Hammer and Feather Ch. 01-07

The walls around him wavered and buckled. Vezar found himself enveloped in them, shoved along until he was contained in his chamber, confined. The enraged dragon began destroying all that fell into his reach, shattering the marble of his floor with tail and claws, scoring the walls, and smashing the solemn statues he had created for his audience chamber until he came to his throne.

Syreilla. Syreilla had been pleased with it, it echoed her own throne. Crown and roots. Coming back to himself, Vezar leaned against the reaching roots. Gold was something she had never liked. She was the only golden treasure he ached for. When he made the attempt he found he could no longer alter his chamber as he pleased. He began rubbing furiously at the roots trying to rub the gold away and leave the roots bare.

The only gold in his chambers would be his Syreilla.

How long he rubbed at it he wasn't certain but by the time a soft knock came at his chamber door, the throne had only thin ragged patches of gold clinging to the roots. He didn't look up as the door opened.

"Leave me."

"Vezar..." Zyulla's pained voice made him look toward her.

His grandmother was surveying the wreckage of his audience chamber.

"Can Syreilla be-" He stopped himself as his voice broke.

"Her father is searching her chambers to see if she made a sigil."

"I would know if she had."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Nimphon believes she has one."

"She has a bird."

"She told Finwion to return it to Orsas if something happened to her. Syreilla the Rook could see that something was going to happen. Her vision is clear but I don't know how far she can see. If she was afraid that not even her family could be trusted, where would she have hidden a sigil?"

He shook his head. "Her bird went everywhere with her. It was a raven. Perhaps... perhaps it would-would..."

Zyulla came close and began to stroke his head. "We'll find it."

"Why would she... why would she think I could not be trusted?"

"Atos and Hevtos have spoken and chosen to become one once more. She was defending Nimphon from Atos. If she didn't see who struck the blow and she glimpsed their reunification it would shake her. She might think that you would speak of it or give it over to the wrong person."

"I would draw her back and bind her here with me." Vezar pressed his face into one of the roots. "She would not leave my side again. I would endure her anger."

The door to her audience chamber opened. "She doesn't even have places to hide things! I thought I was on the right track by looking in her plant beds, her birds went mad, but there was nothing."

"She'll be furious..." Vezar felt his heart dropping to his belly and something inside him began to crack. "I'll fix them."

For a moment he thought that he would be denied the right to cross into her chamber. But then like fabric tearing, he left the raging parts of himself behind. Feeling ragged and incomplete, he donned one of the garments he wore to help her garden. The rooks calmed as he made his way to the destroyed garden and set to work, leaving Zyulla and Odos to speak quietly.

*Five*

"I'm not going back, Father." Nali folded her arms and scowled. "I'll go off on my own."

"You're barely thirty-five, Nali, you're a child. After that ward you dropped on the boys I'm being told I can't look after you anymore. Where did you learn that? It took them hours to get them out of the stone floor without harming them and now it has to be repaired." Sirruil sighed and tried to look stern but she could tell he was a little proud of her, he always was when she surprised him.

"The scribes aren't very careful with where they leave the copies of Grandmother's spell tomes when they finish a day's work. I've been reading them."

He looked a great deal less pleased on hearing her explanation.

"I'll be looking into that. Those books are worth more than all the gold in the mine and as dangerous as dragon's fire."

Baduil made a happy sound and Nali gave the old bird a grin.

"Why did you drop the ward on them? Learning them is one thing but using them in the mine is another. Even Lady Rook-"

"They kept calling Baduil 'Badwill' and they were calling me 'Nali of Clan Featherbrain'! I made them stop." She thrust her bearded chin up proudly.

Sirruil rubbed his hand over his mouth as if he were rubbing his beard but she knew he was hiding a smile. "You remind me so much of your grandmother. An entire family once fled Delver's after they made fun of my brother's ears and insulted her for being half elf."

"I heard Uncle Oduil ask if my mother had been to Delver's visiting before I was born and Lady Rook said she'd be more surprised if I wasn't related to her than if I was."

Her adopted father grinned. "That doesn't surprise me, Nali."

"Papa?" Raduil came in with a frown. "Juddri says Nali has to leave and go back to another mine?."

"I'm not going back there."

Razi, the woman who'd come to be almost like a mother to her in the twenty years she'd lived with Sirruil, came in looking as if she'd been crying. "Can you make her apologize?"

"It won't be enough this time. Those wards are too dangerous, my love." Sirruil took his wife under his arm and held her. "Baduil is going with her and Lady Rook won't let anything happen to her. In a few years, she'll be old enough to go where she pleases and we'll still have a room for her." He gave Nali a small smile. "It won't be so bad, Clan Flinthewn has been asking for you to come back for a few years now. They'll treat you better than they did, my Nali."

Her heart ached, but she had told him again and again. She returned his smile as best she could. There was nothing more he could do, but she could do something. In secret, Nali started her preparations hoping she didn't have to use them, hoping that maybe they would relent.

When word came a day later that she would be escorted back to Half Shaft mine the next day, she hoped she'd prepared enough, she'd barely had any time.

They had a last large dinner as a family, Sirruil served his mother's favorite mead as a treat and after dinner, she made certain to give them all firm embraces. It would be years before she saw them again.

Once everyone had settled into their beds, Nali waited an hour for them to fall asleep before she rose and put on her father's old clothes she'd altered for herself. Lady Rook's golden feather was tucked down her front in a pocket made especially for it, like the one her father said his mother had used.

As quietly as she could, she snuck down to the cellar workroom and, using the tools he'd made for her and trained her with that lay in their place, she opened his chest of tools. She took the few familiar ones that she thought she might need and stowed them in the pockets she'd carefully sewn to hold them. Rising from her plundering, and leaving a note apologizing and promising to return them when she came back someday, she quietly closed the chest and turned to see him standing in the doorway. Wordlessly, he held out a pouch.

Taking it, it felt like money. Nali nodded and embraced him once more before slipping out.

Baduil flew along with her, helping her avoid other dwarves and slip out of Bhiraldur without being noticed, or so she hoped.

The raven came to perch on her shoulder as she made her way into the dark. Sticking to the roadway would probably be safe enough for now but in the daylight, she would need a safe place to sleep. Nali kept up a quick pace trying to put some distance between herself and the mine.

Making it to a walled crossroads town as dawn started to lighten the sky, she reached into the bag that Sirruil had given her to see if she had money to buy a ride with anyone who might be leaving that day. Her fingers touched a fine chain and her heart nearly stopped. She knew what was in the pouch along with the coins without needing to pull it out.

"He gave me the Eye," Nali whispered to Baduil. "Why would he do that? They'll come hunting for me."

"Nali." The bird croaked and she thought he sounded pleased.

She took a deep breath. "I suppose I could try to use it."

The raven flew off of her shoulder and perched a distance away on a tree limb looking at her expectantly. She followed and moved out of sight of the city wall to try it on. The circlet fit, though the stone tingled strangely where it touched her head, and what had been dim morning gloaminess was now bright and clear. There was a faint haze, like smoke, around the walled city and she found that she didn't like the look of it. Turning and looking around a faint blue path leapt out of the trees and she put her feet to it.

"I hope there's a safe place to sleep on this path, Baduil." She murmured mostly to herself. The path led her deeper into the woods and dropped down into a hollow protected space that might have been something's den at some point. It didn't smell like dead things but there were bones strewn on the floor among the leaves.

She hadn't thought to bring a mat so she cleared a space as best she could and settled into sitting on the bare dirt. Nali had a small meal from the food she'd taken from the pantry before lying down and curling up. She was certain she wouldn't be able to sleep, but it felt like only moments later that Baduil was gently prodding her back to wakefulness. It was brighter in the den now and she thought it might be midday. As good a time as any to have a bite and start out again, this time with Syreilla's Eye leading the way.

*Six*

Kwes glanced at the elf with him and Eldil made a small gesture to wait. It didn't seem like it was long ago that he could go anywhere he liked without having to worry about being murdered or worse for being a half-elf. Now, travel was far more dangerous. The other two elves with them hid so well in the trees that even he couldn't see them.

A huge, elderly raven flew and landed just above his head, peering down at him curiously before croaking, "Nali."

The old man might have stopped dropping in but it seemed he was still arranging things. Kwes nearly broke into laughter. The bird flew down and took a lower perch waiting as the dwarf came loudly stamping through the undergrowth. On his head was Syreilla's Eye.

"The dwarf is alone," Eldil murmured with surprise.

"Father likes to arrange things. That's the dwarf we want, I'd bet you a bath and a hot meal."

He leapt down as the dark-haired dwarf reached the raven and held up his hands as a small axe was produced in the blink of an eye.

"I mean you no harm, Master Dwarf. We-"

"That's not a Master, Kwes." Eldil dropped down with a smile. "That is a dwarf woman. Her beard is shorter and beaded. They rarely leave the mines."

"Forgive me." Putting on a rookish grin, he bowed. "You can tell I mean you no harm with that circlet. Syreilla's Eye can see a great deal."

"I see you're a thief." The dwarf eyed him warily.

"I'm a son of Odos. It's in the blood, really, but compared to my sister, Syreilla the Rook, I'm barely any good at it."

The axe lowered. "I met her once."

"Did she give you anything?" He stepped forward as he asked and her axe came back up.

"Why?"

"Even if she didn't, with the Eye, Nimphon can attempt to summon her," Solchion spoke up from behind the stumpy creature and she spun in surprise.

"No one is taking the Eye!"

The dwarf looked frightened and the raven made a loud angry sound before croaking, "Nali!"

"You're Nali? Is that Badwill-"

"Baduil. Ba-du-il."

"Rookfriend. Yes. We don't mean you any harm and if anyone steals from you, once we get my sister back, whoever did it will burn. She has very firm rules about that sort of thing. No one steals from hers."

"What do you mean, once you get her back?"

"Have you tried to call for her? Did she give you anything to use to call for her? There's a war going on, little one, and-"

"Never call a dwarf 'little one', Kwes." Eldil gave him a look that suggested he was an idiot.

"She's young!"

Ruinir dropped among them with a sharp gesture, "Quiet! We're being hunted and they aren't as far as I would like."

Kwes took a deep breath and held up his hands, "My sister was... for lack of a quicker explanation, sealed away. To get her back, we need something she made, something that is intended to summon her. We have to call for her and pull her out of the place she is. Our father, Odos, went looking for a way and hasn't come back.

"We came looking for you, she spoke of you-"

The dwarf put away her axe and began rummaging down her front. After a moment she pulled out a golden feather.

"This is what Lady Rook gave me. She told me to hold it and speak her name and she would come. She promised."

The raven began to hop and dance. "Nali! Nali!"

"Silence that bird!" Ruinir drew an arrow within a breath and Kwes jumped between the elf and the raven as he loosed it.

The arrow buried itself in his thigh and Kwes bit his fist trying not to scream. The bird took flight.

"Syreilla the Rook!" The dwarf called out loudly and for a moment the only sound was someone crashing through the underbrush toward them and then...

"Oh, that air feels good."

Syreilla had stepped out of nowhere behind him dripping thick black liquid and burst into flames. When the conflagration subsided she was standing as dry as a bone, dusting a black powder from her clothes.

"Nali, my dear one, why are you in the woods with elves, and who shot my brother with an arrow?"

She looked around at them all, tilting her head before turning her gaze on something past them and breaking into one of her terrifying smiles. "I'm in a bad mood, you can run or die horribly. Your choice."

"Kill them all! Get their ears!"

Rook's grin widened as she stretched and sauntered toward the charging men. Kwes dropped onto the ground next to Nali and winked at her.

"You don't want to watch. Trust me."

The elves crowded closer to them, weapons at the ready, as the screaming started. The raven circled and occasionally called out, resulting in more screams until there was nothing but silence and the smell of charred flesh that hung in the air.

"You're welcome, by the way, Ruinir. You'd be the next one to burn if you'd killed her bird." Kwes gave the elf a vicious grin, "She'll be sour with you for the attempt but you might survive her anger this way."

Syreilla came back, stroking the now young-looking raven, and when Ruinir stepped forward she made a gesture. He froze with a look of shock on his face. "No one fucks with mine with impunity."

"Don't kill him, Syreilla." Kwes couldn't help but smile at her. "He was afraid of those soldiers and we've all had a rough time of it."

She gave the frozen elf a flat look and made another gesture. He collapsed to the ground gasping for air. "You've had your warning. If I were you I'd never point my weapon at another bird as long as I lived."

"Yes, Lady Rook." The two standing elves bowed low.

Kneeling, she placed a hand on Kwes' thigh and he felt everything beneath it start to warm. Rook pulled out the arrow slowly, with impossibly little pain, and there was barely any blood that came out with it.

"You don't need to speak a spell..." Eldil stared, awestruck.

"I used to. I've had a lot of time to think and learn to focus myself. When you can't even distract yourself by breathing you find your mind becomes sharper."

Ruinir shuddered as he slowly picked himself up. Kwes suspected the elf had felt very focused himself for a moment.

After standing and pulling him to his feet, Rook dropped back into an oddly birdlike crouch and studied Nali. "Why are you out here?"

"I ran away. They were going to make me go back to Draft Shaft and Clan Flinthewn. Father, Sirruil, gave me your Eye when I was sneaking out..." The dwarf seemed to blush, "He caught me as I borrowed some tools on my way out."

Rook grinned. "You're definitely one of mine. Why were they sending you back? Is Sirruil neglecting his duties? I think Orefinder was concerned about that."

"No, I..." The dwarf glanced at them, "I dropped some wards on a few boys who were making fun of Baduil and me. They didn't die!" Nali assured her hurriedly, "I used some of the nicer ones in Grandmother's tomes."

Syreilla fell over as she laughed and then grinned up at the girl. "That's the Hammersworn temper, you know. Never cross a Hammersworn."

Two of the elves disappeared into the trees, and Ruinir glanced around nervously. "It feels like we're being watched."

Syreilla tilted her head and then nodded. "I need the Eye, Nali. It goes back to Sirruil for now, I'll do my best to keep you safe." She took the circlet as the dwarf girl handed it over and gave it to the raven who vanished from sight soon after he took flight. It was moments later the raven flew back without it.

"Did Father ever find another for you, Magpie?"

"No." Kwes squared his shoulders. "Syreilla, he disappeared. He went looking for a way to bring you back and-"

Her eyes flickered with flame and she held out her hand. "You have his sigil?"

"It doesn't work anymore. I tried it."

"Let me try it."

He placed the coin in her hand and she turned it over with a faint smile. "He does love writing things, you should see his library if you haven't yet, Magpie." Her hand burst into flame. "Odos, son of Atos, come here." The flames changed color and she made a curious sound.

"Father." They changed again. "Old man, are you stuck?" She laughed and took the flaming coin in a wide circle. The flames remained hanging in the air and she reached through into the dark on the other side, grabbing hold of someone and pulling them through with a violent jerk.

The chains were still burning off of his wrists as Odos straightened himself up and shook the dust and remnants of the chain from himself.

"It took you long enough, Syreilla."

"Nali, this is the old man. Did Sirruil tell you about him?"

"Great-grandfather?" The dwarf looked delighted, "He said I play Massacre as well as you do."

Odos blinked and then broke into a smile. "How long have I been locked away?"

"I don't know, how long has it been since my grandfather and the huntress dropped me in the black lake?"

"It was her, not him." Odos raised his hand. "He was distraught. She'd persuaded him to attack Bone White but he had no intention of harming you. He tried to reach you and nearly sank into the water himself. Uncle pulled him from the lake with their stone."

"He should have listened."

"He regretted that he didn't. Atos is no more."

Rook studied him with a grim expression, "What happened? And more importantly, who do I need to go burn from memory?"

Their father relaxed into a smile, "No one, little rook. He became one with Hevtos again. Ahevhethrah."

"That's like my uncles' names."

A door opened and a man who looked like a taller, grimmer version of Odos with flames filling the place his eyes should be stepped through. "My dear one." He placed a hand on Odos' shoulder. "You found a way to pull her from the water?"

"She pulled me from the prison I'd been locked in, Father. The air was utterly dry of magic and it was sealed so that I could open no door and not even my sigil could draw me. I had to be pulled from it bodily."

Kwes shivered as the greater god looked him over, and then those burning eyes settled on the dwarf girl. "This is the one Finwion and Nimphon spoke of."

"My Nali, yes."

Kwes glanced at his sister and found her studying Ahevhethrah, tilting her head much like a bird.

"You gave her a sigil?"

"I gave her a feather so that she could call me if she ever needed me."