The Grandfather

 The mayor loudly cleared his throat, “Pardon?” He spoke over her.

“We want…”

“Pardon?” He asked again, a childlike grin spreading across his face. “No, no I’ve had something caught in my throat and I couldn’t hear you. Go sit down, Toad.” He bent all the way over the desk, and gently patted Fen’s head like he was petting a cat. “Good girl,” he whispered in a fake-sweet voice as she backed away.

Hadrien grabbed her around the shoulder, and whispered into his ear. I could barely manage to hear him, flying just beside them. He merely asked if she was well, and he told her that the mayor of Venne was always this sort of a man.

Moxi folded her hands together, still looking at the side of the mayor’s too-tall desk. She spoke firmly and clearly, “Your excellence, I find your treatment of my compatriot to be crass and…”

Mayor Glib growled like a wild boar, his lips smacking together as he began speaking over her as well, “I treat cats as cats and outsiders as outsiders. Do you bring me some pleasure, or just your undesired discourse? Don’t mistake me, child of seven or something, your wisdom is far greater than that of the rocks I deal most with. Many of the villagers would be fooled that you have a half-working mind. I have seen your type before.”

“I outwit my mother, and she is an oracle.” Moxi huffed.

I flew up, landing beside the mayor’s hands on the counter, “We came here as potential friends to you, Sir, and as visitors to your town. We said nothing ill of you, nor challenged you. Tell me what we have done to offend you, so I may solve it.”

I hopped back as he lunged down toward me, but he moved much faster, closing his fat fingers around my side and holding me in place. He pulled me close to his face, enough to see his uneven, cracked, yellow teeth gnashing up and down with each word. The mud under his fingernails streaked against the backs of my wings, and his breath washed thickly over me, smelling strongly of fish. “Offend?” He pressed tightly against my back, “if I was offended by you, fairy, you would know. Or, if I was peckish,” he joked, then firmly set me down, slowly unfolding his fingers around me. “I always wondered it, why people don’t eat fairies. We don’t have any around here in Venne, Thank the Administrator. Hadrien, what say you?”

Hadrien turned his head back, “These are children. They will not find your prods as any sort of humor, Glib.”

“Says the master of comedy!” The mayor looked directly in my eyes, “Look, look at him! This Hadrien! He doesn’t know what dark humor is, or he feigns not to.”

Moxi stood firmly, “Your sense of a joke is crude and ignoble, my lord.”

“I must have known what jokes I would make as soon as you all walked in,” Mayor Glib announced, “catfolk think they’re better than cats somehow. You had all the face of thinking you’re important. Fairies, they go red in their face and they squirm as if you were being quite serious when you suggest eating them. Try it.”

Fen stormed back, “I was here to ask permission for us to see the mine. I am not one of the Toads stationed in Venne, but an apprentice of Tinborough, and we would like to see The Grandfather as a group of travelers sightseeing in your beautiful town.”

The mayor blinked, “I will show you three down into the mine, but Hadrien will not come. When we return you will do a favor for me. Understand, Kitty-cat?” He whistled.

“Deal.” Fen nodded sharply. Moxi held a hand up to her hesitantly, but Fen completely ignored it. Her tail swished side to side behind her.

The mayor smiled, mostly to himself and he quickly stood up from his seat. His back cracked, and his belly spilled out over his knees. “Good girl. Very good.” He reached his hand out to Fen, snatching hers and forcibly shaking it. His hand was almost three times thicker than hers, and she winced and how tightly he crushed her hand in his.

Hadrien stepped forward, “Mayor Glib, you have not said what it is you mean to ask her in return. Or, have I misheard you?”

“I have a mouse that’s been living in my basement. I was going to ask her to catch it for me,” The mayor stomped forward, going directly toward the door, “no less of a powerful, honorable Toad mercenary. Of a cute little kitty.” He tried putting his hand on Hadrien’s shoulder, but the veteran merely stepped aside.

The edge of the mine slowly sloped downward into the depths along a narrow trail, spiraling around The Grandfather’s circumference. Vines crept down the sharp, rocky edges, and grass had reclaimed the very top of the mine. Looking down, there was little life on the gray rocks deeper than a few dozen feet. A little clear puddle sat on the edge of one rocky overhang, dripping down off the side in a tiny stream and waterfall, and the single drops of water coming from it each plinked against the ground somewhere far below, echoing all the way back up.

“Here, travelers,” Mayor Glib held his arms out as widely as he could, “is the pride and joy of the Mining Guild! This is The Grandfather! A quarry so grand that dwarves are made to pity themselves and kings are made to bow.”