled right. The way I want them.
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Life is a dream. When we wake up is not
up to us but we should enjoy the dream for
as long as we have it there. ~ Davin
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