Dry Wine and Good Friendsby Garth

It was a busy day in Hakkiem square, with people coming and going, children playing, but this was normal for the square in Drune where the master storyteller, Hakkiem, made his appearances. Today seemed just a bit busier than on any normal day, several of the FireSky Dominion's brothers and sisters were already seated around Hakkiem's favorite table. The signs were clear, Hakkiem was due to arrive in the square at anytime now. Garth greeted his brothers and sisters of the dominion and exchanged pleasantries, then went about selling his goods, repairing his armor, and sword. It wasn't long before Garth heard the children stop what they were doing and begin cheering and shouting "Hakkiem is here", and "Hakkiem tell us a story". Garth turned to where the children were pointing, there stood Hakkiem a wine glass in one hand (or at least that is what he called the Chalice he used for wine) and a flask in the other. Hakkiem greeted everyone in the square but paid special greetings to the members of FireSky, for he too was a member. With the greetings out of the way. He turned his attention to the young children that had gathered around him, all asking that he tell a story. "Patience young ones", he said, "I must first wet this old parched throat of mine." Garth snickered a bit to loud, for Hakkiem asked, "There is something funny about a dry throat, Sir Garth?" "No", replied Garth, "not of any normal throat, brother Hakkiem, just yours, for your throat is never dry what with the amount of wine you drink." Hakkiem laughed a hardy laugh and replied, "so true, good Sir, but I do love the wine." Everyone in the square laughed and Garth brought another flask of wine to the master story teller.
After drinking a cup or two from the fresh flask, Hakkiem cleared his throat and silence befell the square. He began his story telling with the lifting of the mist and although Garth had heard it before, each time it was different, as if told from another point of view. His next story was of death and destruction, and several of the younger children coward close to their parents or older brothers, one even hid behind Garth's legs. Hakkiem's last story was of men and women defending their towns from Ogres, with this the children began getting restless and when the story was done they all leaped up and pretended to defend the town of Drune, right in the square. People entering would be attacked with wooden swords as if they were ogres. "Now you have done it, Hakkiem, the children will never settle down after that story." Hakkiem, on the other hand, knew just how to calm a crowd, no matter what kind of crowd it be. He pulled out a pouch of gold and let it fall heavy to the table, everyone stopped and turned towards Hakkiem, who announced, "This pouch of gold to the child or children who bring the king of ogres, Garth, to the ground."
Garth's eyes grew wide with suprize as he heard the announcement, but had no time to reply, for he caught a glimpse of movement at his feet. The young lad that was hiding there had now produced a wooden sword and was about to have at his shins. Garth reacted well, stopping the lads swing with one hand, but in doing so he was now bent over at the waist. Three larger lads took advantage of this and leapt upon the still shocked warrior. Garth seemed to have no problem handling these children for even without his armor, he is quite strong. More children jumped on Garth and soon he was a mass of arms and legs. Garth could hear Hakkiem laughing and saying "Now, Sir Garth, is a parched throat funny?" Garth chuckled a bit. He figured to end this quickly, all he need do was to draw his sword and the children would scatter. Garth reached up to where the familiar hilt was, only to grab air. Garth whirled around almost in a panic only to see his brother Pat standing there with the sword. "Come now, Brother, surely you do not intend to cleave these children with this?", Pat asked, then he started laughing.
Garth heard other voices, it was Rosalyn and Kahuna, chanting. Garth knew these magical words, as he turned to protest, Rosalyn drained him of he's strength and Lord Kahuna relieved him of his energy. Now all in the square were laughing as Garth began to lose the battle with the children. But Garth is rather smart for a warrior, he began his own chanting, determined to remove the curses placed on him, Garth started a dispell magic chant. He never finished for the lad with the sword had somehow gotten free and behind Garth. With one clean swing of his sword, the lad struck Garth in the back of his knees, this sent Garth and the children on him to the ground quickly. The children soon had Garth pinned and the lad with the sword was now holding it at Garth's throat. He had no choice but to surrender to the might of Hakkiem's Raiders. The lad that brought Garth down, now walked over to Hakkiem, who was still laughing, and stretched out his hand. The other children watched as Hakkiem place the gold in the outstretched hand, then leaped off Garth and surrounded the youngster, who was now fending them off with his sword. Garth picked himself up off the ground, with the help of Pat, in time to see Lord Kahuna stay the lads sword arm and say, "Easy young sir, is this how you would repay those that aided you?" "Aye", Rosalyn interjected, "would you now slay those that helped you best that", Rosalyn snickered, "Ogre", pointing at Garth and smiling her warm and caring smile. "Or", Kahuna continued, "would it not be more honorable to split your winnings among those that helped?" The lad looked at Kahuna and Rosalyn, then at the other children, walking over to the largest of the group, he held out the pouch and said, "Divide this between all who helped, equally." Now the crowd was cheering, they shouted a name, not Garth's or Hakkiem's nor that of Kahuna, Rosalyn or Pat, but that of the lads. TharKul, TharKul. Soon the commotion died down, the children went to spend their reward. All was back to normal, save for Garth, who sported a very large welt on the back of his knees. The brothers and sisters once again sat and chatted about the old days. Garth has never made fun of a parched mouth since.





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