Champions of the Dragon by James Ploof Michael

Author:James Ploof, Michael [James Ploof, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Dragons, Epic, Fantasy, Fiction, Humour
Amazon: B01NCWQ3K9
Publisher: Traveling Bard Publishing
Published: 2017-04-10T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

The Hog Farmer and the King

Hagus Hogstead reined in his mountain ram and adjusted his eyepatch as he reached the market at the foot of the Iron Mountains. He had traveled all day and night to find answers to the questions that had been keeping him from sleep.

He hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye to his son, and couldn’t for the life of him figure out why in the hells Gibrig had been chosen to be a Champion of the Dragon. Hagus was proud of his son, to be sure, but Gibrig was no champion, and something smelled fishy to the old dwarven hog farmer.

“Ye seen Kegley ‘round?” Hagus asked a merchant he knew well.

“He be down in the human district tryin’ to haggle himself a cow, last I seen him,” said the merchant.

“Many thanks,” said Hagus and snapped the reins.

He found Kegley leading a fat cow out of the human district, wearing a smug grin on his face. When he saw Hagus, his face dropped, but he quickly put on a jovial smile.

“Hagus Hogstead? How ye been? I heard ‘bout yer lad, Gibrig. Ain’t that somethin’?”

“It be somethin’ alright,” said Hagus, stopping and dismounting. He hiked up his trousers and squared on the shorter dwarf. “I came to ask ye a few questions.”

“Questions,” said Kegley, scratching his head.

Hagus watched him closely. The merchant was obviously nervous.

“What happened the day that me lad was chosen as the Champion o’ the Dragon? Folks say that they saw ye with him that afternoon.”

“Well,” said Kegley, not quite able to meet Hagus’s eyes. “He came to sell me a hog, if I remember clearly.”

“And…”

“And, well, he got all stubborn like, ye see, and wouldn’t sell me the hog. Said it was his friend. Named it Snorts, he did.”

“I told him not to name that damn hog,” said Hagus, shaking his head. “Well, then what happened?”

Kegley rubbed his bearded chin, looking like he would rather not say. “Hells, Hagus, ain’t no one told ye?”

“Told me what?”

Kegley let out a sigh and shook his head. “Ye see, the king came along while Gibrig and I was hagglin’ and such, and the king offers Gibrig triple the gold that I did for the blasted hog.”

“He wanted to pay three times as much?” said Hagus, proud that his hog had caught the king’s attention.

“Sure he did, but yer blasted lad there, he told the king no!”

“He what!” said Hagus, gaining the attention of the human merchants nearby. He pulled Kegley closer to his ram and glared at him sternly. “What ye sayin’?”

“Just like I said. He went and told the king no. Well, the king was hot, he was. But he threw Gib the money and went about his way with a guard leadin’ that hog away.” He stopped and took off his hat, wringing it with his hands. “I tried to stop him, Hagus, I really did. But that lad o’ yers be pig-headed. No offense intended, ye be knowin’. He went and snatched that rope up and slapped that hog’s arse, tellin’ the fat beast to run away, run away.

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