Cinnamon Bun Chapter Three Hundred and Sixty-Nine - Passing the Torch

Chapter Three Hundred and Sixty-Nine - Passing the Torch

Chairs were pulled up, cushions were fluffed, and the old dwarf shouted across the room to the barkeep who brought us all big mugs of frothing ale.

I held onto my mug politely while it fizzed and sat myself down across from what I imagined were so of Abrahams old adventuring buddies.

So! the dwarf said. Were all sitted and weve got so talking juice. Introductions are in order.

Civilised as ever, the elf said. He bowed a little from his seat. Im Willowbud Wintersdawn. Miss Bristlecone, I was one of your uncles companions on his many travels throughout the Snowlands and beyond. The dwarf here is Tharval Boltbinder.

I can introduce myself, Bud, Tharval said. He took a long pull from his mug--or was it a pint?--then wiped the froth from his bristly moustache with the back of his sleeve. But the elfs not wrong. We were both good pals with Abe. Why, it feels like he ran off to another great adventure just yesterday.

Awa, when did you last see uncle? Awen asked. She took a long pull from her mug, matching Tharval.

I looked at my own beer, then gave it a sniff. It slled bitter and tangy. Not necessarily a bad sll, but a bit strange and spicy. Not in the hot sense, but in the sense that there were a number of spices mixed into the beer.

Shoring up my bravery, I took a big gulp, then both coughed and spat at the sa ti. It was so bitter! I noticed Amaryllis hiding her smile behind a sip of her own mug. Calamity, anwhile, was drinking along at a decent pace.

I think Caprica was the only one who agreed with my tastebuds about the beers flavour.

Tharval laughed, both at my reaction, and I think just out of sheer good humour. Ah, the last ti I saw Abe... was it two years back, Bud?

Already? Willowbud asked. He leaned back, then nodded. Yes, it would be the sumr before last. He brought that ugly ship of his in for repairs.

The Shady Ladys a fine vessel, Tharval said.

It was outdated before it left the shipyard that built it, the elf retorted. Its a wonder it can fly at all, especially with Abraham at the helm.

Shes a beauty, a piece of aeronautical history, Tharval argued.

Willowbud nodded. Exactly. She belongs in a museum.

Ah, I got to fly on the Shady Lady a few tis, Awen said. And I worked on her a little. There was always sothing broken.

Thats because Abe couldnt keep his toenails fixed, nevermind an entire airship! Tharval guffawed. He clapped a hand on his lap while tipping his tankard back. Ahh, but those were the days. Back before we were stuck in this windy old tower, when we wandered the world looking for trouble.

And causing trouble when we couldnt find it, Willowbud said. He grinned, and sothing about the smile aged him a bit, gave him more of an edge. We still have sothing of a reputation, even after a few years of sitting on our laurels and reaping the benefits of our... what were they calling it? Youthful indiscretions?

Bah! Dont remind , Tharval said. Besides, weve got these impressionable kids to impress, dont we? He reached over, swiped my mug, and took a swig of it. I didnt complain.

Awen swallowed a mouthful of her own beer, then smiled. Um, what sort of things did you do with uncle Abraham? He used to tell stories, but I never knew which ones were, uh, real. I think he softened them a little because I was young.

Willowbud humd. That sounds like Abe, yes. You could never tell if he was being truthful or not. Hed say the most farfetched things and then theyd turn out to be entirely true, even if they sounded wild. Why, I rember, he once approached and Eustace about a colony of snow dryads in the western Tallwoods who needed help because of a cave-in.

Oh, I rember that, Tharval said. Aint that how we t?

It was, yes, Willowbud said.

I moved to the very edge of my seat. What happened? I asked.

Let do the telling, Bud here could bore through a tre of stone with his voice alone, Tharval said. So, here Abe cos, with this strange frog man, a reedy little harpy boy and a runaway sylph knight--

No, Wesley joined us later, Willowbud said. And Raynold was busy with sothing else. That ... lizard cult incident.

Anyway, Tharval ignored him. He cos over to us deep in the Snowlands. Now, this was just after us elves and dwarves finally got our heads on straight and decided to stop murdering each other over dumb insults.

A regular occurance, Willowbud said.

Tharval chuckled. So Abe shows up and he starts asking around for help with these snow dryads. Mostly asking the elves since theyre the local experts when it cos to hugging trees.

Of course, Willowbud interjected. Snow dryads were a myth. Everyone knew they didnt exist, so Abe sounded like a lunatic. But he managed to convince to help him anyway.

Bud here was running away from a marriage, Tharval said with a chuckle. He looked at his tankard and saw that it was empty, then he leaned over and took Capricas. Oi! Soone get this sylph lady so of that sweet elven wine, he called out to the bar. And so fruit juice for the bun.

Willowbud glanced to Tharval. Thats awfully considerate. Youre not going to force them to drink your usual dwarven swill?

Bah, you rember how Eustace used to complain about everything us proper folk cooked up? If it isnt slathered in honey the sylph wont touch it.

I held back a giggle at Capricas conflicted look. I think she couldnt decide whether to agree or take insult. In the end she rolled her eyes slightly and didnt comnt at all, especially not when a younger elf ca from the bar with a fine crystal goblet for Caprica and a big cup of what slled like a strawberry-banana smoothie for . It even had a straw!

So, ah, what happened after Abraham asked you for help? I asked.

Ah, right. So he asks this mulch-for-brains for help, Tharval said with a gesture to Willowbud. And he had the first good idea of his entire life. That is, to find an expert. Now, that turned out to be .

Tharval here had just been kicked out of his guild for accumulating too many misdeanours and was hard-pressed and looking for work, Willowbud said.

Tharval harrumphed. They said that it would take a thousand years of developnt to make an airship. And I said that they were a bunch of rock-headed morons. Anyway, Abe cos over and hired to go look for these snow dryads. To be honest, I thought he was crazy, but he was also mighty persuasive and, in any case, I needed the coin. I didn't much care if he thought the moon was made of cheese, so long as I got paid." Tharval laughed. "I was pretty shocked when I got out to the site, and there they were, a whole town of snow dryads living underground."

I didnt know dryads could live underground, I said. I rembered Oak and a few of the other dryads Id t, and they seed pretty happy to live outside like trees usually did. Did they even eat anything?

Snow dryads, as it turns out, are more based on fungal bodies than the dryads were all mostly familiar with, Willowbud said. They live in large caves beneath the Tallwoods, where they carefully tend pools of water to keep the humidity as high as possible, allowing them to cultivate lichen that they use for clothes and tools. Theyre quite interesting, though theyre also very quiet and isolationist. So its no wonder we thought them a myth.

And uncle Abraham found them? Awen asked.

More like they found him, Tharval said. Or was it Eustace?

It was Eustace, yes. He and Abraham were exploring the edge of the Tallwoods when Eustace went off-course. He ran into so snow dryads, and eventually they managed to ask him for help. In any case, the dryads had a problem.

A cave-in, Thorval said, quite seriously. They werent keen on digging often, so most of their cave hos were all natural. But even a natural cave needs so proper reinforcent. One of their tunnels collapsed and a number of em were stuck. Fortunately, theyre dryads, and standing still for a few days doesnt bother them all that much.

So, how does the story end? I asked.

Bah. I went over and blew the hole open with so explosives. After we chopped up so trees and built trusses, of course. Didnt want to worsen things. It all ended well. I think so folk are still keeping in touch with the snow dryads, arent they?

Willowbud nodded. A few. They make interesting fernted wines and are experts at growing certain mushrooms in their caverns. Theyre difficult to trade with, since theres little they want or need, but a few academics make a point to stay in touch and study their environnt.

Ah, did you join uncle from then on? Awen asked.

Join? Bah, he hardly has a monopoly on anyone, does he? The madman just likes dragging like-minded folk into his sches, but we dragged him into ours just as often. Tharval grinned. What about you lot? Dragging folk around into trouble just like your uncle, huh?

Awen started to shake her head, then froze. Um. No, were just trying to help people and that, ah, sotis ans we end up in strange places.

Yeah, I agreed. Were three-quarters of the way to circling the entire continent already! We made a heap of friends along the way, and we helped so people with things too. Plus we get to explore new places. Its great!

Thorval grinned. Been on a few little adventures yourself, huh?

My friends and I nodded. "He tried to blow up a peace summit - I an, this other guy, the terrible one, not Vonowl, although Vonowl kidnapped a bunch of harpies and locked them in a tower so I guess he's also pretty terrible. Uh, the terrible guy who is not Vonowl tried to blow up a peace summit. And start a war."

Tharval blinked. "Who's this other terrible guy you're talking about?"

His nas Rainnewt, I said, expecting a reaction. I got blank faces instead. Uh, anyway, were mostly looking for Baron Vonowl.

Tharval and Willowbud both blinked as they parsed all of that, then Tharval took another swallow from his tankard. Well, thats sothing. This Baron Vonowl, any relation to Wesley Vonowl?

We shrugged, but it was Amaryllis who answered. We dont know. But we suspect so. It might be a situation like Awen here being related to Abraham. A nephew or younger cousin, maybe?

Willowbud rubbed at his chin. Thats possible. Wesley passed away... about four years ago. He was... well, harpies age a lot faster than elves or dwarves.

Hmm, Eustace moved on too, Tharval said, his voice rather grave. We lose friends as we go. But most of us made sure to leave a legacy behind. He gestured around. This guild, the Storm Tower, so many new ideas and fresh ties and opportunities for the next generation. Bah. Whats it matter. Youre looking for this Vonowl fellow, yeah?

Yeah, I repeated.

Might be that we can help you, Tharval said. We might be semi-retired, but that doesnt an were so old that we cant jump onto an adventure or two.

Willowbud smiled. Thatll set so nerves alight, seeing the two of us looking for trouble again.

Good! We can even bla Abraham for it, like in the good old days! Tharval said.

Awa, you blad uncle Abraham for stuff? Awen asked.

Oh yes, hes a wanted man here, Tharval said. He grinned. Hes responsible for the greatest theft ever to occur in the Snowlands, sothing he sohow did while halfway across the continent.

We really ought to give those paintings back, Willowbud said. I followed his gaze across the room to where a row of paintings in nice fras hung on the far wall. No one will bother him for it, Willowbud reassured Awen. After all, he can easily prove that he wasnt here when the cri happened.

Mhm, Tharval said. Now... Im getting the sense that you want our help for your trouble, which ans paynt. He smacked his knee. And I only accept paynt in stories. Now spill! What have Abrahams niece and her friends been up to?

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