The White Ghost of Hart's Cove

11

.^^ the Wizard at Battle ^^

— Teilin —

"What are you?" Caesar grumbled, still confused.

I downed the last of my wine, and waved for another pitcher. "I'm Teilin the Dragon, my friend! Nothing scares me, and no one has ever challenged me and won. I'm the Mutt who became a Dragon! Haven't you heard of me? You've worked in the same Fort as me for a long time... maybe I'm not famous enough? Canaan, you know who I am, right?"

He shrugged. "I've heard a little, but usually about how you don't like fighting."

"Hmph! I need to bribe a few Criers... people should know not to mess with me! Make my life easier, y'know?" I grumbled, and my head hit the table.

"A~nd He's down. Take him to the room." Canaan laughed.

"Um Fine!" I lifted myself up with a bit of effort, and stood.

The world tilted, and I blinked, laying on my side. "Now that's odd... alcohol doesn't do this to me..."

"He's right, that's very odd. Was his wine poisoned?" Mother asked, seemingly disinterested.

"Oi! Tha's no' very nice..."

Gwynn decided to slam open a door, the wooden plank flying through the air and slapping one of the Knights at Caesar's mother's table across his skull.

I groaned. "Youse is a terrible secret-keeper, Gwynn... terrible."

"The bad berries don't do this. Who did?" He snarled, sniffing my neck.

Caesar waved his hand over my drink, and it turned yellow. "Well, it's not fatal, just enough to make someone sleep. Nightrose, looks like? Poisons aren't my specialty."

"It's Dreamrose, boyscout." Mother muttered, and stabbed me with one of her long nails. Instantly, the lack of balance dissipated, and I could feel my legs again. "They misjudged his body weight and density..." she stood slowly, and glared at the group of adventurers.

The Wizard sighed. "I take responsibility. I decided to eliminate the possibility of a scuffle." He pointed at Caesar's mother, asleep on the table.

"Ah... I see." Mother nodded, and sat me up, in my seat.

Gwynn sniffed the Wizard, and hummed. "This one smells of wood-smoke, books, and lightning. He is now Smoky Man."

I snorted at the silly name, and waved a hand, repairing the door Gwynn had busted down. "You can call him Smoky Man if you like, Gwynn, but I assume he has a name, already."

The Wizard laughed softly. "Smoke, Hmm? My name is Alitalon the Elder, Roc Gwynn."

"I prefer Smoky Man. Alitalon is long and boring. And you're not an Elder, the Elf ladies are older than you by a lot."

Mother frowned deeply. "Enough of that! My age is none of your business, Gwynn!"

He snorted and dove back into my bag, ignoring the people staring at it, and him, until the door closed heavily. I glared at them all, silently daring them to try to steal it.

The wine continued flowing, until about noon, and I went to get some sleep, along with most of the others. The barkeep was shaken by the events, but a piece of gold silenced any complaints he had.

—

As we loaded onto the boat, as the sun went down, I noticed the other group, (along with Caesar's mother, who seemed to still be fighting the effects of the Dreamrose,) loading up next to us, in their much nicer boat.