by Janice Jackson
The sun had barely crested the far mountains, the long
shadows of night were pushed away by the warming rays of
the bright yellow sun. Already the warming air was filled
with the sounds of birds hunting for insects and the scent
of growing things wafted along on the rising breeze. Talos
Valley was awaking and preparing for another day.
These were the sights and sounds that greeted Karl Strange
as he emerged from the double front doors of his travelers'
inn. It is the most infamous of gathering places, known
throughout the lands as Black Dragon Inn.
Karl had built the Inn one hundred years before, right
after the dark time of the Troll Wars. Today it housed more
than a hundred employees, people he called his family.
Karl's deep blue eyes carefully surveyed the surrounding
land that encompassed the Black Dragon Inn's property.
The years had taught the former soldier of fortune and
priest of an ancient wizard's clan to be cautious in all
things. Today was no different than any other day and Karl
never took any day for granted.
Karl had survived the Troll War and the defeat of Trenton,
the Troll King. Trenton, an dark and evil magician, had
cursed Karl with long life, in a dying act of desperation,
insuring that Karl would be alive when Trenton returned
from the dead to extract his revenge.
Karl stretched his arms and neck, and chuckled as he watched
a certain tall long legged blond haired lad leading out
the next string of horses from the barn. These horses would
soon be changed for the exhausted team that transported
passengers and freight into and out of the valley.
Karl watched as Pytre checked the shoes on each horse,
the lad knew his horses very well and Karl was very proud
of him. Pytre had been with Karl for most of his young life,
coming to Karl when he was but three years old. Karl had
raised him as a son after Pytre's parents had been slain
just east of the inn.
A gentle breeze ruffled Pytre's blond lad's hair as he
finished examining the last of the horses to be used by
the stagecoaches and delivery wagons that traveled the Talos
Valley on a daily basis.
The boy lifted his head from his chores as he listened
to the faint sounds of the daily passenger coach as it raced
toward the Black Dragon Inn trying to reach the inn before
all of Dora's fine breakfast foods were eaten.
"Pytre, my boy, are we ready to greet these new arrivals?"
Karl Strange asked of the boy.
"Aye, sir! We are indeed ready to greet the new customers.
I just put the finishing touches on the reins and traces
for the horses and every beast in our barn has new shoes
and clean feet." Pytre beamed up at the tall dark haired
man standing at his side. Pytre's brown eyes sparkled with
pride, Karl Strange did not give compliments lightly. One
of the lead horses, a red roan began prancing nervously
so Pytre did not get to respond to Karl. Then his time was
fully occupied with the arrival of the stage and the seeing
to the passengers and horses.
"Whoa, you great hulking beasts!" The driver
called out, as he pulled hard on the reins in an attempt
to stop the running horses. He was having a very difficult
time in bringing them under control for something had spooked
them and they were rearing in their traces and threatening
to upset the carriage with its now screaming passengers.
Panic was beginning to make a bad situation even more dangerous,
not even Pytre could get close enough to grab the lead traces
to control the horses.
Karl Strange stepped forward and grabbed the lead horses'
reins and pulled downward, this had the effect of settling
two of them down and the other four horses followed suit
and soon stood quietly, though their sides still trembled
and shivered with an unknown fear.
"Sorry about the beasts, Master Karl. Something in
the wind seems to have got them all stirred up back there."
Harry, the driver explained to Karl. Karl nodded his assent
to Harry's words. Karl too had felt something odd about
the wind.
The driver quickly got the passengers off the carriage
while Pytre led the still trembling horses inside the great
barn attached to the far side of the Black Dragon Inn. The
driver soon joined Pytre and together they managed to get
the tack off the horses and dried them off and put the gear
up on the drying racks. Each horse was led to his own stall
and given a large bucket of fresh water and a pail of oats.
Sweet grass was placed in each stall for the horses to enjoy
at their leisure. The Inn was a favorite stop for the creatures
if they had but voices to tell the tale.
"Harry, lets get you into Dora and have her fill a
plate for you and a tankard of the Inn's finest ale."
Pytre laughed as he pulled at the old driver. Pytre put
a strong arm around the older man, noting the new wrinkles
in his face and the pale gray pallor in the old man's face.
Pytre would make certain to inform Dora of his observations.
"Aye, I believe that would be just the ticket, indeed!"
Harry chucked as he put a heavy arm around the boy's shoulders
and rushed them both into the Inn. Dora knew just how to
treat a man and her cooking was known to fill a man's belly
with good food and memories of sweet ale and pleasant company.
"Dora, my dear beauty!" Harry called out as he
hurried Pytre into the kitchen.
"What kind of lies are you telling now, you great
buffoon?" Dora blushed at the compliment, but she would
not let anyone know that the words pleased her. Harry wasn't
a bad looking man, though like most males he did drink too
much and had a slight pouch around his waist. Harry had
known her late husband and had in fact been a friend of
the family long ago. She treasured the tales of the past
that the two of them now shared. They were both lonely and
missed their dead families.
"Nay, Dora you have cut me to the quick. I pay a beautiful
lady a nice word or two and she hurls insults back my way.
I shall never recover." Harry bent his head over so
that Dora could not see the wide grin on his face. It was
a game that they played every time he brought people or
goods to the Inn.
"Now, sit down Harry, before I forget to serve you
some of the fresh buttermilk griddle cakes and ham just
coming from the oven." Dora turned and grabbed a large
green ceramic platter from a shelf above her head and took
it into the other part of the kitchen. She could be heard
humming an old nursery rhyme as she filled the platter to
near over flowing. She had placed ten of the light fluffy
cakes on the platter along with a rasher of crisp bacon,
a large pile of hashed brown potatoes and molasses and maple
syrup and jam for Harry to put on his cakes. Before returning
to the table where Harry sat waiting she grabbed up a tankard
of sweet ale.
Harry rubbed his hands together eagerly as he watched her
carry the great weight to the table. Past experience had
taught him not to try and take the food from Dora's hand,
she hated anyone hinting that she needed any help. Not even
Karl Strange would try to interfere with his head cook when
she was carrying out kitchen duties. Dora had a very large
marble rolling pin and was not afraid to use it on a fool,
for Dora hated being reminded of her age. She was forty-five
years of age, though truth be told she could out work those
girls half her age. Dora was nearly as round as she was
tall, her ebony hair now laced with silver, her dark brown
eyes missed little in the operations of the inn and staff.
Dora had earned her reputation as a fine cook by hard work.
She was devoted to Karl and the Black Dragon Inn, for Karl
had saved her after her own family had been slain by monsters.
Right now her arms ached under the weight of the platter
she carried, her heart warmed as she saw the smile of Harry's
face. Dora had laced the sweet ale with herbs to ease Harry's
heart pains, though she would never tell him so.
"Aye, there's a lady for you!" Harry called out,
his mouth already watering with anticipation of eating the
hot cakes and ale. He laughed again as the small kitchen
table, where the kitchen staff took their breaks, groaned
under the weight of the platter of food.
Dora smiled with pride as she watched her old friend dig
in to the steaming platter of food, then she rushed on to
finish preparing food for the new guests at the Black Dragon
Inn.
Inside the lobby of the Black Dragon Inn, Karl was greeting
his guests and preparing to register them in the log. He
stood behind a long, heavy black wood counter, a leather
ledger in front of him with a pot of ink and a quill at
the ready for the guests to sign their names.
One of the lady passengers turned to her traveling companion
and whispered, "How handsome our host is, I don't believe
that I would fear anything if he were at my side this evening."
She could not take her eyes from Karl's strong frame as
it bulged beneath his deep blue silk suit, the color matched
his eyes. She nearly fainted when Karl smiled at her, his
white teeth showing when his full lips pulled back in a
friendly grin. The woman felt faint once again when Karl
offered her his arm and led her to a nearby chair. Her color
had faded with her rising passion for her host. Karl was
used to such reactions from his female customers.
Two of the male customers had their heads bent together
whispering. "Aye, I remember reading about the Troll
Wars. There was a Karl Strange listed as one of the soldiers
who were involved in the slaying of old Trenton, the Troll
King. This here must be his grandson." The two men
nodded in agreement then turned to listen to their host.
Karl had overheard the men's words and smiled to himself.
There were few people in this world that knew of his real
age and that was the way he wanted it to stay.
Another of the females was staring at her host with more
than just admiration. She felt a hot shiver slice through
her middle as she observed the muscles of his body ripple
smoothly under his clothing. Her brown eyes reflected her
growing lust as her mind envisioned his coming to her room
that night and declaring his passion for her. She nearly
jumped out of her skin when he spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the Black
Dragon Inn. My name is Karl Strange and I am your host."
Karl bowed his head toward his guests. He gently pushed
a stray lock of ebony hair off his sun darkened brow, like
a young boy would do, his dark blue eyes twinkling with
pleasure as he read the surprised looks on the guests' faces.
Karl was a tall man, over six feet eight inches tall and
he weighed ten stone or two hundred and forty pounds, and
he had not an ounce of loose flesh on his body. He wore
his black hair long and kept it secured by a black silk
ribbon at the nape of his neck. His face and hands were
deeply tanned and tiny laugh lines hugged the corners of
his eyes. Straight white teeth peeked out of his full lips
when he smiled and his demeanor put his guests at ease.
No one first looking at him could ever imagine that pleasant
appearance would ever strike fear into anyone's heart. But
looks can be deceiving. Karl had seen the woman's eyes sweeping
over his body before he spoke to the group. He was still
pleased by the attention. Karl made sure to be very attentive
to his female admirer. Karl managed to keep a straight face
as he settled her into her room and extended an invitation
to dine at his table that evening, of course he did not
explain that all the guests would be joining them at the
same table.
Unseen by the others, Dora chuckled as she watched Karl
lead the guests upstairs to their rooms. "Hussies!
Those women never learn that freely given charms are never
longed for by men." Dora shook her head as she turned
back to the preparation of the morning meal for the new
guests.
When all his new guests had been settled in their rooms,
Karl retired to the large room used as his office. He finished
off his paper work, counted the daily receipts from the
day before, put the money in a large safe that was made
to look like a black dragon. When everything was done, Karl
sat down in his over sized black wing backed chair to do
some thinking about certain situations that had begun occurring
near the Black Dragon Inn.
Karl had built the inn more that a hundred years before.
The place had once been an inn of ill repute where women
and children, both boys and girls, had been sold as whores
and slaves. Karl tore down the original walls and salted
the ground before he began building from the ground up.
The walls of the inn were of lava rock, moss growing out
of the fissures now gave the building a greenish cast, the
roof of the inn had been constructed out of dragon scales
that Karl had brought down from the Dragon Fyrestorm Mountains
himself. Karl absently reached up to his neck and stroked
the strange black crystal stone he wore on a silver chain
around his neck. The stone hummed and heated up when dragons
were close by him. The stone had been in his hand when he
awoke after a fierce storm he called the Terrible Howling
Wind. The only thing he could remember of that night was
the faint memory of a man dressed in total black that had
been more than seventy-five years before when he had been
gathering the last of the dragon scales he would on his
roof.
The Talos Valley, though now inhabited mainly by humans,
was still the domain of the dragon gods. Karl did not want
an accidental fire destroying his home if one of the young
dragons ever came down to the valley on a fly by and expelled
flames. Even if most humans no longer believed that the
dragons still existed, coming to the valley to hunt for
treasure in the fabled Crystal Mountains, those humans that
were that foolish quickly found out that those fabled beasts
did indeed still exist, though they never had a chance to
tell others of this information. Karl knew better. He had
gathered most of the scales for his roof from the places
where the dragons had shed their old scales, but he had
fought and killed one of the dragons that had tried to eat
him. He took all the scales for his own. Karl kept a watchtower
manned by guards who continuously
searched the skies for any dragon flights.
Karl reached out and touched a small piece of art made
from the tiny eye ridge scales of that very dragon, the
scales were still a deep green as they had been when the
dragon yet lived. The scales of all the dragons had been
covered with black pitch to keep them waterproof and to
prevent the others from knowing of his building materials.
Dragons had very long memories and took vengeance whenever
they thought any one had abused their rights. Karl had abused
their rights in killing one of their own. They did not see
anything wrong in eating humans; in the dragons' whirling
eyes Karl had committed murder in killing a dragon just
because it had tried to eat him.
A small red ribbon, tied around the neck of a small ugly
pewter statue of Pan, a last gift from his daughter Rachael,
flashed before Karl's eyes, causing those deep blue orbs
to tear up in memory. The ribbon had belonged to his daughter,
Rachael; Karl had tied it on the statue after she had been
killed. She had been only eight years old when she had been
slain along with Karl's wife, Margaret. The ribbon had been
used to tie up his daughter's ebony hair that fell nearly
to her tiny waist. Karl touched the flapping end of the
ribbon and pushed back the memories that threatened to over
whelm him. He had too much to do to allow those thoughts
inside his mind. They would crowd in later when he tried
to sleep that night. It had been more than fifty years since
their deaths and more than ten years since the last episode
that haunted his memories crowded in on him. Tonight would
be bad and the big man shuddered at the thought. There was
not much that made Karl Strange shudder. Karl decided to
push the thoughts as far as he could manage by attending
to the needs of his new guests.
Karl strode briskly into the expansive kitchen of the in
and called, "Dora, my love! I need to talk to you about
the foods to be served tonight." Karl rocked back on
his heels while he waited for Dora to make her appearance.
Dora chuckled to herself, Karl was upset about something
tonight and Dora suspected that it had to do with his dead
family. She played this role whenever he was bothered about
something, for Karl always allowed Dora to rule her kitchens
and govern the staff of the inn. She knew she was fair and
honest with all who worked at the inn; no voice was ever
raised against her rules. She was boss, second only to Karl
Strange, himself, and posed as supervisor, mother, nurse
and hirer of all the staff. Dora loved her job as she loved
Karl Strange and the staff. They had supplanted the loss
of her own family twenty years before and the loss of an
infant boy when she was but eighteen.
"So, what can I do for you Master Karl?" Dora
asked, using the term she always applied to him. She raised
her black eyebrows and cocked her head to the side as she
awaited his answer her lips turned downward in a mock scowl.
"Dora. Dora, you always seem to diffuse my tempers."
Karl laughed at the fake look of outrage on his cook and
housekeeper's face. " I came in here looking to find
something wrong to set my teeth into and you abuse me with
your cocky looks. I feel I get no respect around here, my
dear!" Karl tried for a stern voice but lost it all
when Dora wrinkled up her nose at his words.
"Now, Master Karl, you know that all you have to do
is come in here and have a cup of hot potage laced with
brandy and talk with me. You have been thinking about Margaret
and Rachel again. Right?" Dora remarked as she pulled
out a chair for him to sit in and reached for a heavy ceramic
mug and filled it with hot potage. She pulled a hidden brown
bottle from her own personal cupboard and poured a liberal
amount of the brew into the cup. She added a dash of cinnamon
and handed it to Karl.
"Now, before you say a single word, drink all that
cup down to the bottom." Dora place her hands on her
ample hips and put a stern, motherly look on her face as
she waited for Karl to comply. She did not worry that he
would not do as she requested, he always obeyed her reasonable
requests.
Karl drank the strong brew, then shuddered as it hit his
stomach. Dora had laced the brew with strong brandy and
the hot portage added to the speed it worked in his system.
"Whoa, how much of that did you use in that cup?"
Karl's eyes were watering yet again, but this time because
of the strong drink. Karl finished the mug of brew and put
his hand over the brim in refusal of a second cup. "I
just need to see a friendly face, Dora, not drown in a cup
of potage." Karl explained as he caught his breath
a second time.
"Now, you feel better, right?" Dora asked as
she put the cup back on the cupboard.
"Yes, I feel better. Now we have eight new guests
and a problem with the Night Stalkers. I need some ideas
of how to keep these guests entertained and inside the inn
tonight." Karl knew he could handle the matter himself,
but having Dora's input acted as a balm to his emotional
upset.
"Those nasty beasties have been getting closer and
closer each month and that's the truth. I pray that you
will find a way to control them before they reach the inn,
Master Karl. As for the guests, just have me put food on
the long table and have the staff set up the gaming tables.
That will take care of the city folk until they drop from
exhaustion or from the drink. The staff will see them to
bed, to be sure. The same rules of service apply with this
group too?" Dora asked, she knew there were some rich
men in this bunch and some of the staff was hoping for some
easy extra money. The staff was honest and gave fair service
for the money they received. Dora saw to it no one was ever
robbed by the staff or visa versa.
"Dora, you would have made a grand madam in a formal
house." Karl teased.
"Now, do not even go their Master Karl. I do not approve
of this sort of business, as you well know. But these young
ones are the support of their families and every penny they
can make is given back to their folk. So as long as the
staff respects the guests and the guests respect my staff,
I shall turn a blind eye to those goings on. But never confuse
my actions with approval." Dora had stood up on her
tiptoes to be eye to eye with her still seated employer.
Karl laughed and pulled his stout Cook and housekeeper
to him. "Dora, you never have to fear that I would
allow any of your staff to come to harm." Karl never
even considered the employees to be under his command. He
merely saw to it that order was kept when Dora's rolling
pin failed to keep the peace. Her marble pin was well known
and no one ever challenged her second time. Then she did
not know of what happened when offenders left the confines
of the inn after attacking Dora's staff or the grand lady
herself. No, there were no second offenders. Karl and the
outside staff saw to that.
"Well, dear lady, I shall leave you to prepare food
for this bunch and I shall get the bar set up and the tables
ready for some gambling enjoyment." Karl smiled as
he walked from the kitchen and headed for the great room
to see to his guests' comforts. Perhaps the night would
not be so bad after all.
"By the way, Master Karl, you had best watch out for
that blonde haired filly that nearly fainted when you smiled
at her. She seems to be the type that would get you into
her bed and find herself pregnant the next morning. She
has that lean and hungry look that many of our young bucks
get when fresh female flesh comes about. She sees your attentions
as favoring her, she also sees your money as belonging rightfully
to one as beautiful as she is, so you beware of her."
Dora said over her shoulder as she hurried off to start
the mid-day meal.
"Never fear, Dora, my love. Only you hold my heart,
no other female could ever measure up to you." Karl
teased.
"Of course they cannot measure up, I'm too short for
any of them to even see most of the time." Dora laughed.
The subject of her height was a running joke between them.
Dora felt very protective toward Karl Strange, for she had
known him since she was but a young girl and then he had
been there to rescue her when her entire family had been
slain by the Nightstalkers. He had comforted her when the
young child she had found so long ago had to be sent away
to protect him from an evil force that hunted him. Dora
knew that if it ever became necessary, she would give her
life to save Karl's life.
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