The fireplace had always been Rowena’s favorite place to think. To fantasize, to ruminate, to bounce some ideas back and forth, even if, let’s be honest, she always ended up hurting herself with some gloomy thoughts.
At the edge of the tall pines, tremendous blazings had given way to dying embers, and the traveling companions divided the watch quarters among themselves.
As she stirred her spoon in the hot broth Sindri brewed, turnips and pine nuts along with some leftover bread, the young dwarf replayed in her head the events of the last days.
The party had been on the road for a few days, and the young bard was feeling a bit agitated, to say the least. How can one think about such trivial things when children are missing? How can one feel so jaunty and cheerful when talking to a special someone when some moments ago, people were murdered in front of one’s eyes? How can one(/cut)..
Rowena:
Sorry cousin, what?
Sindri:
You need to eat a bit more Rowena, I think the night won’t be a quiet one, the woods are teeming with life, and I’m not sure it’s the affable kind.
Rowena:
I… yes, yes I’ll eat up.
The two dwarves were sitting side by side on a heavy branch, by the fire where a cauldron was quietly bubbling. A few meters away, three makeshift tents stood tall, right on the fringe of some ominous pines. The warmth of the flames was welcome as the cool midnight breeze was beginning to pierce through the layers of adventurers' cloth.
Sindri:
You don’t seem as chipper as usual, is something on your mind?
Rowena (not very convincing):
Well yes of course I mean, the children are still lost, we don’t yet know what awaits us beyond these cursed woods, and the nights to come are not going to help me calm my mind.
Sindri:
Rowena, I have roamed these lands for 200 years longer than you, and yet you honestly seem to think I can’t see when you are hiding something from me?
Rowena:
Oh come on cousin, don’t play that old trick on me, truly it’s nothing in particular
Sindri (amused):
Oooh I see I see. You know, it is my mind who is surely playing tricks on me, because I was quite confident it was related to yesterday. You know, the fact that when we decided to break the buddy system for last night’s vigil, and that you would have loooved finishing your conversation with Iaus(/cut)
Rowena (quick, afraid):
Oy shut up, shut up they’ll hear us, you don’t know if everybody is asleep Sindri!
Sindri (joyful):
Aha, perceptive as always your good Cousin Sindri, Heh? Rowena, you can’t fool me, it's not because my beard is whiter than yours that I no longer perceive the flicker, that flicker, in people's eyes.
Rowena:
It’s not what you think, or not exactly, not all, I mean I (stumbles) (pause)
Sindri:
What is it cousin? (pause) I’m sorry for teasing you a bit, I could not help myself. But it was so tempting, you know? I promise, you can tell me if you want to, you know I won’t judge you.
Rowena:
Yes, yes I know, it’s just that I’m a bit embarrassed talking about that with you. I mean all I know about, you know, your love life, is that you have been married to Pia for quite some time now, which is wonderful of course, but that’s it! I don’t know all the foolishness from your younger years, the silly things you won’t tell without one or two tankards full of ale.
So well it’s… weird I guess, for me, talking about that, because well, you don’t know much about me either, and a vigil doesn’t scream “Comfy and safe time for coming out to your long lost cousin”
Sindri:
Coming out you say? Wait, I thought it was about Iaus?
Rowena:
Well, yeah it kinda is? But at the same time it’s a little more complicated than that, and I feel a little uneasy about it. I’m 80 but I still feel like such a child! I mean (whispering) having a crush in these peculiar circumstances would already be a bit challenging to deal with… but having several, on people who know each other and work together it’s ooooh- I would love burying my head in the earth and disappearing.
Sindri:
You know what little cousin? I think it’s time for me to tell you more about my -how did you put it, oh Pelor give me strength, - my love life, while you drink your soup.
Sindri:
Well to begin with the part that you know(/cut)
Rowena (intrigued):
The part that I know?
Sindri (amused):
Rowena, it would be easier for me to tell you about that time if you drank your soup peacefully.
Now, as I was saying, you know I’m happily married to Pia. Back in the day, it was as wanted the tradition, but our union was also beneficial to not only our two families, but a lot of other people. Some trades and arrangements were made, contracts and apprenticeships, we knew our clans would have some steady years as a result of our families becoming one.
The part that you don’t know, and where I’ll be glad if you take a generous gulp right… (Rowena takes a spoonful) oh, thank you dear.
I am so much more than Pia’s husband, and she’s so much more than Sindri’s wife. Because hmm, you know, when, you know when we met, well. There were a lot of people in the Crag you know? And… (silent)
Slowly, gently, Rowena swallowed her mouthful before sitting on the ground, in front of Sindri. She held his hand as she said quietly
Rowena:
Were you in love with someone else?
Sindri (smiling, quietly):
Well, as a matter of fact, I still am! Rowena, I have been in love with two wonderful people for over 100 years, who know each other and that I love both of them : my dearest Pia, who gives me love and strength everyday, and who gave me adorable children, and Amonak, who also gives me love and strength everyday.
Rowena (loudly):
Oh my gooood that’s amazing!
Iaus (alerted/groggy/from afar):
What? Are we being ambushed?
Rowena:
(Oh shit, laughing) Sorry, no, all fine, you can go back to sleep!
(lower, but very fast) Tell me more about Amonak, about everything!
Sindri:
Hahaha, I’m glad to see your ardor, it warms my heart a little, being able to talk about both of them to my charming cousin, and to feel elated and relieved about it.
I wish to tell you about the time where we met, because I assume you are experiencing quite a similar phase right now.
I met Amonak before meeting Pia. He was about (/cut)my age
Rowena (bursting with joy but trying to keep her voice down):
He? Amonak is a man?
Sindri (amused, lighthearted):
Shhh, finish your soup first, you can grill me later!
Yes, Amonak is a man, a dwarf from the FrostIron Moun(/cut)… (thinking) has anyone told you that the FrostIron Mountains folks are positively… open minded with who one should love? It is a sacred sentiment after all, a blessing, and when one lucky person falls in love with another, it is always celebrated fondly.
When I met him, all I could see was a young dwarf radiating with such a calming but firm presence, so much aching but so much joy, and all I wanted to do was listening to him explaining passionately how one could smith a well-balanced axe, or how to cure a bad beer induced hangover. Yes, I may have experienced the last one while being cared for said hangover.
Rowena:
Oh you need to tell me the secret recipe for that, Cousin
Sindri (light laughter):
Aging 100 years should help you greatly!
Being close to Amonak felt like floating in the clouds, bathing in the sunlight without suffering from the heat, feeling strong as Moradin, but as light as the wind too. The Crag was still the Crag of course, but thanks to him, the hardship seemed less terrible to endure.
I won’t bore you with all the petty details, but we spent days discovering each other slowly and gently, then months sharing and caring for each other.
A few years later, Pia and some others arrived in the Crag. She too made me feel like a ray of sunshine was brushing my ski, gently painting my cheeks pink each time she spoke to me. Some other newcomers were also fascinating people, I know for a fact that Amonak did bind with some of them. After all those years talking with the same company, It felt for both of us like a breath of fresh winter air… I could have convinced myself that I was 50 years old again.
I took advantage of every stolen moment with Pia to get to know her, then the discussions got longer and longer, whether they were just between the two of us, with Amonak or the other newcomers.
I was falling in love with her too. And it was such a delightful feeling, such a special blessing that I wanted to talk to Amonak as soon as I understood it.
Rowena:
And you did? Were you not afraid of breaking his heart?
Sindri:
Well to be honest, I don’t see one’s heart as a breakable thing. For instance, a mighty tree could be a beautiful picture to represent that strong force of nature, but I think it rather is closer to… well, water? It can bend, it won’t break. And yes, sometimes it can freeze, but with a little warmth, a soft conversation or a prayer it can easily melt back to an impetuous torrent, full of life and joy, full of light and love.
I was not afraid of breaking Amonak’s heart. I knew that even if it froze for a bit, I could easily help my beloved unthaw it, making him feel unique and adored.
But the beauty of this moment was slightly different that you could have guessed, because well, Amonak fell in love with one of the newcomers too!
Rowena:
Nooooo, for real?
Sindri (amused):
Yes, yes, “for real”. I don’t know if Pelor blessed us, or if I am one of the luckiest dwarves that ever lived, but since that day, my heart is held not by two, but by four hands, and it never felt cold anymore.
Rowena:
Sindri, that’s so beautiful, thank you for sharing such a cherished memory, it makes me wanna burst into song.
Sindri:
It would be an honor, but I don’t think our new friends would feel the same that late in the night!
Rowena:
Haha, you are right. (pensive) Does it make this journey harder for you? I mean, I know for a fact that you did not see Pia for a long time, is it the same with Amonak?
Sindri:
Well, sadly yes. I had to protect them both. But I’m gonna let you in on a little secret.
When Pia and I got married, we enchanted our rings so that they could communicate with each other. It's not much, we can't have a conversation, but thanks to that, I can know if Pia is in good shape, if she is happy, and to know that it fills me with joy and serenity.
And do you see that locket holding my cape? Everyone thinks that's a sigil for Pelor, a sun with a sunflower, that would be totally appropriate. But the truth is quite different as you will have already guessed.
Rowena:
Amonak have the same sigil?
Sindri:
Well not quite identical, Amonak is a cleric of Moradin, his own sigil has an anvil with a sunflower.
Here let me show you.
As Sindri places a hand on his locket, as to warm it a bit, he says with a gentle voice
Sindri:
Hello sunbeam, I hope you are alright.
Then, putting his hand on his knee, the sun began to revolve on itself, while the sunflower above it began to rotate in the opposite direction. A few moments later, two eyelid-like shapes opened, and a calm metallic voice responded.
The Locket
Warm. Love. Safe. Time
Sindri:
Amonak seems to be fine according to our lockets, and he misses me. ó elskan mín.
Rowena:
That’s so… magnificent! Can you teach me how to do that? I could enchant my own harp and… well I have other instruments who can..
Sindri:
In time I could show you that my dear, but I think you ought to yourself to have some heartfelt conversations with some other people over there, before saying Hey, this magical harmonica will tell me if you are alive and well, and by the way I have a crush on you
Soren:
Oh, you have a crush on who?
