Lithos Foundingstone watched as his brother Archibald's head swiveled to track the attractive young dwarf as she passed in front of them. Archibald was human, but he didn't seem even the least bothered that the young woman's shoulders were broader than his own. Nor did the young woman seem bothered by his attention; even without the ability to grow a proper beard (and the consequent nickname of Uncle Baldy), Archibald was charming.
And they were dwarves now -- dwarven citizens, anyway. In theory they could court and marry other dwarves. That might even work for Archibald, but Lithos knew that it would never work out like that for him. For all that he'd been raised as a dwarf and accepted as a dwarven citizen, he'd been born a goblin and that was what most dwarves saw when they looked at him. So, to fend off any attempts at matchmaking and other, equally awkward discussions, Lithos had one day announced that he was "saving himself for magic" -- as if chastity were any sort of prerequisite for wizardry, as if wizards never fell in love or married. It was just a way to avoid talking about it...
...Or at least he'd meant for it to be a way to avoid talking about it. Everybody, including his siblings, had been so charmed by the announcement that even the ones who knew better (or had known better at one point) had gotten caught up in it. On the one hand, it was kind of embarrassing: Lithos didn't really enjoy being looked at as the cute wee goblin who didn't understand how all this worked.
(It wasn't like he didn't have his own copies of Ariana Virtue's The Misadventures of Lady Willing in the Lands of the Heathens or the even more scandalous The Adventures of Lady Ariana in the Vice Dens of Sol Povos, author ostensibly unknown. It certainly wasn't as if he hadn't read both volumes repeatedly, and committed certain sections to memory.)
On the other hand, it was still a convenient fiction now and then... and every once in a while it was hilarious.
So, "Did you need to talk to her?" he asked Archibald, doing his best to look wide-eyed and innocent.
"I, ah-- well, it's more a possible opportunity than an actual need." Archibald looked slightly pained; they were supposed to be on their way to the market to renew the Shattered Golem's supply of eggs, which formed the basis of many regional dishes throughout Silvergard.
The young woman glanced back at Archie, and he offered her a smile which she returned.
And they think I don't know anything about it... Lithos kept his face smooth and managed not to giggle as he hesitated, dangling his older brother along for one full breath. Then: "I can place the order; I'm sure old Ironbender would loan me his dog-cart to get everything back safely."
"Would you?" asked Archibald. "I'll... I'll try not to take too long."
"It's fine," Lithos told him, still looking as innocent as he could possibly manage. "Take all the time you need."
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