The death knight lounged back against the wall, his outstreched legs folded at the ankles. His arms, bare of the normal shirt and coat, were crossed over his wiry chest when not grasping the cup of rum.
"...she was an gray-skinned one, alright! And Thistle kept 'er occupied in bed while we took th' horses!"
Leather vest and apron squeaked with movement as he laughed. The gnomes made good cajoling when it pleased them to. The gnomes laughed, as well -- all except for Thistle the Gnome. Who could possibly think sex with a kobold was a good thing, even under the best of circumstances?
"Alright, alright.." Joshel the Large (the Gnome) started, waving his little arms and spilling rum on the floor, "Biggest fears, lads. Wha' 're they. Ye' first, Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis."
Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis (otherwise known as Bob) shook his head, waving his hand "After tha', lads, I'd have t' say it be kobolds wit' horses t' steal!" the room shook with more laughter.
It was a slow day at the forge. Only a few orders had come in for Ayreg, and they were already finished. The portly owner of the smithy had nothing for the gnomes to do just at the moment, so didn't mind the sharing of rum and old stories.
Tsiolos the Swabby stood, holding his cup of rum in the air, "A hurricane bearin' down on ye', an' y'er ship is already leanin' ta' scuppers!" There was more laughter, but mostly nods and shouts of agreement from the other gnomes. Ayreg had no idea what they were talking about.
"Don't need ta' ask ye', I-Reg" Frankel the Gnome said, grinning ear to ear, "we already know y'er biggest fear be th' wind in y'er face, an' th' spray o' th' sea."
The gnomes laughed hard, several of them doubling over. A few cries of `ye ol' land blubber!` rose out of the group of gnomes around him, but Ayreg merely raised his hand and shook his head. He had no intention to try to speak over the raucous gnomes, so it took several seconds until they were quiet again.
"So what is y'er greatest fear, lad?" Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis (otherwise known as Bob) asked, taking a big gulp of rum afterwards.
"My fear..." Ayreg said, pausing to consider his words "...my greatest fear is a farmer's till, and a field to plow. My greatest fear is a round woman with hair as black as the soil I work, holding an infant, and calling me 'husband,' and 'father.'"
The gnomes did not laugh then.
Joshel the Large (the Gnome) broke the silence after Jodiah spoke "Why is tha', I-Reg?"
"I wasn't made for that kind of life, Joshel. I live for the battle. The pleasantries, the subterfuge, the politics.. it all means nothing without the battle to define it. My greatest fear is that there will be no more battles, and I will waste away until old age prevents frail fingers from even grasping a sword."
The gnomes seemed to nod in unision, almost sagely. Several more minutes passed of quiet reflection as the gnomes most likely thought about life without ever taking back to the sea. Or, in most of their cases, taking to the sea at all. Silly gnomish pirates.
"Tha's deep" Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis (otherwise known as Bob) said, at last.
"...she was an gray-skinned one, alright! And Thistle kept 'er occupied in bed while we took th' horses!"
Leather vest and apron squeaked with movement as he laughed. The gnomes made good cajoling when it pleased them to. The gnomes laughed, as well -- all except for Thistle the Gnome. Who could possibly think sex with a kobold was a good thing, even under the best of circumstances?
"Alright, alright.." Joshel the Large (the Gnome) started, waving his little arms and spilling rum on the floor, "Biggest fears, lads. Wha' 're they. Ye' first, Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis."
Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis (otherwise known as Bob) shook his head, waving his hand "After tha', lads, I'd have t' say it be kobolds wit' horses t' steal!" the room shook with more laughter.
It was a slow day at the forge. Only a few orders had come in for Ayreg, and they were already finished. The portly owner of the smithy had nothing for the gnomes to do just at the moment, so didn't mind the sharing of rum and old stories.
Tsiolos the Swabby stood, holding his cup of rum in the air, "A hurricane bearin' down on ye', an' y'er ship is already leanin' ta' scuppers!" There was more laughter, but mostly nods and shouts of agreement from the other gnomes. Ayreg had no idea what they were talking about.
"Don't need ta' ask ye', I-Reg" Frankel the Gnome said, grinning ear to ear, "we already know y'er biggest fear be th' wind in y'er face, an' th' spray o' th' sea."
The gnomes laughed hard, several of them doubling over. A few cries of `ye ol' land blubber!` rose out of the group of gnomes around him, but Ayreg merely raised his hand and shook his head. He had no intention to try to speak over the raucous gnomes, so it took several seconds until they were quiet again.
"So what is y'er greatest fear, lad?" Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis (otherwise known as Bob) asked, taking a big gulp of rum afterwards.
"My fear..." Ayreg said, pausing to consider his words "...my greatest fear is a farmer's till, and a field to plow. My greatest fear is a round woman with hair as black as the soil I work, holding an infant, and calling me 'husband,' and 'father.'"
The gnomes did not laugh then.
Joshel the Large (the Gnome) broke the silence after Jodiah spoke "Why is tha', I-Reg?"
"I wasn't made for that kind of life, Joshel. I live for the battle. The pleasantries, the subterfuge, the politics.. it all means nothing without the battle to define it. My greatest fear is that there will be no more battles, and I will waste away until old age prevents frail fingers from even grasping a sword."
The gnomes seemed to nod in unision, almost sagely. Several more minutes passed of quiet reflection as the gnomes most likely thought about life without ever taking back to the sea. Or, in most of their cases, taking to the sea at all. Silly gnomish pirates.
"Tha's deep" Zorbenastrocalipermeneotullis (otherwise known as Bob) said, at last.