Three Years Later

Chapter two: Three Years Later

In the city of Lambert, "It's good to get out of the lab for once. I feel like I deserve a rest from that stupid orb." Professor Harold, not much has changed in him in these years. Maybe a few more gray hairs and some added weight but nothing too abnormal for a man his age.

"Honey, maybe it's time to give it a rest with that thing. The king has plenty of men in the lab working around the clock, don't you think it's time to move on? Maybe go back to your old job at Steel." This is Lady Beth, a lower elf by even elven standards and the now wife of Sir Haroldson, a famous merchant's daughter, introduced by none other than Robert Madding. That man really does have friends in high places.

"You know I can't do that, Robert has put a lot of trust in me. He's still upset that I accepted funds from the king. I would rather not screw this up anymore than I already have." In exchange for said funds Sir Harold had to work with several others and submit a report to the imperial scribes just about everyday. 

Not a bad deal, it's just that the glory and potential fame that they would get if they were working alone would be much higher. We had been working on this project for almost two and a half years with no signs of progress. Now that they have the Royal Stone they can use it at a whim, and they have discovered more in three months than they have in a year.

"I'm just worried you're putting too much trust in robert. You don't see what I see, he's consumed in bitterness." 

She's right, but Harold was unwilling to accept this. "I enjoyed this, really I did, but I think it's time I get back to the lad."

With that Harold got up with his wife and called a flying cab at the phone booth, "I really wish there was a way we could just call a cab while walking. Now that it is a magic artifact worth studying."

Lady Beth looked back at her husband with a sigh, clearly used to his stubbornness, "That would be nice wouldn't it." 

___________________

Three weeks later

"James, have you made the latest report?"

"I put it on your desk. I gave a copy to Sir Robert as well." You would think this made sense considering everything Rob has done for Harold but the king himself made Harold the leading supervisor of this project.

Despite the reluctance of his crew. Which is why they always include Rob in everything.

"Alright. Where is he? I need to talk to him."

"He's sleeping on the couch in his office again. Do you want me to wake him?"

"No I'll take care of it, just get back to whatever you were doing… ah wait grab me a bucket of water just in case."

"Fine."

After a minute of walking, Harold finally got to Rob's office. It was nice, much nicer than his. The king believes I'm extremely capable but that doesn't change the clear bias the king has against him for being human. Robert's office was adorned with a large leather chair, the chair still had a bit of fur left on it.

Harold once asked Rob about that and he said only this 'I was hoping those long eared servants would walk in here and recognize the elven wolf fur and the blunderbuss above it on the mantle.' Apparently they are sacred animals to the wood elves or they were but now they are completely extinct. You could guess why.

"The elf hate runs strong in you doesn't it? You can't even tell the difference between a wood elf and a high elf." Harold could only look down at his sleeping friend, looking at the empty bottles on the floor.

"C'mon wake up. You have work to do… Nothing. Well this is what the bucket is for."

Harold was about to find a seat while waiting for some water when he noticed the desk. A strange thing to notice but something about that desk seemed odd, like it was shining. After taking a look at it he realized what it was, he didn't notice it because it was dyed but after looking at it he knew. This was wood made from yggdrasil… "How did you get your hands on this? This must've cost at least 5 red gold coins at the least."

Harold was about to touch when, "do you like it? During the war I saw that ugly looking thing from a thousand miles away. I knew I had to tear that bitch down. When I got this job I asked the king for a piece of it." Robert, now awake, was still lying there on the couch unmoving with one eye looking at harold. No he wasn't looking at Harold, he was looking at the desk. He hadn't looked at Harold in years.

"I want to say I'm impressed but…" 

"Then say it. Say you're impressed."

"My wife is an elf, Robert. This kingdom destroyed the last bastion they had left."

"Screw you, they deservered it and you know it. If those long ears continue to live they'll just start another war because somebody said something about something and they'd all go extinct. Their pride and desire to control everything they touch was their downfall." He was right, but at the same time he understood where the elves were coming from.

Dwarves are the same race who will do anything to create a weapon of mass destruction simply out of curiosity then seal it away once they've quenched their thirst for knowledge. Dwarves in a way are perhaps one of the most dangerous races in the known world. It would be safer to say the elves were keeping them in check.

"Maybe some things should be controlled. Shit" Harold clearly knew what he said was a popular phrase among elves. Especially high elves, and he just said it in front of an advent elf hater. True or not, those words were definitely taboo.

"Excuse me? The fuck did you say to me?"

Robert finally got up, unfortunately it was not to get up to work. "Did BETH say that?"

"Keep my wifes name out of your mouth" now Harold was getting upset. "She has nothing to do with this."

In that instant, an elf servant came in with a bucket of water. "Uh oh."

Robert looked at the confused elf and pulled her by the arm and looked at Harold asking, "What about her? Has she been putting words in your mouth? Huh?! What have you been saying to my friend, you overgrown rat!"

"That's enough! Stop acting like a child! Everyone is looking at you like you're crazy!"

That's right, the servant girl left the door open for everyone to see. This might have been a good thing if weren't for the fact that they were all biased and clearly hated him.

"Oh now you're trying to control me now!" Just then, the imperial scribe walked into the office. "Alright alright, stop. Nobody is trying to control you. At least to an extreme degree. Remember, Sir Haroldson is still your supervisor. As for everyone else? Get back to work."

The imperial scribe closed the door with just the four of them left, "Elf. Make me some tea and stand in a corner somewhere." The imperial scribe sat down in robberts chair.

"Huh, this IS a nice chair… right what's gotten into you eggheads?"

"Is it the pay? Are we not paying you enough?"

"No that's not-" 

"Good. Now Harold, what's this about you being an elf sympathizer?" Things were beginning to get serious real quick. "Sir I can assure you I'm not-"

"How is Beth anyway? The elf. I heard she was Sir Walter's adopted daughter. A bit kinky for my taste, but to each their own… where is my tea? Oh right in front of me. If only all elves were like you. No no no, when I said stand in the corner I meant 'stare at the wall.' there you go. Idiot." 

The imperial scribe. A small dwarf even by dwarf standards. Harold and Rob haven't gotten along on a lot of things these days but the one thing they can both agree on is that they don't like this guy. Not because he's racist but because he's him. 

"Now, how do we fix this?"

"It's fixed, nothing happened-"

Just then Robert had something to say, "I think it's time for me to retire."

Harold looked confused, "I don't understand. Why would you leave we've made so much progress."

"You. You've made so much progress.

Tonight I'll pick up my things and be done with this place."

"…great! Then it's settled. Nobody gets a raise and no more fighting over petty things." The scribe always has something to say.

"Is this really what you want?" Harold had more to say but Robert was already out the door and the scribe was still drinking tea.

As for the elf still standing in the corner she was only listening as she has always listened…

__________

Later that night Robert stood in his office with the orb in hand, "The Orb of Ember. What a tacky name." As he was about to put it away in his safe for safe keeping, Robert heard a voice.

"Are you really thinking about doing this? Leaving, I mean?" It was Harold. 

"Oh, that. Yeah."

"I know why you're doing this, it's just… I don't want to see it. If it weren't for you I wouldn't be here." Harold has always been keen on keeping his promises and doing the honorable thing but sometimes things don't always go to plan.

"Yeah and if it weren't for you I wouldn't be here either."

"Why do you hate this place so much?"

"Leave." Robert swiftly got to work packing his things, still holding the orb. That damn orb.

________

An hour later, Harold was standing inside the lab. Waiting for his old friend to come out of his office, when he noticed someone walking to the lab from outside the windows. It was the elf, just outside. Harold walked out and asked the elf if she needed anything but she only stared at him with her brow wrinkled. Then she said, "I've brought bloodleaf tea, for the master. He requested it."

Strange, when did Robert start drinking tea? Then again, tea can sometimes come with alcohol I believe. "Alright let me know when you're done." 

Harold stood there for 10 minutes with his back aching waiting for Robert to come out, but 10 minutes turned to 15 and 15 turned into 20. Harold finally came to the realization that something was off. He quickly strode into the room and found Robert sitting in the dark in his leather chair with a cup of tea on his table and nothing packed up. 

"What's wrong? Where is the elf girl? I didn't see her leave…" Harold walked to Robert's desk thinking something was wrong. "Are you ok? You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Still silent, Harold walked to his old friend expecting something but when he turned on his lamp there was only silence. Robert laid there in his chair with multiple stab wounds, Harold wasn't sure if it was the light or hearing his old friend's voice but Robert finally came to. When he did, Harold knew he had to do something. Harold grabbed his friend, and gently took him from the chair yelling for help.

"HELP! HELP! We need a doctor or a priest! Somebody has been stabbed!" Harold knew it was going to be hard finding somebody at this time of hour so he ran to open the window and continued to yell for help.

When finally, the first person to get on scene was the imperial scribe and a bunch of guards, and he yelled "Arrest this man! The orb has been stolen and he has been colluding with elves!" Harold was shocked, he didn't know what to do with this information but he was covered in enough blood to fool enough people.

"What?! No! I did nothing! Don't touch me!" Harold was dragged away by his arms while his friend bled out.