Sold!!

     They gabbed at each other unintelligibly. Eventually they managed to exchange names. The old... whatever race he was... had a long name but indicated that Glam was ok. He gestured to the back of the hand cart, clearly indicating to Van to get in. It looked comfortable, filled with fresh hay and some crates, filled with recently purchased goods. Again, Glam pointed at Van, then pointed to the back of the hand cart. Van, a perplexed look on his face, shook his head. Van had a suspicion Glam was not used to being served. The old fellow was clearly suffering the effects of old age. His hunched back and limping gait displayed his discomforts. Van approached the hand cart and motioned him over with one hand, the other gesturing to the back of the cart. Glam shook his head at his own oversight and chuckled. Van helped him into the wagon before taking hold of the handles and starting to pull him down the street. Glam used a walking stick to indicate direction changes, tapping Van gently on a shoulder.

     Glam looked very human like, and was small, like Van except hunched over and potbellied. His bones were thick, even thicker at the joints, while lean muscle rippled beneath a tight shirt. Something about his stature and build reminded him of the Brin Mals he'd met, but he was slightly shorter then they, with comelier proportions. He had medium length hair and a short well kept beard, both white. His pointed ears and eyebrows hinted at an other worldliness, however. Eventually Van would come to know his race as the goerfo. Basically, they were dwarves.

     They exited Attrokka by a different gate then Van had arrived in. Looking around he suspected it was on the opposite side of town, and the terrain was very different. strips of woodland and wood fences separating fields of several large farms. Most of the workers had iron bands like Van, some still attached together by chains. Glam had removed the chains from Vans bands, which he was thankful for. In fact, when the time had come, Glam was reluctant to use even the iron bands and refused outright for an ownership mark to be put on Van.

     After a few hours there were no more farms, just woodland. And then it was night. His muscles were starting to ache, but Glam gave no indication he expected him to stop. Van wondered if The old dwarf could see as well as he could in the near pitch black darkness. It wasn't long before a dark shack loomed in the dark just off the road. It was well kept and solid looking. There was an area on the far side for wagons. however, the double doors were plenty big enough for the cart to fit through, and inside had a crossbar for security. Inside was nothing but a fire pit in the center, and a smoke hatch in the ceiling. The two travelers had skewers of smoked meat and vegetables then leaned and slept against the wall.

     After a quick breakfast of ash cakes and sausage, they continued on. Other travelers were scarce and once they passed a mounted patrol of rangers. Then an hour later, a quarry. To their right a road branched off and though it was soon hidden by trees, The trees were soon to thin then disappear revealing the road, once again. Only then it was descending into a man made canyon, littered with wooden buildings. In the distance, workers, like ants, worked with tools to separate and shape giant blocks of granite. Then as fast as it came into view, it was replaced once again by a wall of trees. Van discovered 'travel sheds' as they were called, were interspersed about every half a days travel. They were kept up by the ranger patrols, men granted the rights to hunt the land in exchange for their service in keeping the roads safe and travel sheds in good order.

     In all it was almost a 4 day trek. One the third morning the road began to wind, as though trying to avoid the worst part of the low hills they were encountering. Eventually the road builders seemed to have given up trying to avoid the hills, and Van found himself on a straighter road that rose and fell until the shadows grew long. And that's when they came upon Glams farm, an earth sheltered home with a stone front and across from it, a similarly built travelers shed.

     Inside was a small sort of coat and boot room, as Van would discover was a redundant feature in both of the entrances. That coatroom opened up into the great room. On the far end was a wide stove that not only was used for cooking, but heating the house when needed. There were cupboards and hanging herbs. Behind it was a large semi circle window through which an incredible valley was viewed; a farm. Most of the room was dedicated to a long rough table. the chairs were oddly comfortable, more like you'd find in a sitting room. from off this room were eight small, quaint bedrooms, of which, after some delicious soup and flat bread, Van was given one of.

     The valley would be impossible to see from any point of the road. Nothing was done. It was like Glams private kingdom. It had livestock, crops, and herbs enough to provide for a large family and have enough left over to sale for profit. Over the course of the next several months Van marveled at Glams strength and endurance even at his advanced age and struggled to keep up. From dawn till dusk he was working; gathering eggs, milking Drunkens, making butter and cheese, weeding and watering crops, chopping and carrying wood, picking rocks, landscaping and building with said rocks... Van was a city boy but also a builder, but he couldn't believe the depth of this old dwarfs knowledge and skills.

     Over the course of the next few months, they fell into a routine until fall. Most days were much the same with the exception of those times Glam invited travelers to eat. However, fate was moving Oloss closer. It was a sort of quantum entanglement that drew a relic closer to it's partner through seemingly minor effects such as A backpack shifting causing it to fall out so someone travelling in a different direction would see it an pick it up, or drawing the correct attention if placed for sale in some odds and ends shop.  

     This arrangement did allow some private time to Van. He made great strides in every way save emotionally. He learned what his power was, and was beginning to learn how to wield it. He was able to practice language with Oloss and Glam, and learn about skills. He especially invested in sword fighting even though his magic was versatile and could be used at any range. He learned form at night while sleeping, under Oloss' tutorship, and practiced with his body during the day. He was finally becoming strong.