Chapter 21

“Why don’t you all move here? These islands could take a few hundred more people without much problems.”

Why indeed? In a way, that was a valid question and, even if the weather here would not be as nice as it was in the valley, people lived here. Before I could say anything Hantaliel shook her head.

“That might work for a while, but without doubt, there would be a price to pay. I have been working as a servant or as a cleaning woman in several houses in Aston and I have also been selling flowers and other stuff on the streets. I have done that for decades, as we needed information. Based on that, I think that I know quite well what the people in Aston think and how they feel about us, meaning we Alfar and you natural Mages.”

Everybody turned silent when that quiet woman suddenly started speaking.

“They all are afraid of us, because we are different. Those in power actively spread some rumors about the bad things we do to the ‘normal’ people, sometimes all bad things are our responsibility, ending up with ‘eating newborn babies’. Once the leaders have the common opinion established, they can use all means necessary to get rid of us. Most likely they think that they can make use of cooperation between those Ugly People and Magicians. Those Ugly People already tried to take us by surprise, but they failed - thanks to our Stian, here.”

“Ugly People? Who are those ‘Ugly People’?”

My grandmother looked a bit confused, so I intervened.

“Hantaliel means Trolls. She just used the word the Alfar normally use for them. Just like the Trolls call the Elves ‘the Pretty Faces.’”

“Trolls - you really mean that you were serious about the things you said?”

“Grandma, I wouldn’t be here asking for help, involvement, or at least a business relationship; if I weren’t serious about protecting my family, and the people close to me.”

“So there’s no point in asking you to move here with your family?”

“Absolutely not.”

“I thought so.”

My grandmother sighed and said, “Young Stian - my grandson - since without any doubt, you are Dagfinn’s son and my grandson - I may believe you and these ladies here, but I cannot make decisions for our people. However, I hope that you are prepared for a bit longer stay here, because there are things our people will need to discuss.”

I looked at both women sitting next to me and nodded.

“We knew that something like this might happen, so we are quite prepared for a longer stay. As a gesture of good faith, we do have some wine made in the valley, and some usquebae from the northern bogs with us. Would somebody come with me to our boat so that we could bring them here for the people to enjoy?”

Now it was my grandfather who snorted.

“Usquebae from the bogs? Do they still dare to call that stuff usquebae? Grandson, once you have tasted the smooth stuff we make here, you will notice the difference, for sure.”

“Shut up, you fool with your triple distilled spirits.” Even if there was some sharpness in her voice, it was clear that my grandparents loved each other deeply. Just as my mother and father had loved each other. I couldn’t help some sadness creeping into my mind with that thought. I wasn’t sure if my grandmother saw that when she turned to look at me again. I didn’t really care.

“Of course you will get some help with getting it - and the idea that you really are able to make some wine there fascinates me. Good wine is a rare treat for us. Is there something else we can do for you until we talk with the others?”

“Yes, in fact there is. Could you get someone to teach us your language? After all, it’s magical - isn’t it?” That got her attention.

“Maybe a little bit later, once we have discussed your suggestion with some other people.”

It’s always good to know where you stand. I guess that being her grandson did not mean that she would agree with everything. I squeezed Kara’s hand gently and she replied with a double squeeze. I hoped that meant that she had managed to make some progress.

I bit later, I found myself dressed in some borrowed oil-skins and on my way towards our ketch, with my grandfather and a younger man I didn’t know. Ready to pick up the wine and some usquebae - and some things for the women that they had forgotten or decided not to take with them because we didn’t know the length of our stay.

We had a young man with us, pulling a cart behind him. It was clear that the cart was designed and built just for this pier.

“I understood that you really have been fighting against those Trolls, grandson? With what weapons, if I may ask?”

“Mostly with the crossbow, as it’s still my best weapon. I’ve also had some training with my father’s steel sword, and I think that I can handle myself with it.”

“So you have it, that’s good. It’s an old sword?”

“It’s a good sword.”

A quick look made it clear to me that the older man felt a bit uneasy. I waited for him to continue.

“Has Gunni told you anything? Anything about what happened back then?”

“No, he hasn’t.”

“I guess that he might like to talk with you someday.”

“That’s okay. I’ve already guessed that there was something more than just my father becoming sea sick that caused him to leave here.” I didn’t say anything more. Maybe I should have felt angry, but that would not have made much sense. My father rescuing my mother had resulted in me, and I was sure that my father had been very happy with my mother.

“And grandpa ... you can tell Gunni that he has nothing to worry about, not from me. Even though we came here asking for some support, I really have no reason to be unhappy.”

Calling the older man ‘grandpa’ obviously shook him a bit. I wondered if I should tell him that he already was a great-grandpa, many times over. I decided not to, not yet. This was quite enough of a shock for him - for now. Besides, if my grandparents didn’t fully trust me, why should I trust them?

It didn’t take us long to unload the things we wanted, and, while doing that, I also checked the bilge and the amount of water in it. I was satisfied with what I saw - or didn’t see - since nobody wants to see a huge amount of water inside their boat. I had placed my trust in Elise and my partners in Aston and thus far they had not failed me. I did some more checks around the boat and, once satisfied, I walked back to pier next to my grandpa.

It felt strange. I had been alone for so many years, and even if I had my family, I needed to get used to the idea that I had no living relatives. Now suddenly, I had several. It might take some time to get used to that idea - and I could not let that take my thoughts away from my mission. I was here on a mission. I needed at least a business relationship with these people, and if the fact that I had living relatives would help me at all, I would use that relationship mercilessly.

“You three really sailed in here yesterday with that ketch?”

I shrugged. “The boat behaved quite nicely, even if I had to push it or misuse the sails a bit. With three people, we could not trim the sails or the rigging very much. Most likely that ketch could almost fly on the top of the waves if you know what you are doing. I don’t, so we didn’t really try.”

The older man didn’t say anything more, but just gave another evaluating look at the ketch. Either my grandpa gave me some more respect or he just thought I was stupid. I didn’t really care about that either, since there was nothing I could do about it.

That evening there would be an impromptu party for us - or because of me, a son of one of their own. I got a feeling there might have been some sort of a party anyhow, but having an excuse made things just a bit better. There would also be a meeting of the elders, but getting all the people here, to the harbor of the First Island, would take a bit longer. I suspected that those meetings normally took place somewhere else, but they didn’t want us to travel to the other islands - or learn the routes to them.

The fact that we had been able to sail into this harbor must have been quite a shock to these people. There might be more shocks coming.

We were able to rest together in our room before the party - or Hantaliel took care of the resting part while I decided that Kara needed some special care. I was sure she was purring when I finished my service by cleaning her with some warm water. I had made a promise to my family to do my best to make her feel as one of us. Well, I had no real reason to complain about that task for myself. The only thing that really bothered me was that I felt I was misleading her, I didn’t think they felt the same way about her as I felt for the other women.

The party was held in the big room where we had first been offered some stew, only now there would be more people - and at least some of them were talking to us. I had no idea if all of them spoke Anglon, or if they just spoke their own language. At least it didn’t sound that odd to my ears anymore. Unfortunately that didn’t mean that I would have understood what was said - but now it seemed possible, thanks to Kara.

””It’s the same language that they teach the Magicians. Only the pronunciation is different. It’s like the Magician teachers were teaching it to us all wrong.””