The Gnome and The Guardian

After acquiring horses in Valiant, Zan and Gandr rode at a breakneck speed across the countryside. Zan had not ridden on a horse for many years, and the constant rise and fall beneath him chaffed his legs and fatigued his muscles. But he was not going to give up. Gandr for his part made no complaint, and the large gelding he rode powered onward.

Unlike the Empress's party, Gandr knew exactly where to go. They made good time and avoided the traps and delays that the Empress's party encountered. They cut their journey by more than half and found themselves quickly nearing the ice barrier. Gandr, having inherited the gnome's aversion to water, opted for them to ride around the lake.

The gnome found it interesting that nothing seemed to surprise Zan. The strange sights, animals and even the ice barrier gave the Guardian no pause. He eyed the entire situation with equanimity. The only thing that made Zan anxious was when they talked of the Empress's safety. When they had stopped to talk to the boatman and received news of the faun's own treachery, Zan had nearly killed him on the spot. Only knowing that Nurlan and Junayd had spared him—at least that is what Polymedes claimed—allowed the Guardian to regain his calm, but it was a close call.

"Do you have a way to locate the the Empress?" Zan asked as they neared the barrier.

"We will enter through the gnome's east passage. They have dug tunnels under the barrier on either side of the lake, but this one tends to be less guarded. Once we are in, I will find out if they have any news of the Empress." Gandr slowed and dismounted.

Zan followed his lead and got down from his stallion. "How will we get in without being seen?"

Gandr smiled. "We won't, but I have a plan. You know how I can shape-shift? I will change to look like one of the other gnomes. That way I will not have to explain if they know I have been captured or killed. Then I can cart you in like a prisoner."

"Wait, what? You want me to be your prisoner?!"Zan was suddenly suspicious. Had the gnome brought him all this way just to get revenge?

"Relax. Pretend to be my prisoner. That is the easiest way to get in and then I will sneak you out the other side. Otherwise we will have to go around through the main gate, which the elves guard, or over the barrier itself. Those ways will likely leave us dead and without information on your Empress. You will have to trust me."

"Fine…" Zan finally agreed.

"Ok, follow my lead. Fair warning: I may change my face a couple times to avoid suspicion, but it will still be me. Now, can you act scared?" Gandr narrowed his gaze.

The Guardian was many things, but timid was not one of them. "I will do my best," Zan promised.

"Good because the more fear you show, the less suspicious they will be." They watched the entrance to the cave. Gandr used wind magic to cause a disturbance off to their left. One of the soldiers guarding the cave walked off to investigate. Sneaking up behind the other gnome, Gandr hit him across the skull with the butt of a long knife to knock him out. Without another word, Gandr shoved Zan into the clearing.

"Ah!" The Guardian was caught off guard and fell headlong to the ground. When he turned, the face of Gandr had been replaced with the unconscious guard's face.

"Look what we have here," Gandr yelled so that those at the cave entrance could hear. "I caught a spy!"

"No, please sir, I am no spy! I was just looking for mushrooms for my family," Zan affected the accent of the northern people. His face was wrought with concern. Gandr hauled him up by the collar and jerked him toward the cave's mouth.

"A likely story, spy! I am taking you to the king." He dragged a begging and flailing Zan. The other guards at the entrance cackled and jeered as they passed. One of them even kicked Zan's leg as he spouted something derogatory in the ancient tongue. They came into the tunnel without further incident.

As they passed under the barrier and turned a corner, Gandr placed something against the wall on either side of the passage when no one was looking. It glowed and seemed to melt into the wall. "What was that?" Zan whispered.

"Insurance in case we are stopped," Gandr said briefly. Zan noticed his face had changed again, this time to a gnome with a very flat nose. When he saw the Guardian's questioning look he chuckled. "This guy is a bit of a hothead. Others tend to avoid him."

They went through the tunnels and sure enough, no one stopped or questioned him. Gandr held Zan's arms behind his back, but was not overly rough, and both scanned for danger.

The ground began to accordion in front of and beneath them as it compressed and then stretched out behind them. "What is happening?" Zan was intrigued.

"It is how gnomes travel quickly underground. It takes a lot of magic, but we are in a hurry so it is worth it," Gandr would not give him more information. After quite a long time of this type of walking, they slowed.

Zan noticed a mousey looking gnome trying to hide from them. "Found him," Gandr muttered. "Lukoss! Come here ya no good loafer." The gnome used human-speak so the man could understand.

With a dejected look, Lukoss ambled toward him. "I thought you had gone to relieve yourself, Grisley."

"I did, and I found this lousy creature snooping. Might be working for that Empress girl. Thought I would take him to the king." Gandr said gruffly.

Lukoss cocked his head and pulled his mouth to one side. "Hm, how very industrious of you…"

Gandr rapt Lukoss on his ear, "You callin' me lazy?"

Lukoss cowered. "Of course not."

Gandr relaxed, "Any news on the other lousy human?"

"Who? The human empress? You know as much as I do. No one has seen hide nor hair of her since she escaped her cell without a trace. Three days of no news has got the king mighty upset."

"You got that right. Well maybe this prisoner will have some information that will cheer Baak up. I am tired of all his shoutin'. But don't mention you saw me doing actual work to anyone, ya hear me? I don't want people to think I'm ambitious or anything." Gandr pushed Zan forward in the passageway. They were off again.

"Going to take a slight detour to the dungeon. We need to make sure she is actually gone." The pair accordioned their way to the dungeon, and Gandr went straight to a centaur situated across from a sleeping elf.

"What do you want, big nose?" The centaur mocked in ancient tongue.

"Nothing, four-legs," Gandr said in his regular voice. His face transformed.

The centaur's eyes went wide. "It can't be. Shifty? You have not come in so long, I thought you were dead!"

Gandr threw the centaur an apple from his pack. "I was, and then this human saved me." He replied in human-speak. The gnome released the Guardian, who in turn bowed to the centaur. Gandr continued, "I thought you could help him. Was there a human girl down here with dark hair, dark eyes and a…caring personality?"

The centaur happily took the snack and ate it in one bite. "Yep, but she escaped not long ago. She is a clever little thing!"

"Yes she is," Zan agreed, unable to hide his smile.

"Are you sure she is gone?" Gandr wanted to make sure they did not go on a fool's errand.

"You tell me. Can you sense her in the wall?" The centaur motioned to the wall behind the sleeping creature.

Gandr closed his eyes and allowed his magic to flow into the wall. He could sense a void in the wall, but no living creature. If the other gnomes had known that to be her exit, they could have done the same, but of course they did not. "It is clear," he announced.

"Then we better go," Zan tugged at the gnome's sleeve. The latter's face was fixated on the she-elf. This was the first time Gandr had seen an elf since Cafer had revealed that the elves did not hate him. Instead, they did not even know the halfling existed. He took a step towards the elf, who lay face down with a blanket draped across her torso.

"What is wrong, Shifty?" the centaur asked.

Gandr wanted to ask the elf if she had known his mother. His heart hurt for the first time to see one of his kin— from the half he had always ignored—and he ached to know more.

As if reading his mind, the centaur sighed. "You know she does not talk ever, only moans in her sleep. You will not get any information from her. The most I have seen her do was help that pretty young human to hide."

Gandr had spent hours in the dungeon many times to escape the mocking of the other gnomes. The gnomes were only kind to him when they needed something. While Gandr was hiding, the elf had never so much as lifted her head to look at him, but the centaur had been good company.

The halfling gnome understood that he could not get the answers he sought just now. After he helped Zan complete his mission, perhaps he could go on a mission of his own. With his new life, he could do anything he wanted. He only had to wait.

Placing a piece of fruit inside the cell, he looked longingly at the sad creature. "I will be back for you," he told the elf. She stirred slightly at his voice.

The centaur chuckled, "The human girl promised the same. I hope you both succeed."

Gandr took the key from the wall and unlocked both cells. "If things go haywire in a little bit, pick her up, and get her out of here."

The centaur nodded, "You have my word." Gandr chucked another apple to the centaur and left with Zan.

The centaur called to the elf after they left. "You hear that, Bukuri? You may be busting out of here sooner than we thought."