The noble district, unlike the merchant district, was surprisingly minimalistic in style. In place of the colorful design of the merchant’s, the noble district was less provocative. The true attention here was focused on subtle details. Every carving, every statue, or decoratively hung banner was made with incredible attention to detail.
There were hidden beauty inside the various arts and styles that could only be coaxed out of them with the necessary time dedicated to studying them.
The houses here were different too, unlike the multi floor and relatively thin buildings. The ones here had large gardens and most of them only had a ground floor.
Based on Emrum’s explanation, because of limited building space and the occasional cave in, people were forced to build multi floored buildings with thin frames. The idea behind such a structure was that this way the buildings have a smaller chance of being hit by falling debris while also taking up relatively small place. Only those of the noble class, except, of course, royalty, were allowed to own, buy, or sell land in the noble district. Even if they could afford the price, only nobles were allowed to own land there.
Knowing all this, it is not surprising that the utmost sign of influence and luxury in such circumstances was to own a ground level building with a wide structure, taking up as much place as possible. Then again, the multi layered metal threaded nets that were indeed stretched above the entirety of the noble district allowed the nobles of the city to do so without suffering the negative effects that the less fortunate worried about.
After all, having individual nets placed on top of buildings could only deflect so much, the falling debris could still damage property, if they fall in an unfortunate angle, or rip through the net.
Alas, no matter how beautiful the noble district was, I was too worried to truly enjoy the sights.
Step by step, we were getting closer to the Dimhollow estate, and by that it meant that I was getting closer to be introduced to my unlikely, and new family. I was getting increasingly fidgety.
One would perhaps think that there was no point in getting frustrated over this. After all, it was out of my hands at this point. While there was some truth to that, it was also complete bullshit. I have never been adopted before, not even saying that this was a noble warrior clan with a heroic history.
However, the thing that truly put me on my toes was the sheer wealth that surrounded me. Like seriously, some of the statues were made from pure gold and were even decorated with valuable gems. While being left in the middle of the streets, you could literally touch them, and nobody gave a damn about it.
People were walking by it, while not even giving a second glance. As if they were simply walking by a stick or simple rock. The rich surely had a different set of values. It also explains why the gates leading into the noble district were so heavily guarded. If they would let any people inside, those statues wouldn’t survive the following night. I would bet my immortality on that fact.
Damn, even I thought about trying to pocket one of those glistening blue sapphires that was used to imitate an eye on a certain statue, animating some sort of proud dwarven ancestor.
Yeah… I probably wouldn’t get too far with it, then again half a palm sized chiseled sapphire was still half a palm sized… sigh, let’s drop this topic before I decide to go back for it, and get myself locked in a cage.
I shook my head while closely following Emrum, who was still energetically explaining everything and anything that caught our interest. It was obvious that he was excited and happy to be home.
~oOo~
It took us another half an hour of walking before we finally stood in front of the large metal gates of the Dimhollow estate. The familiar house emblem with an empty black circle proudly hanging from both sides of the entrance, declaring its presence to the world.
To my slight surprise, the gates were already opened widely, and there were no guards standing by the doors. Emrum happily ushered us inside while continuing to lead our little group. We were marching through the garden, cutting straight towards the estate building that could be easily spotted right from the gates. I wondered if this was a show of confidence, not having guards positioned at the gate.
On our way here, we passed many similar estates, and in almost all cases there were at least one guard stationed at the entrance, unlike here. Then again, it would be seriously stupid to attack an estate that belong to people well known for their prowess in blood-letting.
By the way, I have failed to mention it until now, but what I meant by “garden” in the case of these estates were not quite what one would call a traditional garden, or any sort of garden, really.
There were no flowers here for starter, not much of a surprise considering the fact that we were underground, and flowers along with most regular greenery needed sunlight to remain… well alive. What I meant by gardens here, were in truth, meant something different if similarly exotic in nature.
There were carefully cultivated giant mushrooms of vivid colours. Their size varied from the size of people to that of smaller houses. While their lively colors indicated that they were very likely poisonous, the soul lifting effect of the unexpected burst of color they showcased could not be ignored. Aside from that, said mushrooms were artistically surrounded by slightly phosphorescent blueish-green moss, which created the biggest part of the gardens, while also giving the estate an otherworldly glow and a sense of mysticism. Some might even compare the spectacle created by the special moss to the sight of a starry night sky.
All in all, it was quite beautiful.
My gaze lingered over the strange sight. Alas, we were interrupted as we neared the entrance into the estate building itself.
An older dwarf exited the building and seemed to walk towards us with a sense of urgency. Emrum, of course, wasn’t bothered by this and continued towards the entrance while we followed him close by.
The older dwarf had quite a few wrinkles edged into his face. His long hair was more grey than black, which was its original color once upon a time. Now it only kept a shadow of its faded glory. Its ominous presence was paired with onyx black eyes that seemed to look into one’s soul.
Still, the aged man was far from being helpless. His body held a steely rigidness, which only well-disciplined soldiers shared. His step was determined, his presence authoritative, his eyes sharp, tempered by many years of wisdom and experience. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of respect towards the man, while simultaneously becoming wary of him.
I nervously looked around our little group. Aria’s eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar presence, her body tensing in subtle ways, while Camilla was openly chewing on her lips, her hands shaking slightly from the sheer nervousness she was enduring. I couldn’t help but allow a small smile for myself. The girl was acting like one would expect from a person preparing for an important job interview.
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My smirk was quickly evaporated when my brain registered the unexpected sight that had happened in front of us. The old dwarf, with a shocking agility, delivered a fist strike onto Emrum’s cheek.
There was a sound of surprised and painful shout from Emrum, who stepped back a few times, clearly confused by the unfolding events, while his left hand was covering his freshly bruised cheek.
There was a suffocating stillness descending upon us, as nobody knew what to do.
As the painfully uncomfortable seconds passed, Emrum finally gathered himself and asked in a hesitant tone. — “Grandpa?”
My eyes widened unnaturally, listening to that statement. That man was Emrum’s grandfather? Meaning that he is basically my great-grandfather now? Oh, hell no! This was definitely not going the way I would hope for.
The old dwarf’s words cut through our shocked surprise with an edge that I did not expect, even after the unusual welcome he so readily delivered.
“You fool of a dwarf! How dare you bring shame upon our esteemed clan! To think that you were almost killed multiple times on a single mission!” — His black eyes suddenly focused on me, a barely contained fury burning in his dark gaze, that sent cold shivers up my spine. — “And to think that you were saved by elven women, of all things! No, not even a proper woman, but one that is barely not a child! The shame!” — He spat as I shrunk back under his intense gaze. What was this old bastard’s deal, anyway?
I felt my cheeks burn with fresh anger as I shouted that very thought at the stuck up idiot. — “Since you are so hung up on shame, how about feeling ashamed of your own disrespectful actions! Is this any way to treat your grandson when he comes back from a missi-…?” — “SILENCE! How dare you disrespect your elders!” — The man shouted over my voice like a rabid dog, but I didn’t care.
“What elder and what respect!?” — I shouted back at him. — “Elder my feet! Maybe start acting like one, then I will consider treating you as such! A person that hit his injured grandson the first time he lays eyes on him could hardly be considered anything deserving my respect.” — I narrowed my silver eyes on the man who was staring daggers at me.
There was a heavy silence following our rapid exchange, the others apparently still in shock, unable to interject in any meaningful way.
It was at that moment when I noticed a tug at the edge of the old dwarf’s lips. At first I ignored it, but when it has grown apparent, I couldn’t help but focus on the forming smile on the old man’s face, then eventually turned into a full-blown grin, radiating something akin to pride.
“Feisty and loyal to her companions, while not afraid to speak up when suffering injustice. Good, very good. I can already see you adjusting to life in our clan. My fool of a grandson for once did something right with bringing you home. Yes, indeed…”
At last, it seemed that the utterly shocked Emrum, who was staring at the enfolding events with a half opened mouth, finally came to his senses. — “You! She?! I mean… What is wrong with you old man!? Did you go senile while I was serving the king’s cause? I will tell this to grandma, first chance I get!” — Emrum stated with a still shocked, but clearly angry tone.
The old man sputtered to that, as his expression turned a few shades lighter, before adding his own comment, an ominous glint appearing in his eyes. — “Oh, but you would have to first survive your own wife, to do that… She is all ears to hear the specific reason of why you so suddenly adopted an elven maiden barely a century old without consulting with her about such matters. By that I mean our sweet Nerha already has her own ideas. I suggest you find her and start explaining before she finds you first. Because if she does, your bruised cheek will be the least of your problems.”
Emrum hearing those words paled considerably. His panicked expression wandered to us, then back to his grandpa, then back to us until it finally hovered over to the large mansion. A conflicted expression settling over his face, morphing his features into a scowl.
“Just go.” — The older dwarf stated with an unexpectedly gentle voice. — “I will take care of your guests.”
Emrum nodded with a relieved nod, waving us a hasty good bye heading towards the nearby entrance.
The older dwarf suddenly turned on his heels and shouted after Emrum one more time. — “Oh, and before I forget. My father wants to see you right after you spoke with Nerha. Don’t make him wait more than necessary. You know how the old man is.”
Emrum snorted at that and spoke in a hushed tone that was intentionally loud enough to be heard by everybody. — “Like you are one to talk…”
“I heard that.” — The man stated in an annoyed tone, but didn’t react any other way. Letting Emrum to disappear in the estate’s corridors.
With that done, the old man turned back to us. This time, there was a friendly expression settled on his face, while still maintaining his commanding presence to a certain degree.
“I believe proper introductions are in order, especially after our unfortunate misunderstanding.” — He droned on.
Camilla beside me gulped fearfully, while murmuring under her breath. — “Misunderstanding? The understatement of the year…”
Both me and Aria nodded to Camilla’s whispered words that we could only hear because of our elven hearing, which she at this point was very much counting on.
“My name is Dalorsaer Dimhollow. I am the only living son of Emir Dimhollow, who is our current clan leader.” — He points a meaningful look in my direction. — “That also makes me the grandfather of your adoptive father, and your great-grandfather… Oh and before you ask, I am 186-years-old. A life that I mostly lived as a warrior, managing to outlive all nine of my brothers who have lost their lives in the service of various branches of the royal armies. I believe that is something worthy of your respect. Isn’t that right, girl?”
I nodded, gulping down my saliva apprehensively.
“Now your turn, lass.” — He stated with a smile.
I coughed lightly and started my own introduction. — “Well, my name is Selora, and I am a witch…” — I wondered how much should I exactly tell, but before I could make up my mind I was interrupted, which really didn’t take me by surprise at this point.
“You are a white elf, exactly a hundred-year-old. Your hair is black, you have a pair of silver eyes and pale white skin, while having the height of 159 centimeter.“ — The old dwarf said in a matter-of-fact tone, while the rest of us stayed silent listening to my personal informations being thrown around like it was the most natural thing to do.
“How do you know those things about her?” — Camilla spoke up, for the first time, pointing a curious question to the dwarf who side-eyed her, while saying with a huff.
“The ring she wears. It is connected to an enchanted family tree so we can watch over our family’s fate. It is a powerful magic that aside from informing us of the wearer’s state, by that I mean alive or dead, it also provides us basic information about the wearer. That is how I know that you are exactly a hundred years and several weeks old.” — He nodded towards me once again, then his gaze turned back to Camilla.
“While I do believe that, we do not yet been introduced, I am quite certain that I have heard some rumours about you.” — Camilla’s lips thinned into a straight line, as she listened to the uncomfortable words of the dwarf.
“Alas, I am too old to be concerned about such things. At this age, I have seen and experienced most of the things life can throw one’s way, or at least I like to think that. I do not care about rumors. Be honest towards us, and you will be treated in kind.” — He stated with conviction, and Camilla smiled joyfully towards him.
Aria was still staying silent, which I was starting to grow suspicious about. The elven woman usually was anything but shy, and I doubted wholeheartedly that to be the case now, either.
I glanced towards the still quite tense woman and unknowingly started to chew on the edge of my lips.
As if on cue, the old dwarf turned towards the silently staring wood elf, finally meeting the woman’s gaze head on. There was a few seconds of silence, then the man stated with a neutral tone. — “Ariawyn Virdithas, an unexpected guest. One that I did not expect to see walking these halls once again, at least not in my lifetime.” — The man paused, then added with a teasing smile that made him seem younger with a century.
“You haven’t changed one bit, girl. Seeing you wear a dark elf armor as a trophy brings back a lot of memories… Adventures long past, but never truly forgotten. I will say seeing you like this makes me envy your long lifespan. While at the same time, it also makes me glad for not having to share its burden.”
Ariawyn smiled almost gently at the dwarf. Seeing her expression made me pause.
“Dalor… it’s been a while.”