The whole crowd gasped in shock.

 

 

 

Ryan thought this was a strange reaction, but was on a roll. He wasn't quite sure where all this rage was coming from, but it was welling up from inside none the less. He felt it was some sort of after image of Reed and suspected he would approve.

 

Ryan let go and hopped back from the elder, grinning as hard as he could with closed eyes and clenched fists held up as if he trying to keep his rage in check. It was such a confusing combination of expressions nobody knew how to react, "Are we cool? Do we understand each other? Are we vibing? Are we on the same wavelength? Have we reached a state of mutual understanding? Is there any confusion? Do you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or feedback of ANY KIND?"

 

The elder collapsed in a trembling heap

 

Ryan looked puzzled, "Eh... huh?" He started to step forward to the fallen dwarf when he noticed the king's reaction. Uther was staring at Ryan, a hand covering his mouth, his eyes wide as dinner plates. It could only be described as a look of utter horror. Ryan stared back, "Whut?" The king was silent, but his eyes were begging the question, 'what have you done?'

 

Ryan stood his ground and stared back, "I didn't start this!" No one did anything. There was a growing stillness that was making the hairs on the back of Ryan's neck stand on end, "Oh. What? I'm supposed to be the bigger man? Hate to tell you this, I'm not a man AT ALL!"

 

Nothing.

 

Ryan stabbed a finger at the King, "If anything, this is YOUR FAULT." Ryan tapped his chest, "I told you I didn't want this. I told you I didn't need titles or medals or awards or ANYTHING!"

 

Ryan pointed at the audience, "This was for THEM. The people! To give them a 'win'. Well, I'm sorry but if you want me to stand up here and smile and act like I'm happy, I CAN'T. BECAUSE I'M NOT." He turned to walk away but only a few steps. Still nothing from the king. Ryan stopped, his back to the king.

 

Ryan finally had time to really look at the audience. The humans all on one side arranged by social pecking order. The nobles in front, the commoners in back. However, the nobles who arranged to be sitting in the front row were looking mighty uncomfortable. More than a few looked just as horrified as the king. The others were a mixture of concern and disgust, which seemed to be directed at the Dwarves.

 

Ryan was getting increasingly confused by the reactions. He had expected the usual response when he did this sort of thing. Everyone would turn on him. He never expected the humans to turn on the Dwarves.

 

The dwarves, on the other hand, all looked like the god of dwarves himself had come down and personally bitched them out. A number of the women were looking at the ground crying. Many children were openly sobbing and their mothers were trying to keep them quiet. The men all hung their heads in shame. The clan leader and the high priest were completely paralyzed in stark terror.

 

Ryan was confused. He'd said insane things before and usually all it did was piss people off. These dwarves just looked like the world had just ended. With the exception of the open lamenting from the crowd, it was quiet.

 

Ryan finally said over his shoulder towards the king, "Say something."

 

The King softly asked, "What do you want me to say?"

 

Ryan couldn't bear to watch the audience anymore. He turned to look at the king "Something. Anything." He gestured around aimlessly, "Explain this."

 

The king lowered his eyes, "Reed... oh sweet Mira what have you done?"

 

Ryan blinked and looked around, feeling increasingly panicked at the thought he had finally gone too far, "Oh. C'mon. Lighten up everyone! Soon as this is over. A few days from now we'll all look back at this and laugh."

 

Nothing.

 

"Hey. I know a joke. Who's got two thumbs and is a total buzz kill?" Ryan hooked two thumbs at himself, "This guy!"

 

Not a sound was heard save soft sobbing and someone begging the all-father to forgive his family. Ryan's expression only got more and more confused.

 

The King's expression darkened to something between disgust and pity for Ryan. Ryan felt rising panic as he couldn't figure out a way out of this mess, "I... Look I'll-"

 

"Mistah Ree?"

 

A small squeaky voice called out. A little girl dwarf has snuck up onto the podium while everyone was distracted. The guard noticed and moved to grab her but Ryan was faster and moved over to her side of the stage. He held up a hand flat to the guard, "No no no... it's cool. I... I know her. I..." He stopped before the child, noticing it was Freya, "Oh. Hey... Freya?" Ryan tried to smile for the child, "Right?"

 

The little girl noticed everyone was looking at her, but couldn't turn back now. She froze, trying to figure if she should run or move forward. Abruptly she rushed closer and tried to put a rubber ball into Ryan's hand, "HERE!"

 

Ryan fumbled with the ball before pushing it back, "Whoa! That was a GIFT. It's yours! you... you keep it."

 

Freya was on the verge of tears, "I... don't deserve it! Please, take it back! Please?"

 

Ryan's face drained of color, "What? Wh-Who told you that?"

 

Freya bit her lip and squeezed out, "You?"

 

Ryan's voice became hallow and seemed quite distant in his ears, "What? I... Uh... no! Not... not YOU! I-" He felt trapped. Like he had somehow built a death trap then jumped into it. The water was rising and the spiked walls were coming in. He wanted to just run. Just turn and run and keep running. His rage was gone and now he was feeling nothing but overwhelming guilt and embarrassment.

 

He didn't even know why.

 

Freya fumbled with the ball, "We did some... something wrong and you-you-you are mad so I-I-I am sorry and wanted to give back the ball so you believed that I was sorry!"

 

Ryan's eyes went wide as the realization finally sunk in. He knelt down so he could look up at Freya, "Look at me. Look me in the eyes. LOOK. Right here." He pointed at his eyes. She kept her head lowered but looked up at him through her eyelashes.

 

"It is not your fault." Ryan took her by the shoulders and shook them slightly to drive the point home, "You did nothing-" At that moment Ryan had a flashback to when Charity had said the same thing to him. He continued in a softer voice, "wrong."

 

Freya rung her hands, "Then why are you going to forget our names?"

 

Ryan squinted at Freya, "Uh... why do you care about that?" She looked up at Ryan sort of taken off guard and looking confused. Ryan shrugged, "I mean, It's not like any of you remembered me. Mom used to talk about that, I think."

 

~Reed certainly dwelled on that particular point in his diary~

 

"When I asked her if there was anyone that could help her, she'd just say they forgot her name." He shrugged, "What's the big... Deal?" He let his words trail off as he thought, ~Oh wait. Is this some stupid Dwarven cultural thingie?~

 

It was the king who answered Ryan's question, "Saying you won't remember someone's name is what a priest of the All-father says when someone is excommunicated."

 

Ryan closed his eyes and turned towards the King. He laughed nervously for a moment and licked his lips before he spoke, "So. Ahhhh.... as the chosen of the all-father I just..." He rolled a hand indicating he'd like the king to finish the sentence. The King took deep breath.

 

"-excommunicated the entire village."

 

Ryan face palmed.

HARD.

 

He took a deep breath, "Gotcha! Sorry. Didn't get it." He slowly looked at the sky while cutting his hand across his throat in a gesture of negation, "Not what I intended! I'm sorry. Just something mom used to say." He looked at the crowd, "Just shooting my mouth off. Yer all UN-excommunicated!" He smiled down at Freya, "My bad."

 

A booming voice echoed over the area

 

"NO."