Captain Julian and his elvish assistant Haldir venture out in search of the Staff of Gur, an artifact that promises quite the payday. Though between the tribal goblins and Haldir's massive crush on the captain, things don't quite go as planned.
Commission for my absolutely beautiful and fantastic girlfriend, Dawn.
Cover Art Source: Jan Ditlev
The room was a clutter, a chaotic maelstrom of maps, charts, logs, books, and various parchments that were scattered about. It was an organized chaos to the elf who usually resided in this cabin. To most others though, it was simply a mess.
Captain Julian surveyed the space, allowing himself an amused smile. “Surprised you can find a hidden artifact when I can’t even find the floor in this room.”
He was a human. A tall and strong brute, who towered over the elf. Many would’ve called him a rogue and the title did fit. He wasn’t clean shaven, with dark stubble colouring his brown complexion, and his attire was creased and anything but pristine. Still, he had an air of authority, dressed in a fine coat made of exotic hide and a tricorn stolen from someone in the Imperial Navy.
At least, the elf assumed it was stolen. It would’ve fit the Captain’s character quite nicely.
“You pay me for research,” the elf quipped, smirking to himself. “Not to keep my environment neat and tidy.”
“And what has my investment found me, Haldir?” Julian asked.
He smirked coyly.
Haldir motioned with a hand towards a table in the middle of the room. There was a map laid out upon it, showing off the south-eastern portion of the continent that they were currently venturing through. It was very coastal with many ports and fishing villages dotted along the coast.
Julian followed, hovering over the parchment and examining it with a quizzical gaze.
It was marked with many red notes, little tallies and figures, potential leads and ones that failed to materialize into anything. There were lines creating a triangle between three of the more favourable points. Then within this triangle were a few scattered question marks.
“So, when we were in Devon,” Haldir explained. “I went to the townhall and accessed their records. There were references to a staff of infinite wisdom used by the local goblin tribals that resided in the woods.”
Julian nodded. “I heard a few stories about such a thing at the local brewhouse. Apparently, it has the ability to double the intelligence of any person who wields it.” He snorted. “Shame that it’s wasted in the hands of goblins.”
Haldir smirked and touched one of the points on the triangle, the northernmost one, right on the coast. “This is Devon, which is surrounded by goblin settlements and caverns. According to the official records there are more than fifty such communities. Though that’s only what’s mentioned in the official records.”
“Not exactly like you can really do an accurate census on goblins,” Julian said.
“Exactly.” Haldir moved his finger to another point on the triangle, the southern and western most one. “This is Fort Karl, an old Imperial border fortification. You know, before they started pushing their boundaries well beyond this region?”
“Is that what that collection of wooden huts and palisades was called?” Julian asked, snorting to himself. “Fort is a pretty generous description.”
Haldir nodded. “But the Imperials were nice enough to leave a lot of their records behind and you’ll never guess what was mentioned in them?”
“I’m guessing they might’ve mentioned some kind of staff that boosts intelligence?” Julian replied, offering a knowing smirk.
“Exactly,” Haldir said. “Yet again, they mention that it’s in the hands of a tribe of goblins and orcs.” He moved his finger over to the last point on the map. “Now I won’t worry you about the finer details of the last point but it essentially says the same thing.” He waved his hand. “Something something staff, something something goblins and orcs, something something intelligence boosting.”
He moved his finger away from the triangle and instead placed it upon an open textbook that sat next to the map.
“Now this is a copy of the last Imperial census of population,” Haldir went on, smirking at Julian. “An utterly fascinating read, let me tell you.”
Julian rolled his eyes. “Sounds like it.”
He came up beside Haldir and peered over his shoulder. He was close, closer than Haldir had expected him to be. The sensation sent a little bit of blood towards his face as he drew in a deep breath.
A deep breath which just happened to bring in the scent of Julian’s hide coat and raw masculinity.
This is where Haldir might’ve mentioned that he may have been harbouring a slight crush on the dear Captain. Though only the slightest one of course.
“This is why I pay you,” Julian teased. “I’d probably get about two pages into this book before tossing it overboard.”
Haldir smirked. “It is a very informative read.” He noticed the Captain roll his eyes again, so he went on with his presentation. “Anyways one of the things that the census does is theorize the population of goblins, orcs, and other uncivilized species. You know, the kind that might be problematic to count properly.”
“Surprised they can even count them at all,” Julian said.
“You’d be surprised,” Haldir replied, motioning with his hand. “Now what’s important is that they divide these species into three categories: partially civilized, uncivilized, and undesirable.”
“Undesirable is a pleasant-sounding category name,” Julian murmured.
“They’re the kind of goblins and orcs who are more likely to send a bolt through an Imperial official’s skull than actually communicate with them,” Haldir stated. “But my hypothesis is that if the staff boosts intelligence, then the goblins and orcs that we’re looking for are counted under this semi-civilized category.”
“Not a bad theory,” Julian agreed. “So, is that what all the question marks inside of the triangle are?”
Haldir nodded. “Each one marks a semi-civilized goblin community.”
Julian smirked. “I’m impressed. Never had a researcher who understood the art of triangulation before.”
He hummed and hawed as he studied the text, summing up the various geographic features and roads that the map bestowed. Finally, he planted his finger upon one of the question marks that was near the former Fort Karl.
“It’s this one,” Julian said.
Haldir blinked. “What makes you say that?”
“One part gut feeling, one part intuition,” Julian replied, smirking to himself. “Plus, it’s the closest one to our current position.”
Haldir shrugged. “I have nothing better to counter that argument with.”
“Then we’ll set a course,” Julian said.
He made his way towards the door, spinning the wheel and popping open the cabin. As he stepped out, he motioned for Haldir to follow him.
Which Haldir did, snatching up the map from off of the table and rolling it up as he walked.
“You know…” Julian started, working his jaw. “I’m not a man who is especially good with words but…” He reached over and rested a hand on Haldir’s shoulder. “You’ve been a very good addition to our crew, Haldir, and I appreciate your presence.”
Haldir tensed, feeling something seize at his heart. “I uh… I…” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Thank you, Captain, I enjoy being part of this crew.”
Julian nodded and let his hand slip away. “Better than lingering away in some elven archive?”
“It’s very different,” Haldir explained, smirking to himself. “Figure that after a couple centuries of studying I was due for a change of pace.”
Julian blinked. “Wait, how old are you?”
“Uh… seven hundred and twenty-three years old,” Haldir answered as he flashed a nervous smile.
Julain smirked. “You don’t look a day over twenty-five.”
“Elven magic has its uses,” Haldir rebutted. “I’d highly recommend it.”
The corridor they were in was rather utilitarian.
This was shocking as the ship had started its life as a luxury vessel. Though much of the luxury had either been stripped away or worn down from age. The carpeting had faded from a vibrant red to a reddish-grey, the wallpaper had begun to peel, and the paint on the bulkheads was chipped. Every frill had faded, ground down to a more practical existence.
This wasn’t a ship that carried diplomats, aristocrats, and traders any longer. At least, none that were considered respectable.
They pushed through another bulkhead and entered the ship’s cockpit. The room was rather small, with only enough space for a crew of five. Though only a single soul currently occupied it. A bored looking dwarf who was perched in a chair and reading a book.
“Hello Ginny,” Julian said. “How’s the ship doing?”
“Going nice and steady, Captain,” Ginny replied, flipping from one page to the next. “Heading due east as instructed.”
Haldir’s gaze went towards the mammoth set of windows that made up the front of the cockpit. Just outside of them was a canvas of blue sky with white clouds above them and rolling fields of green down below.
Until he had joined the crew, Haldir had never flown in an airship before. But the Essence of Tomorrow was a comfortable ride, even considering her age.
“There’s a crack in one of my windows,” Julian commented.
“Rouge seagull decided it wanted to die when we were flying over Lake Oak,” Ginny replied. “I promise you, Jules, that he came out of the encounter a whole lot worse than us.”
Jules.
Ginny’s pet name for Julian. It only made Haldir a little jealous that they had a bond close enough for such things.
Captain Julian snorted. “Noted.”
He approached the steering column in the centre of the room.
Without prompt, Haldir followed and placed the map on a table next to him. He unrolled it and pushed pins through it, sticking it into place. If anything, he just wanted to be useful in any little way that he could.
“We’re taking a little detour,” Julian explained, looking at Ginny. “Haldir found us a new lead to follow up on.”
Ginny smirked and looked at the elf. “About time.”
Captain Julian grabbed the steering wheel and flipped the little latch that kept it locked in place. One of the many innovations that had been brought in to make up for the lack of a crew.
He then started to gently turn the wheel, bring the ship away from its eastern trajectory to one that was more southernly in nature. Ever so often, Captain Julian would glance at the map, judging how much further he had to alter their course.
It was unreal, seeing how he could just eyeball something like this. There were no tools or trinkets used, just a keen sense of direction and years of experience. It was an impressive display to watch and Haldir eagerly did so.
Only when Julian had finished, did he pull out a compass, holding it in front of himself. He nodded exactly once, obviously pleased with his work before slipping it back into his breast pocket.
He then re-engaged the latch on the steering wheel and walked over to another of the cockpit’s seats, plopping down within it.
“Depending on the winds,” Julian said. “We should be there in about a day-and-a-half. Two days at most.”
Haldir nodded. “Sounds good, Sir.”
He turned and made a move to exit the cockpit.
“Oh, and Haldir,” Julian said, lifting a hand.
Haldir paused and looked over his shoulder. “Yes, Captain?”
Julian was smiling at him. “I was wondering if you’d like to join me for the fieldwork this time around. I think I could probably use your expertise.”
“Pardon?” Ginny asked, cocking a brow.
“I thought you could use a little bit of a break, Ginny,” Julian said, turning his attention towards her. “And I’d like Haldir to get a little practical experience with this line of work. I think this expedition would be a pretty good one for him to stretch his legs.”
Ginny frowned.
“It’s just some goblins,” Julian quipped. “Not like it’s anything super dangerous.”
Ginny sighed. “I guess I could use a little time to myself to clean up the place.”
“What do you say, Haldir?” Julian asked, looking back at him. “Want to get a little bit of actual adventuring in?”
Haldir smirked. “I think I’d like that a lot, Sir.”
“Excellent, then it’s agreed,” Julian leaned back in his chair. “Anyways, go and get yourself some rest.”
Julian lit the tip of his cigarette and drew in a deep drag. He held it for a long moment before letting it out in a billow of noxious grey smoke.
“Worst part about being around that much hydrogen,” he said. “Can’t have a smoke while we’re in the air.”
Haldir nodded. “I appreciate your concern for safety.”
“It’s the only safety concern I follow,” Julian teased. “After the Westbrook Harbour went up in flames, I learned to smarten up pretty fucking quickly.” He shook his head. “Still can’t believe that jackass decided to smoke a pipe near those hydrogen tanks.”
Haldir sighed. “Unfortunately, stupidity can be a pretty destructive ailment.”
Julian nodded and looked at Haldir, reaching for his pack. “Do you want one?”
Haldir shook his head. “Never had one before. Doesn’t seem like it’d be for me.”
“Fair,” Julian said, slipping it back into his pocket.
They progressed through the coolness of the northern woods. The air was slightly chilly, a dampness biting at Haldir through the fabric of his attire.
This was a far cry from the warmth of his homeland. Still, it wasn’t terrible, just different.
“Anything I should be worried about?” Haldir asked.
“Nah, it’s just goblins.” Julian smirked. “All we need is a display of force and they’ll cave in a heartbeat. Most of the time, it’s a wrestling match with their burliest goblin. Win that and we’ll win the staff.”
There was a thin stream up ahead and Julian leapt over it with Haldir doing the same.
“Never really been on a hike before,” Haldir commented.
Julian smirked. “Were you born in that library or something?”
“The archives are attached to the local hospital,” Haldir explained.
“Wait so like…” Julian looked at him. “Did you ever leave that complex before I stole you away.”
“I mean I occasionally left the grounds to go to the marketplace,” Haldir replied, feeling a little bit of red seep into his complexion. “But those neighboured the college grounds.”
“By the ancients you were sheltered,” Julian teased.
There was no real hostility behind his words. Though they still stung when heard aloud.
Haldir offered a weak smile. “A little bit, yeah.”
Julian seemed to notice the impact of his words and winced.
“Well, if this goes well, I wouldn’t mind taking you on a couple more adventures,” he offered. “I mean if you’re interested.”
Haldir smirked. “Do you think Ginny would be fine with that?”
“I’m sure she wouldn’t mind sitting out some of our tamer adventures,” Julian said. “I’d still take her along for all of those daring missions where we’d be risking life or limb. I hope you don’t mind staying safe and sound for those.”
“You know what?” Haldir chuckled. “I think I would be perfectly fine with taking it easy for those ones.”
“But yeah, I’d like to spend a little more time with you,” Julian said.
Haldir’s heart skipped a beat. Had the Captain actually just said that?
“I mean you do seem like a pretty cool companion,” Julian went on. “Feels like you and I don’t get to talk all that much. If you don’t mind me being so bold and saying so.”
“No, no, I like bold,” Haldir replied.
Julian pushed through a thick grove of bushes, holding them out of the way and allowing Haldir to slip on through after him.
On the other side, was a very gentle decline that led into a valley of sorts with a river cutting through it and bountiful ponds spotted all around. And situated along all of this water was a very rustic looking village of huts, shacks, and ramshackle constructions with a whole lot of fields and crops around them. It could’ve been mistaken for a halfling commune if it wasn’t for the green skin tone of the residents in the distance.
“It’s…” Haldir started.
Julian smirked. “Surprisingly peaceful?”
Haldir nodded.
“Most goblins are just looking to etch out a life like every other sentient species in the world,” Julian explained. “Usually, the violent ones are the ones who have had a less than stellar encounter with other peoples.”
“And here we are about to take away one of their artifacts,” Haldir replied, murmuring to himself. “Wonder what they’ll think of outsiders after that?”
Julian offered a tight smile and simply shrugged his shoulders. It was a motion that said: ‘what can you do about it?’
“They have their customs,” Julian explained. “I’m sure we can win it in a fair fight and that there wouldn’t be any hard feelings.”
He smirked and flexed one of his forearms, showing off a well-defined bicep.
“After all, I’m more than ready for a fight,” he teased
The sight of the powerful forearm was enough to send a nice dose of red into Haldir’s cheeks. He tried his very best not to stare but evidently his very best was not good enough in that regard.
The Captain may have been a very handsome fellow, a very handsome fellow indeed.
“Anyways, do you want to introduce ourselves to the locals?” Julian asked.
Haldir nodded. “Let’s do it.”
His hand brushed against the hilt of his sabre; an extra bit of protection that had been leant to him by Ginny before he left. For sure, he had taken fencing back in the Elvish Academy but he really hoped that the Captain’s promise that there would be no hard feelings would be proven correct.
“Oh, and just one last piece of advice,” Julian said.
Haldir looked at him. “Hmm?”
“Try and act calm and level-headed,” Julian instructed. “Goblins have a way of picking up on fear. Little bastards must smell it.”
Haldir swallowed the lump in his throat. “Oh.”
Julian nodded and led the way, plodding down the hill.
Haldir followed in his wake, taking another deep breath and trying to reassure himself. This was going to be fine, this had to be fine. There had to be a reason that Julian took him along and he doubted that it was nefarious.
He watched the Captain, seeing the confidence that just seemed to waft off of him. It was inspiring. This was a man who had been raiding tombs and pillaging Khans while Haldir had been devouring texts and stories on the subject.
“So, how’s this for a first adventure?” Julian asked.
Haldir flashed a nervous smile. “It’s exhilarating, Sir.”
“Please there’s no reason to be so professional in the field, Haldir,” Julian joked. “Nor is there really a reason to be so onboard the Essence of Tomorrow. Do you know what Ginny calls me when we’re out on an adventure?”
“What?” Haldir asked.
“I don’t know if it’d be polite to repeat around respectable Elven ears,” Julian teased. “But she calls me Captain Bitch.”
Haldir snorted. “Pardon?”
“To be fair I also call her some less than polite things,” Julian responded, chuckling to himself. “We have a very interesting dynamic.”
“Seems like it,” Haldir said.
Before their conversation could progress much further, they neared the little village in the valley. The buildings were surrounded by a low palisade of stakes in the ground. They may have been a burden to someone like Ginny but could’ve easily been hopped over by Julian or Haldir.
They didn’t hop over them, however. Instead, Julian just strolled up to a gap in the wall that acted as the village’s entrance.
There were two goblins there. They were armed with sharpened sticks and wore nothing in terms of armour.
Haldir realized at this moment that maybe some of the stories about goblins that he had read may have been a little overblown. These didn’t really seem like the blood thirsty cavern dwellers that he’d learned about from travellers and storybooks. They just seemed like regular beings etching out a living in a little commune.
“Captain… er… Julian, are you sure we should really be doing this?” Haldir asked.
Julian frowned. “I mean…” He sighed and shook his head. “We do need a payday, Haldir. Hydrogen isn’t exactly cheap.”
“But these people seem to be doing pretty good for themselves,” Haldir said.
Julian sighed. “And they’ll probably still be doing good without the staff. It isn’t like farming requires a boost to mental fortitude. If we win it fair and square there’s really nothing wrong about this.”
The goblins at the entrance noticed them. In the stories, they would’ve blocked their way forward and crossed their mighty spears over top of each other. Instead, they waved joyfully, ushering for them to come forward.
“They’re downright hospitable,” Haldir commented.
Julian smirked. “You can’t believe everything that you read in the books, Hal.”
Hal.
Haldir had never been called Hal before. He kind of liked the sound of it. It had a certain… intimacy to it.
“Hal,” Haldir repeated. “I kind of like that.”
“I think it sounds cute,” Julian replied.
Haldir flushed.
Though before he could reply, Julian turned away and approached the entrance, spreading his hands nice and wide. Likely he wanted to show the guards that he was armed but peaceful.
“Hello my fine gentleman,” he called. “How are you doing today?”
“Good!” the goblin on the left said.
The one on the right waddled over. “We don’t get many visitors out here.”
“That’s a shame,” Julian said. “Seems like you’ve got yourself a pretty nice village, eh?”
“It’s alright,” the left goblin said. “The river is bountiful and the soil fertile. We can’t really complain.”
“Doesn’t stop many from trying though,” the right goblin joked.
Haldir blinked, taken aback by how well these goblins spoke. They were familiar with common, fluent in it even.
The right goblin snorted. “The elf looks surprised.” He snickered and playfully jabbed his friend in the ribs with an elbow. “Probably thought we communicated with nothing but grunts and groans.”
Haldir flushed at the comment and Julian tried his best not to laugh.
“We aren’t orcs,” the right goblin said.
Julian smirked. “Used to have orcs here though, right?”
“We did!” the left goblin beamed. “But they weren’t very interested in farming. One of them stayed behind though. She runs the local tavern and is super nice.”
“You only say that because she makes your drinks extra stiff,” the right goblin teased.
Julian cleared his throat. “We’ve actually come because we’ve heard a tale of a certain staff. One that supposedly bestows intelligence.”
Left goblin snorted. “A staff, eh?”
“A staff,” Haldir cut in. “One that might reside in a village like this.”
Left and Right looked at each other, sharing in a smile and inside joke that neither of the non-goblins were privy to.
Finally, Left nodded. “And I suppose you want to take a look at this staff?”
Julian worked his jaw. “If you fine folks wouldn’t mind taking us to it.” He flashed a smile. “And maybe we could play a game with your chief to see about getting a bit more than just a look at it?”
Right and Left looked at each other again and once more shared in yet another smile.
Haldir wished that he knew what was so funny. But he supposed that inside jokes had a way of only being privy to a few individuals. That’s why they were called inside jokes after all. Instead, he kept his expression level and tried his best not to let his irritation bleed through.
“I’m sure the chief would enjoy that,” Left said.
Right nodded. “Thought you better have a pretty good prize in exchange.”
“Oh, I have a mighty fine prize,” Julian said. “Came here on an airship. Decommissioned Imperium-Class Cruise Vessel.”
Left whistled. “Not a bad ship.”
“Mighty fine ship in fact,” Right teased.
Julian shrugged. “She’s seen better days but she’s comfy, fast, and reliable.”
Haldir’s eyes widened. Was Julian really putting their ship up as collateral for this little game? That was insane, it had to be insane.
Julian glanced at him and winked. “Now, now, Hal, have a little faith in our abilities.”
Right nodded towards Left. “Take them to the chief, I’m sure he’ll like to hear about this.”
Left nodded and motioned for them to follow. “Come along, I’ll give you the tour.”
Julian smirked and moved ahead.
Haldir fell into line behind him, entering the cozy little village.
“By the way my name is Amtel,” the goblin said.
“Haldir,” Haldir said.
“Julian,” the Captain offered.
“You two seem like pretty good sorts,” Amtel said. “Usually, the only visitors we get are bounty hunters trying to push us out of here.”
Haldir nodded along to this.
“Seems like a pretty nice village,” Julian quipped.
Amtel smirked. “It is though this tour is going to be pretty short.” He pointed at one building. “That’s the bar with an orc. It’s called the Rusty Screw.” He then pointed at the only building made of stone. “Imperials started a church but then got bored of trying to proselytize us.” And finally, he pointed at the last building that wasn’t a hut. “And that’s the chief’s place of residence. His name is Fiz, you’ll like him.”
“I like most people,” Julian quipped. He allowed himself an amused smile and looked at Haldir. “I have an excellent judge of character.”
Haldir blushed, then realized that the Captain could see that he was blushing and proceeded to blush even harder.
He swore that he saw Julian smirk at that. Though he looked straight ahead without betraying more than a hint of amusement.
Was Haldir actually picking up on something or was the Captain just being nice?
Haldir had never been particularly good with emotions nor was he very good at reading them in other people. Though even he swore that there was something lingering under Julian’s facade.
Was it affection, amusement?
It was so hard to tell.
Amtel led them towards the chief’s home. If this were like the stories, there would’ve been a pair of guards out front, acting as security to protect the person within. Instead, it was just a door, an average door with no security. It probably wasn’t even locked.
Haldir was rapidly learning that life wasn’t like the stories.
Amtel knocked upon this door and then opened it. “Fiz, we have some visitors!”
“Is that so,” a voice called from within. “What kind of visitors?”
The voice sounded oddly lighter than Haldir was prepared for.
“A human and an elf,” Amtel said.
“An elf?” Fiz teased. “Did they nearly have a heart attack when they realized we were capable of speaking common?”
Julian grinned nice and wide while Haldir blushed at the comment. He lifted his head towards the sky and hoped that one of the divines would smite him.
However, none of them did.
Amtel snickered at the chief’s comment but didn’t respond.
“Well let them in,” Fiz said.
Amtel nodded and moved off to the side, holding the door open. He motioned for Julian and Haldir to go in. Which they did without further prompt.
Haldir was taken aback by just how cozy the interior was even if it was the largest house in the village. It was decorated with textiles and wooden furniture. Trinkets and baubles littered shelves and there was even a small bookcase that held a few weathered volumes that couldn’t have been easy to acquire.
It was very much the home of a village elder. Important but nowhere close to that of a noble. Still, it was miles ahead of what he assumed a goblin abode would look like.
The second thing he was taken back by was the presence of Fiz.
The villages may have called him a him but Haldir was unsure of this fact. They were similar in stature to a male goblin but even an elf could tell that something was different about them.
Fiz smirked. “I can tell you have a couple of questions. So, which one do you want to get out of the way first?”
Julian looked at Haldir and nodded towards him, letting him know that he could take the lead on this.
Haldir drew in a breath. “You are rather… feminine.”
Fiz snorted. “That sure is a hell of a question to start on.” They shook their head in disbelief. “And they say goblins are rude.”
Haldir flushed and Julian was very bad at holding back an amused snort.
“It’s a complicated subject,” Fiz went on. “The chief of a goblin village must always be well… a chief… a father… a patriarch. I was the best goblin for the job and I wasn’t going to let something like pronouns hold me back.” They smirked. “And you know what? I actually kind of liked being called Sir and he, it feels more fitting in my opinion.”
“Then we shall use those terms,” Julian said.
Fiz smirked and pointed his quill at him. “I like you. You seem like an adaptable kind of person.”
“I’ve been called many things over the years and that’s honestly one of the more polite ones by far,” Julian teased, flashing a playful smile.
Fiz nodded. “And the next question?”
He looked at the parchment before him and went back to scribbling upon it. His penmanship was perfect, enviable even.
“We’re here for a staff,” Julian said.
Fiz’s smile grew and he pointed his quill towards his bookshelf. “The Staff of Gur or whatever they’re calling it nowadays?”
Julian and Haldir looked over, seeing that there was a staff perched against the bookshelf. It was made of a very fine wood and had a blue gemstone affixed to the top. A necklace of feathers from some mythical creature hung from it, adding to the allure.
In other words, it pretty much had magical artifact written all over it.
“Yeah, that’s the one,” Julian said. “We were wondering if we could acquire it from you?”
“Well, there are two ways we can go about that,” Fiz said. “The first is we could trade for it. The other is a contest. And judging by your roguish looks I’m guessing you’re the contesting kind of duo.” She glanced from Julian and towards Haldir. “Or well, at least one of you is.”
Julian smirked. “I am the contesting type.” He rolled up his sleeves. “I’m ready for whatever feat of strength you’d have me go through.”
Fiz’s smile remained, amused as he looked at Julian and his exposed arms.
“So, if I’m putting up the staff,” he said. “What are you putting up in exchange?”
“I came here on an airship, which would be my collateral,” Julian explained. “That is, if those terms would be fine with you.”
Fiz nodded. “You seem to value this staff highly.”
“It is a magical artifact,” Haldir explained.
Fiz looked at it and then back at him. “Is it now?”
He placed the quill back into its well. Only then did he get up and stretch his arms above his head.
This gave Haldir a chance to appreciate his garb. It was still rustic and practical but there were certain dyes and accessories that spoke of his heightened stature. Little trinkets of bone and base metals dangled from his wrists and neck, jewelry from a culture that Haldir apparently knew next to nothing about. They were beautiful in a way.
“You are aware that under goblin customs, I am allowed to pick the game, correct?” Fiz asked.
Julian nodded. “This isn’t my first time doing this, Fiz.”
Fiz nodded and placed a finger against his chin. He paced back and forth, sizing up Julian first, obviously taking account of his brawn, brute, and bravery. At least, those would’ve been the traits that Haldir would’ve admired. They were some of the finest that Julian had. Along with his stunning…
Before Haldir could reflect on the subject of Julian’s greatness for long, Fiz affixed him with his gaze, sizing him up. He wondered what traits the goblin must’ve been seeing in him.
Finally, Fiz nodded and moved over to another table in the room. It was dwarven in design. At least, if the clockwork mechanisms embedded into the paneling were to be believed.
“A gift from the orc chief who helped found our community,” Fiz explained.
He pressed a button on the side and suddenly the table split in half. The two sides lifted outwards and folded away, revealing a chessboard underneath. Where the board was brought out on a complex mechanism, the pieces on top were rather simple, segments of bone coloured black and white.
“I chose chess as our game,” Fiz said.
Julian blinked, clearly taken aback. “Pardon?”
“I said I would like to play chess.” Fiz smiled at him. “If that’s fine with you.”
“I don’t know how…” Julian began. He then looked at Haldir. “Hal! You know how to play this game, right?”
“I do,” Haldir whispered. “But… I don’t know if I could…”
Julian bit his lip and looked at the staff. It was an artifact, yes. But it was also a payday to him, something that would keep the Essence of Tomorrow afloat. It was a lifeline to them.
Haldir sighed. “I mean, I could try?”
The glow that ignited within Julian’s eyes was enough to make that little gamble worth it. Though the following feeling of anxiety, at the thought of losing, was enough to dash it and send him crashing back to an extremely nervous equilibrium.
Surely, Julian would not think highly of him if he lost. It was a truly dreadful prospect to consider.
Haldir drew in a breath and took a seat across from Fiz, looking at the board.
Even if the pieces were made of bone, it was clear that the craftsman was skilled at his trade. He picked up one of the pieces, a rook, appraising how much it looked like an ivory tower.
Fiz motioned towards him and that’s when Haldir realized that he was holding one of the white pieces.
Haldir placed it back into its spot and selected a pawn, moving it forward a couple of spaces. His move was then countered by Fiz who replied with a pawn of his own.
The early game was speedy with pawns launching forwards, crashing towards the enemy line. Back and forth the pawns advanced, like a row of Imperial Infantry countering a row of Orcish Elites.
Fiz was the first to move one of his backrow pieces, selecting a deacon and sliding it on a diagonal, threatening one of Haldir’s rooks.
Haldir had always been a defensive player and it showed as he moved his knight into position to defend it. In turn, there was already a pawn waiting, ready to avenge this piece if necessary.
Julian let out a yawn and both of the players looked over at him. He studied the game with a latent boredom. His expression told them that he had no idea who was winning and who was losing. Though, to be honest, that was probably for the best.
“Keep up the good work, Hal,” Julian teased, closing his eyes and smiling. “If anyone is good at this big brain stuff, it’s you.”
Haldir allowed himself a small smile as he looked back at Fiz.
“Do you play often?” he asked, watching as his knight was taken.
Fiz shook his head and didn’t betray any emotion as his deacon was defeated in exchange. “The game isn’t especially popular within the village. Mostly I just play it with visiting scholars and holy men.” He smirked. “Yourself?”
“I used to play back in the academy,” Haldir explained. “Though only on occasion.”
Fiz nodded. “I’m guessing one of the elven academies?”
“Yes,” Haldir said.
“Then I’m extremely out of my league,” Fiz teased. “Maybe it’s worth forfeiting now?”
He did not forfeit now nor did prove to be a poor partner in this little exchange. The next few moves were a bloodbath, a true battle. Pawns, deacons, rooks, and knights, each fell on both sides of the battlefield. Even the proud queen of Haldir was bested and brought to heel, joining the pile of white pieces that made up Fiz’s camp.
The blow was a mighty one and Haldir could feel the wind knocked out of his lungs. From this point on, he was on the backfoot. There was little he could do to recover from the loss of a queen unless he were to take out Fiz’s in exchange.
As he looked towards Julian, he saw that the captain was frowning. Even if he was not familiar with the game, he could probably pick up on the body language easily enough. Haldir was terrified, knowing well enough that he was on the brink of defeat.
“Check,” Fiz said
Check but not mate.
Haldir drew in a sharp breath and brought in his last knight to defend his king. Though the enemy queen came in to take his life.
Though this was a mistake and not one on his part. The queen was in striking range of his last deacon, one of the last three backrow pieces that Haldir held in reserve. He took the opportunity, sacrificing the holy icon in exchange for the enemy’s monarch.
Now it was Fiz’s turn to draw in a sharp breath. His eye twitched. The battle was nowhere close to being over but even he could see that it was going to be a battle of attrition from this point onwards. A battle that he would be disadvantaged in.
So, Fiz did the only honourable thing and placed a finger upon his king’s head. He then knocked it over, letting out a heavy sigh of defeat.
“I concede,” he said.
Julian bounced to his feet and hollered triumphantly.
He rushed over, clapping a hand upon Haldir’s shoulder. “I knew you could do it!”
Haldir flushed at the touch.
As he looked across the table at Fiz, he saw that the goblin bore a knowing smile.
“I guess I owe you a staff,” Fiz said.
He got up and made his way over to the bookshelf, snatching up the magical artifact and approaching.
Haldir watched as Fiz offered it to him and he took it, entranced by the gemstone which just seemed to radiate with power. He carefully held it, as if the slightest tremor would cause it to shatter within his hands.
“Are you going to be okay without it?” Haldir asked. “I mean are your people still going to prosper?”
Fiz snorted. “Yes, we will. I’m sure of it.” He then giggled. “The staff is actually completely inert in terms of magic.”
Julian blinked. “Pardon?”
“It was an old wives tale crafted a few generations ago,” Fiz explained. “The local Imperials couldn’t believe that a goblin settlement was actually being ruled by sound-minded creatures, especially with orcs being thrown into the mix. So, they invented the story of a staff as an excuse for our success.” He smirked. “And naturally we played into it and crafted a staff to go along with it. Thought it might drive visitors to our community or something. And in a way, I guess it worked.”
“I see,” Julian said, shaking his head. “So, it’s worthless?”
“Anything but,” Haldir replied, looking up at Fiz before turning to Julian. “The folktale is still there to back up the claims and most buyers will probably experience a placebo effect and say it boosts their intelligence.” He snorted. “It’s still a very valuable artifact.”
Fiz nodded. “Your elf has a very sound head on his shoulders. You should be able to sell that thing easily enough if you know how to be dishonest.”
Julian pursed his lips together but said nothing more, merely nodding his head in agreement. He may have known a thing or two about being dishonest.
He looked briefly at the staff before snapping his attention back towards Fiz. “We can probably do something with this.”
“Thank you for the staff,” Haldir said.
Fiz smirked. “And thank you for the game.” He then winked at them. “And if you’re so inclined, I’m sure the tavern wouldn’t mind selling you a little bit of our local wares before you head off.”
“I could probably go for a drink,” Haldir admitted.
Julian chuckled. “Same.”
He placed a hand on Haldir’s shoulder and flashed him one of those incredibly handsome smiles. Yet again, that touch was enough to get Haldir blushing, his poor little heart skipping in his chest.
“Also, it’ll be my treat,” Julian offered.
Haldir sat upon one of the balconies of the Essence of Tomorrow, allowing the cool night air to lick at his skin. The tingle of one beer too many ebbed through him, making the air and surroundings that much more euphoric.
All around the ship were the abundant forests and plains of this Imperial province. They were still anchored to the ground, waiting the night within this rustic environment. An environment that was beautiful and peaceful in its own unique way.
There was a knock at Haldir’s door.
He looked over and smiled. “Come in!”
The hatch spun and the door swung inwards. The figure on the other side was Julian who bore two plates in his hands. They were filled with various foods, likely cooked by himself considering their simplistic nature.
“How are you feeling?” Julian asked.
Haldir smirked. “Alive.”
“Not bad for a first outing,” Julian teased. “You even got to play the hero.”
“All I did was play chess,” Haldir said.
Julian nodded. “But you did win us the staff.”
“Which was a fraud,” Haldir rebutted.
“Maybe it was.” Julian shrugged. “But at the very least it has enough of a story behind it to appear legitimate.” He smirked. “Just as long as the buyer isn’t paying close enough attention. I’d say we could get a pretty decent payday off of it.”
He plopped down next to Haldir and offered him one of the plates. On it were some fried potatoes and a sandwich though Haldir did notice that his didn’t have any meat on it. The Captain had instead opted to fill his with a creamy cheese spread.
“Not exactly fine dining,” Julian said. “But it’ll help soak up some of the alcohol in your system.”
“That ale was strong,” Haldir replied, closing his eyes.
Julian nodded. “About what I expected from an orc.”
There was a tick, a moment of silence, which ebbed between them. Though neither of them seemed to know how to fill it.
To excuse himself from having to figure something out, Haldir took a big bite of the sandwich, chewing on it eagerly. It tasted fantastic, rich and flavourful.
He looked at Julian and noticed that the Captain seemed to be struggling with something. At one moment, he looked like he was just about to speak. Though at the next, he shook his head as if the sentence were jammed in his throat and would not come freely.
When Haldir finished with his mouthful, he wiped at his lips with a napkin.
“Is everything alright, Julian?” Haldir asked.
Julian smirked. “You actually used my name.”
“I mean you asked me to use it,” Haldir said, motioning with his hand. “And maybe I have been a little too anxious at times to use it.”
“Only a little bit anxious,” Julian teased. He then drew in a deep breath and sighed. “I appreciate you being a part of this crew, Haldir.”
“And I appreciate you taking me onboard,” Haldir said.
Julian nodded. “And I also enjoy the time we’ve got to spend together. Rare that I find a crewmate that doesn’t drive me insane.” He snorted. “To be honest, you’re part of an incredibly exclusive list of two individuals. You and Ginny are the only people who I really get along with.”
Haldir took another bite of his sandwich and nodded.
“Look I’ve never been particularly good with my words,” Julian said, shaking his head. “But I like you a lot, Haldir. Like, a lot a lot. Like, I want you and I to be closer, a lot. You get me?”
“You want to become lovers?” Haldir asked after swallowing his bite.
Julian blushed.
Haldir had never seen the man blush before. It was actually kind of adorable. His cheeks had this distinctive shade of red and he had such a wonderful smile.
“Well, that would be a brash way of putting it,” Julian teased. He then slowly drew in a breath. “But yes, I suppose I would like to become lovers. That is, if you’d like to become lovers with me? Would you like that?”
“I mean, I assume that you’ve picked up on me pining over you easily enough,” Haldir teased. “I don’t think I’ve been particularly good at hiding it.”
“You have not,” Julian said.
“So, if I’m interested and you’re interested…” Haldir began, letting the implication settle there when his words would not do so.
Julian smirked. “Then I suppose we should go on a date or something.” He looked towards him. “Do you have any ideas?”
Haldir smirked and got up, bringing his plate along with him. “I actually do.”
He stepped away from the balcony and into his cabin proper. Like usual, it was a chaotic mess but an organized chaos that he understood. He went over to a table in the middle and placed his plate down upon it.
There was a map laid out, showing off a distant province in the south. This region was quite mountainous and dotted with many dwarven settlements and long abandoned Imperial enclaves. There were marks and dashes all over, little tells that only he knew and understood.
He popped a piece of potato into his mouth as he watched Julian come inside.
The Captain snorted as he surveyed the map. “I was thinking something more along the lines of us getting dinner together.”
“I mean, we can get dinner while doing this,” Haldir teased. “Bet there are plenty of places to have an amazing picnic in these mountains.” He then tapped his finger against a question mark on the map, looking up at Julian as he did so. “Tell me, Jules, how do you feel about long lost Dwarven technology?”
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