The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Author:John Stephens
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: Young Adult.Fantasy
ISBN: 9781410442345
Publisher: Thorndike Press
Published: 2011-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Hamish

Four dwarf guards, led by Captain Robbie McLaur, guided Dr. Pym and the children along a series of passages and stairways to the throne room of King Hamish.

“Not that it’s any of my business, Wizard,” Robbie McLaur said as they marched along the torchlit corridor, “but for the sake of these children, I’ll warn you that my brother is not a dwarf to be trifled with.”

“We appreciate your concern, Captain,” said Dr. Pym. “But I think we can handle ourselves.”

“Fair enough; it’s your necks. Just don’t like seeing children chopped into bits and pieces when it can be avoided. Old-fashioned, I guess.”

Soon, they began to pass dwarves going the other way, carrying serving trays piled high with the greasy remains of a great feast. One trotted by with a dozen empty flagons rattling along a stick, and then, at an intersection, they had to stand aside as two dwarves rolled a wooden cask down the corridor, yelling, “The King demands more ale! More ale for the King!”

“Oh dear,” Dr. Pym said, “I do hope he is not too drunk.”

“I wouldn’t bet money on it,” Robbie McLaur muttered.

As they approached a set of enormous golden doors, the dwarf captain called out in a booming voice, “Captain Robbie McLaur escorting the prisoners requested by King Hamish!” and the two dwarves standing sentry pushed the doors open to admit them.

Kate reached for Michael’s hand.

“Stay close.”

Michael nodded, but said nothing. He was afraid if he spoke, his sister would hear how excited he was to be entering the throne room of a real dwarf king.

“And maybe don’t grin so much,” Kate suggested.

“Quiet!” Robbie McLaur barked, for they were just then stepping over the threshold. But he needn’t have said anything; the hall itself silenced the children.

It was the largest room the children had ever seen. It stretched on and on and on. The ceiling was so high that the great stone columns supporting it seemed to rise up and disappear into darkness. But beyond the size and scale, it was the wealth on display. Diamonds embedded in the ceiling sparkled like stars in the night sky. Precious gems were laid into the floor like flagstones. Murals painted in gold and silver covered the walls, depicting dwarf victories over trolls, goblins, dragons, hordes of salmac-tar. Everything about the hall was designed to impress the visitor with the majesty of the dwarfish throne.

Kate and Michael stood in the doorway, staring.

Then Kate said, “It’s a pigsty.”

All around them were stacks of dirty plates, rotting scraps of food, half-empty flagons of ale, and unconscious, filthy dwarves. Exhausted servers hustled back and forth along the sides of the great hall, exchanging empty plates and flagons for full ones. Robbie McLaur let out a low growl of displeasure.

“King Hamish is known for his appetites,” Dr. Pym whispered. “A feast might go on for days or weeks at a time.”

“This isn’t right,” Michael said. “Dwarves shouldn’t behave like this.”

“Aye, lad,” growled Robbie McLaur, “truer words were never spoke.”

“Well, lookee lookee!” called a voice from the other end of the hall.

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