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Boatman or Businessman?
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Empress of the World The Box
For the third day in a row, Cafer brought Alaron above ground into the land of magic. He told the other gnomes it was to make sure the boy was safe, but really, Cafer found being in his cave to be more and more suffocating. The former councilman also did not think it a good idea to leave the prince in the company of the gnomes for too long. The abrasive personality of gnomes made Alaron nearly lose his temper with each interaction. Cafer was walking a very fine line.Today they ambled through a field that was close--but not too close-- to the elves' land. "A rabbit with horns!" Alaron exclaimed. He used a magic spell to pin the creature so he could get a closer look."It is a jackalope," Cafer informed him as they walked over to it. "And you should probably let it go." The gnome flicked his gaze around the field. These creatures could travel in packs, and the thought of a hundred small, horned creatures running at him was undesirable.Alaron touched the creature gently. Its fur was so
Empress of the World Cave Rats
Having made it to the shore nearest the gnome's entrance, Devrim and Gandr carefully slunk until they could find a spot to watch the entrance to the cave unobserved. The first hours were uneventful. Finally the two got comfortable enough that they began to whisper."How well do you know those tunnels?" Devrim asked."I have been through most of them. But it has been eight years since I last set foot in those halls." Gandr's voice was tinged with sadness."Is that where you were between our run-in with Cafer and you deciding to join spymaster Brinn?" Devrim had always been curious, but Gandr only ever responded that he was righting some wrongs.The halfling gave a brief nod. "I freed as many of their slaves as would leave, and spent time looking for an elf that I left behind in the dungeon. I never found her. I hope she escaped on her own, but..." his voice trailed off."You cannot be sure," Devrim finished the thought. He patted the halfling on the arm. "Not knowing is even worse than
Empress of the World A Trial and a Shallow Grave
"Never. Do. That. Again." Devrim felt the urge to punch Gandr but refrained. The Emperor had experienced the sensation of falling through space and time before his backside landed on the dirt floor. Fortunately the room on the other side of the wall where the Emperor landed was empty. Devrim had waited patiently for the halfling to join him, but the anger had not subsided when Gandr finally appeared.The halfling was unapologetic as he shrugged. "I had to think quickly. I gambled that the others would not try to sense through the wall to look for you. Anyway, you are the one who wanted to come with me," Gandr reminded him. "This part of the journey will not be easy or fun."Devrim's face softened, and his muscles relaxed. "You are right, of course. I am at your mercy. Lead on."Gandr smiled, and his eyes narrowed to a mischievous glint. "Just remember you said that. For the next little bit, I am in charge."A small shiver ran down Devrim's spine, but he nodded. If the man was going to
Empress of the World Remorse
Devrim ducked in and out of caverns and passages, trying to find any trace of either Gandr or Alaron. The greyish light of the underground world meant that he couldn't hide in the shadows; there were none. There were very few gnomes around, which the Emperor found strange.The couple of beings that Devrim did run into refused to make eye contact. Instead they scurried along to make sure that they would not be seen with a possible intruder. The Emperor was thankful for their silence. After a much longer walk than he had bargained for, Devrim could hear a crowd jeering around the next bend. Pulling the hood of his cloak tight, the Emperor braved the crowd of gnomes, stooping to be closer to their height.It quickly became clear that the group was shouting and throwing mushy food at a poor creature on a pedestal. He was so covered in dripping pulp that Devrim at first did not recognize him. Then the bulky figure looked up and the Emperor could see Grisley's marred visage looking out sull
Empress of the World Duel
Devrim woke with a start as Cafer spoke loudly in the room outside the cramped wardrobe. "Time to get up, Your Highness," he boomed. "The king will be expecting to see you."Alaron groaned as the fog of sleep had not yet left him. "He can wait. I am not ready to get up."The prince rolled over and groaned again as the rocky bed was unforgiving. Cafer sighed. Humans needed far more sleep than most magical creatures, and the teenagers of the species seemed to need extra rest."Fine," the gnome conceded. "I will be back to get you in a little while. But you will not waste the whole day by sleeping."Alaron waved his hand dismissively and completely ignored the slamming chamber door. He did not hear the subtle creak of the wardrobe hinge or the nearly silent footsteps across the floor to his bed. It was only when a hand came across the prince's mouth that he was alerted to another's presence."Sh," Devrim called as he restrained the boy. "I just want to talk."Alaron relaxed, and the grey
Empress of the World A Rock and A Hard Place
Coming up from the ground outside the gnomes' compound, Gandr was breathing heavily. "That's not as easy as it looks," he said as he set down the unconscious boy to catch his breath. "You think that looked easy?" Devrim guffawed. His brow crinkled. "You look spent. Have you been looking for me for a while?" Gandr nodded. "When you were not back in the room where we parted, I looked all around the area, popping in and out of each room through the ground. Then the thought occurred to me to try Cafer's rooms." "I am glad you found me, but I am sorry you had to waste your magic. We could really use it now." The Emperor was also weak, but he picked up Alaron across his shoulders. Together, they slogged along around the side of the lake. It was mid-morning, and the sun was beginning to beat down on them in earnest. They were far north, but somehow that did not lesson the heat that they felt. Both males were sweating heavily before long. "Part of me hopes the boy will wake up so we can fo
Empress of the World Water, Water Everywhere
The stag raced towards them, giving them little time to think. Devrim and Junayd drew their swords, but the mighty creature flung them aside like they weighed less than a feather. He bore down on Gandr, who stared wide-eyed at the beast.To everyone's shock, the stag gathered up Prince Alaron in his branchlike horns and gave a guttural cry before racing off into the trees before them."Did he just abduct our abduction of the prince's abduction?" Junayd queried.Gandr ignored him. "After the stag!" The halfling used his wind magic to push along the the trio just as the gnomes came into the clearing. The men needed no more coaxing. They ran full out after the stag and away from the gnomes in a life-or-death game of tag. The close proximity of the trees made them difficult to avoid, but the agile warriors remained focused. Their lives depended on it.The gnomes could not move as easily through the trunks and exposed roots, and so many of them opted for an underground route. The stag's ru
Empress of the World Scientific Inquiry
Having finished as many of the orange-tinted glasses as the pair could manage, Renat and Mairwen turned their collective attention to other projects. Renat's mind was beautiful but scattered, and the princess took great pleasure in directing it more carefully. The scientist had a million ideas, but not all of them were worth pursuing."What about a a machine that will milk a goat for you?" Renat queried. He tapped his chin with a feathery pen."Surely a machine to milk a cow would be more useful," the princess countered."More poor people can afford goats than cows, but I believe cows can produce far more milk per day. What if I could make something that comes in two sizes, large and small? Then both animals could be serviced. Or better yet, one machine to milk them both! Two attachments to milk both animals at the same time. We could create a super hybrid milk!"Renat's mind whizzed on as his eyes glowed with excitement. He began to scribble feverishly on the page before him. The sci
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