Beers and Beards: A Cozy Dwarf Tale

Chapter 36: Interlude: Heart to Hearts

Several months previously

“Scuse me Opal?”

Wreck opened the door a crack and peaked inside the Doctor’s cabin. She had left Pete and Bran behind at the door for a few reasons, not the least of which was that the two of them were a bit stressful.

The room was dark and smelled of medicine and sweat. Opal had a fairly well-furnished room considering the locale. Her floor was a rich red carpet, with designs that were somewhat out of date, but still chic. Her walls were covered in tapestries that showed the dwarven body, everything from nerves to muscles to bones. A spare cot shoved to the side was clearly for long term care, and a workstation with shelves filled by medicines, notes, and mana stones took up one entire wall.

A hearth burned merrily on the other wall, filling the small room with warmth and light.

Opal was a lump under the covers in a corner bed. She was faintly shivering, and her head turned towards the door at the sudden intrusion.

“Is that you Wreck?” Opal croaked, as she was wracked with a coughing fit.

“Aye Doc, can I come in?”

“Of course.” *cough* “Is it that time of the month again?”

“Aye.”

“Alright, come on in.”

Wreck opened the door wide and shoved it shut behind her. Opal struggled to sit, and Wreck walked over to help her up. While Doctor Opal still had many years ahead of her, it was at times like this that she showed her age.

“Thank you Wreck. Give me a moment.” Opal reached under her bed and pulled out a small ornate rod and twisted it. A sigil on the rod began to glow, revealing a motif of a dragon boxed into an upside-down triangle. “Alright, we can talk.”

Wreck’s entire demeanor shifted, and her stance grew more relaxed. “How are you doing Opal? Bran was really concerned; he’s absolutely sure that you’re dying.”

Opal sighed and sunk back into her cushioned bed. “Bran tried, and he’s a dear, but he fusses so.”

“Of course he does, he’s completely smitten with you.”

“You’re one to talk!”

“That’s a separate issue, and one I don’t care to discuss right now.”

“Fair.” Opal hunched over as she was wracked with coughs. Wreck patted her on the back, her face growing concerned.

“Have you had a tonic?”

“I finished off the last of it this morning.”

“I can mix some up for you. May I use your workstation?”

“You don’t need to do that.”

“No no, I insist. You stay there and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

Wreck walked over to the workstation and began mixing ingredients. Her hands were a blur as she mixed and poured. Opal pulled out a handkerchief and blew into it as Wreck poured the mixture into a large empty bottle labelled ‘Tonic’. After the bottle was full, she filled a small pot with some of the liquid and placed it on an apparatus atop the workstation. The apparatus began to glow red hot, and Wreck picked up a wooden spoon and began stirring.

“It’ll take a while to heat up, Opal.”

“That’s alright, thank you. How are you finding the mine?”

“It’s alright, though it’s quite a bit more boisterous than I had expected.”

Opal chuckled.

“I can see how you’d think so, but I assure you this isn’t normal.”

“None of this situation is normal.”

“True.”

The two sat in silence as the tonic heated up. Wreck eventually stood and began doing some tidying up, putting away the Doctor’s clothes and tossing her unmentionables into the laundry.

“How are you, really?” Opal’s voice was filled with concern as she watched Wreck work.

“I’m… doing well considering the circumstances.”

“I still don’t think what happened to you was fair.”

“That isn’t for you or me to decide. Dwarven law applies to all dwarves, no matter their status. That is how our government functions.”

“You know that isn’t really true. The nobility takes certain liberties all the time.” Opal pointed out, her tone growing a bit harsh.

“That is them. I am me. And I choose to follow the laws.”

“And, we are all the better for it.” Opal’s tone grew a bit motherly. “Your grandfather is proud of you, you know.”

“Then why did he send me here, so far away from the Capital.”

“For the same reason he gave you illusion enchantments and manipulated your prisoner logs. To keep you safe.”

Wreck stewed for a while, then went to remove the slightly steaming pot. She poured it into a cup and brought it to Opal. Opal took a deep sip and sighed.

“It’s time for your monthly recharge, right? The chest is under my bed.”

Wreck fished under the bed and pulled out a plain wooden chest. She opened it to reveal a glittering mound of fingernail sized manastones. She pulled one out and fiddled with a necklace hidden under her shirt. For a brief moment, there was a flash of white blonde curls and a pair of umber eyes before Wreck once again stood in the Doctor’s cabin, her nondescript stringy beard and dull gaze unchanged from moments before.

“That amazes me every time I see it.” Opal murmured. She held a now empty cup up to Wreck, who took it.

“Thank you for agreeing to be my grandfather’s agent in this Doctor.” Wreck said. She walked over to a basin and washed the mug before placing it back on the rack.

“It was an honour to serve his grace.”

There was a knock at the door, and the two of them jumped.

“It’s me doc, I got something to make you feel better. It’s somethin’ new called caudle.” Bran’s muffled voice came through the wooden door.

“One moment Bran!” Opal picked up the rod and nodded at Wreck. “Thank you for your help, Tourmaline.” She twisted, and the dragon pattern disappeared.

“Sure, Opal.” Wreck nodded and walked over to open the door a crack. She leaned outside and grumbled, “Shaddup, Bran. Doc Opal’s restin’.”

---

Even more months previously

“Well Balin, what do you want to do?” Annie looked down at the dwarf she loved. The two of them were up on a ridge away from the camp. Not so far that their magical manacles would activate, but far enough away that they wouldn’t be disturbed.

“I’m stumped Annie. They said ma indenture would be near fifty years now.” Balin sighed, his head upon her lap. Her beard tickled his forehead and she laughed as he batted it aside. “Tha’s more than what workin' hard can fix.”

“Well, you are a skilled laborer. You could try and join one of the rafter crew?” The rafter crew put up the mine supports. They got more time off their indenture as they were a more skilled position. As a carpenter, Balin could join them, but it was also a more dangerous position.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead in those pocket-pants.” The two of them laughed before Annie grew somber.

“You nearly were, caught dead that is.” Annie wrapped her arms around Balin’s head, and he sneezed as her beard caught in his nose. “Thanks be to the Gods and Pete that you survived.” A tear nearly squeezed its way out from an eyelid before she took a deep sniff and stopped it.

“I’m fine now.” Said Balin. “That which doesn’t kill ye makes ya stronger!” He puffed out his chest before he too grew somber. “I don' want to take anymore risks, Annie. Not when I got so much ta lose now.”

The two sat in silence for a while before Balin spoke back up. “Pete’s got an idea he told me about. I don' think I like it…”

“What is it?”

“He said I’d need to shovel shit for ‘alf a year, and then we’d be out in a month.”

“What?!” Annie sat bolt upright, her knees shifting. Balin’s head slipped off her lap and bounced on the ground. “Sorry!”

“By my beard! Owch!” Balin cradled his head and rolled around.

“What do you mean, in a month?” Annie asked, as she placed Balin’s head back in her lap and patted it.

“Owwww… I dunno. He said he’s got a grand plan. He knows ‘ow to make somethin that’ll make enough gold to break both our indentures. Said it would revolu- revoluti- change minin’ forever.”

“Do you believe him?”

“Well, I thought he was crazy when he wanted sugar fer tha' beer. Look where that went.”

The two of them thought back to the Radler incident. Bran had lemonade available every night now. He said it would protect against scurvy, and it was in every dwarf’s best interested to drink some. They all knew what it was REALLY about though, and he wasn’t fooling anyone with that ‘doctor’s orders’ spiel.

“Balin…” Annie paused, this was perhaps her best opportunity to tell him.

“Aye Annie?”

“I got word from Grim today.” Annie took a deep breath. “The city administration has allowed for the reduction of my indenture.”

“Annie! Tha’s great!” Balin sat up, a look of joy on his face. “Was it tha grease?”

“Yes, nearly every mine in Minnova is using it now.” Annie’s face flushed with pride. It was her first successful invention, and soon everyone would be using it. “I’ll be leaving within a few weeks.”

“Oh… I’ll miss ya.”

“I know, I’ll miss you too.” Annie’s voice grew resolute. “I’m going ahead. I need to see how the brewery is doing and get things ready for when you and Pete get out. I don’t know what’s been happening for the past year, and I’m worried. I suspect most of the workers will have left, and my family can't run that whole brewery alone.”

“Alright. I’ll make sure Pete doesn’t bring the whole camp down in the meantime.”

“Luck o’ Barck with that Balin!” Annie laughed. “I'll take a dozen grumpy workers over a single Pete!”

“Hah! Luck o’ Barck to ye too Annie, not that you’ll need it. You’ll do well, I know it!”

The two of them watched a line of carriages slowly wind into the city far in the distance. Soon they would all be there, free dwarves once again.

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