Thornhold - Elaine Cunningham [55]
“He doesn’t understand you, and he doesn’t answer back,” Alice Tinker said, coming out from behind the counter.
“I stopped by to see Bronwyn,” he said bluntly. “Is she about?”
“You missed her,” Alice said, her blue eyes wide and ingenuous. “Just. She left for Daggersford this morning. Took the South Gate out,” she added helpfully.
“Really.”
“She’s on commission. Some paladin sent her off looking for an old sword. A paladin’s sword. Not exactly magical, but blessed-though exactly what the difference might be, I couldn’t tell you. It seems it was lost, some two hundred years back in an important battle with lizard men. Bronwyn heard tell of a sword that might fit the bill. The marsh has been receding, you know, and there’s a boy in Daggersford who found an old sword when he was out digging mussels. She’s off to see if these swords are one and the same.”
“My, that’s quite a bit of information,” Danilo observed lightly.
Alice shrugged again. “That’s what I do. Anything else you need to know?”
“When do you expect her back? Daggersford is-what? About two days’ ride? I imagine she’ll need a day or two to conduct her business, and then about the same time back.”
“Yes, that sounds about right,” the gnome agreed.
As well it should, Dan noted. Daggersford and Thornhold were almost equal distances from Waterdeep, albeit in opposite directions. He suspected that Bronwyn probably did leave by the South Gate, only to blend in with a northbound caravan, return through the city, and slip out the North Gate with yet another caravan. She had used such ploys before, to good effect. And he had to admire the bit Alice had added about the paladin’s commission. That was simply inspired. Clearly, the Harpers would not want to alert the paladins to their interest in Bronwyn, and they could hardly knock at the doors of the Halls of Justice and demand to know what errand they’d sent Bronwyn to attend. The reasonable thing for the Harpers to do would be to pursue her to Daggersford and ensure her safety.
Well, that is what the “Harpers” would do. Danilo, personally, had other plans. He stooped and kissed the gnome’s brown cheek. “Thank you, Alice.”
“What for?” She sniffed and scrubbed at her cheek with one hand. “I gave you my report, same as always. You’ll pass along the report, same as always. Business as usual.”
“I’ll pass along the report you gave me,” he said, giving the words deliberate emphasis.
Awareness dawned in the gnome’s eyes, and a small, grateful smile curved her lips. She cleared her throat and turned aside. She opened a glass-topped table and snatched up a pair of teardrop earrings; silver, set with moonstones and sapphires. They were beautiful, and perfect for Danilo’s half-elf partner.
“These are elven, and if I remember aright, the elf festival of Springrite is just around the corner.”
He counted out the price and put the gold coins into the gnome’s hand. “Arilyn will love them. She may even wear them. You are an excellent saleswoman, Alice,” he said, punctuating his remark with another kiss to her cheek, “and an even better friend.”
Danilo turned and left, shooing off the suddenly suspicious raven and noting, with great satisfaction, that this time the gnome permitted his heartfelt kiss to remain where he’d left it. And as he went, he sent up a silent prayer to Selune, the goddess of moonlight and the patron of all seekers, that Bronwyn would find her way safely to Thorn-hold, and that there she would find what she had been seeking so long.
* * * * *
Dag Zoreth had heard stories about the vastness and complexity of the underground world, but all of them paled before the reality. The tunnels and caverns beneath the Sword Mountains went on forever, delving far deeper than he had imagined a man could go. Dag Zoreth had never been so far underground. It was oppressive in a