The dwarf kingdom part one

Tales Upon Tales series

      MELISSA´S ARCHWAY

1.    The Dwarf Kingdom.

Part 1

It is morning! I have waited for this day for a long time and I am finally twenty years old. Now I can leave the village and explore the outside world. I get up from the bed and go downstairs to get breakfast, I see my parents Elina and Gabin and my big sister Amber and big brother Arthur are already at the table eating breakfast.

“Good morning!” I say cheerfully.

“Gu mornin.” Dad says with a deep voice.

“Morning.” Brother says and looks away.

“Good morning.” Says my sister with a faint smile.

“Good morning dear did you sleep well?” Mother says normally.

“Yes of course I did.” I say with a smile.

Actually, I was barely able to sleep because I was so excited to start my journey, but I can’t tell them that. They would just lecture me about the importance of sleep during a dangerous journey and how there would be a lot of exciting things that can keep me awake at night, so I can’t spend my nights awake during the journey.

We celebrated my birthday yesterday, so I’ll be able leave when me and my friends are ready. My friends that are leaving with me are all same age and there are five of them: Ryan, Martin, Alice, Marie and Luna. We have been friends for almost our entire life and we´ve talked about leaving the village for years and trained hard for this day doing things like muscle training that was basically just carrying rocks and ingots, stamina training by running in tunnels and weapon training by sparring with each other and some magic training.

Incidentally, I mainly practiced with a short sword and a shield and I also learned the basics of healing magic but it was hard because it’s rare for a dwarf to be able to use magic and even rarer for healing magic so there was no one to teach me healing magic but I was taught how to use and control magic in general.

“Who the hell says that of course they slept well? I bet you didn’t sleep a wink last night. this is just why you shouldn’t go if u can’t even sleep in the village u won’t survive outside.” Brother says angrily.

“Now now u can’t blame her for being excited when she has waited for this for years and we’ve talked about this and she won’t change her mind, I don’t want her to leave either but that’s what she decided.” Mother with a soothing tone.

“I can’t accept that, I love her and you’re telling me to just let her go? Besides leaving the village is nonsensical, its save here you don’t have to worry about food and there are other dwarfs here, who knows what there is on the outside!” 

Ever since I first said that I want to leave the village most of the adults have been trying to persuade me to stay here and big brother has been doing it the most. Even though there is the rule that you can leave when u turn twenty years old, hardly no one ever leaves the village and those who do never return so the knowledge of the outside world is scarce. It has been said that centuries ago the village was more open and even other races lived here and even if there is someone with the blood of another race in them it’s such a small proportion that it doesn’t show.

“That’s just why I’m leaving, there is no telling what there is outside who would want to stay in this stuffy old rock hole for the rest or their lives? That’s even worse than dying.” I respond to my brother.

“That’s a bit too far dear. He just cares about you like we all do, and it is hard for me too to let you leave but if that is what makes you happy then I cannot stop you and neither can anyone else.” Mother tells me strictly.

“I’m sorry I just wanted to have the last breakfast with my family and get along with everyone before I leave.” I say with tears on my eyes.

After that we all ate the breakfast in an awkward silence and after that it was time to go. I went back to my room the get my huge backpack that was filled with clothes mostly underwear, long lasting foods and lots of little things that are needed on a journey like a knife and flints and cloths some potions and water.

“Pumpkin I came to give you this consider this as a farewell gift I hope it will protect you on your journey.” Dad says while walking into my room.

He handed me a beautiful full black metal shield.

“Wait is that made from orichalcum!?” I yell excitedly.

I’ve only heard rumors about it because it isn’t mined in the mountain, so I wasn’t even sure if it existed or not.

“Yes, the metal has been passed down in the family and it has been said that when one of the children of this family is leaving the village this metal should be used for them, so I thought what I should make, and I wanted to you to be safe, so I made this to protect you.”

“Thank you, dad.”

I was starting to tear up, I’ve been waiting for this day for years so when it finally came it feels just so unreal that I won’t see my family for years, if at all. The fact that there is almost no knowledge of the outside world means that there is no knowing how long the journey is going to take or how dangerous it is. Finding a way back home after the journey is uncertain and we don’t know whether we want to return or not after it.

Dad hugs me, and we cry, and we stayed like that for a while before separating, then mother who was in the doorway came in and hugs me too

“I love you very much, just stay safe out there.” Mother tells me with tears on her eyes.

“I love you too mom, don’t worry I have my friends with me, we will be alright.”

We hug for a long time before we separate, and I wipe off my tears and smile.

I’m going now, I will miss you both so much and I hope I can see you again.” I say with a big smile.

I leave the room with my backpack and go downstairs where my brother and sister are waiting. Amber ran to me and hugged me tightly.

“Take care of yourself and have fun out there.” Sister says seriously.

“Yeah I will.” I say with a smile.

There wasn’t anything else to say, I am close with my sister, so we talked a lot in the past year and we can part easily because of that. Unlike with my brother, he just refuses to accept that I am leaving.

“So, you’re really going?” Brother asks me with an annoyed look on his face.

“Yes brother, and there is nothing you can say or do to stop me.” I say sternly.

“I see. Sigh I guess it can’t be helped then, this is the last time I will be seeing you, so I need it to be a happy memory. Let me hug you one last time” Brother says with a softer tone.

He hugs me I can see his tears falling down his cheeks, I start crying again.

“I love you brother”

“I love you too lil´ sis”

I say goodbye to everybody, wipe off my tears and open the front door. Air is chilly and moist when I step outside, the green light from the amethysts are luminating the stony road. Houses made from stone are in an orderly row as far as the eye can see, which isn’t very far because it’s quite dark here. I start walking toward Alice’s house that is in the same level as my house.

There are ten main levels in Marekoth where the populace lives, and beneath them are smaller levels where the people are mining and expanding the living space of Marekoth.

We are living in the fourth level and you can only leave the village from the first level.

I reach Alice’s house and see her hugging her mother teary eyed, I wait until they are finished saying goodbye and then go to her.

“It’s finally happening, isn’t it?” I ask her cheerfully.

She turns around her eyes are still red she wipes off her tears and smiles.

“Yes, it feels surreal, I can’t wait to see the outside. How did it go with your brother?” Alice asks.

“It went well in the end, but he was still against it.”

“That just means he cares deeply about you.”

“Yeah I know but never mind that now let’s go to the third level to meet up with Marie and Martin.”

We start walking towards the spiraling staircase that leads to the third level and we started talking about how we said goodbyes to our family and what we’re going to miss about the fourth level where we spent our entire lives.

When we get to the staircase Alice asks me about my shield and I tell her that my father had made it from heirloom metal to keep me safe, she says she is jealous of the fact that I came from a generations long blacksmith family and could get an amazing item like this before the journey.

She comes from a family that processes ores, so they can’t make her anything.

“But you know they did give me some metals.”

“Eeh, aren’t they just going to take up space and end up being dead weight?”

“Perhaps but they said that they are some rare metals that even the best smiths here cannot do anything with, so they are probably magic metals and if we find someone who can use them they should become very powerful items, and even if we don’t find anyone we can just sell them.”

After an hour of climbing up the rocky stairs we make it to the third level and head to Martins house where Marie should also be.

we walk on the familiar streets of the third level, taking a last look of the fields filled with different kinds of crops and livestock that are inside rock fences. The lighting in this level comes from ancient magic tools which emit violet hue that enables the plants to grow.

“Hey, do you still remember the old lady who told us tales about the outside world?” Alice asks.

“Yeah of course I do, those stories about flying lizards and heroes that fight against evil is what made me want to go outside and experience those things myself.”

“Yeah, it’s the same for me, it made me feel like I could make a difference in the world if I felt.”

“Are you feeling hesitant? It is still hard to leave your family behind no matter what the reason.”

“A bit but I will still be going no matter what, I feel like If I don’t go I will just be living a life full of regret.”

“You can’t live life without taking risks, so for better or worse you should make your own decisions and accept them for what they are.”

“You are right and besides we are all going together so we can just rely on each other if there are any problems.”

“We seem to be near their house already, I guess time flies when you’re talking.”

We walk up to the large two-storied farmhouse that was encircled by rocky fences. Inside the fences are different kinds of animals and there is a fenced path to the front yard of the house that keeps the animals away. I open the rock fence that lead to the yard and we walk to the front door. We could hear loud voices coming from inside the house, I knock on the door hesitantly.

Martin and Marie opened the door and walked outside while slamming the door close behind them.

“Let’s go!” Martin yells

“If you leave now you will no longer be a part of this family!” An old dwarf man yells while coming outside from the house.

“Who would want to be a part of this stinking family!”

“You choose her over family? Fine, leave then and don’t come back.”

“People that makes me choose between the girl I love, and family isn’t my family!”

The angry old dwarf goes back inside the house and we leave the yard in silence. After walking for a while in an awkward silence Alice breaks the silence by asking how they are feeling.

“Sorry this must have dampened your mood on this special day.” Martin says apologetically.

“Yeah, we expected things going like this with our families being what they are but it’s still not a pleasant thing to see or hear.” Marie says with a faint smile.

“That’s why we kept quiet about our relationship until now and prepared to leave the village all this time so there is really nothing to worry about, we were ready for this scenario.”

“Well if you say so but they are still your family are you sure you want to leave it like that?” I ask them.

“Yes, there is nothing we can do to change their minds about us being together and they would do everything they can do keep us apart so it’s better just to leave like this.” Martin explains.

“It is your family and your business, so I can’t really say anything about it, but if it’s what you’ve decided then I can accept it.” I tell them.

“Thanks, we appreciate it, now let’s forget this negative matter and focus on the bright future that is ahead of us.” Martin says with a brighter tone.

“Free from this place and its restrictions and in a world filled with possibilities.” Marie says excitedly.

“Well we still have a way to go until we can leave, but it won’t be long.” Alice says happily.

“We still have a way to go so let’s get going.” I say with more energy.

We walk to the next spiral staircase and get stopped by the guards there.

“What business do you have in the noble district?” Guard with a helmet asks.

“We are the group that is leaving today.” Martin answers him.

“So, you are them right, okay I will have the other guard accompany you to the end of level two.”

“Alright but we are going to stop at our friend’s house and take a break on our way.” I tell the guard.

“Is your friend going to leave with you?”

“Yes.” I answer.

“That works then, the guard can accompany you till the friend’s house.”

“Is that ok?” I ask.

“Yes, they can take responsibility for you guys so and your friend can guide you to the end of level two.”

“let’s get going then.” Martin says.

“I will be accompanying you till the house.” Says a guard with no helmet.

“Ok treat us well.” I say with a smile.

We all start to walk up the stairs for level two, the stairs are a lot more polished here than they were in the staircase between level two and three.

When we make it up the stairs we can see polished streets decorated street lights and huge stone mansions lined up orderly.

We walk in awe while guided by the guard and after a while the guard asks where our friend lives.

“She said we should just walk straight down the road to the end and we would see a big house there.” Alice answers.

“These are all big houses though.” I say while looking around the place.

“Maybe a big house for her means bigger than these here, so we should be able to tell which one it is when we get there.” Martin says.

Eventually we get to a crossroad and in front of us is a long rock fence encircling a huge yard and we could see an enormous mansion in the distance. At the gate, there were two gatekeepers with metal armor and rock spears, we walk to the gate.

“Halt what business do you have here?” A person near the gate asks.

“We came to see Luna.” I respond.

“We have been expecting you.” He answers while bowing.

They open the gate to let us pass and the guard starts walking back to where we came from. 

Chapter one part two.