Page 22 of The Dragon and the Exiled
Dipak laughed."As you wish, milady."He fetched his bags, and of course, once people noticed what they were doing, the trading began in earnest.Following that there was more food and singing, until the afternoon grew late enough that people had to leave.Normally, solstice festivals lasted until the alcohol ran out or everyone passed out, whichever came first.
He packed his things slowly, pleased with the goods he'd managed, especially the sugar, flour, and other baking goods that a woman had traded him for a simple gold pendant necklace.That would make winter a great deal more pleasant.Minali had traded him cocoa, spices, and more for a diamond ring.All of that would be delivered by Euclid later.Normally he'd never trade sight unseen, but life in the forest relied on sight unseen and a level of trust that he'd encountered nowhere else.
After he'd packed, he lingered, helping to clean up, reluctant to leave, and even more reluctant to leave Euclid alone with Pitambar, who was also hanging back."How far do you live from here?Where in the woods?"Despite all his wandering, Dipak had never come across anyone else's home, so they either lived farther afield than his hunting ever took him, or there were various protections in place to hide the homes from general view.Probably both.
"A few hours north, past the great waterfall, just shy of the cave systems," Pitambar replied.
"So you won't make it home now.Are you sleeping here, then?"
Pitambar nodded."Yes, I always do."
"I see.Guess it's you and me, then."He turned away without waiting for a reply and continued cleaning up, piling dirty dishes into a large tub stowed beneath the table and hauling it and then a second tub to a nearby brook.
Euclid appeared while he was still working on the second tub of dishes."You are not required to help, hunter."
"I wasn't going to just wander off and leave you with the work."
"The work is my responsibility, part of caring for my people."
"Well, I'm happy to help.Though you'll probably give me something in trade anyway, because you're stubborn like that."He had to keep biting off the 'dragon' he always added now, since he couldn't risk Pitambar overhearing somehow.Gods, he would never forgive himself if he did that to Euclid.
Euclid's eyes sparkled.He'd changed from his ornate clothes to simple brown breeches, boots, and a faded green shirt embroidered all over with yellow and orange flowers."Come, we'll put these in my storeroom.Let me get your things as well."He stepped behind a slender tree and was gone, but returned barely a moment later from behind a tall shrub.
"That will never stop being confounding."He hefted one of the tubs, as Euclid placed his things on top of the other one before lifting it and balancing it on his hip.When Euclid held out a hand, Dipak took it and braced himself before they were moving.
He felt less dizzy when it was over than he had the first time, but was distracted from commenting as he took in their surroundings.A storeroom, as promised, what looked like an enormous cave, so large that there were wooden stairs and ladders to reach what seemed to be an uncountable number of shelves.More like a warehouse, really."This is amazing."
"Took me about a year to clear out the cave.There was a great deal of rubble and detritus.Then, of course, it took time to obtain all the supplies and hire dwarves to do the building.It has proven infinitely useful, though.As investments of time go, this one has paid for itself at least a thousand times over."
"I believe it."He followed Euclid to where dishes were stored and helped to put them away."So are you taking me home now?"
"If you wish, but…" Euclid hesitated, so unlike him, before finally finishing, "I thought perhaps you could stay the night here in my home.If you would like to.I can show you the rest of it."
"Your home?"Dipak repeated softly."Why would you show me that?"
"I trust you, hunter."
"We both know I don't deserve that."
"I don't know any such thing, and you don't get to decide who trusts you.Now, would you like to see my home?"
Dipak drew in a deep breath, called himself a fool, and let it out slowly."I would love to see your home."
"Come this way, then."
Chapter Eight
Euclid's home was a wonder.A beautiful, enthralling wonder.
Just past the storeroom, through a short, narrow passage, was a massive hot spring.Shelves had been built to hold various bathing items, and there was a bucket and basin in one corner where Euclid washed himself before settling into the hot water to soak.
A hot soak sounded like the best idea ever, but Dipak would never be so rude.Well, he would and had been, but he was trying.
From that 'hallway,' the caverns opened up again into a series of interconnected caves that gave the impression of a home, the type of manor home that did not have hallways, simply went room to room.The first one, just off the hall to the storeroom and hot spring, was filled with racks upon racks of clothes.So many clothes.Enough to fill every secondhand clothing shop in the city at least once."Where did yougetall this?"
"They're pretty, aren't they?"Euclid said with a happy sigh, reaching out to stroke the lace of a gown that a queen would cheerfully kill to possess."I find them, trade for them, buy them… Sadly, I do not get much opportunity to wear many of them, especially the pretty gowns.Not practical for the forest."
Dipak's mouth went dry at the thought of Euclid in a lace gown and nothing else, the skirt hiked up as Dipak knelt to put his mouth—
