I hated the place as soon as we arrived.
Sure I didn't the descent into the land of light much either but that was nothing compared to the place itself.
As soon as we landed I felt the glaring sunlight even through my precautions though luckily I didn't turn to stone.
I stumbled as we made contact with it ground that gave the illusion of feeling squishy Hearthstone however touched down gracefully as he did everything else.
I felt bad for Hearth instantly. Although the place was pretty there was a feeling of constraint over the whole thing. I couldn't imagine living here never mind living here with his parents.
I didn't know all the details of Hearth's childhood, but I did know he was always scorned by his family for being deaf, and that his brother was killed by a monster when they were young and he was blamed for this.
Over time he told me bits and pieces of his story and when they clicked together I was so angry I almost went straight to Alfheim to give his sorry excuses for parents a piece of my mind. I resisted for Hearth's sake.
Now we were here and Hearthstone had made it apparent that he would be doing everything in his power to avoid running into his family.
We had a simple enough quest. Our boss Mimir had tasked us with finding a certain type of plant that only grew in Alfheim.
Him being a god I don't know why he couldn't just say 'Abracadabra' and have the stuff appear. Probably just the thing immortals tended to do where they send mortals to do their grocery shopping to 'Prove out worth' when the real reason is because they're to lazy to do it themselves.
So I signed because it was impossible for Hearth to read my lips beneath my sun resistant clothing. Any clue where we can find this plant?
Maybe Hearthstone signed back. He gestured for me to follow him and he started walking along the grassy field we landed in.
I wanted to ask where we were going but it was difficult to have a sign language conversation and walk at the same time so we trekked onward in tense silence.
Eventually we made it to what appeared to be a main city like area with shops and restaurants.
Elves in pristine suits and dresses bedazzled in jewels like it was nothing bustled around most taller than Hearthstone.
We caught lots of weird glances and mummers followed where we went. I caught a few mutters fancy elves whispered about us.
"Is that a dwarf?"
"And who's that elf?"
"I haven't seen him before"
"You don't think..."
"Could he be Alderman's kid?"
A patrolling elven police officer noticed the commotion so I signed to Hearth for us to move faster.
We hurried out of the city, where on the outskirts there was a dense overgrown forest.
I stopped Hearthstone by grabbing on his sleeve. Why is this here? Everything else is so... perfect.
H-U-L-D-E-R Hearth spelled out. Servants. Need forest nearby to survive. Lots in city so forest is here.
I frowned. Well okay
He turned and strode into the woods, I followed close behind.
There was wildlife everywhere, everything was overgrown and wild, vines hung from trees and grass stretched past my ankles.
Okay so how do we find the plant we need? There's plants everywhere. I wondered.
I know what it looks like don't worry.
I nodded mumbling "Okay then" aloud.
We walked a little longer until Hearth came to a sudden halt causing me to stumble into him from behind. He bent over and plucked a flower from the ground holding it up triumphantly.
The flower was droopy and gray and pretty underwhelming overall. I couldn't help but think We came here for that?
That's... it? I signed.
Hearthstone nodded Doesn't look like much but can be very powerful.
The strange flower reminded me a bit of Hearth. Colorless and passive looking but unexpectedly powerful.
It took forever to get back, I hadn't realized how far we had traveled.
The trip back passed in silence like it had the way there but this was a more relieved quiet knowing now we had what we came for we could go home.
We eventually made it out of the forest and back to the busy city with whispers and stare following our every move. We almost made it out of there too when we were stopped by a pair of elves.
The man and woman were dressed even fancier than the other elves we had seen. They carried themselves with regal poise like royalty.
The elf on the right stood probably seven feet tall and towered over me. He wore a suit which I had to admit was really nice.
The elf on the left was smaller, maybe six feet. Her and her gown were bedazzled with enough jewels to make any midgaurdian a billionaire.
Hearth froze upon seeing them, so still it was hard to tell if he was breathing.
Immediately I put two and two together and realized. These had to be his parents.
"Hearthstone?" The male elf demanded.
Hearth looked down and signed one sharp word Father.
"Haven't I always said to stop using that ridiculous hand waving." He said coldly.
The female elf who had been looking him up and down scoffed. "What are you wearing?"
He wrapped his fingers protectively around his striped scarf I had given him. After a moment he found words again What do you want?
"When I heard a rumor that my...son. Was back in town I had to see for myself," He said 'son' the way one might point out an ugly insect. "Though it seems you are just as much a disappointment as ever"
Hearth shrunk under the insult, averting his eyes from his parents scornful gaze.
This was it. I wasn't letting them insult him like this anymore. "Watch it you prissy -----!" I intervened calling them some not very nice words. "He is twice the elf you are or will ever be!"
"What's this? A dwarf Hearthstone?" His mother contemned. "We figured you would be with an odd sort after you left but a dwarf? This is ridiculous!"
That made Hearth snap. He launched into a rant of angry gestures in sign language. When he finished his parents sneered.
"We couldn't understand a word of that worthless boy" His father derided.
"Really because I'll will gladly translate." I offered knowing that some of Hearth choice of language would wipe the look of superiority right off his face.
"I Wasn't talking to you dwarf."
I rolled my eyes though no one could tell beneath my sun resistant gear and signed come on. to Hearth and walked away, but not before flashing the pair a gesture they wouldn't need to acknowledge sign language to understand.
Together Hearth and I walked out of the city to a place we could open a door to another world.
People could hate us if they wanted to. We didn't need them.
As long as we had each other.
