“Here he comes,” said a small girl of about ten years and poked an older girl who had the same dark red hair and orcish jawbone common to half human half orc children. “Shia loves Sorus, Shia loves Sorus,” she chanted as the two jumped out from behind a tree. The older girl carried a bucket filled with water and began to walk down the narrow path as she pretended she did not see the boys with the wheelbarrow.
“Shut up, Rhia,” she whispered with a narrow eyed glance at her little sister.
“Who is the other one?” said Rhia and stopped to gaze at the man so much taller and broader than Sorus. “He’s tall and handsome!”
Shia stopped as well and pretended to notice the duo for the first time, “Oh, hello there, Sorus,” she said and lifted her head so that her nose was slightly elevated, “Off fetching water, brew boy?”
Sorus suddenly stopped and let go of the handle of the wheelbarrow which caused his half to fall to the ground.
“Watch it,” said Jon and then his eyes came to rest on Shia and Rhia. The taller of the girls was in the full blossom of womanhood with clear green eyes, long legs, well defined arms, and thrusting young breasts only half covered by an open necked collar. “Hello Dolly,” he said with a wink at the girl.
Sorus stood and stammered for a moment, “Ohh… I… hello Shia,” he finally blurted out his and face suddenly turned quite red.
Jon put down his handle of the barrow and walked over to the girls which left Sorus to stand and stammer alone. “What’s your name?” he said with a broad smile, looking down at the younger girl. Suddenly he took her around the waist, lifted her high, and tossed her upwards so that she actually spun completely around, and then caught her in his massive hands. “You two must be sisters, each one prettier than the next. What’s a boy to do?”
“I’m only ten,” said the younger girl who flushed bright red and laughed as she was held. “My name’s Rhia Quick and this is my sister Shia Speed.”
“Hello,” said Shia her eyes wide and she looked up at the impossibly tall and handsome boy. “Are you new to town?” She covered her mouth, “That’s a stupid question.”
“Fresh off the turnip wagon,” said Jon and put down Rhia and gave the older girl a chuck to the chin. “Sorus here was just showing me around but he didn’t mention how pretty the girls are in this place.” Jon turned to Sorus who still stood with his mouth open. “Sorus, shame on you!”
“I… I’m sorry?” stuttered the boy after a moment.
“You talk funny,” said Rhia with a laugh.
“Funny how,” said Jon and smiled broadly at the girl.
“I don’t know,” she said suddenly and turned her face down to look at the ground.
“Funny like, Blahad gaido daiafab papagafoop?”
Both girls laughed out loud and covered their mouths while Sorus stood there for a long moment until he felt he had to say something. “C’mon Jon, I have to get the water to the Smooth Stride or Thaddeus will have my head,” and he turned to grab the handle of the wheelbarrow and lift it up.
Jon winked at the older girl one more time, picked up the little one once again and twirled her in his arms, set her on his shoulders with a gentle thump, and then joined his friend at the wheelbarrow as he took a handle and started into town. His horse appeared at that moment and trotted along at an easy pace.
“Is that your horse?” said Rhia from his shoulders, crinkling her nose, and looking at the beast.
“It certainly is, and a fine one at that. He might not look like much but he’s Tarltonite bred and strong enough to carry a big tubbo like me a thousand miles.”
“You’re not fat,” said Shia, again giggling, and covering her mouth.
“Come on,” said Sorus as he stamped his foot, and his face red with anger instead of blush.
Jon clapped the young boy on the shoulder and smiled broadly, “Sorus is right as always,” he said and the young brewer found his anger evaporated by the good humor of the young giant. “We need to get that water back to the… Smooth Stride?”
“Right,” said Sorus. “Sir Thaddeus wants to start early to try a new recipe.”
A few minutes later the four arrived in front of a one story wooden structure painted yellow and green and decorated with golden barley spikes where a tall Hobgoblin with dark skin and a scowl on his face stood at the front door. “Sorus,” he said. “I told you to bring back seven kegs of water, not a great oaf and two pretty girls.”
The brewer boy smiled and shrugged his shoulders, “I found Jon at the creek and we met up with the girls on the way back.”
“Thaddeus Redhand,” said the Hobgoblin as he came forward to take the hand of Jon Gray. “Sorus, take that water in back and pour it into the number two and three vats.”
The boy immediately began to unload the wagon, one keg at a time, and hustle them into the building.
Jon stood about six inches taller than the Hobgoblin and grasped his hand firmly. “Jon Gray,” he said. “I’m here as an ambassador from Tanelorn.”
“Is it common for dignitaries to act as horses for the girls of town?” said Thaddeus with a wink to Rhia still on Jon’s shoulders. The girl giggled and nodded her head.
“It’s been known to happen,” said Jon as he bent down to a knee, lifted the girl off his shoulders, and planted her on the ground.
“Thank you for the ride,” she said with a little courtesy.
“A pleasure, milady,” said Jon and bowed deeply.
“If you’re here to make alliances you’ll want to see our mayor for the twelve month, Sir Thorius Brokenhand,” said Thaddeus.
“Sorus said something about a twelve month,” said Jon. “I’m not particularly familiar with your ways, what does that mean?”
“Each knight of Elekargul serves twelve months in the field and then twelve months in a town learning a trade,” said Thaddeus. “I’m learning the brewing business this twelve month, but you might be assigned as a carpenter, a mason, a tailor, an administrator, or any other job the first knight thinks might help you become a more rounded man.”
“Gotta be a bit dull,” said Jon as the two walked into the building where half a dozen wooden table were arranged in neat order, their chairs stacked on them perfectly. “After a combat tour how can you stand to brew beer and wait tables?”
“It’s more interesting than you might think,” said Thaddeus. “How old are you?”
“Seventeen,” said Jon.
“They grow them big in, where did you say you were from again?” said Thaddeus as the two sat down at one of the tables after they pulled down a pair of chairs.
“Tanelorn,” said Jon.
“I’ve heard of it, is it beyond Relm?” asked Thaddeus a puzzled expression on his face.
Jon nodded and smiled, “Yes, far beyond Relm, I would guess, although I’ve never heard of that place. Tanelorn is the gray city near the center of the continent east to west but near the frozen lands to the north.”
“Oh,” said Thaddeus his eyes wide. “That is a long way away. What could anyone from there want way down here in the Dorian Peninsula?”
Jon closed his lips and shook his head, “I’m sorry, Thaddeus, but that is something I am supposed to speak about only with the First Rider.”
“So you know about the First Rider then,” said the knight with a nod of his head.
“I have studied what we know of your people on my journey here,” said Jon, “But I’m afraid most of it is either old or of dubious reliability. I came on ship from Tarlton, and Sea’cra before that, and I’ve gathered as much information as I could while traveling. There is a Hobgoblin nation to the north of here, Hakor something or another?”
“Hakor’lum,” said Thaddeus. “It’s fairly far north though. I’m from a village of Hobgoblins in Hram’dros the orc nation to our east. You probably came through there if you traveled from Doria unless you braved the lands of the Formia?”
“The insect folk,” said Jon with a shrug his shoulders. “I was advised to avoid them so you’re right. I did come through Hram’dros. They consider the knights of Elekargul to be quite fearsome foes and cannot understand your nation’s aversion to slavery.”
Thaddeus laughed aloud. “They might not understand it but I’m grateful for it. As a Hobgoblin in Hram’dros I was a slave, although a willing warrior. I was wounded and captured while raiding Elekargul. It didn’t take me long to realize that a life of freedom is preferable to old loyalties and I was able to aid my new home in battle and gain my knighthood.”
“Yes, what did Sorus say your name was, Redhand?” said Jon. “And the girls, they are sisters but they have different last names? It seems confusing.”
Sorus took that moment to stick his head out from a back room. “I’ve got the water in the vats Thaddeus, do you want me to start mashing the barley?”
“Go ahead and get started,” said Thaddeus. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Where were we Jon?”
“Names, it’s a bit confusing how it’s all set up,” said the powerful lad and sat back in his chair. “You don’t have any beer ready to go by any chance? I’ve been traveling for over a month since I left Doria.”
“Of course, how inhospitable of me, Lara!” he called out and a young girl not yet into her teens appeared a moment later from somewhere in the back. She looked at the young man who sat next to Thaddeus and her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped before she came over. “Lara, get Jon here a Smooth Strider, will you?”
The girl curtsied quickly and nodded her head up and down, “Yes, Sir Thaddeus. Hello,” she said to Jon and smiled at him. While Jon was seated they were almost eye to eye.
“Scoot now, Lara,” said Thaddeus and the girl shut her mouth, turned around, and dashed off towards a long bar near the side of the big chamber.
“You’re going to have to fight them off,” said Thaddeus.
“I’m not much good at fighting, at least that kind,” said Jon with a smile.
“Hmm, I doubt that, but in any case, you wanted to know about how people are named, right?” said Thaddeus.
“Right,” said Jon with a nod, his eyes watching as the young girl pulled down on a tap and a golden amber liquid poured into a large mug. “The sisters with the different names?”
“All girls are named by their mother or aunt’s name as a given name and then Quick as the surname until they are of marrying age then they are called Speed. That way any knight knows if a girl is ready to be married or not.”
“What is the marrying age?” asked Jon as the young girl came over and carefully set the drink down in front of him.
“I hope you like it,” she said with a smile.
“Run along now, Lara Quick,” said Thaddeus and the girl frowned at him and wrinkled her nose.
“It’s up to the father to decided when a girl is eligible for marriage, or an uncle or brother if the father is not available to make that decision. Once the girl marries she takes on the given name of her husband as her own last name.”
“I think I see,” said Jon with a shrug. “And apprentice boys and what not take the name of their job, so Sorus’s surname is Brewer.”
“That’s right,” said Thaddeus. “Boys like that who are not chosen as squires by the time they are ten usually became lifetime craftsmen. Often they are actually the ones who run things and a knight doing his twelve month learns from them.”
“And the knights themselves?” asked Jon.
“Well, that’s a bit complex. When you are granted knighthood you can choose your own last name but it has to be from the list of acceptable names,” said Thaddeus. “You’re supposed to pick something that fits your temperament but people don’t always do that.”
“And you’re a Redhand?” said Jon.
“Correct again. It’s considered good form to take the name Redhand if in the battle in which you earned your knighthood you killed more than a single foe,” said Thaddeus with a shrug of his shoulders.
“And you achieved that?” said Jon.
“I was fortunate,” said Thaddeus, “but, to answer your question, yes.”
“And who makes the list of acceptable names?” said Jon as he took a long draught from his beer. “Ahh, quite delicious. Maybe the girl should bring me another as I might go through this one quickly.”
“Lara,” shouted Thaddeus but the girl, who watched closely from nearby, was already up and filled a second mug.
“When Brutus Brokenhand first settled in Elekargul he had two dozen of his trusted warriors with him and each of those men became the original named knights. But, if a knight does something particularly noteworthy then he is allowed to choose his own name to add to the roles. Redhand for example is one of those. During a particularly bloody battle a knight of Elekargul stabbed a terrible creature so deeply that he ended up pulling out the thing’s heart which stayed beating in his hand for a moment, thus Redhand.”
“That’s what Sorus meant about getting his own name,” said Jon. “He also said something about being a Coppercoin?”
“Yes, Coppercoin is the name that a young un-squired knight can take if he performs heroically on the field of battle to gain his knighthood. A lot of the boys want to be Coppercoins but they are few and far between. The original story is quite interesting but I think maybe it’s time you went to see Thorius Brokenhand before you have too many Smooth Striders,” suggested Thaddeus as he noted the speed with which the young man poured beer down his throat.
Jon gave his not quite empty second mug a rather forlorn look but then nodded his head and smiled, “You’re right of course Thaddeus. It’s been such a long journey I got a bit carried away. Which way to the mayor?”
“You’ll make a left out the door and then walk about two blocks until you come to a larger thoroughfare heading east and west. Take a left there and when you get to the red brick building that’s the place. You can ask anyone along the way and they’ll be glad to help you, Jon. You’re going to be quite an attraction here in Black Dale.”
Jon stood and looked at Thaddeus for a moment. “You’ve been a big help and so was young Sorus. He handled himself quite well. You wouldn’t know where I might find the First Rider?”
Thaddeus shook his head, “The First Rider is out on patrol and I’m serving my administrative twelve month so I’m not really in the loop. You might want to stop by the mason. Sir Odellius is an old friend of the First Rider and might know more.”
“Thank you again, Thaddeus. I’m certain I’ll see you around town for the next little while at least and perhaps I’ll stay long enough for you to join me in the field!”
Thaddeus nodded head and then turned towards the back of the shop, “Now be careful with the barley,” he shouted and strode through the door.