Darkwalker on Moonshae - Douglas Niles [1]
His step speeded up, and pretty country maids, in fresh gowns of light linen, smiled coyly at him. The prince felt very dashing, reflexively stroking the new coat of hair upon his chin. His first beard had grown in full and curling, slightly darker in color than his wavy brown hair. His new woolen cloak and leather trousers looked clean and shiny against his black leather boots.
He felt alert and alive, full of spring fever.
Passing from the tents and stalls of the goods merchants, Tristan moved between corrals and pens, ignoring the sheep, the cattle, and even the horses. Finally, he reached an expanse of clustered pens, and here he found his objective.
“Greetings, my liege,” piped a cheerful voice, and Tristan smiled at the advancing form of Pawldo, the halfling.
“It’s good to see you, my friend,” the prince said sincerely, clasping the diminutive man’s hand. “I’m glad you made it back from your winter voyages safely.”
Pawldo beamed at the greeting, but his eyes held a hint of avarice. The halfling was a stout and sturdy little man, perhaps an inch or two over three feet in height. He wore a weathered leather jacket and old, but well-oiled boots. His gray hair hung over his ears and collar, and his smiling face was clean-shaven and free of wrinkles, though Pawldo was over sixty years old.
Halflings lived on all the Isles of the Moonshaes, mostly as neighbors to human settlements. Although they were one of the original races, along with the dwarves and the Llewyrr elves, to inhabit the islands, they had adapted well to the coming of humans. Now, they profited from business dealings with the Ffolk, and benefited from the protection afforded by nearby castles.
“And how are you, old crook?” asked the prince.
“Very well, and better soon, when I’ve had a chance to part you from your purse!” responded Pawldo. The halfling, shrewdly eyeing the leather pouch hanging from Tristan’s belt, quickly concealed a smile of satisfaction.
Tristan could not suppress a surge of affection for his old companion. Pawldo ostensibly lived in Lowhill, the community of halfling burrows a mere mile from Caer Corwell. The hardy old adventurer, however, spent most of the year traveling about the Moonshae Islands and the rest of the world in pursuit of profit, so the prince saw very little of him. Unlike most halflings, who were content to enjoy the pastoral comforts of their burrows, pantries, and wine cellars, Pawldo lived a life of excitement and travel.
“I’ve spent the winter scouring the Sword Coast and the Moonshaes, collecting the finest lot of dogs you’ve ever seen. And I found the one for you, just to the west of here – on the Isle of Moray. You won’t be able to resist him!” Again Pawldo smiled, with a slight twist to the corners of his mouth.
“Let’s have a look at him,” said Tristan, directing his attention to the small pen behind Pawldo.
This year Pawldo was a dealer in hounds, and as usual, his goods were offered in an assortment of styles, for a variety of purses. Even as his eyes passed quickly over the collection of bored dogs lying in the sun, Tristan saw the one magnificent animal, caught his breath, and whistled.
Trying to sound casual, he said, “Not a bad-looking dog.”
“As if you had cause to doubt…” Pawldo started to retort, but Tristan was not listening.
The animal was a moorhound – one of the savage hunting dogs bred exclusively on the Moonshae Islands. This was not remarkable – Trstan already owned a dozen of the large dogs. But this moorhound was a large and powerful specimen with a proud bearing quite unusual for its kind.
Among the terriers, racers, and wolfhounds in Pawldo’s collection, this great brown moorhound stood out like a princess among scullery maids. His brown coat gleamed, thick and smooth, over broad shoulders and long, slender legs. Even for a moorhound, he was huge. His eyes were riveted on Tristan, just as the prince studied him.
“Where did you find him?” Tristan asked.
“Came across with me from Norland, he did. Rode in the bow like he was born to the sea. I’ve never seen him take any notice