Kinderling 22

 In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:

The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1

Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing.  It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice.  

Now back to our story, already in progress....

That day was a day of argument.  There wasn't a clear plan for rescuing the villagers from the mines, and the argument about that spilled over into the one thing we did, or at least I did, have a plan for.  The rescuing of Mizzy.

"No Tandy!  You can't just walk in and expect to walk right out again!"  Cried Father.

Mama was, nominally, on my side, "The stump is on the edge of the village on the North side, and not far from the forest.  The Gorfs don't patrol there very heavily, because nobody goes near that rotted stump except for Daggi.  I can be in and out before anyone notices that I am there."  

Clearly however, Mama was under the delusion that I would let her be the one who did the rescue.

"No good Bonnie," interjected Uncle Zon, "if we are going to have any chance of getting the villagers out of the mines and up here where it's safe, we're going to need all the help we can get."

"I'm not sending my daughter out alone to rescue Mizzy!"  Mama was starting to get angry, but the entire argument ground to a screeching halt.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!

"What was that?"  I asked hoping someone would have an answer.

"That is the front door knocker Tandy."  Bez said calmly.  "Come along, you haven't seen this part of the garrison yet."

Bez took me through a couple doors, then down a corridor that angled upwards.  I thought we were heading in the general direction of the front door.  We ended up in a relatively small, bare room.  Along one side were benches, along the other side were openings.  I looked out and saw the undersides of plants and grasses.  Bez showed me how to carefully move the plants aside, just a little bit, and look out.  We were up high, but looking down a bit, I could see the front door.  Outside the front door was the Deep Gorf that we had met when we were escaping the mines.  With him was a large male Gorf.  After a few moments looking at him, I recognized the large male Gorf that I had made a treaty with by the underground lake.  I wondered what they were doing here.

"Hmm." Bez said, "I have never had a Gorf walk up and knock on the door before.  I've had a few try to grab me and eat me as I walked out the door, but I never had one just polite as a bird, walk up and knock."

I wasn't sure what birds Bez was talking about, but I recognized those two, and wanted to hear what they had to say.

"Bez, I know those two, although I didn't know that they knew each other, and I want to hear what they have to say.  Can we let them in?  At least through the tunnel to the inner courtyard?"

"I don't see why not.  We have the inner defenses in case they get out of hand."  Bez said as he walked to the end of the room and pulled a lever.  I looked out and the front door opened.  The two Gorfs stared at it for a moment, then the big one, ran.  Away.  Like the hounds of the Abyss were set upon him.

The Deep Gorf stepped back a few paces, then stood his ground.  "This place has an evil reputation to it.  If I go in, how do I know I will ever come out again?"

Bez quieted me before I could answer, and with a gesture lead me back up the hallway and then down a stairway cut right into the rock.  At the bottom, there was a room with a pipe coming out of the wall.  Bez took a cork out of the end of the pipe, and said "Talk into this and he'll be able to hear you."

"Don't be afraid, I promise you we wouldn't even think about eating you."  I said, willing my smile to reach my voice.

"Young one!  I heard rumors that there was more activity than usual up here, and I was hoping to find you, even if in this horrible place."

I looked at Bez with an eyebrow raised.

He covered the speaking tube and said, "This place was built in the days of the last Kinderling King, way before even my time.  Back then, the King's army took a more... shall we say, active... roll in controlling the Gorf menace.  It's not something that we as a people are proud of, and I don't think they teach about it in schools anymore, but this garrison was a stepping off point for attacks on Gorfish strongholds."

"Strongholds?  They live in caves and sleep on the bare ground, believe me, I've seen a few Gorf settlements.  If it weren't for the fact that they are starving, they probably wouldn't even be a danger.  Any creature can be a danger if it's starving enough."

"That wasn't always the case, Tandy."  Bez explained,  "I have been reading the histories here in the Library.  It has really opened my eyes.  We Kinderlings weren't always very nice people.  The King  declared war on the Gorfs.  The surface ones anyway, I don't think they knew about the Deep Gorfs back then.  That war nearly killed off both sides, the surface Gorfs have never recovered.  The Kinderlings managed a little better, and once silver was found in the mines, our recovery was helped a lot by trade from the Men of Dorinth.  I always wondered why the Deep Gorfs didn't help their surface cousins the same way?"

"Religious dispute." I replied.  From the look on his face I don't think Bez was expecting an answer.

"Really?"  Bez cocked one eyebrow as if wondering how I would know that or if I was just guessing.

"Yep, I got it from the Gorf's mouth."  Indicating towards the speaking tube.

"You really know this creature?"

"He's a friend... of sorts."  

I couldn't blame Bez for being doubtful that religion could cause a people to turn their backs on their own kind.  Kinderlings don't have such problems.  Everyone tends to figure things out for themselves rather than rely upon centralized control.  That's why Baot trying to take over was so shocking.  When the last Kinderling King fell, we didn't bother crowning a new one.  Sure, there is the council, but according to my Father, they work hard to make sure that anything they decide upon is well thought out, because they know Kinderlings will ignore anything they think is stupid.

I indicated to Bez to uncover the tube.

"Until a few days ago, I didn't know this place existed.  If you are uncomfortable with the idea of coming in, I will come out."

Bez put the cover on the speaking tube.  "Now Tandy, I don't think that's a good idea.  What if they have more Gorfs with them?  What if that big one went off to get friends?  For that matter, that big one looks like he could kill us all, what if he comes back?"

"Don't worry Bez, they promised not to eat me."

"I only heard you promise not to eat them!"  Bez seemed very unhappy about the idea.  I couldn't blame him.  A mere few days ago I would have thought I was planning suicide by Gorf too, but I knew better now.  Or hoped I did.

Much to Bez's surprise, when I told them my plan, both my parents said "Oh, okay."  I expected to have to convince at very least my mother, so I had my whole argument laid out in my head before Bez and I got back to the common area.  

On the way out, I visited my pile of goodies, picking up an arrow-chucker, quiver, and a go-stick.  Seeing Bez watching me I said.  "What?  I may know these two Gorfs, but I'm not stupid."

Bez just laughed and shook his head.  "Always as nice as your father, and as practical as your mother.  If I were a hundred years younger, and not absolutely head over heals in love with Tilly,  I think my heart would be in danger."

It was... sort-of flattering... and don't get me wrong, I liked ol' Bez as a person, but the idea of being courted by him was a little creepy.

I exited the garrison through the murder tunnel, and out the door.  It was getting along to evening, and the sunset was behind the mountain, so it was a little darker than I would have liked, but the Deep Gorf was there waiting.

"Young lady, it is  a pleasure to see you again."  He said, "I have been trying to coax my companion from his hiding place in the bushes, but alas he seems unwilling to budge."  Since there wasn't any bushes on top of the outcropping, I expected he had climbed down one side or the other.  Either way, I would see him coming in time to get away.